Kai
banner
howdyimkai.bsky.social
Kai
@howdyimkai.bsky.social
product designer (◕‿◕✿)
learning to code
ᓚᘏᗢ cat aficionado

read my learnings here: https://howdyimkai.substack.com/
🎉 First day at Tallo completed yesterday - and my kitty coworker, Toph approves

😬 It's a big shift for me.

From enterprise design to growing an edtech platform that helps genz and millennials grow their careers...

*punches the air all hulk like*

IM PUMPED

#k12learn #careerjourney
May 6, 2025 at 1:24 PM
🌱 Interested in checking out our Design Garden Sprint Presentation Night tomorrow (Apr 30)?

Watch designers share authentic growth journeys—from landing internships to battling imposter syndrome.

Reply and I'll DM ya the invite!
April 29, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Been hyperfocused on updating my portfolio and utilizing micro interactions!

Unsure how I feel about that slight shift on the hover - wdyt?

#uxdesign #ux #ui #edtech
April 11, 2025 at 4:13 PM
🌱 Halfway through our Design Garden Sprint and WOW!

One designer landed a non-profit role, projects are coming together, and portfolios are blooming!

It's been such a pleasure to create a gentle space for progress, and discussing tough topics like imposter syndrome.
April 7, 2025 at 1:04 AM
🫡 Studying basics tonight and finished the Intro to Github course, and I learned...

• repositories, branches, commits, and pull requests
• created a branch, a commit, and a pull request
• merged a pull request

this is going to be rly useful bc i have my 1st code collab soon!!
March 28, 2025 at 3:58 AM
🐱 Testers Needed: Digital Pet Memorial Project

Looking for 1 kind soul to test "Meow Memory Lane," a digital memorial site with a unique feature that sends you personalized "postcards" from your departed pet.

Have you experienced pet loss and comfortable sharing? Can be done async abt 15-20 min
March 24, 2025 at 2:17 PM
We're 20% through the year! Are you locked in?

Our first OPEN coworking session is tmw, wed at 5:30pm ct!

Bring your frog project and lets EAT IT! Yeet!

reply for rsvp
March 18, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Ask me how I enjoy my Friday evening...

and I give you this brand board for my cats

ciao... or meow? 🤣
March 15, 2025 at 12:47 AM
I want to use blueskey more! Where are the design communities here?? 😇
March 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM
🚨 I’m throwing my hat in the Mar 9th 10K #replit contest! 🤠

I rebuilt Meow Memory Lane, a memorial site for cats using their new Agent 2.0 in ~8hrs.

I feel we created something with better functionality and aesthetic than my framer version - check it out!

See before → after
March 10, 2025 at 2:56 AM
🔎A look at Feb's improvement

Clarity: 2.8%↑
Movement: 16%↑ - yay every day!
Reflect: 9%↑
Hydrate: 9%↑

Started tracking my design work, but I kept leaving the timer on so it's not accurate. The 1st wk, I did about 8hrs/wk of extra design/coding work beyond my full-time job.

#atomichabits
March 2, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Been exploring ideas for a new portfolio...

Curiosity creates possibilities ✨

Every "what if" births something new.

Keep exploring, keep creating, keep wondering.

Happy Saturday to those cooking today! 🔥
February 22, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Finally did it - GTFOL 🔥🔥🔥

+ Downloaded Github desktop after having trouble with pushing changes
+ Ideally you get a photo of your postcard you created, but rn its just a photo of your cat
+ will be pushing out to testers soon

lmk if you give it a try!!!
February 19, 2025 at 12:42 AM
🎉 And that's a wrap - all 10 spots for the Design Garden sprint is taken!

What does accountability for designers look like for a 2 month program?

How do we push each other to grow in different ways and industries - with a collective spirit?
February 18, 2025 at 3:33 AM
💝 This Valentine's Day, show your design progress some TLC...

Announcing: Design Garden Sprint! A 2-month accountability program to nurture your career growth.

Only 4 spots left for the more intimate career tending sessions - reply for more info!
February 14, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Before → After

Slow and steadily revamping a team project for an edtech dashboard.

I didn't design the 'before,' but I did present it... kinda wild how much cringe one can feel

But hey, If you're not embarrassed by your past work, are you even growing? 😅
February 12, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I am planting seeds for spring and launching something fun in March🌼

I realized that I got into UX for it's collaborative spirit, and even though I've taken more of a back seat in mentoring, I still want a community to learn and grow with

💌 Special invites have been sent today!
February 9, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Proud of my trajectory for January!

🎯 2025 anchors recap:
More Clarity in the mornings (no doomscrolling) - 84%
More Movement - 84%
More Reflection - 58%
More Hydration - 65%

One of them was 'more designing,' but I'm unsure how to measure this 🤔
February 2, 2025 at 9:12 PM
HAPPY CATURDAY!

DON'T BE FOOLED BY THIS SERENE LOOKING TABBY KITTEN

SHE IS A MONSTER AND WILL ATTACK YOUR FEET😆
February 1, 2025 at 4:35 PM
💌 An update to Meow Memory Lane!

How can we ease pet loss grief, and make it more interactive and even, at times, joyful? 🤔

→ write fond memory of yr cat
→ Input your email and decide on postcard cadence
→ receive a personalized message from your cat, living their fur-ever home life
January 29, 2025 at 5:37 PM
One of my fave places in the world, wherever I am, is a library 😍

+ picked up inspirational books to hype me up for the next learning sprint!
+ learned that the library has a recording studio w software & instruments
+ also there's a 3D printer & YARN library?!?

the cratfygurlie in me is hyped!
January 28, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Decided to revamp my bio today!

I only have one design sprint running for the UX career accelerator I run, and will take some time after that to focus on:

+ learning to code
+ working w AI startups
+ build a new portfolio
+ documenting the process

honest truth - im still figuring it out 🤷‍♀️
January 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
*Almost* let this small win get away from me...

I made my first sale of the Design Career Garden System on thanksgiving - so thankful! 😊

updated my link in bio if u want it!
December 5, 2024 at 2:45 PM
Yee-haaaw!! 🤠 what can we learn from tattoo artists, rappers, and animators??

Kai’s Howdy World - #7 is out!

• top 3 tv recs to think critically about design
• a guide to building a taste library

this ain’t your traditional designer + dev newsletter

reply for link! 🔗
December 3, 2024 at 2:48 PM
quite simply thankful 🙏

for the fam, friends, good food, shelter and the support ppl have given me along the way
November 29, 2024 at 2:07 PM