Startups are often perceived as chaotic environments where speed compromises quality—but this doesn’t have to be the case! This facilitated conversation will share perspectives from experienced design leaders who have seen it all—and ultimately focused their work within growing organizations.

Whether you’re currently working in a startup and seeking community or considering joining one and looking for insight, this discussion will cover the key challenges designers face in startups, including:

- Finding a team and opportunity space where you’ll be positioned for success
- Balancing daily execution with long-term strategic vision
- Building a culture of critique—even as a small or solo design team
- Championing the value of design and brand when resources are limited

Through this conversation, we’ll explore how designers can grow in impact most while helping startups grow.

• 7-7:30: Networking & drinks
• 7:30 - 8:15: Panel discussion
• 8:15 - 8:30: More networking time

• Design Quality by Cameron Moll
• The User Experience Team of One by Leah Buley & Joe Natoli

“Here is the thing about being a founder: if you are even remotely good at it, your default state is to worry about literally everything literally all the time.

Therefore, the most valuable thing that a leader reporting to a founder can provide to a founder is peace of mind.

So to understand the value you’re delivering at the executive level, ask yourself: what worries do you reduce through your work as a leader in the organization? What burdens do you take off the mind of a founder? What do they no longer have to think about as a result of you being there?”

— Jesse James Garrett

Margaret Shear is Head of Design at Modern Life, a tech-enabled life insurance brokerage building tools to empower financial advisors in securing coverage for clients. Previously, she was Design Director at Condé Nast where she led design for paywalls across Vanity Fair and WIRED.

As an independent consultant she led projects for leading innovation studios such as frog, Doberman, Smart Design, R/GA, Hot Studio, and Adaptive Path. She started her career in 2004 as the first web designer and front-end developer for open-access publishing pioneer PLoS (https://plos.org/).

In her spare time, Margaret has taught Service Design at Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID). She holds degrees from Stanford University in Studio Art and Science, Technology & Society.

As the head of design at Sage, Christina leads the design team with a relentless focus on enhancing the caregiving experience. With a passion for transforming how both care teams and older adults interact with health technology, Christina ensures that Sage products empower users at every step. Christina thrives on balancing the big picture with design details, crafting intuitive solutions that not only improve outcomes but also elevate the entire caregiving journey. Previously, Christina was the first design leader at AbleTo, tasked with building an interdisciplinary team of writers, researchers, and designers across Product, Brand, and Marketing. She has also worked at Collective Health, Cooper, and IDEO.

Adam Pruden is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Starship, an innovative Health Savings Account (HSA) app launched in 2018 to promote financial prosperity amid rising healthcare costs. Under his leadership, Starship’s user base grew to over 100,000 and was acquired by UnitedHealth Group in 2022. Previously, Adam honed his skills in product design and creative leadership at American Express, frog, and MIT. His work has been featured at the Venice Biennale and in publications like Wired and TechCrunch.

Yiming Bao has worked on 0-1 products for 10+ years in New York City. Most recently, she was Head of Product Design at a stealth aerial space startup. Previously, she helped build early Citizen App design culture; led R&D for Foursquare’s data products through their transition from consumer to enterprise; and patented for Yieldmo’s design lab. Outside of tech, Yiming also guides transformation on the personal level, facilitating sound meditations and psychedelic integration.