Two presentation designers, two very different routes in. Courtney Allen built 16x9 from a freelance side hustle into a multi-million dollar agency. Dekishea Gordon stumbled into presentation design on a freelancing platform and realised it was actually a career. In this episode, both guests join us to talk about the profession honestly - how they got in, what they've learned, and where it's going.
We get into building a business, trusting a team, mentorship and community, and why reaching out to someone you admire (prepared, with a portfolio) can change the entire course of your career. We talk about what communication and storytelling skills give you that a design background alone doesn't. There's an insider look at the Microsoft PowerPoint templates most of us use every day as well as how templates and AI are intersecting right now, what that means for in-house designers and agencies alike, and why both guests think the role is shifting towards strategic communication rather than production.
Timestamps
00:27 The Power of Storytelling in Presentations
02:24 Mentorship and Community in Presentation Design
06:07 The Role of Women in Presentation Design
10:06 Accidental Entrepreneurship and Business Growth
12:43 Remote Work and Global Nomadism
14:23 The Importance of Communication and Storytelling
20:22 Inside Microsoft PowerPoint Templates
24:48 Templates and AI in Presentation Design
35:29 The Joy of Presentation Design
39:34 Building Trust in Team Dynamics
42:48 Navigating Challenges in Presentation Design
47:20 Freelancing and Career Development
54:26 Advice for Aspiring Presentation Designers
Links & Resources
Courtney Allen https://www.linkedin.com/in/couallen/
16x9 Design https://www.16x9design.com/
Dekishea Gordon https://www.linkedin.com/in/dekisheag/
The Presentation Guild https://presentationguild.org/
Templify https://www.templafy.com/
Upwork https://www.upwork.com
Yuno Juno https://www.yunojuno.com/
Episode runtime: ~57 minutes
Guests: Courtney Allen, Founder, 16x9 and Dekishea Gordon Presentation Designer, OneRail
Hosts: Emma Pritchard, PK Steffen, Mark Robson,
Andy Bundock is on holiday
Got a presentation challenge, story, or question?
Share your thoughts and ideas, and let us know what topics you'd like us to tackle in future on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtsldpls/
