322: Our approach to side projects in 2026

322: Our approach to side projects in 2026

Author: Charli Prangley, Femke Van Schoonhoven November 10, 2025 Duration: 37:09

Charli and Femke discuss their evolving perspectives on side projects, preferred platforms and content formats, and how these have changed throughout their careers, while also sharing their current goals—Charli opening up about her book writing journey and Femke explaining how her approach to her course is continuously evolving.

Timestamps: 

01:26 - Episode start

03:11 - How are you currently thinking about side projects? How do you describe what you do on the side when meeting new people?

05:23 - Perspectives on different platforms and content formats

08:38 - Charli’s main side project at the moment: writing a book

09:42 - Updates on Charli’s YouTube channel

16:00 - How Charli incorporates Claude into her creative process

17:00 - Strategies behind choosing and developing content formats

25:25 - Femke shares her vision for her business

 

Links: 

Femke's community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm
 


Hosted by designers Charli Prangley and Femke Van Schoonhoven, Design Life feels like eavesdropping on a candid conversation between two friends who genuinely understand the hustle. This podcast digs into the reality of a creative career, moving beyond portfolio tips to discuss the actual challenges of making a living from your ideas. Each episode stems from their own experiences as serial side-project addicts, covering everything from navigating client negotiations and pricing your work to pushing through creative blocks and finding time for personal work. You’ll hear them dissect the intersection of design, business, and technology with a relatable, grounded perspective. The discussion they foster is particularly valuable for young creatives seeking honest advice and a sense of community, all delivered through the lens of two practitioners in the field. Tune in for a blend of practical strategy and personal reflection that focuses on building a sustainable and fulfilling design practice.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Design Life
Podcast Episodes
325: Goals and creative aspirations for 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:40
Femke and Charli outline their goals for 2026 and the strategies they plan to implement to achieve them. Femke shares an update about her upcoming baby and how she plans to balance it with her business, while Charli disc…
324: Collaborating with other design creators on a side project [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:52
Femke and Charli discuss how to collaborate effectively with other design creators on side projects. Femke shares her experience working with five other designers on the Design Creator's Bundle, including how the collabo…
323: How to land a promotion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:55
Charli and Femke discuss the common challenges people face when pursuing promotions, share strategies to prepare for performance reviews, and explore options for those who perform well but are unable to get promoted.Time…
321: Knowledge-sharing in a design team (the wins and the failures) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:41
Femke and Charli discuss how to foster a culture of knowledge sharing at a workplace. They explore how to structure language-sharing sessions, whether these should focus on work-related topics or personal expertise, how…
320: The struggle with staying up-to-date with new design tools [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:16
Femke and Charli discuss the challenges of staying up-to-date with AI tools, the importance of developing horizontal skills rather than just tool-specific knowledge, integrating AI into your workflow, the financial and e…
319: Balancing speed and quality in design work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:17
Femke and Charli discuss how to balance product quality with commitments, deadlines, and the pressure to ship quickly. They explore the best approaches to building MVPs and new features, and consider whether AI is influe…
318: Revealing our performance reviews as design leaders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:58
Thank you to our sponsor, Framer. Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femkeCharli and Femke talk about the challenges of discussing performance reviews…
317: What it's like to take part in a hackathon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:46
Thank you to our sponsor, Framer. Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femkeFemke and Charli discuss various aspects of hackathons, including team organi…
316: The art of giving useful feedback [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:56
Thank you to our sponsor, Framer. Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femkeFemke and Charli discuss their perspectives on giving feedback, how their app…
315: How to hire (and get hired) in a brand design role [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:48
Thank you to our sponsor, Framer. Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femkeFemke and Charli discuss Gusto's new Creative Director role, including why th…