Creatives

Design leadership is both art and science—a delicate balance of vision, empathy, and strategic thinking. Venus Vale draws from decades of experience navigating the journey from individual contributor to executive leadership, bringing passionate support to help others find their unique path forward.

Our mentoring practice provides both structured guidance and flexible support for creative professionals at pivotal career moments. Whether you're a seasoned design manager seeking to level up, a non-design executive learning to harness creative teams, or an emerging leader looking for direction, we offer practical frameworks and honest perspective.

Through one-on-one mentoring, community workshops, and fractional leadership engagements, we bridge the gap between creative excellence and business impact. Our approach emphasizes authentic leadership development—not forcing predetermined models, but helping you discover your own leadership voice and leverage your distinctive strengths.

The design landscape continuously evolves, and with it, the challenges of creative leadership. Let's navigate this terrain together, turning obstacles into opportunities and uncertainties into clarity. Bring your questions, your ambitions, and your challenges—we'll bring decades of experience, a network of possibilities, and a commitment to your growth.

News

Featured
Craft Foundations: Building From Solid Ground

In our recent Early Career Design Party, we explored crucial challenges facing designers in their first 1-5 years: establishing intentional learning priorities, navigating certification decisions, overcoming portfolio NDA constraints, and evolving beyond production-focused roles. Designers shared candid insights about building sustainable foundations while avoiding burnout. RSVP on Read below how today's early career designers are creating focused growth paths that align with their authentic strengths.

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Design Elevation: From Adaptability to Authenticity

In our recent Mid-Career Design Party, we explored crucial challenges facing designers with 5-10 years of experience in 2025: balancing your authenticity with the market, overcoming impostor syndrome, establishing healthy work boundaries, and discovering secondary networks. Designers shared candid insights about reconnecting with what feels true and good while building sustainable careers. RSVP on ADP List for next month’s free event. Read below, how today's design peers are creating paths aligned with their true strengths and values.

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The Leadership Canvas: Sustainable Practices For Design Leaders

In our recent Management Design Party, we explored crucial challenges facing design leaders in 2025: building positive team cultures during organizational change, finding purpose beyond promotion, navigating career transitions, and balancing AI adoption with team wellbeing. Leaders shared candid insights about maintaining resilience while driving innovation. RSVP on ADP List for next month’s free event. Read below, how today's design peers are creating sustainable, human-centered leadership practices.

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Press

Featured
Bold Journey Magazine: Meet Shagane (Shagoh) Barsegian
Bold Journey Magazine: Meet Shagane (Shagoh) Barsegian

The Bold Journey Magazine illuminates life's shared challenges through authentic conversations that transform how we navigate our personal journeys. In their featured story, Shagane (Shagoh) Barsegian shares her unexpected path to self-confidence through surrender, mythology, and ancient wisdom traditions. As a former VP of Design and founder of Venus Vale, she offers thoughtful insights on bridging corporate environments with soul-centered approaches while nurturing the Folk Lounge art collective—a space where embroidery becomes medicine and reconnection with nature happens in cross-generational circles.

Design Rebels: Crafting Careers Beyond The Rulebook
Design Rebels: Crafting Careers Beyond The Rulebook

When Josh McWhorter, who hosts a Talks With J podcast spotlighting professionals across Los Angeles, invited me to share my story, I knew this was a special interview. It was an opportunity to break down the many aspects of design for a broad audience. Drawing from my experience as the founder of Venus Veil and my decade-long journey as VP of Design at Zonda Home, what emerged was a masterclass in breaking rules, empowering designers, and creating space for creativity that doesn't fit into neat little boxes. Take a glance at the highlights below, click the link to listen to the full video.