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Creative Director and Creative Ops Leader with 10+ years owning product design, brand, and digital merchandising in e-commerce. At Americanflat, I helped scale the company from 4 to 100+ employees and supported major revenue growth by building high-performing teams and the systems to ship faster without sacrificing quality (PLM/PIM, workflow tools, production pipelines). Known for strong creative taste with sharp execution instincts. I operate as a player/coach: set strategy, build the process, and jump in hands-on to deliver. Highly organized and process-driven, with a track record managing priorities, timelines, and stakeholders across launches, executions, and feedback loops. Deeply passionate about design, with a clear point of view on what feels modern, elevated, and on-brand.…Creative Director and Creative Ops Leader with 10+ years owning product design, brand, and digital merchandising in e-commerce. At Americanflat, I helped scale the company from 4 to 100+ employees and supported major revenue growth by building high-performing teams and the systems to ship faster without sacrificing quality (PLM/PIM, workflow tools, production pipelines). Known for strong creative taste with sharp execution instincts. I operate as a player/coach: set strategy, build the process, and jump in hands-on to deliver. Highly organized and process-driven, with a track record managing priorities, timelines, and stakeholders across launches, executions, and feedback loops. Deeply passionate about design, with a clear point of view on what feels modern, elevated, and on-brand.

Johnny Picardo

Creative Director, Art Director, Product Designer, +2

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Creative Director and Creative Ops Leader with 10+ years owning product design, brand, and digital merchandising in e-commerce. At Americanflat, I helped scale the company from 4 to 100+ employees and supported major revenue growth by building high-performing teams and the systems to ship faster without sacrificing quality (PLM/PIM, workflow tools, production pipelines). Known for strong creative taste with sharp execution instincts. I operate as a player/coach: set strategy, build the process, and jump in hands-on to deliver. Highly organized and process-driven, with a track record managing priorities, timelines, and stakeholders across launches, executions, and feedback loops. Deeply passionate about design, with a clear point of view on what feels modern, elevated, and on-brand.…Creative Director and Creative Ops Leader with 10+ years owning product design, brand, and digital merchandising in e-commerce. At Americanflat, I helped scale the company from 4 to 100+ employees and supported major revenue growth by building high-performing teams and the systems to ship faster without sacrificing quality (PLM/PIM, workflow tools, production pipelines). Known for strong creative taste with sharp execution instincts. I operate as a player/coach: set strategy, build the process, and jump in hands-on to deliver. Highly organized and process-driven, with a track record managing priorities, timelines, and stakeholders across launches, executions, and feedback loops. Deeply passionate about design, with a clear point of view on what feels modern, elevated, and on-brand.

Available to hire

Creative Director and Creative Ops Leader with 10+ years owning product design, brand, and digital merchandising in e-commerce. At Americanflat, I helped scale the company from 4 to 100+ employees and supported major revenue growth by building high-performing teams and the systems to ship faster without sacrificing quality (PLM/PIM, workflow tools, production pipelines).

Known for strong creative taste with sharp execution instincts. I operate as a player/coach: set strategy, build the process, and jump in hands-on to deliver. Highly organized and process-driven, with a track record managing priorities, timelines, and stakeholders across launches, executions, and feedback loops. Deeply passionate about design, with a clear point of view on what feels modern, elevated, and on-brand.

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Intermediate

Work Experience

Creative Director at Americanflat

December 31, 2018 - Present

Category Ownership: Led end-to-end design and product development for a multi-channel e-commerce home décor business, owning high-volume core categories (frames, wall art, mirrors, display/memorabilia cases) and expanding into new verticals including soft home, small furniture, and organization while balancing quality, cost, and scalability at volume. Leadership & Mentorship: Led a growing multidisciplinary team (hardline design, soft home/textile design, graphic design, and CGI), offering clear creative direction, feedback, and workflow guidance. Stakeholder Alignment: Partnered with Merchandising, Sourcing, and Operations to identify trends, determine assortments, and align design decisions to margin, timing, and inventory; articulate creative decisions to executive leadership and retail partners. Brick-and-Mortar Expansion (2017–2022): Spearheaded product development and packaging design for brick-and-mortar channels, securing placement in HomeGoods, HomeSense, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ross, and other national retailers. 3D Visualization & Technical Specification: Modeled and rendered in SolidWorks and KeyShot to communicate design intent; generated detailed construction specs to guide international manufacturing and ensure production accuracy. Sampling & Quality Assurance: Led sample development rounds across diverse materials and manufacturing methods, verifying design intent, durability, and quality standards prior to mass production. Innovation & Patents: Architected and patented a proprietary hanging system to defend against copycat products; credited as the sole inventor with the USPTO. Two other patents remain pending.

Art Director at AmericanFlat

January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2019

Directed product design and packaging for Home décor lines, collaborating with Merchandising, Sourcing, and Operations to optimize margins, timing, and assortments. Led creative direction across frames, wall art, mirrors, and display/memorabilia cases; supported brick-and-mortar placements with major retailers. Managed design team, established production calendars, and ensured quality control across international manufacturing. Created original graphics and print-ready art using Photoshop and Illustrator; produced technical specs and packaging art aligned with brand standards. Drove licensing initiatives and helped shape trend-driven product lines, while coordinating editorial shoots and branding assets for campaigns.

Design Studio Director at Victor Alfaro

January 2, 2012 - April 14, 2017

Launched and grew a women’s luxury fashion brand; secured distribution in Barneys, Nordstrom, and Lane Crawford. Managed end-to-end design of Ready-to-Wear, shoes, and handbags, collaborating with the Head Designer on seasonal direction, color stories, fabrics, and silhouettes. Directed production with domestic and international manufacturers, negotiated unit costs, established production calendars, and enforced strict QC standards. Also oversaw a $20MM private-label home division, translating luxury fashion trends into home textiles (bedding, towels, rugs, robes). Directed editorial shoots and New York/Paris Fashion Week presentations; created original print artwork and technical illustrations to guide factories.