I’m a podcast addict. I listen when I work out. I listen while gardening and cleaning the house. I listen in the car. Tasks seem to go faster when I’m learning and being entertained along the way.
We’ve got a crop of recent podcasts that will engage and inspire you, whether you need to find ways to use slow times to your advantage, or want to improve your client experience, get started with AI, launch your design career or discover your superpower.
I’ve included direct links to episodes on each podcast’s website or you can find them on your favorite podcast streaming service.
Discovering a superpower
As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, designer, artist and curator Alma Jimenez Lopez found herself in the position that many first-generation American children do — needing to translate adult conversations for her Spanish-speaking parents. At the time, that experience felt like a burden. But now she believes it sparked empathy and honed her listening skills so that she can understand what people want, what they don’t have and how she can meet their needs.
In the Clever podcast episode “Designing Belonging: Alma Jimenez Lopez on Art, Heritage and Home,” the co-founder of Of Threads, talks more about how her heritage has allowed her to build bridges across different sectors of the design world. (Run time: about 1 hour)
Action steps for slow times
The economy is showing some worrying signs so, if your business is slowing down, you’re not alone. In a recent episode of the Business of Design podcast, designer Kimberley Seldon shares “5 Smart Moves When Business Is Slow.” Among other ideas, she talks about the importance of connecting with past clients (and how to do it without feeling awkward), using slow times to implement systems that will pay off now and later, why it’s a good time to sharpen skills and how you can raise your rates even when business is sluggish. Part pep talk, part action plan, it’s a practical, upbeat episode. (Run time: about 22 minutes)
Stop fearing AI
Have you avoided incorporating artificial intelligence tools into your design business? In a recent episode of Luann Nigara’s podcast, A Well-Designed Business, designer and AI expert Jenna Gaidusek discusses “Mastering AI Tools for a Streamlined Design Business.” From using AI note-taking apps to produce quick meeting summaries and to-do lists to utilizing visual AI tools to land projects, Gaidusek presents AI tips in an encouraging way that makes them seem less scary. She also offers advice for navigating some of the tricky ethical issues that AI presents. For instance, she says, “I do not take other designers’ work and run them through my models. … Just because you can … should you? There has to be these ethical boundaries that we have to set for ourself.” Podcast host Nigara shares her own experiences with AI, including her realization that AI won’t replace designers. “My huge aha,” Nigara says, “was you need a trained interior design professional to translate your pedestrian conversation and description of what you want to what you really want. … AI isn’t feeling anything.” (Run time: a little over 1 hour)
Starting out and moving up
Everyone has to start somewhere. In this episode of the Space by Stansons podcast, “Asking Is the Only Way to Get What You Want: A Playbook for Junior Designers,” host Guy Stanley chats with Ezgi Elitok about her taxing journey to become an interior design project specialist at Corgan, a global architecture and design firm. Elitok offers tips for turning rejections into portfolio fodder, explains the value of unpaid internships, discusses the importance of support systems and mentors, and talks about how to maintain resilience and positive energy. While the episode is valuable for designers just starting their careers, senior designers and firm owners could benefit from remembering their early days and being reminded how they can help support the next generation of design talent. (Run time: about 40 minutes)
A superior client journey
Happy, satisfied clients are the key to any successful design business. In this episode of the Pearl Collective’s Creative Genius podcast, “Designing the Ultimate Client Experience,” Erin Weir explores how interior designer Tina Ramchandani has elevated every aspect of her clients’ interactions with her firm so that the entire experience feels personal, luxurious and effortless. Among other ideas, Ramchandani shares how she structures her intake process to screen for ideal clients, why consistent communication is more valuable than constant communication, how she tailors each client’s proposal to their priorities, and how she creates memorable moments for her clients that build loyalty and long-term relationships. (Run time: about 37 minutes)
