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Junior Portfolio Showcase: Jaya Advani

A mobile-focused designer with clear startup positioning and a proven eye for impact.

Jaya Advani’s portfolio is a strong example of clear positioning paired with a results-driven mindset.

A Seattle-based product designer with a focus on consumer-facing mobile apps, Jaya has already built a profile that speaks directly to early-stage startups. Her headline — “I design for human scale growth and think in systems” — sets the tone immediately. It’s not vague, not filler, but a statement of intent that frames her as someone who understands how design ties into business growth.

That’s rare to see this clearly, especially in the earlier stages of a career. And combined with projects that showcase measurable outcomes, her portfolio gives hiring managers a strong signal: here’s a designer who knows how to position herself, and who cares about the impact of her work.

Let’s take a closer look at what Jaya is doing well — and two ways she could elevate an already promising showcase.

The Good

Positioning that fits the startup world perfectly

Jaya’s positioning feels tailored for early-stage environments. By anchoring her portfolio around growth and systems thinking, she signals two qualities that are essential in consumer-facing startup roles: adaptability and strategic awareness.

Her projects reinforce this story. The work is almost entirely mobile-focused, and her testimonials echo the same themes — short timelines, startup realities, and design work that contributes meaningfully in that context. The consistency between what she says about herself and what her projects demonstrate is what makes this positioning credible.

This is the kind of profile that makes you think: yes, this person could step in as a founding designer.

Results and impact brought to the forefront (at least in parts)

Unlike many portfolios where outcomes are vague or missing, Jaya’s more recent projects highlight results directly. In her two latest case studies, she surfaces concrete numbers — adoption, conversion rates, and other metrics that show her work made a difference.

Founders & design hiring managers LOVE to see this

That matters. It’s not just about showing pretty screens or explaining process. It’s about tying design decisions to business results, which is exactly what startups are looking for.

If anything, these results are the strongest part of her portfolio — and they’re worth doubling down on (more on that in a moment).

The Potential

Polish the presentation layer to match the quality of the work

The work itself is solid, but the way it’s presented doesn’t always do it justice. There are inconsistencies in mockups, shadows that feel off, images cropped too tightly (or too loosely), headings with widows, and screens that are sometimes too small to take in.

This is a bit all over the place — some things have shadows, others don’t and generally I wonder why there is only one mockup and the rest is a flat screen yet has the bezel cutout.

None of this is catastrophic — but in 2025, first impressions are everything. Recruiters and hiring managers skim fast. If something looks inconsistent or hard to parse, they may never get far enough to see the quality underneath.

Given that Jaya’s specialization is consumer-facing mobile apps, the visual bar is higher. Her designs are generally clean; the portfolio presentation simply needs to rise to that same level. A round of critical review focused purely on visuals — alignment, consistency, mockup quality, and typography — would go a long way.

Bring positioning and impact into sharper focus

The core of Jaya’s positioning is strong. The problem is that it sometimes gets buried in long text blocks that few people will read. Her intro, for example, mixes strong points (growth, systems thinking, results, even a nod to AI) with too much detail — making it less effective than it could be.

The actual gold here is not in the heading but it should be

The same goes for her case studies. Instead of leading with impact in headings or previews, she defaults to generic descriptors like “Food discovery and social networking app.” Compare that to the actual results she achieved: “800+ downloads in the first month” and “48.4% conversion rate in three months.” Those are the kinds of headlines that grab attention — and they should be impossible to miss.

The impact is there. The positioning is there. It just needs to be framed more boldly and succinctly so that even a 30-second skim leaves the right impression.

Final Thoughts

Jaya Advani’s portfolio shows a designer who has already done the hard part: she’s positioned herself with clarity, focused on a specific type of work, and backed it up with measurable outcomes. That’s rare, and it’s the reason her portfolio deserves attention.

But the irony is that the strongest parts — positioning and results — sometimes get lost behind presentation quirks and overly long text. A sharper visual polish and bolder emphasis on impact would elevate this portfolio significantly.

For early-stage startups looking for a mobile-focused designer with a growth mindset, Jaya’s profile is already a strong fit. With a few refinements in how she presents herself and her results, she’ll move from promising to undeniable.

Want to craft a portfolio like Jaya’s? No problem with Framer.

Still struggling to get your portfolio off the ground?

Don’t want to spend weeks learning yet another tool? Framer is my top recommendation for building your portfolio — fast, clean, and without the usual headaches.

While Jaya’s portfolio is not standing out through interactions or visuals it is a simple approach that just works. Framer allows you to get off the ground very quickly with similar results.

If you’re just starting out (or even if you’re not), I think Framer is a perfect fit. Here’s why:

  • Flat learning curve: The interface feels familiar if you’ve used Figma — plus, there’s a plugin to bring your designs straight in.

  • Plenty of learning support: Framer Academy is packed with free tutorials, videos, and guides to help you go from zero to published.

  • A huge template library: Tons of high-quality (often free) templates in the marketplace to help you launch quickly without starting from scratch.

And that’s just scratching the surface. I wrote more about why I recommend Framer here—but honestly, the best way is to try it for yourself.

Affiliate disclaimer: I only recommend tools I personally believe in. Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase — at no extra cost to you.

How I can help YOU

Do you want your own portfolio reviewed in-depth with a 30-minute advice-packed video review? Or do you require mentoring to figure out a proper strategy for your job search?

I got you!

Florian Boelter

Florian Boelter is a product designer, mentor and builder focussed on helping early-career designers navigate the job search and the first steps on the job.

If my content helps you in any way I’d appreciate you sharing it on social media or forwarding it to your friends directly!