Jeff White

Improving Medtech software ➤ Advancing UX careers with storytelling @ uxstorytelling.io/course ➤ UX Consultant ➤ UX Designer & Educator

In 20+ years as a UX/UI designer I've shipped hundreds of apps, websites, and features for big tech companies like Amazon and Motorola all the way down to tiny startups being run from a garage. 

5 years into my career I co-published an article about Agile UX work a colleague and I were doing at a broadcast retail company.

That led to several speaking engagements, and 1.5 years later I was in Seattle presenting the design for Kindle for iPhone 1.0 to Jeff Bezos.

I worked at Amazon for 6 years where I:

→ Designed and shipped dozens of Kindle reading apps used by millions
→ Got promoted 3 times
→ Managed and lead teams
→ Worked on highly visible "special projects"
→ Presented to Jeff Bezos and other execs more times than I can remember
 
And then I got burned out. 

So to recover I co-founded a tech startup. This is not a joke. This is also probably not advice I would give to anyone. 

The startup fizzled out quickly but it was my first exposure to entrepreneurship and I was hooked.

I didn't know what to do, I just knew I wanted to continue being out on my own.

With the help of others I started contracting. Over time that grew into a 7 figure design firm called Stepladder. 

Things about Stepladder that I'm proud of:

→ Short but impressive list of long time clients. We form partnerships.
→ 100% referral based
→ 97% of clients become return customers
→ Experienced designers come here to have more freedom in their life
→ Younger designers come here to get started and learn

I never dreamed that I would speak at conferences, work at a big tech name, or start companies. Yet here I am 20 years later incredibly fortunate, full of gratitude, sometimes a bit tired, and having learned:

→ You can't do it alone
→ Helping people is the best part of this job

I share what I've learned over the years here on LinkedIn and work with clients at www.stepladderUX.com.

Thanks for reading.

Founder and Head of Design

Steven Sommer

Making stuff for people who make stuff. 

My philosophy:
- We owe it to each other to treat people like humans, not resources. 
- If you care about what you’re saying, so will others.
- Follow your process only as far as it will take you.
- Follow your ego only as far as you can throw it.
- Balance conviction with adaptability.
- Humor makes most things better.
- Do work you're proud of.

My background is in Marketing.
My foreground is in Design. 
My future is in Gardening.

Principal Design Program Manager - Teams

I’m #hiring a Staff Design Program Manager to work with me on Etsy’s Design team.

This role is about building the operational clarity that lets design systems and content design do their best work at scale: improving focus, prioritization, decision quality, and adoption across product teams.

You’ll work closely with design, content, product, brand, and engineering partners to:

• Shape and protect realistic roadmaps
• Bring clarity to intake and prioritization
• Strengthen how product teams engage with shared foundations
• Amplify the team’s impact across the org

I’m looking for a DesignOps leader who’s comfortable moving between hands-on execution and strategic thinking, has experience with design systems, and genuinely cares about how teams work.

📍 US (Brooklyn or Bay Area preferred)
💰 $170k–$220k + equity + bonus

Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gJFwRkV7

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Steven Sommer

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The Battle

Jeff White

Steven Sommer

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Posts

Engagements

Likes

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);}Steven Sommer's LinkedIn Performance

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