Making great work happen: Li-Anne Dias, Executive Creative Director, Handshake

The Changemakers

Li-Anne Dias is a design leader who has shaped world-class brands and led high-impact design teams.
Currently she leads brand and enterprise growth design at Handshake, a software firm that enables schools, companies, and students come together to help students and recent grads make career moves. Her previous achievements include building Reddit’s first brand identity and design systems as the company’s first brand designer, and scaling Grammarly’s brand design team as the company grew revenue growth from $43M to over $250M.
In episode 46 of The Changemakers, Li-Anne sits down with Dave to share her thoughts on what goes into making great creative work.
They discuss her journey in brand design, insights on balancing creativity with strategy, and the significance of iterative processes and embracing failure. They also delve into the role of creative leaders in maintaining hands-on involvement and evolving a brand. They chat about how Leanne's experience at Handshake, including their successful rebrand, highlights the importance of perseverance and collaboration in achieving great creative outcomes.
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
00:59 Defining Great Work
01:37 The Role of Creative Leaders
02:46 Conversation with Leanne Diaz Begins
03:20 Leanne's Journey and Experience
07:57 Making Great Work Happen
17:58 The Importance of Strategy in Creative Work
24:02 Leveraging Past Insights for New Projects
26:08 The Creative Director's Journey
27:33 Balancing Leadership and Hands-On Work
35:48 The Importance of Brand Voice
42:42 Achieving Great Work Through Team Effort
47:07 Concluding Thoughts on Great Work

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