From Social Work to Startups: My Journey so far

I’ve always wanted to share my story. Thanks to Peerlist , here’s my chance! Participating in the 21-day product design challenge has been the perfect excuse to sit down and finally write about my journey. First things first: thank you, Peerlist , for giving me a reason to put my story out there and build the habit I’ve been aiming for. Huge gratitude to the whole team!

How it all started

My design journey started in an unexpected place - an NGO. I studied Developmental Psychology and worked as a social worker for nearly four years, focusing on helping students, educators, and parents. It was fulfilling work, but somewhere along the way, I started feeling this pull toward something new.

While counseling students, I began exploring the design field, just out of curiosity, and that’s when I stumbled upon UI/UX. It felt like a natural extension of the work I’d been doing, combining psychology, empathy, and problem-solving - but in a new and interesting way. I wanted to be sure I wasn’t making a random jump after four years in a totally different field, so I started researching, exploring, and learning more about design on the side.

The real turning point? My decision to join 10kdesigners .

10kdesigners: Career 2.0

I already knew about cohort-based learning, but I wanted something reliable to help me find a place in this new field. A full-blown university program was off the table, so 10kdesigners felt like the perfect choice. The cohort experience didn’t just teach me the basics of design; it showed me how to think about products and users in a way I hadn’t before. I was hooked.

Career 2.0 is still under construction, but I’m more sure than ever. I can see myself doing this work for years and, more importantly, loving every minute of it.

Life after cohort

After completing the cohort, I took a little breather to enjoy life, recharge, and prepare for what was next. When I was ready, I started applying for internships, which led me to an e-commerce brand. That was my first real taste of Product Designing in a professional setting, and it was thrilling. Now, I’m working with a property tech startup, which has been a whole new adventure of its own.

Every role, and every project brings me closer to the designer I want to be, and I’m excited to keep building my Career 2.0.

Thank you, Peerlist

Being part of this challenge has been inspiring. I’ve connected with fellow designers, shared my work, and pushed myself to stay accountable. This experience has been a huge confidence boost, and I hope to stay just as active now that the challenge is wrapping up.

Thank you once again for this opportunity and for creating a space that supports designers at all stages. Here’s to many more design challenges and the journey ahead!