About Hagit Kaufman
Hagit joined Wix in 2007 and leads Wix's Design Studio. Her team of 300 designers are in charge of creating Wix's design and eye-catching content. As the company's authority on all things design, Hagit is also the mastermind behind the company's branding. Connect with Hagit on LinkedIn.
Rob Goodman:
Hi, everyone. And welcome to Ready for Takeoff, the new micro podcast series from Wix, all about hyper growth. I'm your host, Rob Goodman, Executive Producer for Content at Wix. In each episode, we go deep on one single topic in under 15 minutes, sharing insights and lessons learned from the leaders that built Wix, as we talk about everything it takes to build a world class global organization.
Rob Goodman:
Today, we have VP of Brand and Design at Wix, Hagit Kaufman. Hagit is one of the founding members of the company and one of the first designers to join Wix. She now leads Wix's team of more than 300 designers around the world.
Rob Goodman:
In this episode, we're talking to Hagit about what it means to bring value to your company and how to cultivate that value so you can have a seat at the table for those big decisions your team and your entire organization will face. We also talk about advice for emerging design leaders. Here's Hagit, on what it means to have a seat at the table.
Hagit Kaufman:
I think I always add a seat at the table because I always put value in the conversation around the table. So I always give the designer perspective and I always give the user perspective because I am a user and I use the product the most. So my things are valuable and someone can use them and they're part of the conversation all the time.
Rob Goodman:
Do you think that's kind of the key to being included and having design be critical to a business, is just show that value, bring that value? And then in the right environment, it should always then be part of the process?
Hagit Kaufman:
Definitely when I hear you say it, I hear that it's not for a designer. It's for every profession. If you want to have a seat at the table, you have to bring the value, the right value. You have to understand what is the thing that you bring in. So I understand that I have the aesthetic view and I see the whole product under my team. So I can give you the right perspective when you come to vision the next product, or when you come to create it.
Rob Goodman:
Next up Hagit, shares the advice she gives to young managers on her team and starts off by describing how she approached managing in her early days.
Hagit Kaufman:
I think I came into managing too quickly and I wanted to be a designer a bit more, or to keep doing both for a while if possible. I always say to my young managers, "Keep yourself some project to design yourself, find something that you can do to keep the passion of a designer in yourself. Don't become a manager that moves stuff from one place to another, because then you would not be important anymore. You don't have the right value to bring in if you are not an experienced designer."
Rob Goodman:
How are you thinking about bringing value to your organization? Are you demanding a seat at the table just for the sake of it? Or are you bringing a unique perspective that will be the most valuable to your company and to those key decisions that your organization needs to make for your customers and your teammates too? We'd love to hear from you. So drop us a line on social media at Wix and share what's working well for you and your teams.
Rob Goodman:
Ready for Takeoff is brought to you by Wix. Now, if you don't know about Wix, we're the all-in-one platform for running your business online, trusted by over 210 million people around the world. With Wix, you get incredible security, reliability, performance and SEO, no matter the kind of business you run or the size. With Wix, anything is possible. So visit wix.com to start building and growing your business today.
Rob Goodman:
Thanks so much for listening. You can find more episodes and information on our website at wix.com/readyfortakeoff. Ready for Takeoff is hosted and produced by me, Rob Goodman, at Wix. With production by Lindsay Jean Thomson at Wix. Audio engineering and editing is by Brian Pake at Pacific Audio. Music is composed and performed by Kimo Muraki. Our Executive Producers from Wix are Susan Kaplow and me, Rob Goodman. We'll see you next time.
