We were lucky to catch up with Danielle Thmpson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, thanks for joining us today. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

As a founder, it can be challenging to hand over responsibility. This is especially true as you recognize that others will not and do not think like you. Creating a more inclusive workspace, in my eyes, is recognizing neurodiversity and the many ways the individuals can interpret and understand information.

We have a rule at our company called “No scolding.” When something is not produced the way you expected it, this is a call for better and clearer communication – rather than instilling fear and shame for the misunderstanding. If you believe that your team is always doing their best, you can safely assume that all mistakes are simply misunderstandings. This forces management to be more empathetic and take time to figure out how to communicate with various individuals on our team.

Small ways we help with inclusivity are by adding captions to Zoom meetings for non-native speakers, adding a translator into Slack and having 1on1s to ask team members the best way to give them assignments. For example, some prefer it in writing while others want to have a call.

Danielle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Design Match is an online marketplace that matches designers with companies for short or long-term projects. I’m Danielle, the founder of Design Match. I’m a serial entrepreneur and world traveller, and I am currently writing this from Vietnam.

Design Match came out of a market need. I used to run a design agency, and we were fully booked. I started hiring friends and old classmates from design school to work with clients on my behalf. This went better than expected, and I realized there might be a business there. I think the light really went off when someone I hired did a better job than I would have!

We made a simple landing page on WordPress, and people started finding us and reaching out. It was incredible. I think when you build a business from a need rather than trying to create a need – things go much more smoothly. We match all types of designers with specialities in various industries.

What gets me most excited about our business is its impact. We’ve helped freelancers transform their financial livelihoods, and founders turn their dreams into reality.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn moving quickly. After watching the Youtube gurus or being part of startup groups, I felt like the key to my success would be outworking the competitors. For some, this might work, but as I neglected certain part of my life, I saw the impact in my business. It sounds oversimplified, but the happier I am, the better my business is. So, prioritizing mental, physical and social health has a high ROI for me.

I remember that in 2021, I met many successful people while living abroad.. There was this continuous mention of “grind & hustle.” I thought, if I want to be like them, I guess that’s what I have to do. Yet, I found the opposite was true for me. Slow productivity, where I have time to think, relax, and reflect, is what makes my business and me the happiest.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

A book that has impacted every relationship in my life is “I hear you” by Michael S Sorensen. This book is about how to listen and respond to get the best out of people. It teaches you how to ensure you understand someone else’s perspective and how to ensure people feel heard. This was super impactful for management because it forced me to accept different perspectives.

In doing this, the managers in my organization are more empathic to individuals’ ways of understanding and perceiving the world. This might sound non-essential, but so much of your success will be due to your team effort. It’s essentially you get their best, especially in an early-stage startup. I think managers who learn about effective communication build a more committed team.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.designmatch.io/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/danielletom
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/design-match/?originalSubdomain=ca