When you think of truly iconic design, what comes to mind? In tech, perhaps it’s the iPhone. In typography, Helvetica claims legendary status. In the furniture world, one piece has a hold over designers like no other; the Eames Lounge Chair. If the name doesn't ring a bell, its form is instantly recognizable. From appearances in Frasier, Iron Man, Beyonce videos, and Bond films, the Eames silhouette has become a cultural icon, unchanged since its inception in 1956. The brainchild of design legends Charles and Ray Eames, the Lounge Chair has become a case study in great design and business... So in today's Teardown, we're not just unpicking what makes the Lounge Chair a great product, but the business of the company behind it - Herman Miller. From the Eames Lounge Chair to the Aeron tech office staple, Herman Miller products have found their way into our homes and offices and earned a place in prestigious museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York. But this episode isn't just about chairs. Today, we're diving deep into the business side of Herman Miller.   What strategies have propelled them to the forefront of the high-end furniture industry?   Why has design collaboration been critical to the enduring desirability of their products?   How has their commitment to design, innovation, and sustainability shaped their business model?   And in this new age of remote work, how is Herman Miller evolving, and what does it mean for the future of office spaces?   So get cozy (or better yet, settle into your favorite chair) and let's unfold the business story of Herman Miller.

When you think of truly iconic design, what comes to mind? In tech, perhaps it’s the iPhone. In typography, Helvetica claims legendary status. In the furniture world, one piece has a hold over designers like no other; the Eames Lounge Chair. If the name doesn't ring a bell, its form is instantly recognizable. From appearances in Frasier, Iron Man, Beyonce videos, and Bond films, the Eames silhouette has become a cultural icon, unchanged since its inception in 1956. The brainchild of design legends Charles and Ray Eames, the Lounge Chair has become a case study in great design and business... So in today's Teardown, we're not just unpicking what makes the Lounge Chair a great product, but the business of the company behind it - Herman Miller. From the Eames Lounge Chair to the Aeron tech office staple, Herman Miller products have found their way into our homes and offices and earned a place in prestigious museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York. But this episode isn't just about chairs. Today, we're diving deep into the business side of Herman Miller. <ul> <li> What strategies have propelled them to the forefront of the high-end furniture industry? </li> <li> Why has design collaboration been critical to the enduring desirability of their products? </li> <li> How has their commitment to design, innovation, and sustainability shaped their business model? </li> <li> And in this new age of remote work, how is Herman Miller evolving, and what does it mean for the future of office spaces? </li> </ul> So get cozy (or better yet, settle into your favorite chair) and let's unfold the business story of Herman Miller.

92- The business side of Eames chairs

The Tour de France isn't just a test of physical endurance; it's a spectacle fueling a vast economic ecosystem. From the massive investments poured into team sponsorships to the bustling local economies along the race route, the Tour de France leaves no stone unturned when exploring potential income streams. In this Business Design Teardown, we'll examine the financial gears that keep the Tour de France rolling. We'll dive into the lucrative world of sponsorships, uncovering how corporate giants strategically align themselves with teams and riders to gain exposure and promote their brands. We'll explore the unique factors that contribute to the Tour's success and the strategic masterstrokes that have helped made it the world's most-viewed sporting event.  So zip up your lycra, clip into your pedals, and Join Alen, Franz, and Tom as they discuss:   The surprising business-focused origin story of the Tour (it was created to sell more newspapers!) Genius strategic maneuvers that opened up lucrative income streams for Tour organizers Why every city wants the economic boost of a visit from The Tour (and not just in France!) How climate change could be the biggest threat to the Tour's existing dominance    www.d.mba

The Tour de France isn't just a test of physical endurance; it's a spectacle fueling a vast economic ecosystem. From the massive investments poured into team sponsorships to the bustling local economies along the race route, the Tour de France leaves no stone unturned when exploring potential income streams. In this Business Design Teardown, we'll examine the financial gears that keep the Tour de France rolling. We'll dive into the lucrative world of sponsorships, uncovering how corporate giants strategically align themselves with teams and riders to gain exposure and promote their brands. We'll explore the unique factors that contribute to the Tour's success and the strategic masterstrokes that have helped made it the world's most-viewed sporting event.  So zip up your lycra, clip into your pedals, and Join Alen, Franz, and Tom as they discuss:  <ul> <li>The surprising business-focused origin story of the Tour (it was created to sell more newspapers!)</li> <li>Genius strategic maneuvers that opened up lucrative income streams for Tour organizers</li> <li>Why every city wants the economic boost of a visit from The Tour (and not just in France!)</li> <li>How climate change could be the biggest threat to the Tour's existing dominance</li> </ul> www.d.mba

91- Tour de France (Business Design Teardown)

When is a real estate business not a real estate business? When it declares its mission to "elevate the world's consciousness", brands itself a tech company, and promises to blur the line between work and life through beautifully designed spaces. Yes, we're talking about WeWork in the latest Business Design Teardown. With its lofty promises to deliver not just a desk, but a dynamic, community-driven environment, WeWork swept the globe at an unprecedented speed. This meteoric rise was fuelled by eye-watering investments, inflated valuations, and a well-documented fall from grace. In this episode, Alen, Franz, and Tom grab their hot desks, refill their complimentary coffee, and cast a critical eye on…  How WeWork’s business model disrupted traditional commercial real estate The economics of co-working: is it a business worth being in? How WeWork's new leadership steadied the ship toward sustainability Why the Sunk Cost Fallacy could be the only reason WeWork is still in business!  So settle into your hot desk, put those headphones on, and prepare for a deep dive into the wild story of WeWork.   www.d.mba

When is a real estate business not a real estate business? When it declares its mission to "elevate the world's consciousness", brands itself a tech company, and promises to blur the line between work and life through beautifully designed spaces. Yes, we're talking about WeWork in the latest Business Design Teardown. With its lofty promises to deliver not just a desk, but a dynamic, community-driven environment, WeWork swept the globe at an unprecedented speed. This meteoric rise was fuelled by eye-watering investments, inflated valuations, and a well-documented fall from grace. In this episode, Alen, Franz, and Tom grab their hot desks, refill their complimentary coffee, and cast a critical eye on… <ul> <li>How WeWork’s business model disrupted traditional commercial real estate</li> <li>The economics of co-working: is it a business worth being in?</li> <li>How WeWork's new leadership steadied the ship toward sustainability</li> <li>Why the Sunk Cost Fallacy could be the only reason WeWork is still in business!</li> </ul> So settle into your hot desk, put those headphones on, and prepare for a deep dive into the wild story of WeWork. www.d.mba

90- Business Design Teardown: WeWork

Warby Parker

How do you know you’ve made an enormous impact in the world of business design? When you have a popular expression coined about you! Warby Parker set new standards for customer experience in the eyewear industry, and “The Warby Parker of…” has become shorthand to describe direct-to-consumer businesses that challenge traditional retail norms. The Warby Parker template is now commonplace in everything from luggage to mattresses, and from strollers to clothing. But how did they do it? With low pricing, high-end design, and a breakthrough try-at-home offering. You could say they executed a perfect business vision! 🤓 But are Warby Parker still seeing 20:20 in 2023, or do they need a fresh prescription of business innovation to remain one of the kings of DTC? In this d.MBA Business Teardown we focus our lens on…  Who controls the global eyeglasses market, and how Warby Parker took on this monopoly - How Warby Parker cut out the middleman to offer high-end design at low cost Why a shift from online-only to retail investment has supercharged Warby Parker sales The threats and opportunities for Warby Parker in its journey to profitability    www.d.mba

How do you know you’ve made an enormous impact in the world of business design? When you have a popular expression coined about you! Warby Parker set new standards for customer experience in the eyewear industry, and “The Warby Parker of…” has become shorthand to describe direct-to-consumer businesses that challenge traditional retail norms. The Warby Parker template is now commonplace in everything from luggage to mattresses, and from strollers to clothing. But how did they do it? With low pricing, high-end design, and a breakthrough try-at-home offering. You could say they executed a perfect business vision! 🤓 But are Warby Parker still seeing 20:20 in 2023, or do they need a fresh prescription of business innovation to remain one of the kings of DTC? In this d.MBA Business Teardown we focus our lens on… <ul> <li>Who controls the global eyeglasses market, and how Warby Parker took on this monopoly -</li> <li>How Warby Parker cut out the middleman to offer high-end design at low cost</li> <li>Why a shift from online-only to retail investment has supercharged Warby Parker sales</li> <li>The threats and opportunities for Warby Parker in its journey to profitability</li> </ul> www.d.mba

89- Business Design Teardown: Warby Parker

Can you hear that? It’s the sweet sound of another business teardown, this time focused on a company that’s all about great listening experiences…. Sonos! From slick unboxing and setup to seamless connectivity, Sonos have designed a product experience that is the envy of the hardware world. But is it the envy of the business world, too? In this episode Alen, Franz and Tom take a deep dive into the strategy, brand, and financials behind one of the design world’s most admired brands. We discuss: - How a brave bet on WiFi connectivity set the scene for Sono’s future success - Why mass adoption of streaming was key to Sonos’s growth strategy - How Sonos can continue to fight its corner in the notoriously tough hardware market - Headphones, content, or business model innovation… where are the opportunities in Sonos’s future?     www.d.mba

Can you hear that? It’s the sweet sound of another business teardown, this time focused on a company that’s all about great listening experiences…. Sonos! From slick unboxing and setup to seamless connectivity, Sonos have designed a product experience that is the envy of the hardware world. But is it the envy of the business world, too? In this episode Alen, Franz and Tom take a deep dive into the strategy, brand, and financials behind one of the design world’s most admired brands. We discuss: - How a brave bet on WiFi connectivity set the scene for Sono’s future success - Why mass adoption of streaming was key to Sonos’s growth strategy - How Sonos can continue to fight its corner in the notoriously tough hardware market - Headphones, content, or business model innovation… where are the opportunities in Sonos’s future? www.d.mba

88- Business Design Teardown: Sonos

One of the best ways to learn about business is to find a topic or product you love, and dive into the business side of it. Whether it’s your favourite footwear brand, sports team, hotel chain or streaming provider, we all have businesses we’re fascinated by, care about, or affiliate ourselves with.  And few disciplines make these connections with their favourite brands like designers! So, in this new d.MBA podcast format, we’re tearing down some designer favourites. From finances to strategies, and from brand-building to competitive areas; we’ll shine a light on the factors that make these businesses work. For this first episode we put luxury athleisure brand Lululemon under the microscope as Alen, Franz and Tom discuss...   How Lululemon invented a whole new product category (and owned it!)   Why timing and finding a niche are so critical to Lululemon’s success   Challengers in the athleisure space… Who are the competition?   Lululemon’s incredible growth, and how it outperforms more well known brands   The threats to Lululemon’s long term success vs the ways it could continue to win       www.d.mba/minimba

One of the best ways to learn about business is to find a topic or product you love, and dive into the business side of it. Whether it’s your favourite footwear brand, sports team, hotel chain or streaming provider, we all have businesses we’re fascinated by, care about, or affiliate ourselves with.  And few disciplines make these connections with their favourite brands like designers! So, in this new d.MBA podcast format, we’re tearing down some designer favourites. From finances to strategies, and from brand-building to competitive areas; we’ll shine a light on the factors that make these businesses work. For this first episode we put luxury athleisure brand Lululemon under the microscope as Alen, Franz and Tom discuss... <ul> <li> How Lululemon invented a whole new product category (and owned it!) </li> <li> Why timing and finding a niche are so critical to Lululemon’s success </li> <li> Challengers in the athleisure space… Who are the competition? </li> <li> Lululemon’s incredible growth, and how it outperforms more well known brands </li> <li> The threats to Lululemon’s long term success vs the ways it could continue to win </li> </ul> www.d.mba/minimba

87- Business Design Teardown: Lululemon

AI has rapidly evolved from science-fiction fantasy into a tangible tool that is already impacting our lives and work. But it’s just the beginning… Not just for end users, but for the businesses hoping to emerge victorious from this new industrial age. But who will come out on top in this race? And what are the business categories they’re competing in? In this episode of the d.MBA podcast, Alen and Franz delve into the strategies and business models shaping the AI business landscape. They discuss the emerging sectors in the AI industry, and the organisations best placed to win in each category, including…   AI solution providers (like OpenAI)   Data-rich organisations (like Google, Amazon… and governments)   Hardware manufacturers (like the semiconductor industry)   Tune in to hear Alen and Franz’s predictions… Some of them might surprise you!   www.d.mba

AI has rapidly evolved from science-fiction fantasy into a tangible tool that is already impacting our lives and work. But it’s just the beginning… Not just for end users, but for the businesses hoping to emerge victorious from this new industrial age. But who will come out on top in this race? And what are the business categories they’re competing in? In this episode of the d.MBA podcast, Alen and Franz delve into the strategies and business models shaping the AI business landscape. They discuss the emerging sectors in the AI industry, and the organisations best placed to win in each category, including… <ul> <li> AI solution providers (like OpenAI) </li> <li> Data-rich organisations (like Google, Amazon… and governments) </li> <li> Hardware manufacturers (like the semiconductor industry) </li> </ul> Tune in to hear Alen and Franz’s predictions… Some of them might surprise you! www.d.mba

86- The AI Business Race: Who might come out on top?

Curious how to make your money work for you as a designer or creative? Well, you've come to the right place! In this episode, Alen and his guest, Akshan Ish (a design manager at Spotify), have an insightful conversation about mastering the art of financial literacy. Join them as they cover topics like:   Personal finance stories and lessons   Investing in emerging markets   Navigating financial systems across borders   Alen and Akshan open up about their own journeys with money management, investing, and finding their way through different countries' financial systems. They stress the importance of education and awareness around personal finance, and how it can lead to long-term benefits for creatives. Akshan, who's not just an expert in design but also has a keen eye for investments, shares his thoughts on investing in India and offers some valuable resources for learning about personal finance. So, whether you're a designer, a creative, or just someone looking to brush up on financial literacy, this episode is a must-listen.   www.d.mba/minimba

Curious how to make your money work for you as a designer or creative? Well, you've come to the right place! In this episode, Alen and his guest, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshanish/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Akshan Ish</a> (a design manager at Spotify), have an insightful conversation about mastering the art of financial literacy. Join them as they cover topics like: <ul> <li> Personal finance stories and lessons </li> <li> Investing in emerging markets </li> <li> Navigating financial systems across borders </li> </ul> Alen and Akshan open up about their own journeys with money management, investing, and finding their way through different countries' financial systems. They stress the importance of education and awareness around personal finance, and how it can lead to long-term benefits for creatives. Akshan, who's not just an expert in design but also has a keen eye for investments, shares his thoughts on investing in India and offers some valuable resources for learning about personal finance. So, whether you're a designer, a creative, or just someone looking to brush up on financial literacy, this episode is a must-listen. www.d.mba/minimba

85- The Power of Compounding: Building Wealth as a Designer (w Akshan Ish of Spotify)

Does the thought of negotiating make you break out in a cold sweat, fellow designer? Join Alen and our special guest Jo as they explore the ins and outs of negotiation in various contexts, from job offers to client negotiations. In this episode, Alen and Jo discuss:   The power of empathy in understanding the other party's perspective and priorities   Practical application of the framework using a job offer negotiation example   Uncovering the intriguing similarities between negotiation and business design   Tune in and level up your negotiation game today! www.d.mba

Does the thought of negotiating make you break out in a cold sweat, fellow designer? Join Alen and our special guest Jo as they explore the ins and outs of negotiation in various contexts, from job offers to client negotiations. In this episode, Alen and Jo discuss: <ul> <li> The power of empathy in understanding the other party's perspective and priorities </li> <li> Practical application of the framework using a job offer negotiation example </li> <li> Uncovering the intriguing similarities between negotiation and business design </li> </ul> Tune in and level up your negotiation game today! www.d.mba

84- Negotiation and Business Design: Creating Value for All Parties Involved

Are you a faced with a business-related question, but don’t know who to ask for help? Facing challenges at work as you build your business confidence, and need some expert advice? Well, the d.MBA’s very own Alen and Franz are here to help!  Welcome to the d.MBA Mailbag, our new podcast format where Alen and Franz turn Agony Uncles as they tackle anonymous questions from the d.MBA community.  In episode one our expert hosts offer sage advice on…   How to influence business strategy as a design leader   Ways to make business metrics more fun (no, really!)   Methods to uncover business opportunities around your personal passions   AI-proofing your career as a designer   Do you need Alen and Franz’s help? Submit an anonymous question by dropping us an email at hello@d.mba! 

Are you a faced with a business-related question, but don’t know who to ask for help? Facing challenges at work as you build your business confidence, and need some expert advice? Well, the d.MBA’s very own Alen and Franz are here to help!  Welcome to the d.MBA Mailbag, our new podcast format where Alen and Franz turn Agony Uncles as they tackle anonymous questions from the d.MBA community.  In episode one our expert hosts offer sage advice on… <ul> <li> How to influence business strategy as a design leader </li> <li> Ways to make business metrics more fun (no, really!) </li> <li> Methods to uncover business opportunities around your personal passions </li> <li> AI-proofing your career as a designer </li> </ul> Do you need Alen and Franz’s help? Submit an anonymous question by dropping us an email at <a href="mailto:hello@d.mba">hello@d.mba</a>!

83- The Business Design Agony Uncles: Influencing Biz Strategy, Making Metrics Fun, Can I AI-proof my career?

Business confidence for designers.The d.MBA is an online business program for design leaders, who aim to run more balanced organizations. We believe in a different business world, by design.The podcast is hosted by Alen Faljic, the founder and CEO of d.MBA and an ex-IDEO business designer.

Alen always has great conversation partners that educate in a very casual way. I love that it feels both high-level and very actionable at the same time. The recent episode of mixing strategy into design sprint has been one of my favorites so far 👌

Very insightful & super relevant

Perfect balance of design and business discussions. Consistently interesting guests, and a smart, prepared host. Always looking forward to new episodes!

Perfect

Business confidence for designers. The d.MBA is an online business program for design leaders, who aim to run more balanced organizations. We believe in a different business world, by design. The podcast is hosted by Alen Faljic, the founder and CEO of d.MBA and an ex-IDEO business designer.

d.MBA

Design Sprints have become an extremely popular format in businesses. However, many sprint projects never get executed because they are not aligned with the business context. Tim Höfer is a product design director and head of the design sprint team at the AJ&amp;Smart, which has run sprints for companies like Google, Slack, Lyft, and Lufthansa. In this episode, we spoke about integrating business thinking with design sprints. We explored:   how competitive research can completely reshape sprint’s goal,   why many design sprint projects never get executed,   and a new sprint format: Strategy Sprint.  

Design Sprints have become an extremely popular format in businesses. However, many sprint projects never get executed because they are not aligned with the business context. <a href="https://twitter.com/timhoefer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tim Höfer</a> is a product design director and head of the design sprint team at the <a href="https://ajsmart.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AJ&amp;Smart</a>, which has run sprints for companies like Google, Slack, Lyft, and Lufthansa. In this episode, we spoke about integrating business thinking with design sprints. We explored: <ul> <li> how competitive research can completely reshape sprint’s goal, </li> <li> why many design sprint projects never get executed, </li> <li> and a new sprint format: Strategy Sprint. </li> </ul>

42- Integrating Business Thinking in Design Sprint

In the new Business Design Jam, Alen and Franz, discuss the latest business design stories:   how a Michelin 3-star restaurant is not only surviving but even thriving during the coronavirus lockdown,   how Universal Studios pioneered a new way to premier movies,   and how Airbnb forgot that it is servicing two groups of customers.     www.beyondusers.com/podcast

In the new Business Design Jam, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alenfa/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Alen</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-emprechtinger/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Franz</a>, discuss the latest business design stories: <ul> <li> how a Michelin 3-star restaurant is not only surviving but even thriving during the coronavirus lockdown, </li> <li> how Universal Studios pioneered a new way to premier movies, </li> <li> and how Airbnb forgot that it is servicing two groups of customers. </li> </ul> <a href="http://www.beyondusers.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.beyondusers.com/podcast</a>

49- How one fine-dining restaurant thrives during the COVID lockdown

John Oswald

John Oswald is a business design pioneer. He was the first business designer at fjord where he defined its role and built the team. He is currently a managing director at a strategic design consultancy Method London. With John, we discussed:   the early days and evolution of the business design,   five patterns of business design talent,   how hiring business designers work,   and how typical business design deliverables look like.     www.d.mba

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jooswald/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">John Oswald</a> is a business design pioneer. He was the first business designer at fjord where he defined its role and built the team. He is currently a managing director at a strategic design consultancy <a href="https://www.method.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Method London</a>. With John, we discussed: <ul> <li> the early days and evolution of the business design, </li> <li> five patterns of business design talent, </li> <li> how hiring business designers work, </li> <li> and how typical business design deliverables look like. </li> </ul> www.d.mba

32- John Oswald @Method - Business Design 101

Kate Rutter

Kate Rutter is an adjunct professor at California College of the Arts. She is a phenomenal UX designer with a strong background in arts and painting, so she sometimes refers to herself as a sketchnoter and graphic recorder. But she also combines her visual skills with data and metrics, particularly in her design process.  In the episode we spoke about:  why it makes sense to measure design, how to find a design metric for your project, and how you connect a design metric to business value.  

Kate Rutter is an adjunct professor at California College of the Arts. She is a phenomenal UX designer with a strong background in arts and painting, so she sometimes refers to herself as a sketchnoter and graphic recorder. But she also combines her visual skills with data and metrics, particularly in her design process.  In the episode we spoke about: <ul> <li>why it makes sense to measure design,</li> <li>how to find a design metric for your project,</li> <li>and how you connect a design metric to business value. </li> </ul>

8- Kate Rutter @California College: How to measure and quantify design 

Marc Hemeon

Marc Hemeon has a truly impressive CV. He has lead design at YouTube, Google Ventures, Oakley, Digg, Design Inc, Fflick and lately Ease Central. He has been designing since 1996 and is a true veteran in the design community.  In this episode we spoke about:  the distinction between art and design, how ugly design can beat beautiful design, how to explain the value of your work to non-designers by finding the metrics they care about.     Show notes:  2:10 How did Marc get into design in 1996? 4:50 How to sell design services? 10:20 How to show the value of your work by finding the metrics that organisation cares for 16:30 How Marc presents his designs to get buy-in from stakeholders 21:30 Asking for information and feedback from stakeholders? 25:30 Finding the balance between user goals and business goals (defining your design ethics) 29:40 Examples of balancing user and business goals 36:05 Marc's biggest design mistake (aka YouTube player disaster) 39:00 Design Inc's story (and what clients want from designers) 42:40 "Career exercise" that each designer has to do 50:00 Why Design Inc did not succeed 56:00 Marc explains why "design is not art" 1:02:30 Success = 80% Sell, 20% Design 1:08:35 What advice would Marc give to young designers? 1:12:20 What is one thing about design Marc has changed his mind about?  

Marc Hemeon has a truly impressive CV. He has lead design at YouTube, Google Ventures, Oakley, Digg, Design Inc, Fflick and lately Ease Central. He has been designing since 1996 and is a true veteran in the design community.  In this episode we spoke about: <ul> <li>the distinction between art and design,</li> <li>how ugly design can beat beautiful design,</li> <li>how to explain the value of your work to non-designers by finding the metrics they care about. </li> </ul> Show notes: <ul> <li>2:10 How did Marc get into design in 1996?</li> <li>4:50 How to sell design services?</li> <li>10:20 How to show the value of your work by finding the metrics that organisation cares for</li> <li>16:30 How Marc presents his designs to get buy-in from stakeholders</li> <li>21:30 Asking for information and feedback from stakeholders?</li> <li>25:30 Finding the balance between user goals and business goals (defining your design ethics)</li> <li>29:40 Examples of balancing user and business goals</li> <li>36:05 Marc's biggest design mistake (aka YouTube player disaster)</li> <li>39:00 Design Inc's story (and what clients want from designers)</li> <li>42:40 "Career exercise" that each designer has to do</li> <li>50:00 Why Design Inc did not succeed</li> <li>56:00 Marc explains why "design is not art"</li> <li>1:02:30 Success = 80% Sell, 20% Design</li> <li>1:08:35 What advice would Marc give to young designers?</li> <li>1:12:20 What is one thing about design Marc has changed his mind about? </li> </ul>

4- Marc Hemeon @Facebook: Design is not art

A few weeks back, I published the guide for designers who want to learn more about business. As the title already suggests, it covers seven most important business skills for designers. I decided to turn this guide into a podcast for those of you who prefer audio books. In it, we cover:   Industry Analysis   Competitor Analysis   Business Strategies   Business Models:   Prototyping with Numbers   Design Metrics   Business Metrics  

A few weeks back, I published <a href="../../../7-things-every-designer-should-know-about-business" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the guide</a> for designers who want to learn more about business. As the title already suggests, it covers seven most important business skills for designers. I decided to turn this guide into a podcast for those of you who prefer audio books. In it, we cover: <ul> <li> Industry Analysis </li> <li> Competitor Analysis </li> <li> Business Strategies </li> <li> Business Models: </li> <li> Prototyping with Numbers </li> <li> Design Metrics </li> <li> Business Metrics </li> </ul>

20- Seven things every designer should know about business

Jules Ehrhardt

Jules Ehrhardt is the founder of FKTRY, a creative capital studio aimed at revolutionising how creatives get paid. Jules was previously an owner of USTWO, the pioneer studio that kicked off the digital product studio trend. Jules left USTWO couple of years ago to focus on building one of the first creative capital studios and to create an example of a new business model for creatives, which he laid out in his seminal pieces called State of the Digital Nation 2020 (and 2018). In the episode, we discussed:   if the design agency model is doomed,   how creatives will get paid in the future,   and how the lack of economic literacy blocks creatives from achieving their full potential.  

<a href="https://twitter.com/ezyjules" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jules Ehrhardt</a> is the founder of <a href="https://www.fktry.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">FKTRY,</a> a creative capital studio aimed at revolutionising how creatives get paid. Jules was previously an owner of <a href="https://www.ustwo.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">USTWO</a>, the pioneer studio that kicked off the digital product studio trend. Jules left USTWO couple of years ago to focus on building one of the first creative capital studios and to create an example of a new business model for creatives, which he laid out in his seminal pieces called <a href="https://medium.com/swlh/state-of-the-digital-nation-2020-venture-road-22de4377836" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">State of the Digital Nation 2020</a> (<a href="https://blog.marvelapp.com/state-of-the-digital-nation-2016/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">and 2018</a>). In the episode, we discussed: <ul> <li> if the design agency model is doomed, </li> <li> how creatives will get paid in the future, </li> <li> and how the lack of economic literacy blocks creatives from achieving their full potential. </li> </ul>

24 - Jules Ehrhardt @FKTRY - Why “paid for time” is the biggest problem of the creative industry (and what is the alternative)

Raffaela Rein

Raffaela Rein is a cofounder of the Berlin-based educational startup CareerFoundry, which offers online courses on UX, UI, and web development. Career Foundry is one of the biggest players in this field with more than 10.000 students each year. Raffaela is also recognized as top 50 women in tech by Forbes (congrats!!) and a great guest for this podcast as she is a business leader with a big focus on design. We spoke about:   her organizational design experiments, changing the culture of CareerFoundry,   why and how every employee (even non-designers) have UX as KPI in their performance review,   and what you can say to your boss to convince her to invest more in design.     Show notes:     2:20 How CareerFoundry started.   6:30 What is special about CareerFoundry’s curriculum?   10:25 How to convince your boss to invest in design?   15:40 How a UX designer helped CareerFoundry to go from 10 to 100 customers per month   21:50 New skills and disciplines that will be relevant for designers who want to advance their careers   27:00 How CareerFoundry experimented with a flat hierarchy   33:30 How CareerFoundry improve culture by 500% in 7 months   37:10 UX key performance indicator (KPI) that CareerFoundry uses for all employees    

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/raffaelarein/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Raffaela Rein</a> is a cofounder of the Berlin-based educational startup <a href="https://careerfoundry.com/en/home" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">CareerFoundry</a>, which offers online courses on UX, UI, and web development. Career Foundry is one of the biggest players in this field with more than 10.000 students each year. Raffaela is also recognized as top 50 women in tech by Forbes (congrats!!) and a great guest for this podcast as she is a business leader with a big focus on design. We spoke about: <ul> <li> her organizational design experiments, changing the culture of CareerFoundry, </li> <li> why and how every employee (even non-designers) have UX as KPI in their performance review, </li> <li> and what you can say to your boss to convince her to invest more in design. </li> </ul> Show notes: <ul> <li> <ul> <li> 2:20 How CareerFoundry started. </li> <li> 6:30 What is special about CareerFoundry’s curriculum? </li> <li> 10:25 How to convince your boss to invest in design? </li> <li> 15:40 How a UX designer helped CareerFoundry to go from 10 to 100 customers per month </li> <li> 21:50 New skills and disciplines that will be relevant for designers who want to advance their careers </li> <li> 27:00 How CareerFoundry experimented with a flat hierarchy </li> <li> 33:30 How CareerFoundry improve culture by 500% in 7 months </li> <li> 37:10 UX key performance indicator (KPI) that CareerFoundry uses for all employees </li> </ul> </li> </ul>

16- Raffaela Rein @CareerFoundry - How to convince your boss to invest in design?

Have you ever been told to be more strategic? What does it mean though? Strategy, unfortunately, has different meanings for different people. It is one of the most widely misunderstood concepts despite being crucial to the success of business and design. In this episode, we talk about   a difference between strategy and business strategy,   what you should do if you find yourself on a strategic project,   and how to create strategic prototypes.     www.d.mba

Have you ever been told to be more strategic? What does it mean though? Strategy, unfortunately, has different meanings for different people. It is one of the most widely misunderstood concepts despite being crucial to the success of business and design. In this episode, we talk about <ul> <li> a difference between strategy and business strategy, </li> <li> what you should do if you find yourself on a strategic project, </li> <li> and how to create strategic prototypes. </li> </ul> www.d.mba

38 - Hey designer, be more strategic!

Maija Itkonen

Maija Itkonen is an industrial designer, successful entrepreneur, innovator, and brand lover. In 2015 she co-founded Gold&amp;Green Foods, the company behind the phenomenal success story of the “perfect protein food” platform and its first product Pulled Oats. Pulled Oats is a new kind of meat alternative based on the Nordic superfood oats, built around the team’s unique scientific knowledge and design thinking under Maija’s leadership. With Maija, we talked about:   her rocky path from a design school to starting companies,   how and why Gold&amp;Green became a nation-wide sensation in Finland,   and what it means to start and run a purpose-driven startup.     www.d.mba

<a href="https://twitter.com/maijaitkonen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Maija Itkonen</a> is an industrial designer, successful entrepreneur, innovator, and brand lover. In 2015 she co-founded <a href="https://goldandgreenfoods.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gold&amp;Green Foods</a>, the company behind the phenomenal success story of the “perfect protein food” platform and its first product Pulled Oats. <a href="https://goldandgreenfoods.com/productcategory/pulled-oats/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pulled Oats</a> is a new kind of meat alternative based on the Nordic superfood oats, built around the team’s unique scientific knowledge and design thinking under Maija’s leadership. With Maija, we talked about: <ul> <li> her rocky path from a design school to starting companies, </li> <li> how and why Gold&amp;Green became a nation-wide sensation in Finland, </li> <li> and what it means to start and run a purpose-driven startup. </li> </ul> www.d.mba

46- Maija Itkonen - A purpose-driven startup is changing our perception of meat

Tulio Jarocki

Tulio Jarocki is a product designer at Blinkist, a subscription service that summarizes non-fiction books so they can be consumed in just 15 minutes. The company has over 2500 books in its database, more than 6 million customers, and it has raised over $35 million. In the episode, we spoke about:   the checklist design process that product designers use at Blinkist,   how designers at Blinkist use data in their design process (and where they get it from),   and differences between USA and Europe in design maturity.  

<a href="https://www.tuliojarocki.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Tulio Jarocki</a> is a product designer at <a href="https://www.blinkist.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Blinkist</a>, a subscription service that summarizes non-fiction books so they can be consumed in just 15 minutes. The company has over 2500 books in its database, more than 6 million customers, and it has raised over $35 million. In the episode, we spoke about: <ul> <li> the checklist design process that product designers use at Blinkist, </li> <li> how designers at Blinkist use data in their design process (and where they get it from), </li> <li> and differences between USA and Europe in design maturity. </li> </ul>

23- Tulio Jarocki @Blinkist - Can design process be distilled into a checklist? 

Bobby Ghoshal

Bobby Ghoshal is a co-host of a famous podcast High Resolution and a co-founder of a startup Candid Co. He has more than 15 years of experience in the design world and is a big proponent of bringing design closer to business.  In this episode we spoke about:  how to do user research that is rooted in business problems how to measure and present results of your design work,  and how to hire and train a design team to become more business-savvy.  Show notes:  3:55 How did Bobby get into design?  7:45 How 11-year old Bobby sold his art to parents 11:20 How Bobby's early sales experience translated into design 13:30  How to recognize if a designer is business-savvy? 16:40 How to train a designer to become more business-savvy? 21:30 How Bobby and his team does user research that is rooted in business challenges? 36:45 How does design team at Candid Co track and present results of design work? 41:15 Bobby's advice for designers who are just starting 46:25 What is one thing Bobby changed his mind about design after recording High Resolution? 

Bobby Ghoshal is a co-host of a famous podcast High Resolution and a co-founder of a startup Candid Co. He has more than 15 years of experience in the design world and is a big proponent of bringing design closer to business.  In this episode we spoke about: <ul> <li>how to do user research that is rooted in business problems</li> <li>how to measure and present results of your design work, </li> <li>and how to hire and train a design team to become more business-savvy.</li> </ul> Show notes: <ul> <li>3:55 How did Bobby get into design? </li> <li>7:45 How 11-year old Bobby sold his art to parents</li> <li>11:20 How Bobby's early sales experience translated into design</li> <li>13:30  How to recognize if a designer is business-savvy?</li> <li>16:40 How to train a designer to become more business-savvy?</li> <li>21:30 How Bobby and his team does user research that is rooted in business challenges?</li> <li>36:45 How does design team at Candid Co track and present results of design work?</li> <li>41:15 Bobby's advice for designers who are just starting</li> <li>46:25 What is one thing Bobby changed his mind about design after recording High Resolution?</li> </ul>

5- Bobby Ghoshal @Candid Co: How to do user research that is rooted in business

In this episode, we share a lesson from the d.MBA course. In this lesson, which is a part of the Business Models module, we introduce ten famous business model patterns. We go through their advantages, disadvantages, and explain when to use them. We compare e-commerce with brick and mortar models, talk about white label solutions, open-source models, freemium, subscription, razor and blade mode and many more. If you want to see this lesson's slides click here --&gt; http://beyondusers.com/podcast/business-models

In this episode, we share a lesson from the <a href="https://alen-faljic-4azy.squarespace.com/dmba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">d.MBA course</a>. In this lesson, which is a part of the Business Models module, we introduce ten famous business model patterns. We go through their advantages, disadvantages, and explain when to use them. We compare e-commerce with brick and mortar models, talk about white label solutions, open-source models, freemium, subscription, razor and blade mode and many more. If you want to see this lesson's slides click here --&gt; <a href="http://beyondusers.com/podcast/business-models" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://beyondusers.com/podcast/business-models</a>

41- Learn 10 Business Models in 10 Minutes

This week, I published the Business Design Guide, which introduces business design as a design discipline. In this episode, I present the outline of the guide and share a few stories from my career that led me to write this guide. I took one topic from the guide and presented it in more detail. What most budding business designers overlook is the importance of a design mindset. So, I share six mindsets that make a business designer, business designer. https://www.beyondusers.com/guides/what-is-business-design-guide

This week, I published the <a href="https://www.beyondusers.com/guides/what-is-business-design-guide" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Business Design Guide</a>, which introduces business design as a design discipline. In this episode, I present the outline of the guide and share a few stories from my career that led me to write this guide. I took one topic from the guide and presented it in more detail. What most budding business designers overlook is the importance of a design mindset. So, I share six mindsets that make a business designer, business designer. <a href="https://www.beyondusers.com/guides/what-is-business-design-guide" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.beyondusers.com/guides/what-is-business-design-guide</a>

33- Six Business Design Mindsets

Trent and Alen discuss the importance of design research and desktop research from the perspective of business designers. In this episode, we are covering:   conducting looking-ins (internal interviews) and looking-outs (customers and outside stakeholders),   doing desktop research (analyzing industry and competitors),   using data,   and much more!  

Trent and Alen discuss the importance of design research and desktop research from the perspective of business designers. In this episode, we are covering: <ul> <li> conducting looking-ins (internal interviews) and looking-outs (customers and outside stakeholders), </li> <li> doing desktop research (analyzing industry and competitors), </li> <li> using data, </li> <li> and much more! </li> </ul>

37- Business designers' view on design research

Ben Burns

Ben Burns is an award-winning designer, a digital director at Blind, brand strategy design consultancy, and COO at The Futur (business education for designers). Ben has a fascinating story that took him from charging 50$ a logo to 100$ an hour and that ultimately changed his career.  In the episode, we talked about topics related to running a creative business such as :  why you should not look for more clients but better clients, what to say to your clients when you try to raise your rates,  and how to sell brand work at the premium rates (5 or 6 figures).  

<a href="https://twitter.com/mrbenburns_" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ben Burns</a> is an award-winning designer, a digital director at <a href="http://www.blind.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Blind</a>, brand strategy design consultancy, and COO at <a href="http://www.thefutur.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Futur</a> (business education for designers). Ben has a fascinating story that took him from charging 50$ a logo to 100$ an hour and that ultimately changed his career.  In the episode, we talked about topics related to running a creative business such as : <ul> <li>why you should not look for more clients but better clients,</li> <li>what to say to your clients when you try to raise your rates, </li> <li>and how to sell brand work at the premium rates (5 or 6 figures). </li> </ul>

9- Ben Burns @The Futur: Teaching designers how to run a creative business

Steve Vassallo

Steve Vassallo is a general partner at Foundation Capital (VC firm that invested in Pocket, Netflix, Uber etc.). Prior to that, he worked as a lead designer at IDEO where he worked on a famous Cisco's 7900 series VoIP phone. He recently published a book "The Way to Design", which helps designers become entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs adopt best design practices. You can read the book for free online. In the episode we talked about:  why will the 21st century be the decade of design, why empathy has become a buzzword and what empathy really is, common struggles of designers who want to become entrepreneurs. 

<a href="https://twitter.com/vassallo" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Steve Vassallo</a> is a general partner at <a href="https://foundationcapital.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Foundation Capital</a> (VC firm that invested in Pocket, Netflix, Uber etc.). Prior to that, he worked as a lead designer at IDEO where he worked on a famous Cisco's 7900 series VoIP phone. He recently published a book "The Way to Design", which helps designers become entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs adopt best design practices. You can <a href="https://thewaytodesign.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">read the book</a> for free online. In the episode we talked about: <ul> <li>why will the 21st century be the decade of design,</li> <li>why empathy has become a buzzword and what empathy really is,</li> <li>common struggles of designers who want to become entrepreneurs.</li> </ul>

7- Steve Vassallo @Foundation Capital: Empathy is killing your product

Dave Peterson

Dave is a co-founder and Partner at Play Bigger Advisors, a consulting firm that coined the term category design and is advising companies on how to create and own new categories of products. They recently also published a book also called Play Bigger where they explain the category design process in detail. In this episode we spoke about:   what is a category and category design,   why do category kings capture more than 70% of economic benefits in an industry,   and how did companies such as Salesforce, Tesla, and Qualtrics become category kings?  

Dave is a co-founder and Partner at <a href="https://www.playbigger.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Play Bigger Advisors</a>, a consulting firm that coined the term category design and is advising companies on how to create and own new categories of products. They recently also published a book also called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Play-Bigger-Dreamers-Innovators-Dominate/dp/0062407619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1547821408&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=play+bigger" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Play Bigger</a> where they explain the category design process in detail. In this episode we spoke about: <ul> <li> what is a category and category design, </li> <li> why do category kings capture more than 70% of economic benefits in an industry, </li> <li> and how did companies such as Salesforce, Tesla, and Qualtrics become category kings? </li> </ul>

21- How category design can help you create a dominant product (Dave Peterson @Play Bigger)

Business Design Jam (BDJ) is a new format of Beyond Users podcast. It’s a discussion with a fellow business designer about inspiring business design examples and the learnings we can take from them. In the first BDJ, I am joined by David Schmidt, a fellow business designer in Berlin, working as a business design partner at United Peers. Each of us prepared three examples. After a short introduction, we went into details of these case studies and looked for key learnings that we can take away for our projects.     00:50 Company Builders (e.g. FinLeap) - Companies that create startups. We focused on company builders that help big corporates create startups.   6:30 VanMoof+ - The Dutch bike manufacturer that changed its business model and started selling subscriptions for their bikes (instead of selling them). VanMoof was discussed in the 12th episode of Beyond Users podcast.   14:15 - WeChat - A successful example of a platform business model. Even though WeChat is a messaging app, users can use it to pay its utility bills, order a pizza, send gifts to friends etc. The platform is open for 3rd party developers who create apps for WeChat and enable new functions.   22:20 Light Phone - A phone that is designed to do as little as possible. A good example of a blue ocean strategy, which combines low-cost and differentiation.   29:35 - Sandeman Tour Company - Company offering free walking tours in major European cities. Sandeman works with self-employed tours who are paid with tips. It is an interesting example of a franchise model.   36:50 - Warby Parker &amp; Ace and Tate - Understanding industry forces (eyewear industry is dominated by Luxottica) can help us reimagine the product and traditional business model. Warby Parker revolutionized the industry by vertically integrating and offering glasses for $100 (usually $300+).  

Business Design Jam (BDJ) is a new format of Beyond Users podcast. It’s a discussion with a fellow business designer about inspiring business design examples and the learnings we can take from them. In the first BDJ, I am joined by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidqschmidt/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">David Schmidt</a>, a fellow business designer in Berlin, working as a business design partner at United Peers. Each of us prepared three examples. After a short introduction, we went into details of these case studies and looked for key learnings that we can take away for our projects. <ul> <li> 00:50 Company Builders (e.g. <a href="https://www.finleap.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">FinLeap</a>) - Companies that create startups. We focused on company builders that help big corporates create startups. </li> <li> 6:30 <a href="https://www.vanmoof.com/plus" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">VanMoof+</a> - The Dutch bike manufacturer that changed its business model and started selling subscriptions for their bikes (instead of selling them). VanMoof was discussed in the <a href="https://alen-faljic-4azy.squarespace.com/podcast/taco-carlier-vanmoof" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">12th episode of Beyond Users podcast</a>. </li> <li> 14:15 - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WeChat" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">WeChat</a> - A successful example of a platform business model. Even though WeChat is a messaging app, users can use it to pay its utility bills, order a pizza, send gifts to friends etc. The platform is open for 3rd party developers who create apps for WeChat and enable new functions. </li> <li> 22:20 <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/light-phone-2#/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Light Phone</a> - A phone that is designed to do as little as possible. A good example of a blue ocean strategy, which combines low-cost and differentiation. </li> <li> 29:35 - <a href="https://www.neweuropetours.eu/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sandeman Tour Company</a> - Company offering free walking tours in major European cities. Sandeman works with self-employed tours who are paid with tips. It is an interesting example of a franchise model. </li> <li> 36:50 - <a href="https://www.warbyparker.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Warby Parker</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.aceandtate.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ace and Tate</a> - Understanding industry forces (eyewear industry is dominated by Luxottica) can help us reimagine the product and traditional business model. Warby Parker revolutionized the industry by vertically integrating and offering glasses for $100 (usually $300+). </li> </ul>

18- How to design products that create new demand, not merely satisfy existing one

In many companies, designers do not prepare the product roadmap. We are handed a feature list and expected to just do it. But we’ve all been in situations where we felt that what we are working on just isn’t right. But how do you push back? How do you correctly recognize what to create? Does a hobby runner want a better running shoe? Or do they just want to be faster? Or to lose some weight? If we understand what people really want, we can work on the right solution. A great framework that helps us with that is Jobs to be Done. It promises to identify the customer jobs (i.e. customer goals), prioritize our product roadmap, and help us better communicate with business colleagues. To help us better understand this framework, we spoke with Jim Kalbach, a noted author, speaker, and instructor in design, customer experience, and strategy. He is currently Head of Customer Experience at MURAL, the leading online whiteboard. He recently wrote a book The Jobs To Be Done Playbook, which is coming out in early April. We spoke about:   Jim’s first encounter with the framework,   how he uses it in his design work,   and how it can help us drive product prioritization and business strategy talks.  

In many companies, designers do not prepare the product roadmap. We are handed a feature list and expected to just do it. But we’ve all been in situations where we felt that what we are working on just isn’t right. But how do you push back? How do you correctly recognize what to create? Does a hobby runner want a better running shoe? Or do they just want to be faster? Or to lose some weight? If we understand what people really want, we can work on the right solution. A great framework that helps us with that is Jobs to be Done. It promises to identify the customer jobs (i.e. customer goals), prioritize our product roadmap, and help us better communicate with business colleagues. To help us better understand this framework, we spoke with <a href="https://twitter.com/JimKalbach" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jim Kalbach</a>, a noted author, speaker, and instructor in design, customer experience, and strategy. He is currently Head of Customer Experience at MURAL, the leading online whiteboard. He recently wrote a book <a href="https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/jobs-to-be-done-book/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Jobs To Be Done Playbook</a>, which is coming out in early April. We spoke about: <ul> <li> Jim’s first encounter with the framework, </li> <li> how he uses it in his design work, </li> <li> and how it can help us drive product prioritization and business strategy talks. </li> </ul>

43- Focus on customer goals, not your product

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