Tommy Geoco, an experienced designer and entrepreneur, shares his wild journey of selling his first company, the importance of design tools, strategies for side projects, and his mental model for learning as a self-taught designer. He also discusses ways to improve taste as a designer and his acquisition of UX Tools, along with his vision for the future.
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Quick takeaways
Embracing new tools and experimenting with different design approaches can lead to valuable learning experiences and help designers stay updated.
Building a strong portfolio, exploring different skills, and being open to taking on less-than-optimal projects can help early-career designers gain experience and attract opportunities.
Remixing and adapting existing ideas can lead to successful and impactful designs, and understanding the market and competition can be more valuable in design decision-making.
Deep dives
Adapting to Changing Design Trends
Design trends and visual styles are constantly evolving, and it is important not to be cynical about these changes. Embracing new tools and experimenting with different design approaches can lead to valuable learning experiences and help designers stay updated.
Learning and Selling Yourself as a Designer
Continuous learning is crucial for designers, and finding ways to sell oneself effectively is equally important. Building a strong portfolio, exploring different skills, and being open to taking on less-than-optimal projects can help early-career designers gain experience and attract opportunities.
The Importance of Remixing Existing Ideas
Innovation is not always about creating something entirely new. Remixing and adapting existing ideas can lead to successful and impactful designs. Quality is not always the key differentiator, and understanding the market and competition can be more valuable in design decision-making.
Dealing with Failure and Prioritizing Mental Health
Failure is a part of the design journey, and learning how to navigate and recover from failures is essential. Taking time to grieve and heal before refocusing on growth and new projects can lead to greater resilience and personal growth as a designer.
The Future of Design and the Role of Designers
Design is becoming less dependent on others as tools and technologies continue to advance. Designers should embrace the changing landscape, invest in their skills and taste, and leverage social media and other platforms to build their personal brand and contribute to the design community.
In this episode we get to learn from Tommy Geoco who has launched countless projects, sold a startup, and built an audience of almost a million designers online. This conversation has everything—here’s a little taste of what you can expect:
- The wild story behind Tommy selling his first company
- Why design tools matter more than ever
- How to become better at selling yourself
- Tons of strategies for your next side project
- Tommy’s mental model for learning as a self-taught designer
- Why Tommy doesn’t care about being novel
- Ways to improve your “taste” as a designer
- Why Tommy acquired UX Tools (and his plans for it)