Design Leadership Insights is a podcast where Paul, The UX Architect, shares real stories, strategies, and lessons learned from building and leading design teams. With over 15 years of experience navigating the complex world of design leadership, Paul offers practical frameworks and actionable advice for design leaders at all stages of their journey. Voice production enhanced with AI-assisted technology for consistent audio quality.
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The Ux Architect Podcasts
It takes more than great code to be a great engineer. Soft Skills Engineering is a weekly advice podcast for software developers about the non-technical stuff that goes into being a great software developer.
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Welcome to Tangents by Out of Architecture, hosted by Silvia Lee. We’re highlighting some of our favorite stories from the amazing people we’ve met along our journey. We will hear how they created a unique career path for themselves from the variety of skills and talents they developed in and out of architecture. Out of Architecture is a career consulting firm started by two Harvard-educated professionals interested in exploring the value of their skills both in and out of the architectural ...
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Hi, this is Rushion McDonald. Welcome to the podcast world of Money Making Conversations Master Class. I interview profits and nonprofits to learn their "Secrets to Success." I'm a former IBM Executive with a degree in Mathematics. I started my entrepreneurial career as a stand-up comic, then became a sitcom writer, award-winning baker, social media influencer, award-winning television Executive Producer, and brand architect for super-successful celebrities and products. Money Making Convers ...
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Uplift: Discusses the mental and emotional toll of being the financial “savior” for family and friends.
27:11
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27:11Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Troy Hudson. A deeply personal and insightful interview with former NBA player and author Troy “T-Hud” Hudson. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and takeaways: 🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways 1. First-Generation Wealth Troy Hudson’s boo…
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Info You Can Use: Conversation explores Patel’s journey from struggling test-taker to perfect SAT scorer, bestselling author, and successful entrepreneur.
32:14
32:14
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32:14Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Shaan Patel. Founder and CEO of Prep Expert, a leading online test prep company. The conversation explores Patel’s journey from struggling test-taker to perfect SAT scorer, bestselling author, and successful entrepreneur. He shares…
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Uplift: He offers strategies for breaking free from debt and building long-term wealth.
31:25
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31:25Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Mujahid Muhammad. A financial coach specializing in wealth-building, shares his insights on personal finance, real estate investing, and financial independence. He discusses his journey, strategies for managing wealth, and the importan…
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Health Uplift: Struggling with allergies, learn how small changes can dramatically improve your health.
24:30
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24:30Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Robin Wilson. A clean design and wellness expert. 🎙️ Main Themes Clean Design Philosophy: Robin emphasizes creating allergen-aware, eco-friendly, and sustainable home environments. Health and Wellness: She discusses how indoor allergen…
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Designing for Multimodal Experiences: Unifying Fragmented User Journeys
11:23
11:23
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11:23This season premiere reveals how design leaders can transform fragmented user experiences into unified journeys that fundamentally improve human performance. Paul shares the powerful shift from system-first to journey-first thinking through a real-world logistics redesign project, demonstrating how questioning fundamental assumptions about system o…
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Brand Building: Seeks to empower more professionals, especially those affected by layoffs, with tools for career resilience.
28:17
28:17
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28:17Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Katrice Miller. A nationally recognized labor relations expert and career coach. The conversation explores her journey from federal government service to corporate leadership, her insights on labor law, personal branding, and how indi…
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Episode 468: Should I take a mini-retirement and doubling down on anachronisms
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31:12In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hi Dave and Jamison, Long-time listener, first-time question asker. Thank you both for the wisdom, perspective, and jokes you bring to the podcast. I recently received an inheritance of around $500,000. It’s not “quit your job and buy a yacht” money, but it is enough to reshape my life. I’m …
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Episode 467: I can't get promoted if I do my job and should I get a degree to get a job in this economy
40:52
40:52
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40:52In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I am a data scientist and was recently passed over for promotion to senior because my projects weren’t “senior level” enough, and I do too many ad hoc requests that delay delivery of my bigger projects. I am a go to for VP and C suite level execs in my company and am commonly asked to help w…
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Episode 466: Bad performance review and moving in to the caves
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29:56
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29:56In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I had my performance review two months ago where I scored a “Does not meet expectations”, which I definitely understand, and my manager told me that some of my coworkers had been complaining about me. I’ve been working hard on improving ever since and my manager told me that they were really…
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Uplift: Personal journey filled with warmth about a husband-and-wife team who founded homeless shelter in Pickens County, South Carolina.
28:35
28:35
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28:35Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Tracy and Sunshine Gantt. A husband-and-wife team who founded the first and only homeless shelter in Pickens County, South Carolina. Here are some key highlights and themes from the conversation: Here are some key highlights and themes…
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Episode 465: Talking to your report's previous manager and how to replace a 30-year-old ticketing system
29:44
29:44
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29:44In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: A listener named Mike says, To what degree do you think it’s appropriate to talk with your peer managers about people that have moved from their team to yours? How much weight do you give their criticisms of an IC that they used to manage that is working out just fine under your leadership? …
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Episode 464: Rehiring an overpaid boomerang and AI has taken over my teammate's brain
49:38
49:38
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49:38In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Mr A. N. Onymous says, Hi Dave and Jamison, Long time listened, second time caller! I wrote a little while back with a common new-manager question about how to handle one of my reports who was at the lower end performance wise, but at the top end on the pay scale. I’d been trying to manage i…
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Brand Building: We dive deep into self-empowerment, personal branding, and workplace advancement in a digital-first world.
31:42
31:42
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31:42Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Lorraine K. Lee. A LinkedIn Top Voice and author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career. Hosted by Rushion McDonald, the conversation dives deep into the power of presence, personal branding, and …
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Episode 463: CTO w/ weak resume and I tried management and it was TERRIBLE
27:16
27:16
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27:16In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Albert Nonymous asks, I am the CTO at a small (5 engineers) tech start-up with non-technical founders. I was their first full-time employee and as such have been able to fully form this company the way I want. I’ve worked here for 9 years now and own 10% of the company. I enjoy the tech and …
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Episode 462: Supporting laid-off employee and how to rebuild culture after layoffs
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28:46
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28:46In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: One of my employees is probably getting laid off, what do I do!?! I’m a tech lead / manager for a consultancy and a contract reduction means that one of the people I supervise is likely going to get laid off soon! We’ve found new roles for most of my people, but it’s likely that at least one…
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Episode 461: How to do side projects with a family and demanding job and my company promised me a raise, but didn't give it
32:40
32:40
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32:40In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hey, long-time listener, listened to almost all episodes now and have been loving it since day 1!! I am a senior engineer at FAANG and work 45-50 hours a week and have a lot of cross-org responsibilities. I am lucky to have a beautiful wife and two wonderful young children. I guess, you can …
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Uplift: How to be a Successful Business Owner using Amazon Business.
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22:36
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22:36Hi, I'm Rushion McDonald, the host of the weekly Money Making Conversations Master Class show. This show provides interviews and information for everyone. It’s time to stop reading other people’s success stories and start living your own. Have you ever thought about starting a business? If so, why did – or didn’t – you do it? Rushion McDonald share…
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Episode 460: Losing autonomy and I got skipped for a promotion even though I'm awesome
33:07
33:07
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33:07In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I have managed a product for some months now. My previous manager split their team in to mini-teams of 2-3 people. They gave me a small team and plenty of autonomy to own the product and go crazy on it. I had the time of my life as the team lead. I learned a ton and was really developing man…
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Uplift: She oversees largest Black owned bank where paycheck paid 2 days early and 100,000+ Surcharge-Free ATMs.
26:42
26:42
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26:42Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Teri Williams. President, COO, and owner of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the United States. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and takeaways: 🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways 1. OneUnited Bank’s Mission & Reach Formed …
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Episode 459: Am I cutting edge and how to compliment someone who went from super jerk to super nice
22:44
22:44
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22:44In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I work for a B2C fintech startup as a senior engineer. Our onboarding funnel has a lot of moving parts due to regulatory compliance and a litany of requirements from various parts of the business. As a startup, we also live and die by optimizing for and demonstrating growth, so we need to ga…
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Uplift: She has registered over 10,000 students to attend HBCUs and generated $100 million in scholarships.
24:38
24:38
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24:38Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ashley Christopher. She is a multifaceted individual: a dedicated mother to her son, Ryan, a CEO, an attorney licensed in Pennsylvania, and a stroke survivor. She founded the HBCU Week Foundation in 2017 with a mission to promote enrol…
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Info You Can Use: Free tools that automatically ID/flag fake AI-generated photos to prevent misinformation.
29:41
29:41
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29:41Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ken Jon Miyachi. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of BitMind—the world's first decentralized Artificial Intelligence (AI) Deepfake Detection System. Ken is an authority on how people can protect themselves using free solutions. He can provi…
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Episode 458: Infinite tech debt hack and figuring out what is going on
34:00
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34:00In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Nearly every time certain developers on the team want to address technical debt, they end up just adding more technical debt. Of course, after one round of addressing technical debt, the developers in question believe that yet another round of redesigning and refactoring is in order. This st…
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The First 90 Days - A Design Leader's Guide to New Role Impact
13:26
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13:26This end-of-season episode demonstrates how effective design leaders navigate their first 90 days in a new role by prioritizing deep understanding and strategic relationship-building before implementing changes, creating a foundation for lasting organizational transformation. Paul reveals a three-phase framework—Listening, Vision Crafting, and Stra…
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Episode 457: How do I get off the on-call rotation and "big tech" == "big leagues"?
27:25
27:25
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27:25In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I am a senior software engineer in a big tech/faang company and this week is my first ever on call rotation. My team is doing a lot of CI work, monitoring pipelines and support queues during on call. It is probably not as much of a hassle as on call for product teams, but for me personally o…
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Uplift: "Women & Wealth," Cary shares tips and advice to financially empower women.
25:35
25:35
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25:35Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cary Carbonaro. She is the author of Women and Wealth: A Playbook to Empower Clients and Unlock Their Fortune (Wiley, 2025) is an award-winning Certified Financial Planner™ with over 25 years of experience. She leads a multimillion-dol…
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Uplift: Randal's company provides insights about diverse people that lead to equity for all.
29:18
29:18
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29:18Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Randal Pinkett. He has established himself as an entrepreneur, innovator, speaker, author, media personality and DEI expert who is leading the way in business, technology and equity for all. He is the co-founder, chairman and CEO o…
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From Metrics to Meaning: Transforming Customer Satisfaction Data into Design Decisions
12:54
12:54
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12:54Design leader Paul reveals how to transform raw customer satisfaction metrics into meaningful design decisions. Drawing from his experience at Expedia and a global logistics company, he shares a proven three-tiered approach to understanding what lies beneath the numbers. Paul demonstrates how leadership that focuses on uncovering human stories behi…
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Episode 456: Will I look bad on the job market if I'm a crypto developer and struggling to go from management back to dev work
31:39
31:39
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31:39In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hey, I am a web developer getting bored of the regular development work. I am interested in finance and the monetary system and due to the overlap of finance and engineering I feel down the Bitcoin rabbit hole and even spiked interest in crypto like Solana and Sui. I am pretty sure most of c…
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The Creative Leader's Paradox: How Side Projects Make Better Design Managers
13:03
13:03
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13:03Design leader Paul explores how seemingly unrelated creative pursuits enhance leadership capabilities. Drawing from his experience with music production, filmmaking, and podcasting, he reveals how these diverse creative domains provide unique perspectives on team dynamics, communication, and problem-solving. Discover the Creative Leader's Paradox a…
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Episode 455: UX designer without a mentor and I get bored too easily and stressed too easily
33:00
33:00
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33:00In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: A listener named Dakota asks, I’m a UX designer, and I’m constantly looking for growth opportunities. I’m having trouble finding mentors to help challenge me, as every time my boss/senior designer leaves the company, I assume their work and we don’t backfill their spot or my old position. Th…
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From Code to Canvas - Why Technical Backgrounds Create Stronger Design Leaders
10:37
10:37
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10:37Discover how technical backgrounds create stronger design leaders through systems thinking, embracing constraints, and iteration. Former developer turned UX leader Paul shares practical insights on bridging technical and creative domains to build better products and more effective design teams. Learn actionable strategies for leveraging technical k…
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Episode 454: Tracking productivity? and my CTO is ChatGPT
28:11
28:11
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28:11In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I’m a manager on a Product team. I’ve been asked by upper management to measure “story points completed per developer per sprint” and display the results publicly each sprint to motivate lower-performing employees. I explained why, according to Scrum, I don’t think this is a good idea. But I…
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Info You Can Use: His company specializes in solar photovoltaic and signage installation.
28:28
28:28
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28:28Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Abioduni Martin. He is the founder and owner of DEW, a company specializing in solar photovoltaic and signage installation. With a strong project management and business development background, he has successfully led DEW in executing …
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Design Leadership as a Bridge - Uniting User Needs with Business Objectives
12:06
12:06
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12:06This episode reveals how effective design leadership bridges the false dichotomy between user needs and business objectives, with real-world examples of uniting these seemingly competing priorities. Through practical strategies like translation tools and cross-functional collaboration, design leaders can transform organizational tensions into oppor…
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Uplift: She has conquered life’s obstacles and now creates success for others in life and work.
30:40
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30:40Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Nina Sossamon-Pogue. A former elite gymnast, Emmy-winning news anchor, bestselling author, and resilience expert. Here’s a summary of the key themes and insights from the episode: 🎙️ Guest Introduction: Nina Sossamon-Pogue Former USA G…
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Episode 453: Why did my company build an internal LinkedIn and how do I not get stagnant in my skills?
31:34
31:34
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31:34In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Greetings! I work at a research company with ~500 engineers and scientists. My company started promoting this new portal they setup that is like a private linkedin. You can fill up the profile they setup for you and apply for positions within the company. Why is my company doing this? They e…
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Uplift: A Single Mom's company is a premiere provider of PPE, industrial, janitorial, and construction supplies.
26:14
26:14
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26:14Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Jennifer Barbosa. CEO and Founder of International Supply Partners (ISP), about breaking into government contracting, navigating a male-dominated industry, and the complexities of supply chain management. 🔑 Key Themes & Highlights Break…
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Progressive Disclosure in Enterprise Design: Less Is More, Until It Isn't
13:09
13:09
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13:09Paul shares leadership strategies for implementing progressive disclosure in enterprise UX design, navigating competing stakeholder priorities, guiding cross-functional teams, and transforming complex interfaces into intuitive experiences that satisfy both business requirements and user needs. Learn how effective design leaders balance complexity a…
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Episode 452: Consulting refactor and extra work, extra scrutiny
25:12
25:12
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25:12In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I’ve been a developer for about 1.5 years. I work for a large consultancy. we provide services to big clients. I’m working on a front-end codebase that has been through three consulting companies already. Tired of just moving tickets and fixing bugs, I decided to refactor the front end of th…
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Perseverance: Twice a teen mother, high school dropout, and still built a multi-million-dollar family law firm.
25:59
25:59
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25:59Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Attorney Tessie D. Edwards. Tessie D. Edwards & Associates, P.C. is a local, family-owned law firm that has been serving the Atlanta, GA, community for over 15 years. Our attorneys enthusiastically represent their clients and bring exte…
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Info You Can Use: Helping the black community become financially independent and build generational wealth.
24:47
24:47
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24:47Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Carter Cofield. He is the co-founder of Melanin Money, and also a CPA who empowers individuals to achieve financial freedom. He is recognized as one of the top CPS for millennials showing them how to live tax free. Carter's mission is t…
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Beyond Basic vs. Premium - Reimagining the Flight Booking Experience
18:56
18:56
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18:56In this episode, I share how my team transformed confusing airline fare options into an intuitive booking experience. Rather than trying to explain complex fare differences, we created a customized approach where travelers select desired features first. By implementing progressive disclosure techniques and focusing on user decision-making patterns,…
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Episode 451: Un-collaborative architect and who is my boss?
32:47
32:47
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32:47In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: A listener named Scot asks, A new architect was hired at my company 6 months ago. I’m an engineer one rung lower on the hierarchy and have been here for 3.5 years. He hasn’t done much to learn about any of us who have been here for a while, so he is constantly undermining my skills and sugge…
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Info You Can Use: Created fast and easy online certifications for IT, cybersecurity, healthcare and exam training on SAT, ACT, GED, LSAT, and GMAT.
33:15
33:15
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33:15Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Christopher Gray. He is the CEO and co-founder of Path, an AI-powered platform transforming the way students and professionals prepare for critical exams. Path is an AI-powered platform transforming the way students and professionals pr…
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Info You Can Use: Breaking down the value of Term, Whole and Universal Life Insurance policies to gain Financial Freedom!
24:45
24:45
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24:45Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brianna Johnson. Lgnd Life Financial is a mission-driven financial services company dedicated to empowering individuals, families, and small businesses through comprehensive financial literacy and life insurance education. Founded by Br…
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In this episode, I reveal how to transform design critiques from anxiety-inducing sessions into catalysts for innovation through a four-part framework: 24-Hour Context Share, 15-Minute Solution Story, Structured Feedback Rounds, and Documented Action Items. Learn to frame feedback as questions and create psychological safety for all team members. K…
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Episode 450: I'm terrible at behavioral interviews and time zonessssssss
34:04
34:04
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34:04In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I struggle with behavioral interviews. I’ve gotten a little bit better as I’ve done more interviews, but it’s still a major pain point for me. I have some common behavioral question answers written out in a spreadsheet in SAR format, but I feel that not all of them are good examples for a mi…
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News to Know: She proudly serves as "The Voice of Black Women in Construction."
27:49
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27:49Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Monique Strong. President of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC). Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and takeaways: 🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways 1. Breaking Barriers in Construction…
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Info You Can Use: "1st Generation Rich" explores the dynamics of wealth within families and friendships.
27:11
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27:11Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Troy Hudson. A deeply personal and insightful interview with former NBA player and author Troy “T-Hud” Hudson. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and takeaways: 🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways 1. First-Generation Wealth Troy Hudson’s boo…
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