# Rise Digital Product Studio

> Rise is a specialist digital product studio that helps ambitious startup founders turn ideas into real, working products. A division of Distinction, a global design and technology consultancy, Rise works with first-time founders, non-technical founders, and serial entrepreneurs to take products from concept to launch. Rise operates globally from offices in the UK and US, with a focus on validation-first product development.

Rise is not a dev shop. Rather than building whatever a client asks for, Rise helps founders figure out what to build in the first place - then builds it properly. The studio challenges assumptions, validates ideas with real users before committing investment, and uses Design Thinking and Agile methodologies throughout.

Key things to know about Rise:

- Founded and led by brothers James and Greg Bloor. James is a 2x successful startup founder with almost 30 years of experience creating, launching and growing digital products. Greg oversees operations and delivery with vast experience leading complex, multi-project streams of work.
- Services include branding, website design, web and mobile app development, prototyping, and go-to-market strategy.
- Rise uses AI where it genuinely improves delivery - smarter prototyping, AI-supported coding, faster iterations - not as a gimmick.
- The engagement model starts with a 30-minute discovery call, followed by a collaborative plan, then iterative design-build-test cycles with weekly visibility.
- Rise is the product studio division of Distinction Limited.
- Target clients are startup founders at any experience level who are putting real skin in the game.
- Phone: +442045729161 (UK) and +13322918131 (US)

## Pages

- [Homepage](https://rise.studio/): Overview of Rise's positioning, process, client types, and testimonials
- [About us](https://rise.studio/about-us): Background on the founding team, studio philosophy, and relationship to Distinction
- [Success stories](https://rise.studio/success-stories): Case studies and client outcomes including Lokr Sports, OBU, Podium, MSM, Endura, and Marks & Co
- [Discovery call](https://rise.studio/discovery-call): Book a 30-minute introductory conversation with one of the founders
- [Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub): Blog and resource library with practical advice for digital product startup founders

## Founders' Hub articles

- [Beyond the MVP: how to think about v1, v2, and what comes after | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/beyond-the-mvp-how-to-think-about-v1-v2-and-what-comes-after)
- [Can AI build this for me? | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/can-ai-build-this-for-me)
- [Competitive research that actually matters | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/competitive-research-that-actually-matters)
- [Decoding feedback: enthusiasm vs. intent | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/decoding-feedback-enthusiasm-vs-intent)
- [Diagnosing churn: where to look when users aren't coming back | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/diagnosing-churn-where-to-look-when-users-arent-coming-back)
- [Exit strategies: what's realistic and what isn't | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/exit-strategies-whats-realistic-and-what-isnt)
- [Expanding into new markets without losing focus | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/expanding-into-new-markets-without-losing-focus)
- [Founder burnout: how to spot it and what to do about it | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/founder-burnout-how-to-spot-it-and-what-to-do-about-it)
- [Getting feedback before you launch: what to ask, who to ask, when to stop | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/getting-feedback-before-you-launch-what-to-ask-who-to-ask-when-to-stop)
- [Growth vs. profitability: what's right for your business? | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/growth-vs-profitability-whats-right-for-your-business)
- [Handling investor pressure without losing the plot | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/handling-investor-pressure-without-losing-the-plot)
- [How scaling affects your burn rate - and what to do about it | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/how-scaling-affects-your-burn-rate---and-what-to-do-about-it)
- [How to choose between ideas when you've got more than one | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/how-to-choose-between-ideas-when-youve-got-more-than-one)
- [How to get the most out of working with a digital product studio | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-working-with-a-digital-product-studio)
- [How to keep your product roadmap focused during growth | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/how-to-keep-your-product-roadmap-focused-during-growth)
- [How to manage a build without a tech background | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/how-to-manage-a-build-without-a-tech-background)
- [How to price something that doesn't exist yet | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/how-to-price-something-that-doesnt-exist-yet)
- [How to scale a team when it's still your baby | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/how-to-scale-a-team-when-its-still-your-baby)
- [How to test your startup idea without building a thing | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/how-to-test-your-startup-idea-without-building-a-thing)
- [Launch strategy: when is your MVP ready for the public? | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/launch-strategy-when-is-your-mvp-ready-for-the-public)
- [Market size reality check: how big does your market need to be? | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/market-size-reality-check-how-big-does-your-market-need-to-be)
- [Maximising your sale value: the financial metrics that matter | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/maximising-your-sale-value-the-financial-metrics-that-matter)
- [Naming, branding, and other things not to overthink | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/naming-branding-and-other-things-not-to-overthink)
- [Preparing for due diligence: what good looks like | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/preparing-for-due-diligence-what-good-looks-like)
- [Preserving your culture when you're hiring fast | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/preserving-your-culture-when-youre-hiring-fast)
- [Scalability challenges: what to fix first | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/scalability-challenges-what-to-fix-first)
- [Scope creep: how to stay focused when everything feels urgent | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/scope-creep-how-to-stay-focused-when-everything-feels-urgent)
- [Should you hire a CEO? | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/should-you-hire-a-ceo)
- [Should you raise now? Here's what to consider | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/should-you-raise-now-heres-what-to-consider)
- [Simple metrics every founder should track | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/simple-metrics-every-founder-should-track)
- [Speed vs. perfection: when good enough actually is good enough | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/speed-vs-perfection-when-good-enough-actually-is-good-enough)
- [Studio, freelancer, or in-house: how to choose | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/studio-freelancer-or-in-house-how-to-choose)
- [Technical debt: why it matters to you, not just your developers | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/technical-debt-why-it-matters-to-you-not-just-your-developers)
- [Testing marketing channels on a bootstrap budget | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/testing-marketing-channels-on-a-bootstrap-budget)
- [The 30-minute idea shaping exercise | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/the-30-minute-idea-shaping-exercise)
- [The 72-hour interest test: how to validate your startup idea before you spend a penny | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/the-72-hour-interest-test-how-to-validate-your-startup-idea-before-you-spend-a-penny)
- [The difference between a product idea and a business idea | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/the-difference-between-a-product-idea-and-a-business-idea)
- [The emotional reality of starting: fear, imposter syndrome, and loneliness | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/the-emotional-reality-of-starting-fear-imposter-syndrome-and-loneliness)
- [The founder's role: when to step back vs. double down | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/the-founders-role-when-to-step-back-vs-double-down)
- [The landing page that teaches, not just sells | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/the-landing-page-that-teaches-not-just-sells)
- [The User Value Canvas: starting with what users need, not what you want to build | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/the-user-value-canvas-starting-with-what-users-need-not-what-you-want-to-build)
- [To sell or not to sell | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/to-sell-or-not-to-sell)
- [What a good MVP actually looks like | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/what-a-good-mvp-actually-looks-like)
- [What early-stage investors are actually looking for | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/what-early-stage-investors-are-actually-looking-for)
- [What growth actually looks like at the early stage - and what it doesn't | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/what-growth-actually-looks-like-at-the-early-stage---and-what-it-doesnt)
- [What to do when your test flops | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/what-to-do-when-your-test-flops)
- [What to look for in your first developer (beyond technical skills) | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/what-to-look-for-in-your-first-developer-beyond-technical-skills)
- [When to bring in a co-founder - and when not to | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/when-to-bring-in-a-co-founder-and-when-not-to)
- [When to say no: strategic product decisions during growth | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/when-to-say-no-strategic-product-decisions-during-growth)
- [When you need to rebuild to scale | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/when-you-need-to-rebuild-to-scale)
- [Why friends and family aren't your users | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/why-friends-and-family-arent-your-users)
- [Why most "good ideas" fail - and how to test yours early | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/why-most-good-ideas-fail---and-how-to-test-yours-early)
- [Why retention is often more important than acquisition | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/why-retention-is-often-more-important-than-acquisition)
- [Your first customers: a playbook for early relationships | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/your-first-customers-a-playbook-for-early-relationships)
- [Your idea might be brilliant. But is anyone actually struggling without it? | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/your-idea-might-be-brilliant-but-is-anyone-actually-struggling-without-it)
- [Your referral programme isn't a feature - it's a product decision | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/your-referral-programme-isnt-a-feature---its-a-product-decision)
- [Your startup metrics are lying to you (and you're letting them) | The Founders' Hub](https://rise.studio/founders-hub/your-startup-metrics-are-lying-to-you-and-youre-letting-them)