In this episode of The Blueprint of a Designer, I sit down with Oriol Valldeperas, a product designer at ‪ @Wise  to unpack what it really takes to thrive as a senior designer in today’s product teams - especially in fast-moving, trust-critical spaces like fintech.We dig into the invisible parts of the job: how senior designers can find and fight for scope, demonstrate value without relying on polish, and build real influence - even when you’re not “the loudest in the room.” Oriol opens up about the pressure of adding value, the art of crafting one-pagers and visions that actually drive change, and why leading by example (not just frameworks) matters more than ever.We also talk AI - what it threatens, what it enables, and how to stay irreplaceable. Oriol shares an honest perspective on navigating imposter syndrome, the need for healthy competitiveness, and the emotional side of making high-stakes decisions that ripple across millions of users.Whether you're stepping into a senior role, shaping platform strategy, or wondering how to future-proof your design career, this conversation is packed with honest insights.📌 Chapters00:00 Intro – Who is Oriol Valldeperas?17:30 Finding Scope as a Senior Designer20:30 Fighting for Scope – Why It Matters23:51 Do Internal Tools Need Good Design?27:46 The Pressure to Add Value38:00 How to Build Influence Without Authority40:51 Driving Change with Your Superpower42:50 Leading by Being Brilliant – Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods & More48:19 Is AI a Threat to Designers?51:00 Staying Irreplaceable in the Age of AI53:50 Be Competitive - But Stay Kind1:00:05 The Hardest Part About Being a Designer1:07:05 Final Thoughts + Career Growth at Wise► Subscribe for more episodes: / @theblueprintofadesignerFollow us on: 📸 Instagram: @theblueprintofadesigner🎵 TikTok: @theblueprintofadesigner🙏 Huge thanks to Oriol for his openness and depth!📲 Follow Oriol: https://www.instagram.com/ovall/🔗 LinkedIn: /oriolvalldeperas#ProductDesign #Wise #Fintech #DesignLeadership #Scope #DesignInfluence #AI #UX #TheBlueprintOfADesigner

In this episode, I sit down with Natasha Wu, a product designer at Stripe, to talk about her journey, the challenges of designing for payments, and what it’s really like to work at a company renowned for its design culture. We dive into the unexpected realities of Stripe’s documentation-heavy approach, the struggles with imposter syndrome, and the future of AI in design—including what’s hype and what’s actually useful. Natasha also shares insights on how designers at Stripe influence high-stakes business decisions, build trust in financial products, and navigate the balance between craft and pragmatism.

(00:00) Intro – Who is Natasha Wu?02:01 What Stripe Designers Actually Work On

(05:49) Stripe’s Culture of Documentation & How It Shapes Design

(12:57) The Role of Designers at Stripe – More Than Just "Making Things Pretty"

(17:48) Designing for Trust – UX Challenges in Fintech

(24:26) How AI is (and isn’t) Changing Product Design

(30:58) Why Imposter Syndrome is So Common in Design

(42:05) IC vs. Management – Why Natasha Moved Back to IC

(50:41) What Makes Stripe’s Design Team Special

(57:05) The Hardest Design Problems in Fintech1:08:10 Natasha’s Advice for Designers

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🙏 A huge thank you to Natasha for sharing her story and expertise!

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashawu/

Instagram: natashaswu

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#ProductDesign #Stripe #Fintech #AI #UX #ImposterSyndrome #TechCareers

🎙️ Excited to share the first episode of The Blueprint of a Designer, featuring our inaugural guest, Mo Sayyar! Mo is a visionary designer at Meta Reality Labs and the creator of @xrplayground. 🌟

(0:00) Introduction

(0:57) Getting into Reality Labs

(2:05) Childhood Aspirations vs. Reality

(3:17) Staying Relevant in XR

(5:02) Advice for Entering XR Design

(7:45) Building a Career in XR

(10:27) Early XR Projects

(13:29) Networking and Persistence

(17:02) A Day in the Life of an XR Designer

(21:22) Prototyping in XR Design

(25:40) Creative vs. Technical

(29:23) Hardest Part of Designing for XR

(33:37) Excitement for the Future of XR

(37:42) Predictions for the Future of Interfaces

(43:52) Data and Privacy in Future Interfaces

(46:50) Proud Career Moments

(50:26) IC vs. Managerial Roles

(56:33) Lessons from Failures

(1:00:03) AI in Design

(1:08:14) Coolest Recent XR Experience

(1:10:25) What’s Next for Mo

(1:12:01) Closing Remarks