Design Life
Design Life is a conversational podcast about design and side projects for motivated creators. Hosted by two serial side project addicts, it tackles issues like getting paid, overcoming creative blocks, and managing time. The show aims to open up discussions about the joys and frustrations of working in tech by day and pursuing passion projects in spare time. It offers motivation and inspiration for young creatives.
Episodes
325: Goals and creative aspirations for 2026
Femke and Charli outline their goals for 2026 and the strategies they plan to implement to achieve them. Femke shares an update about her upcoming baby and how she plans to balance it with her business, while Charli discusses her approach to the book writing process.Timestamps: 01:11 Episode introduction01:59 Life updates04:05 Goal setting for 2026: Does Femke set combined business and parenting g
324: Collaborating with other design creators on a side project
Femke and Charli discuss how to collaborate effectively with other design creators on side projects. Femke shares her experience working with five other designers on the Design Creator's Bundle, including how the collaboration went, how they divided the revenue, and how audience size influenced their choice of collaborators and how Claud helped shape the overall strategy of the product.Timestamps:
323: How to land a promotion
Charli and Femke discuss the common challenges people face when pursuing promotions, share strategies to prepare for performance reviews, and explore options for those who perform well but are unable to get promoted.Timestamps:0:57 Episode start01:50 Catch up07:25 What are the main challenged people that you mentored were having around promotions?10:37 Thinking about promotions as a manager16:01 A
322: Our approach to side projects in 2026
Charli and Femke discuss their evolving perspectives on side projects, preferred platforms and content formats, and how these have changed throughout their careers, while also sharing their current goals—Charli opening up about her book writing journey and Femke explaining how her approach to her course is continuously evolving.Timestamps: 01:26 - Episode start03:11 - How are you currently thinkin
321: Knowledge-sharing in a design team (the wins and the failures)
Femke and Charli discuss how to foster a culture of knowledge sharing at a workplace. They explore how to structure language-sharing sessions, whether these should focus on work-related topics or personal expertise, how to encourage team members to participate, and what roles leaders and team members play in sharing knowledge.Timestamps:01:25 Episode start02:27 Catch up06:52 How did educational 'L
320: The struggle with staying up-to-date with new design tools
Femke and Charli discuss the challenges of staying up-to-date with AI tools, the importance of developing horizontal skills rather than just tool-specific knowledge, integrating AI into your workflow, the financial and environmental impacts of AI and strategies for keeping up with rapid advancements in the tech field.01:11 Episode introduction01:53 Catch-up05:16 How the episode came about: Charli
319: Balancing speed and quality in design work
Femke and Charli discuss how to balance product quality with commitments, deadlines, and the pressure to ship quickly. They explore the best approaches to building MVPs and new features, and consider whether AI is influencing the expected pace of work in design.Timestamps:01:14 Episode start02:25 Catch up07:56 The background of the issue at Femke’s work10:42 Did Charli experience anything similar?
318: Revealing our performance reviews as design leaders
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/femkeCharli and Femke talk about the challenges of discussing performance reviews and share the actual feedback they received. They discuss how performance reviews work at their companies, including how often they occur, the structure, and the tools used. They a
317: What it's like to take part in a hackathon
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/femkeFemke and Charli discuss various aspects of hackathons, including team organization and timelines, the motivations behind creating dedicated create weeks, whether projects should go live afterward, the competitive dynamics of hackathons, and provide valuabl
316: The art of giving useful feedback
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/femkeFemke and Charli discuss their perspectives on giving feedback, how their approaches have evolved, the importance of mindful communication, and strategies for providing effective and focused feedback.01:05 Episode start02:01 Framer Sponsorship04:06 How do y
315: How to hire (and get hired) in a brand design role
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/femkeFemke 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
314: Coaching ICs as a design manager
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/femkeFemke and Charli explore their coaching experiences, the importance of active listening, and navigating coaching challenges from both coach and coachee perspectives.0:47 Episode start01:59 Framer sponsorship03:06 What was your coaching workshop experience?0
313: Building relationships with PM's & Product Marketers
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/femkeFemke 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
312: Design vision work and how to have a strategic impact
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
311: Hot takes on Config 2025 and new Figma features
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 pote
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-enterin
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 (I
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 ta
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 A
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 emplo
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
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 epis
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 Ch
302: Design maturity and culture in a company (and how to influence it)
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 epis
301: Learning management skills as a design manager
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 epis
300: Live Q&A - Answering Your Top Design Questions on Air
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
299: How to get better at collaborating with cross-functional partners
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 F
298: Behind the scenes of launching ConvertKit's rebrand to Kit
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 Update3:32 - How did it feel when the rebrand was finally comp
297: What it's really like to go on parental leave as a designer
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
296: How to land a promotion
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
295: The perks and pitfalls of working with a freelancer
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
294: Behind the scenes of a company rebrand
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 cruc
293: Why you need to understand the impact of your work
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 fa
292: Config 2024 Figma release reactions
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 Intro01:16 Is it “cOnfig” or “conf
291: When a side project totally fails
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 side4:14 Upd
290: Landing a new design job in 2024
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 s
289: How to know when it's time to move on from a job
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 o
288: Making the most of team retreats and offsites
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 sub
287: Why your personal brand matters
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 o
286: Should you take deadlines seriously?
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 c
285: The truth about burnout (and recovery)
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 a
284: Our Career and Personal Goals for 2024
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
283: Our copywriting process
In this episode of the Design Life podcast we chat about all things copywriting!
282: Reliving our Config experience
Thank you Config for a fantastic conference! In this episode we recap our highlights and chat all about our meetup.
281: How to make the most of a design conference
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!
280: Preparing for a feature launch as a designer
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.
279: Validating design solutions
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.
278: Are you on the right path in your design career?
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.
277: Learning throughout different stages of your design career
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.
276: Managing in different directions
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.
275: The realities of being a manager AND an IC
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.
274: Are you inexperienced if you don't name your layers?
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.
273: Our thoughts on the state of the design industry
In our last episode of 2022, we share our thoughts on the state of the design industry.
272: Deciding what side projects to tackle in 2023
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.
271: Annual planning as a design leader in tech
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.
270: Positioning your portfolio for a design manager role
Trying to make the move from designer to manager? In this episode we chat about how to make your portfolio presentation speak for itself.
269: Fitting in socially in the workplace
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.
268: A real look into today's design interview process
A real look into today's design interview process, what is it like trying to get a job in this economy?
267: How much did Charli earn this year?
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.
266: Femke quit her job!
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.
265: Adobe is buying Figma? Let's talk about it
News of Figma being acquired by Adobe has everyone talking, today on Design Life we share our thoughts on what this means for one of our most used design tools.
264: Design education and conferences, on a budget
Getting buy in to help build design team culture can be difficult - this week we answer a listener question about how to create opportunities which promote design education for your team and foster a great design culture, on a budget.
263: How we communicate async at work
Today on Design Life we answer a listener question about all the asynchronous communication methods we use at work.
262: What makes a good design manager
This week on the podcast we're answering a very wholesome listener question, what makes a good manager and how can an IC help support a new manager to do their best?
261: What it's like to work in six week cycles
Do you use six week cycles where you work? Today we're gonna talk about this way of breaking up work throughout the year which we recently discovered we both use in our companies.
260: Taking a sabbatical
In this episode we chat about Charli’s recent sabbatical, the preparations involved beforehand and what elements from the month have become part of a new daily routine.
259: Shipping a new design system!
Femke recently shipped a new design system and today on Design Life we are discussing the highs and lows of taking on such a project!
258: Retaining the joy of side projects with Honest UX Talks
Listen to the Honest UX Talks episodeFollow Honest UX Talks:🗂 instagram.com/honest_ux_talks👩💻 instagram.com/anfisign👩🏻💻 instagram.com/uxgoodies
257: Collaboration between senior and junior designers
This week on Design Life we chat specifically about collaborating with designers of a different level. Maybe you’re a junior designer collaborating with a senior designer for the first time or vice versa, we discuss which skills you need to make collaboration seamless.
256: Conducting design audits
How can you make the most of a design audit? Keep consistency in mind, improve popular assets and implement recommendations.
255: The pay gap between product and marketing designers
Today we are chatting about a topic very near and dear to our hearts, the pay gap between marketing/brand designers and product designers. What is causing the gap and how can we work towards closing it?
254: Is the vibe shifting in design?
It might feel like vibe is the word of the year at the moment, and with good reason as the vibe in design is shifting again. Who are the companies shaping design this year and how do we stay up to date without following trends? Listen to this episode of Design Life to find out!
E253: Setting boundaries at work
Boundaries are really important, and they've become even more important as more of us are working from home. This week on Design Life we chat about the boundaries we set in our jobs and how we share them with our teams and managers.
252: Why you should care about performance reviews
In this episode of Design Life we chat about why you should care about performance reviews even when they aren’t related to a bonus or pay rise and how to get the most out of them whether you are an employee or a manager.
251: Why getting better at writing can help your design career
Improving your writing skills can help your career in lots of different ways, from increasing your confidence to helping you to create memorable presentations. In this episode of Design Life we chat about creating writing procedures and using inspiration when it strikes to help your writing stand out.
250: When starting a new job feels like you're starting from scratch
In this episode we’re tackling a listener question, from a designer starting a new job and feeling like they’re starting from scratch again! We share what we've learned from starting new jobs, settling into a new team and how to have a productive first few weeks in your new role while finding your feet.
249: What the heck are MVPs (and how to do them well)
This week on Design Life we answer a listener question, what the heck are MVPs (and how to do them well). We chat about the benefits, the disadvantages and the questions to ask your team so you can make the best product possible without creating design or technical debt.
248: Monetising side projects with Sara Brunettini
Today we’re chatting about monetising side projects with our guest, Sara Brunettini. Sara is a Youtuber, product designer and all round wonderful person. We share our experience of monetising our side projects, what's worked for us, what hasn’t and what we’ve learned along the way.
247: Are you falling behind if you don't understand Web3?
Keeping up with trends while maintaining a full time job is a challenge all designers face, but what should you do if you’re worried that the latest trend will quickly become essential to your role? There is a lot of talk within the design community about Web3, listen to find out how NFTs and Web3 are being viewed by two people outside the community.
246: The design interview process needs to change
The design interview process needs to change. Time consuming take home assignments and whiteboard challenges are the norm, can the interview process be simplified to benefit both designers and employers?
Recommended
TED Talks Daily
Pod Save America
Dateline NBC
صداستان: ساعتی با موسیقی
Becoming: HER with Nikki Spoelstra
Exposing Workplace Bullying
Everyday AI Made Simple - AI For Everyday Tasks
FemTech Focus
Not Too Sensitive - Empowering Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) To Own Their Sensitivity
Mother Daughter Relationship Show
Skin Deep MDs with Dr. Mamina Turegano, Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky and Dr. Jenny Liu
girl talk 🎧🫧
