Inside RV: Life as a Red Ventures Designer
Seven designers tell all.
At Red Ventures, we have a reputation for moving fast, learning something new every day, and leveraging data to build some really groundbreaking stuff – none of which would be possible without our uber-talented designers. We checked in with a few of them to find out what being an RV Designer is really like.
So, designers… what makes Red Ventures different?
1. Creatives are involved in strategy from start to finish.
Tim, Creative Director | Detroit: Red Ventures is the first place I’ve worked that truly puts creative and design at the core of everything we do. At some companies, it’s easy for creative to be seen more as an afterthought, whether that’s just the maturity level of the company or intentional siloing of creative roles. But here, creative is more than the look and feel. It is the entire process of bringing ideas to life — from start to finish.
Matt, UI/UX Design Lead | Detroit: Creatives at RV have a huge influence on the business and are given a seat at meetings where big decisions are being made. There is a clear understanding that design and content are very important in meeting and exceeding the goals of our respective brands and projects.
Adam, Sr. Product Designer | Charlotte: Our creative team brings multiple parties together to co-create and find solutions. Content, design, UX, business, marketing, engineering, product – everyone has a seat at the table, so there’s buy-in on strategy from the beginning. This prevents as much ‘back and forth’ as possible, and gets everyone on the same page about the direction of the project.
2. We leverage data to drive design decisions.
Emily, Sr. UX Designer | Charlotte: The majority of my experience prior to RV was at a design and development agency. I’d spend months designing an experience, send it off into the real world, and never know how it performed. At RV, we start collecting data the moment an experience goes live, and we analyze that data in real time to learn the impact our designs have on users. This allows us to know what works, develop best practices, and become experts in our space – fast.
Maks, Sr. Digital Designer | Detroit: Creatives take a business focus lens to their work from the very start. Having this kind of insight is great because it helps me determine if I’m solving the right problems at the right time.
3. We’re always chasing the next big thing.
Adam, Sr. Product Designer | Charlotte: Red Ventures has changed so much since I started 6 years ago. Back then, there was a rise of the hybrid designer+developer across the industry. The focus was to output as much as possible, reducing the handoff. We’ve gone well beyond that mindset. Today, we’re building brands, while still maintaining brand partnership with a focus on strategy, user-testing, and the overall experience of our sites and products. It’s an exciting time to be part of the creative team at RV.
Lauren, Lead Sr. Digital Designer | Charlotte: We’re talented, weird, and passionate! Most designers here have hobbies or side hustles that utilize their creative side, and I love seeing how that influences their day-to-day. Throw us into any kind of challenge, and we’ll figure something out. We don’t just make things pretty; we strategize, collaborate, and deliver.
Matt, UI/UX Design Lead | Detroit: Creatives at RV are encouraged to explore, deviate, and go against the grain. Have a crazy idea? Make it happen! Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. A lot of our work is self-directed, so we love it when designers have their own ideas and aren’t just task-takers. Come up with crazy, awesome concepts… but be prepared to be able to present them and get buy-in!
4. We play well with others.
Emily, Sr. UX Designer | Charlotte: My favorite thing about the creative team I work with is how collaborative we are. At least once a day we’re in front of a whiteboard working together to solve complex problems. Everyone’s opinion matters, and everyone’s voice is heard.
Brian, UI/UX Design Lead | Florida: RV seems huge (like, really huge). And it is — we have offices across the US, UK and Brazil. But don’t be concerned. Slack in addition to video conferencing tools make it easy to get together, collaborate, and share ideas. RV has different partnerships and brands across locations, so you have MANY outlets for internal inspiration and test findings.
Adam, Sr. Product Designer | Charlotte: Every day I’m surrounded by people a lot smarter, creative, and more skilled than me – I love that. I know I can lean on them to help solve a problem, co-create a solution together, and have honest conversations about the wins and struggles we as a team face on a regular basis.
5. We’re flexible and adaptable.
Lauren, Lead Sr. Digital Designer | Charlotte: My advice for new RV designers? Be adaptable in all the ways! Adapt your designs to factor in data and business objectives and user stories. Adapt your working speed to handle fast-paced tasks as well as thoughtful, intentional projects. Adapt your conversation style to connect with your team.
Brian, UI/UX Design Lead | Florida: At Red Ventures, I’ve gotten comfortable being uncomfortable. The chairs here are made of iron, which is a killer on your back. (Kidding… we have very nice chairs). What this really means is that I’m always being challenged and things are always changing. As a designer, this is music to my ears. My job NEVER gets boring.
6. We’re given the autonomy and ownership to control our own destinies.
Tim, Creative Director | Detroit: At RV, we empower creatives to own and drive a ton of scope and decision making. I don’t think this is very common in the industry. Get comfortable with the heightened sense of responsibility and ownership here. Use the creative freedom to drive your own vision.
Adam, Senior Product Designer | Charlotte: I’ve never been more challenged in my career and had more opportunities for growth than here at Red Ventures. It’s not really an agency, nor in-house – but as a designer you still get the variety of work you want with all of the brands in our portfolio. I’ve been able to carve a unique path at RV and work on several brands throughout the years, creating unique, fun experiences and products.
Lauren, Lead Sr. Digital Designer | Charlotte: My design career is in my own hands at Red Ventures. The opportunity and the avenue with which to prove myself, step up, and to take on more ownership and leadership is one of the best things about being at RV. Most importantly, I get to work with people who believe in me, respect me, and look to me for expertise in my field. That autonomy and trust is something that I value incredibly highly, and I’m so glad RV encourages this culture.
Want more inspo from RV designers? Check out Tim’s deep dive on building future-proof design systems, or Adams protips for getting your work in front of the right people.
