EverythingTech with Adebayo Goodness

From Baker to Product designer.

Today, we'll be learning from Adebayo Goodness , a top design voice on LinkedIn with over 10k followers, mentoring other designers through her organization, Mentorship with Goodness (MWG). She'll be telling us how she started her tech journey, some challenges she came across and how she overcame challenges like imposter syndrome and showing up. You should also look out for the FREE design resource she gave.

Let's get into it!

Abigail: Hi, what's your name and what do you do?

Goodness: My name is Adebayo Goodness Oyindamola. I'm a product designer based in Nigeria.

Abigail: So, how long have you been in tech? And also, how did you even start?

Goodness: Okay, so I've been in tech for almost three years now. I started my tech journey in 2021, and it wasn't an intentional one, right? So for me, I was a baker, and I just wanted to learn graphics for my business. My brother was the one handling the graphic design before he got really busy. And he told me I had to learn graphics for myself. And that was a huge challenge for me because I wasn't tech-savvy at all. I was so bad that even my WhatsApp updates, my brother would help me with them.

Abigail: Wow.

Goodness: Yes. So then for my business, I would mostly post on WhatsApp. I wasn't really active on Instagram or anything like that. So, when he told me, "You have to learn graphics for yourself," it was a really big deal for me. He started teaching me Adobe Photoshop. For someone like me who is not tech-savvy at all, it was really hard for me.

Abigail: I can just imagine.

Goodness: Yeah, like it was really hard for me. I would constantly go back to ask him questions. I can't remember if I was able to successfully create any design on Adobe Photoshop. Then, one day I was just having a random conversation with my friend who at that time was a senior product designer. I told him I was finding it really hard to design my graphics for my business with Adobe Photoshop, and he was like, "Oh, you can use Figma. Come around, I'm going to teach you how to use it." And that was how I started using Figma to create graphics for my baking business.

From then on, I started watching videos on YouTube on how to use Figma to design UI, and I started loving UI designs. I can remember my very first UI design. I sent it to my friend, and he was like, "Where did you see this?! You're designing rubbish! If you want to learn UI designs, I will send you good videos." And that's how he sent me good channels to learn UI design. And this is to say that it's not everything that is online that is correct Because I mean, the video had so many likes and all, but the color usage were wrong and other things.

So, yeah, he suggested channels for me to watch, and that was how I started. From there, I started showing my designs to some of my friends, and they really encouraged me by complementing my designs. The friends you keep around you matter a whole lot because they were the ones that sent me the link to Zuri Boot camp that was happening then, and I applied and I got in. It was in that program that I got a deep understanding of what UX design is really all about: research, colors, understanding users, competitive analysis, and all of that. It felt like a lot to me, and I started feeling like maybe this is not for me, so I stopped and focused on my baking.

Again, the friends you have around you matter because they were the ones that were constantly checking up on me and pushing me. I took the decision to be a UX designer in December 2021, and to do this, I had to pause my baking business because focus is my strength. I knew that I wouldn't be able to juggle between those two things. And I also prayed about it and got my confirmation. So during my journey when it was really hard and all, you know, I knew God was on my side.

Abigail: Yeah, I like that you were intentional to pray about it and ask God in the first place because God wants to be involved in all aspects of our lives. And I also like what you said about focus being your strength, because it's good for you to know your strengths and weaknesses. Plus, focus is a secret to getting results faster.

My next question is, can you just point us to some of the resources or courses you used? I know you've mentioned YouTube and the Zuri bootcamp, but do you have more?

Goodness: Yes, so I also got a scholarship to Geneza School of Design through Ingressive for Good. They do this yearly scholarship and always sponsor a thousand designers. So, the first year I got into Zuri, then the second year I applied again and I got into Geneza School of Design, and it helped a lot. Then also, if you're looking to dive into the UX aspect of design, take the Google UX Course. It's resourceful and long, but you're going to learn a lot. Those are the three for me. I will also send you a design resource with the link to good channels on YouTube that you can follow for tutorials.

Abigail: That would be very helpful. Thank you, Goodness. For my next question, if you could go back in time, say Goodness of 2021 and have a conversation with her. What would you tell her?

Goodness: Oh, okay. I think I would just do more of encouragement because that point was really hard. Going from someone whose baking business was not doing bad at all. Like, I had a source of income. I was, you know, doing well for myself, but I had to pause it, and I was done with school, so there was no allowance coming from anywhere. It was quite a lot. I remember one day like that, I had applied for a challenge and I didn't get in, and after the call, I just sat on the chair and no, I didn't cry. I wailed. I was just like, "Why is this so hard?" A lot of people don't talk about this part, but there's actually your hard part where you feel lost and you're asking yourself, "Am I doing the right thing?" "Is this what I am supposed to do?"

So I think if I could go back, one advice I'll give myself is just to keep pushing. It's going to get better.

Abigail: That hard part is very relatable. I personally had that time in my journey as well. I will tell my story soon, but those are the times where you need to build a resilient mindset that it's either it works or it works there is no giving up. Thank you for being honest and vulnerable, and sharing that part of your story with us.

My next question, for a minute, let's forget I am a product designer myself. If I am a tech newbie interested in design as a career path, where would you advise me to begin? Especially with the fact that there's so much information on the internet and it can be overwhelming.

Goodness: One thing I would want you to do is Research. Know what UX design is about. The next thing is for you to take a course, and I always advise the Google UX course. Don't get trapped in the noise where you're always learning something new, you know, that thing that happens. Let's say you're having an exam and you're reading something, and then somebody says, "Oh, have you read this topic?" Then you're like no and you're panicking and you leave what you're doing and jump into the next new thing. Don't do that.

Three months after I made the decision to start my tech journey, I got my first internship even without knowing what design system is. So don't get lost in the pool of a lot of information. Just pick a course and ensure you finish it and have a good understanding. Next thing is to focus on Practice. Then build your portfolio, post your designs, and start applying for internships. That was the career roadmap I used.

Abigail: Thank you for that clear roadmap. The last episode where we talked about data science, our guest also mentioned the importance of having a roadmap so you don't get into that maze where you just keep learning and you're not making any progress.

Wow, this episode has been worth every second. I've learned a lot, and I am sure the person reading this has too. Before we call it a wrap, what are some challenges that you faced, maybe not at the beginning but like later on in your journey, and how were you able to solve them?

Goodness: My number one will be Imposter syndrome. I didn't know if I was supposed to call myself a UX designer or not, even though I was, you know, learning the course and posting my designs. And I have seen that is very common with entry-level designers through my mentorship program. It's called Mentorship with Goodness , where we mentor entry-level UX designers. And I always tell them one thing, if you don't see yourself as a UX designer, how do you expect somebody to give you a job?

So firstly, you need to overcome that imposter syndrome. If you have chosen to go in this career path, you need to start calling yourself a designer so that people start seeing you as one.

I mean when you start out you will probably not put out your best work, right? But you need to see yourself as a good designer to to become a good UX designer because I mean if you keep doubting your skill, even when you are in an interview you would not be able to convince the employer to employ you.

The second is Showing up, as a newbie you might likely face this and I have faced this as well.

The people you want to employ you are probably not on your contact list, they are out there so you need to show up.

A lot of people tell me, Goodness, I see your post on LinkedIn every time. How do you do it? And I tell them that I don't show up because I want to show up, I show up because I have to show up, right? I wake up every morning and I be like, I have to post. It is not because I enjoy posting really but because the kind of people I want to employ me and not on my contact list. They're out there.

A good place to start is LinkedIn. A lot of people are getting jobs that are probably not as good as you, why? Because they are showing up. People in need of their services are seeing them and you that you can do better your designs are in your archive, in your Figma, you've not even exported them. Just imagine!

The next challenge I faced is thinking is my design good enough for me to post? what would people say  about it? And to solve this, I usually shared my design with a fellow designer I knew and he would review it and that would boost my confidence for me to post. So those are some challenges I faced, to be honest I faced more and I shared them in my book.

The purpose of that book is to answer some of the popular questions that entry level designers have and all of that. I spoke a lot on some of the challenges that you might likely face, even when you start working as well.  Because when you start working, sometimes your creativity doesn't cut it. At that point you need to focus more on the solution you're trying to provide. I also spoke about what to do if your design is being rejected, it doesn't mean you are not a good designer. It just means that the design does not fit the solution they are looking for so don't let that affect your creativity.

You have to detach yourself from your design. They're not saying you are not good, it is the design.

Yes, you're the one that created it, but like I always say design is very subjective, and they are not just seeing from your lens.

Ps: Its currently 70% off, don’t miss this opportunity!

Abigail: You have even started giving out some gems that are in the book, I will definitely this book and if you are an aspiring designer reading this, save yourself the trouble of making newbie mistakes and get the book!

Wow, we have finally come to the end of a value-packed interview. Do you have any final words for us?

Goodness: Hmm, final words. I think I have said it all. It’s not going to be easy but keep showing up, It can only get better.

Abigail: Thank you Goodness, and dear reader, thank you for sticking with us to this point. See you in the next episode. 

Connect with Goodness HERE

Stay Intentional

Thank you for reading this, I hope you learned a thing or 100 that can help you kickstart your product design journey. We have another episode dropping this week, ANTICIPATE!