Hustle

In this first episode with Tony Sanchez as an official co-host, we were honored to be joined by a design legend. Toke Nygaard is the Chief Creative Officer at Zendesk. With more than 20 years of experience designing digital experiences, Toke Nygaard oversees Zendesk’s brand and product UX/UI. In this role, he is constantly developing and building the Zendesk brand with his global team of passionate creatives, keeping the product experience true to its origins of being simple and easy to use. Before joining Zendesk, Toke was a founding partner of one of the largest pioneering design communities, K10k. He was also the founder and creative director at Cuban Council, a digital-design company, where he helped design the original Facebook identity, and worked with a range of clients from Tyra Banks and Francis Coppola, to Apple and NASA. Previously, he worked for Danish web-design frontrunner Araneum and later helped start the Oven Digital offices in London. Outside of the office, Toke enjoys spending quality time

For the last episode recorded in 2020, we flip the spotlight onto our founders, Anthony and Natalie Armendariz, to walk us through the challenging, chaotic and — at times — exciting journey that was 2020. In a year that provided surprises and obstacles for just about every human being on the planet, we wanted to tell our agency's part of the story. We hope you enjoy.We cover:Our mindset going into 2020Business and culture goals entering 2020Q1 happenings at the beginning of the pandemicSurprising new client relationships in 2020How/why did Funsize actually grow in 2020?The "staff augmentation" niche during the pandemicThe pandemic's effect on team cultureTeam perspectives during the pandemicExpectations when starting Funsize years agoThe launch of Funsize Ventures and what it meansWork differences between designers and developersWhat will 2021 bring? Visit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest  

Ted Boda is currently a Product Design Manager on the Well-Being team at Instagram. He is also a former Director of Design at Udacity, former Senior Designer at Nest Labs, former Lead Mobile Designer at Netflix and a former Lead UI Designer for Keynote at Apple (where, interestingly enough, he worked on some of the slides used for Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth). With all that experience to draw on, we loved having Ted on the show — for a second time — to hear what he's been up to and gain some insight into how design management is done at one of the largest social media platforms on earth. We cover:Guesswork at the beginning of design leadershipDesign leadership at InstagramDesign tools at Instagram and FacebookThe Well-being team at Instagram and what they doWhat an average week looks like for Ted.His "cameo" on NetflixQualities to look for in Design ManagersTed's childhood interests

Margaret Lee is the Director of UX Community & Culture at Google. A self-described "reluctant leader," she heads up programs that unite departments across the company and create Google career opportunities for those who might not typically have access. Margaret created this role for herself a few years ago when she noticed there was an opportunity to put more intention behind efforts of inclusion and community within Google. After a manger's encouragement, she took a leap of faith and began sharing her passions on-stage. She hasn't looked back since. We cover: Her path to designGoogle's shift to a design focusHow Margaret created her own niche careerThe differences  intentionality can createHow Google is improving access to UX jobsThe complex challenge of inclusionReluctant leadershipHow her role at Google has changed her personallyConnecting with new team members during the pandemicVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest 

Braden Kowitz is a former design partner at Google Ventures, where he had the opportunity to work with startups like ClassPass, Gusto, Slack, Medium, Flatiron Health, TuneIn, BlueBottle Coffee, 23andMe, One Medical Group, HubSpot, RetailMeNot, Nest and more.  He is the co-author of NY Times Best Seller, Sprint, and the co-founder of Range, a tool that keeps teams connected and productive. We're extremely grateful to Braden for sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience with us. Get your notepads out for this one! We cover:Some of the differences in Google design from when he entered and leftHow he got into Google Ventures and whyHis experience watching the explosion of the Design SprintWhat Range does and who it servesThe agency challenge of working with multiple culturesWorking the way clients want to work during COVID-19Testing and validating new work methodologiesVulnerability and connection for teamsThe challenge of jumping responsibilities as a business ownerPersonal manualsMore!Visit the Funsize web

Douglas Ferguson is an entrepreneur and human-centered technologist with over 20 years of experience. He is the founder and president of Voltage Control, an Austin-based facilitation agency that specializes in helping teams work better together through participatory decision making and design inspired facilitation techniques. He has helped transform teams from U.S. SOCOM, the Air Force, Adobe, Dropbox, Fidelity, Vrbo, Liberty Mutual, Humana, and SAIC. We really appreciated hearing Douglas's thoughts on facilitation in the era of COVID and are excited to see what's next for Voltage Control. We cover: Starting out in developmentHow his career in facilitation has changedBuilding a facilitation communityAdaptability vs DogmaPrescribing different workshopsKnowing when it's time for a design sprintWhat happens after a design sprintThe differences in remote sprintsA lot more!Visit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

In a first for The Hustle, we're tackling important subject matter outside the realm of design. In a conversation led by our Guest Host, Tony Sanchez, a Design Lead at Funsize, Chas Moore joined us to discuss the public outcry and wave of activism in the wake of George Floyd's murder. Chas is the Executive Director of Austin Justice Coalition, an activist-led organization that educates and builds community power for people of color who live in Austin, Texas. We're extremely grateful to have him on the show to provide insight into this important time in American history. We cover: Austin Justice Coalition's missionWhy George Floyd's murder was so impactfulWhat it's like to be in the local spotlight during this important movementResulting change from increased attention on racial violenceWhat liberation looks likeBeing authentically engaged with the causeThe current undertakings of Austin Justice CoalitionVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Note: We apologize for the audio quality. There was an issue with the microphone.Justin is a multi-faceted, multi-pierced, multi-tattooed designer, author, and speaker. He wrote the book "Cultivating a Creative Culture", is the Vice President of Human-Centered Design and Development at bswift, the founder of The Dead Pixel Society, and a contributor to A List Apart. Justin had some really intuitive viewpoints on culture that were awesome to dig into and it was a pleasure having him on the show. We cover:Working in the healthcare systemWhy he gravitates to roles that aren't tee'd up and ready to goCreative culture and the golden ruleCreative Inspiration WednesdaysHow designers have an advantage in creating a good cultureTransitioning from getting fulfillment from design to getting fulfillment from others' evolutionLeading with actionThe challenges of remote working 

Funsize friend, Chad Engle, is the Product Design Director at GoDaddy, a company that is rapidly expanding its product offerings and leaning into design with a focus on in-house talent.  He stopped by to share his experience growing design orgs, explain what he looks for in applicants, and provide some insight into how he approaches leadership.We cover:Growing a design practice at GoDaddyTransitioning from designer to Design ManagerUsing a different set of design skills to create a design orgThe value of pier-to-pier conversations and mentoring"Steering the bull" of cultureHiring for aptitude vs. craftGrowing as an ICDesigning design laddersVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Note: We recorded this one before COVID began, so some references (like to our SXSW party) did not come to fruition.Theo Strauss is an 18-year-old product designer out of NYC who's already making waves in the community through his involvement with companies like Apple, Postmates, and Figma. As someone on the bleeding edge of a new generation of designers, we loved having him on the show to share some of his thoughts on where the industry is heading and how young people are getting involved. We cover:Creating an entire portfolio in FigmaGrowing up in New York CityChildhood career dreamsThe evolution of design toolsGoing to college vs. entering the workforceThe ambiguity of "designer"The democratization of designCold emails and personal networksA lot moreVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Note: We apologize for the audio quality. There was an issue with the microphone.Ash Huang is a designer, illustrator, author, speaker, artist and parent who currently works at Adobe. After finding design at a young age, Ash's career has spanned a wide variety of well-known companies and different pursuits that have left her with some fascinating views on accomplishment, progress, staying curious and more. It took us a while to get this one on the books but the conversation was totally worth it. We cover:Working on the Adobe XD product teamHow to choose what you will devote time toTracking progressHow having kids changes things within your careerSpecialization vs. generalizationStaying curiousManagement vs Individual Contributor tracksAlone time as a parentLegacyVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Helen Tran is a designer, CEO, hobbyist writer, traveler and macaroon connoisseur (amongst other things). In this wide-ranging episode, we discuss everything from software design, business ownership and bodybuilding, to wealth and weird Texan habits.We cover:Growing with ShopifyPaying dues before taking big career risksFiguring out what to pursue and deciding to start JupiterWhy there's no such thing as "business vs. personal"Living someone else's life for a yearHow bodybuilding affects discipline and goal settingDefining "wealth"The knowledge gap between CEO generationsBusiness as more than a way to make moneyToronto vs. TexasVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Guigo Sanchez is the Creative Director at THIRD EAR — previously known as LatinWorks — an agency that specializes in creating advertising for the U.S. Hispanic audience. Born and raised in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, he is the husband of Mari Chamoun (Managing Director at Funsize), and father to Julia Elena Sánchez Chamoun. After completing his psychology degree in Puerto Rico, Guigo moved to Austin to study advertising and decided to stay forever (for now). He enjoys dad life, music, computers, food and personal finance.In this episode, we discuss:How studying psychology affects advertisingSpeaking to different audiences and cultures in advertisingThe top skills needed for creative directingImagination as a skillHispanic marketing and advertisingMaintaining belief in the value of creativityThe temporary nature of advertising and designWhat does "partner" mean in the advertising worldCommitment in professional relationshipsThe emotional operations of an organizationVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize

Thomas Ewart is an Associate Product Designer at Funsize, where he works with startups and enterprise design teams to craft thoughtful digital experiences. With a non-traditional career path that spans accounting, tattoos and electronic music, Thomas brings a unique perspective to his work and enjoys helping others find their place in the design world. Non-traditional paths to designThe decision to spend the money on General Assembly's design intensiveYear one as a product designerEnterprise vs. startup design workCollaborationThe three stages of design in an organizationFigma and the future of design toolsVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest     

Desiree Garcia is a senior designer at Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com and most recently, Tumblr. Their goal is to democratize publishing so that anyone with a story can tell it, regardless of income, gender, politics, language, or where they live in the world. She's also an editor at A List Apart, a webzine that explores the design, development, and meaning of web content, with a special focus on web standards and best practices.In this episode, we discuss:How a psychology degree can influence design and teamworkWhat we miss about the old webStar Trek's Kobayashi Maru and how it applies to designHow to respond to situations that can't be wonThe challenges of talking about your workDesigning things that "aren't real"Visit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Mike Trozzo is the EVP at Tide University Laundry, a service business disrupting the laundry-norm on campuses around the country. His career trajectory took him from dreams of being an astronaut and doctor, to studying finance in college, pursuing acting in LA and eventually leading design and engineering teams in Waco, Texas.In this episode, we discuss:Connecting the dots between design and P&LBudgeting for designStaffing projectsDesign roles and responsibilitiesBalancing the skillsets and goals of team membersThe shifting need for generalists and specialistsChildhood career dreams vs. adult career realityPersonal values and work valuesHow Funsize's values emergedVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest  

Brian Peterson is a former Funsize Associate Design Director with a passion for collaboration and intentional design. He's a close friend and talented designer whose career saw a lot of growth during his time with us. Brian is making the move back home to Chicago, but before he left, he graced us with a send-off podcast to discuss goal-setting — a subject he's particularly passionate about.In this episode, we discuss:The characteristics of a good goal.What it means to work with intent.Goal-setting for teams.The importance of clear communication with clients.Understanding different stakeholders in an organization.Visit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Joel Beukelman is a Senior Interaction Designer at Google where he works on Chrome. He's also a prolific content creator with a popular YouTube channel and vlog. In this episode, Anthony and Joel cover everything from family life and time prioritization, to health, jacuzzis and — of course – design. On this episode we discuss: Juggling family, travel, a high-level design job at Google and content creation Prioritizing for life satisfaction The importance of health for designers Joel's experience transitioning from startup life back to Google The need for support in your career and personal life The challenges of investing in personal time as a creative The consequences of too much hustling Chasing titles vs. doing work you love What it’s like to work on a product used by 1 billion people. Finding what’s next after you’ve reached your career goals Visit the Funsize website Subscribe to The Funsize Digest

Jen Dary is the founder of Plucky, a company that specializes in creating healthy dynamics at work through coaching, consulting, workshops, and education. On this episode of the Hustle she chats with Anthony about how to know if management is right for you, what challenges new and established leaders face every day, and strategies to help along the way. On this episode we discuss: What questions to ask before accepting a management role The most common challenges facing both high-level and new leaders Understanding how management might fit in your career path How to create and communicate vision to your team Dealing with creator grief: not making things anymore The role of trust in management relationships How to gauge and improve employee experience Giving yourself permission to experiment, learn, and find new tools Visit the Funsize website Subscribe to The Funsize Digest Read the article

Katie Dill is the VP of Design at Lyft. Her team includes about one hundred creatives who are part of everything Lyft makes for drivers, passengers, users, and in-house teams. Katie discusses the importance of believing in your mission, how diverse teams benefit companies in multiple ways, staying in touch with users, and how creating and empowering a great design team is, in itself, an amazing design task. On this episode we discuss: Making sure a team is happy, healthy, productive, and doing the best work of their lives Seeing beyond the pixels to the offline experience of users Managing a design team and being farther from the work, but closer to the people who make it happen Defining design beyond a product or object. We design teams, design strategies, we design the way we work Empowering diversity in hiring and beyond and the far-reaching benefits of a diverse team Lyft’s multidimensional goals to improve transportation, environmental issues, and accessibility to make every city more about the people