In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston sits down with Katerina Lyadova, founder and creative director of Oddbee, to talk about what it takes to protect craft while building a healthy, sustainable design agency.
Kat shares how Oddbee grew from an ambitious “let’s make cool work” vision into a distributed boutique team with a strong craft bar, deep trust, and a culture that still stays human under pressure.
We also cover:
- How to hold high standards without burning people out
- Why “quality is not a lever,” and what to adjust instead
- What it takes to lead across time zones, including hiring for self regulation
- How to prevent remote work from turning into silent overwork
- Culture systems that actually work, including Odd Thursdays and team recognition
This episode is a practical look at distributed leadership, psychological safety, and the systems that help creative teams deliver great work without losing the people inside the work.
