Join us to learn all of the juicy secrets of tech leaders - their biggest successes (and failures) - on our quest for gaining that all-important technology edge.

I went from 105-hour weeks and near-divorce to a 40-hour workweek, zero turnover, and no missed deadlines.

That crisis forced me to rebuild everything—my leadership style, my team, and my life.

Now, I teach technology executives how to do the same.

I’ve coached executives from startups to Fortune 500s, helping them turn overwhelmed teams into high-performance A-Teams.

I’m Mike Mahony, a 20+ year CTO, Executive Coach, and creator of the Decentralized A-Team Method. 

My mission: help leaders escape firefighting mode, build autonomous teams, and scale without burnout.

Through executive coaching, digital products, and consulting, I guide tech leaders to:

	•	Cut hours without sacrificing results
	•	Develop teams that deliver without micromanagement
	•	Eliminate chaos and streamline operations

I also serve as a Fractional CTO and NetSuite specialist, where I translate messy systems into clear business wins—whether that’s automations, API integrations, or optimizing data workflows.

And as host of “Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge”, I sit down with top executives, founders, and disruptors to reveal the real stories behind successful teams—the hard lessons, surprising wins, and the strategies they wish they’d known sooner.

Here’s how we can work together:

🔹 Want to apply the Decentralized A-Team Method to your leadership style? DM me “COACH”

🔹 Have a story for the podcast? DM me “PODCAST”

🔹 Need a NetSuite Developer or Fractional CTO? DM me “NETSUITE”

👉 Listen to the show: https://gtle.show

📘 Grab the book: TopTierCoachingServices.com/dcatbook

Mike Mahony

Pavle Lucic

Senior UI/UX Designer @ Toptal | Prototyping, Branding, UI Development

I am a Senior UI/UX Designer at Toptal, a network of the world's top 3% of software engineering, design, and finance talent. With over 10 years of experience in the design industry, I have a proven track record of creating visually engaging and user-friendly interfaces for in-car navigation systems, SaaS apps, and marketing websites.

My background in business and economics gives me a unique perspective on how to design UX and UI that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional, efficient, and user-friendly. I am passionate about solving complex problems, collaborating with diverse teams, and learning new skills. I am also Adwords Search Certified, which demonstrates my ability to optimize the online presence and performance of my clients. My goal is to help tech companies increase their revenue by improving the user experience of their products.

Senior UI/UX Desiger

This is how I work now:

1. Think
2. Write
3. Plan
4. Ask
5. Wait
6. Then design

It’s slower. But it works.

Because UX isn’t just what you make.
It’s what you understand first.

(Repost ♻️)

P.S. What is your process?

Senior UI/UX Product Designer | UX Strategy | Figma

No alternative text description for this image

Most designers aren't designers.

(they're technicians who happen to use design tools)

Yesterday I lost 2 hours on a shelf.

Just me obsessing over form and function.
And here's the thing...

That "is" design.

Not the logo you send on Friday.
Not the mockup in your portfolio.
Not the deliverable in your inbox.

Design is how you "think."

- How you can't ignore a bad detail.
- How you see a room and want to fix it.
- How you solve problems no one asked you to solve.

Just think about this:

1. The Bauhaus school understood this.
↳ They didn't teach "tools." They taught living.

2. Japanese carpenters understood this.
↳ No nails. No shortcuts. Every cut is intentional.

Design is form.
Design is function.
Design is creation.

It doesn't "clock in and out."

If you only design when you open your laptop...
And stop when you close it...

You're not a designer.
You're a technician who uses design tools.

Nothing wrong with that.

Just don't confuse the two.

P.S. Agree or disagree? 👇

This might be a controversial post but it's true.

I don't have a formal design degree.

I'm pretty sure a lot of self-taught designers experience this too.

Examples:

Every time I share my work online, someone asks "where did you study?"
I can feel the judgment coming.

Every time I'm in a room with "formally trained" designers.
I hear the whispers: "They probably just watch YouTube tutorials."

Every portfolio review, every job interview, someone implies "you're not a real designer without the credentials."

But then...They see just ONE of my projects and:

That skepticism closes immediately
I get genuine compliments in my DMs
I get referrals + new client inquiries

So...

Why do we judge credentials before we judge the work?
Especially with creative fields? 😊

Fear that talent and hustle might matter more than a piece of paper. 
Which, honestly, they often do.

To my fellow self-taught designers who've "made it work" I love you. 

Keep building. Keep proving that skills speak louder than diplomas.

Keep letting your work change people's minds. It's worth it.

Pavle ❤️

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Senior UI/UX Designer

Senior UX Designer

UI / UX designer & UI Developer

Visual Designer

UI/UX Designer

English

Serbian

Oluwatosin Oladele

Loading states matter.

Blank screen = user thinks it's broken.

Progress bar = user knows how long.
Spinner = user knows something's happening.
Skeleton screen = user sees structure forming.
Instant feedback = user doesn't notice the wait.
Steps = user knows where they are ("Step 2 of 4").
Active waiting = user is entertained while waiting (tips, facts).

Never leave users guessing.

Show them the system is working.
Even if it takes time, show progress.

(Repost further ♻️)

17 genuine tips for using illustrations to improve UX

(I wish someone told me number 8 sooner)

1. Empty states feel less scary
2. Error messages feel friendlier
3. Users remember visuals 6x better
4. Onboarding completes 40% more
5. They reduce mental effort instantly
6. They help users know where they are
7. You will add illustrations way too soon
8. They reduce support tickets by 30-40%
9. Permission requests make more sense
10. Complex steps feel simpler with visuals
11. They answer questions before users ask
12. Visual metaphors beat long explanations
13. Users understand faster than reading text
14. They build trust during frustrating moments
15. Empty spaces feel intentional instead of broken
16. They guide without overwhelming with instructions
17. Strategic placement turns confusion into confidence

Repost this free value for others ♻️ Thank you!

P.S. Hey, which one (1-17) do you like most?

7 prototyping rules I wish someone told me earlier.

(would've saved me months)

1. Ugly is fine
↳ You're testing the idea, not the aesthetics.

2. Speed beats polish
↳ A prototype in 3 hours > a mockup in 3 weeks.

3. Real users, not teammates
↳ Your team already knows too much.

4. One question per prototype
↳ "Does this solve the problem?" That's it.

5. Kill bad ideas early
↳ A failed prototype costs you a day. A failed product costs you a year.

6. Don't fall in love with version 1
↳ The first prototype is a conversation starter. Not the final answer.

7. Prototype the riskiest part first
↳ Start where you're least certain.

Prototyping isn't a step you "skip."

It's the step that saves everything after it.

Happy building ✌️

P.S. Which rule above hits hardest for you? (1-7)

I was in a meeting last week.

One designer talked for 60 of them.

References to everything. 
"What if we..." on repeat.

Opinions on everything.

Loud. 
Confident. 
Influential.

Everyone nodded along.

Then someone asked:
"So who's going to build this?"

Silence.

The loud one? 
"I'm more of a strategy person."

The quiet one in the corner?

She opened Figma.
Had 3 options ready.
Built while they debated.

That's when I realized:

The best designer in the room?
Often the one who says the least.

Repost this ♻️ if you've seen this happen too.

A client came to me with a "broken" product. 

Here's what happened:

They spent 8 months building an app.

It worked perfectly. But nobody used it.

Refund requests? Daily. 
App store reviews? 2.1 stars.
Support tickets? 200+ per week. 

They thought the product was broken.

It wasn't.
The design was.

I changed 5 things:

1. Moved the main CTA
2. Simplified the onboarding
3. Fixed the mobile navigation
4. Added visual feedback on buttons
5. Reduced the menu from 15 items to 4

4 weeks later?

Retention doubled.
Reviews jumped to 4.4 stars. 
Support tickets dropped 73%. 

Same code. Same product. Same features. 

I didn't "make it pretty."
I made it usable.

That's what designers actually do.

Repost ♻️ if this changed how you see design.

P.S. Have you ever blamed your product when design was the problem? 😊

My first client ever:

"Make the logo bigger."

Quoted Steve Jobs.
I argued for 20 minutes. 
Sent 5 articles about white space. 

They made it bigger themselves in PowerPoint.

My latest client:
"Make the logo bigger."

I said: "Let's test it. I'll send you 2 versions. You pick."
They picked the smaller one.

What changed?

I stopped convincing. 
I started collaborating.

People don't resist ideas. They resist being told what to do.

Give them ownership. 
Watch them choose wisely.

♻️ Repost if you wish you knew this earlier.

Imagine AI could do 100% of your thinking...

Would you let it?

Now imagine a hiring manager asks: 
"What's an original idea you've had this year?"

Could you answer?

(this is the biggest mindset hack from MIT's brain study)
54 people. 3 groups. Brain scans.

The group that used AI for everything?

Lowest memory. 
Lowest creativity. 
Lowest engagement.

The group that thought without AI? 
Highest across every single measure.

I keep thinking...

Your brain is your greatest asset. 
Give it real challenges. It deserves them.

Challenge your brain → Shelve the shortcuts.

Good luck, thinkers! ❤️ (Repost this too ♻️)

P.S. When's the last time you sat with a problem for 30 minutes before reaching for ChatGPT? Genuinely curious. 👇

Entry-level means no experience.

It's for juniors to begin their careers, learn, and grow.

Yet job posts say:

"Entry-level position"
"Requirements: 3-5 years experience"

That's not entry-level. That's mid-level.

Stop lying in job descriptions.
You're not finding candidates because you're asking for the impossible.

Entry-level = zero experience required.

If you need experience, it's not entry-level.

(Repost for job seekers ♻️)

P.S. Have you seen this contradiction in job posts?

Figma made it easy to "design."

(but it also made it easy to copy)

Open Dribbble. 
Find a dashboard. 
Rebuild it in Figma. 

Add it to your portfolio.

Nobody will know. 
Until the interview.

"Why did you use tabs here instead of a sidebar?" 

You don't know.
Now you panic.

Copying teaches you layout.  It doesn't teach you decisions.

And design is decisions.

P.S. Unpopular opinion: struggling with design tools made us better designers. 😇

Mini-masterclass on receiving design feedback:

(save this for your next critique)

Well-delivered feedback = great insight
Well-received feedback = great growth

That being said... Let's dive into 5 levels of receiving feedback:

Level 1: Defensive 
↳ "But here's why I did it this way..." 
↳ You're protecting ego, not improving work

Level 2: Silent 
↳ You nod. You take notes. You change nothing. 
↳ Feedback theater. Everyone sees through it.

Level 3: Selective 
↳ You only hear what confirms your choices 
↳ Cherry-picking isn't growth

Level 4: Receptive 
↳ You listen. You ask questions. You implement. 
↳ This is where most good designers live.

Level 5: Hungry 
↳ You seek feedback before anyone offers it 
↳ "What's not working? Where did you struggle?" 
↳ This is where great designers live.

Getting feedback is a skill. Just like giving it.

And most of us never practiced receiving.
We just practiced defending.

Time to switch.

Repost this ♻️ for your design team.

P.S. What level are you at right now (1-5)? No judgment 👇

Old design workflow:

1. Sketch idea
2. Open Figma
3. Design for hours
4. Export and code
5. Test and iterate

New workflow with Claude:

1. Describe idea to Claude
2. Claude codes it fast
3. See design instantly
4. Iterate with prompts
5. Ship faster

I made glass icon effects this way.

No design tools. 
Just conversation.

The bottleneck shifted from execution to clarity of thought.

Can you describe what you want clearly?

That's the new design skill.

(Repost this shift ♻️)

P.S. How has your workflow changed with AI?

I just found out the best color generator for designers.

uicolors. app/generate

Save it for later or repost ♻️

Three reasons Inter dominates:

It's variable

One font file. 
It's optimized.
Multiple widths. 
Multiple weights. 
Smaller load times.

Letter spacing, x-height, character distinction all tuned for screens.

It's free
No legal.
No licensing. 
No procurement. 
Just download and use.

Hard to compete with that combination.

P.S. What font makes your product memorable?

Free UX research templates.

(this is not a drill)

I just found a Notion file with:

→ Workshop frameworks
→ Research plans
→ Interview guides
→ Synthesis templates

In other words:

Everything you need.
Everything organized.
Everything actually usable.

Shoutout to Odette Jansen for making this.

Grab it here: notion. com/@odettej

That's it. No strings. Just value.

♻️ Repost to help a fellow designer.

P.S. Drop a 🔥 if you're saving this.

Here's the biggest lesson my son taught me:

Yesterday, I cut my finger.

He saw blood. He didn't freeze. He didn't cry.

He ran to get a napkin. 
Wrapped it around my finger. 
Taped it with whatever he found.

Then he grabbed a pen.

And drew a little stick figure on the bandage.
A tiny man.

"That's you, daddy. So you're not alone."

I looked at this ridiculous napkin-bandage. 
Tape peeling off. 
Little man with "hair".

This is what support actually looks like.

Show up. With what you have. 
And make sure they know they're not alone.

That little stick figure?

Best medicine I ever got.

Repost this ♻️ to spread a good message today.

taplio

The Battle

Mike Mahony

Pavle Lucic

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taplio

The Battle

Mike Mahony

Pavle Lucic

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Pavle Lucic's LinkedIn Performance

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