From UX Designer to UXpreneur: Monetizing Your Skills Beyond a 9-to-5
Many UX designers dream of turning their expertise into a profitable side hustle but struggle with where to start. In this session, I’ll break down practical, actionable strategies for monetizing UX skills beyond a traditional job, whether through mentoring, consulting, cohort-based courses, workshops, or digital products.
In this session I will share real-life insights from my journey of scaling MarziUXD into a thriving UX education business.
I'm a UX educator, mentor, and founder of MarziUXD, a UX community dedicated to helping designers land jobs and level up their careers. With over 10 years of experience in UX, I’ve mentored hundreds of designers and built a sustainable business around teaching, mentoring, and running cohort-based challenges. My expertise lies in transition from learning to earning, turning skills into scalable income streams through workshops, consulting, and content creation.
We'll explore how to uncover hidden opportunities through user research, use lean validation techniques to test ideas before scaling, and strategically position your business in a way that differentiates it from competitors. You’ll also learn how to break into niche markets effectively whether through emerging technologies like AI and VR, or cultural intelligence—can be your biggest advantage.
This talk will include real-world case studies, actionable frameworks, and lessons from startups that successfully turned niche ideas into thriving businesses. Whether you're an early-stage founder or looking to pivot your existing venture, this session will equip you with the tools to find your niche, innovate with confidence, and scale strategically.
Taking all about taking the first steps to building, overcoming that fear of starting, how to not overthink and just focusing on doing.
Great startups begin with great problems. But how do you train yourself to spot them? This session explores the art of problem sensitivity—the ability to recognize unmet needs, inefficiencies, and emerging opportunities before others do. Learn how to shift your mindset, ask the right questions, and uncover startup-worthy insights in everyday life. Whether you're an aspiring founder or an experienced entrepreneur looking for your next big idea, this talk will provide actionable frameworks and real-world examples to sharpen your problem-finding skills.
Outlining the journey from freelancer to business owner and all the mistakes, problems, roadblocks and journey along the way. Intended as a way to normalize the conversation that business is a LONG journey full of bumps and problems. If you are persistent, resilient and open to critique, feedback and change, it is possible and SHOULD be pursued with the right mindset - the Entrepreneurial mindset.
