Sign in Subscribe

Hi, I’m Shavin Peiries — a writer, designer, and engineer. 👋

I spent years shipping frontend code. Beautiful interfaces, slick animations, pixel-perfect layouts. But something kept nagging at me: Why do some products click instantly while others (that are equally polished) fall flat?

That question pulled me into design. But not the “make it pretty” kind. The kind rooted in empathy, behavior, and progress. I realized that if you don’t understand how people are already trying to solve their problems, your product doesn’t stand a chance. No matter how clean the UI.

Since then, I’ve helped founders and their teams design digital experiences that don’t just work. They resonate. Products that feel like they were pulled into people’s lives, not pushed. Not built on guesswork or blind bets, but on deep insight into how customers think, feel, and act.

Writing

I write to help product builders get unstuck.

Everything I share comes from the messy middle—testing ideas, learning from real users, and building products that actually solve something painful.

If you’re navigating the chaos of product discovery, validation, or growth, my writing might save you a few wrong turns.

Browse all my articles here and subscribe to the newsletter to hear from me every Tuesday.

Career

I’ve worked across health, education, marketplaces—and everything from simple consumer tools to complex media buying platforms.

Most of my work lives in the B2B SaaS space, spanning both digital and service design.

I’ve partnered with teams at every stage. From pre-seed scrappiness to listed companies—to shape products that don’t just function, but grow.

Right now, I’m a Growth PM at MidFunnel, where we’re building tools that help sales teams move deals forward with context—not guesswork.

If you’re building something in B2B and care about product growth, I’d love to jam.

Training, Education and Influences

I earned my Bachelor’s in Software Engineering from Sheffield Hallam University in the UK—but most of what shaped me came after.

I completed the Design Sprint Masterclass created by Jake Knapp (author of Google’s Sprint) and the team at AJ&Smart. That experience shaped how I approach product thinking and led me to co-found Very Bad Wizards—a product design agency that specialized in delivering Sprint-based workshops to corporates looking for innovation with speed and structure. We ran it for three years.

I’m also a strong believer in Clayton Christensen’s Jobs-to-be-Done theory. It’s my go-to framework for understanding customer behavior and predicting which solutions will truly help them make progress.

Core Influences

  • Ryan Singer (Product Strategist and author of the Shape Up Methodology) for exposing his knowledge of software design and development at all levels of the process. Shape up in a nutshell.
  • Jason Fried (CEO of Basecamp) for showing how delightful companies can exist without hustling so much. Read Getting Real.
  • Bob Moesta (Co-creator of the jobs-to-be-done methodology and author of the book Demand Side Sales) for grounding innovation into practical knowledge that anyone can apply. Watch this video on jobs to be done as a primer.
  • Jake Knapp (author of the Sprint Methodology) and Jonathan Courtney (Founder of AJ&Smart) for their work in developing the Design Sprint methodology.
  • Amy Hoy and Alex Hillman (Co-creators of Sales Safari Methodology) for their insights on using "internet watering holes" (places where customers hang out online) to design and launch products people actually need (without guessing if they'll need it). Check out their articles.
  • Diego De Jodar (Founder of Please Don't Push). Diego's "Pull By Design Framework" teaches startups how to shift from pushing for customer acquisition and retention to creating a natural pull. It helps you intentionally design experiences where customers gladly integrate your product into their lives. Start here.

A little more about me

I live in sunny Colombo, Sri Lanka—an island known for its coastline, surf, and laid-back charm. I’ve been working remotely since 2019, spending my time writing, building, and helping teams shape products that matter.

Let's keep in touch!

Have a question, idea, or just want to say hey? I’m always up for a good conversation.

You’ll find me most active on Twitter or LinkedIn—feel free to reach out.