Design is 90% meetings

ReBorn Designs / Read Time: 3 min

Most designers are taught how to design.

But there’s a deeper truth here. 

When I was studying design, I thought knowing those skills would be enough to do well. Sketching silhouettes. Selecting materials. Perfecting colors. Then I’d publish my work for review and sit back. 

But they’d get denied, and then I’d see other designers get promoted to lead bigger projects. 

But here's the hard truth I've learned after 10+ years in global footwear:

Your designs won't make it to production unless you demonstrate its value.

Most designers believe design is about creativity. I've found it's 90% about meetings.

Here's why this matters now more than ever:

You'll learn:

• Why talent alone is your ceiling, not your savior

• The meeting skills that separate successful designers from the rest

• A 3-step framework to get clients to trust your designs

There's a reason why some designers see 80% of their concepts reach production while others struggle to get even 30% approved.

By the end of this newsletter, you'll understand exactly why.

If you're tired of watching your 90% meeting-time kill your best designs before they ever reach production, let's talk. At ReBorn Designs, we don't just create beautiful footwear—we equip you with the communication strategies, technical documentation, and compelling narratives that get decision-makers to say "yes" when everyone else is hearing "no.

Ready to see 80% of your concepts reach production instead of the industry-standard 30%? Book a call here and let's transform how you present your vision. 

Your Talent is Your Ceiling. 

When I was a designer at Timberland, I thought I’d just design and get my work approved because my designs were sleek and stylish. 

But I was wrong. 

1 season 65% of my styles got dropped. My work was good—but I wasn't effectively advocating for it. Everything changed when I joined a design competition at timberland to present a design in front of the board of directors.

Now I had to go beyond the design.

I was a talented designer, but that wasn’t enough. Instead of just showing what I designed, I explained why each decision mattered:

• What’s the cost of manufacturing?

• Where was I sourcing materials?

• Why this silhouette?

I had to back up all my choices with data. It wasn’t my design skills that got me projects, promotions, and profit. It was my communication, business, and strategy skills.

Talent got me noticed, but design alone held me back. I had to learn other skills to get me projects. 

Design is 90% meetings

After I gave the pitch at Timberland, two directors found me later that day in my cubicle. 

My heart sank—did they hate it?

Instead, they congratulated me. My presentation had "blown the competition out of the water." They were so impressed they invited me to collaborate with marketing on a campaign around the concept.

I won the competition with the same design that had been rejected a season earlier. The difference wasn't the design—it was how I communicated it.

I noticed a similar pattern throughout my career at Sperry & starting my own agency, Reborn Designs.

• At Sperry, we built a digital system that improved cross-team communication, resulting in 30% fewer revisions and faster approvals.

• When working with a footwear startup, we didn't just deliver designs—we built comprehensive narratives using this template around each concept, leading to immediate buy-in.

• For a manufacturer struggling with production issues, we created detailed tech packs that turned "impossible" designs into enthusiastic partnerships.

Design is more than the sketch. It’s in the delivery. 

Your Turn: Master These 5 non-Design Skills

To ensure your designs survive the gauntlet of meetings, focus on developing these essential skills:

1. Active Listening

 ↳ Understand stakeholders' true concerns beneath surface objections.

2. Strategic Storytelling

 ↳ Present the why behind design decisions, not just the what.

3. Cross-Functional Translation 

↳ Speak the language of each department (margins, technical specs, marketing narratives).

4. Visual Communication 

↳ Create presentation assets that make your vision undeniable.

5. Collaborative Problem-Solving 

↳ Turn feedback sessions into solutions rather than defenses.

Next time you're preparing for a design review, don't just polish your renderings. Take time to craft the story, anticipate objections, and prepare your communication strategy.

Your designs deserve to be made. 

Master the meeting room, and they will be.

See you next time!
Erin

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