Jill is an experienced leader in product strategy and customer research. She’s worked in companies such as Facebook, Citrix, and lynda.com, and last year started her own consulting practice. She now works primarily with startups, helping them find answers to critical business questions (with retention, churn, and customer acquisition) from a user-based perspective. She translates these answers into actionable recommendations as they relate to their business decisions and outcomes. She is interested in creative and imaginative approaches to customer-centricity, and building a strong user-centered culture at the company. Jill is looking forward to connecting with those who not only wish to better understand their users, but also want to inspire change with the products they are building.
Have you ever fantasized about quitting your job, and starting a UX practice of your own? But then, Imposter Syndrome sets in, causing you to wonder if you “have what it takes?” You don’t know where to start finding clients, figure out your rates, or what it takes to be profitable. You feel called to start something on your own, but don’t know what to expect. In this talk, Jill Christ will share a framework, inspired by The Wizard of Oz, that walks through what you may expect if you feel called to start your own UX consulting practice. This is the speech she wishes she heard before she headed down the “yellow brick road,” searching for the wisdom she felt she lacked. She will show you the tools and frameworks that propelled her forward, and helped her build a profitable UX consulting practice. She will cover what prepared her for the uncertainty and challenges along the road. In this talk you will learn how she changed her own career expectations, and developed the courage she needed to go after dream clients. Jill will cover 5 key parts of her journey, including the guidance that helped her strengthen her business mindset, find the heart and soul driving her work, and develop the courage to take risks.
