Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Stonick
Hi Paul, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story begins in New Jersey, though not the “Jersey Shore” version you might have seen on TV (it’s really not like that, I promise). As a Drew University Art History major with a killer tennis backhand, I split my time between gallery halls and tennis courts, never imagining that a technological revolution would soon reshape my path.
Then 1995 arrived, and with it, the internet as we know it. The magic was now being written. Something clicked (pun intended). I told my parents I was pivoting to web design—no small announcement in the mid-90s when “digital careers” barely existed. Finding a web design program then was next to impossible and a lot of my early work was self-taught, but I managed to land in a two-year program where I learned the fundamentals of web design, development, and hand-coding HTML from scratch.
My timing couldn’t have been better. I landed my first role at MTV Online during the network’s cultural peak—the era of TRL (Total Request Live), boy bands, and Britney Spears. I cut my teeth and learned my craft while working on MTV News and The MTV Movie Awards, there was always something happening in the studios, and in our offices. It was an exciting and legendary time for the channel I grew up with.
2003 marked my entry into e-commerce with Bloomingdale’s, where I joined a scrappy team of just five people tasked with launching bloomingdales.com. We started with 150 products—a humble beginning that was like a startup backed by Macy’s resources. Without sophisticated analytics or the looming shadow of Amazon, we experimented freely, eventually building a $100M business that outperformed the iconic 59th Street flagship store in categories like dresses and swimwear.
This launched an 18-year run in e-commerce that culminated in leading online user experience at The Home Depot, the fifth-largest e-commerce site. There, we grew the digital business by $1B annually, transforming how Americans approached home improvement in the digital age. If you have used The Home Depot website, or downloaded the mobile app — you’re welcome.
By 2021, after nearly two decades in corporate America, I caught the entrepreneurial bug. I joined Fair, a San Francisco automotive startup, as VP of Product Design and Development. We built an end-to-end e-commerce marketplace for used cars, complete with financing and add-ons. When Shift acquired us in May 2022, it fast-tracked their “Amazon of used cars” vision, with our team’s technology and dealer relationships proving crucial to the deal.
Post-exit, an intriguing opportunity emerged with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). After years of giving UX masterclasses and hiring their talented interns, they asked me to lead SCADpro, their in-house innovation studio. We partnered with major brands like Google, Adobe, Amazon, and Apple, while I found deep satisfaction in mentoring students and shaping the next generation of creative professionals.
Following two successful years—highlighted by projects for David Yurman, Walmart, Sam Edelman, and even creating augmented reality graphics for Super Bowl LVIII—I decided it was time for my solo album. Today, as Founder and Chief Problem Solver at KICK Consultancy, I’m writing the next chapter of my journey, bringing decades of experience to new creative challenges. KICK is a boutique design management consulting firm offering a range of solutions including strategy, workshops, AI upskilling, leadership training, fractional leadership, team optimization, squad enablement, facilitation, roadmapping, Gen Z trends and insights, operations, tailored coaching, corporate offsites, talks and keynotes.
Looking back at that pivotal moment in 1995 when I first discovered the web and found my voice, I’m struck by how each role and transition has contributed to a larger narrative—one that continues to evolve with every new opportunity to innovate and create. We can never stop learning, we are never experts.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Sure, it hasn’t been all unicorns and rainbows, and there are a couple bosses I have quit along the way. With that said, the consistent theme has been fighting for design to get a seat at the table. I’ve seen organizations where design is treated as an afterthought, a final coat of paint rather than a foundational element of business strategy. This mindset doesn’t just undervalue design; it fundamentally misunderstands its potential to drive business outcomes.
The challenge begins with language. As designers and creatives, we must become bilingual—fluent not just in the language of aesthetics and user experience, but equally conversant in the dialect of business metrics and ROI. Being known as the team that “makes t-shirts and logos” is more than just a reputational problem—it’s a strategic dead end that can take years to overcome.
The transformation happens when we start speaking in terms that resonate with leadership. When we can draw direct lines between design decisions and business KPIs, when we can demonstrate how our work supports broader strategic initiatives, the conversation shifts dramatically. Suddenly, we’re not just discussing color palettes and layouts; we’re talking about customer acquisition costs, conversion rates, and market penetration.
But perhaps the most powerful move in elevating design’s role is making it intentionally inclusive. Design leadership isn’t about working in isolation and presenting finished solutions. It’s about bringing business partners, IT teams, supply chain experts, operations managers, marketing professionals, and even legal counsel into the process. We’re not asking them to become designers—we’re inviting their unique perspectives into the design process, creating a web of interdependence that strengthens the final outcome.
This approach transforms design from a mysterious black box into a team sport. When colleagues from across the organization participate in design thinking workshops, when they contribute their expertise to problem-solving sessions, they begin to understand design’s true value. They see firsthand how design thinking can unlock complex business challenges, improve operational efficiency, and drive innovation.
In the end, securing design’s seat at the strategic table isn’t about demanding recognition—it’s about demonstrating value in terms the entire organization can understand and embrace. When we achieve this, design becomes not just a department, but a crucial lens through which the entire organization views its challenges and opportunities.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
KICK Consultancy is a boutique design management consulting firm offering a range of solutions including strategy, workshops, AI upskilling, leadership training, fractional leadership, team optimization, squad enablement, facilitation, roadmapping, Gen Z trends and insights, operations, tailored coaching, corporate offsites, talks and keynotes.
With a hyper-focus on human-centered principles, culture, people, collective creativity, collaboration, and authenticity, our value proposition is how to enable companies to liberate teams, work together better as a whole, improve processes and maximize business performance.
Performed in-person, hybrid or remote, our services are designed for stakeholders, teams, senior executives, and C-suite leaders who are involved in strategy, product, design, operations, marketing, change, and policy. We partner with you to forge a powerful, unified vision of what success looks like, measured by outcomes, timing, cost, and effort.
We’re different because we don’t believe in the ordinary and boring. In a world where everyone tries to fit in, KICK dares your team’s creativity to stand out. We have sat where you are right now. Decades of working with in-house corporate teams and gritty startups have revealed what truly works—and what falls flat. This supergroup of expertise, anchored in human-centered principles, lets us understand your reality, what’s really holding your business back, and ignite your teams to think differently. By partnering with you, we’ll stage dive complex challenges, culture, and products—together, from planning to execution.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Simple, always have a “Plan B”. I have been thrown so many wild pitches that I have learned how to not get hit. Over the past two decades, I encountered a number of situations where things didn’t go as planned—whether it was a project that faced unexpected setbacks, budget cuts, changes in priorities or getting laid off – twice. It became clear to me that nothing is a guarantee. I needed to adapt my approach, not only to handle uncertainty more effectively but also to develop contingency plans so I wouldn’t be caught off guard if things didn’t go according to plan.
I started focusing on creating “Plan B” strategies for key projects, goals and my life in general. This meant identifying potential risks and developing backup plans or alternate solutions in advance. I also worked on fostering flexibility in my thinking, knowing that I could shift focus or approach if needed.
By having a clear “Plan B” in place, I have been able to navigate challenges more smoothly and with less stress. I became more proactive, anticipating potential roadblocks, and could adjust quickly when things changed unexpectedly. This approach not only helped me stay on track but also gave me more confidence in handling the unknown, ensuring greater resilience and success in both my personal and professional life.
Pricing:
- Please feel free to contact me regarding your project or if you would like me to speak at your next corporate event or conference.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://kickconsultancy.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulstonick
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stonick-executive-design-ux-creative-officer/
- Other: http://paulstonick.com
Image Credits
Headshots in hat: Haigwood Studios, Roswell, GA. haigwoodstudios.com
