Lily Vermeulen

Why this persona fits the audience

She is the co-founder of a 3-person indie mobile-app studio in Amsterdam, responsible for launch trailers, App Store preview videos, and short social cuts. She keeps production in Notion and Figma, hires a freelancer when needed, and pays for Canva Pro plus a small stock-video subscription.

• Age: 35
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: Co-founder and product marketer
• Income: €78k-96k owner draw
• Education: MSc in Interactive Media
• Company size: 3-person studio
• Years in role: 5 years as co-founder

“We're building something from the ground up, and every pixel, every frame, has to count towards telling that story.”

Lily Vermeulen is a driving force behind 'Pixel & Frame,' a three-person indie mobile app studio based in Amsterdam. With an MSc in Interactive Media, she possesses a deep understanding of digital storytelling and user experience. Her journey into app development marketing began after a stint at a larger agency, where she felt constrained by corporate bureaucracy. Seeking greater creative control and the ability to directly impact a product's success, she co-founded Pixel & Frame five years ago. Her role is multifaceted, primarily focusing on crafting compelling visual narratives for app launches. This involves conceptualizing, directing, and editing everything from slick App Store preview videos and engaging social media cuts to full-fledged launch trailers. She meticulously manages their production workflow using Notion for project tracking and Figma for visual asset creation and collaboration. When specialized skills like complex 3D animation or professional voiceovers are needed, Lily efficiently sources and manages freelance talent, ensuring quality without overextending their budget. She's pragmatic about costs, subscribing to Canva Pro for quick edits and maintaining a modest stock video subscription, always seeking the most efficient tools for their needs. Lily is driven by a desire for autonomy and the satisfaction of seeing a product gain traction through effective marketing. She values design quality immensely, believing that polished visuals are crucial for indie apps to compete. Her recent focus has been on integrating AI tools into their workflow, experimenting with AI script generation and image synthesis to speed up ideation and asset creation, a move that reflects her commitment to staying ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. She sees her work not just as marketing, but as integral to the product's identity and market fit.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Lily's typical weekday starts around 8:30 AM with a strong coffee and a quick scan of industry news. By 9:00 AM, she's in their small studio space, reviewing project status in Notion and planning the day's priorities. Mornings are often dedicated to creative work: storyboarding, editing trailers in Premiere Pro, or refining animations in After Effects. After a shared lunch with her colleagues, afternoons involve client calls, managing freelance briefs, or exploring new software integrations. She aims to wrap up by 6:30 PM, often followed by a yoga class or dinner with Jeroen, though urgent project needs can sometimes extend her workday.

Lifestyle

Lily balances her demanding role with a fulfilling personal life. She lives in a bright, airy apartment in Amsterdam's Oost district with her partner, Jeroen, a software developer. Weekends often involve exploring local markets, cycling along the canals, or visiting art galleries. She prioritizes her well-being with regular yoga sessions and enjoys cooking healthy meals. While comfortable, she's mindful of expenses, preferring experiences over excessive material possessions, and contributes to a joint savings account for future studio growth or personal travel.

Work life

Lily's days are a dynamic blend of creative direction and operational management. She's deeply involved in conceptualizing and storyboarding launch videos, meticulously refining every frame in Figma. Her core responsibility is ensuring the visual narrative of their apps is compelling and aligns with the product's core value. She juggles client communication, manages the freelance budget for animation or voiceovers, and constantly seeks ways to streamline their production pipeline. The pressure to deliver high-quality assets on tight deadlines is constant, but the autonomy to shape their studio's creative output is what fuels her.

Relationships

Lily's closest confidante and biggest supporter is her partner, Jeroen, who offers a pragmatic, tech-focused perspective. Within the studio, she has a strong, collaborative dynamic with her two colleagues, a developer and a UI/UX designer. She also maintains a network of trusted freelancers and occasionally seeks advice from mentors in the Amsterdam startup scene.

How they decide

Lily approaches decisions with a blend of analytical research and intuitive judgment. She thoroughly investigates options, comparing features, workflows, and potential ROI, often creating comparison tables in Notion. However, she also trusts her gut feeling, especially regarding creative direction and team dynamics. For significant investments, she'll consult with her co-founders and sometimes seek external opinions from trusted peers.

How they sound

Her voice is clear and articulate, with a slight Dutch accent that softens her consonants. She speaks with measured enthusiasm, often using precise language when discussing technical aspects or design principles. She avoids overly casual slang but isn't stiff, occasionally using phrases like 'exactly' or 'makes sense' to confirm understanding. When excited about a concept, her pace quickens slightly, and her tone becomes more animated. She tends to frame things in terms of process and outcome.