Growthmates: Create and Grow Meaningful Products & Careers

In this final episode of the "Creator's Path" season, Kate Syuma speaks with Caitlin Sullivan, AI educator, solopreneur, course creator, and former consultant at Spotify Business, about navigating motherhood and building a scalable solo business in the age of AI.
Caitlin opens up about her identity shift after becoming a mother, her hesitant but intentional entry into the AI space, and her philosophy around redefining what "good enough" means across life seasons. She also shares hard-won lessons from transitioning from freelancing to productizing her expertise, and why being early to a trend doesn't always mean immediate financial reward.
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👉 Partners who support Growthmates
• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/
• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF
—
👉 Subscribe and listen to Growthmates Podcast on:
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzSwsz9ekOViWxynZb80Sw
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20kuLErtRnlKhe4HU8LGYH
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthmates-create-and-grow-meaningful-products-careers/id1678168180
—
Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.
Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.
🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.
—
Key highlights from this episode 👇
• We discuss what happens when you can no longer rely on working more — and how constraints force you to rethink how you prioritize your time and energy.
• We explore how motherhood introduced fixed limits that reshaped not only Caitlin’s schedule, but her entire approach to work and ambition.
• We unpack why redefining “good enough” becomes essential when your capacity changes, and how expectations need to evolve with different life stages.
• We examine why multitasking often creates more fragmentation than progress, and what it takes to be fully present in limited time.
• We talk about the shift from time-based work like freelancing to more scalable formats that can exist within real constraints.
• We explain why growing demand does not always translate into immediate revenue and how to keep building through that gap.
—
Follow Growthmates updates on:
Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club
Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):
https://www.growthmates.news/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma
Where to find Kate Syuma:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/
Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/
Where to find Caitlin Sullivan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlindsullivan/
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What we covered:
(00:00) Introduction — when life redesigns you
(01:26) Who is Caitlin Sullivan and what she does today
(06:14) How motherhood shifted Caitlin's identity
(09:09) Redefining what it means to be a high achiever as a parent
(12:47) Defining "good enough" across different life seasons
(21:45) Caitlin's journey from freelancing to solopreneurship
(38:34) Momentum in business — what it really looks like behind the scenes
(44:17) Finding your niche at the intersection of curiosity and expertise
(49:33) The nine-month incubation rule for creative projects
(51:29) Launching a paid newsletter as a demand test
(55:02) Caitlin's next big, scary ideas: micro-SaaS, ultra running, and synthetic users
—
Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.
If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜
For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]
Let’s keep growing together!Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe
Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe


Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode of Growthmates, Kate Syuma speaks with Catt Small — Staff Designer at Dropbox, author of The Staff Designer, writer, teacher, and indie game developer.
Catt shares how she built a book, a course, and a creative practice while working full-time — and why small daily progress matters more than waiting for the perfect moment.
—
👉 Partners who support Growthmates
• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/
• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF
—
👉 Subscribe and listen to Growthmates Podcast on:
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzSwsz9ekOViWxynZb80Sw
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20kuLErtRnlKhe4HU8LGYH
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthmates-create-and-grow-meaningful-products-careers/id1678168180
—
Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.
Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.
🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.
—
Key highlights from this episode 👇
• We discuss how creative projects can grow alongside a full-time career without requiring a dramatic leap.
• We explore why small, consistent steps often lead to bigger outcomes than waiting for perfect conditions.
• We unpack how sharing ideas publicly can gradually open doors to new opportunities.
• We examine how perfectionism can slow creators down — and why “good enough” helps you move forward.
• We talk about the importance of transparency when balancing side projects with a full-time role.
• We explain why teaching or testing ideas first can be a powerful step before writing a book.
—
Follow Growthmates updates on:
Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club
Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):
https://www.growthmates.news/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma
Where to find Kate Syuma:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/
Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/
Where to find Catt Small:
Personal website: https://cattsmall.com
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/cattsmall
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/catt.design
Book (The Staff Designer): https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/the-staff-designer/
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What we covered:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:10) Catt's background in UX design and gaming
(04:22) How to find (and make) time for big creative projects
(07:00) Writing a book in small daily increments
(09:47) How Catt built her relationship with Rosenfeld Media
(12:23) Validating your book idea through teaching and community
(15:13) Overcoming fear of sharing unfinished work
(18:06) Applying a design thinking approach to creative projects
(19:19) Should you start with a course or a book?
(23:24) Navigating employer transparency around side projects
(27:44) The mission behind The Staff Designer
(33:19) The future of the staff designer role in an AI world
(42:21) What gives Catt energy to keep creating
(47:45) Dealing with creative blocks and burnout
—
Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.
If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜
For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]
Let’s keep growing together!Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe
Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe


Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode of Growthmates — The Creator’s Path, Kate Syuma speaks with Felix Haas — entrepreneur, designer, investor, and team member at Lovable.
Felix shares why entrepreneurship is not about owning a company — but about taking ownership of your life. They discuss designing your career intentionally, hiring founders (even as employees), why side projects matter, and how visualization can change your trajectory.
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👉 Partners who support Growthmates
• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/
• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF
—
👉 Subscribe and listen to Growthmates Podcast on:
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzSwsz9ekOViWxynZb80Sw
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20kuLErtRnlKhe4HU8LGYH
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthmates-create-and-grow-meaningful-products-careers/id1678168180
—
Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.
Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.
🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.
—
Key highlights from this episode 👇
• We discuss why distribution compounds faster and more powerfully than credentials in today’s creator economy.
• We explore the shift from selling your time to building leverage that works for you even when you are offline.
• We unpack how showing up consistently creates opportunities that you could never have predicted in advance.
• We examine why creators may become the strongest founders in the next wave of entrepreneurship.
• We talk about what it actually takes to play the long game without burning out or losing direction.
• We explain how building an audience becomes a form of strategic optionality for your future.
—
Follow Growthmates updates on:
Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club
Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):
https://www.growthmates.news/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma
Where to find Kate Syuma:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/
Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/
Where to find Felix Haas:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felixhhaas/
Personal page: https://fh.design/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/felixhhaas
Lovable: https://lovable.dev
Mastering Lovable Playbook: https://designplusai.com/p/mastering-lovable-playbook
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What we covered:
(00:00) Introduction and Stockholm as a tech hub
(03:15) Felix's unconventional career path with 18+ positions
(08:42) Starting a company at 18 without fear of failure
(13:25) What it means to have a founder mindset
(18:01) Being the CEO of your own life
(22:47) Side projects making you better at your main job
(27:04) Designing roles that don't exist yet
(31:03) The power of visualization and manifestation
(36:14) Making decisions over avoiding them
(40:18) Why startups should hire founders
(45:20) Enabling others to discover their creative potential
—
Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.
If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜
For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]
Let’s keep growing together!Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe
Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe


Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode of Growthmates — The Creator’s Path, Kate Syuma speaks with Michael Ridd — founder of Inflight, creator of Dive Club, and former creator of Figma Academy.
Michael shares how he intentionally shifted from selling his time to building leverage through distribution.
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👉 Partners who support Growthmates
• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/
• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF
—
👉 Explore Growthmates & work with Kate Syuma:
• Explore collaboration with Growthmates.club: https://growthmates.club/
• User-centric PLG in the AI Era (join the waitlist and get 100$ off): https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates
—
👉 Subscribe and listen to Growthmates Podcast on:• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzSwsz9ekOViWxynZb80Sw• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20kuLErtRnlKhe4HU8LGYH• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthmates-create-and-grow-meaningful-products-careers/id1678168180
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👉 Best way to support Growthmates? Explore more fantastic tools
• Framer — the fastest way to design and publish stunning websites (Growthmates.club is built on it).
• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for deep product inspiration.
• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant, I truly recommend.
• Magic Patterns — The fastest way to prototype and test new features with AI.
—
Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.
Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.
🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.
—
Key highlights from this episode 👇
• Why distribution compounds more than credentials
• The shift from selling time to building leverage
• How showing up consistently creates unexpected opportunities
• Why creators may become the strongest founders
• What it really takes to play the long game
• How audience becomes strategic optionality
—
Follow Growthmates updates on:
Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club
Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):
https://www.growthmates.news/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma
Where to find Kate Syuma:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/
Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/
Where to find Michael Ridd:
Dive Club: https://dive.club
Inflight: https://inflight.co
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ridd_design
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/michaelriddering
Figma Academy: https://figma.academy
—
What we covered:
(00:42) Introduction and how Kate and Michael's parallel journeys began
(03:10) Michael's founder mindset and family influence on entrepreneurship
(05:10) The shift from traditional career to founder mindset
(06:19) Building leverage through audience and Naval's influence
(12:36) Starting on Twitter vs LinkedIn today - platform strategy
(15:48) The "This Is Pointless" graph and playing long-term games
(18:27) From Figma Academy to Dive Club - pivoting from courses to podcast
(21:00) The importance of choosing life-giving work
(26:23) YouTube growth strategies and the cringe scale of thumbnails
(31:13) What Michael receives back from podcasting and his macro strategy
(35:00) How the podcast led to finding his co-founder Kyle
(36:00) Building Inflight - from marketplace to product
(42:03) Dreaming out loud and attracting like-minded people
(44:34) The future vision for in-person Dive Club events in New York
(47:37) The radical shift from 20 hours to zero-to-one startup intensity
(52:00) Blurring the lines between creators and founders
—
Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.
If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜
For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]
Let’s keep growing together!Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe
Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe


Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe

In this episode of Growthmates — The Creator’s Path, Kate Syuma sits down with Ioana Teleanu for a deeply honest conversation about identity, burnout, and creating in a world shaped by AI.
Ioana shares what happened after years working at UiPath and Miro, building award-winning AI products, teaching AI design, and speaking on global stages — when her professional identity suddenly stopped making sense.
—
👉 Partners who support Growthmates
• Mobbin — the largest UX & UI reference library for real product inspiration: https://mobbin.com/
• Obi by Cor — AI-powered onboarding voice assistant for modern product teams: https://bit.ly/3NaMzyF
—
👉 Explore Growthmates & work with Kate Syuma:
• Explore collaboration with Growthmates.club: https://growthmates.club/
• User-centric PLG in the AI Era (join the waitlist and get 100$ off): https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates
—
👉 Subscribe and listen to Growthmates Podcast on:• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzSwsz9ekOViWxynZb80Sw• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20kuLErtRnlKhe4HU8LGYH• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthmates-create-and-grow-meaningful-products-careers/id1678168180
—
Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, The Creator’s Path, explores unconventional journeys of designers, founders, and builders redefining what it means to create — especially in the age of AI.
Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.
🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.
—
Key highlights from this episode 👇
Losing the Label as a Starting Point: Why not knowing who you are anymore can open the door to a more honest path.
Identity Crisis in the AI Era: How creators and technologists are outgrowing traditional roles — and why uncertainty is becoming the new norm.
Optimizing for Humanity, Not Speed: Why productivity-first thinking fails — and when it’s time to question what we’re really building for.
From Design Answers to Artistic Questions: How art helps challenge sameness and reframe technology’s role in the world.
Connection Over Performance: Why reaching one person can matter more than metrics, virality, or visibility.
—
Follow Growthmates updates on:
Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club
Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):
https://www.growthmates.news/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma
Where to find Kate Syuma:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/
Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/
Where to find Ioana Teleanu:
Instagram (UX Goodies): https://instagram.com/uxgoodies
Instagram (Personal): https://instagram.com/ioana.teleanu
Instagram (Art Account - Soft Machines): https://instagram.com/softmachines.art
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ioanateleanu
AI for Designers Course (Interaction Design Foundation):https://interaction-design.org
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What we covered:
(00:00) Introduction and the identity crisis in creative careers
(02:12) From UiPath to Miro: becoming a patent holder and AI educator
(08:00) Burnout as a catalyst for transformation and reinvention
(13:00) Why artists are making the most impact in technology
(18:00) Not optimizing for money and making more as a result
(26:00) Finding joy in Midjourney and AI-assisted art creation
(31:37) Seven years of building UX Goodies and staying authentic
(38:00) Dealing with criticism and building genuine connections online
(48:00) Balancing motherhood, business ownership, and creative work
(58:27) The future of creators and converging roles in tech
—
Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.
If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜
For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to [email protected]
Let’s keep growing together!Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe


Get full access to Growthmates with Kate Syuma at www.growthmates.news/subscribe