The conversation covers Emelda's journey into design, her transition to UX and UI, the evolution of design tools, her role at MTN and market insights, her community work and mentorship, and the challenges of mentorship. Emelda's passion for design and her ability to navigate career challenges are evident throughout the discussion. The conversation delves into the importance of giving second chances and working with mentees, the impact of female mentors, the experience of mentoring in the She Can Do Level Up program, the impact of the program, building confidence and overcoming challenges, the role of mentorship and advice for mentors, challenges and solutions in mentoring, advice for aspiring mentees, and encouragement to seek mentorship. Emelda also shares how to connect with her for further discussion and mentorship opportunities.

Takeaways

• Passion for Design
• Navigating Career Challenges Importance of giving second chances
• The value of female mentors

Chapters

• 00:00 Journey into Design
• 05:22 Transition to UX and UI
• 13:02 Role at MTN and Market Insights
• 20:01 Community Work and Mentorship
• 26:14 Challenges of Mentorship
• 32:07 Mentoring in the She Can Do Level Up Program
• 38:07 Building Confidence and Overcoming Challenges
• 45:27 Challenges and Solutions in Mentoring
• 51:01 Advice for Aspiring Mentees
• 56:06 Connecting with Emelda

Sune shares her journey from architecture to UX design, highlighting the challenges and opportunities she encountered. She discusses her enrollment in the She Can Do program, the takeaways from the program, challenges in the UX design landscape, reflections, and advice for aspiring UX designers, and the impact of the She Can Do program on her career.

Takeaways

• Transitioning from architecture to UX design requires careful consideration of the challenges and opportunities in the UX design landscape.
• Enrolling in a program like She Can Do can provide valuable insights, practical skills, and a supportive community for aspiring UX designers.

Chapters

• 00:00 Transition from Architecture to UX Design
• 06:33 Enrollment in She Can Do Program
• 11:35 Challenges in the UX Design Landscape
• 17:17 Reflections and Advice for Aspiring UX Designers
• 27:09 Impact of She Can Do Program

The conversation covers Tenaya's background, role at Monkey River, favorite part of the job, impact of mentorship, female mentors and leadership, empathy and business in mentorship, mentoring experience and impact, formal vs. informal mentorship, and managing multiple responsibilities. The key takeaways include the significance of mentorship and the balance of empathy and business in leadership. The conversation covers the challenges of balancing priorities, the transition into a new role, the benefits of the She Can Do Level Up program, key learnings from mentorship, intentional mentorship at Monkey and River, the impact of mentorship on team and clients, AI in UX design, anxiety and fear of AI in junior designers, exploring AI tools, learning from a mentee, and recommendations for She Can Do Level Up program participants.

Takeaways

• Mentorship and its impact
• Balancing empathy and business in leadership Balancing priorities
• Mentorship benefits

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Background
• 07:01 Favorite Part of the Job
• 13:01 Female Mentors and Leadership
• 20:01 Mentoring Experience and Impact
• 25:01 Formal vs. Informal Mentorship
• 30:02 Transitioning Roles and Discovering Mentorship Passion
• 36:43 AI in UX Design and Development Collaboration
• 46:07 Learning from Mentee and Rediscovering Wonder

The conversation explores the concept of user experience (UX) and how it relates to the digital age. It delves into the idea of friction in user interaction and the realization of engaging in UX before knowing its name.

Takeaways

• Friction in user interaction
• Engaging in UX before knowing its name

Nicolette shares her journey from operations to UX design, emphasizing the importance of human-centered experiences. She discusses her transition to UX design, the impact of the She Can Do program, and the challenges she faced in the industry. Nicolette provides valuable advice for aspiring UX designers, highlighting the significance of leveraging past experiences and taking up space in the industry.

Takeaways

• Transitioning to UX design requires reframing one's value in the industry.
• The She Can Do program provided valuable insights and confidence for Nicolette's journey in UX design.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Background
• 04:57 Core Principles of UX Design
• 10:03 Key Takeaways from the Program
• 20:00 Challenges in the Industry
• 30:01 Advice for Aspiring UX Designers

Welcome to The She Can Do Podcast where community, creativity, and courage come together.

In times like these, community really does mean everything. She Can Do began with just two volunteers and one big intention: to build a space where women in design could come together, learn from each other, and know they weren't alone.

From that simple start grew a Learnership programme, a mentorship initiative with the Ordinary Group called Level Up, and a community of women doing things they never thought were possible. And every single one of their stories is proof of what happens when women in design lift each other up.

That's exactly why this podcast exists — to share those stories, to spark something in you, and to remind you that you don't have to figure it all out on your own.

Each episode, we sit down with inspiring designers — from rising voices to the women quietly (and not so quietly) shaping the industry every day.

This is She Can Do. Let's get into it.