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Thank you to our sponsor, Framer. Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femke

Femke and Charli discuss Gusto's new Creative Director role, including why the company hired for it and what they’re looking for. They talk about whether agency or in-house experience is better, how candidates should prepare for interviews, and what makes a talented brand designer stand out. They also mention whether having a broad or focused portfolio is better, common red flags to watch out for, and offer tips for applying to the brand designer role.

Episode timestamps:

01:02 Episode start

02:16 Framer sponsorship

03:45 How did the need for a Creative Director at Gusto come about, and what is the company looking for in this role?

08:24 When hiring for a brand role in a tech company, do candidates from agency backgrounds bring unique qualities? Or are in-house candidates generally stronger?

11:11 Do you influence the interview questions during the hiring process?

13:44 What type of presentation do you expect from candidates?

15:33 What distinguishes a truly skilled designer from someone with skill gaps?

19:00 How important is breadth of work for a brand designer compared to product design? Do you prefer candidates with diverse experience or specialized expertise?

23:25 What are common red flags to watch out for?

28:52 Any advice for candidates applying for the brand designer IC role?

30:46 Charli's Book Update

 

Links: 

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Framer. Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Thank you to our sponsor, Framer. Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femke

Femke and Charli explore their coaching experiences, the importance of active listening, and navigating coaching challenges from both coach and coachee perspectives.

0:47 Episode start

01:59 Framer sponsorship

03:06 What was your coaching workshop experience?

09:47 How often do you find yourself in a coaching mindset?

15:38 Have you ever used coaching questions to help someone find a solution, only to encounter disagreement or struggle, requiring you to be more directive? How did you handle it?

19:59 How do dynamics change with peers once you become a manager?

21:53 What is active listening, and why is it important?

25:10 What has been your experience as a coachee?

Links: 

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Framer. Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Thank you to our sponsor, Framer. Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femke

Femke and Charli delve into the relationship between a designer and a product manager, exploring perspectives on role responsibilities, skill overlaps, relationship-building advice and distinctions between product marketing and brand design roles.

Timestamps: 

01:27 Episode starts

02:22 Framer sponsorship

04:00 Typical relationship between a designer and a PM — what it looks like from Fem’s perspective.

05:26 Is it the PM's responsibility to set the direction of the role, meaning: defining the problem to solve, outlining potential solutions? And then, is it the designer's role to present what they believe is the best solution?

06:55 Is it fair to say that there's a significant overlap in the skill sets of a product manager and a UX designer?

11:55 What advice would you give for building a strong relationship? How can designers foster a good partnership with PMs?

13:47 What are the key differences between a product marketing manager and a brand designer or marketing designer? Specifically, on the product design side.

17:57 Regarding briefs from product marketers — how solution-oriented are they? Are they more focused on campaign goals, or do they also include specific design solutions?

19:58 Since you work in a decentralized manner from the product or feature teams, do product marketers coordinate among themselves? What happens if two campaigns conflict or need to be run simultaneously? How does Charli handle such situations?

22:57 How do you collaborate with a product marketing manager as a UX designer?

 

Links: 

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Framer. Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Thank you to our sponsor, Workflow. As a listener, you can experience the Workflow too with an exclusive 30-day trial (instead of the usual 14) — so you can see the magic for yourself. Head to workflow.design/designlife to start your extended trial today.

Femke and Charli discuss the nature of vision work—whether it’s expected of designers, how their teams create space for it, their approach to the outcomes of pitches, and the criteria they use to prioritize ideas from vision presentations.

Timestamps:

0:30 Episode start

01:23 Workflow sponsorship

02:47 Can you define what vision work is?

04:56 In your company, are you instructed to do vision work, or is it something product designers are expected to do at some point? Are you expected to present the vision?

10:37 Do you think it's important for designers to make time for this work, especially if they haven't been explicitly asked to do it?

12:47 How does Charli's team allocate time for strategic impact work, and what is their approach to it?

17:51 Have any outcomes from those pitches surprised you? For example, did you prioritize an idea that ended up being very successful?

21:53 If several design visions are presented twice a year, how do you decide when to deeply consider the ideas within those visions?

24:36 Did you go through any exercises like vision work prior to your brand redesign?

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Workflow Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Thank you to our sponsor, Workflow. As a listener, you can experience the Workflow too with an exclusive 30-day trial (instead of the usual 14) — so you can see the magic for yourself. Head to workflow.design/designlife to start your extended trial today. 

Femke and Charli reflect on the Figma Config event, exploring exciting new features like Figma Make and Draw, and sharing their thoughts on potential future innovations such as AI-powered tools and conversational interfaces.

Timestamps:

01:04 Episode intro

01:39 Workflow sponsorship

02:59 Figma Config event 2025

6:15 Design leaders were absent from the main stage of the conference.

08:39 Femke co-hosted an event at Figma Config

09:52 Figma’s new products and features: Grid, Figma Sites, Figma Make, Figma Buzz and Figma Draw

10:30 Which new feature excited Femke and Charli the most?

12:59 How do you think these updates will impact market designers' workflows?

19:38 What are your impressions of Figma Make?

23:43 Do you see yourself incorporating Figma Make into your workflow?

24:51 What about Draw? Do you think it will be useful for you?

30:48 Is Figma concerned about cannibalizing its community—balancing features versus plugins? For example, what used to be a plugin is now integrated directly into the tool.

32:55 Do you have any guesses about what might be announced in the future? What features would you like to see? What's currently missing for you?

33:50 Do you think Figma will ever develop a chatbox interface?

35:36 Finally, what do you think they might announce next year?

Links: 

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Workflow Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Mobbin, which is the largest design reference library for mobile and web, offering practical inspiration from real apps that address diverse design challenges. Don’t forget to mention Design Life when you register at Mobbin!

Femke shares her experience returning to work, exploring team dynamics, personal impacts, surprises, challenges, and positive aspects of re-entering the workplace after maternity leave.

Timestamps:

0:49 Episode intro

01:39 Mobbin sponsorship

06:56 How did your first days back at work go?

10:15 Did it feel like you were joining the same company, or was it a different experience? How did it feel to meet your new team?

11:58 Your team previously had a manager. How do they feel about you joining the team? Were there any steps you took to establish a positive relationship from the start?

13:23 Can you tell me more about what your team does?

14:40 How would you describe your current responsibilities? How do they compare to your responsibilities before your maternity leave?

17:42 When you first joined Gusto as a manager, was your role a backfilled position, or was it a new managerial role?

19:10 What has been the personal impact of returning to work? How was your first week back as a working mom?

21:49 One of the biggest surprises upon your return has been the influence of AI. How has this impacted your work?

25:09 What has been the most surprising and the most challenging aspect of coming back to work?

28:15 And finally, what has been the most rewarding or positive aspect of going back to work?

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Mobbin! Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Mobbin, which is the largest design reference library for mobile and web, offering practical inspiration from real apps that address diverse design challenges. Don’t forget to mention Design Life when you register at Mobbin!

Femke and Charli respond to a listener's question about how to choose between pursuing a career as a design manager or an individual contributor (IC). They share their personal experiences navigating their career paths, discuss the factors they considered in their decision-making, and outline the skill sets required for each role.

Timestamps: 

01:06 Episode starts

04:36 Mobbin sponsorship

06:11 Femke shares her journey in choosing between an individual contributor (IC) role and a managerial position.

07:43 What factors influenced your decision to pursue a career as a design manager?

13:43 Advice on how to determine which career path is right for you.

17:19 Have you ever considered different direction when you were in a design manager role?

23:45 Does Femke envision herself managing people, and what key responsibilities define the role of a design manager?

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Mobbin! Make sure to check them out

Charli's latest Youtube video

Femke's livestreams

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Mobbin, which is the largest design reference library for mobile and web, offering practical inspiration from real apps that address diverse design challenges. Don’t forget to mention Design Life when you register at Mobbin!

Femke and Charli explore the transition from mid-level to senior roles and touch upon the changes in responsibilities. They delve into practical tactics for boosting confidence and understanding workload expectations, as well as strategies to help listeners feel more secure in their new positions. Femke and Charli also give advice on embracing new opportunities while managing feelings of impostor syndrome.

Timestamps: 

0:48 Episode begins
2:01 Mobbin sponsorship
3:54 Transitioning from mid to senior: How did responsibilities change? Was it a significant shift?
12:01 Tactics to boost confidence and support in your new role—understanding expected responsibilities and seeking peer insights.
15:08 Is this level of responsibility common for senior roles? Insights on expected workload.
21:11 Additional strategies for listeners to gain confidence in their new role.
24:26 Advice for embracing new opportunities versus dealing with impostor syndrome.

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Mobbin! Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Mobbin, which is the largest design reference library for mobile and web, offering practical inspiration from real apps that address diverse design challenges. Don’t forget to mention Design Life when you register at Mobbin!

Femke and Charli explore effective ways for designers to incorporate AI into their everyday workflows, sharing practical insights on how they use AI tools in their own work. They also tackle the question of whether AI will replace designers and examine the current trajectory of AI adoption within the design industry.

Timestamps:

1:04 Episode start

2:23 Mobbin sponsorship

4:15 What is the current state of AI in design? Charli's experience using AI in a hackathon project

11:48 Will AI take away our jobs?

13:29 Potential workflows for designing with AI

15:01 Recommendations for AI tools

23:11 How prevalent is the use of AI tools across the industry?

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Mobbin! Make sure to check them out 

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Mobbin, which is the largest design reference library for mobile and web, offering practical inspiration from real apps that address diverse design challenges. Don’t forget to mention Design Life when you register at Mobbin!

Femke and Charl share their insights gained from their experiences with outsourcing for their side projects. They discuss the strategies they employed to find the right talent. Charli elaborates on potential hires she would consider for her upcoming business and outlines the tasks she would prioritize for outsourcing. Femke discusses the roles she is contemplating for outsourcing to expand her team, as well as the current tasks she is delegating. Finally, they delve into the costs associated with outsourcing.

Timestamps:

0:45 Episode intro

1:49 Mobbin sponsorship

3:11 What has been your journey in hiring people to assist with your side projects, and where did you begin?

10:26 What steps have you taken to find the right talent, and what advice would you offer to others?

14:51 If Charli were to return to her side projects, who would she choose to hire, and what tasks would she prioritize for outsourcing?

22:14 What would be your next hire for Charli’s upcoming business?

23:25 Have you received career coaching? Follow Badass Empires with Rosie on instagram

24:17 Are there any roles Femke is considering outsourcing to expand her team, and are there current tasks she is thinking about delegating?

27:19 What are the costs associated with outsourcing?

 

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Mobbin! Make sure to check them out 

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Mobbin, which is the largest design reference library for mobile and web, offering practical inspiration from real apps that address diverse design challenges. Don’t forget to mention Design Life when you register at Mobbin!

In this episode, Femke and Charli discuss the evolution of their side projects and reflect on what they’ve learned and how they would approach them differently if they were to start over. Femke and Charli share their personal side project journeys and discuss if side projects should be treated as passion projects or potential income sources. They also explore the value of different content formats, such as short-form versus long-form content, the effective leveraging of sponsorships and alternative revenue streams, and which platforms to use for posting. 

Episode timestamps:

0:54 Episode start

01:37 Mobbin Sponsorship

05:52 What was your first side project?

9:16 Should you approach your side project as a money-making venture from day one, or is it better to treat it as a personal passion project?

14:04 How Femke went from blogging to where she is at now.

15:27 Charli's side gigs

16:19 How does Charli approach sponsorships in her work?

19:00 What are some other methods for generating income aside from sponsorships?

20:44 With the knowledge we have now, what steps would we take first when starting our side projects?

22:34 Is short-form content truly valuable? Do audiences form attachments to short-form creators compared to those who produce long-form content? Femke and Charli share their perspectives on different formats

 

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Mobbin! Make sure to check them out 

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Playbook, which is a collaborative platform for creatives to store, organize, and share their work. It features AI-powered search and integrates seamlessly with design tools, making it a great space to manage all your files and projects. Join the "30 Days of 30 Projects" Challenge with Playbook to elevate your creative skills and unlock your full potential!

In this episode, Femke and Charli share their goals for 2025, including how Femke plans to approach her return to work and engage with her new community as well as Charli's business aspirations, plans for YouTube videos and content creation, writing projects, and ideas for future books.

Episode timestamps:

0:37 Episode start

1:35 Playbook sponsorship

4:04 What was the first goal you wrote down?

9:50 Femke’s new community

13:36 Other goals on the list

28:53 Hobby-related goals

Links:

Big thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Playbook! Be sure to check them out and see how they can elevate your workflow

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

‍

This episode is sponsored by Playbook, which is a collaborative platform for creatives to store, organize, and share their work. It features AI-powered search and integrates seamlessly with design tools, making it a great space to manage all your files and projects. Join the "30 Days of 30 Projects" Challenge with Playbook to elevate your creative skills and unlock your full potential!

Femke and Charli engage in a conversation about the advantages of being a generalist versus a specialist, explore the various types of skill sets needed to future-proof your career, and discuss whether incorporating AI into your skill set is essential.

Timestamps: 

0:53 - Episode Begins

1:43 - Playbook Sponsorship

3:16 - Catching Up

5:12 - What are the current expectations for skill sets in the design market?

10:04 - As a designer, how do you feel about the trend of companies prioritizing shipping over pixel-perfect craftsmanship? Why do some companies address skill gaps by hiring specialists as freelancers?

19:38 - What's your stance on specializing versus being a generalist? What changes have you made in your approach recently?

20:43 - What constitutes reasonable expectations for a generalist? Is it about specific skills or broader responsibilities? What is a "V-shaped skill set"?

22:43 - How do you view the role of AI in future-proofing your career?

26:26 - Any advice on how to effectively broaden your skill set?

 

Big thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Playbook! Be sure to check them out and see how they can elevate your workflow

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Playbook, which is a collaborative platform for creatives to store, organize, and share their work. It features AI-powered search and integrates seamlessly with design tools, making it a great space to manage all your files and projects. Join the "30 Days of 30 Projects" Challenge with Playbook to elevate your creative skills and unlock your full potential!

In this episode, Femke and Charli discuss design maturity within organizations, the importance of establishing a strong design culture, practical advice for implementing changes, and personal experiences of integrating new design practices in the workplace.

Time stamps:

0:49 - Introduction

1:23 - Playbook Sponsorship

3:07 - Catch-Up

6:58 - How would you describe the design culture of the places you have worked at so far?

9:21 - What about experience with less mature design companies? How can I evaluate my company's design maturity?

16:15 - Is there a right time to establish design culture and maturity within an organization?

19:57 - Do you have any advice on implementing changes towards better design practices?

21:49 - Have you introduced any new practices or changes to workflows since joining your current workplace?

Episode Links: 

Big thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Playbook! Be sure to check them out and see how they can elevate your workflow

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

‍

This episode is sponsored by Playbook, which is a collaborative platform for creatives to store, organize, and share their work. It features AI-powered search and integrates seamlessly with design tools, making it a great space to manage all your files and projects. Join the "30 Days of 30 Projects" Challenge with Playbook to elevate your creative skills and unlock your full potential!

In this episode, Femke and Charli delve into the journey of transitioning from an individual contributor to a design manager, including distinct responsibilities and skills required for effective management in the creative industry. They talk about their training experiences, essential books, and learning opportunities that contribute to the development of successful management careers.

Timestamps:

0:34 - Intro

01:16 - Catch-Up

03:31 - Playbook sponsorship

04:52 - Training for Management Skills

06:38 - Charli's Current Management Training at Kit

08:24 - Femke’s Training Overview

16:15 - Book Recommendations

• The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You by Julie Zhuo
• Radical Candor by Kim Scott
• The Manager's Path by Camille Fournier

19:23 - At what point of your career did you get the coach?

21:08 - How to balance the relationship between external coaching and internal management?

23:37 - Did you have a chance to coach others in management?

25:16 - Is there anything Charli would like to pursue in management training, specifically in design leadership?

 

Big thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Playbook! Be sure to check them out and see how they can elevate your workflow

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

This episode is sponsored by Playbook, which is a collaborative platform for creatives to store, organize, and share their work. It features AI-powered search and integrates seamlessly with design tools, making it a great space to manage all your files and projects. Join the "30 Days of 30 Projects" Challenge with Playbook to elevate your creative skills and unlock your full potential!

In this live Q&A session, Femke and Charli dive into key topics for designers, including staying relevant in the industry, navigating stakeholder misalignment, making career moves, and the challenges and rewards of building a design culture as a founding designer.

0:38 Episode start and catch up

04:39 Playbook sponsorship

06:43 Q1: How do you stay cool and relevant for 9 years in the design industry?

08:30 Q2: When stakeholders are misaligned in product leadership, should a designer check in with the project manager to ensure alignment at the team level? Should designers step beyond the technical scope of their role to address misalignment?

13:22 Q3: What does it feel like to be a founding designer and how can you create a design culture?

15:48 Q4: How do you start a new role after ending on a low note at a previous company?

18:04 Q5: What’s the difference between a visual designer and a UI designer?

22:20 Q6: What were your sources of inspiration for shaping the new creative direction for Kit?

24:04 Follow up on the founding designer question

25:17 Q7: How do you view the current job market? Is it important to base career moves on company name recognition, or should you prioritize skills and experience over past employers?

30:08 Q8: How can you make your growth plan more actionable and trackable, especially when discussing career progression with your manager?

33:40 Q9: What advice do you have for someone hiring and leading a design team for the first time?

38:38 Q10: What are the main lessons you’ve learned from doing the podcast and sharing your career journey? Has the podcast contributed to your design thinking and overall creative self-development?

Big thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Playbook! Be sure to check them out and see how they can elevate your workflow

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

‍

This episode is sponsored by Playbook, which is a collaborative platform for creatives to store, organize, and share their work. It features AI-powered search and integrates seamlessly with design tools, making it a great space to manage all your files and projects. Join the "30 Days of 30 Projects" Challenge with Playbook to elevate your creative skills and unlock your full potential!

Charli and Femke explore the challenges and best practices in cross-functional collaboration, including navigating role overlaps, planning for future initiatives, understanding how other teams work, leading effective meetings, and how cross-functional feedback fits into performance reviews.

Timestamps:

0:33 Episode introduction

1:20 Playbook sponsorship

3:36 Cross-functional collaboration: who are your daily collaborators, and what roles do they play in your projects?

5:37 Navigating overlapping responsibilities: how to understand roles across disciplines

7:34 Charlie’s planning for 2025

13:38 Successful cross-functional partnerships: key elements for building strong relationships

17:06 Building context on other teams: how to start understanding their roles and processes

20:33 Approaching cross-functional meetings

24:22 The role of cross-functional feedback in performance reviews: is it valued differently than feedback from your own discipline?

27:24 Homework for listeners

28:12 Special live event announcement

Links:

Big thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Playbook! Be sure to check them out and see how they can elevate your workflow

Sign up for Charli and Femke's live event on November 1st at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm CET 

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Femke and Charli dive into the experience of rebranding ConvertKit into Kit. Charli shares a behind-the-scenes look at launch day and the rebranding process, including what didn’t make it into the final launch but is on the roadmap, as well as key lessons learned and what could have been done differently.

Timestamps: 

0:33 - Intro & Life Update

3:32 - How did it feel when the rebrand was finally complete?

5:26 - What was the public’s reaction? Walk us through the launch day—how did it unfold?

9:33 - Reflecting on the yoga retreat...

13:06 - How did the collaborating agency contribute to the launch? Or was it the Kit team handling the rollout?

18:57 - Can you share the process behind the rebrand and the driving initiative?

21:37 - What didn’t make it into this launch but is on the to-do list?

22:00 - Lessons learned—what would you have done differently throughout the process?

Show links: 

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Femke shares her experience navigating the challenges of parental leave, including her decision to take extended time off supported by her employer and Canadian government benefits. She reflects on the challenges of staying connected with the design industry while on parental leave and the potential motivations for returning to work earlier than planned. Femke also discusses how her perspective on work-life balance has evolved over time as she adjusts to her new routine.

Timestamps:

01:42 - Life updates from Charli and Femke
05:16 - Deciding how much time to take off and Canadian parental leave benefits
08:06 - Would you consider returning to work earlier than planned?
09:34 - Employer reactions and typical leave duration at Femke's workplace
12:41 - How Femke arranged her 18-month long maternity leave and differences in parental leave across countries
15:56 - Reflections on being out of work for an extended period
18:27 - Adjusting to maternity leave and staying disconnected from work
20:18 - Staying updated on the design industry while on leave

Links:

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Charli and Femke talk about Charli’s recent promotion and how she approached this process. They explore the importance of taking ownership of your professional growth, including how proactively seeking feedback and showing initiative can help advance your career.

They also cover important questions like when to bring up a promotion, what the promotion process entails, and how tools like a promotion matrix and self-evaluation can help you in that process. Femke shares her past experiences with promotions, addressing the challenges of unmet expectations and what happens when someone believes they deserve a promotion but receives feedback suggesting otherwise. The episode gives advice on how to ask for a promotion, especially when you’re unsure, and how to use feedback to guide your approach.

Timestamps: 

01:00 – Charli’s update

01:52 – Femke’s update

03:36 – Overview of Charli’s promotion

05:34 – Taking ownership of your promotion

07:40 – When to bring up a promotion

08:44 – The promotion process

16:05 – Do you have to meet every criteria?

18:16 – Femke’s promotion experiences

24:24 – What if someone expects a promotion but their performance feedback suggests otherwise?

26:30 – How to approach the conversation when you’re unsure about your chances for promotion

Show Links: 

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Charli and Femke dive into their experiences working with freelancers and agencies in their side projects and day jobs. Charli shares the decision-making process behind choosing an agency for a recent rebrand at Convert Kit, the challenges they encountered, and how involved they were in the collaboration. The hosts also offer practical advice for anyone deciding whether to keep a project in-house or outsource it to freelancers or agencies.

Show Timestamps: 

0:46 - Episode introduction

1:38 - Charli’s update

3:04 - Femke’s update

5:04 - Femke and Charli share their experiences working with freelancers and agencies in side projects and day jobs.

8:26 - Why did you choose an agency for the rebrand Instead of a freelancer?

10:56 - How did you select the right agency?

12:38 - What did the collaboration with the agency look like?

15:13 - Charli’s role and responsibility in the project

16:05 - Femke and Charli discuss the challenges they faced when working with agencies and freelancers.

17:59 - Freelancers and Initiative: what’s been your experience? How much direction do freelancers need?

20:38 - What are the best ways to work with an agency?

27:03 - Tips for deciding between outsourcing and in-house projects

Show Links: 

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

 

Femke and Charli dive into the exciting world of rebranding Convert Kit. We explore the origins of the rebrand, discussing whether it began with a name change or a complete repositioning. Charli explains why they decided to make the rebranding process public instead of opting for a big splashy launch.

Given the scale of the project, we delve into the various roles and responsibilities that are crucial for the rebrand’s success.  Charli shares surprising challenges they've encountered so far, as well as the reception from customers and the public.

We delve into how the rebrand will affect the product itself. Lastly, Charli shares the surprising relationship between rebranding and burnout, and gives an update on where Convert Kit stands now.

 

Timestamps:

01:55 Femke updates on her upcoming course cohort.

06:39 Charli discusses the "Convert Kit" rebranding journey.

08:47 How did the rebrand start? Did it begin with the name change or a complete repositioning of the brand?

13:12 Why did you choose to do the rebranding publicly this time instead of a big launch?

14:48 This is a massive project. What's Charli’s role in the rebrand?

16:28 How does Charli keep the team energized and informed during the rebranding?

17:19 What has surprised so far? Any unexpected challenges?

19:21 How have customers and the public received the rebrand?

21:13 What are Femke's thoughts on the rebrand?

22:50 How will the rebrand affect the product? Will there be new names or different positioning of the products inside “Convert Kit”?

24:16 Will we see the rebranding process from “Convert Kit” itself or through Charli’s channels?

26:06 Rebranding vs burnout: surprising insights.

28:33 Where is Convert Kit at right now?

Links:

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

‍

Femke and Charli dive deep into the topic of the business impact of design decisions. We discuss whether impact is expected in the product design world and if it is an integral part of the design process. We also cover how to measure success and incorporate metrics into the design process.

Additionally, we highlight the importance of sharing real experiences, including conflicts with PMs, design failures, and working without data. We discuss why it is important for designers to share stories of their failures and what they learned from them. We also discuss the resistance to owning failures, how to overcome it and become comfortable learning from failures.

In the end, we provide advice for designers on understanding the impact of their work and how to move up to a new seniority level.

Show Timestamps:

0:45 Episode intro and how this episode came about

1:39 Updates from Femke on her course

4:49 Updates from Charli on the conference she is attending

5:46 More on how this episode came about

8:11 What Charli expects from candidates in terms of the impact of their work on business

10:58 Discussing the impact from a product design perspective

14:49 Have you ever had to choose a design option that was visually less appealing but more effective in converting?

17:43 Femke shares a mentoring story and how to grow as a designer with a focus on impact and reflecting that in a portfolio

19:19 Discussion on resistance to owning failures and how Charli’s company helps designers become more comfortable learning from failures

20:35 Advice for designers on understanding the impact of their work and what designers can incorporate into their process in order to measure success of their design decisions better

 

Episode on landing a new design job in 2024

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

‍

In today’s episode, we are gonna discuss and break down the recent announcements from Figma Config 2024 conference that took place on June 26-27 in San Francisco, California. We are going to talk about Figma's UI3 redesign, new features such as Figma Slides, Code Connect, new AI features, project transfers, connected workspaces, and many more.

Show Timestamps:

0:45 Intro

01:16 Is it “cOnfig” or “confIg”?

02:04 Update to the Autolayout

04:25 Figma’s redesign - new UI3

07:19 Project transfers and connected workspaces

9:58 New AI features

15:12 AI Rename layers feature

16:28 Figma slides

17:51 Interesting fact: Femke tested Figma Slides before the official release

18:40 Femke and Charli’s impressions of Figma Slides

24:40 Multiple pages in FigJam

25:26 Dev mode update and Code Connect

28:02 Favorite feature revealed at Config?

28:42 Femke's slide deck template and Figma’s collaboration with Zach Grosser

 

Links:

Femke's "Project Overview DeckTemplate" in Figma Slides

Zach Grosser’s templates in Figma Slides

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

‍

Femke and Charli delve into the difficulties of managing a side project that isn't going well. Charli shares her personal experience of trying to organize a live workshop in New Zealand and not managing to attract enough participants. The hosts discuss what Charli learned from this experience and how the situation could have been handled better.

Show Timestamps:

2:03 Update from Femke’s side

4:14 Update from Charli’s side

6:23 Background of the situation

12:18 What is your reflection on this situation?

13:44 What are some lessons learned from this situation? Why do you think you did not sell as many tickets as you thought you would?

17:12 If you were to do it again, what would you do differently?

19:02 Are there any interesting reasons why the people who bought the tickets decided to do so?

21:28 Another idea for improvement

 

Show links:

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Femke and Charli share their insights on how to approach the application process in the 2024 design job market. The hosts share strategies on how to optimize your application, stand out from the crowd, and increase your chances of securing your desired position. As competition intensifies and hiring standards rise, it is important to excel in every aspect of your application, whether it's a case study, website, or resume. Tune in to discover how to effectively showcase your design expertise and gain essential guidance for thriving in today's fiercely competitive job market.

Show Timestamps:

01:40 Catch up

03:49 What are you looking for as a hiring manager?

09:08 How to approach an application process?

12:13 What are the tips for standing out more among other applicants?

16:09 What to focus on in the case studies?

17:32 Where would you be looking for the roles?

19:49 Instagram creator recommendation - @badasscareers

21:26 Extracurricular activities and side hustles

25:24 Extra tips

 

Show links:

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Charli reflects on her 7-year journey at her current workplace, emphasizing the importance of difficult conversations in clarifying issues such as salary and job satisfaction. Femke talks about the struggles she experienced of leaving behind internal reputation and connections when transitioning roles, highlighting the value of established relationships within a company. They discuss the concept of "golden handcuffs" and the need to see if current job aligns with personal growth and challenges. Charli and Femke also share personal experiences of leaving previous jobs in tech, offering insights into recognizing signs for change and taking the first steps towards opportunities.

Shownotes:

01:02 Episode intro

02:01 Life update

05:42 Charli shares her journey at the current workplace and emphasises the importance of addressing concerns

09:45 The value of reputation and relationships you’ve built within the company.

10:48 What is golden handcuffs concept?

11:35 How to identifying important things in your role if you are starting to think it’s time to move on?

12:52 Why did Femke decide to move on from her first position?

15:59 Charli shares why she moved on from her first job in tech.

17:14 Why did Femke leave her second role?

18:59 Femke shares the signs that made it clear to her that she should move on.

20:27 What was the timeframe from the decision to taking the first steps to move on?

24:44 Was there a moment at Uber when Femke thought it’s time to move on but then realised she should continue?

Show links:

Charli's Design Career Checkpoint worksheet

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Charli and Femke talk about their experience of having retreats with their teams, how retreats should be structured, what is their purpose and how to make the best out of in-person time with your teammates.

As remote work becomes increasingly prevalent and we usually do not get the chance to see our co-workers’ faces outside of video-calls, team offsites can greatly improve the team dynamic and subsequently enhance communication between team members. Changing scenery and experiencing new things with your team will create space for creativity to approach challenges and open doors to have crucial discussions, paving the way for growth and innovation.

Show Timestamps:

0:57 Intro

01:50 Life update

6:13 Femke’s offsite in Denver

7:56 Charli’s team retreat in France

10:00 Purpose of retreats at Charli’s workplace

10:30 Retreats as a manager vs. an individual contributor (IC)

11:46 Structure of the retreat

17:22 Did the offsite match out to the expectations?

20:50 Femke talks about her upcoming off-sight to San Francisco

23:55 Is there anything that you learnt at an offsite in Denver that you will bring to San Francisco?

24:33 Takeaways from this episode

 

Show links:

Charli's live workshop in New Zealand

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Femke and Charli delve into the concept of personal branding. They discuss whether personal branding requires strategic planning and the level of intentionality one should have regarding their personal brand. Femke and Charli explore the distinction between personal and company brands, the objectives personal branding can help achieve and whether individuals can truly control others' perceptions of them through personal branding. Femke and Charli also touch upon the importance of personal branding for designers and how to cultivate it within a company they work at. Finally, the hosts address the issue of misalignment between one's perceived and desired personal brand, offering guidance on how to navigate this discrepancy.

Timestamps:

01:54 - Life update

04:22 - Is personal brand something that is instinctive or do you need to be strategic about it?

5: 00 Femke shares her thoughts on the difference between her personal and her company brands

07:11 - What goals personal brand can helps you achieve? 

09:40 - How intentional are you about your personal brand? Is it something that you change every year?

12:52 - Can you control what people think about you with personal branding? 

15:38 Why as designers we need to think more about our personal brand? How to build your personal brand internally in your company?

17:54 Femke asks Charli how has her personal brand evolved over the years.

18:47 - Is there anything that people reach out to you for surprises you?

21:44 - What to do if people’s perception of you is not aligned with your personal brand?

24:33 - Updates on Charli’s workshop

 

Show links:

Charli's live workshop in New Zealand

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Charli and Femke give an elaborate reply to one of the listener's requests: whether deadlines should be taken seriously. The hosts share real stories of how they approached deadlines in different projects, how unrealistic deadlines should be handled, what to do in situations when a deadline cannot be met, how to discuss deadlines and set reasonable expectations, and how one's perspective on them changes depending on their role in the project.

 

Show Timestamps:

01:13 Intro

02:34 Charli’s workshop and life updates

04:21 Femke’s life update

07:01 Question submission from a listener about deadlines

07:14 Femke and Charli share how they approach deadlines in different situations

11:52 What is the importance of deadlines?

17:02 Charli elaborates on why she does not like fake (buffer) deadlines

19:00 Situation when the deadline is absolutely non-negotiable

26:08 Femke and Charli discuss milestone approach to projects rather than working towards one big hand off

29:08 Conclusion

 

Show links:

Charli's live workshop in New Zealand

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Charli shares her personal experience of how she got burned out from her side projects. She talks about the subtle signs and symptoms that indicate burnout and how to confront them. Charli decided to drop her side projects and restructured her life to recover from burnout.

Charli and Femke touch upon how burn out can affect your career choices, the importance of diversifying your daily activities and hobbies, why burnout is so prevalent in creative professions and the importance of defining what is healthy balance for you.

 

SHOW TIMESTAMPS:

1:18 Femke shares her latest life updates

2:21 Charli shares her latest life updates

3:26 Charli reflects on how she realised she has burnout and how she confronted it

6:53 Charli delves into how stopping her side projects affected her full-time job

7:55 Charlie talks about how publicly announcing that she stopped her side projects affected her relationships with people

9:40 Charli shares what she does with the extra time and headspace she has now

11:59 Charli reflects on how she recognised she has a burn out

13:21 Charli gives advice for listeners who think they might be burned out

14:25 Femke talks about the importance of defining what healthy balance is for her in order to avoid burnout

15:54 Femke shares if she ever experienced burnout in her career

16:49 Femke discusses if burnout lead her to decisions to change her jobs

17:11 Charli shares how burn out affected her career choices

19:32 Charli shares if she learnt anything new about herself after she stopped her side projects and started spending more time on her hobbies

20:17 Femke discusses her perception of identity in relation to work

21:40 Charli talks about how burnout can happen outside of job context

24:05 Charli and Femke discuss why burn out is so prevalent in tech industry

 

SHOW LINKS:

Charli's live workshop in New Zealand

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

Welcome back, design enthusiasts! We're kicking off 2024 by bring you up to speed on our latest adventures and aspirations.

🌟 Life Updates: Tune in as we share the latest updates from our lives – from career milestones to more personal things, we're laying it all on the table.

💼 Career and Side Project Plans: Get ready to dive into our ambitious plans for the year ahead. We're talking side gigs, big dreams, and everything in between. Charlie is sharing her plans to organise an in-person meet up in New Zealand, her plans for the upcoming book, while Femke reveals the upcoming course you might still have the chance to sign up to.

🎨 Hobbies: But wait, there's more! Discover our latest passions outside the design world. From creative writing to sewing, we're exploring new passions and keeping the creativity flowing. Who knows? You might just find some inspiration for your own creative journey.

So, grab your favourite beverage, cozy up, and join us for a candid conversation about life, design, and the exciting adventures that lie ahead.

SHOW TIMESTAMPS:

1:15 Recent updates from Charli

2:48 Recent updates from Femke

4:02 Sharing vision, plans and projects for 2024

9:13 Anything new we would like to build this year?

9:27 Charli’s live workshop in New Zealand

10:20 Femke shares her plans for the upcoming year

14:40 Thoughts on task delegation

17:02 Charli’s career goals

18:08 Charli’s book updates

19:50 Charli shares how she started doing creative writing

21:31 Discussing our hobbies

24:11 New hobbies for 2024

25:36 Femke’s plans while being on maternity leave this year and how it can affect her content

 

SHOW LINKS:

Charli's live workshop in New Zealand

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm

In this episode of the Design Life podcast we chat about all things copywriting!

Thank you Config for a fantastic conference! In this episode we recap our highlights and chat all about our meetup.

Are you attending a design conference this summer? In this episode we share our favourite tips for making the most of the conference experience to maximise learning, connection and most importantly - fun!

Preparing for a feature launch as a designer is such an exciting time! To see your work come to fruition brings with it a fantastic feeling, but it's not always plain sailing. In this episode we discuss the highs and lows of working on feature launches as a designer.

Today on the Design Life podcast we are answering a listener question from an engineer, who is looking for advice on how to validate a design and communicate this with the relevant stakeholders.

Wondering if you are on the right path in your design career? Fear not, we have a very reassuring conversation this week on the podcast! Hear all about how we've used the design career checkpoint to help reflect on our careers and set new goals.

This week on Design Life we’re chatting about learning throughout different stages of our design careers, and how our approach to learning has changed over time.

Find yourself in a new role and managing in different directions? Us too! In this episode we're talking how to make the most of managing in different directions.

In this episode of Design Life we chat about managing the split between IC work and being a manager and how we balance the responsibilities of both in our day to day work.

Are you an inexperienced designer if you don't name your layers? In our first episode of 2023 we discuss this question and why gatekeeping like this within the industry holds designers back.

In our last episode of 2022, we share our thoughts on the state of the design industry.

Planning your side projects for 2023? If you're thinking of expanding or starting a side project over the next 12 months we hope you find value in this episode as we share our plans and ideas for 2023.

It's that time of year again, time to start the annual planning for 2023. As a design lead in the tech industry, it can be difficult to know how to bring your team together to share their ideas or where to start with the planning so in this episode we share how we're tackling annual planning with collaboration in mind.

Trying to make the move from designer to manager? In this episode we chat about how to make your portfolio presentation speak for itself.

Building relationships with your colleagues at works takes time and patience. This week on the podcast we answer a listener question about how we've built strong relationships within our teams, both remotely and in person.

A real look into today's design interview process, what is it like trying to get a job in this economy?

On Design Life we like to talk openly about money when we can, including our annual income reports! This time it's Charli's turn.

Femke quit her job! After a year in her current role Femke is moving on to an exciting new opportunity. Listen to a deep dive into the thought process and the practical steps involved in the move.