03. Sasha Klein from Unchained: Bridging technical complexity and user experience in bitcoin

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks through the hills of San Francisco with Joshua Philippe, Head of Design at Fold. Joshua shares his remarkable journey from aspiring oil painter to leading design at major Bitcoin companies like BitMEX, Strike, and now Fold. They discuss his unconventional path through poverty, agency life, the wild days at BitMEX, and how he's orchestrating complete rebuilds of both Strike and Fold's brands and products.🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:Joshua's journey from art school dropout to head of design at major Bitcoin companiesHow financial crisis and government seizure led him to Bitcoin sovereigntyThe wild stories from BitMEX's money-printing heyday in Hong KongBuilding design systems and leading rebrands at Strike and FoldThe art of "orchestrating" cross-functional teams as a design leaderWhy networking with VCs and business people beats networking with designersHow to rebuild entire products and brands from the ground upThe importance of taste development and exposure to great work🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show!Connect with Joshua:Twitter: https://x.com/shualippa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaphilippe/Connect with Me:Twitter: https://x.com/SahilC0Nostr: [email protected]/sahilBackground image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/ Timestamps00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show01:00 Joshua's pivot from law to studio art02:13 Early design struggles and Craigslist jobs07:16 Agency life and brand strategy fundamentals09:15 Eight Inc experience on Apple and Tiffany projects11:18 Eames host-guest design philosophy13:04 Government bank seizure and Bitcoin discovery16:02 Transition from agency to crypto/tech18:35 Learning React Native as a designer25:26 Moving from BitMEX to Strike27:21 Stepping into head of design role29:31 Working with superior talent and team orchestration32:09 Strike's turnaround and design efficiency35:08 Joining Fold and complete product rebuild39:52 Organizing 200+ scattered Figma files41:37 Brand summit and strategic foundation work43:06 Agency selection for Fold rebrand45:35 Information architecture and product strategy47:53 Brand as competitive differentiator48:10 Networking advice for designers50:30 Taste development and exposure to great work53:22 Advice on patience with rebrands

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Skyler, founder of Finite Supply, a Bitcoin design agency. Skyler shares his journey from graphic design student to optimization specialist at companies like Walmart Labs, Kraken, and Fedi, before launching his own agency. They discuss the importance of research-driven design, the art of branding, and Skyler's philosophy of "Socratic design."🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:Skyler's journey from graphic design school to Bitcoin design agency founderHow early exposure to A/B testing shaped his scientific approach to designThe philosophy of "Socratic design" and seeking truth in product developmentWhy research and user observation matter more than designer opinionsThe process of creating foundational brand identities for Bitcoin companiesHow to develop taste and craftsmanship as a designerBuilding scalable brand systems for early-stage companiesThe future of human-computer interaction and AI delegation🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show!Connect with Skyler:Twitter: https://x.com/skyler_fs?lang=enWebsite: https://finitesupply.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skylerwestbyConnect with Me:Twitter: https://x.com/SahilC0Nostr: [email protected]/sahilWeb: https://sahilc.com/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 01:20 Skyler's early design journey and education 02:36 Learning HTML and web development in design school 03:24 The important internship requirement project 04:12 Discovery of A/B testing and quantifiable design 05:16 The philosophy of "Socratic design" 06:22 Research vs opinion in Bitcoin design decisions 07:30 Walking through Vegas and design conversations 09:01 The mortuary rebranding project from college 09:28 Transition from optimization to product design 10:02 Working at Aspiration and discovering Bitcoin 11:22 The fulfillment of measurable design impact 12:23 Newsletter break 12:34 Applying optimization thinking to Bitcoin companies 14:20 The easy sell of value-based design improvements 15:17 What Skyler loves about running Finite Supply 16:22 No boss, fewer meetings, and creative freedom 17:07 22+ clients and foundational brand work 17:32 Dealing with quality concerns and imposter syndrome 19:25 Product work and cleaning up "vibe coded" UIs 21:04 Managing growth and saying yes to too much 22:12 The Bitcoin network effect for designers 23:15 Brand project process and client discovery 24:47 Using AI for word definition exploration 25:09 The Bitcoin Bond Company branding story 27:03 How clients become friends through collaboration 28:08 Making brands scalable for non-designers 30:23 Living out brand principles beyond visuals 31:16 Whether taste can be learned or is innate 33:05 Developing taste through physical craftsmanship 34:09 The command-Z impulse in leather work 35:09 Newsletter break 35:27 How Skyler discovers design inspiration 37:38 Limiting Twitter consumption with ARC browser 38:16 Sahil's disciplined social media workflow 39:48 Looking ahead: building for American workers 41:21 Solutions in search of problems vs real pain points 43:15 The vision for reducing human-computer interaction 44:30 Delegating robot tasks to actual robots 45:00 Closing thoughts and future conversationsBackground image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Courtny Cotten, a design leader who has worked at major tech companies including Microsoft and Stack Overflow. With a strong background in visual design and leadership, Courtny shares insights from his career journey, discusses the evolution of design tools, and explores how AI is transforming the design industry.🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:Courtny's journey from art student to design leader at major tech companiesHow gaming inspired his passion for digital experience designThe evolution from traditional graphic design to modern UX/UI practicesHow AI tools are transforming the design industry and empowering designersPractical tips for becoming a more effective design leaderThe convergence of product design and front-end engineering rolesHow to use AI as a designer's superpower rather than a threat🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show!Resources & Tools Mentioned in the Episode:Figma (including Figma Beta AI features): https://www.figma.com/Adobe Illustrator: https://www.adobe.com/in/products/illustrator.htmlv0 (by Vercel): https://v0.dev/ChatGPT: https://openai.com/Grok: https://grok.com/Cursor: https://www.cursor.com/Blue Cyclops Design Agency: https://bluecyclops.com/Design Break Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-design-break/id1451267703Connect with Courtny:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtnycotten/Twitter: https://x.com/courtnycottenConnect with Me:Twitter: https://x.com/SahilC0Nostr: [email protected]/sahilWeb: https://sahilc.com/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 01:09 Courtny's career journey and background 02:17 Early apprenticeship in graphic design 05:19 Transition from print to digital and mobile design 07:05 Experience at Stack Overflow and developer tooling 09:08 AI design tools discussion begins 10:24 Sahil's recent AI workflow transformation 13:26 AI for divergent thinking in design 15:54 The convergence of product design and engineering roles 20:15 Ethical questions about AI copying creative styles 24:04 New Figma Beta AI features 28:13 Using AI for better employee feedback and reviews 30:17 Effective leadership principles 33:35 Excitement about AI comparable to discovering Bitcoin 36:39 "Reflexive AI use" concept 38:40 Closing and request for feedbackBackground image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with John Magill, founder and CEO of Zaprite, to explore his journey from traditional graphic design to building a Bitcoin payment platform. John shares insights from his background in art, his transition to digital design, and how he built Zaprite from the ground up.🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:John's path from art school to Bitcoin entrepreneurshipHow freelance design led to creating a Bitcoin payment solutionBuilding an MVP as a non-developer and raising fundingBalancing the roles of CEO and designer at a growing startupManaging feature requests while maintaining product vision🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show!Connect with John:Twitter: https://twitter.com/john_zapriteWebsite: https://zaprite.com/Connect with Me:Twitter: https://x.com/SahilC0Nostr: [email protected]/sahilWeb: https://sahilc.com/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show00:34 Meeting John Magill from Zaprite01:03 Bitcoin Community in Austin01:36 John's Approach to Digital Privacy02:11 The Economics of Social Media03:36 Early Freelance Design Career04:47 Artistic Background and Education09:03 Transitioning from Industrial Design to Graphic Design12:14 Design Nature vs. Nurture Debate14:00 The Origin Story of Zaprite17:16 Building the MVP with Nate's Help20:27 Design Consistency Through Growth21:39 Balancing CEO and Designer Roles24:23 Starting with Code as a Designer27:45 Working with Parker and Will31:08 AI Tools for Design34:16 Managing Customer Feature Requests40:52 QA Process and Feature Rollout44:16 The Linear Approach to Features48:38 Hot Takes on Collaborative Design51:18 Future Design Plans for Zaprite54:05 Closing Thoughts and Contact InformationBackground image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Stephen DeLorme from Voltage to explore the intersection of design, development, and Bitcoin. Stephen shares his journey from comic book artist to graphic designer to Bitcoin builder, and insights from his work on Lightning Network infrastructure.🔍 What you'll learn in this episode:The evolution from traditional design to Bitcoin engineeringApproaches to building open source Bitcoin productsUsing AI tools to accelerate design and developmentLightning Network's unique challenges and opportunitiesHow designers can start coding with modern tools🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show!Connect with Stephen:Website: https://d.elor.me/Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephenDeLormeLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephendelormeContact: [email protected] with Me:Twitter: https://x.com/SahilC0Nostr: [email protected]/sahilWeb: https://sahilc.com/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show00:40 Meeting Stephen DeLorme01:19 Stephen's Hackathon Success02:09 UX for the Streets Workshop06:35 Stephen's Background and Journey10:11 From Comic Books to Graphic Design13:23 Discovering Bitcoin and Spiral Grant15:10 B2B Experience and Bitcoin Design19:42 Working on the Bitcoin Design Guide24:27 Approaches to Open Source Design30:08 Lightning versus Other Layer 2 Solutions32:37 Voltage's Approach to Lightning Infrastructure36:30 Starting with Code for Designers40:57 Using AI Tools for Development44:47 AI's Impact on Design and Development Jobs49:05 Current Projects and Future Plans51:34 Closing Thoughts and Contact InformationBackground image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Mia White to explore her journey from marketing to Bitcoin design and her experiences as an independent designer working with various Bitcoin companies.🔍 What you'll learn in this episode: Transitioning from marketing to product design Working with early-stage Bitcoin companies The challenges of explaining Bitcoin concepts through UI Being a "cowboy designer" in the Bitcoin space Balancing freelance work with personal life🔗 Subscribe for more conversations on Bitcoin design and product development!Connect with Mia: Twitter:https://x.com/mia_white21Connect with Me: Twitter:https://x.com/SahilC0 Nostr:[email protected]/sahil Web:https://sahilc.com/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 00:30 Meeting Mia White 01:14 Mia's Background in Business and Marketing 02:57 Transition to Design During COVID 04:31 Online Design Education 06:20 Starting as a Freelancer in Bitcoin 08:05 Working with Engineering-Heavy Startups 10:34 Managing Design Process with Multiple Stakeholders 13:40 Using Secondary Research to Convince Teams 15:32 Freelance versus Full-Time Considerations 19:30 Challenges in Bitcoin Startups 20:46 Bitcoin Education and UX Challenges 23:35 Designing for Technical Constraints in El Salvador 24:47 Copywriting and Website Design 27:36 Using AI Tools in Design 29:14 The Future of Designers with AI 31:35 Being a "Cowboy Designer" 33:17 Learning New Skills On-the-Go 34:51 Hot Takes on Bitcoin Companies 37:13 The Education Problem in Bitcoin Products 39:28 Staying Updated on Design Trends 40:57 Future of Bitcoin Design 44:30 Personal Growth and Balance 45:21 Closing ThoughtsBackground image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Lee Gordon from Fold to explore the evolution of Bitcoin design and brand identity. Lee shares insights from Fold's recent redesign and his journey from creative writing to leading design at one of Bitcoin's most recognizable companies. 🔍 What you'll learn in this episode: How Fold approached their recent redesign as they prepare to go public Managing design teams efficiently in Bitcoin companies The role of research and customer feedback in product development Building design systems that scale Drawing inspiration from art and culture for Bitcoin products 🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show! Connect with Lee: Twitter: https://x.com/leegordon Nostr: https://primal.net/p/npub13wj709u2tdpflj83mxnlz507e54v0k78dzy0pe5prcukrpfnpdjsxnen3s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanceleegordon Connect with Me: Twitter: https://x.com/SahilC0 Nostr: [email protected]/sahil Web: https://sahilc.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 00:20 Meeting Lee Gordon from Fold 01:14 Lee's Journey into Design 02:54 Path Through Agency World and Tech 05:04 Experience at RGA and Other Companies 08:03 Leadership and Individual Contributor Roles 11:10 Design Philosophy at Fold 14:17 Brand Evolution and Redesign Process 20:53 Working with Design Teams and Freelancers 27:07 Research and Customer Feedback 31:16 Design Systems and Efficiency 34:08 Using AI for Research Insights 39:24 Hot Takes on Design Industry 42:05 Art and Design Inspiration 46:47 Future of Bitcoin Design 50:16 Personal Growth and Future Plans 52:23 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil walks with Sasha Klein from Unchained to explore the world of Bitcoin front-end development and design systems. Sasha shares his journey from English major to Bitcoin engineer and his unique perspectives on building user-friendly self-custody solutions. 🔍 What you'll learn in this episode: The evolution from traditional web development to Bitcoin products How to balance technical requirements with user experience The importance of consistent design systems in Bitcoin products Building maintainable front-end architecture for complex applications Hot takes on animation, prototyping, and design trade-offs 🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin and product design from the Studio Twentyone Show! Connect with Sasha: Twitter: https://x.com/sashafklein Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-klein/ Connect with Me: Twitter: https://x.com/SahilC0 Nostr: [email protected]/sahil Web: https://sahilc.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 00:21 Meeting Sasha Klein from Unchained 01:14 Sasha's Background and Harvard Years 02:54 Transition into Programming through MOOCs 04:06 Learning Ruby on Rails and Full Stack Development 05:04 Experience at Design Consultancy 08:03 Design Philosophy and Trade-offs at Unchained 11:10 The Role of Animation in Design 14:17 Domain Expertise in Bitcoin Products 16:24 Balancing Customer Needs with Bitcoin Security 20:27 UX and Visual Design Integration 23:51 Evolution of Web Design Standards 26:28 Design Systems and Component Libraries 29:01 The Role of Prototyping 32:35 AI in Development and Design 37:06 Future of Tech Jobs 39:24 Hot Takes on Design 42:05 Managing Design Trade-offs 46:47 Consistency and Code Quality 50:16 Bitcoin Design Evolution 54:19 Future of Bitcoin UX 56:13 Real-world Bitcoin Payment Challenges 57:05 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/

Hey everyone! Sahil here, walking along a lake in Riga for today’s episode. I’m joined by Erik, a bitcoin designer who’s here to share his unique journey and insights from the world of UX and design. Episode Highlights: Exploring Riga & European Design: Erik shares his love for European architecture and city design, comparing it to the walkability and creativity-inspiring aesthetics of Stockholm, where he lives. Erik’s Path into Design: From dabbling with early digital design tools as a kid, customizing game graphics, and pirating Photoshop to eventually mastering UX—Erik has quite the unconventional, tech-centric backstory. Peer-to-Peer Influence on Bitcoin UX: Erik explains how his fascination with file-sharing communities naturally led to his interest in Bitcoin and designing peer-to-peer systems. Design Philosophy: We dive into what “good design” means to Erik—balancing functionality with user enjoyment, making sure even technical designs offer a seamless, pleasant experience. Challenges in eCash UX: Erik talks about his work with eCash, a protocol he’s passionate about, and the unique UX challenges it presents—like offline functionality and “pending” transactions that need intuitive design solutions. Hoseki and Institutional UX: Erik shares his experience with institutional design at Hoseki, where keeping it polished yet simple for a traditional finance audience is key. Design Inspiration from Solana & Beyond: Erik’s got a hot take—he’s learning design patterns from Ethereum and Solana’s fire UI/UX, proving that great design inspiration can come from all corners of the tech world. The Art of Explaining Design: We get into a candid chat about the challenges of articulating design choices to stakeholders and Erik’s journey to improve in this area. This episode is full of gems on navigating design with a user-first mindset while staying grounded in practicality. Whether you’re a designer, a dev, or just interested in the thought processes behind some of the products you use, you’re gonna love this conversation. Connect with Erik: Twitter: @uxerik_ Noster: [email protected] Website: uierik.com Connect with Me: Twitter:⁠ @Sahilc0⁠ Nostr: [email protected] Web:⁠ sahilc.com⁠ Don't Miss Out: If you’re in Austin, check out the Bitcoin Design Club that Paul and I host on the 4th Wednesday of each month. It’s where we connect with other designers, builders, and anyone passionate about Bitcoin design. Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, hit that subscribe button, and let’s keep this design conversation rolling. Peace! Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio 21 Show 00:33 Exploring Riga and Personal Backgrounds 03:33 Early Design Inspirations and Journey 05:58 Combining Design with Bitcoin 11:05 Institutional Design at Hoseki 16:04 Challenges in eCash UX Design 21:15 Exploring eCash Offline Functionality 22:53 User Communication Challenges 23:05 Design Philosophy: Truth vs. Abstraction 24:35 Balancing User Feedback and Development 26:37 Hot Takes on Design Prototyping 29:18 Learning from Cutting-Edge Design 33:17 The Culture of Cashew 34:41 Challenges in Design Communication 37:53 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil chats with Paul Miller from Mutiny to dive deep into the world of Bitcoin product design. Paul shares his unique journey from being a web designer at 13 years old to becoming a key player in the Bitcoin ecosystem, working on projects like Voltage and Fedimint. 🔍 What you'll learn in this episode: The challenges of designing intuitive Bitcoin UX for users. How to balance simplicity with the complexities of Bitcoin technology. The importance of iteration and progressive enhancement in product design. Why great UX for Bitcoin products is about more than just making things look pretty. Hot takes on the future of Bitcoin products and how designers can make Bitcoin more user-friendly. Paul offers candid insights into his design philosophy and the difficulties of delivering seamless user experiences in a space where technical complexity and user expectations clash. If you're interested in Bitcoin development, UX/UI design, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of how Bitcoin products are created, this episode is a must-watch! 🎧 Listen to the full episode to discover: Paul’s thoughts on what makes good design in Bitcoin. Why "better UX won’t be easy" and how it compares to relationships or fitness. The truth vs. abstraction debate in Bitcoin UX. 🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin, product design, and tech from the Studio Twentyone Show! Connect with Paul: Twitter: @FuturePaul Upcoming Projects: Keep an eye out for some exciting B2B SaaS evolutions from Mutiny. Connect with Me: Twitter: @SahilC0 Nostr: [email protected] Web: sahilc.com Don't Miss Out: If you’re in Austin, check out the Bitcoin Design Club that Paul and I host on the last Thursday of each month. It’s where we connect with other designers, builders, and anyone passionate about Bitcoin design. Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, hit that subscribe button, and let’s keep this design conversation rolling. Peace! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 00:21 Meet Paul Miller from Mutiny 00:44 Casual Walk and Talk in Austin 01:02 Discussing the Concept of Design 03:52 Paul's Journey from Web Developer to Journalist 06:15 The Essence of Design and Creativity 09:44 Integrating Design and Problem Solving 15:33 Paul's Early Design Influences 20:33 Challenges in Designing Bitcoin Products 22:59 The Importance of User Experience in Bitcoin 27:19 The Value of Health and Relationships 27:33 Effort and Consequences in Health and Wealth 29:12 Building for Different Audiences 29:34 The Mutiny Team's Decision 31:03 Bitcoin and User Responsibility 32:30 The Evolution of the Internet and Bitcoin 34:02 Designing for Truth vs. Abstraction 37:36 Challenges in Bitcoin Payment Methods 42:01 Learning and Inspiration in Design 50:16 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/