Why I Stopped Offering Coffee Chats
In today’s UX design world, there’s a lot of pressure to follow the steps of those who have “made it.” Whether you see flashy portfolios, curated case studies, or even courses promising a job in UX for $250, there’s a sense that if you just follow someone else’s path, you’ll find success. But as someone who’s been in the trenches of the design world — including working at Google — I’m here to tell you: trust your own gut. Your process is unique, and that’s what makes you valuable as a designer.
Yes, I’ve had some amazing experiences, and working at Google has been a dream. But my journey — just like any other designer’s journey — is deeply personal. The problem with trying to copy someone else’s path is that every UX designer’s personality, interview experience, and work context/ladder are different. What worked for me might not work for you, and that’s okay.
In fact, it’s more than okay; it’s a good thing.
The Myth of Copying Success
I’ve seen many entry-level UX designers get sucked into the idea that they need to pay for expensive courses to “make it” in the industry. But here’s the truth: you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to learn UX design. Everything you need to learn is already available — for free — on YouTube or other online resources.
The key is understanding that learning UX is about much more than absorbing hypotheticals. You need to get your hands dirty, dive into real-world projects, and navigate the ups and downs that come with designing something from scratch. That’s how you build the true skills that make you a valuable designer, not by following a template that worked for someone else.
Why I Stopped Offering Coffee Chats
I used to offer coffee chats, thinking I could help others by sharing my experience. But over time, I realized that my experience is my own. I can’t hand someone the deck I used to get hired at Google and expect them to understand it the way I do. That deck was born from my own explorations, rejections, and growth. It’s a reflection of my process, and someone else can’t copy it and get the same results.
The same goes for design work. Sometimes, you’ll get a project where everything falls into place perfectly. Other times, you’ll face countless rounds of feedback, revisions, and rejections. But both are part of the process. What matters is how you handle the challenges and frame them in your own way. UX design isn’t about following someone else’s formula — it’s about developing your own approach based on your personal experiences.
Embrace the Process, Failures and All
Real UX design is messy. You will fail. You will get rejected. And you will be faced with challenges that no textbook or online course can prepare you for. But that’s where the real learning happens. When you are in the heart of a project, dealing with real-world problems, you gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a UX designer.
So, stop relying on others to tell you how to think. Instead, embrace the uncertainty, trust your gut, and learn to solve problems in your own way. Because the truth is, the real world doesn’t deal in textbook problems. Real-world problems are unique, unpredictable, and can only be solved through experience.
Final Thoughts. Save your money.
If you’re an aspiring UX designer, don’t waste time and money trying to copy someone else’s process. Your process is your own. Trust that. Learn from your failures, get into the work, and create your own path. That’s what will set you apart in the industry. It’s not about making a quick buck or finding shortcuts — it’s about putting in the work and letting your own experiences guide you.
At the end of the day, real UX designers are not just problem-solvers — they are problem-framers. They know how to approach challenges in a way that is authentic to their own process. So, trust in your abilities, and you’ll find the success you’re looking for, on your own terms.
