The audio and video are in Spanish. These notes are a translation.
In 2020, today’s guest lost his job because of the pandemic. In just a few weeks, he set a plan in motion that let him get back to work in the technology industry within a few months, and in a job he had never even imagined.
We spoke with Nicolás García, Senior Product Designer at WhatsApp.
WhatsApp needs no introduction. It is the chat app we all use every day, and it has more than 2 billion users worldwide. Before WhatsApp, Nicolás worked for other startups and agencies.
We talked about how Nicolás created a fictional design portfolio to show evidence of his experience, how he generated multiple job opportunities, and how he was able to progress so quickly in his career at startups in just two years.
We also talked about product design for startups: when and how much to invest in design, what to look for when hiring designers, and the most common mistakes founders make in terms of design.
Youtube Timestamps*
[1:48] - How to Build a Career in Tech
- How did Nico get into the fascinating world of startups?
- In November 2020, Nico lost his job 7 months before getting married. What went through Nico’s head, and how did he recover mentally in order to decide to return to the world of design and technology?
- The way Nico goes from unemployed to working at startups and then at WhatsApp is unique. It is similar to a sales process or to raising capital. What was his process of creating a “fictional” design portfolio like, and what was the logic behind it?
- Nico connected with 10 to 15 startup founders a day through LinkedIn. What did he write in those messages that resonated with them, and how did he turn those meetings into real job opportunities?
- What would Nico say was the hardest part of breaking into the world of startups professionally? What advice would he give someone who wants to work in technology?
- What has he learned about how to build a career in technology? What practices or mindset are needed at startups that perhaps are not as relevant at more traditional or corporate companies?
[25:20] - Product Design
- People want products that are beautiful and that work, but the degree to which they value that depends on the product, and a startup has to prioritize according to the time and effort it has available. What would Nico say his principles of good design are? What would he say good design is in the context of a startup?
- What are the low-hanging fruit in design that a founder should absolutely devote some resources to?
- What mistakes do startups usually make in product design, and how can they avoid them?
- At what point should a founder worry about “design” and turn it into an area of responsibility inside a company, for someone on the team, or perhaps bring someone in from outside? How would Nico recommend thinking about that decision?
- What are the most important qualities I should look for in a product designer, and how do I evaluate them? What questions or exercises reveal them?
- How does a company like WhatsApp think about product design?
[48:36] - Rapid-Fire Questions
- If he had to enter the world of startups from scratch, what is the main piece of advice Nico would give himself?
- What has been the most influential book on Nico’s path through the world of startups?
- Changes Nico would like to see in Latin America’s startup ecosystem
Episode Mentions
You can find Nico on LinkedIn
Recommended books: Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Relentless by Tim Grover
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Follow Enzo Cavalie on X: @enzocavalie.