Please Help Review My Exceptional Promise Evidence Compilation 🙏

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Hello, I am a product designer currently collating evidence for Exceptional Promise. I have 4 years experience in Product Design and would love to hear your feedback on my evidence.

:white_check_mark: MANDATORY CRITERIA (MC)

You must provide evidence that you have been recognized as a leader or potential leader in digital technology.

MC Category 1: You led the growth of a product-led digital technology company, product, or team.

EVIDENCE PROVIDED:

  1. Company A (African Fintech) — Senior Designer and Team Lead (Business & Remittance)
  • Spearheaded Mobile design immediately after Company A acquired the Business & Remittance sector from PF.
  • Led the business design team for brand development and multiple new product lines.
  • Contributed significantly to Company A rising to Top 12 fintech companies in Africa, and one of only three Nigerian companies on that list within a year.
  • Received a salary review and increase 18 months in, showing recognition of impact.

Supporting Documents: Reference letter from Design Lead or Head of Product Business Sector

MC Category 2: You led the growth of a non-profit or social enterprise in the digital technology sector.

EVIDENCE PROVIDED:

  1. Design Community NGO — Founding Designer & Coordinator (2022 - 2024)
  • Built the registration website, branding, social media graphics, and 3 cohort curricula from scratch.
  • Coordinated mentors and managed community growth.
  • Designed certificates, ran Twitter Spaces, and represented the NGO in public forums.
  • Grew the community from 0 → ~3,000 members.
  • Led the design + marketing volunteer team.

Reference Letter: From Founder, K.

  1. Untitled Designers (Africa’s largest design Community) — Abuja City Chapter Lead
  • Appointed as City Lead 5 months after moving to Abuja (March 2025).
  • Grew Abuja chapter from 0 → 300+ members.
  • Organized in-person designer meetups, hangouts, and monthly mentorship masterclasses.
  • Hosted high-value Twitter Spaces featuring senior designers.
  • Facilitated free UDC conference tickets for ~78 designers.
  • Organized end-of-year hangouts and learning events.

Reference Letter: From Founder, M.

MC Category 3:You command a high salary relative to peers in your country. (Nigeria)

EVIDENCE PROVIDED:

Salary History + Contracts

  • Company A (Full-time, Jun 2023 - Dec 2025):
    • Started ₦900k → increased to ₦1.1m monthly before exit.
    • Clear documentation of salary progression.
  • Company E (Full-time, Dec 2025 – present):
    • Current salary: ₦1.8m monthly.
  • Company C (Full-time, Dec 2021 - Jun 2023):
    • Started ₦250k → grew to $700/month before leaving.
  • Company B (Part-time, 2024 - 2025):
    • Token: ₦350k/month + 4-year vesting equity.
  • Company D (Contract 2023 - Present):
    • Multiple engagements averaging $800 per project.

Supporting Evidence:

  • Employment contracts
  • Pay slips & invoices
  • Industry salary benchmarks via Glassdoor/Payscale (I belong in top 5 - 10% for my country)
  • Conversion to GBP (secondary but necessary)

MC Category 4:You have held a significant expert role assessing the work of others.

EVIDENCE PROVIDED:

Friends of Figma (FoF), Abuja — Panelist & Judge

  • Panel Speaker at FoF Abuja for the Figma Config After-Party.
  • Panel Judge at FoF Make-a-thon, extending the Figma Ă— Contra competition to Nigerian designers.
  • Consistently contributed to the community since relocating to Abuja.

Reference Letter: From FoF Abuja Lead, highlighting professional contribution and leadership. (A senior designer as well, not an industry lead)

:white_check_mark: OPTIONAL CRITERIA

OC Category 2: Recognition for work outside your occupation that advances the digital technology sector

(Mentorship, training, education, community leadership)

EVIDENCE PROVIDED:

  1. Mentor at Tech4Dev (Over 110k Members)
  • Mentored 5 female designers for 8 months at their Women Techsters Program 2025. 2 have secured full-time roles; 3 were guided toward further specialization.
  • Delivered talks to an audience of 1,000+ attendees.
  • Awarded Super Mentor Badge within the first year.

Reference Letter: From Tech4Dev Organization.

  1. Sector-Leading Talks & Conferences

UDC Conference — October 2025

  • Speaker at UDC, Africa’s biggest design conference.
  • Event had 3,000+ attendees (online), with 1,000 physical attendees.
  • My name appears in techsoma.africa news coverage.
  • Session video available on YouTube.

Supporting Evidence:

  • YouTube video link
  • News clipping from TechSoma
  • Event posters & banner listing you as a speaker

OC Category 3: Significant technical/entrepreneurial contributions to a product-led digital tech company

EVIDENCE PROVIDED:

  1. Company B — Founding Product Designer
  • Founding product designer for Company B (a 16-month-old startup).
  • Designed the complete mobile app, website, virtual/physical cards, and branding.
  • Responsible for weekly product strategy with the founder.
  • Company milestones:
    • 30,000 users in 1 year → now 50,000 users, fully organic.
    • Raised $100k from a Twitter investor based on traction & product design.
    • Positive revenue growth.
  • Contributed to the pitch decks used to raise funding (Dec 2025).
  • Hold equity + monthly token.
  1. Company D — Product Designer (Canada Immigration Platform)
  • Designed MVP and currently supporting ongoing product updates.
  • Platform growth milestones:
    • Won 1st place at Inventures 2025 pitch competition.
    • Awarded City of Edmonton’s Edge Fund grant.
    • 50k+ users in 2 years.
  • Product used widely by immigration lawyers and consultants.

Reference Letter: From Founder (working relationship over 3 years).

:white_check_mark: RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

  1. VV – Director of Product Company A (2 years)
  2. OO – CEO Company C (4 years)
  3. TA – CEO Company B (16 months)

Please @pahuja @airah your feedback would be super helpful.

2

The outline looks pretty solid to me, @pahuja would be really helpful to get your feedback on these, thank you!

3

@Maya @Raphael would be really helpful to get your feedback on this compilation, thank you!

4

Hi @Joycered You have a solid set of achievements; here are a few suggestions to strengthen your outline:

MC:

  • Ensure the reference letter explicitly attributes the company’s rise to Top 12 FinTech in Africa to your work, confirming industry recognition rather than internal accomplishments.
  • Community growth is a good point—provide evidence of how this growth was acknowledged in the industry.
  • Designing certificates is weak; managing Twitter is strong only if you achieved significant follower growth and engagement.
  • Focus on website, branding, and curriculum metrics (e.g., website visitors) and ask the letter writer to highlight the impact of your contributions and any industry recognition received.
    Untitled Designers: Move this to the first evidence slot and request the letter to include industry validation.
    Friends of Figma: A speaker at an after‑party is not strong; obtain invitation letters and a letter from the organizers whenever possible.

OC2:

  • Highlight that the mentorship program was structured, with a formal selection process for mentees.
  • The reference letter should confirm the program details and describe the impact on the sector.
    For the conference, if YouTube engagement is minimal, consider omitting the link.

OC3:

  • Provide reference letters or other third‑party validation for both examples, ensuring quantified impact is clearly attributed to your specific contribution.

Your outline is promising—strengthening third‑party validation and quantifying results will make it even more compelling.