Femke van Schoonhoven
Develop your
strategic influence
as a Designer
Most designers get promoted for their craft. Then hit a ceiling at senior that skill alone won't break through. That's the gap I can help you close.
1,000+ hours mentoring designers
Design Lead at Gusto, previously Uber and Wealthsimple
500+ designers coached
Went from intermediate designer → design lead in 6 years
What’s missing isn’t skill — it’s influence.
You're technically strong. Your work is solid. But when it comes to getting buy-in, influencing the roadmap, or landing that promotion — something's missing. It's not your design skills. It's the strategic influence and business acumen that separates senior ICs from design leaders.
Sounds familiar?
If any of that sounds familiar, you're in the right place
Hey, I'm Femke
I spent six years going from intermediate designer to design lead — at Uber, Wealthsimple, and now Gusto — and built a framework for strategic influence along the way.
Along the way I've coached 500+ designers through career-defining transitions at companies like Shopify, Stripe, and Meta. Not by teaching them to design better — but by helping them make their thinking visible, their impact undeniable, and their voice heard in the rooms that matter.
What I've learned from 1,000+ hours of mentoring: the gap is almost never craft. It's always the strategic layer — knowing how to speak the language of the business, build influence across an organization, and position yourself for the opportunities you actually want.
That's what everything I build is designed to teach.
Designed at these companies
Product influence isn't innate—
it's a skillset you can develop
I feel empowered to create change in my organization, securing design a seat at the table to make informed decisions
Gemma, Senior Product Designer
OPTION 1
Which one describes you best?
I want to grow to senior lead with personalized support
Best for:
New design managers building leadership skills
Preparing for promotion to Staff or Lead designer
Anyone ready to invest in intensive, personalized growth
I want proven frameworks I can apply immediately
Best for:
Independent learners who prefer self-paced study
Designers seeking foundational strategic skills
Anyone wanting to start building influence immediately
I want quick and practical design tips and insights
Best for:
Designers building their first portfolio
Product Designers who want to boost their workflow
Preparing for promotion to Senior
OPTION 2
Be starategic
Which one describes you best?
I want proven frameworks I can apply immediately
I want quick and practical design tips and insights
I accepted an offer for Senior Product Designer with Hubspot and I'll be moving to San Francisco! Thank you for all your great advice during the 1:1 mentoring calls and all your amazing videos. It helped me so much during my job hunt and interview preparation. I was so anxious and nervous for it but the 1:1s really helped me manage my anxiety and get through it successfully!
Jo, Senior Product Designer
Limited spots
Strategic Design Leadership Coaching
Cohort program for senior designers ready to build the strategic influence and executive presence that drives career advancement
9 months
15 designers
Group & 1:1 coaching
Free resources to help you accelerate your career
free resources section: YouTube, Podcast, Newsletter
I've learned so much from Femke's newsletter and YouTube channel and attribute successfully landing interviews, and ultimately a job, to the knowledge I gained from her inspiring content. She just makes it so easy to digest and implement, always keeping you up-to-date on industry events and info, tools, and best practices.
Sara
Product Owner & Designer