Made For Us

Over the past few months, guests on this podcast have shared some great examples of inclusive design and innovation, but these kinds of products aren’t the norm (yet).  Joining me to explore some of the reasons why is Scott Berkun, author of How Design Makes the World, a book that aims to demystify design for everyone. We discuss why it’s so hard to design well and what organisations can do to accelerate good ideas. Enjoying the show? Be sure to check out the Made For Us newsletter to get the latest updates.If you haven’t yet left a 5-star rating or review, this would be the perfect time to do so (it will help others discover this podcast while Season 2 is in the works). In today’s episode, Scott and I discuss: Business and cultural reasons behind design choicesKey questions to ask early on in the design processWhy we should think twice before using words like ‘intuitive’ and ‘user-friendly’The ROI of inclusivity ---About Scott Berkun:Scott Berkun is a bestselling author and popular speaker on UX design, innovation, leading teams, public speaking and other subjects. He’s published eight books, including How Design Makes The World and The Myths of Innovation. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist and other media.Learn more about Scott Berkun: http://www.scottberkun.comLearn more about How Design Makes the World: https://designmtw.com/ ---Connect with  Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ Made For Us was produced and hosted by Tosin Sulaiman. Special thanks to the following people who helped to keep this podcast running:Design & social media management: Valentin Grimoux Audio engineering: Justin Orive at Reliable Sounds, Alex Van Rose & Rishi DasPost-production & marketing intern: Soumaya El Filali

On the day makeup artist Terri Bryant learned she had Parkinson's, she returned home and raided her makeup kit and her husband's toolbox. She quickly pinpointed what was lacking in the tools she’d been using for years: grip and stability. This sparked the creation of Guide Beauty, a brand dedicated to reimagining makeup artistry and proving it can be accessible to all, regardless of skill, ability, or disability.In today’s episode, we discuss: Adaptation and accommodation vs. authentic inclusion What Terri learned from launching a beauty brand in the middle of the pandemicWhy she decided to team up with the actress Selma Blair, Guide’s Chief Creative OfficerHow Guide Beauty is changing the narrative around accessible beauty toolsLoved this episode? Share it with a friend and drop us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to spread the word! And be sure to sign up for the Made For Us newsletter to get the latest updates.---About Terri Bryant:Guide Beauty's founder Terri Bryant is a veteran in makeup artistry and education with over 25 years in the cosmetics industry. She’s worked behind the scenes as a celebrity makeup artist, in front of the camera as a presenter on QVC, QVC UK and HSN, and as an education executive, teaching makeup artistry for brands like Dior and Stila, and leading education departments for companies such as Smashbox and Josie Maran. Learn more about Guide Beauty: https://www.guidebeauty.comFollow Guide Beauty on IG: @guidebeautycosmetics Follow Guide Beauty on TIKTOK: @guidebeauty---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ 

Want to be the first to hear when Season 2 lands? Sign up for the Made For Us newsletter here.---This week's episode:In the heart of South London, a bustling barbershop served as the birthplace for Aaron Wallace, the pioneering grooming brand dedicated to black men. Co-founders Aaron Wallace and Lina Barker share how everyday barbershop conversations about hair woes and aspirations inspired the creation of their acclaimed brand, now gracing the shelves of major retailers like Sainsbury's and Superdrug in the UK and Saks Fifth Avenue in the US. In the conversation, we discuss: How barbershop dialogues helped the founders uncover a real need in the men’s grooming space The journey of turning a gap in the market into an opportunity for inclusive innovation Aaron Wallace’s global aspirations and how the brand broke into the US marketIf you enjoyed this episode, please pass it on to someone who'd appreciate it, and kindly leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others find us.---About Aaron Wallace and Lina Barker:Aaron Wallace is a South London entrepreneur who opened his barbershop, Shear and Shine, in 2014. Following the success of the shop, he went on to launch his eponymous grooming brand, earning accolades from Forbes, AskMen and more as an industry innovator. Entrepreneur Lina Barker transitioned from organising events at the Houses of Parliament to co-founding the Aaron Wallace male grooming brand. Passionate about marketing and brand building, her work with Aaron Wallace has earned recognition from Forbes and Business Insider.Learn more about the brand Aaron Wallace: www.byaaronwallace.comFollow the brand Aaron Wallace on Instagram: @byaaronwallace.comFollow Aaron Wallace on Instagram: @aaronmwallaceFollow Lina Barker on Instagram: @linasbarker---Connect with  Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fmNewsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ 

Can't wait for the next season of Made For Us? Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates.---This week's guest:In 2018, brown and bronze pointe shoes, tailored for dancers of colour, made their commercial debut in the UK — nearly two centuries after the introduction of pink ones. The delay begs the questions: Why? Who paved the way? What were dancers of colour doing before then? And how has the landscape changed since? Join us as we dive into these questions with Cassa Pancho, the trailblazing founder of Ballet Black, a company committed to carving out space for dancers of colour in classical ballet.In today’s episode, we discuss:  The question that sparked the idea for Ballet Black Ballet Black’s role in changing what ballet repertoire looks likeCassa’s feedback on early prototypes of the brown pointe shoesThe reaction to the launch of the shoesIf you liked this episode, don't keep it to yourself. Please share with a fellow podcast lover and don't forget to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. ---About Cassa Pancho: Born to Trinidadian and British parents, Cassa Pancho launched Ballet Black in 2001 after graduating from professional dance training. Her initial goal was to provide role models to young, aspiring Black and Asian dancers. Ballet Black won the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Company in 2009 and Best Mid-Scale Company in 2022. Cassa was awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Years’ Honours List for Services to classical ballet. To date, she has commissioned over 40 choreographers to create over 60 new ballets for Ballet Black. Learn more about Ballet BlackWebsite: https://balletblack.co.ukFollow Ballet Black on Instagram: @originalballetblack---Connect with  Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/

Help us design Season 2 of Made For Us! We're looking forward to bringing you more great guests and we'd love to get your feedback. Share your thoughts on the episodes so far and suggest potential guests in our quick 4-minute survey. Find it here or by pasting this link in your browser: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. Your input matters to us!This week's episode:Paying with a card has become incredibly easy and safe, but for the 43 million blind people worldwide, that's not the case.Not only are blind and visually impaired people not able to see the payment terminal when making a transaction, but they also have no way of confirming whether the amount they're paying is accurate. Blind notches, braille and contrasting colors are all tools integrated in financial services to make them more inclusive. But our guest today, Frederic Martinez, believes banks can do more! His team developed a talking payment card, in collaboration with partners, and he joins us to explain how it works and the reception it's had so far.In the episode, we discuss:  What prompted the development of the voice payment card and the technology behind itThe challenges banks may face in offering it more widely Other potential use cases for the voice payment cardBiometric cards: another exciting inclusive financial solutionIf you liked this episode, please share with someone who you think would enjoy it and don't forget to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. ---About Frederic Martinez: Frederic Martinez is driving the offer strategy for biometric cards and innovative payment solutions at Thales. With a passion for new technologies, Frederic is committed to helping banks bring better payment experiences to consumers and introduce new disruptive services.Learn more about Thales Banking & PaymentsWebsite: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/markets/digital-identity-and-security/banking-paymentFollow Frederic Martinez on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/fmartinez2---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ 

The struggle to find a bicycle helmet that fits is more common than you might think. People with long hair, big hair, dreadlocks, cochlear implants, turbans…the list goes on. How are helmet manufacturers addressing the needs of diverse communities and what could the latest innovations in helmet technology mean for inclusivity? Randy Swart, executive director of the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, has answers to these questions and more.What we discuss in this episode:Challenges of designing helmets for different head shapes and specific needsThe tension between inclusivity and affordability in helmet designThe pros and cons of solutions such as 3D printing and airbag helmetsThis is the second of two episodes on inclusive helmets. Be sure to check out part one, an interview with Tina Singh, founder of Bold Helmets, here: https://pod.link/1711282282 Help us design Season 2 of Made For Us! We're looking forward to bringing you more great guests and we'd love to get your feedback. Share your thoughts on the episodes so far and suggest potential guests in our quick 4-minute survey. Find it here or by pasting this link in your browser: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. Your input matters to us!If you liked this episode, please share with someone who you think would enjoy it and please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. ---About Randy Swart Randy Swart is the executive director of the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI), a bicycle helmet advocacy program explaining helmet technology to consumers and working to improve helmet standards. BHSI is funded entirely by consumer donations and does not accept funds from the industry.Learn more about BHSI: helmets.org ---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/

Help us design Season 2 of Made For Us! We're looking forward to bringing you more great guests and we'd love to get your feedback. Share your thoughts on the episodes so far and suggest potential guests in our quick 4-minute survey. Find it here or by pasting this link in your browser: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. Your input matters to us!This week's episode:What do you do when traditional bike helmets just don’t work for you? Forgo a helmet altogether or choose a different sport? Tina Singh chose a third option - designing a helmet for Sikh kids who, like her three sons, keep their hair uncut. Although her company, Bold Helmets, was created with her community in mind, Tina hopes other overlooked groups could one day benefit from her re-imagining of the helmet.What we discuss in this episode:The tough choices faced by Sikh parents who want their kids to participate in helmet-mandated sportsHow Tina started with zero knowledge of helmet design and what she would do differentlyWhy she ended up pivoting the brand nameHow she coped with media attention when Bold Helmets launchedIf you liked this episode, please share with someone who you think would enjoy it and please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. ---About Tina Singh Tina Singh is the founder of Bold Helmets, an Occupational Therapist, Digital Content Creator and mom of 3. In December 2022, Tina launched the Bold Helmets brand which has created the first safety certified multi-sport helmet for Sikh kids who keep their hair. As an Occupational Therapist who worked in the area of head and brain injuries, Tina knew that a helmet was essential for her kids. When she couldn't find one to fit her kids, she made her own.Learn more about Bold Helmets: www.boldhelmets.comFollow Bold Helmets on Instagram: @boldhelmets---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ X: https://twitter.com/madeforuspod 

Can't wait for the next season of Made For Us? Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates.---This week's episode:For decades, dancers of colour at classical ballet companies have used makeup to dye their pink pointe shoes a darker shade to match their skin tone. My guest this week, award-winning ballerina Cira Robinson, tells me about the day she got tired of ‘pancaking’ and asked the renowned shoemaker Freed of London to make a pair of brown pointe shoes for her. What we discuss in this episode:Cira’s experience with the Dance Theatre of Harlem under the legendary Arthur MitchellHer move to London to join Ballet BlackThe role pointe shoes play in a dancer’s life and the need for customisationHow she worked with Freed and Ballet Black to create inclusive pointe shoes and the impact they've hadIf you liked this episode, it would be great if you could leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. This is the first of two episodes on inclusive pointe shoes. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss my interview with Cassa Pancho, founder of Ballet Black, in a few weeks! ---About Cira Robinson Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cira began her ballet career as an apprentice with the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble. After a few months, she became a full member and danced many works from the DTH repertoire under the guidance of Arthur Mitchell.She joined Ballet Black in London in 2008 and in 2013 was nominated for Outstanding Classical Female at the Critics Circle National Dance Awards. While at Ballet Black, Cira worked with the company and with Freed of London to create the first Brown and Bronze pointe shoe for dancers of colour. After retiring in 2022, she took up a new role as Director of the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars.Follow Cira on Instagram: @ciraoslynn---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ 

As a gamer living with a disability, Vivek Gohil has strong opinions about the accessibility of video games. Diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the age of nine, his muscles have become weaker over the years but that hasn’t deterred him from gaming. He now uses his experience to advise game developers and console makers on improving gaming for people like himself with severe motor disabilities. In this interview, he talks about the solutions he’s found, including coding accessibility features into games that lack them, and why he’d like to see more developers tapping into the expertise of gamers with disabilities. Other topics we cover in this episode:How Vivek has adapted his gaming setupHow accessibility in gaming has evolved and areas for improvementThe impact of the Xbox Adaptive ControllerThe representation of disability in gamesThis is the second of two episodes on accessible gaming. Check out part one, an interview with Mick Donegan, founder of the gaming charity SpecialEffect, here: https://pod.link/1711282282---About Vivek GohilVivek is an accessibility consultant who lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He uses his lived experiences to advocate and elevate the voices of disabled gamers with similar conditions. Vivek regularly writes for the gaming website Eurogamer focusing on accessibility.  Vivek’s website: https://uncannyvivek.com/ Follow Vivek on Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncannyvivek ---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/

Enjoying Season 1 of Made For Us? Would you like to play a part in shaping future episodes? If so, please share your feedback in our quick 4-minute survey. You'll find it here or by pasting this link in your browser: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. Thanks!This week's guest:When it comes to improving the accessibility of video games, it’s often simple things that can make a big difference, says Mick Donegan, my guest this week. Since 2007, the charity he founded, SpecialEffect, has helped thousands of people with severe physical disabilities play video games by creating bespoke setups suited to their abilities. In today’s interview, Mick tells me how SpecialEffect has become a catalyst for change in the gaming industry by sharing its knowledge with game developers and hardware manufacturers, including Microsoft and Sony, the makers of the Xbox Adaptive Controller and the Playstation Access Controller.In this episode we discuss:The power of play and gaming’s impact on mental healthThe most challenging cases SpecialEffect has worked onWhat’s behind the drive towards inclusion in the gaming industrySpecialEffect’s impact on the industryThis is the first of two episodes on accessible gaming. Look out for part two next week!---About Mick DoneganDr Mick Donegan, MBE, is the Founder and CEO of SpecialEffect, a charity dedicated to providing enhanced opportunities for people with severe physical disabilities to access technology for leisure, creativity and communication. He is also Adjunct Professor of Assistive Design at OCAD University, Toronto. Learn more about SpecialEffect: https://www.specialeffect.org.uk/SpecialEffect DevKit: https://specialeffectdevkit.info/Follow SpecialEffect on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialeffectcharity---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ 

Your feedback is important to us — shape the future of Made For Us by taking our quick survey and sharing your insights: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. This week's guest:When pitching their inclusive eyewear brand to investors, Reframd ’s co-founders Shariff Vreugd and Ackeem Ngwenya often faced doubts about whether a market existed for their product. But if you look beyond the West, says Shariff, the opportunity is massive. In the second of a two-part series on inclusive brands disrupting the eyewear industry, we talk about how Reframd is reimagining eyewear frame design to cater to communities that have traditionally been overlooked.In this episode we discuss:Why certain demographic groups have felt neglected by the eyewear industryHow Reframd had to rethink its target audience post-launchWhy Reframd believes its data and insights can have a huge impact on the eyewear industry The test to determine if your glasses fit correctly In case you missed part 1 of the series, check out Episode 11 with Athina Wang and Florence Shin of Covry. If you’d like to hear more stories like this, please support the podcast by leaving a rating on Apple or Spotify and sharing it with others via this link: https://pod.link/1711282282  ---About Shariff VreugdShariff is the Managing Director and Co-founder of Reframd, a company that crafts and manufactures eyewear products based on the unique facial measurements of each customer. Reframd's mission is to make the eyewear industry more inclusive.Learn more about Reframd: https://www.reframd.com/Follow Reframd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reframd/ Reframd is offering 15% off eyeglasses and sunglasses to Made For Us listeners with the code 'PodcastSHRF15', valid until April 30, 2024.---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ X: https://twitter.com/madeforuspod 

Would you like to help shape future episodes of Made For Us? If so, please share your feedback and ideas for potential guests in our quick 4-minute survey. You'll find it here or by pasting this link in your browser: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. Thanks!This week's guests:After struggling for years to find glasses that fit comfortably, Athina Wang and Florence Shin realised that it was the eyewear industry that needed to change and not them. That was the inspiration for launching Covry, an inclusive eyewear brand that came to life through an oversubscribed Kickstarter campaign. In the interview, we discuss:Why having zero eyewear industry experience proved to be an advantage for Athina and FlorenceHow they ensured a successful Kickstarter campaign Why customer feedback is an essential part of Covry’s design processThe 20+ steps involved in creating a single Covry frameThis is the first of two episodes on inclusive eyewear. Tune in tomorrow for part 2 with Shariff Vreugd, the co-founder of Reframd. If you like this episode, please rate the podcast on your preferred app and share it with someone who would enjoy it via this link: https://pod.link/1711282282 ---About Athina Wang and Florence Shin Athina Wang and Florence Shin met in high school and have been close friends throughout their journey in the fashion industry. Frustrated by the lack of comfortable options for diverse face shapes, they teamed up to create an innovative approach to fit and design. Together, they built Covry to embrace diversity and celebrate faces of all different shapes and sizes.Learn more about Covry: https://shopcovry.com/Follow Covry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopcovry/ ---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ 

“Where are the plus size male models?” It’s a question the Internet seemed to be asking just a few years ago. Now, a six-pack is no longer a prerequisite to grace the pages of the top fashion magazines. It’s proof, says my guest, Raul Samuel, that there's demand for more realistic-looking models. Still, as we discuss in the interview, not everyone in the fashion industry is convinced. Some of the topics we cover in this conversation:Why the fashion industry has been slow to accept plus size male modelsWhat Raul has learned about body confidence since becoming a modelThe changes he’d like to see in the fashion industryRaul's favourite brands and tips for how to look good at any sizeIf you liked this episode, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. You can also check out my conversation with Charlotte Griffiths, founder of BRIDGE Agency, in Episode 7: https://pod.link/1711282282 ---About Raul SamuelRaul started modelling in 2016 and has featured twice in both Vogue and Men’s Health. He has also fronted campaigns for brands like Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, ASOS and Boohoo Man. Raul is represented by BRIDGE Agency, which launched the UK’s first men’s division for bigger, broader male models in 2016.Follow Raul Samuel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raulsamuel_official —Connect with Made For UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ X: https://twitter.com/madeforuspod

Sam Latif, P&G's first Company Accessibility Leader, joins me this week to share how she is driving innovation to make the company’s 65+ brands inclusive and accessible for the 15% of people around the globe who experience some form of disability. Sam’s passion for her work stems from her personal experiences as a mother of three who is blind. In her current role, Sam is focused on embedding accessibility into P&G brands such as Pantene, Gillette, Ariel and Pampers.In our conversation, we discuss:How Sam’s personal experiences helped drive innovation in accessibility at P&GSam’s campaign to help P&G’s leadership better understand the needs of people with disabilities The initiatives she has led to make P&G's packaging and advertising more accessible Why building a ‘disability-confident’ culture is essential for inclusive innovationIf you like this episode, please leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and spread the word by sharing this link: https://pod.link/1711282282.---About Sam Latif:Sam joined P&G in 2000 and went on to have a successful IT career. In 2015, she switched her focus to helping make P&G's products, packaging and advertising more accessible. In 2019, she was promoted to Senior Director, taking on the formal title of Company Accessibility Leader. Sam is married with three children. She is a first-generation Scottish Pakistani and currently lives in Surrey.Follow Sam Latif on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/samlatif ---Learn more about P&G:Website: https://www.pg.co.uk/people-with-disabilities/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/procter-and-gamble/ ---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ 

For many people of colour, wearing a plaster, or Band-Aid, that blends with their skin tone is a novel experience. While inclusive bandages are now widely available in countries like the UK and US, that's only happened in the last few years.My two guests share their unique perspectives on this. Intisar Bashir is the co-founder and CEO of Browndages, one of the first companies to offer bandages in a range of skin tones, before giants like Johnson & Johnson seized on the opportunity. My other guest is Dom Apollon, whose 2019 tweet about the emotions he felt wearing a skin tone bandage for the first time went viral and inspired the UK supermarket chain Tesco to launch its own line of inclusive bandages.In this episode we discuss:How Browndages has responded to competition from larger players in the first aid care industryWhat happened after Browndages’ appearance on 'Shark Tank' Dom’s reflections on why his tweet resonated with people around the worldIf you like this episode, please leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also spread the word by sharing this link: https://pod.link/1711282282.BiosIntisar Bashir and her husband Rashid Mahdi launched Browndages in 2018 after noticing that none of the bandages they purchased in stores matched the skin of anyone in their family. The couple live in Columbus, Ohio with their four children. Intisar comes from a family of entrepreneurs and has always aspired to follow in their footsteps.Dominique (“Dom”) Apollon is a US-based racial and social equity professional and the founder of Apollon Research and Consulting. From 2008 to 2022, Dom led the Research Department at Race Forward, one of the largest racial justice organisations in the US. Dom lives in California, where he completed his PhD in Political Science at Stanford University.—Learn more about BrowndagesWebsite: www.browndages.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/Browndages/X: https://www.twitter.com/Browndages —Learn more about Dom ApollonWebsite: https://apollonresearchandconsulting.com/ X: https://twitter.com/ApollonTweets —Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ X: https://twitter.com/madeforuspod

When Charlotte Griffiths’ agency BRIDGE launched the UK’s first men’s division for bigger, broader male models in 2016, it was based on a hunch that the fashion industry was ready to embrace men of different shapes and sizes. In this week’s interview, Charlotte tells me how her gamble paid off and why brands need to let go of outdated stereotypes around men and fashion.Charlotte is the owner and Managing Director of BRIDGE, a talent management agency established in 2014 that represents models and influencers internationally. The agency‘s ethos is to "bridge-the-gap" between standard and plus size models. After seeing a rise in mental health struggles for men, Charlotte recognised that to be a truly diverse agency they needed to bring men into the conversation around body positivity as well.In this episode we discuss:Charlotte’s brief stint as a model and how it influenced her decision to launch BRIDGEHow she got the inspiration to start the men’s divisionThe models she discovered and the campaigns they’ve worked onWhy she thinks some brands are reluctant to showcase larger men in their imageryIf you enjoyed this interview, please subscribe to Made For Us to be notified of future episodes and rate the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover it.---Learn more about BRIDGEWebsite: www.bridgeagency.comApplication form: https://bridgeagency.com/apply Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgemodels---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ X: https://twitter.com/madeforuspod 

Your feedback is important to us — shape the future of Made For Us by taking our quick survey and sharing your insights: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. This week's guest:When Hector Minto joined Microsoft seven years ago, he knew it was time to bring disability inclusion into the mainstream. In this episode, Microsoft’s Lead Technology Evangelist on accessibility tells me why “this is not a niche topic anymore” and why companies need to get ahead of regulation and build accessible products. Hector drives and measures the education and adoption of Microsoft accessibility features and assistive technologies across the company’s customers and partners. Before joining Microsoft, he spent over two decades in the field of assistive technology and accessibility.Some of the topics we cover in the conversation:How inclusion has driven innovation and healthy competition within MicrosoftHow Microsoft assesses the impact of disability inclusionWhy companies should exceed expectations when creating accessible experiences The challenge of building more inclusive AIIf you're enjoying the podcast, be sure to hit the ‘Follow’ button to be notified of future episodes and please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show.If you liked this episode, check out my conversation with Maura Horton, founder of accessible clothing brand MagnaReady: https://link.chtbl.com/madeforuspodcast---Learn more about MicrosoftDisability Answer Desk: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/disability-answer-deskX: https://twitter.com/MSFTEnableFollow Hector Minto on X: https://twitter.com/hminto---Connect with Made For UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ 

Your feedback is important to us — shape the future of Made For Us by taking our quick survey and sharing your insights: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. This week's guest:Do you have what it takes to create your own emoji? My guest, Rayouf Alhumedhi, did just that when she launched the Hijab Emoji Project at the age of 16 to push for digital representation for Muslim women around the world. She was named one of Time magazine’s most influential teens and also featured on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Rayouf recently graduated from Stanford University where she studied product design. In this episode, Rayouf talks about:Her motivation for creating the headscarf emojiThe praise and backlash she received during her campaignWhy she decided to major in product design at StanfordHow Gen Z is pushing inclusive design to the forefrontThis is the second of a two-part special on emoji. To learn more about emoji trends and the push for inclusivity, check out my interview with Keith Broni, the Editor-in-Chief of Emojipedia.Loved this episode? Share it with a friend and drop us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to spread the word! And don’t forget to hit the ‘Follow’ button if you haven’t already.---Learn more about Rayouf AlhumedhiWebsite / Instagram ---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcriptsLinkedInInstagramYouTube

As emoji usage has gone global over the past decade, demand for more inclusive emoji has soared. But how effectively can emoji capture human diversity? And what challenges does this pose from a design perspective? I’ll be exploring these questions and more in a two-part special on emoji. First up is Keith Broni, the editor-in-chief of Emojipedia, the world's #1 emoji resource. Keith oversees changes to emoji sets from major vendors like Apple and Google, as well as interpreting emoji usage and trends. He received an MSc in Business Psychology from University College London, where he did his dissertation on emoji use in social media communication. In this episode we discuss:How emoji originated and what's behind their universal appealWhat sparked the move towards more inclusive emojiHow gender representation has evolved over the yearsWhether there’s a limit to the number of emoji we can haveIf you liked this episode, check out my conversation with Rayouf Alhumedhi, the founder of the Hijab Emoji Project.---Learn more about EmojipediaWebsite / Instagram / X---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcriptsLinkedInInstagramYouTube

Your feedback is important to us — shape the future of Made For Us by taking our quick survey and sharing your insights: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. This week's guest:Maura Horton is the CEO and Founder of MagnaReady, a company that provides accessible apparel for those with limited dexterity. Maura developed the concept for MagnaReady after her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and struggled to dress himself independently. She invented and eventually patented a magnetic closure system that replaces buttons and has since licensed the technology to Fortune 500 Companies including PVH Corp, owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. Maura also partnered with and advised Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive, the first mainstream brand to launch a children’s adaptive apparel line.In this episode we talk about:The state of the adaptive clothing market before MagnaReadyHow Maura got the inspiration to infuse magnets into her husband’s shirtsThe challenges she faced in the design and manufacturing processWhy Maura thinks the term ‘adaptive’ is unhelpful---Learn more about MagnaReadyWebsite / Instagram / XFollow Maura Horton on LinkedInMaura’s recommendations for people to follow:Keely Cat-WellsAndraea LaVantWheelchair Barbie---Connect with Made For UsTranscripts and show notesLinkedInInstagramYouTubeIf you enjoyed this episode and would like more of this, be sure to subscribe to Made For Us and give the show a 5-star review to help others discover it.