My LinkedIn Redemption Arc
I used to avoid LinkedIn like the plague.
I grudgingly created an account in 2006, fresh out of university. It was what you did if you wanted a job. It was what you did if you wanted to appear professional.
But I never really wanted a job. And "professional," in my mind, meant sleek suits and corporate jargon—none of which felt like me. The phrase “I’d like to add you to my professional network” sounded like satire.
I was a creative, trying to find my place. A maker. I spent my nights pushing pixels, building products, and figuring things out as I went.
Even as I landed deep in the startup world, I paid little attention to LinkedIn. I was busy doing. My work got me on television and in business publications. We built software that sold millions of units. We interviewed for Y Combinator. I worked with some of the biggest brands in the industry. I grew a Twitter following and built a personal brand in graphic design. I traveled the world as a speaker.
And yet, I never posted about any of it on LinkedIn. I’d log in maybe once a year, take a quick look around, and leave.
At the time, I saw LinkedIn as the worst of the corporate world—a place full of self-serving, performative behaviour. Beggars, posers, bad recruiters, self-proclaimed thought leaders. People jostling for position instead of doing anything worthwhile. I couldn’t imagine how it could offer me anything of value.
I was wrong.
I understood early on the value of growing an audience. But somehow, I failed to see the value of growing a businessnetwork. And I have to admit: it took me over a decade to appreciate something that, to most, is common sense.
Building a network isn’t about playing corporate games. It’s about finding allies. It’s about realizing you can’t do everything alone—that the right people and businesses can help you move faster, build better, and unlock opportunities you didn’t know existed. It’s about participating in the broader industry conversation, helping others win, and cultivating future victories together.
Looking back, every project I’ve worked on could have been enhanced—or even more successful—if I had taken this aspect of my career seriously.
So, consider this my begrudgingly late LinkedIn redemption arc. I’ll be posting more about my business journey, making connections, and—who knows—maybe even dropping the occasional unsolicited insight like a real thought leader. Feel free to follow along. Or connect. Or, you know, just silently judge from afar. I won’t hold it against you.
Project Spotlight
I worked on a macOS and iOS app icon for Workbench. I really like the contrast between the pencil and the cutting mat. It’s also an interesting take on how a concept can span both desktop and mobile.
Sponsor
I've been thinking about ways to support this newsletter and I’d like to try and offer a limited sponsorship slot in each issue. If you've got a product, app or service you think my design-focused audience (~40k subscribers, ~25k opens per issue) would genuinely enjoy, this could be your chance to reach them in a meaningful way.
Each sponsorship includes an image, some friendly text, and a clear button to bring readers right to your door. Kinda like this section.
Nice Things
Turn any logo or shape into Liquid Metal 🩶
Listen to live Air Traffic Control with ambient music for perfect focus ✨
Currently listening to Build by Tony Fadell
Thank you for reading.