My Resources for a Career in Product Design
If you’re here, chances are you’re interested in my journey as a self-taught product designer. I’ve organized all the lessons I’ve learned in my career thus far in chronological order, starting with my childhood interest in art and undergrad education in architecture. From there I have blog posts dedicated to how I discovered this industry and how I managed to get started in it. I’ve tried to explain as much as I could in writing over the years, but if you have more questions or need advice, reach out! If I’m not busy, I’d be happy to chat.
This field is exciting, but also growing rapidly as more and more aspiring designers compete for jobs. Don’t worry if your journey doesn’t follow mine. No two careers look the same. Your mileage may vary, good luck!
My beginnings
As a kid, I loved to dream about things that didn’t exist, and draw everything. I took art classes growing up and learned Photoshop at 12 years old. I spent my days learning to edit photos, playing with composite photos, and creating mixed media artwork. Being able to visually express my feelings and ideas and make things happen with a click of a mouse brought me so much joy.
When college came around, my parents pushed me to go to architecture school, a profession that fused elements of creativity with technical aspects of real-world construction. During school, I did internships and tried to do well in my classes, but the interest in architecture just wasn’t there. However, through long hours of studio, I learned to practice the iterative process of design.
I took on part-time graphic design jobs and dabbled in freelance work, where I worked directly with clients. I had to teach myself a ton, but designing on a digital platform came naturally to me. I also felt like I was making a difference using snazzy computer skills to solve people’s real problems.
Starting Out
About a year out of college, I was working as a visual designer and photographer at a Bay Area consumer electronics startup. My first foray into product design came when I got to design a companion app for a pair of wireless headphones my company sold. I really enjoyed working on something so logical but also creative, and thought I could learn more about the industry and maybe even do it as a full-time job. I pushed myself through a self-initiated bootcamp, and participated in a handful of hackathons in the area to cobble together a humble portfolio. Later that year, I got my first product designer job at ThredUP, an e-commerce startup selling secondhand clothing. That’s where my career truly began.
Industry work
ThredUP’s fast-paced small design team was the perfect environment for me to wear all the hats and learn everything I could, from research to design systems to every stage of end-to-end projects. As the company matured towards an IPO, so did our product team. I passionately worked on a range of projects including new features and a rebrand. After 3+ years, it was time to move onto learning something new. I landed a job at Meta, where I’ve been working as a senior designer in the Monetization org for the last 3 years. Working at a large corporate tech company was a huge cultural shift from startup world, but in many ways still felt familiar. I work with brilliant people and feel empowered to lead not only design but also product strategy, and influence how surfaces and tools scale to serve users, advertisers, and our company in the complex ads ecosystem. I’ve hopped around internally a couple of times (change is inevitable!) but always appreciate how much I get to grow and learn every step of the way.
ThredUP case study: Thrift the Look
The story behind our newest Thrift the Look feature and how it transformed our product development process.
March 2022
Work at thredUP
An explanation of my role at ThredUP, my process, and some projects I worked on.
2018-2022
Work at Meta
Coming soon.
2022-Present
Staying Inspired
While I’m proud of my career and where it’s taken me, deep down my true passions lie in the work I do outside of my 9-to-5. As a designer, I shouldn’t be limited to just designing products that generate revenue. In my own time, I love to play and experiment and push my design skills through personal projects and volunteering. Because a career is a lifelong thing… you have to stay inspired.
Mentorship & student engagement
As a self-taught designer who had to find my own footing in this overwhelming industry, I’m enthusiastic about guiding motivated students who take ownership of their own learning and growth. I’ve spoken at student-led design organizations in the past, and would love to discuss mentorship opportunities, workshops, and guest talks.
Cartoons, software, and the multitude of influences that brought design into my life.