Designing an App for Women Leaders’ Collaboration

Kella is a women-only leadership platform that empowers professionals to network, share personal journeys, and access curated resources to help them grow in their careers. The goal was to create a safe, inspiring space where female leaders could connect and thrive.

One of the biggest challenges in designing Kella was figuring out how to create a space that genuinely felt trustworthy. We didn’t just want another community platform — we needed women in leadership to feel safe, heard, and respected. While the client had many ideas for building this intimacy, one suggestion stood out: including recommendations.

The goal became clear — build a feature that allowed women to share recommendations not just for places or resources, but for real-life experiences. The aim was to foster a sense of community rooted in transparency, relatability, and trust. We wanted women to feel like they weren’t just browsing content — they were stepping into a living, breathing network of honest voices.

I transformed this concept into a flexible post format that allowed users to share all types of recommendations: personal stories, professional tips, safe spaces, useful tools, or even cautionary tales. Whether positive or negative, every post contributed to a larger collective wisdom. This design choice not only reinforced trust but also gave the app a unique identity — one where vulnerability wasn’t just allowed, it was encouraged.