
Felix Haas's Builder-First Design Writing Playbook
A friendly analysis of Felix Haas's LinkedIn strategy, with side-by-side comparisons to Dora Vanourek and Ned Lowe.
Felix Haas's Builder-First Design Writing Playbook
I clicked into Felix Haas's profile expecting the usual "design leader posting product updates" vibe.
And then I saw the combo that made me stop scrolling: 77,232 followers, a 97.00 Hero Score, and a steady 4.2 posts per week. That mix is rare. Plenty of creators have reach. Plenty have consistency. Felix has both, and the posts read like they were written by someone shipping things this week, not someone summarizing a book from 2019.
So I wanted to understand what makes his content work, and what looks different when you compare him with two other creators who also score 97.00 on Hero Score: Dora Vanourek (massive audience) and Ned Lowe (smaller but punchy).
Here's what stood out:
- Felix writes like a builder talking to builders - direct, structured, and practical.
- He wins on clarity and packaging (clean sections, lists, and "here's what's new" framing).
- He pairs taste + execution - inspirational ideas, then immediately something you can do.
Felix Haas's Performance Metrics
What's interesting is Felix isn't the biggest creator in this set, but he performs like someone with a much larger footprint. A 97.00 Hero Score with 77k followers suggests the posts are landing consistently, not just spiking once in a while. And 4.2 posts per week is a real operating rhythm - enough to stay top-of-mind without looking spammy.
Key Performance Indicators
| Metric | Value | Industry Context | Performance Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Followers | 77,232 | Industry average | ๐ Elite |
| Hero Score | 97.00 | Exceptional (Top 5%) | ๐ Top Tier |
| Engagement Rate | N/A | Above Average | ๐ Solid |
| Posts Per Week | 4.2 | Active | ๐ Active |
| Connections | 17,858 | Extensive Network | ๐ Extensive |
Before we get into the writing, I like to sanity-check the "shape" of the audience and output next to peers. Here's a quick side-by-side.
| Creator | Followers | Hero Score | Posting Volume (per week) | Location | What It Signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felix Haas | 77,232 | 97.00 | 4.2 | Germany | Consistent shipping + strong packaging |
| Dora Vanourek | 426,842 | 97.00 | N/A | Canada | Scaled trust and repeatable executive frameworks |
| Ned Lowe | 8,198 | 97.00 | N/A | Singapore | Tight niche + high relevance to a specific buyer |
Same Hero Score across all three, but totally different "paths" to it. Dora gets there through scale and authority. Ned gets there through focus. Felix sits in the sweet middle: big enough to have distribution, small enough to feel personal.
What Makes Felix Haas's Content Work
Felix's writing has a very specific feel: professional, excited, and organized. It reads like someone who has meetings, deadlines, and product releases - and still cares about the craft of explaining.
1. He leads with a strong claim, then earns it
The first thing I noticed is how often Felix starts with a declarative headline that feels slightly risky. Not clickbait. More like, "I have a point of view and I'm not hiding it." He'll frame a shift (design matters more, builders are changing, friction is disappearing), then he backs it up with structure: sections, contrasts, examples.
Key Insight: Start with a bold one-liner, then prove it with a simple, skimmable chain of reasoning.
This works because LinkedIn is a feed, not a classroom. People decide in two seconds if you're worth it. Felix gives you a reason fast, then makes it easy to keep going.
Strategy Breakdown:
| Element | Felix Haas's Approach | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Opening line | Declarative claim + energy (often with ๐ฅ) | Creates instant direction and curiosity |
| Argument | "Old world vs new world" framing | Helps readers update their mental model quickly |
| Proof | Concrete product or builder examples | Makes the claim feel earned, not theoretical |
Now compare that with Dora and Ned. Dora also leads with strong claims, but hers often start from the reader's pain: high-stakes transitions, pressure, decision fatigue. Ned tends to lead with outcome language: delivery, teams, execution. Felix leads with a worldview about building and design.
2. He packages ideas like product features
Felix's posts are often structured like mini release notes, even when they're thought pieces. Headline. Context. "What changed:" Then a list.
That "product packaging" is not just aesthetic. It trains the reader to expect clarity. And clarity is a huge advantage on LinkedIn.
Comparison with Industry Standards:
| Aspect | Industry Average | Felix Haas's Approach | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formatting | Dense paragraphs | Short paragraphs + section headers + lists | Higher skim-ability |
| Specificity | General advice | Concrete actions and examples (features, prompts, components) | More saves and shares |
| Narrative | Personal story first | Principle first, then examples | Faster hook, less warm-up |
But here's the thing: the "list" isn't the whole trick. The real trick is that each bullet has a job. It's not filler. It's a step in a story.
3. He mixes "we" (credibility) and "you" (agency)
Felix toggles between "we" (the team is building, shipping, learning) and "you" (the reader can go do something today). That balance is underrated.
- "We" gives you proof: this person is in the arena.
- "You" gives you a reason to care: this applies to your work, not just their company.
It also keeps the tone confident without getting preachy. You're not being lectured. You're being invited.
If you look at Dora, her "you" is often coaching-oriented: "Here's how you handle the first 90 days." Ned's "you" is buyer-oriented: "Here's how we help you build with fractional tech leadership." Felix's "you" is builder-oriented: "Go try this. Ship something. Iterate."
4. He uses "taste" as a leadership concept, not an aesthetic one
A lot of design creators get stuck in visuals. Felix talks about design as judgment: what should exist, what matters, what fits a mental model.
Want to know what surprised me? He doesn't over-index on tools. He over-indexes on decisions.
That matters because tools change every year. Taste scales.
A simple way to copy this without being a designer: stop giving advice that only applies to your exact role. Instead, give advice that improves the reader's decision-making.
Their Content Formula
Felix's best posts feel like they were written with a template, but they don't feel templated. There's a difference.
Content Structure Breakdown
| Component | Felix Haas's Approach | Effectiveness | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | Bold claim or product milestone (often ๐ฅ) | High | Tells you "this is worth your attention" fast |
| Body | Context, then sections like "What Changed:" and lists | Very high | Skimmable and logical, no wandering |
| CTA | "Try it and tell me" or "share what you build" | High | Low pressure, high participation |
The Hook Pattern
He often opens with a single clean sentence that frames a shift, followed by a short context line.
Template:
"[Big shift or strong claim] ๐ฅ
[One sentence on why it matters right now]."
Example patterns that match his style:
- "Design is becoming the deciding factor. Not the nice-to-have." (then: why the market shifted)
- "When anyone can build, the real question changes." (then: can vs should)
Why this hook works: it creates a little tension. You're forced to pick a side or at least stay long enough to understand the claim.
The Body Structure
Felix builds momentum with clean transitions like "All true, but not the real reason" or "So what does?" It's conversational, but it's also a logical chain.
Body Structure Analysis:
| Stage | What They Do | Example Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Frame the shift quickly | "This would have been weird in 2010. Now it's normal." |
| Development | Explain mechanism, not just opinion | "Execution barriers dropped, taste became the filter." |
| Transition | Use contrast pivots | "Not because X. But because Y." |
| Closing | Crisp takeaway in 1-2 lines | "You're the builder." (or similar agency line) |
And note the spacing. Felix uses line breaks like a designer uses whitespace. It's not decoration. It's readability.
The CTA Approach
His CTAs are usually light but specific:
- "Check it out and let me know what you think."
- "If you try this, share what you build."
Psychologically, this is smart because it turns engagement into contribution. You're not asked to "smash like". You're asked to participate, which feels more respectful and more fun.
Felix vs Dora vs Ned: What Each One Nails
I kept thinking: if all three have the same Hero Score, what are they doing differently?
Here's my take after comparing their positioning and likely reader intent.
| Dimension | Felix Haas | Dora Vanourek | Ned Lowe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core promise | Better building through design judgment | Better leadership in high-stakes transitions | Better delivery with fractional leadership + offshore teams |
| Reader identity | Builders, designers, startup operators | Newly appointed execs, senior leaders, advisors | Founders, operators, buyers of delivery capacity |
| Content "shape" | Product-like lists + big shift essays | Coaching frameworks + credibility from experience | Practical, service-aligned insights (likely outcome-first) |
| Trust signal | Practitioner voice + shipping cadence | Scale + authority + repeatable executive playbooks | Specific niche and proximity to delivery realities |
The fun part: you can borrow from all three.
- From Felix: package ideas like a product.
- From Dora: teach a repeatable framework people can apply in a stressful moment.
- From Ned: stay close to a real buyer problem and speak in outcomes.
One more comparison that matters: audience size vs content style.
| Creator | Audience Scale | Best Fit Content Style | What I'd copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felix | Mid-large | "Builder notes" + clear sections | Headings + contrasts + short lists |
| Dora | Very large | Principles + coaching checklists | A named framework for a specific scenario |
| Ned | Smaller | Specific advice tied to services | Direct positioning and clarity on outcomes |
Also, posting time guidance matters more than people admit. The data here suggests late morning, midday, and late afternoon. That fits the "professional attention curve" when people take a break, scan the feed, and actually read.
3 Actionable Strategies You Can Use Today
-
Write the headline as a decision - Take a side in one sentence, then explain your reasoning in 3-5 tight points.
-
Use a section header every 3-5 lines - Try "What changed:", "The pattern:", or "The mistake I keep seeing:" and then list.
-
End with a participation CTA - "Try this and tell me what happened" beats "Thoughts?" because it invites a real response.
Key Takeaways
- Felix Haas wins on packaging - he makes smart ideas easy to scan, save, and repeat.
- Consistency is part of the strategy - 4.2 posts per week is a real system, not a burst.
- The "builder" framing is sticky - it makes readers feel capable, not talked down to.
- Same Hero Score does not mean same playbook - Dora scales trust through executive coaching frameworks, Ned through niche relevance, Felix through product-minded clarity.
If you try one change this week, steal Felix's habit of writing like you're shipping something: clear headers, real examples, and a clean close. Then watch what happens.
Meet the Creators
Felix Haas
Design at Lovable, Angel Investor
๐ Germany ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
Dora Vanourek
Helping Newly Appointed Executives Succeed in Complex, High-Stakes Environments | First-Year Executive Transitions | ex-IBM | ex-PwC| F100 Advisor | CPCC
๐ Canada ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
Ned Lowe
We help you build with Fractional Tech Leaders and Offshore Delivery Teams
๐ Singapore ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
This analysis was generated by ViralBrain's AI content intelligence platform.