As fwd design co continued to grow, what had once been a simple workflow began to strain under new complexity. Every purchase, sign-up, and opt-in lived in a different tool. Payments ran through Stripe, emails through Kit, and forms through other tools.

Each new customer or subscriber had to be added manually - copied, tagged, and welcomed one by one. What used to take minutes started taking hours. Onboarding was delayed, tags were inconsistent, and data lived in too many places.

It was clear fwd design needed a connected system that could manage growth without sacrificing the human experience.

Build a system that automatically routes every new purchase, form submission, and newsletter sign-up to the correct onboarding path in real time.

The solution needed to:

Connect Stripe, Zapier, and Kit reliably

Apply accurate tags and email sequences instantly

Scale as new offers and workflows were added

The goal was to create an operational foundation that was both automated and personal—one that matched the studio’s thoughtful, design-led approach.

I treated this as a system design problem: connecting tools and touchpoints around the user experience.

Mapped all audience entry points (Stripe, forms, and opt-ins) and their intended workflows. This created a clear picture of how information needed to flow.

Audited current automations and tags in Kit to identify inefficiencies.

Defined key success metrics around accuracy, response time, and user experience.

Selected Zapier as the automation layer for syncing transactions, subscribers, and data tags.

Before launch, tested with sample data to confirm each automation and sequence worked as expected. This step ensured accuracy and a seamless user experience.

I built an 8-part automation system connecting Stripe, Zapier, and Kit into one unified workflow.

Stripe → Zapier → Kit Integration: Each purchase or sign-up automatically added the user to the correct sequence with appropriate tags.

Segmented Workflows: Eight automations managed memberships, courses, community access, and newsletters.

Data Structure & System Design: Clear naming conventions and tagging logic kept information organized and scalable.

Automated Onboarding: Welcome and follow-up emails were sent instantly, keeping communication consistent and on-brand.

Reusable Templates: Each automation was designed to be cloned and customized for future offerings.

Alongside these marketing operations, I created an additional Stripe → Notion workflow. When a new client subscribed, a page was automatically generated to serve as their client portal. This page included key project details, links, communication checkpoints. It gave clients a clear view of their project while keeping internal operations structured and easy to manage.

The result was a cohesive system that connected payment, communication, and experience without manual work.

The new system transformed daily operations and improved the client experience.

Manual onboarding was fully automated.

Data accuracy and segmentation improved.

New clients received instant, personalized communication.

The framework scaled easily for new products and programs.

fwd design gained time, consistency, and a clearer view of its growing audience.

Design and systems go hand in hand. Well-designed systems create clarity for both clients and teams.

Automation should feel human. The best systems enhance communication, not replace it.

Structure enables growth. Building for scale early allows creativity and service to expand naturally.

This project reinforced that good operations are a form of good design. When systems work quietly in the background, people experience clarity, trust, and ease.