Performica

Challenge

I led brand, narrative, and go-to-market strategy for Performica—an AI-powered org intelligence platform. My work helped secure a $3M seed round, win multiple HR tech awards, and position the company as a category leader.

My challenge: Create a compelling brand and go-to-market story for a stealth-mode HR tech company—one that would resonate with CHROs, CFOs, and investors alike.

What we needed was something clear.
Something you could trust.
Something like Google Maps in the Age of Columbus.

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My Role + Strategic Actions

• Defined voice, tone, and visual identity
• Designed the core narrative around clarity, fairness, and trust
• Created sales decks, demo flows, and award-winning campaign materials
• Hired and led a cross-functional creative team (design, copy, motion, web, dev)
• Developed LinkedIn outbound content and Apollo messaging strategies to support sales

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Key elements:

We didn’t want Performica to feel like just another HR dashboard—so I created a system grounded in emotion, influence, and clarity.

• Messaging: “Make critical operational and people decisions confidently.”
  
• Narrative arc: From ‘broken performance reviews’ to ‘X-ray vision for org health’
  
• Design system: Soft, network-driven visuals echoing the product’s social graph
  
• Storytelling strategy: Emotion-forward messaging backed by hard performance data
  
  

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Impact

• Established Performica’s brand from the ground up, contributing to a $3M seed raise
• Helped secure major HR industry awards (TalentCulture, SHRM, Brandon Hall)
• Positioned the company as a thought leader in people analytics
• Drove qualified sales leads through outbound campaigns and clear positioning
• Built a cohesive visual system across web, product, and investor materials
• Led creative across all channels to ensure brand consistency and audience engagement
• Developed targeted outbound campaigns to PE firms using personalized billboards and tailored messaging strategies

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“Dima was a powerhouse in helping us tell our story and connect with the right buyers.”

—Greg Costigan, VP of Growth, Performica

Role

Creative Director from inception. I led the brand strategy, messaging, design, team building, and go-to-market creative execution. I bridged technical complexity and emotional clarity—transforming a backend algorithm into a product people trust.

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