Episode 246 -- Elizabeth Anderson -- Regular People Understand the Value of Hard Work

Start with a simple promise: make the software not suck. That’s Elizabeth Anderson’s north star as CEO and co-founder of Lunar Lab, where she pairs human-centered design with ethical strategy to build products that people actually use. We dig into how she and her co-founder left toxic tech during the pandemic, learned sales with a stack of library books, and created a B Corp that treats impact as a requirement, not a tagline.

Elizabeth walks us through her product playbook: invite every wild feature idea, then slice to a focused MVP using value–effort prioritization. She explains why intuitive UX, honest feedback, and transparent leadership beat shiny UI and bravado, and how turning away misfit projects builds trust and long-term results. Her case studies—from aviation apps to startup forums—show the power of launching lean, testing in the real world, and earning the right to add more later.

The conversation widens toward public service and parenting. Elizabeth ran for Congress in a deep-red Alabama district to force a neglected conversation on maternal health and rural hospital closures. She shares the data, the human costs, and what changed when she met voters across the spectrum with empathy. At home, she and her husband—both in tech—block YouTube at the network level, yet let their kids read widely and ask hard questions. Safety, context, and open dialogue beat algorithmic chaos.

We also talk about libraries as civic infrastructure: job training, lending tools, community programs, and yes, the books that powered Elizabeth from poverty to entrepreneurship. If you care about product design, inclusive leadership, or healthier communities, this story is a practical guide to building with purpose.

If this conversation sparks ideas, follow and share it with a friend. Subscribe for more candid, human-centered talks, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s one feature you’d cut from your next big idea?

Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff