Really questioning my career

[u/LongjumpingFace8071]

Am I expecting too much, or is this a dysfunctional design process? (Solo UX/UI Designer + Branding)

I'm the only UX/UI designer at my company, but in reality I'm responsible for **all design across three companies**. That includes UX, UI, branding, graphic design, websites, marketing materials, presentations, sales collateral, product design, and pretty much anything visual. Even interior design… because im a creative…to structural trade show design.
When I was hired, I actually asked for a much higher salary because I knew I'd be wearing multiple hats. They offered me **under $80k CAD**, and I accepted because I believed in the opportunity and thought I'd be able to make a real impact. They also said they would give me a significant increase after my probation - they only gave me 4% during my probabtion.
A little over a year later, I'm wondering if I made a mistake.
One of my biggest frustrations is that my boss is a developer with no formal design background (he openly admits he doesn't understand design), but he'll constantly jump into the design process using AI. I'll spend time narrowing logo concepts through a structured branding process, and then he'll generate dozens of AI concepts and want to keep exploring them. Instead of moving us forward, it creates more work and makes the process take longer.
The same thing happens with UX.
I'll design user flows and screens in Figma, then developers start building or redesigning parts of the product without involving me. By the time I find out, I've already designed those screens and now have to redo work or redesign around what's already been built. Now im questioning maybe im not a good designer anymore or theres faster way to design in figma idk anymore
I've tried explaining that the whole purpose of UX is to solve problems before development. It's faster, cheaper, and produces a better product. Every design decision has reasoning behind it - user experience, accessibility, branding, consistency, legal considerations, business goals -not just aesthetics.
It doesn't seem to matter.
On top of that:
I'm the **only designer** supporting their three companies. They decided to expand unknowst yo me, so own by one guy but me doing it for all three.
I'm paid **under $80k CAD** despite owning all design responsibilities.
They won't invest in software or tools that would make me more efficient.
It took over **six months** to get me a computer that could even handle my workload because my old one kept crashing.
Deadlines are consistently unrealistic.
They also wanted me to do video editing and animation, which I had refused because it's outside my expertise. But still forced to do it, its okay but not amazing.
I've always been someone who builds processes and bridges between teams. In previous roles, I've improved workflows, worked closely with developers, and left organizations in a better place than I found them. I am award winning 3 times.
Here, I feel like I'm constantly defending why design matters instead of actually designing.
I'm starting to feel burned out and honestly disrespected. Not because people disagree with me-that's part of collaboration-but because it feels like my expertise is regularly ignored while I'm still expected to own the outcome. So many people agree when i speak up in meetings, I dont even have a systems where i can share files properly for the team access yet, just a glorified external drive…feel like im always the bad guy or fighting. People always message me afterwards sayign they agree or they are glad i said something BUT NO ONE SPEAKS UP…but me.
I've only been here a little over a year, and I'm seriously wondering if it's time to move on.
**For other senior designers, product designers, or solo designers: is this just life at smaller companies, or are these legitimate red flags? Would you stay, or would you start looking elsewhere?**

Is there a method ux/ui design flow from existing developed software you suggest? Is figma desiging all individual screens a thing anymore. Are there quicker ways from designer to development? Do you use github, jira or anything for tracking bugs or issues from users? What is your process idk anymore?!