This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, host Nicola Hamilton is joined by Rachel Gogel. Gogel is an independent creative executive shaping the future of design at the intersection of brand, culture, and technology.
After building multidisciplinary teams at places like GQ, The New York Times, Meta, and Godfrey Dadich, Gogel launched her consultancy in 2020. Since then, she’s worked with everyone from tech giants like Airbnb and Dropbox to smaller, purpose-driven, often women-founded ventures.
In this episode, they talk about what it means to lead creatively—without being full-time. Gogel walks us through the rise of fractional leadership, how she designs her career on her terms, and why negotiating your worth is a skill every designer should learn. We explore the challenges of showing work that isn’t always visual, and the importance of making space for queer and marginalized voices in the industry.
Whether you’re freelance-curious, burnt out on traditional career paths, or just looking to redefine what success means for you—Rachel Gogel’s story will leave you feeling empowered, clear-eyed, and ready to think differently.
Editor’s Note: For more, check out Rachel Gogel’s excellent feature for PRINT on women founders.
DesignThinkers Podcast is back for a third season! Join host and RGD President Nicola Hamilton as she digs into the archives of the DesignThinkers conference, reconnecting with past speakers about their talks and ideas that have shaped Canada’s largest graphic design conference. Follow the RGD on Instagram @rgdcanada or visit them at rgd.ca. Purchase tickets to the upcoming DesignThinkers conference at designthinkers.com.
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