Ayla Kulifaj
Minneapolis,USA
Summary
Results-driven strategy intern candidate with a unique blend of business insight and human-centered design experience. Co-founder of a tech startup with hands-on experience in market research, strategic planning, and product vision. Adept at data analysis and design thinking, with strong communication skills and an entrepreneurial mindset. Seeking to leverage psychology background and tech expertise to support marketing strategy and innovation in a dynamic internship role.
Overview
1
1
year of professional experience
Work History
Co-Founder & Strategist
BloomAura
01.2024 - Current
- Company Overview: Mental Wellness App
- Developed product strategy and go-to-market plan for a neuroscience-based visualization app, conducting extensive market research and user surveys to identify needs and refine value proposition.
- Led creation of business pitch materials and presented to judges at the MN Cup startup competition, demonstrating strong communication and storytelling skills in articulating the product's market fit.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with designers and developers in an agile environment to translate strategic insights into product features, fostering innovation and teamwork.
- Analyzed user feedback and engagement data to guide iterative improvements, illustrating a data-driven and proactive approach to strategy execution.
- Mental Wellness App
Co-Founder & Product Lead
BloomAura
01.2024 - Current
- Company Overview: Wellness App Startup
- Defined product vision and roadmap for a mental wellness app, prioritizing features based on user feedback and market trends.
- Coordinated a team of 3 (design, development, marketing) using Agile/Scrum practices: led sprint planning, stand-ups, and retrospectives to ensure timely delivery of MVP features.
- Acted as the liaison between technical and non-technical stakeholders, aligning engineers, designers, and mentors on product goals.
- Analyzed key metrics (user engagement, retention feedback) post-prototype launch to evaluate success against KPIs.
- Wellness App Startup
Co-Founder & UX/UI Developer
BloomAura
01.2024 - Current
- Company Overview: Wellness App Startup
- Designed and developed the marketing website and interactive prototype for a wellness app startup.
- Coded front-end components using React and Tailwind CSS, translating Figma designs into pixel-perfect, accessible user interfaces.
- Optimized site performance and SEO basics to increase visibility, applying understanding of web analytics to inform design improvements.
- Balanced aesthetics with functionality by conducting informal usability tests, refining layouts and navigation for better user experience.
- Wellness App Startup
Co-Founder
BloomAura
01.2024 - Current
- Company Overview: Tech Startup
- Pitched the BloomAura app to competition judges, mentors, and potential users, sharpening skills in crafting compelling narratives around product benefits.
- Led initial customer outreach and feedback sessions, effectively acting as the product's first salesperson.
- Developed marketing and sales collateral (presentations, one-pagers) highlighting product value propositions.
- Negotiated partnerships with two wellness communities for pilot testing, demonstrating negotiation skills and the ability to find win-win outcomes.
- Tech Startup
Strategy Lead & Front-End Support
House Checkup Digital
04.2024 - 05.2024
- Company Overview: Client Project for Home Appliance Maintenance Dashboard
- Partnered with a real-world client to scope and deliver a dashboard application for home appliance maintenance.
- Conducted stakeholder interviews, contributed to product vision and feature prioritization.
- Delivered client demos and co-authored handoff documentation.
- Client Project for Home Appliance Maintenance Dashboard
Education
B.A. - Individualized Studies (Psychology, Philosophy, Communication)
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN05.2026
Certificate - Full-Stack Software Engineering
Prime Digital Academy
Minneapolis, MN01.2023
Skills
- Strategic Planning & Analysis
- Market research
- SWOT analysis
- Data interpretation
- Business model brainstorming
- Communication & Collaboration
- Strong written and verbal communication
- Presentation skills
- Team collaboration
- Stakeholder engagement
- Entrepreneurial & Innovative Mindset
- Proactive problem-solving
- Creativity in strategy formulation
- Adaptability to new challenges
- Project Management
- Agile methodology familiarity
- Ability to prioritize tasks
- Detail-oriented in documentation and follow-through
Timeline
Strategy Lead & Front-End Support
House Checkup Digital
04.2024 - 05.2024
Co-Founder & Strategist
BloomAura
01.2024 - Current
Co-Founder & Product Lead
BloomAura
01.2024 - Current
Co-Founder & UX/UI Developer
BloomAura
01.2024 - Current
Co-Founder
BloomAura
01.2024 - Current
B.A. - Individualized Studies (Psychology, Philosophy, Communication)
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Certificate - Full-Stack Software Engineering
Prime Digital Academy