Execeutive Summary
EARN'M, a leading mobile rewards platform with 45M+ users and $40M+ in funding, needed consistent design support to maintain rapid development velocity across their expanding Web3 ecosystem. With tight deadlines, evolving product requirements, and a growing suite of features (Mystery Boxes, SmartNodes, EARNMax subscriptions), they required flexible design resources that understood both traditional UX and blockchain-native experiences.
Decrypted Labs' staff augmentation model provided the perfect solution—delivering Web3-native designers on-demand for over a year, enabling EARN'M to:
Scale design capacity instantly without hiring overhead
Maintain visual consistency across multiple product launches
Meet aggressive deadlines with experienced designers ready from day one
Pay only for hours worked avoiding fixed salary commitments
Onboard/offboard seamlessly as project needs fluctuated
About EARN'M
Industry
Mobile Rewards / Web3 / DePIN
Objective
Maintain design excellence and development velocity across rapidly expanding Web3 ecosystem
About
EARN'M is the world's first universal mobile rewards currency, transforming everyday smartphone activity into cryptocurrency rewards. Built by Mode Mobile (Deloitte's #1 Fastest Growing Software Company 2023), EARN'M has empowered users to earn and save over $350M while building a 45M+ user base. The platform offers innovative products including Mystery Boxes (fractional NFT rewards), SmartNodes (cloud-based validation infrastructure), EARNMax (crypto-powered subscription lottery), and the proprietary EarnPhone DePIN smartphone—all requiring sophisticated, user-friendly design.
Challenges and Objectives
EARN'M faced design challenges common to fast-growing Web3 companies: maintaining quality and consistency while shipping at high velocity.
Rapid Product Development Cycle
Multiple product lines (Mystery Boxes, SmartNodes, staking platform, EARNMax lottery, token dashboard) with tight deadlines and constant iteration based on A/B testing and user feedback.
Web3-Specific Design Requirements
Designing intuitive blockchain interactions, real-time data visualization, and multi-chain support, all while maintaining a seamless user experience for non-crypto users.
Business Objectives
Maintain design quality at speed, reduce hiring costs, access Web3 designers, scale flexibly based on needs, and ensure consistency across products.
Hiring Limitations
Traditional hiring was time-consuming, costly, and risky. Finding skilled designers with both Web3 and UX expertise was difficult, and project demands fluctuated unpredictably.
Struggled to balance rapid product development with maintaining high design quality and consistency,
EARN'M faced the challenge of maintaining design quality and consistency across fast-paced product development cycles while navigating the complexities of Web3 interactions. Additionally, traditional hiring limitations and fluctuating project demands made it difficult to scale the design team effectively.
The Solution
EARN'M access on-demand design support with no minimum commitment, and we assign Web3-experienced designers quickly. Designers integrate with EARN'M's teams, and hours are tracked and billed monthly for actual work.
Designers join EARN'M’s Slack, Figma, and project management tools, participating in daily standups and collaborating with engineers and product managers to deliver production-ready designs.
The support is flexible, scaling up during high-demand periods for major launches and scaling down during maintenance phases. There are no off-boarding complexities, as hours can be reduced when a project concludes.
Why This Model Works for Web3
Web3-Native Expertise
Designers have a strong understanding of blockchain UX patterns, such as wallet connections, transaction confirmations, and gas fees. They are familiar with crypto user expectations, DeFi protocols, NFT platforms, and token economics, along with regulatory and compliance design requirements.
Speed
There’s no lengthy hiring or onboarding process. Designers are pre-vetted for Web3 experience and design quality, allowing them to contribute immediately without delays.
Cost-Efficiency
EARN'M only pays for actual hours worked, with no base salary, benefits, or overhead costs. There are no severance requirements, and budgeting is predictable with monthly invoicing based on actual hours worked.
Quality
The design team consists of senior designers with proven Web3 portfolios. Multiple review cycles and iterations are included, with direct collaboration with EARN'M to ensure designs are aligned with the brand and vision.
Results
The Impact
For EARN'M
Maintained design excellence and development velocity without hiring overhead, enabling rapid product launches and iteration while controlling costs through flexible, pay-as-you-go design support.
For Web3 Startups
Demonstrated that staff augmentation solves the hiring-vs-scaling dilemma, providing access to expert designers without long-term commitments while maintaining quality and brand consistency.
Products Designed
Partnership Success
1+ Year Collaboration
Continuous design support since initial engagement Evolved from project-based to ongoing partnership Trusted design partner through major milestones (TGE, exchange listings, product launches)
Stakeholder Satisfaction
EARN'M team praised quick turnaround times Designers integrated seamlessly with internal teams Design quality consistently met production standards Flexible model adapted to changing business needs
With Decrypted Labs’ help,
Benefits
Staff Augmentation Model Overview
Aspect | Decrypted Labs Model | Traditional Hiring | Traditional Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
Time to Start | 2-5 days 89% faster | 2-3 months | 2-4 weeks |
Cost Structure | Hourly (pay-as-you-go) | Fixed salary + benefits | Project-based retainer |
Flexibility | High (scale anytime) | Low (long-term commitment) | Medium (per-project) |
Integration | Fully integrated | Fully integrated | External team |
Overhead | Low (hours only) No hidden fees | High (benefits, equipment) | Medium (agency markup) |
Expertise | Domain-specific guaranteed | General (training needed) | Varies by project |
Scaling | Instant (add/remove hours) | Difficult (hiring/firing) | Per-project negotiation |
Our Design Staff Augmentation Includes
Product Design
DeFi protocols, NFT platforms, wallet interfaces, token dashboards
Brand & Visual Design
Landing pages, marketing assets, social media, pitch decks
UX Design
User flows, wireframes, prototypes, usability testing
Design Systems
Component libraries, style guides, Figma organization
Web3 Expertise
Wallet connections, transactions, tokenomics, staking, governance