Vanessa
Bahk

What led you into design?

Before retirement, my dad was a firefighter. As a kid, I looooooved playing with his fire suit and exploring the different pieces that came together to form it. The placement of the reflective strips, the texture of the cinch-straps, the solid weight of the steel-toed boots with their puncture-resistant soles—each detail was meticulously crafted for functionality. Yet, together, they formed a cohesive, powerful unit, one that was intentionally as purposeful as it was beautifully designed.

I think that strong appreciation for intentionality is what led me to design. The joy in each curated element coming together from scratch. How it creates something far more refined than just a random collection of parts. Feels very useful but with some life to it...

What does a typical day look like?

Each day begins with my first meeting, I'll structure my day around calls before lunch. I’ll take care of any admin work in between calls and allocate the second half of the day to lock in on Figma. 

Somewhere in the mix, I find time to walk and feed my dog, Fermented-Bean (청국장). Highly recommend getting a dog to force yourself to touch some grass in the middle of the work day.

After work, I usually rush to teach hot yoga at a studio near my apartment. This time is pretty sacred to me—it's how I unwind and find some release after a day filled with so much stimulus.

What's your workstation setup?

Where do you go to get inspired?

Inspiration often finds me when I change my rhythm. It can be something as big as stepping away from work to travel or as small as switching tabs to scroll through Pinterest. I’m highly affected by my environment so exploring new places and simply shifting my focus helps bring in new perspective. It’s that moment that I can see the familiar in a new light.

What product have you recently seen that made you think this is great design?

Hot take: Muji suitcases > Rimowa

The price point, durability, and wheel lock under the handle makes this product truly special. Especially living in a hilly city like SF, not having my suitcase run away from me with alarming speed is kinda neat.

What pieces of work are you most proud of?

I’ve had the privilege of working with at many incredible places over the years. Instead of highlighting just one project, here are a couple of fun pieces I've designed.

What design challenges do you face at your company?

There are so many paradoxes in design. How do we create in the Gen AI space without just making another basic chat/prompt interface? It’s about walking that fine line between empowering the user to steer the conversation while also removing the burden of decision-making. A dance of adding more features while keeping things simple.

Every client collaboration feels like navigating uncharted waters together—tackling each product where innovation meets restraint, and the goal is to make complexity feel effortless.

What music do you listen to while designing?

Any advice for ambitious designers?

Early in my career, I felt the pressure to define my ‘edge’—to pinpoint exactly what kind of designer I was supposed to be. It seemed like all the best designers had this one, unshakable expertise.

Over time, I’ve learned that our 'edge' isn’t something fixed; it’s a living, evolving concept that shifts as we explore new tools, environments, and sometimes even relationships. Rather than forcing a specialization, let your curiosity lead the way. Your uniqueness emerges not from a single trait, but from the ongoing journey of discovery. It helps to embrace the uncertainty—where true differentiation lies.

Anything you want to promote or plug?

Recently started my own solo freelance design practice. If you're in need of product design help or advice, feel free to hit me up!