Hi! I'm Paola "Wap" Martinez-Mercader, a Digital Product/Service Designer and Creative Director based in Manila, Philippines. I love working with purposeful innovative brands that strive to provide creative sustainable solutions for their people and the communities they serve.
I've been working from home (or anywhere with a strong internet connection) since May 2013. Being a homeschooling mom of 2 now, a wife to a Visual Effects Artist, and a co-founder of a non-profit project--a book series entitled I Am Loved, Happy, And Brave (which advocates for quality education for students in underserved communities in the Philippines) makes me even more determined to work smart, play hard, and dream big.
Over 12 years of professional experience in graphic arts and design has enabled me to not only help forward-thinking companies provide fun, intuitive, and meaningful digital experiences for their customers but also make it easier for their teams to collaborate through efficient project management. I have learned so much from working with various brands for startups and global companies in different industries such as advertising, entertainment, gaming, education, commerce, human resources, SaaS, fintech, and health. Having these different perspectives and playing different roles throughout my career help inform my design decisions today.
I enjoy helping brands build memorable products and services that effectively and delightfully solve your stakeholders' problems while creating a positive lasting impact on your team/s or on the community you are serving. I do this by working with you closely and collaborating with your team/s as we dive into the minds of your market or community and strive to understand their wants, needs, fears, motives, influence, and dreams. I believe that everyone's individual stories are great opportunities to learn and build from. Empathizing with people lets us know what approach we can take to be able to connect with them deeper and serve them better.
I believe that providing intuitive, accessible, and enriching experiences that ultimately improve people's lives is always good for everyone--customers and businesses alike.
Having meaningful and engaging digital products such as websites, applications, and platforms that streamline your business processes along with training materials and design systems that actually help people instead of overwhelming and intimidating them can do wonders for any business or organization. It can transform your brand and save you costs in the long run as you leverage optimized digital assets and enjoy seamless processes.
Let me help you drive forward innovation and scale your business as we meet the demands of the times through human-centered design practices, which encourage a growth mindset that will empower your people to keep learning and get more involved.
Let's solve problems together and invest or plan wisely as we openly discuss our research, discoveries, and results. I would love to collaborate with you in simplifying designs, inspiring creativity, and focusing on what matters most in your business.
Keep your team and customers or community excited, engaged, and enamored of your brand by continuously providing creative sustainable solutions and impactful experiences when we work together.
Can't wait to know how we can get started? Email me at wapmmercader@gmail.com to share your challenges and vision for your brand or digital product/service now.
I'd love to know how I can help you innovate, reach your business goals, and empower your team.
It's always a pleasure to learn and serve. Cheers!