We were lucky to catch up with Marissa Curry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Marissa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

My parents always encouraged me to dream big, prioritized my education, and taught me that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. Their support has been especially impactful in an industry where I am often the only woman and often the only African American software engineer in the room. Instead of letting that discourage me, it has motivated me to continue building, learning, and pushing forward. My mom would drive an hour from her job to pick me up and take me to my coding classes for talented youth at Johns Hopkins, and both of my parents supported every entrepreneurial venture I explored—from starting my first dog-walking business in fourth grade, to selling school supplies in middle school, to running a drop-shipping business in college. Their sacrifices, time, and belief in me laid the foundation for everything I’m achieving today, and I carry that with me in every space I enter.

Marissa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Marissa Curry, and I’m the co-founder of Design for Users, a digital design and AI-powered creative agency focused on helping brands, creators, and entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life through clean design, modern web development, and smart automation. I entered this industry through a blend of engineering, education, and design, which gives my work a unique balance of technical depth and human-centered creativity. Today I provide UX/UI design, branding, React/Next.js websites, AI-powered tools, and content experiences that help clients stand out, scale, and connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. What sets me apart is my ability to combine engineering, aesthetics, and AI into one integrated service, turning unclear ideas into polished, functional products quickly and intentionally. I’m most proud of empowering small businesses, founders, educators, and creatives with systems and designs that elevate their brands and make technology feel approachable. Above all, I want potential clients and followers to know that I build with care, clarity, and purpose, and that Design for Users exists to help people create beautiful, powerful digital experiences that truly serve their users.

How’d you meet your business partner?

My co-founder and I originally met on Twitter—now known as X—during the height of tech Twitter, at a time when I was in my senior year of college balancing classes, internships, and early engineering projects. What started as casual DMs and shared threads about design, engineering, and startups quickly evolved into a consistent virtual coworking rhythm. We spent countless evenings and weekends building side projects together, exchanging feedback, and realizing how naturally our strengths complemented each other: their engineering depth paired seamlessly with my design vision and product intuition. Over time, it became clear that our collaboration wasn’t just productive—it was energizing, aligned, and full of possibility. That’s what led us to formally merge our talents and launch Design For Users, an agency built on the belief that great digital experiences happen when thoughtful design and smart engineering work hand in hand.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Our business is entirely bootstrapped and client funded , which is both a strategic choice and a reflection of who we are as founders. Because we operate as a software and digital services company, we had the flexibility to build from the ground up without relying on outside investment. We were intentional about this path from the beginning: we wanted to maintain creative control, make thoughtful product decisions, and directly shape the long-term direction of the company as it grows. Bootstrapping also made us scrappy and resourceful. It pushed us to prioritize revenue from day one, refine our offerings quickly, and stay close to our clients’ needs. Instead of spending our early months pitching investors, we spent them building—designing interfaces, writing code, launching client projects, and proving our value in real time. That resilience has become part of our company DNA, and it’s one of the reasons we feel confident about the future we’re building.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://designforusers.com
• Instagram: @marissacodes
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-curry-93674b33/
• Twitter: https://x.com/marissacodes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@designedforusers