Speaking at Anáhuac Mayab — Life After Design School
On April 16th, I had the opportunity to speak at the School of Design at Anáhuac Mayab University in Mérida, Mexico.
This was not a talk about how to become a better designer in terms of visuals or technical skills. Those foundations are essential, and they are exactly what design school is there to develop.
Instead, the focus was on a different layer of the work, the part that often becomes clear only once you start working with real clients and real projects.
We spoke about:
how to find work
how to position yourself
how to communicate value
how to guide clients through a project
and what our role as designers actually becomes in practice
The goal was to give students a clearer picture of what the day-to-day reality of creative work looks like beyond the classroom.
I’m sharing a summary of the talk below, along with a few selected slides.
The other side of design
Design is not just about making things look good.
A large part of the work is:
structuring ideas
bringing clarity to something that feels vague
guiding decision-making
managing expectations
and translating business goals into something visual and understandable
This is the part of the work that shapes how clients experience a project, and often determines whether the outcome is successful or not.
10 things I wish I knew earlier
1. Hard work gets you started. Good thinking keeps you in this career.
In the beginning, effort and execution get you opportunities. Over time, what makes you valuable is your ability to think, simplify, prioritize, and guide decisions.
2. Your portfolio doesn’t matter
Of course it does. But not if it’s just a collection of images. People need context, clarity, and a reason to trust you. Your portfolio should explain your thinking, not just show your output.
3. “I hope they choose me”
Shifting out of this mindset changes everything. The goal is not to be chosen at any cost, but to understand whether you are the right fit. That’s where confidence and credibility come from.
4. Clients buy relief, not just design.
Clients are often overwhelmed, unclear, or stuck. What they’re really paying for is clarity, direction, and the feeling that someone capable is handling it.
5. The sale happens before the call
Your website, positioning, and body of work should already build trust. By the time someone speaks to you, they should already understand your value. The call is just confirmation.
6. “Designer” is not a strategy
Most people don’t fully understand what a “designer” does. What they do understand is outcomes. The clearer you are about the change you create, the more valuable you become.
7. Resourcefulness beats over-preparation
You don’t need to know everything before you begin. The ability to figure things out as you go is far more valuable than waiting until you feel ready.
8. Good taste will be the currency of the future
As tools and AI make execution easier, what you choose, refine, and prioritize becomes more important. Taste is what makes work feel intentional, not generic.
9. Where did it go wrong?
A strong process allows you to trace decisions back to strategy. When something doesn’t land, it shouldn’t feel random. You should be able to identify exactly where alignment broke down.
10. People remember how you made them feel.
Clients may forget specific details, but they remember the experience. Feeling guided, understood, and confident is often what leads to trust, referrals, and long-term relationships.
On AI and the future of design
AI is changing the way we work. It is making execution faster, easier, and more accessible.
But it does not replace:
judgment
taste
direction
clarity
If anything, it makes these more valuable.
As more things become automated, there will also be a stronger return to work that feels human, crafted, and intentional. The ability to curate, select, and refine will matter more than ever.
Final thought
In a world where almost anything can be generated,
what matters is how you think, what you choose, and how clearly you communicate it.
That’s where the real value is.
