Michael Holzer is the director of UX at Google Payments and has been at Google for over eight years. He is a passionate, entrepreneurial design leader currently focused on building and operating large-scale creative teams working on new mediums and technologies.Michael grew up in Silicon Valley and started his career studying mechanical engineering and industrial design by prototyping bicycle helmets for Bell Sports. After dropping out, he pivoted to designing irrigation systems for a landscape architecture firm and soon found himself exploring and learning more about web design while working on the company's first website.When not "working" in the traditional sense, Michael is passionate about biking and building his athletic cred.In this episode we cover:Technology & securityPOS systemsGovernment incentivesSociety at largeBuilding teamsAutonomous teamsAnd more!Visit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Hustle

Insert Country Here: Design Teams Without Limits (Michael Holzer, Google Payments)

Alli Metall is a husband, father, and designer living in Reykjavík, Iceland. He was born in Húsavík, Iceland--a small town on the northern coast (also famed as the setting of Netflix's Eurovision Song Contest). He began his career playing guitar in death metal and jazz bands and soon combined his interests in music and computer games to a career in design. After a brief agency stint as an intern in New York City, he returned home to work at a game company, a fin-tech startup, and an airline. Nowadays, Alli is the owner, founder, and creator of his own studio: Metall.Alli shares his fears (running out of $$$) and dreams (surfing in Hawaii before turning 80) and what he's seen as the silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic.In this episode we cover:Job  switchingAgency formationEgo vs. teamworkThe pandemic & the future of workDesigning for screensWhat we're looking forward toAnd more!Visit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest 

Agency Ownership in a Post-Pandemic World (Alli Metall, Metall)

Aaron “Ron” Irizarry, is the Sr. Director, Servicing Platforms Design at Capital One. He loves all things user experience, problem-solving, and design process. Having worked for Fox/IGN, HP, Nasdaq, and now Capital One, Aaron loves sinking his teeth into complex problems. In addition to his day job, Aaron speaks at events and provides training for companies on design team structure, communication, and collaboration. He is also the co-author of Discussing Design.Most importantly, Aaron is a master of the BBQ arts, a lover and player of heavy metal music, and a lifelong Dodgers fan.In this episode we cover:Design systemsThe critiquing processCollaboration between levelsFacilitation techniques and frameworksEstablishing ground rulesIdentifying emotional responsesFeedback vs. critiqueVisit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Critique vs. Criticism: Creating a Safe Space to Share (Aaron Irizarry, Capital One)

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 with his family and is a table tennis aficionado.@tokenygaardIn this episode we cover:The intersection of design and artFantasy illustrationsVisual design educationMoving from a startup to IPOTransitioning from designer to managerIn-house vs. agencyBalancing quality and productionAnd more!Visit the Funsize websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest

Leading with Vision (Toke Nygaard, Zendesk)

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  

Our Journey Through 2020 (Anthony and Natalie Armendariz, Funsize)

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

The Not-So-Secret Life of Design Managers (Ted Boda, Instagram)

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 

Designing Community and Culture on a Global Scale (Margaret Lee, Google)

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 websiteSubscribe to The Funsize Digest  

Strengthen Your Team by Focusing on the Individual (Braden Kowitz, Range)

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

Adaptability in the World of Workshop Facilitation (Douglas Ferguson, Voltage Control)

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

Anti-Racism and Authentic Engagement (Chas Moore, Austin Justice Coalition)

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 

People First: How Empathy Empowers Brand & Product (with Justin Dauer, bswift)

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

'Steering the Bull' of Culture (Chad Engle, GoDaddy)

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

Unlocking Design for a New Generation (Theo Strauss, Stanford)

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

The Decade of the Multi-Passionate Creative (Ash Huang, Adobe)

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

On Business Ownership, Wealth and Living Someone Else's Life (Helen Tran, Jupiter)

The Hustle is a show dedicated to the evolution of the craft of design. We chat with design captains, inspiring designers, product leaders, agency owners, and the Funsize team about building teams that can create products that matter. Hosted by Funsize's Partner and Head of Design, Anthony Armendariz

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Hustle

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