In this episode of Masters of Max, our host, Tom Butta, sits down with Frank Bach, a product designer at Instagram. Born in Canada, Frank started his career in graphic design, later transitioning into the digital space. After over seven years with the mindfulness app, Headspace, Frank transitioned to his current role at Instagram. Beyond his daytime role, you can also find him running the Sunshine Shop, an lifestyle brand elevating underrepresented artists, or leading the vocals for the band Monk. 

At the heart of the conversation is the intersection of brand, experience, and how to foster mobile app engagement. Frank shares about his time at Headspace, where he faced the challenging task of maintaining the company's stellar growth trajectory in the face of increasing competition. Stressing the link between experience and brand, he emphaisized that while your internal teams might be segmented, you need to remember your customer only sees one external brand.

Frank discusses the dynamics of working at Instagram and his commitment to making it the best platform for creators. He emphasizes the importance of face-to-face time - even in our increasingly virtual world - and why building relationships within the workplace are critical to those still building their careers. Tune in for an enlightening conversation sure to inspire both app developers and brand strategists alike.

The views and opinions expressed in this conversation are Frank Bach's and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of his employer.

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Guest Bio

Frank is a Staff Product Designer working at Instagram, previously Headspace and Red Bull with a diverse background in social media, healthcare, habit formation, ecommerce, sports & entertainment. He's skilled in creating joyful experiences for beloved brands and has experience designing growth initiatives, engagement and retention features, 0-1 projects, and more. 

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Guest Quote

"Growth is a multi-headed monster. You have to tackle it from all ways and see what is getting you the best traction. The train is moving all the time, but the people are kind of flying in and out of it nonstop. The customer you were talking about two years ago, it's probably very different from the one you're talking about today" – Frank Bach

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Time Stamps 

*(01:26) Frank's Background

*(05:17) Sunrise Shop

*(09:14) Frank's band, Monk

*(12:07) Experience is brand

*(15:02) Navigating massive app growth

*(21:37) How to thrive in a remote-first environment

*(26:08) Making big impacts across large organizations 

*(28:28) Rapid Fire Questions

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Links

• Connect with Frank Bach on LinkedIn
• Check out Instagram
• Listen to Monk
• Shop at Sunshine Shop
• Connect with Tom Butta on LinkedIn
• Check out the Airship Website