Figma has redefined design collaboration, but freelancers, solopreneurs, and agencies still face income volatility and fragmented workflows. Figma Business Tools bridges this gap by embedding a native business suite (Figma Match, Figma Flow, Figma Manage, Figma Pay) directly into the creative workflow. This case study shows how Figma can evolve into the platform where designers becomes founders.
Projected size of the creator economy market by 2027.
Active users today with low paid conversion, showing untapped upside.
Projected Founder Seats by 2028, converting free users into subscribers.
Retention target for designers running their entire workflow inside Figma.
Projected annual recurring revenue by 2028 from Business Tools.
More net income for designers compared to fee-heavy marketplaces.
As a long-time Figma user, I’ve seen how the platform has transformed design and collaboration at a global scale. Yet while the creative process has advanced, the business side of design remains fragmented and unpredictable for many. This case study explores how Figma can close that gap by empowering designers to monetize their craft and build sustainable businesses within the ecosystem they already trust. In this project, I defined the problem, outlined the opportunity, and developed a complete product strategy and go-to-market plan for what could be Figma’s next chapter, one where Designers are Founders.
Figma Business Tools pioneers the next phase of design, a future where designers are founders. It empowers creatives to build, manage, and earn within the same ecosystem they already use to design.
Why it works: Designers gain stability and empowerment, clients gain confidence, and Figma leads the next chapter of design by redefining how creative work becomes business.
See the vision for how Figma can unify design and business in one ecosystem, unlocking $500M+ ARR while empowering designers as founders.
Explore the personas, jobs-to-be-done, and customer journeys that ground this strategy in real designer and client needs
Review the PRD, roadmap, and backlog that translate vision into a clear product plan — defining what ships, when, and why.
See the plan that takes us from pilot to scale: steps that prove value keep users returning again, and grow reliable ARR.
See how risk is handled early with guardrails across market balance, rivals, adoption, payments, compliance and delivery.
The next chapter of Figma is about more than design-to-shipped-product — it’s about empowering designers to become founders.
For Figma, it unlocks a powerful new growth engine, stronger retention, and the chance to redefine the industry once again. I believe in this vision, and I want to help bring it to life as part of the Figma team.