#123 Year-End Reflections
Honest UX Talks
Deep Dive
What were the most significant achievements for Ioana in 2024?
Ioana was contacted by Jacob Nielsen to discuss AI and design, which she considered a career-defining moment. She also gave a keynote at South by Southwest, explored AI at her job at Miro, and realized she could diversify her work into speaking, research, and consultancy. She also began to question her professional identity and the value of external validation.
What were Anfisa's highlights of 2024?
Anfisa managed to balance her role as a new mom with her job and community business. She launched a community, conducted 108 live workshops, redesigned her course website, and published her portfolio. She also started speaking at conferences and began exploring investing.
What low moments did Ioana experience in 2024?
Ioana felt the risk of burnout and the need to reassess her priorities. She realized that doing too much was not sustainable and started questioning the value of achieving more if it led to burnout and unhappiness. She is now considering doing less to improve her well-being.
What challenges did Anfisa face in 2024?
Anfisa faced the challenge of managing a toddler, a community business, and her job. Her year was chaotic, with a lot of pressure and overwhelming moments. She also experienced ups and downs with her community business, often feeling like quitting but ultimately finding fulfillment in helping others.
What keyword did Ioana choose for 2025, and why?
Ioana chose 'balance' as her keyword for 2025. She aims to balance her personal and professional life, ensuring that her work is rewarding and financially viable while also making time for rest, recognition, and community work.
What keyword did Anfisa choose for 2025, and why?
Anfisa chose 'pensive' as her keyword for 2025. She noticed a shift in her mindset from being impulsive to being more reflective and insightful. She wants to continue this new stage of her life, where her brain connects dots and sees things in a different light.
How do Anfisa and Ioana plan to evolve their podcast in the coming year?
They plan to invite more guests to bring new perspectives and tackle topics they may not have expertise in. They also want to gather feedback from their listeners to ensure the podcast remains relevant and valuable.
- Ioana's career highlight was being contacted by Jacob Nielsen and speaking at SXSW.
- Anfisa launched a successful online job search community and managed work-life balance with a toddler.
- Both achieved significant personal growth and self-discovery.
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