In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, Kyle sits down with Jeff Gothelf, consultant, speaker, and author of Lean UX, Sense & Respond, Lean vs. Agile vs. Design Thinking, Who Does What By How Much?, and Forever Employable. Jeff shares the story behind his leap into consulting, including launching an agency with Josh Seiden, the acquisition by Neo Innovation and later Pivotal, and the realization that the real asset he built was not the company itself but the reputation and ideas he ...
Mar 7
59 min
In the final episode of 2025, Kyle sits down with someone who has been woven into her UX journey for nearly two decades: Amy Heymans — founder of Mad*Pow, founder of Beneficent, and co-founder of the Dignified Futures Conference. Amy and Kyle first met in 2006, when Mad*Pow was just a few people in a small Portsmouth, NH office. Over the next 13 years, Amy grew the agency into a nationally respected 70+ person consultancy known for its exceptional design work and its influential events, inclu...
Dec 10, 2025
1 hr 1 min
In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, Kyle talks with Lisa Dance, a UX researcher, consultant, author, and community advocate based in Richmond, Virginia. Lisa is the founder of ServiceEase, creator of the UX Census RVA, author of Today Is the Perfect Day to Improve Customer Experiences, and a regular UX voice on Richmond’s business radio scene. Lisa brings a thoughtful, refreshing perspective on what it means to practice UX in a complex and shifting industry. She has built her career...
Nov 24, 2025
59 min
In this episode, Kyle sits down with two UX industry veterans who are trying something new: Steve Portigal and Justin Dauer have announced a unique collaboration that allows them to work together while maintaining their independent practices. Steve Portigal has been running Portigal Consulting for over two decades, is the author of "Interviewing Users" and "Doorbells, Danger and Dead Batteries," and is a familiar face at conferences worldwide. Justin Dauer is the founder of Anomali by Design,...
Aug 11, 2025
1 hr 18 min
In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, Kyle welcomes her first-ever client into the Lounge: Susan Mercer. With over 30 years of experience in digital technology—including roles in UI design, product management, and UX research leadership—Susan brings a rare and candid perspective on what it’s really like to hire and work with UX consultants. Kyle and Susan share their history of collaborating on two major projects, including one of the largest diary studies Kyle has ever led. From ther...
Jul 21, 2025
1 hr 1 min
In this episode of The UX Consulting Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with longtime friend and industry leader Dan Brown to explore the evolution of his consulting journey—from co-founding the beloved UX agency EightShapes to launching his solo consultancy, Curious Squid. Together, they dive into: The origin story and 18-year legacy of EightShapesWhy Dan and his co-founder Nathan Curtis ultimately decided to close the agencyThe emotional and operational realities of hiring employees as a sma...
Jun 30, 2025
1 hr 2 min
In this episode of The UX Consulting Lounge, host Kyle Soucy reconnects with long-time friend and UX veteran Christine Perfetti for a deeply honest and inspiring conversation about career reinvention, self-worth, and the power of authentic connection. After decades of success in the UX world—most recently through her consultancy, Perfetti Media—Christine found herself at a professional and personal crossroads. Instead of staying the course, she decided to explore something new: a passion proj...
Apr 1, 2025
1 hr 17 min
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 ep...
Feb 19, 2025
57 min
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-creat...
Feb 3, 2025
56 min
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 t...
Dec 17, 2024
1 hr 3 min
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