I'm Edita, the person behind New North. I work across product, design and vision, especially in early-stage environments where structure doesn’t exist yet and someone needs to bring clarity to both the product and the story behind it.
Over the past 10+ years, I’ve worked as an early-stage startup CPO, product manager, designer, researcher and strategist, sometimes all at once. I’ve helped shape products and visions at early-stages, including building Bizzy’s product from scratch (from 0 to 10,000+ users), driving the product pivot at Leadcamp (later acquired by Leadinfo) and running research at Lighthouse as their first user researcher (back then a growing scale-up, now a unicorn). Now I'm working with StarApps, a startup studio, and advising its ventures on product strategy, branding, communication and KPIs to help shape sustainable venture models and stronger market positioning.
I know how to get to the bottom of complex ideas and turn them into something people can relate to. If you’ve got a strong idea and a vague brief, that’s usually where I come in:
Product direction: Defining product vision, goals & north star metrics, turning strategy into clear roadmaps, prioritisation & focus (deciding what not to build next), aligning product direction with market & company goals, market & user research, product-market fit validation.
Product story: Clarifying how the product is positioned in the market, shaping the product narrative for customers & investors, groundwork for product marketing & messaging.
Product experience: Simplifying user journeys & flows, structuring products for clarity & scalability, UX audits and prototyping.
I connect the dots between product, design & vision
As a fractional product strategist I help early-stage teams figure out what to build, how to position it and how to get it in front of real users before they’ve got processes in place.
© photo by Fien De Vos
Why now
Anyone can build, but it's hard to build something good. Thanks to AI and no-code, barriers to entry are lower. But that means there's way more competition.
Early-stage decisions are becoming harder, not easier. With more tools, it’s easier to jump straight into building. But many teams still struggle with the core: what problem are we solving, who is it for and why now?
Story matters more than ever. If you can’t explain your product clearly to your users, investors or even your own team, you can’t stand out yet.
Founders are doing more roles than ever. Today’s founders are also the product manager, the designer, the marketer. They don’t need more tools they need someone to take it off their hands.
© photo by Voka
What I do
Executing and advising. I zoom out and guide the strategy or roll up my sleeves and do the work, including shaping features, writing copy, mapping out target users, preparing slide decks or helping hire the first product manager.
Shaping the product strategy and vision. I help early-stage teams make sense of vague ideas, turning them into clear product direction, priorities and user value. I work closely with founders to define what we’re building, why it matters and how it fits the bigger story.
Mapping the user experience before design begins. From first UX flows and wireframes to onboarding and feature logic, I make sure the product makes sense long before a UI designer touches it.
Before you hire the team
When you’re still figuring out what to build, who it’s for and how it should work, hiring a full product team is often too early, but doing it all yourself won’t get you far either. I step in during that messy middle.
© photo by Pitchdrive
Who I work with
Founders with a strong idea but no product or marketing person yet. I help translate ambitious visions into real products and stories, especially when the team is still figuring out what to build, who it is for and how it should work.
Early-stage teams trying to find product-market fit. When there’s a prototype, a few customers or first traction, I help make sense of what’s working and what needs to change before you hire a full team.
Startups looking to hire their first designer, researcher, product marketer or product manager. I support the process and often fill the gap temporarily, so things don’t stall while you're still recruiting.
Teams I work(ed) with
From startups with solo founders to a scaleup developing new products for 50k+ users.
Contact
I work with founders and early-stage teams to take their product strategy from 0 to 1, shape what to build next and get their ideas in front of real users with design that works. Ready to do the same? Let’s talk.
Email at edita@thisisnewnorth.com
Connect on LinkedIn
Meet at Wintercircus in Gent. I’m part of the Collective and always up for a cup of coffee.
Product strategy for early-stage teams. I connect the dots between product, design & vision.
New North BV
BE 1025.547.940
9000 Gent
Belgium