Design Makes or Breaks Your Startup — Here's Why

From CREWcasts · 31:54

Show by Skdiv.Studios

Design can make or break a startup — and in this episode, we get real about design leadership, startup culture, and building in public. Hosted by Ruchi Kotecha, featuring Divyansh Shekhar (Founder, SKDIV®) and Ritik (Head of Design) — this is Part 1 of our 2025 journey conversation: how SKDIV evolved in one year, how trust + team structure are built, what a design lead actually does day-to-day, and why gaming culture in India is changing fast. If you’re into startups, product design, leadership, content creation, or gaming communities, this one’s for you. ✅ Explore CREW™: https://www.crewtm.com 📲 Mobile App iOS: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/crew/id6739217561 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skdiv.crew&pcampaignid=web_share Timestamps Chapters 00:00:00 Trailer 00:00:26 Welcome and Introduction 00:01:02 Why design matters for podcasts and startup growth 00:01:27 Meet the guests: Divyansh and Ritik 00:02:46 Engineering and fine arts to design journey 00:04:30 Trust, leadership, and building the right team structure 00:05:39 What a design lead actually does day-to-day 00:06:47 Mentoring designers and scaling the design team 00:08:20 Gaming as a taboo in India and what’s changing 00:09:31 Why you should download CREW™ 00:09:51 What motivates people to work at startups 00:10:45 Flexibility, freedom, and rapid learning in startup culture 00:11:43 Wearing multiple hats and personal growth 00:12:07 Founder’s gaming frustration and the idea behind CREW™ 00:13:24 Appreciating the team and creative culture at SKDIV 00:13:51 Engineering vs design: choosing the middle path 00:15:31 Parental pressure and career dilemmas in India 00:16:42 Discovering design as a real career 00:18:13 Regret, exploration, and long-term choices 00:20:34 What good design really means 00:20:58 Good design is invisible and intuitive 00:22:15 Founder’s perspective on design decisions 00:23:25 Mentorship and communication culture 00:24:40 Collaboration, trust, and team bonding 00:25:36 Avoiding toxicity: attitude over ego 00:27:01 Feedback culture and alignment 00:28:29 Thumbnails, experimentation, and audience response 00:29:58 Trial and error: the startup way 00:31:19 Credits

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