Teresa Au chats with author, speaker, and entrepreneur Michael Ventura about what empathy really is and how it can help your design work and your business. Michael describes applied empathy–the idea that empathy isn’t just putting yourself in someone else’s shoes–it’s about better understanding what it’s like to be someone else in their own shoes. They also discuss how car designers rely on somatic empathy, strategies for time-strapped solopreneurs, and an easy way to shake up your video meetings.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How Michael’s brand and strategy used empathy to improve their work
• Somatic empathy as a way to understand your clients’ physical experiences
• The importance of reflecting on the impact of your work
• A quick trick for learning about the people you meet
• Why working more hours is not working better
• A tool for comparing competing priorities
• How empathy and self-knowledge can help you find your purpose

Remix a template created by Michael Ventura in Adobe Express: https://adobe.ly/ITM-Michael

Michael Ventura founded the strategy and design consultancy Sub Rosa, where he advised clients such as ACLU, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, Nike, The United Nations and the Obama-Biden Administration. His book, Applied Empathy (Simon & Schuster 2018) explores the intersectionality of business and personal development through the practice of empathy for the self, and for others. Michael has served as a board member and advisor to organizations including Behance, The Burning Man Project, The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, and the United Nations' affiliated Tribal Link Foundation. He is a visiting lecturer at Princeton University and the United States Military Academy at West Point. An ardent steward of personal and professional development, Michael is frequently engaged as an advisor to individuals, leaders, teams, and corporate boards at moments of transformation and change.

Teresa Au (@tautastic) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe, where she focuses on empowering creatives and students via workshops, panels, and podcasts. On creating In the Making, Teresa says “I knew I wanted to amplify the incredible personal stories of the talented and unique humans I’ve been meeting online and at our Create Now events across the world.”

In the Making is made possible by Adobe Express, the all-in-one content creation app included in your Creative Cloud membership.

Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. Want to leave us a voicemail? Go to https://www.speakpipe.com/inthemaking

Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.

Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more.

Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud

In the Making kicks off season two with Teresa Au interviewing Vanessa Rivera of The Life of AIVAX about her whimsical Photoshop art and how she balances a time-consuming creative career with a family as a working mom. Vanessa talks about creative tools that save her time in her work, how she and her family left their home to travel in Europe for an extended period, how to set limits on her work life, and how to find joy and connection in a lonely world as a creative.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How to manage burnout
• Balancing creative work and a family
• How to make it work to sell everything and travel abroad
• AI as a timesaver for creatives
• Finding joy and community
• How to combat isolation
• What the Adobe MAX community means to Vanessa
• Work/life balance
• Childrens’ book illustration
• Small steps on the way to a big dream

Remix a fun template from Vanessa on Adobe Express: https://adobe.ly/ITM-Vanessa

Vanessa Rivera (Life of AIVAX) is a digital artist who creates nostalgic, magical images of her kids. Her work is whimsical and joyful, and she shares her style and process through Photoshop tutorials, custom assets, and brush library at Life of AIVAX.

Teresa Au (@tautastic) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe, where she focuses on empowering creatives and students via workshops, panels, and podcasts. On creating In the Making, Teresa says “I knew I wanted to amplify the incredible personal stories of the talented and unique humans I’ve been meeting online and at our Create Now events across the world.”

In the Making is made possible by Adobe Express, the all-in-one content creation app included in your Creative Cloud membership.

Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. Want to leave us a voicemail? Go to https://www.speakpipe.com/inthemaking

Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.

Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more. Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud

Season 2 is almost here! In the Making explores the challenges and rewards of working in the creator economy. Subscribe now to join host Teresa Au as she talks to creatives, soloprenuers, and experts to find out how they thrive at work–and how you can, too!

Teresa Au (@tautastic) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe, where she focuses on empowering creatives and students via workshops, panels, and podcasts. On creating In the Making, Teresa says “I knew I wanted to amplify the incredible personal stories of the talented and unique humans I’ve been meeting online and at our Create Now events across the world.”

In the Making is made possible by Adobe Express, the all-in-one content creation app included in your Creative Cloud membership.

Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. Want to leave us a voicemail? Go to https://www.speakpipe.com/inthemaking

Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.

Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more.

Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud