Joel Brody

Ethical Recruitment Leader | Mid to executive-level placement | Helping Qualified Candidates Grow Their Careers by Matching Them with Thriving Companies

Six months. That’s how long a construction firm searched for their next Director of Operations.

Hundreds of resumes. Dozens of interviews. Zero results.

When the CEO finally called me, he was exhausted. The business was growing, but without the right leader in place, he was stuck in the weeds, running operations himself instead of focusing on scaling the company.

Here’s what happened next: I clarified the role, tapped into my hidden network, and within six weeks placed the leader they’d been chasing for half a year. That hire streamlined operations, stabilized the team, and gave the CEO his time back.

This is what I do.
I help mid-market and growth-stage businesses—in construction, real estate, healthcare, and e-commerce—find the executives and senior managers who can turn chaos into clarity and growth into something sustainable.

Not by flooding inboxes with résumés.
Not by recycling candidates who happen to be “looking.”
But through our Right-Fit Recruiting Method™️: deep discovery, targeted headhunting, and cultural alignment that ensures leaders don’t just stick, they scale with you.

Here’s why clients come back:

8 years recruiting across industries that don’t tolerate mistakes

92% retention rate at the 12-month mark for senior hires

A reputation as a trusted advisor to CEOs and founders who are serious about growth

One client put it best:
“Joel didn’t just send resumes, he delivered the leader we’d been searching for. His process saved us months of wasted time and gave us the confidence to scale.”

At the end of the day, I’m not just a recruiter. I’m a headhunter.
I don’t stop until the right leader is in the seat.
I don’t just fill roles, I help companies build futures.

Outside of work, you’ll find me with my family and involved in my community. That same people-first mindset drives everything I do: relationships first, results always.

Looking to make your next senior hire the right one? Let’s talk about how we can find your perfect fit.

Executive Level Recruiter

A simple culture test every founder should run

If you are hiring or scaling, answer these honestly.
No spin. No justification.

At Mai Placement, these questions predict retention better than any interview.

Can your leadership team explain success in the same way
Not similar. The same.

Can new hires clearly state what decisions they own in the first 30 days

When something breaks, is accountability clear or political

Do people feel safe raising issues without being labeled difficult

Are strong performers promoted or protected

Does feedback happen early or only when frustration builds

Do exits surprise leadership or confirm patterns everyone felt

If you hesitated on more than two of these, that is not bad luck.
That is culture speaking.

Culture is not your values page.
It is what happens when no one is watching and something goes wrong.

Founders who win long term do not get defensive here.
They get curious.

Because talent does not leave randomly.
It responds to signals.

And the culture you tolerate today is the culture you will recruit for tomorrow.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

Companies carry real financial liability when they hire wrong

Hiring is not just salary.

It is onboarding cost.
Management bandwidth.
Client trust.
Team morale.
Lost momentum.

One wrong hire can quietly cost multiples of their compensation.

At Mai Placement, companies are cautious because they have been burned before.
Not because they lack empathy.
But because mistakes ripple.

That is why judgment is probed.
That is why maturity matters.
That is why readiness is screened.

This is not a values issue.
It is a business reality.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

Financial stress shows up at work even when people deny it

Candidates often say
My personal life should not matter.

In theory, that is true.
In reality, stress leaks.

It leaks into tone.
Into patience.
Into reactions when things go wrong.
Into how feedback is received.

At Mai Placement, hiring managers rarely reject someone for having bills.
They hesitate when instability becomes visible in behavior.

This is not cruelty.
It is pattern recognition built from past failures.

Stress unmanaged becomes risk unmanaged.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

Lifestyle choices send signals whether people like it or not

Vacations.
Leased cars.
High monthly burn.
Lifestyle inflation.

None of these are moral failures.
And none of them are inherently wrong.

But they are signals.

When a candidate is financially overextended, it shows up in subtle ways.
In how they negotiate.
In how urgently they push.
In how risk tolerant or risk blind they become.

Hiring managers are not judging lifestyles.
They are assessing exposure.

That is not personal.
It is practical.

Companies hire to reduce risk, not absorb more of it.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

How strong founders actually fix culture

After my last few posts, a founder messaged me and said,
So what does fixing culture actually look like then.

Fair question.

Fixing culture is not about being nicer.
It is not about perks.
It is not about slogans or values decks.

At Mai Placement, the founders who turn things around do three things consistently.

First, they define success clearly.
No more vague expectations.
No more moving goalposts.
Everyone knows what winning looks like.

Second, they align leadership before hiring.
No mixed messages.
No conflicting authority.
No asking new hires to navigate internal politics.

Third, they take responsibility early.
When something breaks, they look at systems before people.
They coach sooner.
They correct faster.
They do not let resentment build quietly.

The result is not softness.
The result is stability.

Strong culture does not remove pressure.
It removes confusion.

And when confusion disappears, performance usually follows.

That is how culture actually gets fixed.
Not with slogans.
With structure.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

Stability is part of seniority whether people admit it or not

Senior roles demand more than skill.

They demand emotional regulation.
Long term thinking.
Delayed gratification.

At Mai Placement, senior candidates who succeed do not build lifestyles that depend on the next paycheck or bonus.

That is not privilege.
It is discipline.

Discipline creates optionality.
Optionality creates confidence.
And confidence is one of the strongest hiring signals there is.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

Why some people feel uncomfortable reading my posts

Someone reached out recently and said
Why are you speaking so negatively in public posts. It feels hurtful.

I understand why it lands that way.
And I want to be clear about something.

These posts are not written to attack candidates.
They are written to explain reality.

At Mai Placement, we sit between candidates and hiring managers every day.
We see what gets people hired.
We also see what quietly disqualifies them.

Saying the uncomfortable part out loud is not negativity.
It is transparency.

Hiring is not emotional support.
It is a risk decision.

When I speak directly about readiness, responsibility, and expectations,
it is not to shame anyone.
It is to reduce confusion and false hope.

Clarity feels harsh when we are used to reassurance.
But clarity is what actually helps people move forward.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

Covering bills is not the same as being ready for responsibility

Everyone has bills.
Rent.
Mortgage.
Tuition.
Life.

That reality is universal.

But here is where candidates and companies talk past each other.

At Mai Placement, companies do not hire based on financial need.
They hire based on trust.

Trust that someone can make sound decisions under pressure.
Trust that they can manage scope without constant oversight.
Trust that urgency will not turn into poor judgment.

Financial pressure explains motivation.
It does not guarantee readiness.

Hiring is not a rescue plan.
It is a responsibility exchange.

The faster candidates understand that distinction,
the better they position themselves for the right opportunities.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

Financial pressure and hiring reality

A candidate reached out recently and said
Why are you speaking so harshly. People are just trying to cover their bills.

That comment stayed with me.
Not because it was wrong.
But because it misses how hiring decisions actually get made.

At Mai Placement, we sit at the intersection of people’s financial realities and companies’ risk decisions every day.

This series is not about judging candidates.
It is about explaining what employers are really evaluating when they hire.

Financial pressure is real.
So is hiring risk.

Ignoring either does not help anyone.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

The hard truth candidates avoid

Companies are not hiring your struggle.
They are hiring your reliability.

Covering bills explains urgency.
It does not replace readiness.

Hiring is a risk calculation.
Not a sympathy exchange.

Reality is not negative.
It is actionable.

And once candidates understand how employers actually think,
they stop feeling judged
and start positioning themselves correctly.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭?
If you want to see more
𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 🔔 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞!
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭

Pavle Lucic

Senior UI/UX Designer @ Toptal | Prototyping, Branding, UI Development

I am a Senior UI/UX Designer at Toptal, a network of the world's top 3% of software engineering, design, and finance talent. With over 10 years of experience in the design industry, I have a proven track record of creating visually engaging and user-friendly interfaces for in-car navigation systems, SaaS apps, and marketing websites.

My background in business and economics gives me a unique perspective on how to design UX and UI that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional, efficient, and user-friendly. I am passionate about solving complex problems, collaborating with diverse teams, and learning new skills. I am also Adwords Search Certified, which demonstrates my ability to optimize the online presence and performance of my clients. My goal is to help tech companies increase their revenue by improving the user experience of their products.

Senior UI/UX Desiger

Nobody talks about the work behind the work.

So let me.

For every design I ship, there are 30 that died.

Ideas I had to let go.
Sketches nobody saw.

Hours on things nobody thinks about.

Error states.
Empty states.
Loading screens.
And so on and on....

But hardest part isn't design. It's the conversations.

Defending a decision.
Moving back and forth.
Rebuilding after a last-minute pivot.

The final design looks simple. 

That's the point.
But simple was never easy.

If your work feels invisible...

You're probably doing it right.

♻️ Repost for every designer whose work goes unseen.

P.S. What's the hardest part of your work that nobody sees?

Senior UI/UX Product Designer | UX Strategy | Figma

2 tools that will replace entire product teams in 2026

(designers can do the development now)

1/ Claude → Your thinking layer 
↳ Industry analysis in 15 minutes 
↳ Competitive breakdowns in 20 minutes
↳ User journeys mapped instantly
↳ Feature priorities without PMs 
↳ Strategy without strategists

2/ Figma → Your design AND development layer 
↳ Systems, not screens 
↳ Components that scale 
↳ Figma to code pipelines 
↳ AI-assisted building 
↳ Ship without developers

Old model: 

PM + Strategist + Designer + Developer 4 people. 
4 weeks. 4 handoffs.

New model: 

Designer + Claude + Figma 1 person. 
2 days. 0 handoffs.

Strategy. Design. Development. One designer.

The handoff era is over.

Repost this ♻️ if you're building this way.

P.S. Are you still handing off or already shipping?

How I USED to make case studies:

Step 1: Open Figma
Step 2: Stare at blank canvas
Step 3: Look for "inspiration"
Step 4: Copy a layout from it
Step 5: Realize my content doesn't fit

Then… ( it’s not finished )

Step 6: Start over
Step 7: Give up again
Step 8: Tell myself "next weekend"

(sound familiar?)

How I make them NOW:

Step 1: Open Claude Code
Step 2: Describe my project
Step 3: Gamma generates the deck
Step 4: I am finally Done with case study

3 minutes vs 3 weeks of procrastination.

Same quality.
Zero stress.

Look…

Hiring managers don't care about your case study's typography.
They care about your thinking.
Show them that instead.

Save this. Try it today.

P.S. Tag a designer who needs this 👇

P.P.S. What's YOUR excuse? (I've heard them all 😇)

Here's a proven way to stand out as a UX designer in 2026.

(Without adding another certification to your wall)

Stop focusing on "designing screens". 
Focus on "designing outcomes".

When you present work to stakeholders?

Your job is not to show how pretty it looks. 
It's to show why it matters.

This is the main "metric" of everything you design"

1. User pain points → Connect them to cost
2. Redesigns → Show the numbers behind them
3. They need a solution → Be their strategic partner

Stop hiding behind "I'm just the designer".

Share the "why" → Not just the "what"
This builds irrevocable trust.

Don't just push pixels. 
Push thinking. 

Make sure your seat at the table stays. 

When restructuring comes? 
(And it will) You'll still be there.

Pretty? No. → "Impactful". Always.

(Repost this for your network ♻️)

P.S. Do you notice some designers hiding behind Figma files? Avoiding the business conversation entirely?

Every designer should SAVE this Accessibility Checklist: 

1. Images include alt text
2. Buttons have clear labels
3. Body text is 16px or larger
4. Text contrast is at least 4.5:1
5. Click targets are minimum 44px
6. Forms show clear error messages
7. Icons are never used without labels
8. Navigation works with keyboard only
9. Animations can be reduced or disabled
10. Focus states are visible for keyboard users

Follow this checklist, and you'r already ahead of 90% of products online.

Accessible design isn’t complicated.
It’s just intentional.

Save this post for your next UI review.

(Repost for other designers ♻️)

P.S. Which one do you check last before shipping a design?

Junior designers add design elements. 

But senior designers remove.

One rule that fixed 80% of my designs:

Take your finished screen.
Start deleting things. One by one.

In practice:

That extra icon? Remove.
That extra border? Remove.
That extra shadow? Remove.

Keep going until something breaks. Stop there.

Everything you deleted before that? Never needed.

Took me years to trust subtraction over addition. 
Now it's the first thing I do on every project.

💾 Save this for your next design review.

P.S. What element do you always overuse?

How to choose UX research method as a junior?

Need to know HOW MANY users have the problem → Quantitative.
Need to know WHY the problem exists → Qualitative.

Before choosing qual or quant, ask one question: "What do I need to learn?"

I want to know why users churn → Qualitative
I want to understand user emotions → Qualitative
I want to explore a new feature idea → Qualitative
I want to know what percentage of users churn → Quantitative
I want to count how many users have the problem → Quantitative
I want to measure if a redesign improved task success → Quantitative

If you're picking a method before knowing your question...
You're solving the wrong problem first.

Every junior designer can learn this. It's not as hard as you think.

1 question at a time → 1 method at a time

P.S. Repost this if you find this useful ♻️ and save this guide.

Here's the truth about designing intuitive UX...

You first start to design → some users may get it.
You design consistently → a lot of users will get it.
You start to give your 100% → everyone will get it.

But what comes after that stage?

When you add more features → a lot of users will struggle.
When you start to "assume" → most users won't follow.
When you expect them to adapt → most will churn.

Unless...You help them "feel" confident at every step.

You offer a sense of "clarity" in every interaction.
You provide more than functionality → You give them ease.

So what is "intuitive UX" exactly?

It's when a user opens your product for the first time and already knows what to do. No tutorial needed. 

The layout, the labels, the flow...Everything just "makes sense." 

Always remember:
Users may use your app for the features.
But they stay for the experience → the effortless, intuitive one. ❤️

(90% of churned users cite "too confusing" as their reason for leaving)

Help them "flow" → not just "function" .

Repost ♻️ if you agree with this

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Senior UI/UX Designer

Senior UX Designer

UI / UX designer & UI Developer

Visual Designer

UI/UX Designer

English

Serbian

Unpopular opinion: Figma is the last tool you should open.

Not the first.

Here's the process I use for every project:

Phase 1 → Discovery (1 week)
Research. Competitors. Customer Journey.
↳ You can't solve what you don't understand.

Phase 2 → Prototyping (2 weeks)
Architecture. Flows. Wireframes. Testing.
↳ You can't design what you haven't structured.

Phase 3 → Design (5 weeks)
UI Concepts. Final UI. UI Kit. Handoff.
↳ Now you design. Not before.

8 weeks total. 

"But that's too slow."
No. 

Redesigning a product 3 times because you skipped research is slow. 

Arguing with devs because there's no handoff doc is slow. 
Rebuilding flows because nobody tested the wireframe is slow.

Process isn't slow.

Skipping process is slow.

(Save + Repost for others ♻️)

P.S. Do you follow a process or wing it?

There's  2 types of designers.

The "creative" and "disciplined" designer:

Creative designer:

Always has the wildest idea in the room → sometimes too wild to ship
Portfolio is beautiful → but their project delivery is unpredictable
Pushes boundaries → but sometimes pushes deadlines too
Gets praised in brainstorms → but panics during execution
Gets noticed → but doesn't always get rehired

The "disciplined" designer:

Shows up every day with the same energy → Day 1 or Day 100
Delivers on time → even when the work isn't "groundbreaking"
Communicates progress clearly → no surprises for stakeholders
Portfolio shows shipped work → real products, real outcomes
Gets paid → consistently, repeatedly, and without chasing

(Bonus) 

Type 3: 
The rare designer who has both → They run the industry :)

Creativity is the spark.  Discipline is the engine.

One gets you in the door. 
The other builds your career. ❤️

(Invest 3 seconds into reposting this one, will you?) ♻️

P.S. Which type are you right now? Be honest.

"Good designers have a natural eye for color."

No they don't.

They have a system.

And most of them use the same one:
60-30-10.

60% of the screen is one neutral 
30% is one supporting tone 
10% is one accent

It's simple a ratio.

You could pick ugly colors and still make a clean UI with this rule.
You could pick beautiful colors and still make a mess without it.

The "eye" people talk about? It's pattern recognition.

And pattern recognition comes from systems.
Not talent.

Start with the system.

♻️ Repost or Save if you're tired of the "natural talent" myth.

P.S. Talent or system what matters more? 👇

I've been studying dark UX patterns for a while now.

Here's everything I see on one Temu product card:

"Deal" badge → urgency without a deadline
"17K+ sold" → social proof replacing analysis
1,180 reviews → volume creating false authority
Fake "original" price → anchoring your perception
Cart icon right next to the price → reducing friction
Product image with dimensions → implying precision
Everything above the fold → no scrolling needed to buy
Percentage shown in orange → framing savings over cost

8 design decisions.

But...0 of them are about helping you choose.
All of them are about helping you click.

Feel free to repost this ♻️ 

But my ask is:
Next time you shop online, count the tricks first. Then decide.

P.S. Which one surprised you (1-8)? Anything I missed? 👇

Underrated design skill: storytelling.

(most designers skip it entirely)

Not storytelling with words.
Storytelling with screens.

1. Every screen should answer 1 question:
↳ "What does the user need to feel right now?"

2. Your visual hierarchy is your "pacing"
↳ First heading = opening line
↳ Call to action = climax
↳ White space = the pause

3. Onboarding is a 3-act story
↳ Act 1: why should I care?
↳ Act 2: reduce friction, build momentum
↳ Act 3: first moment of value

That's it. 3 rules.

Try this → before opening Figma tomorrow:
Write 3 sentences for your screen.
Beginning. Middle. End.

Can't do it?

The design isn't ready yet.

P.S. Do you design screens or stories?

My non-negotiable rules for writing button copy.

(7 micro-copy rules every junior designer needs to know)

Lead with the outcome e.g. "Get Your Free Guide"
"Sign Up" = vague → "Start for Free" = clear value
Keep it to 2-5 words → Longer than that? Rewrite it.
Never use "Submit" → Nobody wants to "submit" anything
Never write what the system does → Write what the user gets
Kill the # 1 objection inside the button e.g. "Try It, No Credit Card"

Read it out loud → If it sounds like a robot wrote it, it's wrong.

Bonus: 
Never use "Submit" on a button because you ran out of ideas. 

If you can't describe the value in 5 words, you don't understand the feature well enough.

Bad CTAs describe the process. 
Good CTAs describe the outcome = That's the whole game.

(Save + Repost for others ♻️)

P.S. Do you follow UX copy rules?

Here's something I never post about.

(it starts with a DM I almost ignored)

Last week someone messaged me on Linkedin.

"Hey, do you do branding?"

My first instinct: no.
My second instinct: why not?
My third instinct: LinkedIn says I'm a product designer.

I replied anyway. "What do you need?"

She said: 
"Logo for pilates studio".

I quoted the project. She said yes.
I sketched directions in Procreate on the couch.
I opened Adobe Illustrator. Not Figma. Illustrator.

My iPad on my lap. Coffee getting cold.

She wrote back 4 words.
"Don't change a thing."

And I just sat there.

Because I almost said no.
Because I convinced myself that product designers don't do this kind of work.

I thought:

That it wasn't my lane. 
That I needed to be a "brand designer" first.

That night I scrolled through my files.

Logos I made and never showed anyone. 
Brand identities sitting in folders named "personal" and "side work."

Years of work that never made it to my portfolio.

Because I thought it didn't count.
It wasn't "product design" so it wasn't real work.

That's the dumbest thing I've ever believed.

It's design. 
It counts.

P.S. The coffee was cold. The logo was good. Fair trade.

2 years ago I was handing off Figma files.

Today I push code to GitHub.

Same person. 
Same skills. 

One new tool. AI.

I didn't hire a developer.
I didn't go back to school. 
I didn't learn computer science. 

I just started "building."

Backend? AI. 
Databases? AI. 
The scary stuff? AI.

Design, UX, how it feels?

That's still me.
Always will be.

Turns out, a designer who builds the "whole thing"?
Pretty powerful.

♻️ Repost if you know a designer who needs to hear this.

P.S. Which idea have you been sitting on? Tell me below. 👇

Top negotiators use this hack. It's called "echoing."

(here's how designers can use it on every feedback call)

So how it works?
Repeat the client's own words back to them.

That's why it's called the "Echo" method.

People trust their own words more than yours.
So make sure you use that.

Here's how it looks:

Client says: "I want it clean and minimal." 
Then later: "Add more icons, a banner, and a pattern." 
You say: "You wanted clean and minimal. Which of these fits that?"

Client says: "The homepage should feel premium." 
Then sends a reference that looks like a discount flyer. 
You say: "You said premium. This reference feels promotional. Let's find a better match."

Client says: "I love version 2." 
Two days later: "Actually, let's go back to version 1." 
You say: "You approved version 2 last week. What changed?"

No arguing. 

No "I told you so." 
Just their words "Echoing".

What if the client hasn't said anything specific?

Then quote the brief. 
The approved direction. 
The project goals defined.

Why this works: people respect their own words more than yours.

Use playback → fewer revisions, faster approvals.
Start quoting your clients back to them 😇

P.S. Repost this ( Save ⭐ this and Repost ♻️ )

Dark patterns are the biggest scam in tech.

And nobody's talking about it.

Today I tried to buy an CapCut app subscription.
Price on screen: €59.00/month.
Price at checkout: €299.99.

That's 30x markup.

This isn't a bug.
It's a feature.

It's called "bait and switch"one of the most common dark patterns in UX design.

Here's why it keeps working:

1. The purchase screen looks trustworthy
2. The real price only shows at the very last step
3. Most users tap "confirm" without reading

I teach designers to reduce friction.
But some companies use that skill to reduce your attention.

This wasn't some sketchy app.

It was in the App Store.
Processed through Apple.

If you're building products:

- Transparent pricing isn't a "nice to have"
- Transparent pricing is the bare minimum

Dark patterns are a tax on user trust.

And trust, once broken, doesn't come back.

♻️ Share this with someone who builds digital products.

No one will taught you this at any design workshop.

Your clients used to find you like this:

1. Search Contra ( or other freelance platforms )
2. Check your portfolio
3. Like your vibe
4. Read your bio
5. Send a message

Every step there was a real person deciding with their gut.

Do they like you.
Will they hire you.

But, software is now doing that process. 

Browsing profiles. 
Comparing freelancers. 
Choosing who to hire. 

Without a human in the loop.

Now:
AI agents entered the freelance market. 

Which means...

1. A new buyer category that evaluates without messaging you first
2. Profiles being scanned by software, not just humans
3. Less "let me think about it" - more instant decisions
4. More freelancers who have no idea this is happening
5. A new competitor category that delivers work 24/7

The point I want to make is:

Most freelancers don't fall behind because of skill. 
They fall behind because of awareness. 

I really hope YOU won't. 

(Repost further for others ♻️)

P.S. I created a playbook on how to attract these AI agents. 

P.P.S. Comment “AGENT” and I’ll send it your way. 

( Make sure we’re connected first ❤️ )

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The Battle

Joel Brody

Pavle Lucic

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Joel Brody's LinkedIn Performance

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