Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello interview Erin Shems, a creative operations leader and entrepreneur who has built a career on getting things done. Erin’s unconventional journey started early—first going to work, then going to school—and led her to industries she’s always been drawn to, from video games to toys.
Erin is passionate about mental health and human-centered processes, advocating for workplaces where people can be their authentic selves—starting with how they dress and speak. She challenges the idea that authenticity and performance are opposites, instead proposing that authenticity itself is a type of performance. We shift and adapt depending on who we’re with, how we feel, and the dynamics of our work environment.
She shares insights from her years leading operations in creative industries, bridging the gap between design, marketing, and business teams. Erin reflects on how technological progress shaped her entry into the industry and speculates on the next generation’s behaviors, especially in the age of social media and AI. She also discusses workplace trends, pointing out how large companies often replicate each other’s initiatives in a “follow-the-leader” mode.
Now an entrepreneur, Erin is on a mission to help people make work suck less. She offers practical advice on improving daily routines and embracing more fulfilling professional lives. Her motto? Make work fun again.
How do you bring authenticity to your work?
Erin’s company: ezippyco.com
Erin’s linkedin page: linkedin.com/in/erinshems
Substack: lostwallettheory.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search
Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California - aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference
Listen/Subscribe to the audio version of this podcast on your preferred platform - creators.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign
References mentioned in this episode:
The Cerulean Sweater Scene from The Devil Wears Prada: youtube.com/watch?v=-rDTRuCOs9g
The Straat Museum (Amsterdam): straatmuseum.com/en
Powerhouse Museum Ultimo (Australia): powerhouseultimo.insw.com
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello interview Erin Shems, a creative operations leader and entrepreneur who has built a career on getting things done. Erin’s unconventional journey started early—first going to work, then going to school—and led her to industries she’s always been drawn to, from video games to toys.
Erin is passionate about mental health and human-centered processes, advocating for workplaces where people can be their authentic selves—starting with how they dress and speak. She challenges the idea that authenticity and performance are opposites, instead proposing that authenticity itself is a type of performance. We shift and adapt depending on who we’re with, how we feel, and the dynamics of our work environment.
She shares insights from her years leading operations in creative industries, bridging the gap between design, marketing, and business teams. Erin reflects on how technological progress shaped her entry into the industry and speculates on the next generation’s behaviors, especially in the age of social media and AI. She also discusses workplace trends, pointing out how large companies often replicate each other’s initiatives in a “follow-the-leader” mode.
Now an entrepreneur, Erin is on a mission to help people make work suck less. She offers practical advice on improving daily routines and embracing more fulfilling professional lives. Her motto? Make work fun again.
How do you bring authenticity to your work?
Erin’s company: ezippyco.com
Erin’s linkedin page: linkedin.com/in/erinshems
Substack: lostwallettheory.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search
Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California - aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference
Listen/Subscribe to the audio version of this podcast on your preferred platform - creators.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign
References mentioned in this episode:
The Cerulean Sweater Scene from The Devil Wears Prada: youtube.com/watch?v=-rDTRuCOs9g
The Straat Museum (Amsterdam): straatmuseum.com/en
Powerhouse Museum Ultimo (Australia): powerhouseultimo.insw.com
