Back in January, when Design Mob podcast host Jordyn Gleason invited me to be a guest, my answer was an immediate “Yes!” —which, fittingly, became the theme of our conversation.

I suspect she knew that all along. Clever.

I first connected with Jordyn after my Config talk in 2024, when she sent me a thoughtful, well-crafted email. I receive a lot of messages, and many of them are clearly generic. Messages sent in bulk, with little indication that the sender has actually engaged with my work. Jordyn’s message was different. It was sincere, specific, and genuinely refreshing.

NOTE: If you want to connect genuinely with people, skip the generic message blast. Take the time to make it personal and thoughtful.

We met over video chat, since we live in different states, and immediately hit it off. I really admire her approach to design. During our conversation, she told me about her podcast, and I like to think I was encouraging enough to nudge her to keep pursuing it and see where it could go.

So when she asked me to be a guest, I didn’t hesitate. Which made “Leaping Into ‘Yes!’” a pretty darn perfect title for the episode.

I had a fantastic time talking with Jordyn. We talked about some of my upcoming engagements, reflected on a few highlights from my career, and uncovered that many of those opportunities came about because I say ‘yes!’ whenever something interesting comes my way.

Thanks again, Jordyn! I loved our conversation and hope it sparks some ‘yes’ moments for your listeners too.

You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Also, have a listen to other insightful topics on the Design Mob podcast.