41. Flourishing in Different Company Cultures With Sera Tajima

41. Flourishing in Different Company Cultures With Sera Tajima

Episode 41
1:09:26

Sera Tajima has done it all. She’s worked at startups. She’s worked at mid size companies. She’s worked at large corporations. And now she runs her own ed tech business teaching students UX design skills for the real world.

It’s not the size of the company, it’s how you use it

If you’re just starting out in your UX career, navigating all the potential options for your career can be pretty intimidating. There are tiny startups, large corporations, and everything in between.

What skills will you learn at each? If you get a job as a solo designer, how much will you learn? If you get a job at a large corporation with regimented roles and responsibilities, how much will you learn?

Which option is best for you to grow as a designer?

Which option will keep you at the top of your game for years to come?

It turns out it might not be the company, but how you approach the opportunity.

The fact is there is no such thing as a perfect company or perfect team. Every team has its quirks. Some are better than others, sure, but you’ll get out what you put in.

This week, Sera Tajima, founder of The Craft joins the show to discuss the various opportunities and her experience working at small startups and large corporations and everything in between.

Topics:
• 07:38 – When taking a boot camp, you need to be self-directed
• 12:36 – What’s it like being the sole designer?
• 14:42 – Discovering the unknown unknowns
• 18:13 – Large or small, your job is often more than design
• 21:05 – The company size doesn’t always determine the work you’ll do
• 25:14 – Applying lessons learned at startups to being an entrepreneur
• 30:51 – pros and cons of large, small, and startup companies
• 33:44 – You can learn a lot from your peers
• 38:09 – Misconceptions
• 42:34 – The perfect company doesn’t exist
• 49:06 – Thinking critically is so important here
• 49:54 – Don’t rush your career – enjoy the journey

Helpful Links:
• Connect with Sera on LinkedIn
• the-craft.io
• The Craft on LinkedIn
• The Craft on YouTube

This Week’s Audio Book

Check out Hacking Growth: How Today’s Fastest-Growing Companies Drive Breakout Success by Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown.

“Hacking Growth” is a guide that reveals the strategies used by fast-growing companies for success. It emphasizes data-driven approaches, iterative experimentation, and scalable growth engines. The book provides valuable insights for achieving sustainable growth and outperforming competitors. Through real-life case studies, Ellis and Morgan offer practical lessons on optimizing customer acquisition and retention and fostering a culture of continuous innovation within organizations. Hacking Growth serves as a roadmap for businesses seeking breakout success in dynamic market landscapes.


Sera Tajima
Founder — Design & scale products that change lives

About Sera

Sera Tajima is the Founder and Principal Designer of The Craft, a design consultancy and education company that empowers aspiring designers to develop influential and transformative products. Her expertise encompasses Product Design Strategy, UX Research, Growth, Sustainability, Workshops, Future Visioning, and Processes. She combines design, data, and emotion to deliver exceptional user experiences that drive innovation and impact. Sera’s design approach is sustainable and ethical, contributing to several companies’ growth objectives. If you’re looking for a dedicated design partner who can help you achieve your business goals while creating a better world, then you should connect with Sera.



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Meet your host

Jeremy Miller

Designer // Host // Mentor

I’m Jeremy. I’m a product designer from New Orleans. Here are some things I want you to know about me:

But most importantly, I know you can’t build great software without great relationships.

So join me here and learn about how to build truly great software.

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