No Holds Barred: Grit, Growth & Design Leadership with Andy Vitale

In this episode, we go ringside with Andy Vitale - yes, literally. From professional wrestler to powerhouse design leader, Andy’s career path is anything but predictable. He shares how his early days in the ring taught him lessons in storytelling, empathy, and reading an audience—skills that now fuel his human-centered approach to design. We explore Andy’s journey through big-name companies like Office Depot, Rocket, and Truist, and unpack his perspective on mentorship, measuring design's impact, and the future of our craft in the age of AI. Along the way, Andy gets candid about being laid off, leaning into fractional work, and finding steadiness through uncertainty. Whether you're navigating a career pivot, leading through ambiguity, or just trying to make sense of design’s evolving role, Andy’s insights are real, relatable, and refreshingly grounded.