#29 Hub Meet: Make the thing: how designers can build proof, not just portfolios
We designers have plenty of design skill. What we’re short of is proof of that skill, and proof of its impact.
Sure, we work on projects for clients and employers that we can put in our portfolios. But those projects are responses to someone else’s business problem. What about proof of what you can conceive, develop and bring to life, from the first idea to a working solution?
You don’t need permission.
Write your own brief.
Build it.
Ship it.
Put it in your portfolio.
Mark spent the last year building what nobody asked him to: browser tools, small web apps. Even a retro games console you can actually hold. Some found an audience. Some were just for him. Some were just to show and prove what he could do.
In this talk he'll share how you too can generate proof of your ideas. Find out how he builds impactful things without much complexity. How he decides what to build, what to keep. What went wrong along the way, and how AI fits into his process without taking over.
This is about giving yourself permission to do meaningful work, and turning what you make into proof of what you can do.
Join us for this edition of Hub Meet, where creatives, innovators, and UX/UI enthusiasts come together to connect, collaborate, and cultivate ideas in a vibrant community setting.
You’ll learn how to:
Turn your side projects into portfolio pieces that show impact, not just visuals
How to spot ideas worth building from your own everyday frustrations
A simple filter for deciding what to build next (and what you shouldn’t)
Practical ways to use AI to go from idea to working prototype
Why Join?
Learn from real-world experience – practical steps, no fluff.
Ask your questions live – get direct answers.
Network with fellow designers – grow your connections.
About the Speaker:
Mark Bowley is an independent designer and a curious creator. During a 30 year career across branding, web and product design, he has developed good instincts and skills to make a broad impact. Mark now operates as an experienced generalist, able to apply design capability, technical knowledge, and problem solving skills to help business clients and build his own interesting products.
About the Host:
Karla Fernandes is Brazilian. She started working remotely before it was a thing and became a digital nomad in 2011, living in 11 countries and learning six languages along the way.
Ten years later, she settled in her favorite place, Lucerne, Switzerland. She’s a team of one. She moves fast, and teaches others to do the same.
With 25+ years in design, she’s launched 21+ native apps solo, helped 200+ businesses, and guided 4,500+ learners to build without code.
You don’t need a dev team—just the right process.
She wants to help you START. ❤️🔥