What happens when a top UX leader leaves big tech and builds something of her own? In this episode, Maya Elise Joseph-Goteiner—former Google researcher and founder of Velocity Ave—shares her powerful journey from the inside of Area 120 to launching a nimble, high-impact agency.

We talk about the identity crisis that comes with leaving a well-known role, the freedom (and fear) of starting from scratch, and how designers can lead by embracing ambiguity—not avoiding it. Maya also unpacks her view of design as a systems-level negotiation between business, tech, and humanity—and why that matters more than ever in the age of AI.

If you’re a designer, strategist, or creative leader wondering what’s next—this one’s for you.