Growth Design Podcast

"We met as teachers... and one of the things which kept coming up was actually our students were asking, what kind of platform should we use to create our portfolios?" This is how MakeBuild kicked off for our final guest of 2024, Dan Foster and his co-founder. In this episode, Dan shares his journey from teaching UX design to building high-performing marketing websites, revealing the power of visual development tools, the importance of user-centric design, and the MakeBuild approach to growth design for a special niche, marketers. Dan introduces their HOP framework (Hunt, Order, Prove) for growth design, a roadmap for identifying, prioritising, and validating growth ideas. This method helps teams focus on what truly drives impact and ensures continuous improvement. Learn more about the HOP framework and how it can transform your growth strategy in the latest episode below: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eDENfWYW YouTube: https://lnkd.in/e97VJTvr Website: https://lnkd.in/em5BN6Qs

Kristina Volchek is no stranger to the Growth Design Podcast. She joins us again to dig into a growing alternative path for growth designers, and frankly, designers in general - solopreneurship. When we last spoke with Kristina, she had recently completed her corporate roles and was beginning to explore freelancing as a Growth Product Designer. And if you are a more recent subscriber, Kristina is a former CMO who reinvented herself as a successful growth designer. Here are many reasons you want to listen to this episode: - When re-inventing or iterating on your career, embracing the unexpected is important. In her words, "𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮." Yet, she persevered, proving that with passion and determination, reinvention is possible. - "𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗼… 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲," Kristina emphasises. Your personality, values, and unique story are the building blocks of a compelling personal brand. Authenticity shines through, attracting clients who resonate with your vibe. - On finding clients, she says, "𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂." The secret to attracting clients is being discoverable. Content creation, networking, and referrals are your allies in building a steady stream of opportunities.  - Pricing your services can feel daunting, but Kristina encourages experimentation: "It's all A/B testing." Try different rates, observe the response, and adjust accordingly. Her golden rule: 𝗶𝗳 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 80% 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆, 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴. - Freelancing can be isolating, but the connection is key. She encourages reaching out: "𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲, '𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 𝗜'𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.'" Building a supportive network can make all the difference. Listen now for an episode packed with unconventional advice, actionable steps, personal anecdotes, and a healthy dose of real talk. Tune in here: Spotify - https://lnkd.in/eNVub-VS YouTube - https://lnkd.in/eG9-ymsq Apple Podcasts - https://lnkd.in/eZeA2AdC Website - https://lnkd.in/em5BN6Qs #design #freelance #solopreneur #growthdesign #podcast #careeradvice #personalbranding #community #designthinking

Ever feel trapped by your strategy or framework? Like you're so focused on the how that you've forgotten the why? Zachary Bolton ☕️shares in our latest episode how many of us get attached to the process, losing sight of the actual goal. This week's episode dives into breaking free from that trap and building a strategy that truly serves YOU. Tune in now: YouTube: https://lnkd.in/exmkj99R Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eQWSqPjw Website: https://lnkd.in/em5BN6Qs #strategy #business #leadership #productivity #growth

Drop 02 Ep. 02 is here! "Product strategy" is a buzzword often associated with roadmaps and generic frameworks. But what if true product strategy is less about documents and more about understanding value? On this episode of the Growth Design Podcast, we sit down with Zachary Bolton ☕️ of Other Land – Product Design & Growth, a "product strategist who doesn't believe in strategy" to unpack this very idea. With his background at companies like Google, Verizon, and Amex, Zachary challenges traditional approaches and offers a refreshing perspective on driving real growth. He argues that effective product strategy boils down to two core questions: - What unique value does our product bring to customers? - What needs to change to continue delivering and expanding that value? Zach emphasises the importance of using plain language, ditching the jargon, and involving cross-functional teams in the strategy process. He advocates for continuous customer research, using tools like the Sean Ellis test to identify your "must-have" users and understand their core needs. Tune in now: YouTube: https://lnkd.in/exmkj99R Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eQWSqPjw Website: https://lnkd.in/em5BN6Qs #productstrategy #growth #podcast #innovation #designthinking #leadership"

Drop 02 Ep. 02 is here! "Product strategy" is a buzzword often associated with roadmaps and generic frameworks. But what if true product strategy is less about documents and more about understanding value? On this episode of the Growth Design Podcast, we sit down with Zachary Bolton ☕️ of Other Land – Product Design & Growth, a "product strategist who doesn't believe in strategy" to unpack this very idea. With his background at companies like Google, Verizon, and Amex, Zachary challenges traditional approaches and offers a refreshing perspective on driving real growth. He argues that effective product strategy boils down to two core questions: - What unique value does our product bring to customers? - What needs to change to continue delivering and expanding that value? Zach emphasises the importance of using plain language, ditching the jargon, and involving cross-functional teams in the strategy process. He advocates for continuous customer research, using tools like the Sean Ellis test to identify your "must-have" users and understand their core needs. Tune in now: YouTube: https://lnkd.in/exmkj99R Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eQWSqPjw Website: https://lnkd.in/em5BN6Qs #productstrategy #growth #podcast #innovation #designthinking #leadership"

TGIF! Another Podcast Day! 🕺🕺🕺 **Drop 02, Episode 02 with Adi is Now Live**   We’re excited to welcome Adi Kujal, a seasoned growth product designer, who joined us to share his insights on applying growth design principles in the fast-paced world of early-stage startups.    In this episode, Adi discusses:   - His transition from traditional design to a growth-focused approach, emphasises the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset. - The significance of having a deep understanding of user psychology and how to navigate the unique challenges of the startup environment. - The power of emotionally driven user research, highlighting the balance between persuasive design and ethical considerations. - The evolving role of designers in startups. - Practical approaches to identifying red and green flags when considering joining an early-stage company.   You don't want to miss out on this conversation! You can listen to the episode here: Spotify - https://lnkd.in/exh4nTe5 YouTube - https://lnkd.in/eRaft7Nr #designer #growth #Foundingdesigner #design #growthdesign

Solo, freelance, or founding designers working in growth, Drop 02 is for you! To kick us off, we sat down with one of our favourite designers, Adi Kujal, a product design partner for startups. Adi shares how starting as a solo/freelance/founding designer can feel like navigating uncharted territory. You're making critical decisions, often without a senior leader to validate your choices. Speaking on the struggle with self-doubt and the constant need for permission, Adi speaks about learning to trust their instincts and confidently sell their design decisions, even when facing internal pressures. Tune in on Friday for a raw and honest conversation about overcoming imposter syndrome in the startup world. Meanwhile, catch up on Drop 01 here - https://lnkd.in/em5BN6Qs #TheGrowthDesignPodcast #GrowthDesign #Design

Happy Friday! Today’s drop is slightly different. We’re happy to share that our new website is up! Head over to https://lnkd.in/em5BN6Qs to explore. Anyone notice we changed our podcast format from episodes to drops? Well, Emmanuel and I began discussing the recording and release formats in June. It became clear to us that we wanted to continue sharing incredible conversations around growth and design. But in a sustainable way for us too, with full time work as senior ICs, being parents, and life behind the scenes. So explore the website and previous episodes here: https://lnkd.in/em5BN6Qs Don’t forget to tell us what you think! - ÌníOlúwa #GrowthDesignPodcast

🔑 4 key steps for building high-performing teams: 1️⃣ Hiring the right people 2️⃣ Defining clear roles and responsibilities 3️⃣ Providing the necessary resources 4️⃣ Measuring results effectively 🔄 In a recent episode of the Growth Design Podcast, Jeff Callan, author of What Makes Great Products Great?, shared how to build great product teams through collaboration—and broke down these essential elements. But the truth is, these steps aren't just for product teams; they are foundational for any high-performing team! 😉 Jeff also emphasized the importance of transparency, trust, and data-driven decisions while cautioning against common collaboration pitfalls like misaligned goals and siloed thinking. I love how Jeff’s insights offer not just concepts, but clear, actionable steps you can implement right away. Want to learn more about building collaborative, feedback-rich environments, prioritization strategies, and how to leverage shared KPIs? Give the episode a listen! 🎧👇 Key Topics Discussed: 🟡 Clear communication, transparency, trust, and respect are key to collaboration. ⚫️ The evolving role of product managers and the importance of leveraging team expertise. 🟡 Common collaboration pitfalls, including misaligned goals, siloed thinking, and ego. ⚫️ The role of data-driven decision-making and shared KPIs. 🟡 Breaking down silos: How to get everyone rowing in the same direction (and avoid those frustrating misaligned goals!) ⚫️ The power of feedback loops: Why diverse perspectives from ALL teams lead to better products. 🟡 Building a culture of appreciation: Because a little gratitude goes a long way. ➡️ Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eAp8762v #TeamBuilding #Collaboration #ProductManagement #Leadership

You know what time it is! Drop 01. Ep. 04 with Mindaugas Petrutis is live! MP, as we fondly refer to him, joins us to chat about design's crucial intersection with business. But first, he shares his non-linear journey from hospitality to community building and entrepreneurship, emphasising the importance of authentic relationships and understanding designers' challenges in aligning their work with business objectives. In this episode, Mindaugas Petrutis sits down with us, chatting about: * How building authentic relationships is crucial for career growth and understanding the business context. * The valuable insights designers can gain by proactively engaging with other departments. * The power of peer groups navigating the changing work landscape and sharing knowledge. * The importance of experimenting with side projects and considering the founder's path * How to focus on developing and improving core skills like strong communication, critical thinking, and adaptability to future-proof your career. Dig in now here: Spotify - https://lnkd.in/ezAq-5ha YouTube - https://lnkd.in/eP9PpJBC Coho is accepting sign-ups for the trial cohort. Sign up here - https://www.joincoho.com/ #career #growth #careergrowth #designcareer #founders #growthdesign #professionaldevelopment