"You don't have enough experience."

The words hit like a slap.

This was a famous designer, someone whose work I'd admired for years.

I'd bought his book. Waited in line to meet him.

And he wouldn't even shake my hand.

In front of my students. In front of my colleagues. At my own university.

You've probably had moments like this too.

Where someone made you question if you belong in design.

I was 27, the youngest design lecturer in my department by at least 10 years.

Some days felt like I was constantly proving I deserved to be there.

That night after the book signing, I seriously considered leaving design entirely.

Maybe they were right. Maybe I didn't belong.

But then I thought about my students.

The ones who were landing internships because I taught them current industry practices.

The ones who felt confident in interviews because I shared real-world experience.

The ones who saw possibilities they hadn't seen before.

I realized something you might need to hear too:

What feels like your biggest weakness is often your unfair advantage.

While my colleagues had decades of academic experience, I had fresh industry perspective.

While they taught theory from textbooks, I taught practice from recent projects.

While they prepared students for the design world of 10 years ago, I prepared them for today.

That same year, I won the Best Teacher Award.

A few years later, I was recruited to DBS Bank specifically because of my "diverse background."

The hiring manager said: "Your combination of design, entrepreneurship, and education makes you perfect for challenges we've never faced before."

That role led to transforming meeting culture across a 30,000-person organization.

All because I stopped trying to fit someone else's definition of "qualified."

You have a unique path too.

Sometimes what makes you feel different is exactly what makes you valuable.

Thursday's workshop will help you see your own journey more clearly.

Including the parts that might feel like disadvantages but are actually strengths.

7:30am SF | 10:30am NY | 3:30pm London | 10:30pm Singapore

Only 12 spots left. Reply "Path" for details.

Joseph

P.S. That designer who wouldn't shake my hand? I genuinely hope he's doing well. His harsh words taught me something valuable about believing in my own journey.