Working for small companies and large companies, I was either cobbling what I could or work with an existing model. As Figma continues to grow and do more, I found it hard to learn how to work smart in it. The workshop with Joey Banks + RETHINK covered a lot of actionable workflows and processes. The small group setting makes it easy to share, discuss and connect with other designers. Thank you for curating this lovely experience!

There was a high level of personalization that made this workshop stand out compared to others in the past. Frank Bach was incredibly vulnerable with the group about his challenges and how he overcame them. This combined with hearing how others were dealing with similar obstacles stood out to me.

In different companies I used to work at before, it was always challenging to collaborate in the best way, especially with developers. Throughout the years, tools like Figma have improved this process. However, it always feels like something is missing. With Joey Banks's workshop with RETHINK, I can more confidently say that it helped me systematize the way I think and also communicate my designs in a more structured way to developers. I found myself deeply engaged in his teachings until the very end of our meeting.

I was navigating the transition from Sr. to Staff level and looking to figure out how to grow without transitioning to management. Frank was transparent, clear, and concise in the way that he codifies his advice on how to expand your role within an organization. It articulated a lot of loose ideas that had been floating around in my head. I feel more confident and secure in my capabilities as a product designer that can lead without needing to go down the traditional management path.

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I am very glad my manager encouraged me to take this course. I more recently was promoted as a Design Product Lead and Imposter Syndrome really sunk its claws deep. Being part of this immersive workshop felt like "Design Therapy" with fellow designers. I now know I'm not alone in this journey. Creating a safe space together, Frank and our cohort have already provided the awareness of this Lead Foundational Toolkit I didn't realize I had within me all along.

I took the UX leadership workshop with Courtney Kaplan. I found the workshop to be full of useful guidance, interactive conversations and frameworks for improving my design leadership presence. The ongoing follow-up coaching workshops and discussion forums have been especially powerful for me to check back in and hear from peers in a similar space.

RETHINK's coaching programs are the most thoughtful and structured I have ever experienced. They matched me with the best mentor I could have ever asked for.I am forever thankful for the structure that was put in place to foster fruitful conversations and to connect more meaningfully allowing a friendship to grow from it.

Becoming a RETHINK member has been the best boost for my career as a design leader, helping me build my brand across the industry. I was able to leverage the resources on the platform, connect with the design community and get shared perspectives from other leaders on design management and more. I found a safe space for connecting with the community in a meaningful way. It has helped me to foster meaningful relationships, some of them turned into a friendship

Becoming a member of and mentor with RETHINK has been such a boost to my confidence as a growing manager. I was inspired by an in-person event in SF to become a mentor, which was scary and exciting as someone transitioning from IC to manager. I was so nervous to take on that role with other senior designers, but Julie and her team created a perfect match — so perfect, in fact, that I ended up hiring my mentee after the program ended and I consider her a close friend!

Since then, the RETHINK community has been an incredible resource for me. I love that I can turn to this group of talented and vulnerable leaders when I need inspiration or help with the struggles of managing a remote creative team. I really can't say enough good things about RETHINK!

I didn't have the mentorship or support I needed for career growth. I longed for a design community outside of the design team at work. I felt like I was hitting a dead end. I don't have a traditional design background and was tired of justifying my design experience and skills. The workshop validated I've come a long way as a designer in the short period of time I've practiced. My previous experience made me a better designer. I also have learning and growth to do and I was given the tools to improve.

Difficult conversations with my manager and stakeholders came easier when I applied the framework I learned through the workshop. I was able to ask the hard questions to understand what was specifically holding me back from growing and identified what was out of my control. It gave me the confidence boost I needed to start looking for a new job. After working with Courtney Kaplan & RETHINK I was able to land a product design role on a new design team. I absolutely love my new team and the work culture. I am working on impactful projects and feel confident as I navigate a new company culture and product team.

I became more self-aware about my skills and how to approach areas of improvement.I learned how to properly track my work, measure my progress and ways to manage my career growth.

I was in the process of preparing for job interviews, and the storytelling tactics we learned about both data visualization and presentation frameworks really helped. I am now in charge of driving a new initiative for my team, and the storytelling skills I learned from the workshop has been immensely helpful in terms of getting the team on the same page and excited about the vision. I really enjoy the diverse background and experience of the speakers as well as the breadth of the topics we covered

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RETHINK programs gave me great insight into the next steps of my career, as well as many resources to help carry me through the next few months.I feel like I left the program with exactly what I needed - a plan to upgrade my career over the next few years.