Design Life

Charli Prangley, Femke Van Schoonhoven
  • 4.9 (127)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Design Life

Design Life is a podcast about design and side projects for motivated creators. It was born after your hosts, two serial side project addicts, saw a gap in the podcast market for a conversational show about design and the issues young creatives face, that was hosted by two females. This show aims to tackle the big issues designers face like getting paid, overcoming a creative block or managing time, to name a few. We want to open up discussion about things we wish we heard people talk about when we were studying, and we want to chat to you about the joys and the frustrations of working in the tech industry by day, and on our passion projects in the rest of our waking hours. We hope that by doing so, Design Life will give you a dose of motivation or inspiration when you need it.

  1. 310: Going back to work after an extended break

    10H AGO

    310: Going back to work after an extended break

    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

    32 min
  2. 309: Become a design manager or stay an IC? How to make the choice.

    APR 28

    309: Become a design manager or stay an IC? How to make the choice.

    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

    30 min
  3. 308: Making the jump from mid to senior

    APR 14

    308: Making the jump from mid to senior

    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

    27 min
  4. 307: Will AI take your design job? (Hot takes from later adopters)

    MAR 31

    307: Will AI take your design job? (Hot takes from later adopters)

    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

    30 min
  5. 306: Building a team for your side projects

    MAR 17

    306: Building a team for your side projects

    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

    31 min
  6. 305: If we started our side projects all over again...

    MAR 3

    305: If we started our side projects all over again...

    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

    31 min

  7. JAN 13

    304: Setting our goals and intentions for 2025

    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 ‍

    36 min
  8. 303: Changes in the design industry (specialists vs generalists?)

    12/30/2024

    303: Changes in the design industry (specialists vs generalists?)

    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

    29 min
See All (310)

4.9
out of 5
127 Ratings

About

Design Life is a podcast about design and side projects for motivated creators. It was born after your hosts, two serial side project addicts, saw a gap in the podcast market for a conversational show about design and the issues young creatives face, that was hosted by two females. This show aims to tackle the big issues designers face like getting paid, overcoming a creative block or managing time, to name a few. We want to open up discussion about things we wish we heard people talk about when we were studying, and we want to chat to you about the joys and the frustrations of working in the tech industry by day, and on our passion projects in the rest of our waking hours. We hope that by doing so, Design Life will give you a dose of motivation or inspiration when you need it.

Information

  • Creator
    Charli Prangley, Femke Van Schoonhoven
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2025
  • Episodes
    310
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2015 - 2020
  • Show Website
    Design Life

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