Amy Balliett, CEO and founder of Killer Visual Strategies and author, shares her expertise on the power of visual communication. She highlights how quality design fosters trust and branding. The conversation dives into the use of custom illustrations over stock images, effective social media strategies, and the impact of layout in engaging content. Amy also discusses the success of Warby Parker's visual strategy and sheds light on using display ads to connect with consumers. Her insights are essential for anyone looking to enhance their visual content.

“Being yourself” is an important success factor, especially in creative industries. So how can designers explore their own personal design style without fear? Our guest today is designer, comedian and performer Meg Lewis. You’ll hear Meg’s tips on determining personal style while unlearning norms and standards, and how to confidently inject that style into your client work and other projects.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesOvertime — Meg’s podcast on DribbbleSit There & Do Nothing — Meg’s comedy mindfulness podcastGhostly Ferns — Meg’s freelance collectiveMeg’s Co-Loop designer accessory collectionFull Time You — Meg’s personal brand and career fulfillment projectZAG — a book by Marty NeumeierEpisode 169: Building Your Brand with Austin ChurchEpisode 172: Naming Your Product with Brad FlowersOscar Health Insurance — the first brand to go “friendly” illustration-wiseFollow Meg on Twitter: @yourbuddymegmeglewis.com — Meg’s personal websiteToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for your SaaS product. At Userlist, our mission is to make your founder journey more enjoyable and less overwhelming. That’s why we built an email automation tool that does exactly what you need. No more, no less. Manage your users, segment them, and get in touch throughout their journey — all based on their behavior. Try Userlist free whenever you’re ready at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. PPC Protect provides click fraud prevention for online advertisers. They automatically stop click fraud at source and protect your Google Ads campaigns. Head over to ppcprotect.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

When it comes to habit-forming products like email, product design is all about finding a balance between power and simplicity. Our guest today is Sebastian Stockmarr, a partner at Founders venture studio and the co-founder of Tempo. You’ll learn the story behind their minimalist email tool, the current state of the email industry, and the various processes they used to shape this product.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesTempo — an email client we're talking aboutFounders — a startup studio that helps entrepreneurs build the next big thingLean Startup — a popular methodology not favored by Sebastian, who used a private beta insteadiA Writer — another minimalist SaaS product that inspired SebastianSuperhuman — another popular email clientJay Keeree — illustrator and motion graphics designer who worked on TempoFollow Sebastian on Twitter: @stockmarryourtempo.co/friend-of-the-app — sign up to receive a discount once product is out of betaToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for SaaS companies. It’s perfect for sending smart onboarding campaigns, or any other behavior-based communication. We have everything you need to get started quickly and painlessly: developer-friendly API, campaign templates, and hands-on support from the founders. Try Userlist free at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. Slate helps freelancers manage their work schedule and check the financial health of their business. It’s an ideal tool  for organising your schedule, projects and finances in one place. Head over to heyslate.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

How can designers take business leadership roles? What skills can make them more relevant in the entire business system? Our guest today is Ryan Rumsey, the founder of Second Wave Dive and the author of Business Thinking for Designers. You’ll learn about the various types of leadership, as well as the tools and strategies designers can use at the decision-making table.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesBusiness Thinking for Designers — Ryan’s bookTransformational leadership — a concept of leadership suggested by RyanDesign sprints, retrospectives — the designer “ceremonies”Analytical storytelling — the alternative to traditional narrative storytellingBarbara Minto — the founder of the SCQA framework and Pyramid PrincipleEpisode 70: Articulating Design Decisions with Tom GreeverFull range leadership — a general leadership model that was developed in the 90sTransactional leadership — Ryan refers to this type of leadership as more authoritarianOKRs, KPIs — both great and necessary according to Ryan, but lack any relation between them and can prove to be a struggle within the organization.Ryan Rumsey — Ryan’s personal websiteSecond Wave Dive — Ryan’s companyUse coupon code UIBREAKFAST to get $200 off Ryan’s upcoming course, Business Thinking IntensiveToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for your SaaS product. At Userlist, our mission is to make your founder journey more enjoyable and less overwhelming. That’s why we built an email automation tool that does exactly what you need. No more, no less. Manage your users, segment them, and get in touch throughout their journey — all based on their behavior. Try Userlist free whenever you’re ready at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. Screenjar makes it easy to request screen recordings from customers to help diagnose support issues that are hard to explain with text. Screenjar is an ideal tool for those managing customer support for web-based products. Head over to screenjar.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

Knowing the newest product trends is pivotal as they can be applied across many industries. But what’s the best way to identify and watch trends? Our guest today is Dru Riley, the founder of Trends.vc. You’ll learn the story behind his famous newsletter, how he creates his reports, and what trends you can apply to your business in 2020 and beyond.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesColor of Change — an organization that fights injustice in the black community, Dru’s recommendationSpark — a micro-framework Dru has extensively worked withObviously Awesome — a book by April DunfordNo-code — the trend of creating software without learning to programStartup Studios, Online Courses, Micro Private Equity, Paid Newsletters, Cloud Kitchens — Dru’s top 5 trend reportsBen Thompson — an advocate of networking who has inspired DruCan’t Unsee — a design game and potential growth toolTrends.vc — Dru’s websiteFollow Dru on Twitter: @DruRileyToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for SaaS companies. It’s perfect for sending smart onboarding campaigns, or any other behavior-based communication. We have everything you need to get started quickly and painlessly: developer-friendly API, campaign templates, and hands-on support from the founders. Try Userlist free at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FounderAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. Conversion Crimes gives you the opportunity to watch people use your website, software, or app while speaking their thoughts out loud. This user testing tool provides feedback that founders can utilize to make their products easier to use, reduce friction, and increase conversions. Head over to conversioncrimes.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

Why don’t we always do what we plan or promise? Distractions have been around forever, but there are methods of overcoming them. Our guest today is Nir Eyal, the author of Hooked and Indistractable. You’ll learn all about distractions and the reasons behind them, as well as Nir’s expert tips on managing your time effectively.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesIndistractable — Nir’s latest bookBehavioral design — a Wikipedia articleHooked— Nir’s previous bestselling bookKahoot, Fitbot — companies Nir has worked withPlato’s Akrasia — the tendency to do things against our interestInternal triggers vs external triggersPrevent distractions by creating pactsNir’s four tools to staying focusedNir’s free schedule maker — a more effective alternative to to-do listsNir and Far — Nir’s websiteGet Nir’s book and enter your order number at indistractable.com for free video course and resourcesToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for your SaaS product. At Userlist, our mission is to make your founder journey more enjoyable and less overwhelming. That’s why we built an email automation tool that does exactly what you need. No more, no less. Manage your users, segment them, and get in touch throughout their journey — all based on their behavior. Try Userlist free whenever you’re ready at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

Voice UX is one of the fastest-growing technologies in history. Why is it so effective? Is it any similar to conventional UX design? Our guest today is Sina Kahen, co-founder of The Voice Course. You’ll learn the fundamentals of voice and conversational UX, how voice is used in some popular apps, and how to get started with the right tools and resources.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesThe Voice Course — Sina’s course on voice UXVAICE — Sina’s consulting companyEpisode 68: Conversational UX with Jonathan Stark"Eleven" voice recognition elevator — the fun video we mentionedWhat Is Conversational User Experience (UX) — an article by Erika MorphyGoogle Assistant, Amazon Alexa — popular voice assistantsH&M Gift Finder, Asos - shopping app examples that utilize voiceBotmock, Botsociety, Excel, Adobe XD — tools for developing voice UXThe Voice Summit — a voice tech conference by MODEVVoice2, Women in Voice — popular communitiesFollow Sina on LinkedIn and InstagramUse promocode UIBREAKFAST until June 30 to get 30% off The Voice CourseToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for SaaS companies. It’s perfect for sending smart onboarding campaigns, or any other behavior-based communication. We have everything you need to get started quickly and painlessly: developer-friendly API, campaign templates, and hands-on support from the founders. Try Userlist free at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. Iteratively is a platform for analytics collaboration. Now you can ship accurate analytics faster by involving all the stakeholders. It works on top of your existing analytics platform like Mixpanel, Segment, or Google Analytics. Head over to iterative.ly to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

We all know that a good brand name is essential, but the actual process often remains a mystery. Our guest today is Brad Flowers, the founder of Bullhorn Creative and the author of The Naming Book. You'll learn about the stages of the naming process, why it doesn't have to be customer-centric, and how to make the right decision.P.S. No words can describe what's going on in the world. The interview was recorded several weeks in advance. Sponsorship revenue from this episode goes to Black Lives Matter.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesBullhorn Creative — Brad's agencyThe Naming Book — Brad's bookAnything You Want — a book by Derek SiversHow Nike almost ended up with a very different nameFerrari's Subliminal Cigarette AdsGet Brad's bookFollow Brad on Twitter: @BullhornBradDrop Brad a line at brad@bullhorncreative.comToday's SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Encrypt.me — the ideal VPN service for teams. Working remotely calls for tighter cyber security. Encrypt.me for Teams covers all of your company’s privacy needs by securing your business network and providing essential privacy tools. Sign up at encrypt.me/uibreakfast and save 25% on your initial subscription.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. ClientRock is a client communication tool for professional services companies. It helps you schedule appointments, collect payments, share files, and much more — a great way to keep your freelance clients organized. Head over to clientrock.com/uibreakfast to start your free trial.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here's how.

Is building an agency the only path to design success? Can you succeed on your own? Our guest today is Rafal Tomal, a UI/UX design consultant who has recently returned to working solo. You’ll learn how to scale your freelance business while focusing on your favorite work, how to get help from contractors, and how to grow professionally without growing in team size.Download the MP3 audio file: right-click here and choose Save As.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesRafal’s websiteEpisode 79: Typography in UI Design with Rafal TomalAuthentik Creative — Rafal’s previous agencyConvertKit, Nathan Barry, The Smart Passive Income, Eric Ries — some famous clients at AuthentikThe Company of One — a book by Paul JarvisDesignKit — Rafal’s wireframing system for FigmaQuickFrames — Rafal’s system for sitemaps and user flowsFollow Rafal on Twitter: @RafalTomalToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Encrypt.me. Their Teams Plan is the ideal VPN service for keeping your business secure. Keep your team safe with your own private servers, content filtering, and other key features. Sign up at encrypt.me/uibreakfast and save 25% on your initial subscription.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersHugo provides centralized, searchable meeting notes for your team. It connects with tools like Zoom, Slack, Zendesk, and HubSpot, and it’s free for up to 40 users. Head over to hugo.team to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

How can you use workshops to level up your design practice? Why are they exponentially better than regular meetings? Our guest today is Jonathan Courtney, CEO of AJ&Smart and the author of The Workshopper Playbook. You'll learn how they transformed their business using workshops, why this collaboration method is so powerful, and how to get started with your first workshop.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesThe Workshopper Playbook — Jonathan's new book (might be sold out, but there's a waitlist)AJ&Smart — Jonathan's design agencyEpisode 131: Design Sprint with Jonathan CourtneyJake & Jonathan (previously Product Breakfast Club) — Jonathan's podcast with Jake KnappDesign Thinking, Business Model Canvas — popular methodologiesSprint — the original book by Jake Knapp with John Zeratsky and Braden Kowitz5 Stages in the Design Thinking Process — an article by Rikke Friis Dam and Yu Siang TeoMiro — an online whiteboard tool for remote collaborationThe Ultimate Guide to Remote Design SprintsUserlist — Jane's SaaS productLightning Decision JamFollow AJ&Smart on Instagram and YouTubeLook for The Workshopper Playbook on Amazon in JulyFollow Jonathan on Twitter: @jicecreamToday's SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Encrypt.me — the ideal VPN service for teams. Working remotely calls for tighter cyber security. Encrypt.me for Teams covers all of your company’s privacy needs by securing your business network and providing essential privacy tools. Sign up at encrypt.me/uibreakfast and save 25% on your initial subscription.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here. Help FoundersScatterSpoke is an online retrospective tool for agile teams. It gives them tools and data to improve the way they inspect their practices. So you can create a culture of continuous improvement, rapid experimentation, and change for the better. Head over to scatterspoke.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here's how.