The UX Consultants Lounge

In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with two legendary figures in the UX and design consulting world: Erika Hall and Mike Monteiro, co-founders of Mule Design. Known for their honesty, wit, and willingness to challenge the status quo, Erika and Mike bring decades of experience—and a few well-placed truth bombs—to this candid conversation about UX consulting.

Key Topics Covered:

• The Origin of Mule Design: Why they chose the name Mule and how it represents their approach to consulting—doing the work with intelligence, honesty, and integrity.
• Lessons from the Trenches: The challenges of running a consultancy, firing clients, dealing with contracts, and why you always need a good lawyer.
• The Current UX Climate: Why UX professionals are not to blame for recent industry turbulence, and the role speculative tech growth has played in overhiring and layoffs.
• Being “The Helpers”: Mike and Erika’s advice on contributing to meaningful work—whether in civic tech, local organizations, or community projects—and embracing the value of problem-solving skills.
• Marketing and Business Development: The importance of putting yourself out there authentically. Erika shares how being consistent and unapologetic about your expertise helps clients find you, while Mike encourages consultants to embrace honesty and avoid sounding like machines.
• Why Authenticity Matters: A bold call to action for UX consultants to stop trying to fit in, stop being bland, and start telling hard truths—because that’s what clients actually need.

When asked to describe UX consulting in one word, Erika says, “Lost”, and Mike delivers a punch: “Dead.” Listen to the episode to hear their powerful explanations and why the future of consulting requires honesty, backbone, and humanity.

Connect with Us:

• Host: Kyle Soucy: Website | Linkedin
• Guest: Erika Hall: Website | Linkedin
• Guest: Mike Monteiro: Website | Linkedin

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Links and Resources Mentioned:

• Books by Erica and Mike: https://www.mulebooks.com/
• Erika’s business model talk: The Business Model is the Grid (Confab)https://conffab.com/presentation/the-business-model-is-the-grid/
• Mike’s infamous talk: “F** You, Pay Me”* (Creative Mornings) -https://youtu.be/jVkLVRt6c1U?si=YfFLEeoUe2EkpWmo

Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories.

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I can’t wait to have you back in the lounge for our next episode!

In this episode of the UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with Elizabeth Creighton, the owner of Brazen, a consultancy that offers UX research and training services. Elizabeth shares great tips about scaling your UX consultancy through newsletters, online courses, and investing in deliverables. Plus, they discuss the emotional journey of having to pause your consulting practice in order to take a leave of absence and how to bounce back.

Key Topics Covered:

• The Power of Newsletters: Elizabeth discusses how starting a newsletter helped her connect with clients, maintain visibility, and generate new business. She shares practical tips on managing the workload and gaining subscribers.
• Creating Online Courses: Elizabeth explains her experience developing a user interview skills course on Maven. She provides insights on choosing a platform, balancing course creation with client work, and the impact of teaching live cohort-based courses.
• Enhancing Deliverables: Elizabeth shares her experience in hiring a presentation designer to elevate the quality of her client and course presentations. She shares the value of investing in high-quality templates to improve professionalism and efficiency.
• Managing a Leave of Absence: Elizabeth and Kyle also touch on the challenges consultants face when needing to taking breaks for personal reasons, like maternity leave, and how to bounce back afterward.

Notable Quotes:
“Starting a newsletter really helped me stay top of mind with past clients. It’s about building that direct line of communication that social media can’t always provide.”

“Investing in a professionally designed presentation template has completely changed the way I present to clients. It’s not just about looking polished; it’s about delivering more impact.”

Connect with Us:

• Host: Kyle Soucy | Usable Interface (www.usableinterface.com)
• Guest: Elizabeth Creighton | Brazen (www.brazen.io)

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Links and Resources Mentioned:

• Elizabeth’s Newsletter: https://newsletter.brazen.io/
• Elizabeth’s Maven Course (with a 15% off promo code - ‘CONSULTANTS15’): https://maven.com/brazen-ux/user-interview-skills-designers-pms
• Elizabeth’s Presentation Designer: https://marikedesigns.com/
• ConvertKit (now Kit) Email Marketing Software: https://kit.com/
• Lex Roman’s Low Energy Leads Newsletter: https://read.lowenergyleads.com/
• Company of One by Paul Jarvis: https://www.amazon.com/Company-One-Staying-Small-Business/dp/1328972356

Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories.

Don't want to miss an episode? Be sure to sign up for the podcast newsletter.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.
I can’t wait to have you back in the lounge for our next episode!

In this special introductory episode, we get to know Kyle, the host of our UX Consultant Podcast. Celebrating her 20th year in business as an independent UX research consultant, Kyle shares her journey, the motivations behind starting this podcast, and what listeners can expect in future episodes. Joined by her children, Roger and Gabriel, Kyle answers some of the most frequently asked questions about her career, offering a personal and heartfelt look into her life as a consultant.

Show Highlights:

• Introduction to Kyle (00:00:00) - Kyle introduces herself and her company, Usable Interface, and reflects on her 20-year career as an independent UX research consultant.
• Why This Podcast? (00:02:00) - Kyle discusses the reasons for starting the podcast, emphasizing the need for real talk about consulting, especially in the current economic climate.
• What to Expect (00:03:00) - An overview of the podcast's format, including interviews with other UX consultants, client appearances, listener questions, and more.
• Who is This Podcast For? (00:05:00) - Defining the target audience for the podcast: independent contractors, consultants, freelancers, and solopreneurs in the UX field.
• About Kyle and Her Consultancy (00:07:00) - Kyle answers common questions about her business, Usable Interface, with her kids, Roger and Gabriel, asking the questions.
• Kyle's Journey into UX and Consulting (00:12:00) - Kyle shares her path from working in a Fortune 500 company to becoming an independent consultant.
• The Leap into Consulting (00:20:00) - How Kyle transitioned from a corporate job to starting her own consultancy.
• Finding Work as a Consultant (00:23:00) - The importance of networking, building connections, and establishing credibility through speaking and writing.
• Challenges and Rewards (00:28:00) - The best and worst parts of consulting, according to Kyle.
• Advice for Aspiring Consultants (00:30:00) - What it takes to be a successful UX consultant, including mastering your craft, being self-motivated, and building a strong network.
• Specialization in UX (00:34:00) - Kyle discusses whether to specialize in a particular area of UX and shares her experience as a qualitative UX researcher.
• Bloopers and Wrap-Up (00:38:00) - Enjoy some funny bloopers with Kyle and her kids. Kyle wraps up the episode and teases the next episode featuring a guest interview with Karen McGrane.

Links and Resources:

• Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Kyle's UX Research consultancy, Usable Interface.
• Recommended podcast: The Deliberate Freelancer.

Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories.

Don't want to miss an episode? Be sure to sign up for the podcast newsletter.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.
I can’t wait to have you back in the lounge for our next episode!

In this episode of the UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy speaks with Tamara Adlin, owner of Adlin, Inc., a consultancy specializing in helping early-stage startups and larger companies with product alignment and redesigns. They discuss her impressive career journey and her profound impact on the field of UX consulting. Tamara shares her experiences transitioning from a corporate role at Amazon to establishing her own consultancy, along with the lessons learned from a brief stint co-creating an agency.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Challenges and Rewards of Specializing: Insights into the implications of specializing in early-stage startups and how it shapes business prospects and networking.
• Her Quick Hit Process: Tamara introduces her unique approach to initial client engagements, distinguishing it from typical assessments and emphasizing the importance of alignment before design.
• Women in Tech: Tamara provides candid advice for female consultants navigating the tech landscape, underscoring the necessity of advocating for proper titles and compensation.
• Career Coaching and Support: Tamara discusses her commitment to mentoring and coaching. She talks about the importance of having open conversations about career advancement and salary negotiations, highlighting her involvement with the "Never Search Alone" network to support job seekers.
• New Ventures: Discussion on Tamara's latest podcast, "Corporate Underpants," which delves into how internal politics affect digital products. She also hints at her upcoming book, Align Before Design.

Connect with Us:

• Host: Kyle Soucy | Usable Interface (https://usableinterface.com/)
• Guest: Tamara Adlin | Adlin, Inc. (https://www.adlininc.com/)

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Links and Resources Mentioned:

• Corporate Underpants - Tamara’s Podcast: https://www.adlininc.com/underpants
• Align Before Design - Updates on Tamara’s New Book: https://www.adlininc.com/align-before-design
• Tamara’s Article about Being an Experienced Woman in Tech - https://medium.com/@tamaraadlin/elation-deflation-the-reality-responsibility-of-being-an-experienced-woman-in-tech-92deb07bd358
• Never Search Alone: https://www.phyl.org/
• Taking the Work Out of Networking: https://karenwickre.com/book/
• Aligned by Bruce McCarthy and Melissa Appel: https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/aligned/9781098134419/

Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories.

Don't want to miss an episode? Be sure to sign up for the podcast newsletter.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.
I can’t wait to have you back in the lounge for our next episode!

In this engaging episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with Lisa Bragg, an expert in strategic self-promotion and the author of "Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion." Together, they explore the nuanced art of self-promotion that doesn't just add to the noise but acts as a clear signal, bringing value and visibility to your work.

Whether you're a UX consultant or in any field where self-promotion feels a bit icky, this episode offers practical advice and thoughtful insights to help you share your accomplishments confidently and effectively.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Understanding why self-promotion is crucial, especially for consultants.
• Learning how to share your successes without sounding boastful.
• Discovering practical tips on transforming discomfort into effective self-advocacy.

Notable Quotes:
“You can't sell a secret... Everyone needs to build social currency.”

“Waiting for others to notice you is not a good marketing strategy.”

“ Self promotion is also about connecting and giving recognition to others... anybody who's inspired you, letting them know that is just such a gift that you can give them. And that in return, it helps everyone, It helps yourself, it helps them... give more to the world than we take from it... not to act entitled and not to have the purpose of whatever we share to be to dim or blow out other people's light.”

Connect with Us:

• Host: Kyle Soucy | Usable Interface (https://usableinterface.com/)
• Guest: Lisa Bragg | https://www.lisabragg.com/

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Links and Resources Mentioned:

• Lisa’s Book: Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion (https://www.lisabragg.com/book)

Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories.

Don't want to miss an episode? Be sure to sign up for the podcast newsletter.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.
I can’t wait to have you back in the lounge for our next episode!