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PODCAST

Elevate Your UX Career

The podcast for mid-career UX designers who are ready to stop hiding their brilliance and start owning their impact. In this podcast, we bring you real stories from real designers sharing honest conversations about the messy, meaningful work of growing a career you’re proud of.

technology design

All Episodes

36:41

Empathy Meets Strategy: Building Better Products...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/11/04

What happens when a top teacher turns her curiosity for human behavior into a career in UX research?In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates sits down with Heidi Austin, a Lead UX Researcher at SeatGeek and former Massachusetts Teacher of the Year nominee, to explore how her teaching background shaped her strategic approach to UX research and product design. Heidi shares her inspiring journey from the classroom to tech, revealing how empathy, data, and a deep understanding of

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8:01

Dreaming of UX Impact? How Storytelling and Strategy...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/10/28

Want to take your UX career to the next level and be seen as a strategic, influential designer?In this episode, we dive into how mid-career UX designers can build influence, lead with strategy, and make their work unforgettable. Learn why storytelling is the key to communicating your design decisions clearly, and discover how connecting your work to business goals can elevate your impact across your team and organization. I share actionable tips for presenting your work with clarity and confidence,

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8:16

Why the Future of UX Isn’t Just About AI Tools...It’s...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/10/21

Feeling pressure to keep up with every new UX tool or AI trend?In today's episode, we focus on why the future of UX belongs to designers who think strategically...not just those who master tools. Learn how to strengthen your UX strategy, connect design decisions to business goals, and showcase your thinking in your portfolio so you can grow your influence and stand out as a senior designer. 💡 Don’t forget to subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more career tools, personal stories, and UX

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40:01

The #1 Skill You Need to Grow in UX Design (with Erin...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/10/14

There's one skill every UX designer needs to level up their career...are you using it?In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, Brittany Cates sits down with Erin Ziebart, a UX producer who knows how to turn curiosity into career growth. Erin shares her journey from Christian ministry to UX design, including her work at Atomic Health, Blink Path, and freelancing for startups. Discover how curiosity (the one skill you need to grow in UX) can help you: - Identify user pain points and design better

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8:30

When UX Burnout Steals Your Spark (and How to Find It...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/10/07

Feeling drained or uninspired in your UX job? You’re not alone.In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, I’m sharing how burnout impacts your creativity — and how to reconnect with the passion and fulfillment you’ve been missing. You’ll learn how to: ✨ Recognize what burnout is really trying to tell you ✨ Reignite your creativity without quitting your job ✨ Realign your UX career with what truly fulfills you I’ll also share how reconnecting with your story can transform not only your mindset but

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9:38

4 Design Truths That Will Shift Your UX Mindset

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/09/30

Ever walked into a keynote expecting a recap and left with your whole perspective on UX shifted? That happened to me at the Utah Front Conference when I heard Bob Baxley speak. In this episode, I break down four of Bob’s most powerful insights on UX, design leadership, and how software isn’t just functional—it moves people. From designing for emotion, to using AI thoughtfully, to making your impact visible in strategic conversations, these lessons will help you grow your influence, sharpen your

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38:18

The Surprising Connection Between UX and Business...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/09/23

What does it take to build a long, meaningful career in UX and stay relevant in an ever-changing industry? In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates sits down with Jonathan Bond, a self-taught designer turned startup product lead with over 25 years of experience in UX and product design. Jonathan shares his inspiring journey from early days in design to leading product strategy at a fast-paced startup, offering hard-won lessons on career growth, adaptability, and business-savvy

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6:43

Using AI Thoughtfully in UX and Product Design

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/09/16

AI is everywhere right now: in products, in workflows, and in every strategy conversation. But how do you cut through the hype and actually use it in ways that make sense for both your product and your career? In this episode, I share my perspective on navigating the shift toward AI, the questions every designer should be asking, and why keeping a human-centered approach matters more than ever. 💡 Don’t forget to subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more career tools, personal stories, and UX

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10:04

Why Your Research Isn’t Driving Change (and How to...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/09/09

In this episode of 'Elevate Your UX Career,' Brittany Cates addresses the common frustration of UX research being ignored. Inspired by insights from the Utah Front Conference, Brittany shares actionable strategies to make your research more impactful. Key takeaways include embracing discomfort, valuing ambiguous insights, talking to unsatisfied users, presenting findings engagingly, and driving actionable outcomes. Tune in to learn how a mindset shift can elevate your UX career and ensure your work

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34:36

UX Career Growth Through People-First Leadership...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/09/02

Want to future-proof your UX career and grow into a confident, strategic leader? In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates welcomes Cori Jones, a seasoned UX designer and team leader with nearly 30 years of experience in the design industry. Cori shares timeless wisdom and fresh insight on what it really takes to build a meaningful and sustainable career in UX. From his early career to leading teams and mentoring designers, Cori emphasizes the importance of empathy, curiosity,

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9:45

UX Designer Burnout: Staying Confident When Your Team...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/08/26

Deadlines are tight, processes are messy, and your role as a UX designer feels overlooked. Sound familiar? In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, I share what it’s like to navigate a new team, deal with frustration, and keep your confidence when UX isn’t prioritized. Real stories, honest struggles, and a few things I’m learning along the way. Tune in and hear how to keep going without losing yourself. 💌 Sign up for my newsletter here: https://brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

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9:45

Struggling with a PM Who Doesn’t Get UX? 5 Tips to...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/08/19

Ever feel like your product manager just doesn’t “get” UX? You’re advocating for users, pushing for research, and trying to make thoughtful design decisions… but your PM seems laser-focused on deadlines, features, and shipping fast. Frustrating, right? In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, we’re diving into one of the biggest challenges mid-career UX designers face: working with PMs who don’t fully understand UX. I’ll share how to strengthen collaboration, increase your influence, and

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36:56

The Role of Creativity in UX Leadership (with JJ Riggs)

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/08/12

What does it really take to lead in UX and stay creative in the process? In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates sits down with JJ Riggs, a seasoned UX leader with an impressive background in design and brand management at companies like Purple Mattress, Divvy, and Bluehost. JJ shares her journey from graphic designer to UX leader, offering real-world insight into the challenges and opportunities of navigating corporate environments as a creative professional. From building

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10:32

How to Make a Business Case for UX Design (Even in...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/08/05

Ever get asked, “What’s the ROI of UX?” Or feel like your work is seen as a “nice to have” instead of a strategic driver of business value? In this episode, I’m sharing a real moment from my product team that led to a tough but honest conversation about how companies evaluate the value of UX. We’ll talk about how to reframe UX work in business terms, how to advocate for improvements that don’t directly tie to revenue (but still matter), and how to position yourself as a strategic voice...no

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13:42

What No One Tells You About Becoming a Senior UX...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/07/29

Have you been wondering what it really takes to get promoted to Senior UX Designer? In this episode, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes story of my own promotion, from the mindset shifts to the messy projects and cross-functional influence that made the biggest difference. If you’re craving more ownership, impact, and recognition in your UX career, this is for you. We’ll talk about what separates senior UX designers from mid-level roles, how to build trust across product teams, and why leadership in

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46:26

The #1 Thing UX Leaders Do to Stay Ahead of the Curve...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/07/22

If you’re a UX designer trying to grow your influence, stand out in a competitive job market, or lead through change, then this one’s for you. In this episode, I’m joined by Ben Peck, a design leader with nearly 20 years of experience. We dive into his career evolution from generalist to design leader, how he’s navigated change across startups and scaling companies, and what it takes to make an impact beyond your job title. We also get into: Building design teams and leading through

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9:41

The One AI Skill That Will Future-Proof Your UX Career

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/07/15

Worried that AI might replace UX designers? You’re not alone—but here’s the truth: UX isn’t going away. It’s evolving. In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates, senior UX designer and career coach, tackles the growing fear around artificial intelligence and its impact on UX jobs. She offers a refreshing, strategic perspective on how AI can augment rather than replace human-centered design. You’ll learn how to future-proof your UX career by focusing on AI literacy, strategic

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10:46

Surviving Layoffs in Tech: How UX Designers Can Stay...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/07/08

Laid off? (Or afraid you might be?) Whether you’ve recently been impacted or you’re navigating the emotional fallout of seeing your teammates go, this episode of Elevate Your UX Career is here to help you process, reflect, and move forward. Join host Brittany Cates, senior UX designer and career coach, as she opens up about her own experiences with multiple rounds of layoffs. With honesty and empathy, Brittany walks you through the grief, guilt, and uncertainty that often follow and why this

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13:00

Why Your Good Work Is Always Overlooked and 3 Easy...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/07/01

Do you ever feel invisible on your UX team? Like your ideas aren’t taken seriously or your work goes unnoticed? You’re not alone and it doesn’t have to stay that way. In this solo episode of Elevate Your UX Career, Brittany Cates, senior product designer and career coach, breaks down three powerful mindset and communication shifts that can help mid-career UX designers go from overlooked to influential. If you’re ready to be seen as more than "just the designer," this episode is your starting

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41:43

The Power of Self-Advocacy in UX: Lessons from a...

Elevate Your UX Career ·

2025/07/01

Ready to grow as a UX designer and step into leadership? In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, Brittany Cates sits down with Mitch Clements, Senior Product Design Manager at nCino, to explore what it really takes to level up in the UX field. Mitch shares his inspiring journey from Android developer to leading a thriving design team—growing from just 2 to over 30 designers. Whether you're aiming for a promotion, managing growing pains in your design team, or wondering how to advocate for your

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22 results

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