Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Stonick
Hi Paul, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Paul is a seasoned executive leader with a proven track record of driving transformative business outcomes through design strategy and Design Thinking. With over two decades of “tra-digital” experience in design, product, e-commerce and a strong entrepreneurial mindset, Paul has a deep understanding of the current landscape, the power of human-centered principles and the business value of design. His work has been recognized by industry leaders, media outlets, and prestigious organizations like Forrester and L2 Gartner. Paul’s work has appeared on national television, industry leading podcasts, Apple’s WWDC keynotes, and Super Bowl 58. His deep expertise and unconventional approach have made him a sought-after advisor, mentor and speaker. As a frequent podcast guest, he brings depth and authenticity to conversations about design, leadership, innovation, and creativity.
Originally from Middletown, New Jersey, Paul graduated from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, with a degree in Art History, but his journey truly began in the vibrant world of web design during the mid-90s—back when the magic was written and the internet was just starting to find its voice. Most of his skills were self-taught, as resources were scarce at the time, but he didn’t let that hold him back. After discovering a fitting program at a local school in Raritan, New Jersey, he earned a certificate in web design and development, launching his career at MTV Online. There, he dived into exciting projects for MTV News and the iconic MTV Movie Awards, where he helped shape the digital landscape of entertainment in the late 90s.
After navigating the thrilling highs of the entertainment industry and weathering the dot-com boom and bust, Paul took a bold leap in 2003 to join Bloomingdale’s as Senior Online Art Director. There, he worked in a dynamic team of five people, launching bloomingdales.com at the dawn of e-commerce. What started as a small team quickly expanded to over 100, propelling the business to explosive growth, surpassing $100 million in revenue, and making the site the go-to destination for dresses and swimwear—outshining even the iconic flagship store on 59th Street in New York City!
After successfully leading digital and user experience design for companies like Avon, Dressbarn, Viacom and Barclays Investment Bank, Paul took a significant step in his journey by relocating to Atlanta and joining The Home Depot, where he led user experience design for homedepot.com, the fifth largest e-commerce site in the U.S. If you’ve ever navigated The Home Depot website or downloaded the mobile app, you’ve experienced Paul’s impactful work firsthand. As Director of Online User Experience, he spearheaded a talented team of over 50 designers, architects, researchers, and content strategists, directly driving the company’s online business growth from $7 billion to $10 billion through innovative omnichannel experiences. Under his leadership, The Home Depot app earned Forrester’s #1 Mobile App in Retail award in 2019, recognized for its cutting-edge features, including augmented reality, way finding, voice chat, and image search.
Amid the wave of entrepreneurial spirit and self-reflection sparked by COVID, Paul dove into the fast-paced world of Fair, a bold, fully-remote automotive e-commerce startup, taking on the role of Vice President of Design and Product Development. At Fair, he helped create a dynamic online marketplace that empowered consumers to explore an extensive inventory of cars from dealer partners, secure financing from a network of in-platform lenders, and sign for their dream vehicle—all completely digitally. The game-changing and successful acquisition of Fair by Shift (think Carvana) was a pivotal moment, propelling the vision of an ‘Amazon used car marketplace’ and supercharging Shift’s roadmap, allowing them to roll out this innovative capability in 2022.
Most recently, Paul was Vice President of SCADpro, Savannah College of Art and Design’s in-house design, research and innovation agency, generating new ideas and products for the world’s most influential brands — from prestigious Fortune 500 names to private and public small-to mid-cap companies including Google, Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Walmart, NASA, David Yurman, Deloitte, Delta, BMW, Volvo, Uber, Mayo Clinic, The Home Depot, P&G and Chik-fil-A. If you watched Super Bowl 58 this year, then you saw Paul’s work and leadership come to life during the game. SCADpro students conceptualized and created augmented reality graphics in support of the big game such as touchdown fireworks, player comparisons, down the field drives and the Vegas oasis floating over the Bellagio fountain. With a record-breaking 123.4 million viewers—thank you Taylor Swift—Super Bowl 58 became the most-watched program in U.S. television history, showcasing the power of innovation and collaboration.
Currently, Paul is the founder of KICK Consultancy, a boutique design management firm. KICK’s mission is to ignite creative culture and teach leaders, their teams and organizations how to lead with design as a catalyst for change. In person, hybrid or remote, KICK Consultancy offers a range of solutions including design strategy, workshops, leadership training, fractional leadership, team optimization, facilitation, roadmapping, tailored coaching, corporate offsites, talks, interviews and keynotes.
Paul coaches and mentors the next generation of design leaders in his work with Amazing Design People (adplist.org). ADPList’s mission is to democratize mentorship for all by providing access to knowledge and career-advancing skills. ADPList inspires powerful conversations and collaborations among designers worldwide so together we can change the world with creativity. The ADPList community has grown to over 30,000 verified mentors who have mentored more than 100 million minutes in 141 countries.
Paul is a founding cohort member of Punks & Pinstripes — a private network of transformation executives, intrapreneurs, and entrepreneurs who have built and done things that are objectively badass. Corporate ‘punks’ are the catalysts, the rebels in the boardroom. Change can’t happen without them. Punks are able to push freedom and the innovation that is necessary in an organization when it is rarely authorized. We look to help each other achieve, support and resolve. Find them at punksandpinstripes.com.
If you’re a fan of 80s music, Paul proudly contributed to the book “Calling All Nations: A Fan History of INXS”! While countless journalists have chronicled the band’s journey, this book captures the essence of INXS through the voices of those who loved them most—the fans. Paul’s story is not only published with a credit acknowledgment, but it also features stunning photos and rare memorabilia from his personal collection. You can still grab copies of the Deluxe and Super Deluxe versions at inxs.com, but hurry—the standard edition is already SOLD OUT! This groundbreaking book, crafted by passionate fans like Paul, vividly tells the remarkable story of INXS through heartfelt experiences, celebrating their enduring legacy in the world of music.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey has certainly been anything but linear; it’s been a winding road filled with both incredible highs and tough lows, marked by amazing hires and difficult layoffs. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced has been grappling with imposter syndrome. Like many creatives, I often find myself doubting my achievements and talents despite evidence to the contrary. There are five common versions of imposter syndrome:
1. The Perfectionist: Setting impossibly high standards and feeling major self-doubt when those goals aren’t met.
2. The Superman/Woman: Taking on excessive workloads and believing that any downtime is wasted time.
3. The Natural Genius: Expecting to get everything right on the first try and feeling alarmed when things don’t come easily.
4. The Soloist: Feeling the need to accomplish everything independently.
5. The Expert: Believing that you’ll never know enough, leading to fears of being exposed as inexperienced.
Ironically, the “Superman” version has been my kryptonite, pushing me into workaholic habits that became glaringly obvious in January, 2022 when I contracted COVID for the third time. The resulting burnout and anxiety were tough lessons, reminding me of the importance of balance and self-compassion on this unpredictable journey.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
KICK Consultancy is a boutique management consulting firm that offers a deep set list including design strategy, design thinking facilitation, digital product strategy and roadmapping, fractional leadership, operations, organizational design, career management, tailored coaching and mentoring. 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.
We know nurturing relationships—both with our audiences and each other—grows business. Performed in-person, hybrid or remote, KICK’s 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.
KICK Consultancy is 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. Decades of working with in-house corporate teams and gritty startups have revealed what truly works—and what falls flat. With our experience as your guide and partner, we’ll challenge conventional thinking and empower your teams to find creative and innovative pathways that redefine success.
Interested and tired of playing it safe? Contact paul@kickconsultancy.co.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
It’s hard to narrow down, but two childhood memories hold a special place in my heart, both vying for the top spot. The first is the unforgettable experience of seeing Star Wars in the theater in 1977 when I was just 7 years old. It felt like a world-changing event, and I was right in the sweet spot for all the toys and merchandise that followed! The second memory comes from around 1976 when my cousin handed me a copy of Destroyer by KISS. The moment I laid eyes on that album cover, I couldn’t help but shout out loud, “What is this?!” I was instantly captivated. Listening to that album opened my ears and eyes to the raw energy of rock and roll, a passion that has influenced my life, work, and commitment to standing up for what I believe in.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://paulstonick.com
- Instagram: @paulstonick
- Other: https://www.paulstonick.com/podcasts
Image Credits
Headshots With Hat: Haigwood Studios, Roswell, GA
Black and White Headshot: Zelda Zaragoza Johns, Marietta,GA
INXS Book, “Calling All Nations”: Courtesy of INXS.com and This Day In Music Books
