In this episode of the UX Fika Podcast, I sit down with Be Kaler Pilgrim, a pioneer in digital recruitment, co-founder of Futureheads Recruitment – one of the most trusted names in design and tech recruitment – and more recently the founder of the executive search firm Smithfield Search.

As someone who’s spent over 30 years at the intersection of technology and talent Be has helped shape countless careers, including mine. When we recorded this conversation in 2021, Be was still at the helm of Futureheads, navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic while helping companies and candidates adapt to a rapidly changing world.

We talk about how she accidentally fell into recruitment, studying Ayurvedic medicine in Sri Lanka in her 20ies, setting up Futureheads in the teeth of the recession, and how recruitment and hiring has changed over the years.

Be also shares what it was like growing up as the youngest of 10 siblings in a traditional Punjabi household, how her father’s belief in education made such a difference, and what it was like becoming a mum later in life. We also talk about why honesty and empathy – real, practiced empathy – is at the heart of how she builds teams, relationships, and careers.

It’s a warm, reflective conversation about building a career by helping others find theirs, leading through change, and holding space for growth in all its forms.

Plus:

☕️ Why black oolong tea from New Aurelia in Sri Lanka and a samosa is her go to fika

🌟 Why you should talk about stuff, reach out to people, and have that inner dialogue with yourself

What we cover:

00:00 Intro & Navigating the Pandemic: Personal and Professional Challenges

02:23 Opening a New Office As The Pandemic Hit

05:26 Career Journey: From Studying To Become a Ayurvedic Doctor To Entrepreneurship

06:46 The Evolution of Recruitment in the Digital Age

08:59 Setting Up A Recruitment Business In The Teeth of Recession

09:49 Adapting to Change: The Impact of COVID-19 on Hiring Practices

14:04 Changes In How Companies Recruit

16:45 The Shift From Agencies To Client Side

18:34 Community Engagement and Purpose-Driven Initiatives

22:43 On Mental Health and Not Knowing What's Cooking In Somebody Else's Pot

29:14 Looking Ahead: Events and Conferences Post-Pandemic

32:27 Navigating Post-Lockdown Life

36:07 Reflections on Motherhood and Aging

37:05 The Evolving Landscape of Parenting

39:58 Support Systems in Parenting

41:29 Plans for Family Reunions and Staycations

45:02 Learning To Drive

45:40 Immigrant Stories, Family Legacy, and Big Families

49:56 Life Lessons and Personal Growth

51:45 Cultural Connections and Future Aspirations

Where you’ll find Be:

• ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Smithfield Search Website⁠⁠
• Futureheads Website

Where you’ll find Anna & UX Fika:

• ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

• 
  

If you liked this episode, help us reach more people by following, leaving a rating and a review.

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#recruitment #futureheads #uxdesign #agencies #business #technology #careeradvice #productdesign #tech #scaleups #empathy #uxfika #uxfikapodcast #bekalerpilgrim #smithfieldsearch

In this episode of the UX Fika Podcast, I chat with Jeff Gothelf – author of five books including Lean UX, Sense & Respond, Forever Employable and Who Does What By How Much – about how we can bring the same intentionality we apply to product design into shaping our own careers.

Jeff’s work has helped organisations around the world build better, more customer-centric products, and executives build the culture that is needed to build better products. But what happens when you apply those same principles – iteration, clarity of outcomes, experimentation – to your own career? That’s exactly what we talk about in this conversation, recorded back in 2021.

We cover the story behind his book Forever Employable and how turning 35 made Jeff question everything and pushed him to “plant his flag” as a thought leader. We also dive into the evolution of Lean UX through three editions, the value of outcomes over outputs, and why getting paid what you’re worth matters.

We also talk about what spending six months working in a circus and how working as a musician and performing live helped shape his skills as a speaker and trainer, and what those unexpected experiences taught him about adaptability, feedback, and finding your place on stage.

It’s a thoughtful, practical, and inspiring conversation about designing your life and career with intent.

Plus:

☕️ Why dark chocolate rice cakes and coffee are his favourite fika

🌟 Why you should stop starting and start finishing

What we cover:

00:00 Intro

02:25 Adapting to Remote Work: Changes in Business Dynamics

07:38 The Evolution of Lean UX: A Journey Through Editions

10:30 Evolving As A Writer

14:35 Writing the Third Edition of Lean UX

15:44 Jeff's Different Books

19:28 Becoming Forever Employable

23:13 Planting your own flag

26:39 Treating your career as a product

30:20 Finding Your Ikigai

33:42 Career Insurance And Making Yourself Resilient

37:27 The Value of Experience

39:08 Beating Imposter Syndrome & Getting Paid What You're Worth

43:53 Evaluating Speaking Opportunities

50:19 Forever Employable Stories Podcast

52:25 Lessons From Working In the Circus & Being in A Band

54:46 Reading the Room

58:21 Engaging with Criticism

01:05:57 Future Projects

01:06:59 Life advice - Stop Starting, Start Finishing

Where you’ll find Jeff:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠YouTube
• Books
• Courses

Where you’ll find Anna & UX Fika:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠Instagram⁠

• 
  

If you liked this episode, help us reach more people by following, leaving a rating and a review.

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#leanux #okr #uxdesign, #productdesign #business, #technology, #foreveremployable, #careeradvice #productdesign #uxfika #uxfikapodcast #jeffgothelf

In this episode of the UX Fika Podcast, I sit down with Andy Budd – designer, investor, coach, and founder of Clearleft and conferences such as dConstruct, UX London, and Leading Design.

Andy’s been a defining voice in the UX and design leadership community and in this episode he shares the story of why, after 15 years, he decided to hand over the reins of the company he built and step into a new, more uncertain chapter. We talk about what led to that moment, how Clearleft became an employee-owned business, and what it means to intentionally walk away from something you love in search of something new.

We also talk about how the pandemic reshaped his thinking on remote work and collaboration, and why asynchronous communication might be the most underappreciated design tool in the industry.

But this episode, which is from 2021, also takes a few wild turns, from talking about learning to fly to cave diving in Mexico and shark wrangling on the Great Barrier Reef. Andy shares what flying and diving in high-risk environments has taught him about leadership, self-awareness, and staying calm under pressure, plus one of the more challenging jobs he’s ever done.

It’s a conversation about reinvention, letting go, finding clarity through discomfort – and how boredom might actually be a creative advantage.

☕️ Why he loves going form one cafe to another, afternoon tea and something chocolatey as his favourite fika

🌟 Why you shouldn’t over index on the past or the future

What we cover:

00:00 Intro

03:00 Navigating Company Culture in a Remote Environment

08:08 Adapting Business Strategies During the Pandemic

25:46 Embracing Change: Leaving Clearleft

31:36 Making Clearleft an Employee Owned Business

37:13 Reflections on Leadership and Responsibility

38:37 Embracing Change and New Beginnings

39:45 The Importance of a Serendipity Break

41:13 Exploring Future Opportunities

46:37 The Thrill of Flying and Personal Growth

58:14 Diving into Adventure: Scuba and Cave Diving

01:09:37 Navigating Risks and Life Lessons

01:14:13 Living in the Moment: Life Advice and Philosophy

Where to find Andy:

• • LinkedIn
  • Website
  • Stacklist
• • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • Instagram

  
  

  Where you’ll find Anna & UX Fika:

  • ⁠LinkedIn⁠
  • ⁠Website⁠
  • ⁠Instagram⁠

  • 
    

  If you liked this episode, help us reach more people by following, leaving a rating and a review.

  ~

  #uxdesign, #productdesign #business, #technology, #adventure, #serendipitybreak #productdesign #designleadership #uxfika #uxfikapodcast #andybudd #clearleft