Freelancing doesn't have to mean chaos and burnout. In this episode, we explore how to scale your freelance business without hiring a team by getting smarter with tools, strategy, and specialization.

What if you could scale your freelance business without hiring a team, just by using the right tools?

Most freelancers hit the same wall: they think going solo means doing it all. But today’s guest, Maciej Konarzewski, shares how that belief almost held him back, and how flipping the script helped him build a successful one-person business that runs on his terms.

In this episode, Maciej shares how he went from building his first site for his wife’s cleaning business to becoming a certified Wix Studio partner and full-time business owner. We talk about ditching the hustle mindset, building smart systems, and saying no to distractions (and even clients) in order to say yes to better work.

If you’re a designer trying to escape the 9–5 grind or scale your freelance business without burning out, this episode is for you. We dig into tools, pricing, niching down, and how community and relationships can unlock opportunities you didn’t even know were possible.

Tune in and learn how to build a thriving freelance business—without hiring a single employee.

Topics:
• 02:44 The Reality of Freelancing
• 03:08 Interview with Maciej Konarzewski
• 04:17 Maciej’s Freelancing Journey
• 14:30 The Importance of Specialization
• 25:33 The Reality of Job Security
• 26:09 The Hardest Decision: Changing Jobs
• 26:42 You Are Your Own Backup Plan
• 27:41 Selling and Marketing Yourself
• 30:34 The Mindset Shift in Sales
• 36:46 The Importance of Community and Specialization

Helpful Links:
• Connect with Maciej on LinkedIn
• Vision Marketing

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What if becoming a manager isn’t the upgrade you’ve been led to believe?

What if you could grow your influence and your impact, without giving up the work you actually love doing? In this episode, Filippos Protogeridis shares why traditional UX career ladders don’t always work and how he carved out a leadership path that didn’t require a team of direct reports.

A lot of mid-level and senior designers assume the only way to advance their careers is to become managers. But what if that path isn’t right for you? What if there are better options? In this episode, I talk with Filippos Protogeridis, who shares his journey from founding designer to head of product design at a rapidly growing healthtech startup in London.

Filippos didn’t follow the traditional ladder. Instead of giving up hands-on work, he redefined what leadership looks like for his role, blending vision work, hiring, mentoring, and strategy with the design work he still loves. We talk about why most companies get the “promotion to management” thing all wrong, and how to think more clearly about what you actually want from your next step.

If you’ve been wrestling with questions about growth, leadership, and what it really means to “level up” in UX, this episode is for you. Tune in and rethink what success in design leadership can look like.

Topics:
• 05:00 – Filippos’ Background and Journey
• 06:43 – Challenges in Leadership Transition
• 14:20 – The Importance of Hiring and Letting Go
• 26:33 – Hands-On Leadership and Visioning
• 34:54 – Types of Design Leadership Roles
• 41:42 – Impact of Layoffs on Leadership
• 42:21 – Shift in Hiring Trends
• 43:03 – Lean Management and Hands-On Roles
• 43:47 – Challenges and Opportunities in Hybrid Roles
• 46:21 – Embracing the Founding Designer Mode
• 48:53 – Market Chaos and Its Impact
• 49:38 – Entrepreneurial Mindset in Large Organizations
• 54:58 – Closing Thoughts on Leadership and Followership

Helpful Links:
• Connect with Filippos on LinkedIn• Designary.com

—

Thanks for listening! We hope you dug today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And if you really enjoyed today’s episode, why don’t you leave a five-star review? Or tell some friends! It will help us out a ton.

If you haven’t already, sign up for our email list. We won’t spam you. Pinky swear.

• ⁠⁠Get a FREE audiobook AND support the show⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Check out show transcripts⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Check out our website⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Subscribe on Spotify⁠

⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠

⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠Subscribe on Stitcher⁠

Tired of stressing over your UX portfolio? Discover smart ways to showcase your value clearly, even if you’re buried in NDAs or complex enterprise projects. Learn how to simplify your story, prioritize content strategically, and confidently communicate your UX expertise without falling into portfolio overwhelm.

How do you turn years of complicated UX work into a clear, concise story that hiring managers actually want to read?

This week, I welcome back Aneta Kmiecik, who has made it her mission to help mid-to-senior UX designers tackle the common nightmare of portfolio creation. Having transitioned from architecture to UX herself, she has a deep understanding of the challenges, especially when it comes to showcasing complex, NDA-heavy projects or navigating roles with less visually striking outcomes.

We explore practical strategies for creating concise, impactful portfolios without lengthy traditional case studies. She introduces the powerful concept of "project snapshots," a straightforward way to quickly and effectively highlight the core value and outcomes of your UX work. We discuss essential habits for proactively capturing your work as it occurs, rather than scrambling when you suddenly need to apply for a job.

If you’ve ever felt portfolio anxiety or struggled to clearly showcase your real UX value, tune in for actionable insights to transform your portfolio approach and confidently land your next role.

Topics:
• 02:42 The Stress of Creating Portfolios
• 02:57 Aneta’s Journey and Expertise
• 03:50 Actionable Advice for UX Portfolios
• 09:03 The Importance of Work Journals
• 14:24 Crafting Case Studies for Your Next Job
• 28:58 Common Mistakes in UX Portfolios
• 30:53 Common Portfolio Mistakes
• 31:57 Alternative Ways to Showcase Work
• 33:10 Creating Project Snapshots
• 38:27 Choosing the Right Platform
• 45:10 Final Thoughts and Advice

Helpful Links:
• Connect with Aneta on LinkedIn
• Follow Aneta on Instagram
• Aneta’s UX Portfolio Course

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