As designers, we know better than anyone that great work requires great collaborators. And finding collaborators you can actually trust? That’s the hard part.

We used Upwork to find a designer for a book layout project — and what started as a single hire turned into a real working relationship. When he delivered something exceptional, we were even able to send a bonus directly through the platform. That matters to us. We believe in paying people well for great work.

If you’ve been skeptical of freelance platforms — and honestly, some have a reputation for undervaluing designers — Upwork is different. You can browse full profiles and portfolios, review past client feedback, and hire with confidence before any money changes hands. It’s a one-stop platform to find, hire, and pay expert freelancers across 125+ categories, from book layout to brand identity to motion design.

Contracts and payments are handled in one place, which cuts out a lot of the administrative friction. And if you want access to the top 1% of talent, Business Plus uses AI-powered shortlisting to match you with the right person in under 6 hours.

For the designers in our audience: Upwork works both ways. It’s a smart way to fill income gaps between jobs, pick up extra work when you need it, or build a reliable pipeline of freelance projects — all on your own terms and at your own rates.

It’s free to sign up and posting a job takes just a few minutes.

👉 Post your job for free at Upwork.com

The Most Extensive Research on Embedded UI/UX Designers

The gap between what designers intend and what actually ships can be wide, especially in embedded design — the interfaces in your car, your medical devices, your appliances. The screens most people never think about, but interact with constantly.

Qt — pronounced “cute” — surveyed over 400 UX/UI designers working in the embedded design space across six industries worldwide, and the finding that stuck with me: 6 in 10 said they want a different design tool. Why? Because the tools they’re using were built for the web and mobile, not for hardware with specific screens and real constraints. So they compensate with code, workarounds, custom fixes. And somewhere in all of that, the original design intent gets lost. It gets stripped down until what reaches the device barely resembles what was designed.

That’s a product experience problem, and it’s more widespread than most people realize.

If you work in embedded design, or you’re just curious what that world looks like, Qt commissioned this research to understand exactly what designers in this space need.

Download the Qt embedded design report

One of my big goals this year is to get my household a bit more organized, and for me, that starts with my two teenage boys. I love them, but let’s be honest: they stink.

My wife and I have been teaching them to do their own laundry every weekend, but we found there was a bit of a learning curve when it came to measuring detergent. We got them Laundry Sauce to lower that learning curve, and it has been a game-changer.

Why We’re Obsessed

Laundry Sauce is like a bath bomb for your laundry. It’s a premium collection of high-performance detergent pods infused with sophisticated fragrances crafted by the world’s top perfumers.

• Effortless Performance: Drop one pre-measured pod in with your dirtiest clothes. Each pod is enriched with a bio-enzyme blend that tackles tough stains and revives fabrics for a brilliant clean.

• No More Mess: Say goodbye to giant, clunky bottles and dripping measuring caps.

• A Fragrance Revolution: These aren’t your typical “fresh linen” scents. We’re talking world-class fragrances that make you actually look forward to taking laundry out of the dryer.

Sophisticated Scents for Every Style

I love the variety Laundry Sauce offers. It’s a genuine treat to get dressed in the morning smelling this good—and it’s much better hugging the kids when they smell like bergamot and sandalwood instead of the alternative!

• Australian Sandalwood: Rugged, warm, and earthy with notes of cedarwood, eucalyptus, suede, and amber.

• Italian Bergamot: Modern, bright, and citrusy with notes of sweet mandarin, vetiver, and sandalwood.

• Himalayan Cashmere: A cozy, limited-release hypoallergenic fragrance featuring notes of Himalayan musk, white florals, and sweet pear.

The Design Better Exclusive Offer

Laundry Sauce is more than just a detergent—it’s a full upgrade for your entire laundry routine. If you’re ready to re-invent your signature scent in 2026, we have an exclusive deal for our community.

Get 20% off your entire order! Use code DESIGNBETTER at checkout.

Shop Laundry Sauce Now

Every order comes with a full money-back guarantee. If you don’t get better-smelling, cleaner laundry, you get a full refund—no questions asked.

I love to travel, but what I don’t like is the hassle of figuring out my cell phone situation abroad. In the past I’ve gone to a kiosk at my destination airport to get a SIM, but who wants to wait in a line after an international flight?! Plus, they always seem a little sketch. How much is this going to cost me?

Saily makes all this super easy. Download their app on your phone and you can buy an eSIM before you fly so you’re connected the minute you land. And if you’re traveling between countries, you only need one eSIM. You can get a global or a regional plan and travel with the same eSIM plan.

You’ll save money significantly with an eSIM over your carrier’s roaming plans, which get super pricey quick. Activate Saily’s security features and browse more confidently — change your virtual location, block malicious ads, and stay safer with web protection.

All Saily eSIM plans are compatible for iOS or Android devices. If you travel internationally, this is what you’ll need stay connected without spending a fortune.

Download the Saily app in your app store. Use code DESIGNBETTER at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase.

Get an eSIM from Saily

It seems every day there are new headlines speculating about how AI is coming for our jobs. It’s freaking people out. But a recent survey from Miro tells a different story. 76% of respondents believe that AI can support their work while 54% struggle to know when to use it.

Enter Miro’s Innovation Workspace—an intelligent platform that brings people and AI together in a shared space to do great work. I’ve used Miro to run workshops and design sprints with product designers around the world, and I’ve watched design and marketing teams work together to turn rough ideas into concrete plans in short meetings.

Miro AI can turn unstructured data—like sticky notes or screenshots—into usable diagrams, product briefs, data tables, and prototypes in minutes. You can also generate roadmaps, diagrams, tables, content, and more with Miro AI, dropping it all into a collaborative canvas.

Whether your role is UX, DesignOps, product management, marketing, or anything adjacent, Miro will help you be better at your job because it makes it easier to work together.

Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out Miro.com to find out how.

Try Miro now (it's amazing!)

Visual people like us feel the effects of our living and working space. To do our best work and live our best life, we need to be in a beautiful, productive space. But often our aspirations and budgets don’t quite line up.

I’ve got a special hack for you that will help you design your dream living space for less. It’s called Dupe.com.

When you find a site with furnishings you love, jump into the URL bar and type Dupe.com/ in front of the product URL. You’ll be redirected to a page on Dupe.com that shows you similar products that have the look you’re after but at a fraction of the price.

These aren't sketchy knockoffs either. Most people don’t realize furniture sold online is often mass-produced in the exact same factories. Those factories then sell to brands under different names, who then list them for different prices. Dupe.com automatically lists these less expensive alternatives for you so you’re not overpaying just for some brand name.

Dupe.com even had handy browser plugins that make getting the best deals easy. Dupe.com is free and requires no account registration.

Try it now! Just type dupe.com/ before any product url in your browser. It’s like magic!

Try Dupe.com

It’s usually around the holidays as the year draws to an end that I start to reflect on my goals and how I want to grow in the coming year. I have often turned to MasterClass to help me expand my knowledge and satiate my curiosities about disciplines I’ve yet to explore. 

MasterClass is the only streaming platform where you can learn and grow with over 2…

Read more

We’d like to think our tap water is clean and healthy, but for so many there are impurities and chemicals that can be detrimental to our health. We’re big fans of AquaTru, makers of reverse osmosis filtration systems for your countertop or under sink.

Eli and his family have been using an AquaTru countertop water filter for a while now. They love the purity of the water—they can really taste the difference when compared to their tap water or older filtration system. AquaTru removes over 84 of the most harmful contaminants, including microplastics, chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, nitrates, and PFAS (known as ‘forever chemicals’).

Perhaps the most compelling part of AquaTru when compared to other filters: AquaTru filters are affordable and long-lasting. No changing filters every 2-3 months. AquaTru filters last from 6 months to 2 years!

AquaTru comes with a 30-day Money-Back Guarantee and makes a great gift for anyone you care about.

Get 20% OFF any AquaTru purifier at AquaTru.com with discount code DESIGNBETTER.

20% off AquaTru

Coffee and creativity go hand-in-hand.

That's why we teamed up with Methodical, makers of some of the best coffees money can buy, on a special roast that will help you focus and awaken your creative energy.

This special Design Better coffee is a blend personally selected by Eli and Aarron and strikes a balance between boldness and brightness. Flavor notes include chocolate, brown sugar, and red berries.

Eli brews this coffee in his Chemex, and Aarron loves it as an espresso shot from his Slayer. Pick up a bag of great coffee from Methodical and support Design Better.

Buy Design Better Coffee

Brew guides: learn how to get the most out of your coffee, no matter how you brew

Americans spend an average of 90% of their time indoors…But did you know indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air?

This is something I’ve been tuned into for years as my youngest son has struggled with Asthma since he was little. Dust and allergens aggravate his symptoms. We got him an AirDoctor air filter for his room and we’ve seen a huge difference in his symptoms. Plus, how can I say this delicately … his room smells better too. 😄🥳

Unlike other purifiers, AirDoctor captures invisible particles 100X smaller than standard HEPA filters. AirDoctor was voted Best Air Purifier by Newsweek. So it’s no surprise that 98% of AirDoctor customers agree, their home’s air feels cleaner, safer, & healthier.

Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code DESIGNBETTER to get UP TO $300 off today.

AirDoctor comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, plus a 3-year warranty.

Visit AirDoctorPro.com

Deliver brilliance. Smash deadlines.

With Wix Studio, agencies and enterprises can create, develop and manage exceptional web projects with hyper efficiency.

Let's talk about creative burnout. You're working on a site for a really big client, but between resourcing, feedback, tight budgets, and even tighter deadlines, it just doesn't make the cut. Wix Studio helps close that gap, so you can deliver your vision with less friction. Built for agencies and enterprises, you get total creative control over every last pixel.

With no code animations, AI powered tools, reusable design assets, advanced intuitive layout tools, and a Figma to Wix Studio integration, which is very cool, you can design the way that you want to, and deliver when you need to. And if you're worried about the learning curve eating into time you don't have, don't be. Wix Studio is intuitive by design, so your entire team can hit the ground running. For your next project, check out wixstudio.com.

Try Wix Studio

I love wine, but often feel overwhelmed by the options out there. But I recently joined Wine Access who not only ship to your door some of the world’s most inspiring wines, they also educate subscribers with full color information cards that accompany each bottle. These cards provide details on flavor profile, what food your wine pairs well with, how long to decant, the ideal drinking temperature, and plenty of fascinating information about the producers. 

This month I got a 4 bottle shipment from Wine Access’ new club called The Waitlist, which is curated by culinary icons like Atomix, a 2 Michelin-starred restaurant and the top US restaurant on the World’s 50 Best list, Emeril’s in New Orleans, and Daniel Boulud and his flagship Restaurant DANIEL in NYC, which also has 2 Michelin stars.

It’s such a fun way to learn about wine and everything you receive will be a winner. I’ve been super impressed by how thoughtfully Wine Access curates and educates.

You should totally join The Waitlist Wine Club. Just visit wineaccess.com/waitlist and use Promo Code: DESIGNBETTER for $25 off your first shipment.

Join Wine Access and save $25

As a Design Better listener, we have another podcast we think you’ll enjoy.

Adobe’s In the Making hosted by Teresa Au takes an honest look at the challenges and rewards of being part of the creator economy. Building a business around your creative pursuits ain’t easy. Wouldn’t it be great to learn from those who have done this before? 

The show helps you discover creative, intriguing people making a living in the creator economy, and gives inspiration no matter what you do. The show is full of actionable takeaways you can apply to your creative practice and small business.

Teresa has a warm, engaging host style plus her vulnerability makes for great conversations–there’s literally laughter and tears! I loved her recent episode with my pal Tina Roth Eisenberg, founder of Creative Mornings, who shared her backstory and how creating community is key to her creativity.

Check out In the Making from Adobe to learn more about how to build a creative career and life. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Learn more

Every year, both the number and scope of data breaches worldwide are rising.

The likelihood of your own data getting breached is constantly increasing, as well. There are hundreds of commercial databases and people search sites that hold your personal information, and the number grows every year.

Data brokers aggregate your personal info including your name, Social Security number, login credentials, home address, location history, online activity, and much more. All of this is available for purchase by businesses and could fall into the hands of criminals.

I set up an Incogni account to delete my personal information from the multitude of people search sites and data brokers. Incogni reaches out to data brokers on your behalf, requests your personal data removal, and deals with any objections from their side.

Within 5 minutes of setting up my account, Incogni had issued 84 data removal requests, got my info deleted from 35 sites, and suppressed future data collection on me from 18 sites. Plus, they cleaned my phone number from a bunch of spam callers. I’m super impressed by how fast I’m seeing results. 

You should probably do this too.

Get 60% off Incogni

Use promo code DESIGNBETTER at https://incogni.com/designbetter to get 60% off an annual plan.

On Set With launches on September 3rd, 2024.

The HGTV and Max On Set With podcast explores the sets and world building of beloved films and TV shows produced by Warner Bros. Discovery through conversations with art directors and set designers. Each episode highlights a different iconic set from film or television. Through a constellation of voices (set …

Read more

Design Better is supported by our pals at LinkedIn—our favorite social network.

It’s hard to get your B2B marketing to land with the right audience. Let’s face it, the web can be a very noisy place! If your message isn’t targeted to the right audience—it just disappears into the noise. 

Read more

Babbel’s quick 10-minute lessons are hand-crafted by over 200 language experts to help you start speaking a new language in as little as 3 weeks. Babbel’s designed by real people for real conversations. This is practical stuff, in a conversational format that’s made it much easier for me to pick up and retain. Plus, Babbel’s Speech Recognition Technology helps you to improve your pronunciation and accent. 

Babbel has over 16 million subscriptions sold. Plus all of Babbel's 14 award-winning language courses are backed by their 20-day money-back guarantee.

Here's a special, (limited time) deal for our listeners. Right now get up to 60% off your Babbel subscription. Rules and restrictions may apply.

Get Babbel for 60% off

You’ve got ideas. Now all you need is a website to make them real. Good news: Bluehost makes that super easy. It’s the all-in-one platform for building and hosting websites.

You can save time on design and use AI to build a custom WordPress site within minutes. No coding skills needed. Just your ideas.

Bluehost also has tools to help you optimize and scale your website’s growth, all in one place. Things like blogging, SEO, social posting, email campaigns, and so much more.

And when you upgrade to Bluehost Cloud, you can start managing multiple sites and domains. Not only that, you also get 100% uptime, enhanced security, and priority 24/7 support to keep you online no matter what. That means no crashing from heavy traffic.

Build your brand. Build your following. Build your website. Build it with Bluehost.

Go to Bluehost.com and start building your dream website today.

Visit Bluehost.com

Design Better is sponsored by HelloFresh, America’s #1 meal kit.

Whether you’re cooking for yourself or your family, it’s hard to keep up with meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking. At the end of a busy workday, it’s hard to muster the energy to put together a healthy meal. Cut down on time spent in the kitchen so you can get back to enjoying the summer sunshine and the people you love thanks to HelloFresh’s Quick & Easy recipes. Every week’s menu features options that are ready in just 20 minutes or less – that’s even quicker than delivery!

Also, if your kids are like mine, it’s sometimes hard to get them to eat a healthy meal, and you end up making two dinners: one for adults, one for kids. HelloFresh’s line of Kid-Friendly recipes are picky-eater proof and perfect for families looking to shake up their dinner recipe rotation while school’s out for the summer.

Go to hellofresh.com/designbetterapps for FREE appetizers for life! One appetizer item per box while subscription is active.

Free appetizers for life at HelloFresh