Catt's Corner: design leadership conversations with senior, staff, and principal designers

Walking Away From Design, with Yoko Sakao Ohama

August 18, 2026·38 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

The first person featured in The Staff Designer woke up one day and completely left design. Yoko Sakao Ohama, former Staff Product Designer at Etsy, has now started a completely different career in accounting and financial services. Catt sits down with Yoko to talk about what burnout actually feels like from the inside, what it means to walk away from an identity you've held for decades, and why quitting can be an invitation rather than a failure. This one's for anyone who has quietly wondered if it might be time to go.─── ୨୧ ─── •ℹ️ In this episodeHow Yoko knew it was time to quit working in design What it feels like to grieve a professional identity you've held for over a decade How Yoko transitioned, and what her work looks like now The skills that Yoko took into her new industry Advice for others who are contemplating leaving design─── ୨୧ ─── •📖 Resources mentioned"Abscission" by Mandy Brown (the essay that inspired Yoko to take the leap): https://everythingchanges.us/blog/abscissionThe Staff Designer book (Rosenfeld Media): https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/the-staff-designerThe Staff Designer course on Maven: https://maven.com/catt-small/staff-designer─── ୨୧ ─── •🌐 Find Yoko on the internetWebsite: https://yoko.cool

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