About
I design for the moment before anyone reads a word. I figured this out working security at a nightclub in Santa Barbara.
Every night at 1:30 AM, the house lights came on, 300 people had to leave, and I was the one getting them out. So I started walking the tables at 1:10 instead, with the right information at the right time. People left happy. Psychology gave me the language for it. B.A. in Psychology (focus: cognitive psychology), UCSB, 2011.
At Simply Smart Home I led all design for a five-person cross-functional team without formal reports from 2019 to 2025.
I also volunteer with QTBIPOC Design, where I led a team of five designers (three through launch) for six months through the organization's first brand system, and I've coached students and reviewed portfolios.
Since October 2025 I've run Aurochs, my solo creative agency, and it stops taking clients when I join your team.
Since June 2010
- Co-Founder / Website DesignerJune 2010 to 2016
Tantum
A client launch drew 160,000 unique visitors in 10 minutes.
- Website Designer, Developer, and AdministratorMarch 2016 to January 2020
iO Theater
Online ticket sales share grew from 50% to 75%.
- FounderJanuary 2019 to June 2021
Kovalik Design
Rebranded a specialist store and migrated its 2,000+ products to WooCommerce.
- Lead Product Designer (2019 to 2022), then Design Director (2022 to 2025)2019 to 2025
Simply Smart Home
Turnaround went from a week with outside vendors to two days.
- Volunteer: Technology Director / Brand StrategistAugust 2020 to present
QTBIPOC Design
Co-founded the planning committee for the first three student cohorts, which reached an 80% graduation rate.
- FounderOctober 2025 to present
Aurochs
A finished client site can now take one to four weeks, down from one to four months.
Also available in
Contact, San Francisco Bay Area
hello@stefankovalik.com