As the early episodes of “This is a Prototype” roll out, some fascinating themes are beginning to emerge, including the surprising power of family in the life and career journeys of design leaders.

In the second episode, I speak to Ashleigh Axios, Chief Experience Officer and an owner of Coforma and previous Creative Director and Digital Strategist in the Obama White House, and Chris Hacker, Chief Design Officer of Hacker Design Group, and previous Chief Design Officer at Johnson & Johnson. Ashleigh and Chris reflect on their early influences and share pivotal moments of success, failure, and learning in their remarkable careers.

How did designing and building the float for the Labor Day parade in small town Ohio plant the seeds for future design leadership? Check out Episode 2 of “This is a Prototype” to find out, and let me know what you think!