How I got here (and why it matters)
It’s 2010. I’m living in Spain and decide to move to Amsterdam. I start as an intern designer at a small mobile agency.
That would’ve been a pretty normal move. Except I had studied Computer Science Engineering, and my English… wasn’t great.
Ironically, those two "disadvantages" turned out to be key to my future growth. Why? I’ll get to that in a bit.
So I move to Amsterdam.
Three months later, I’m presenting a new mobile website design to Heineken. In English.
The design gets approved, and the site goes live a few weeks later.
Now it’s 2025.
I’ve spent 15+ years designing apps and websites, leading teams, and solving problems (because that’s what design is really about).
I’ve lived the agency life at M2Mobi and Nomads. Switched to product and specialized in fintech at Backbase, BUX, and Rabobank. More recently, I’ve been making sense of the complex world of energy at SunPower (a global leader in solar).
Each step taught me something.
Here are 7 lessons I keep coming back to:
Challenges make you grow. Remember me moving to Amsterdam with zero English?
Your team should use the product, not just design it.
Design is a story. One that starts with a problem and ends with a solution. Tell it.
Different people need different stories. (Looking at you, stakeholders.)
What you say is as important as how it looks or works. Yes, I’m talking about copy. Make it part of the process.
You can remove 50% of what's in your design. Try it. Keep the essential. Then refine from there.
Keep learning. That’s how you stay motivated. And your team too.
These don’t just apply to work. They work in life too. I use them every day.
That’s why I keep learning about the things I love: photography, wine (WSET Level 3), and kickboxing (yellow belt and counting).
P.S. My English is much better now. And yes, I’ve picked up some Dutch too.