Elevate Your UX Career

When UX Burnout Steals Your Spark (and How to Find It Again)

Feeling drained or uninspired in your UX job? You’re not alone.In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, I’m sharing how burnout impacts your creativity — and how to reconnect with the passion and fulfillment you’ve been missing.
You’ll learn how to:✨ Recognize what burnout is really trying to tell you✨ Reignite your creativity without quitting your job✨ Realign your UX career with what truly fulfills you
I’ll also share how reconnecting with your story can transform not only your mindset but your portfolio and why I now offer UX portfolio reviews to help designers like you bring their story and spark back to life.
🎧 Tune in and learn how to rediscover your creativity, find alignment, and fall back in love with design again.
💡 Don’t forget to subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more career tools, personal stories, and UX leadership insights: brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list
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4 Design Truths That Will Shift Your UX Mindset

Ever walked into a keynote expecting a recap and left with your whole perspective on UX shifted?
That happened to me at the Utah Front Conference when I heard Bob Baxley speak.
In this episode, I break down four of Bob’s most powerful insights on UX, design leadership, and how software isn’t just functional—it moves people. From designing for emotion, to using AI thoughtfully, to making your impact visible in strategic conversations, these lessons will help you grow your influence, sharpen your design thinking, and elevate your UX career.
If you’re ready to stop just pushing pixels and start showing the impact of your work, this episode is for you.
 
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The Surprising Connection Between UX and Business Success (with Jonathan Bond)

What does it take to build a long, meaningful career in UX and stay relevant in an ever-changing industry?
In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates sits down with Jonathan Bond, a self-taught designer turned startup product lead with over 25 years of experience in UX and product design.
Jonathan shares his inspiring journey from early days in design to leading product strategy at a fast-paced startup, offering hard-won lessons on career growth, adaptability, and business-savvy design. If you’ve ever wondered how to blend creativity with impact, or how to thrive in the scrappy, high-stakes world of startups, then this episode is for you.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
How to break into UX and grow your career, without a traditional design background
Why empathy and business understanding go hand in hand for successful product design
How to navigate messy team dynamics, design disagreements, and rapid change
What AI means for the future of UX (and how to stay ahead of the curve)
Actionable advice for building confidence, advancing your skills, and finding mentorship
Whether you’re an early-career designer or a mid-level pro wondering what’s next, this episode will give you the clarity, encouragement, and strategy to grow with purpose in your UX journey.
💡 Don’t forget to subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more career tools, personal stories, and UX leadership insights: brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

Using AI Thoughtfully in UX and Product Design

AI is everywhere right now: in products, in workflows, and in every strategy conversation. But how do you cut through the hype and actually use it in ways that make sense for both your product and your career?
In this episode, I share my perspective on navigating the shift toward AI, the questions every designer should be asking, and why keeping a human-centered approach matters more than ever.
💡 Don’t forget to subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more career tools, personal stories, and UX leadership insights: brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

Why Your Research Isn’t Driving Change (and How to Fix It)

In this episode of 'Elevate Your UX Career,' Brittany Cates addresses the common frustration of UX research being ignored. Inspired by insights from the Utah Front Conference, Brittany shares actionable strategies to make your research more impactful. Key takeaways include embracing discomfort, valuing ambiguous insights, talking to unsatisfied users, presenting findings engagingly, and driving actionable outcomes. Tune in to learn how a mindset shift can elevate your UX career and ensure your work drives real change.
00:00 Introduction: Why Your UX Research Gets Ignored
00:14 Mindset Shift from Utah Front Conference
01:07 Connecting Beyond the Podcast
01:34 The Importance of Uncomfortable Insights
05:52 Engaging Stakeholders with Your Research
07:32 Driving Impact with Your Research
08:14 Recap and Final Thoughts
09:25 Conclusion and Call to Action
💡 Don’t forget to subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more career tools, personal stories, and UX leadership insights: brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

UX Career Growth Through People-First Leadership (with Cori Jones)

Want to future-proof your UX career and grow into a confident, strategic leader?
In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates welcomes Cori Jones, a seasoned UX designer and team leader with nearly 30 years of experience in the design industry.
Cori shares timeless wisdom and fresh insight on what it really takes to build a meaningful and sustainable career in UX. From his early career to leading teams and mentoring designers, Cori emphasizes the importance of empathy, curiosity, and understanding business goals...the skills that truly set great designers apart.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
Navigate your UX career with intention and adaptability
Build trust through user research and team collaboration
Develop authentic workplace relationships
Stay grounded while embracing AI and evolving design tools
Lead with empathy while aligning with business impact
Whether you’re feeling stuck or striving for the next level, Cori’s perspective will help you reconnect with the human side of UX, while also thinking strategically about where the field is headed.
💡 Subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more career guidance, personal stories, and expert advice to help you grow and thrive in UX: brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

UX Designer Burnout: Staying Confident When Your Team Isn’t Prioritizing UX

Deadlines are tight, processes are messy, and your role as a UX designer feels overlooked. Sound familiar?
In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, I share what it’s like to navigate a new team, deal with frustration, and keep your confidence when UX isn’t prioritized. Real stories, honest struggles, and a few things I’m learning along the way.
Tune in and hear how to keep going without losing yourself.
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Struggling with a PM Who Doesn’t Get UX? 5 Tips to Strengthen Collaboration Without the Drama

Ever feel like your product manager just doesn’t “get” UX?
You’re advocating for users, pushing for research, and trying to make thoughtful design decisions… but your PM seems laser-focused on deadlines, features, and shipping fast. Frustrating, right?
In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, we’re diving into one of the biggest challenges mid-career UX designers face: working with PMs who don’t fully understand UX. I’ll share how to strengthen collaboration, increase your influence, and navigate tricky dynamics without drama or burnout.
We’ll also cover a real listener question in our Ask the Designer segment: What do you do if you keep getting passed over for promotions or leadership opportunities, even when your manager says you’re doing great work?
If you’ve ever felt dismissed, misunderstood, or like your UX voice isn’t being heard on your team, or if you’re ready to step into more leadership and influence in your career, this episode is packed with strategies and insights to help you level up.
 
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The Role of Creativity in UX Leadership (with JJ Riggs)

What does it really take to lead in UX and stay creative in the process?
In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates sits down with JJ Riggs, a seasoned UX leader with an impressive background in design and brand management at companies like Purple Mattress, Divvy, and Bluehost.
JJ shares her journey from graphic designer to UX leader, offering real-world insight into the challenges and opportunities of navigating corporate environments as a creative professional. From building strong team cultures to communicating with stakeholders, JJ doesn’t hold back when it comes to what it really takes to lead with vision, strategy, and heart.
This episode is packed with value for mid-career UX designers looking to:
Grow into leadership while staying true to their creative roots
Foster strong design cultures and team collaboration
Advocate for UX in business conversations
Navigate job transitions and market changes
Prepare for the future of UX in the age of AI
If you're feeling the tension between creativity and corporate demands or wondering what’s next in your UX career, this conversation is a must-listen.
 
✨ Subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more empowering content, practical tips, and career growth strategies tailored to UX professionals: brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

How to Make a Business Case for UX Design (Even in Companies That Don’t Get It)

Ever get asked, “What’s the ROI of UX?” Or feel like your work is seen as a “nice to have” instead of a strategic driver of business value?
In this episode, I’m sharing a real moment from my product team that led to a tough but honest conversation about how companies evaluate the value of UX. We’ll talk about how to reframe UX work in business terms, how to advocate for improvements that don’t directly tie to revenue (but still matter), and how to position yourself as a strategic voice...no leadership title required.
You’ll learn:
What to say when leadership questions the ROI of UX
How to tie design work to business outcomes that matter
Why internal pain points are worth solving too
Practical ways to shift from “pixel pusher” to strategic partner
Whether you're tired of being looped in too late, or ready to step into more influence, this episode will give you tools to speak up and back it up.
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