Dave Sonders

Dave Sonders Email and Phone Number

Product & Design Leader | Founder | Startup Advisor @ Matter Compiler
Dave Sonders's Location
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, United States
Dave Sonders's Contact Details

Dave Sonders personal email

About Dave Sonders

I've worked in the short-burst intensity of consulting, the organizational complexity of big corporate, and the chaotic exuberance of early stage startups, creating products, services, and new brands across a diverse range of industries. All are challenging and rewarding in their own way. All have helped shape my leadership philosophy and ways of working.My most fulfilling and joyful work: building and leading exceptional teams of makers.

Dave Sonders's Current Company Details
Matter Compiler

Matter Compiler

View
Product & Design Leader | Founder | Startup Advisor
Dave Sonders Work Experience Details
  • Matter Compiler
    Principal
    Matter Compiler Jan 2024 - Present
    Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area
    Matter Compiler is a collective of makers, strategists and creatives. We build products and experiences that people love. We help great teams — from startups to Fortune 100 — realize their vision through brilliant design, insightful product strategy, and a deep understanding of human needs and psychology.
  • Unc Shuford Program In Entrepreneurship
    Startup Coach
    Unc Shuford Program In Entrepreneurship 2021 - Present
    Chapel Hill, North Carolina
    I coach 4-5 student teams each semester in the famed “Intro to Entrepreneurship” course. We track the major elements of the entrepreneur's journey — problem identification, ideation and prototyping, customer discovery, pitching to investors.
  • Viizr, Powered By Ford
    Co-Founder, Chief Product Officer
    Viizr, Powered By Ford Oct 2021 - Nov 2023
    Detroit
    Beginning as a strategic partnership between Ford and Salesforce, VIIZR spun out in the middle of a global pandemic. Our mission: make the world's greatest productivity software for the construction trades. I drove the entire product journey, from idea to prototype to production, while also building a stellar team and defining the principles and cultural values that fueled our growth.// Led teams including design, research, product management, brand, field marketing, and customer… Show more Beginning as a strategic partnership between Ford and Salesforce, VIIZR spun out in the middle of a global pandemic. Our mission: make the world's greatest productivity software for the construction trades. I drove the entire product journey, from idea to prototype to production, while also building a stellar team and defining the principles and cultural values that fueled our growth.// Led teams including design, research, product management, brand, field marketing, and customer success// Fostered collaboration and clarity across every facet of the business// Drove product vision, product strategy, and long-range product planning// Led some of our most strategic customer development initiatives, including dealer partnerships, local market launches, and community impact promotions. Show less
  • Salesforce
    Innovation Partner & Senior Director, Ignite Team
    Salesforce Oct 2016 - Sep 2021
    San Francisco
    Salesforce acquired gravitytank in 2016. I led the integration of GT’s San Francisco studio with the existing "Ignite" team at Salesforce. The culture clash was real and learning curve steep, but we ultimately succeeded in blending the two organizations into a cohesive, high-performance team.I wore many hats on the Ignite team. I led exceptional teams and collaborated with some of the world's most iconic companies. Our work encompassed:// Digital transformation — helped… Show more Salesforce acquired gravitytank in 2016. I led the integration of GT’s San Francisco studio with the existing "Ignite" team at Salesforce. The culture clash was real and learning curve steep, but we ultimately succeeded in blending the two organizations into a cohesive, high-performance team.I wore many hats on the Ignite team. I led exceptional teams and collaborated with some of the world's most iconic companies. Our work encompassed:// Digital transformation — helped customers integrate digital technology to fundamentally change how they operate and deliver value to customers// Strategic partnerships — stakeholder alignment, soft influence, trust building// Venture design — value prop, user research, positioning, opportunity sizing// Product development — prototyping, roadmapping, agile development. Show less
  • University Of California, Berkeley, Haas School Of Business
    Adjunct Faculty
    University Of California, Berkeley, Haas School Of Business Sep 2015 - Dec 2017
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Served as lead instructor for a 7-week "Innovation Lab" at the Haas School of business. The course gave students hands-on experience with core design methods like problem framing, user research, analysis & synthesis, ideation, prototyping, storytelling, pitching and constructive critique.
  • Gravitytank
    Partner, San Francisco Studio Director
    Gravitytank 2008 - 2016
    San Francisco
    Gravitytank was a boutique innovation and design consultancy that was acquired by Salesforce in 2016. I helped scale the business from 30 people to over 100. I led the San Francisco studio, supporting a world-class team of designers, researchers, and strategists. We built a practice that contributed many of gravitytank's most enduring contributions to the design and innovation community: micro-pilots, startup sprints, Minimum Believable Products, and special effects prototyping.I played… Show more Gravitytank was a boutique innovation and design consultancy that was acquired by Salesforce in 2016. I helped scale the business from 30 people to over 100. I led the San Francisco studio, supporting a world-class team of designers, researchers, and strategists. We built a practice that contributed many of gravitytank's most enduring contributions to the design and innovation community: micro-pilots, startup sprints, Minimum Believable Products, and special effects prototyping.I played a variety of roles across two different gravitytank studios (Chicago and San Francisco), absorbing everything I could from the many disciplines involved in crafting products that are viable, desirable, and feasible.// Served as senior leader for a portfolio of strategic innovation engagements// Built relationships with clients as a trusted advisor and strategic partner// Guided teams to balance creative exploration with reliability and pragmatism// Drove business development with new and existing clients// Launched and led gravitytank ventures, a practice area focused on bringing together startup innovation with corporate innovation// Mentored dozens of early and mid-career designers, researchers, and strategists// Developed new methods and practices around user research, business model design and experimentation, and corporate startup creation. Show less
  • Iit Institute Of Design
    Adjunct Professor
    Iit Institute Of Design Oct 2010 - Apr 2015
    Chicago
    The Institute of Design is a renowned graduate school and pioneer of human centered design methods. I designed and led a capstone graduate course called "New Product Definition," teaming up with colleagues, clients, and local startups to bring design and product development principles to life for my students.
  • Citi
    Innovation Strategist, Citi Ventures
    Citi 2008 - 2009
    // Defined the value proposition and business model for strategic partnerships with large public transit agencies// Drove the development of a next-generation ATM experience// Worked with Citibank execs to hone messaging and storytelling around the full portfolio of Citi Ventures initiatives
  • Gravitytank
    Business Analyst
    Gravitytank 2004 - 2007
    // Drove research and analysis for innovation consulting engagements// Reframed mature product categories to expose new growth opportunity // Executed quant and qual analysis to support new product investments// Drove workshop planning and execution
  • The Npd Group
    Account Manager
    The Npd Group 1998 - 2004
    // Performed quantitative analysis to help clients understand consumer behavior, trends, and growth opportunities// Designed custom research projects and drove analysis, reporting, and delivery// Built trusted relationships with decision makers at key accounts

Dave Sonders Skills

Strategy Design Strategy User Experience Design Thinking User Centered Design Ethnography Experience Design User Research Product Innovation Business Strategy Brand Architecture Service Design Concept Development Customer Insight Start Ups Entrepreneurship

Dave Sonders Education Details

Frequently Asked Questions about Dave Sonders

What company does Dave Sonders work for?

Dave Sonders works for Matter Compiler

What is Dave Sonders's role at the current company?

Dave Sonders's current role is Product & Design Leader | Founder | Startup Advisor.

What is Dave Sonders's email address?

Dave Sonders's email address is ds****@****rce.com

What schools did Dave Sonders attend?

Dave Sonders attended Iit Institute Of Design, University Of Michigan.

What are some of Dave Sonders's interests?

Dave Sonders has interest in Mobile, Clean Technology, Health Care, Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software.

What skills is Dave Sonders known for?

Dave Sonders has skills like Strategy, Design Strategy, User Experience, Design Thinking, User Centered Design, Ethnography, Experience Design, User Research, Product Innovation, Business Strategy, Brand Architecture, Service Design.

Not the Dave Sonders you were looking for?

Free Chrome Extension

Find emails, phones & company data instantly

Find verified emails from LinkedIn profiles
Get direct phone numbers & mobile contacts
Access company data & employee information
Works directly on LinkedIn - no copy/paste needed
Get Chrome Extension - Free

Aero Online

Your AI prospecting assistant

Download 750 million emails and 100 million phone numbers

Access emails and phone numbers of over 750 million business users. Instantly download verified profiles using 20+ filters, including location, job title, company, function, and industry.