In this episode of The UX Consulting Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with longtime friend and industry leader Dan Brown to explore the evolution of his consulting journey—from co-founding the beloved UX agency EightShapes to launching his solo consultancy, Curious Squid.

Together, they dive into:

• The origin story and 18-year legacy of EightShapes
• Why Dan and his co-founder Nathan Curtis ultimately decided to close the agency
• The emotional and operational realities of hiring employees as a small consultancy
• How Dan approached building Curious Squid, his new independent consultancy 
• The mindset shift from running a team to going solo
• Writing as a way of thinking (and how Dan keeps up such a prolific publishing pace)
• Why he launched a new podcast—Unchecked: The Architecture of Disinformation—and how it aligns with his professional mission
• The marketing tactics that are actually working for him as an independent consultant

Dan also shares thoughtful reflections on:

• The power of staying top-of-mind through relationship-building
• What makes a good consultant (spoiler: it starts with listening)
• Why authenticity is non-negotiable, even when running your own business
• His best advice for those considering growth, hiring, and long-term sustainability

Whether you're running your own consultancy or thinking about taking the leap, this conversation is packed with relatable stories and hard-earned wisdom.

Notable Quotes:
“It is terrifying. It’s 100% terrifying.” – Dan, on the decision to take on full-time employees at EightShapes

“Some of the best design work I did was designing EightShapes itself.” - Dan, on designing company culture

Connect with Us:

• Host: Kyle Soucy | Usable Interface | Linkedin 
• Guest: Dan Brown | Curious Squid | LinkedIn 

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Links and Resources Mentioned:

• Curious Squid’s Calendar of Events 
• Dan and Rachel Price’s New Podcast, Unchecked: The Architecture of Disinformation 
• Dan’s A Lens a Day Podcast 
• Dan’s Books:  Communicating Design, Designing Together, and Practical Design Discovery 
• Kyle’s Talk at UXPA Boston - Using AI to Streamline Persona and Journey Map Creation 

Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories.

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I can’t wait to have you back in the lounge for our next episode!