Design x Linda Eliasen
Director of Brand Design @ Webflow
Illustration by Bonnie Kate Wolf
Interview conducted by Stephen Jordan on September 9, 2020
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Linda. I grew up in the South in a very conservative Christian family. I went to art school because I loved drawing but eventually fell into tech instead. I’ve found that when I’m working a full-time job, I like to have something else going on on the side, so I’ll do improv comedy or find some other side projects to keep myself going creatively.
How do you find ways to separate yourself from work, especially now that your home is your office?
I learned a long time ago that if you become too closely identified with the work that you do, you’re going to be buying yourself a lot of pain. I worked on a product team a while ago, where I was just so invested in the product, I was working every weekend and putting 100% of my time into it. A product has to reach business goals, and a bunch of other people need to be involved, but it’s not your baby. You need to be able to let go of it and let other people iterate on it. I’ve learned to respect that balance between loving what I do and also not expecting it to completely fulfill me.
“I’ve learned to respect that balance between loving what I do and also not expecting it to completely fulfill me.”
I had already been working remotely for two years when the pandemic started, so I had some practice, but I still wasn’t completely prepared for how weird and hard this would be. For the first couple months, I just played a lot of Animal Crossing and I could barely focus for the 9-to-5 portion of the day. After that phase, I needed an escape to keep my mind off of what was going on outside. Now I’m in a very different part of the pandemic where I’m excited to be producing and making things again. This past week I started to roast my own coffee, and that’s been my new and “kewl” hobby. It’s great because it gets me off of the screen. I feel like I’m putting something in the world that wasn’t there before, and that brings me a lot of joy.
Doodle by Linda Eliasen
Do you think you’re more productive recently because you’ve gotten used to the pandemic lifestyle?
I guess so. I think that humans are just so adaptable. My partner and I are both totally different in the way that we have adapted to these changes. I need to go outside everyday—with a mask on, of course—and just see how the world around me is changing. At times it was hard to see how empty the city was, but seeing it was like facing reality in a way. I had one or two breakdowns a week where I would fully lose control and cry. But when I woke up the next day, it felt like some sort of a rebirth that happened for my brain, and bam! I was able to take on the day with a smile again.
Everyone is dealing with this pandemic differently. Some people are thriving under shelter-in-place, while others are having a really tough time. Has Help Scout’s culture shifted in any way to respond to the pandemic?
Help Scout has always been a fully remote company, so we had that to our advantage. When the lockdown happened, we were doing everything we could to share what we already knew about remote culture, to lend a hand to the rest of the industry. The part that none of us could have prepared for was the struggle of being a parent during this pandemic. There are a lot of people at our company who have children and have to figure out homeschooling and childcare. That’s been one of the most unexpected challenges, I would say. Then, on top of everything, we have this really intense election coming up, and after the murder of George Floyd, that was just another piece added on top of this shit sandwich of the year 2020.
I had to learn how to proactively be there for people. Most people don’t raise their hand and say, “Hey, I’m having a hard time.” Instead, I had to notice the subtleties of how people’s behaviors were changing. Productivity has dipped, but it’s so understandable that it would. Our culture has always been so caring and warm and fuzzy, and if anything, we’ve just leaned even more into that.
What are some examples of the subtleties you’ve noticed, and how do you offer support?
I have worked with most of the people on my team for over a year, so I’ve gotten to know them really well. I’m also an emotional leader. You can sometimes tell if someone is having a bad day by their facial expression on Zoom, the ways they present their work, and how their body language shows up. Sometimes I have to nudge people to take time off to recharge. That’s another thing that people aren’t doing right now. Use your PTO, people!
How has being an “emotional leader” benefited the way you manage and lead people?
I think that it helps create relationships a lot faster. If I ask a designer, “How do you feel today?” they’re gonna say, “Ah, I’m good.” But if I open up first, show them it’s okay to be vulnerable, it helps create a safe space to openly discuss how we feel. I prefer to bring what’s really going on to the table.
“… if I open up first, show them it’s okay to be vulnerable, it helps create a safe space to openly discuss how we feel.”
You grew up in a religious, conservative family and eventually pursued illustration and design at Cartoon Network. What was that transition like?
I think that there’s a thread here, which is to follow the things that feel true. When I was really little, I drew all the time and I had the positive reinforcement of people telling me that I had natural artistic abilities. That positive reinforcement encouraged me to work harder at that craft, to be better. My family is super religious, but my dad is a total goofball. He’s a musician and so was his mother, so there was already this appreciation of the arts. Knowing that from an early age supported my desire to draw for a living.
Doodle by Linda Eliasen
The Simpsons was so impactful for me not only because of the humor but because adults were the ones doing that work. It showed me that grownups could create things that resonated with kids while still addressing complicated ideas, topics, and feelings. I loved that. I have big feelings, but I don’t like to take myself too seriously.
How did you develop your illustration style?
Whatever comes out when you’re talking to your siblings or your mom or whatever on the phone, and you’re doodling mindlessly, that’s your style. I didn’t mean for my last doodle to look a certain way, but it’s what naturally came out and it was a pleasant surprise. I just followed it. It really is about following your feelings and the marks you make. Embrace the little accidents, build off of them, and chase the happy feeling you get when you see something you like.
“Embrace the little accidents, build off of them, and chase the happy feeling you get when you see something you like.”
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring illustrators who are still new to drawing or intimidated by it, what would it be?
Just draw, man! And be shitty at it! A lot of my doodles are truly unpolished. Just sit down and force yourself for a full hour to put pen to paper, and see what happens and do it without judgment. You might arrive with something that is unexpected or doesn’t look “right,” but who cares? If it brings you joy, then that’s all that really matters. I’d say to spend less time looking at other people’s work, and more time off of the screen, letting your own marks fall out. It’s really uncomfortable, but it’s the best way to figure out who you are.
How do you get unstuck?
Walk away. I think that our brains are a lot more powerful than we think. We tend to assume that the only way an idea is going to come to us is if we’re sitting in front of the computer and actively giving all of our attention to it. But I think our mind needs space to solve problems.
There’s also the concept called “rubber duck.” The idea is that sometimes you just need to hear yourself say something out loud, so that you can solve a problem. Sometimes you’ll get stuck in your own head when you’re trying to think through a problem, and your brain doesn't actually complete its own loops. When you go through the practice of saying things out loud to someone else, your brain is forced to close the loops that it otherwise was avoiding. Walk away, get your mind off of it completely, and talk to a friend about the problem you’re solving.
Rapid Fire Questions
What is your favorite favorite thing to do in your free time?
Ride Citi Bike’s Ebikes around the city.
What is your favorite book or podcast?
Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster (right now, at least).
If you could live anywhere, where would that be?
New York City. This city just has so much great energy, and it makes you work for the things you want. It takes some time to settle in here, but it does genuinely feel like if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Very funny, cool.
