# Erik Menches

> Senior Product Designer @ Gaia GPS

Location: Oakland, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/erikmenches

I come from a family of innovators. The Menches Brothers invented the hamburger and the ice cream cone in 1885. I intend to continue this family tradition as a creative, designer, writer, and innovator.

Professionally, I have worked at startups as a product designer focused on UI/UX, a few branding and advertising agencies as an Art Director and pro-bono for non-profits and environmental causes.

I have also been fortunate enough to travel most of the world while living overseas in Hong Kong and Scotland. This experience helps me think for a broader audience and create work that will be culturally accepted throughout the world.

I received my postgraduate degree in Design & Digital Media at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland. I also received my Bachelor’s degree in Creative Advertising from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. In addition to my degrees, I have completed a Mini Masters in UX Design at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.

Above all else, I thrive on brainstorming, conceptualizing and developing user-centered designs.

Portfolio: www.erikmenches.com

## Work Experience
### Senior Product Designer @ Gaia GPS @ Outside
Jan 2024 – Present

### Senior Product Designer - Mapping @ Outside
Jan 2024 – Jan 2024

### Senior Product Designer @ onX Offroad @ onXmaps, Inc.
Jan 2022 – Jan 2024
∙ Led Product Design for the onX Offroad app
∙ Active onX Offroad "Trail Guide Ambassador" in order to experience and design for Trail Guide content creators
∙ Innovation across iOS, Android and web apps through research, prototypes & user tests

### Product Designer @ Atlys
Jan 2020 – Jan 2022
∙ Led re-design & re-brand of Atlys iOS experience
∙ Brokedown the app to its core principles and rebuilt it based on user data and feedback
∙ Created, tested and validated app flows, wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes
∙ Unified app design language to focus on experience & delight
∙ Developed & created new visual direction including logo, colors and illustrations
∙ Collaborated with and mentored junior designer
∙ App installs and conversion rate increased and led to successful seed round

### Digital Designer (UI/UX/Product/Visual Design) @ Erik Menches
Jan 2016 – Jan 2022 | International
• Visual Design - Unusual Ventures (San Francisco, CA)
• Product Design - TradeFindr (Oakland, CA)
• Web Design - World Wide Mind (Los Angeles, CA)
• Web Design - DLV (Anaheim, CA)
• Creative Direction - k9360 (New Jersey, NJ)
• Visual Design - Traackr (San Francisco, CA)
• Web Design - Back To The Roots (Oakland, CA) 
• Packaging Design - Back To The Roots (Oakland, CA) 

Services
• Design consulting
• Logo design
• Branding services
• Web design and development
• Video production

### UI/UX Designer @ TokenSoft Inc
Jan 2019 – Jan 2019 | San Francisco, California
• Created and implemented brand design system
• Designed website, blog graphics, social imagery, and conference ads
• Visual elements for online platform and wallet app

### Founding Product Designer @ TradeFindr
Jan 2017 – Jan 2019 | Oakland, California
• Designed and prototyped Android and iOS app
• Created sketches, wireframes, and mockups 
• Tested and validated multiple prototype iterations
• Built design system including logo, colors and fonts

### Art Director @ Nice & Company
Jan 2015 – Jan 2016 | San Francisco Bay Area
• Designed agency website, reel and RFP pitch materials
• Developed trade & consumer ads, digital sweepstakes and social media contests
• Created assets for social media campaigns including covers, posts and promotions
• Edited spots and created motion graphics

### Designer @ gyro
Jan 2014 – Jan 2015 | San Francisco Bay Area
• Created print, digital and experiential advertising campaigns 
• Designed landing pages, emails and invitations
• Responsible for video editing, video effects and interactive presentations

### Graphic Designer @ CoreBrand - Now Tenet Partners
Jan 2011 – Jan 2012 | Greater New York City Area
• Worked closely with a team of designers to create new, visual identity systems including   logo design and brand guidelines for multinational organizations
• Designed email and PowerPoint templates, newsletters, invitations and posters
• Responsible for researching stock photography to complement visual identity systems
• Managed print vendors to meet production deadlines

### Technology Support - VCU School of Business @ Virginia Commonwealth University
Jan 2009 – Jan 2011 | Richmond, VA
• Assisted faculty and students with IT support and audio/visual services
• Provided troubleshooting and consultation services
• Delivered dedicated customer service


## Education
### Post Graduate Degree in Design and Digital Media
The University of Edinburgh

### Mini Masters in User Experience Design
Rutgers University

### Bachelor's Degree in Creative Advertising
Virginia Commonwealth University


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/emenches
- Portfolio: http://www.erikmenches.com

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Source: https://flows.cv/erikmenches
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/erikmenches/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-13