live taping of the Design Nerds Anonymous podcast

While in the NeoCon area, we also checked out a live taping of the Design Nerds Anonymous podcast! Hosted by Amanda Schneider, LEED AP, MBA the episode "We Tested a Gen Z Advisory Model. Here’s What We Learned" brought the next generation directly to the table.
It was incredible hearing Amanda and a phenomenal panel of guests, including Joseph Olivieri, Candon Murphy, and Caroline G. Murphy, discuss bridging generational gaps and actively reshaping workplace culture.
The discussion sparked several important reflections for our team at Design Seedling:
- The strength of asking questions. Acknowledging that you do not know everything is an asset, not a weakness. Asking questions shows an active commitment to continuous self-improvement.

- Rethinking mentorship. True mentorship requires ongoing engagement. It must be more than just giving direction and running away, which is unfortunately a common pitfall in many modern workplace environments.

- The reality for emerging talent. One striking insight shared by the panel was that for many younger designers, "nothing they have designed has come to fruition." Whether due to theoretical school projects or the frequency of job changes in the current market, many early-career professionals rarely get to see their designs through to final completion and tangible results.

Understanding these structural shifts is essential as we evaluate how to best support and collaborate with the next generation of design professionals. We had actually already purchased Amanda’s new book, Work for What's Next, before the event. Hearing the panel unpack these concepts live has us absolutely ecstatic to dive into it. We can’t wait to make our way through it!