# Nicer Studio

## The product design studio for new ideas.

We design, build, and launch digital products for startups and enterprises. From first wireframe to first revenue.

[Book a Call](https://calendar.app.google/5xBrWfMguyk3j2sHA) | [See Our Work](/companies)

**28** products launched | **9+** years in operation | **$308M+** raised by our clients (USD) | **96%** of clients sign a follow-up engagement

## Who We Are

Nicer Studio is a product design and development studio based in Indianapolis, Indiana. We help startups and established companies design, build, and launch new digital products — from concept through post-launch growth.

We're a small, senior team of founders, designers, and developers. Every project is led by a partner. We don't hand you off to junior staff. We don't operate like a traditional agency. We operate like your co-founder's product team — embedded, opinionated, and focused on outcomes.

Our sweet spot: building the first version of your product. We don't target a specific vertical, but a horizontal. There's a specific stage in a company's journey we're focused on — taking an ambitious idea and turning it into something real that people use and pay for.

**Founded:** 2017
**Headquarters:** Indianapolis, IN
**Team:** 4 full-time partners and designers, supported by a vetted network of specialist contractors
**Contact:** [hello@nicer.io](mailto:hello@nicer.io)
**Website:** [nicer.com](https://www.nicer.com)

## What We Do

### Services

Nicer offers end-to-end product services across three core phases — Discovery, Design, and Development — plus ongoing strategic support for companies scaling post-launch.

#### Discovery & Strategy

The fastest way to validate your idea and define a clear build plan. We map your users, define functionality, create wireframes, and produce architecture diagrams — giving you a concrete roadmap with accurate scope and cost.

- User research and stakeholder interviews
- Information architecture and user flows
- Wireframing and rapid prototyping
- Technical architecture planning
- Competitive analysis
- Go-to-market strategy support

**Timeline:** 2–4 weeks
**Starting at:** $8,000

#### Product Design

High-fidelity UI/UX design that turns wireframes into polished, interactive prototypes. We design for usability, scalability, and brand consistency — creating interfaces that are beautiful and built to convert.

- UI/UX design in Figma
- Design systems and component libraries
- Interactive prototyping and user testing
- Responsive design across platforms
- Accessibility considerations
- Design-to-development handoff

**Timeline:** 2–8 weeks
**Rate:** $5,000–6,000/week

#### Product Development

Scalable, production-ready code built by senior engineers. We take a pragmatic approach — make it work, make it fast, make it beautiful — using modern tech stacks designed for long-term growth.

- Frontend development (React, Next.js)
- Backend architecture and API development
- Database design and optimization
- Third-party integrations
- QA and testing
- Deployment and DevOps

**Timeline:** 4+ weeks
**Rate:** $5,000–6,000/week

#### Branding

When your product needs a visual identity from scratch, we craft brand systems that carry across product, marketing, and communications.

- Logo and visual identity
- Brand guidelines and design systems
- Brand strategy and positioning

#### AI Integration & Guidance

AI is reshaping how products are built and how users interact with software. We help companies navigate the opportunity — from integrating AI features into existing products to building AI-native applications from scratch.

- AI feature strategy and product integration
- AI-assisted design and rapid prototyping
- Post-MVP refinement of AI-generated products
- Technical guidance on AI tooling and infrastructure

#### Ongoing Support & Retainers

For teams that need continued design and development support after launch. Flexible monthly retainers with dedicated hours, regular check-ins, and access to our full team.

- Monthly retainer packages (20, 40, or 80 hours)
- End-of-month reporting
- Access to Linear workspace for task tracking
- Regular sync meetings
- Overflow hours available at $150/hr

## How We Work

### Our Process

Every engagement follows a structured but flexible path designed to move fast without cutting corners.

**1. Define Goals**
We work with founders to dial in functionality and create a defined go-to-market product. We identify your ideal customers and create a detailed product roadmap with a clear path toward profitability.

**2. Rapid Iteration**
We build fast and iterate quickly — testing what works and what doesn't without burning unnecessary time. An ever-evolving product designed to find product-market fit.

**3. Accelerate Growth**
We're with you through launch, helping your team grow through scalable systems, technical talent recruitment, and growth flywheels that set your company up for success in future rounds.

### What Makes Us Different

**Partner-led teams.** Every project is led by a co-founder. You get senior-level attention from day one, not a handoff to junior designers or offshore teams.

**Product expertise, not just pixels.** We're not a marketing agency that dabbles in product. Complex product interfaces — energy grid AI systems, healthcare scheduling platforms, real estate marketplaces — are our bread and butter. We understand the technical constraints and user needs that make product design fundamentally different from marketing design.

**Pragmatic builders.** It's easy to fall off either side of a cliff when launching a new venture. Over-engineer the thing and burn through all your cash. Or cut too many corners and end up with something that doesn't scale. We build in the middle — fast enough to validate, solid enough to grow.

**AI-first workflows.** Our team uses AI tools natively across design and development — from generating interactive React components in hours instead of days, to automating user research synthesis. This isn't a bolt-on. It's how we work, and it means faster timelines and lower costs for you.

**Outcomes over outputs.** We measure success by what happens after launch. Client products have generated $10K MRR within 3 months of launch, helped win 7-8 figure enterprise contracts, and achieved 4-10x revenue growth.

## Our Work

We've partnered with startups, growth-stage companies, and Fortune 500 enterprises to launch digital products across industries.

### Featured Companies

#### AdventHealth — Healthcare
*A leader in whole-person health care.*
Product design and development for one of the nation's largest healthcare systems.
**Services:** Product Design, Product Development

#### Pixlmob — Real Estate Technology
*Marketplace for real estate photographers and editors.*
End-to-end product design and development for a marketplace touching 5% of the US listing market.
**Services:** Product Design, Product Development | **Relationship:** Invested

#### Earnnest — Fintech
*How money moves in real estate.*
Product design for the platform modernizing earnest money transactions in real estate.
**Services:** Product Design, Product Development | **Relationship:** Invested

#### OATI — Energy & AI
*AI-powered energy grid management.*
UX design for complex AI interfaces managing power grid operations — including work that helped the client win a major contract with MISO, the largest energy grid operator in North America.
**Services:** UX Audit, Product Design, AI Interface Design

#### Simpliphy — Healthcare SaaS
*Physician scheduling and workforce management.*
Product design for scheduling software serving healthcare organizations.
**Services:** Product Design

#### Glidepath — Franchise Technology
*Operations platform for franchise businesses.*
Ongoing product design retainer supporting dashboard design across franchisee and franchisor experiences.
**Services:** Product Design, Retainer

#### CLMBR — Fitness Technology
*Connected fitness equipment and software.*
Product design for the vertical climbing machine's connected software experience.
**Services:** Product Design

#### Southern First — Banking
*Community banking, reimagined.*
Product design for a forward-thinking community bank.
**Services:** Product Design

#### Terratory — Lawn Care SaaS
*Planning and management for the lawn care industry.*
Product design and development for an operations platform.
**Services:** Product Design, Product Development | **Relationship:** Invested

#### Radavist — Media
*Cycling culture and adventure media.*
Website design and development for one of the most respected cycling publications.
**Services:** Web Design, Web Development

### All Companies We've Worked With

AdventHealth, Alinia, Ammortal, Arrow Electronics, Bunsen Studio, Cactus, Cargill, Champion, CLMBR, Cuedin, Earnnest, Easyful, Eclipse Co, Fan Controlled Sports, Flaire, Flatiron School, G14, Glidepath, Grow Therapy, High Alpha, Ligonier Ministries, Majesty Music, Margins, NauWork, Nexus, OATI, Pathwright, PICI, Pixlmob, Radavist, Replay Coaching, Robojuice, SEW, SimplePerks, Simpliphy, Smallchat, Southern First, Terratory, World Finance, Yak

**Tags:** Product Design, Web Design, Branding, Founded, Invested

[View all companies →](/companies)

## Industries

While we don't specialize in a single vertical, we've built deep expertise across several industries through years of hands-on product work.

### Healthcare & Life Sciences
Product design for healthcare systems, physician scheduling platforms, and patient-facing applications. We understand compliance considerations and the complexity of healthcare workflows.
[See healthcare work →](/industries/healthcare)

### Financial Services & Fintech
From community banking platforms to real estate transaction technology, we design products that handle sensitive financial workflows with care and precision.
[See fintech work →](/industries/fintech)

### Energy & Utilities
AI-powered interfaces for power grid management, energy forecasting dashboards, and utility operations platforms. Our OATI work helped win contracts with the largest grid operators in North America.
[See energy work →](/industries/energy)

### Real Estate & PropTech
Marketplace platforms, property management tools, and transaction automation for the real estate industry.
[See real estate work →](/industries/real-estate)

### SaaS & Enterprise Software
Dashboard design, complex data visualization, workflow automation, and enterprise application interfaces for B2B software companies.
[See SaaS work →](/industries/saas)

### Fitness & Consumer Products
Connected hardware experiences, membership platforms, and consumer-facing product design.
[See consumer work →](/industries/consumer)

## Results

We measure our work by what it does for our clients' businesses — not just how it looks.

### OATI × MISO
Our design work for OATI's AI-powered energy grid interface was the key factor in winning a major contract with MISO — the largest energy grid operator in North America, a $600M organization. The resulting engagement is a multi-year, 7-8 figure contract.

### Majesty Music
$10K MRR within 3 months of product launch.

### Pixlmob
Platform now touches 5% of the US real estate listing market, with 2.5x growth projections and $5/listing revenue model.

### Robojuice Client
Helped achieve 4x–10x revenue growth. One client grew from $500K to $5M in 6 months.

### Prop Media
300+ new signups overnight at launch, ~10 membership signups, 350-400 video views, and 40% email open rate.

## Pricing

We offer flexible engagement models designed to match your stage and needs.

### Project-Based

Best for defined product builds with a clear scope and timeline.

| Phase | Timeline | Price Range |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| Discovery & Strategy | 2–4 weeks | Starting at $8,000 |
| Product Design | 2–8 weeks | $5,000–6,000/week |
| Product Development | 4+ weeks | $5,000–6,000/week |

### Monthly Retainers

Best for ongoing support, iteration, and product evolution.

| Monthly Hours | Rate | Includes |
|---------------|------|----------|
| Up to 20 hours | $3,000/mo | EOM report, Linear workspace access |
| Up to 40 hours | $5,600/mo | + Bi-weekly meetings |
| Up to 80 hours | $10,000/mo | + Weekly meetings |

**Duration discounts:** 3-month commitment → 5% off | 6-month commitment → 10% off
**Overflow hours:** $150/hr
**Payment terms:** Invoiced first of the month, net-15.

### Not Sure Where to Start?

Our Discovery phase is designed as an easy first engagement — low commitment, high return. You get experts telling you exactly what to build, what it'll look like, and what it'll cost. It's also how we scope larger projects, so it's typically a prerequisite for development work.

[Book a Discovery Call →](https://calendar.app.google/5xBrWfMguyk3j2sHA)

## About

### Our Story

Nicer Studio was founded in 2017 with a simple premise: startups and companies launching new digital products deserve a better partner than the typical agency experience.

Too many development shops either over-engineer products and burn through cash before launch, or cut corners with no-code hacks that don't scale. We built Nicer to be the pragmatic middle ground — a team that builds fast, builds well, and stays with you through the hard part.

Over nine years, we've launched 28+ products, helped our clients raise over $308M in funding, and maintained a 96% follow-up engagement rate. We've worked with pre-seed startups and Fortune 500 companies alike, and we bring the same intensity to every engagement.

We're based in Indianapolis, but we work with clients across the country and internationally. We collaborate asynchronously via Slack, meet via Zoom, and ship work through Figma, Linear, and GitHub.

### Our Team

**Aeryk Payne** — CEO & Co-Founder
Leads the company and oversees creative direction on high-value projects. Background in design with years of experience shipping products across industries.

**Jordan "Jay" Harris** — CTO & Co-Founder
Lead developer and client-facing technical partner. Translates complex technical challenges into clear communication and leads architecture decisions across projects.

**Robert Gonzales** — Head of Product & Co-Founder
Senior developer and product strategist who bridges design thinking with technical implementation. Leads large-scale development projects and manages engineering contractors.

**Crystal** — Senior React Developer
Frontend specialist focused on building performant, accessible interfaces in React.

### Our Values

**Work harder. Be nicer.**
It's right there in the name. We believe great work comes from a combination of relentless effort and genuine care for the people we work with — clients, teammates, and the end users of everything we build.

**Ship, then improve.**
We don't believe in perfect. We believe in launched, measured, and improved. Speed to market matters more than pixel perfection on day one.

**Stay curious.**
The tools and landscape change constantly. We stay on the leading edge — not for the novelty, but because better tools mean better outcomes for our clients.

## Blog

Insights on product design, development, and building digital products in the age of AI.

### [Predictions for product agencies in 2026](/blog/predictions-for-product-agencies-in-2026)
Building products changed completely this year. Here are our predictions for what's next.

### [How AI is changing product design workflows](/blog/ai-product-design-workflows)
From generating interactive React components in Claude to automating user research — how we're rethinking the traditional design process.

### [The discovery phase: why it's the most valuable project you can run](/blog/discovery-phase-value)
For $8K and 2 weeks, you get a complete product roadmap. Here's why discovery is our most recommended first engagement.

### [Building products for complex industries](/blog/complex-industry-product-design)
Lessons from designing AI interfaces for energy grids, scheduling systems for healthcare, and transaction platforms for real estate.

### [When to hire vs. when to partner with a studio](/blog/hire-vs-studio)
The honest trade-offs between building an internal team and working with an external product partner like Nicer.

### [What "pragmatic" actually means in product development](/blog/pragmatic-product-development)
How to build fast enough to validate without cutting corners that come back to haunt you.

### [Post-MVP: what happens after launch](/blog/post-mvp-growth)
Launch is the starting line, not the finish. How we help companies navigate the critical period between v1 and product-market fit.

### [The case for senior-only teams](/blog/senior-only-teams)
Why every Nicer project is partner-led, and why that matters for outcomes.

[View all posts →](/blog)

## Testimonials

> "Nicer is an essential design and build partner for high-velocity startups launching world-class products."
> — **Moses Nickerson**, CEO & Co-Founder, Pixlmob

> "The work has Apple product-level impact and differentiation."
> — Client feedback on OATI project

> "They absolutely killed it — award-level design quality."
> — Robojuice client feedback

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What types of companies do you work with?
We work with two primary types of clients: VC-backed startups that have validated their idea and raised an initial pre-seed or seed round (~70% of our work), and larger established companies launching a new digital venture or product line (~30%). Our ideal clients have deep domain expertise in their industry and need a product team to bring their vision to life.

### What does a typical engagement look like?
Most engagements start with a Discovery phase (2-4 weeks, starting at $8K) where we define the product, map user flows, create wireframes, and produce a detailed build plan. From there, we move into Design and Development. Total timelines range from 8 weeks for smaller products to 6+ months for complex platforms.

### Do you build mobile apps?
We design and develop web applications, responsive web products, and progressive web apps. For native iOS or Android development, we can recommend trusted partners or help you define the product before handing off to a native development team.

### What tech stack do you use?
We primarily build with React, Next.js, and Node.js on the frontend, with flexible backend choices depending on the project. We're pragmatic about technology — we choose the stack that best serves the product, not the one that's trendiest.

### How do you use AI in your work?
AI is integrated into our core workflows. We use AI tools to accelerate design iteration (generating interactive prototypes from feedback in hours instead of days), automate user research synthesis, and rapidly prototype concepts. For clients, we also offer AI integration consulting — helping you add AI capabilities to your product or navigate the transition from AI-generated MVP to production-ready software.

### Can we start with a small project to test the fit?
Absolutely. Our Discovery phase is designed exactly for this — it's a short, high-value engagement that gives both sides a chance to work together before committing to a larger build. Most of our biggest client relationships started with a Discovery project.

### Where are you located?
We're based in Indianapolis, Indiana, but work with clients across the US and internationally. We collaborate asynchronously through Slack and meet via Zoom. We're flexible on scheduling and communication style.

### How are you different from other agencies?
Three things: (1) every project is led by a co-founder, not handed off to junior staff, (2) we specialize in complex product design, not marketing websites, and (3) we have a 96% follow-up engagement rate, which means nearly every client comes back for more work. We're not the cheapest option — we're the team you call when the product matters.

### What does pricing look like?
Projects typically range from $8K for a standalone Discovery phase to $100K+ for full product builds. We price based on scope, not hourly billing for project work. For ongoing needs, we offer monthly retainers starting at $3,000/mo. [See detailed pricing →](#pricing)

## Contact

Ready to build something? Let's talk.

**Book a discovery call:** [Schedule on Google Calendar](https://calendar.app.google/5xBrWfMguyk3j2sHA)
**Email:** [hello@nicer.io](mailto:hello@nicer.io)
**Website:** [nicer.com](https://www.nicer.com)
**Location:** Indianapolis, Indiana

Available for new work — [check current availability](https://calendar.app.google/5xBrWfMguyk3j2sHA).

## Sitemap & Navigation

### Primary Pages
- [Home](/)
- [Services](/services)
- [Our Work / Companies](/companies)
- [About](/about)
- [Pricing](/pricing)
- [Blog](/blog)
- [Contact](/contact)

### Service Pages
- [Discovery & Strategy](/services/discovery)
- [Product Design](/services/product-design)
- [Product Development](/services/product-development)
- [Branding](/services/branding)
- [AI Integration & Guidance](/services/ai)
- [Support Retainers](/services/retainers)

### Industry Pages
- [Healthcare & Life Sciences](/industries/healthcare)
- [Financial Services & Fintech](/industries/fintech)
- [Energy & Utilities](/industries/energy)
- [Real Estate & PropTech](/industries/real-estate)
- [SaaS & Enterprise Software](/industries/saas)
- [Fitness & Consumer Products](/industries/consumer)

### Case Study Pages
- [AdventHealth](/companies/adventhealth)
- [Pixlmob](/companies/pixlmob)
- [Earnnest](/companies/earnnest)
- [OATI](/companies/oati)
- [Simpliphy](/companies/simpliphy)
- [Glidepath](/companies/glidepath)
- [CLMBR](/companies/clmbr)
- [Southern First](/companies/southern-first)
- [Terratory](/companies/terratory)
- [Majesty Music](/companies/majesty-music)
- [Ligonier Ministries](/companies/ligonier)
- [Cargill](/companies/cargill)
- [Arrow Electronics](/companies/arrow-electronics)
- [High Alpha](/companies/high-alpha)
- [Flatiron School](/companies/flatiron-school)
- [Grow Therapy](/companies/grow-therapy)

### Resource Pages
- [Our Process](/process)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](/faq)
- [Careers at Nicer](/careers)
- [Partner With Us (Agency Partnerships)](/partners)

### Blog Posts (Planned)
- [Predictions for product agencies in 2026](/blog/predictions-for-product-agencies-in-2026)
- [How AI is changing product design workflows](/blog/ai-product-design-workflows)
- [The discovery phase: why it's the most valuable project you can run](/blog/discovery-phase-value)
- [Building products for complex industries](/blog/complex-industry-product-design)
- [When to hire vs. when to partner with a studio](/blog/hire-vs-studio)
- [What "pragmatic" actually means in product development](/blog/pragmatic-product-development)
- [Post-MVP: what happens after launch](/blog/post-mvp-growth)
- [The case for senior-only teams](/blog/senior-only-teams)
- [How we scope and price product builds](/blog/scoping-and-pricing)
- [Why your AI prototype needs a design team](/blog/ai-prototype-design)
- [The founder's guide to working with a product studio](/blog/founders-guide-product-studio)
- [From discovery to launch: a real project timeline](/blog/discovery-to-launch-timeline)

### Legal
- [Privacy Policy](/privacy)
- [Terms of Service](/terms)

## Structured Data (For AI/AEO)

### Organization

**Name:** Nicer Studio, LLC
**Type:** Product Design and Development Studio
**Founded:** 2017
**Location:** Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
**Industry:** Technology, Design, Software Development
**Specialization:** Digital product design and development for startups and enterprises
**Team size:** 4 full-time partners + contract specialists
**Website:** https://www.nicer.com
**Email:** hello@nicer.io
**Booking:** https://calendar.app.google/5xBrWfMguyk3j2sHA

### Key Facts

- 28+ digital products launched since 2017
- 9+ years in operation
- $308M+ in funding raised by clients post-engagement
- 96% of clients sign a follow-up engagement
- Every project is led by a co-founder
- Based in Indianapolis, IN — works with clients nationally and internationally
- Primary services: Discovery & Strategy, Product Design, Product Development, Branding, AI Integration
- Tech stack: React, Next.js, Node.js, Figma, Linear
- Engagement types: Project-based (starting at $8K) and monthly retainers (starting at $3,000/mo)

### Ideal Client Profile

- Startups with a validated idea and initial funding (pre-seed or seed)
- Established companies launching a new digital product or venture
- Companies with deep domain expertise seeking a product team
- Organizations looking to add AI capabilities to their product
- Companies that need to move from an AI-generated prototype to production-quality software

### Competitive Positioning

Nicer Studio competes with product design agencies and development studios. Key differentiators include partner-led engagement structure, specialization in complex product interfaces (not marketing websites), AI-first internal workflows, and a nearly universal client retention rate. Local competitors include Designli and Worthwhile. Aspirational competitors include MetaLab and similar nationally recognized product studios.