Welcome, Mia Lightsy! Tell us about your career to date
Mia Lightsy: I’ve always been a creative & artistic person, but I’ve struggled with how to choose a career path that wouldn’t leave me in the “struggling artist” trope. At first I went the traditional route of enrolling in college, but that proved to be no help proven by my change of major 6 times within a year and a half. Then the stars aligned & I was introduced to UI/UX design and promptly enrolled in the Flatiron School. Since then, UX design has felt like home; I love this job because it feels like working on a never ending puzzle of figuring out the best way to solve problems with simple solutions. I spent a little over a year & a half at a small design agency having close connections with stakeholders & gaining experience in the fin-tech and real estate industries. I couldn’t be happier with my career choice & I can’t wait to see what new challenges will be brought my way!
Tell us about your personal life
Mia Lightsy: I’m originally from Georgia & lived there my whole life up until last year. I am an artist & I constantly bounce between my hobbies: crochet, painting, writing, photography, illustration. I consider myself a budding movie aficionado, but I’m a snob for a classic 80s or 90s film. I love to bake and would eventually like to go to pastry school. If I’m not working or napping, then I’m typically reading a fantasy book – a recent favorite of mine is Girls of Paper and Fire series by Natasha Ngun. My life goal is to move to the countryside somewhere out of the US and have my own little farm.
What attracted you to Mindset that made you want to join the team?
Mia Lightsy: Mindset really caught my eye after visiting the website & seeing the emphasis placed on the importance of design thinking & user centered design. This was one of the top things I wanted to gain experience in my new role, as I was previously used to mainly being a “pixel pusher.” But the thing that kept me interested & really sparked my joy, was all the conversations I had during my interview process; everyone had a truly lovely energy & made me feel at ease. I could tell that they loved what they did & got a sense of the warm & safe environment that was being cultivated & I wanted to be a part of it.
What are you most looking forward to learning/developing to grow your career?
Mia Lightsy: Research! I got a taste of this during my time at bootcamp, but since then have not had any true opportunities to dive deeper into. As a UX designer, design decisions and the nature of design problems is guided by the research conducted on the user & business side. I’m looking forward to seeing how this process shapes my design experience, compared to my previous experience of designing by client assumptions & decisions.
What is a quote that captures your spirit?
Mia Lightsy: “For my part, I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” Vincent Van Gogh
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