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Who We Are
I'm Marcello Gortana, co-founder of Tennis, a UX design firm. With my partner Symon Oliver, I've spent the last decade helping companies transform how they design and build digital experiences.
At Tennis, we plan, design, and build everything from complex marketing websites to enterprise-level web applications. Our clients include:
- Medium and enterprise businesses looking to modernize their digital ecosystems.
- VCs, tech, and product companies that need supplemental UX design and development support.
In short: if it lives online, we help make it faster, simpler, and more valuable for the business and its users.
How It All Started
My design journey began with a skateboard and a camera. In high school, I was deep into skateboarding, surfing, and extreme sports, which led me to photography and eventually to publishing a small magazine. That hands-on mix of photography, documenting culture, and design was my gateway into creative work.
From there, my interest evolved from graphic design into web design, and eventually into the broader world of UX design and product development. Over the past 10+ years, Tennis has grown from freelance projects into a UX consulting firm working with organizations across industries.
Web Design vs. Product Development
One thing we've learned: not all digital projects are created equal.
- Enterprise websites are big lifts. They involve multiple stakeholders, brand alignment, SEO strategy, and large amounts of content. They often behave more like digital products than static "brochureware".
- Web apps and software products require different UX thinking — workflows, structure, and continuous iteration.
At Tennis, we treat both with the same mindset: your website or product is never "done". It evolves. Businesses should approach websites as product iterations, not as a one-time project.
Challenges in the UX Market
The UX industry is highly competitive. New agencies pop up constantly, and many clients still struggle to understand the difference between UX and web design.
The biggest challenge? Communicating the actual value of UX.
- UX isn't just about a site's appearance — it's about workflows, efficiency, and user journeys.
- A poorly designed backend can cost employees hours each week.
- Streamlined workflows = measurable business impact.
That's why we at Tennis push our clients to define objectives clearly. We ask questions like: What's the financial impact of this design problem? How does fixing it affect efficiency or revenue?
This approach helps us tie design decisions directly to ROI, something many agencies overlook.
Growth Goals: Scaling Sales the Smart Way
Tennis has been stable over the past two years, with strong client outcomes and reliable processes. But growth requires more than excellent delivery — it requires active outreach.
That's why our next big step is building a sales team.
- We've already created a structured sales process.
- Our first SDR (Sales Development Rep) hire will focus on outreach, activity KPIs, and pipeline growth.
- The long-term goal is to scale up our ability to connect with the right clients without sacrificing the quality and efficiency we're known for.
In service businesses like ours, sales must be a core competency. Building this capability is how we'll expand without losing our edge.
Looking Ahead
The UX and digital transformation market will evolve — from websites to products to IoT experiences. At Tennis, our mission stays the same:
- Make digital work better for people.
- Help businesses scale through design.
- Prove the ROI of UX decisions.
If you're a marketing director, product lead, or business owner looking to invest in UX properly, Tennis is here to help.
👉 Let's talk about your next digital project
