“Your network is your net worth”: A Designer’s Perspective

What motivated your career switch?

I always knew I wanted to start something of my own. Most of the time, I pursued things that were of interest to me. So you can say the “career switch” was motivated by interest and curiosity. I went from studying Biological Sciences (hoping to be a scientist) to a very much design, engineering and business driven career. 

(I’m not sure I switched careers, I more of switched paths. My career has always been in design, engineering and business.)

How would you advise your younger self?

I’d spend more time making meaningful and long-lasting connections. I realised a bit later in life that “your network is your net worth”.

What’s the key thing you see lacking in the design community?

I meet a lot of designers who are perfectionists. Not sure whether it stems from character or from the design education, but I would like to see more designers give precedence to iteration. Designers can adopt the mindset that getting it right is a process of “continuous improvement” rather than hoping to hit a homerun on the first try. This also helps a lot with the anxiety designers face when putting their work out.

What is your greatest fear?

I have a fear of regret. I don’t want to get old and think, “I should have done this, I should have done that”. So as much as I can, I try to be very open to new experiences, opportunities and projects. But I also have learnt how to say “No” – the opportunity must either allow me to learn or earn. Equally great is my fear of getting old.