🎙️ From Designer to Founder: James Song on Leadership, Intent & Building What Matters

In this episode of Design Shift, we sit down with James Song—a renowned design leader who has shaped products and teams at companies like Meta, Uber, Tinder, and Frog—to explore the real journey from designer to founder.

Whether you’re a product designer, creative lead, or aspiring entrepreneur, James breaks down what it really means to lead:

→ Why leadership starts with curiosity, not titles

→ How design becomes a strategic force inside organizations

→ Why founding a company is an act of service and systems thinking

→ Tools, mindsets, and advice for designers ready to build something of their own

🧠 TOPICS COVERED:

00:03:08 Toy Story and the Pixar Moment That Sparked a Career

00:04:00 Typography, Layout, and the Shift from Animation to Design

00:06:16 Defining Design as “Intent Made Real”

00:06:24 Shifting from Execution to Vision

00:06:58 Leadership Emerges from Curiosity, Not Titles

00:14:06 Learning from Frog, Apple, and the Origins of Design Language

00:15:27 Influence vs. Authority: The Real Leadership Challenge

00:15:48 Advice to Designer-Founders: Learn Tools and Build Systems

00:20:16 Coaching Emerging Leaders Through Real Strategic Work

00:23:31 Leading Without a Title: Systems Thinking and Ownership

00:27:44 From Design Leader to Founder: Making the Leap with Intent

00:30:58 Building Your First Company: Product, Team, and Execution

00:35:20 Lessons from Hypergrowth at Uber and Scale at Meta

00:38:12 Seeing the Full Business Landscape as a Designer

00:41:02 Balancing Craft and Strategy as a Founder-Leader

00:44:17 Designing Tools, Culture, and Systems with Intent

00:46:25 Making Design Decisions that Reflect Your Values

00:48:39 Encouragement to Designers: You Already Have What It Takes

00:50:22 James’s Final Advice to Aspiring Designer-Founders

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👇 Drop a comment if this inspired you—and don’t forget to like + share it with a designer who needs to hear this!

🔥 WHO SHOULD LISTEN TO THIS:

• Designers transitioning into leadership

• Creatives thinking about starting their own company

• Product thinkers interested in design-led strategy

• Founders who care about craft, culture, and intent
  

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