Dan Brown - From EightShapes to Curious Squid: Building, Closing, and Reimagining a UX Consultancy

The UX Consultants Lounge

In this episode of The UX Consulting Lounge, host Kyle Soucy with longtime friend and industry leader Dan Brown to explore the evolution of his consulting journey—from co-founding the beloved UX agency EightShapes to launching his solo consultancy, Curious Squid.

Together, they dive into:

• The origin story and 18-year legacy of EightShapes
• Why Dan and his co-founder Nathan Curtis ultimately decided to close the agency
• The emotional and operational realities of hiring employees as a small consultancy
• How Dan approached building Curious Squid, his new independent consultancy
• The mindset shift from running a team to going solo
• Writing as a way of thinking (and how Dan keeps up such a prolific publishing pace)
• Why he launched a new podcast—Unchecked: The Architecture of Disinformation—and how it aligns with his professional mission
• The marketing tactics that are actually working for him as an independent consultant

Dan also shares thoughtful reflections on:

• The power of staying top-of-mind through relationship-building
• What makes a good consultant (spoiler: it starts with listening)
• Why authenticity is non-negotiable, even when running your own business
• His best advice for those considering growth, hiring, and long-term sustainability

Whether you're running your own consultancy or thinking about taking the leap, this conversation is packed with relatable stories and hard-earned wisdom.

Notable Quotes:
“It is terrifying. It’s 100% terrifying.” – Dan, on the decision to take on full-time employees at EightShapes

“Some of the best design work I did was designing EightShapes itself.” - Dan, on designing company culture

Connect with Us:

• Host: Kyle Soucy | Usable Interface | Linkedin
• Guest: Dan Brown | Curious Squid | LinkedIn

- - - - -

Links and Resources Mentioned:

• Curious Squid’s Calendar of Events
• Dan and Rachel Price’s New Podcast, Unchecked: The Architecture of Disinformation
• Dan’s A Lens a Day Podcast
• Dan’s Books: Communicating Design, Designing Together, and Practical Design Discovery
• Kyle’s Talk at UXPA Boston - Using AI to Streamline Persona and Journey Map Creation

Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories.

Don't want to miss an episode? Be sure to sign up for the podcast newsletter.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.
I can’t wait to have you back in the lounge for our next episode!

Chapters

1. Dan Brown - From EightShapes to Curious Squid: Building, Closing, and Reimagining a UX Consultancy (00:00:00)

2. An Update From Kyle (00:00:42)

3. Introducing Dan Brown (00:03:15)

4. The Origin Story of Eight Shapes (00:12:40)

5. Making the Decision to Hire Employee (00:17:50)

6. Dan's Advice to Consultants About Hiring Employee (00:23:30)

7. How Eight Shapes Divided Responsibilities (00:26:04)

8. Dan's Decision to Become an Independent Consultant vs. FTE (00:26:55)

9. About Curious Squid (00:30:34)

10. Dan's Many Contributions to the UX Industry (00:36:08)

11. Dan's Writing Process (00:40:05)

12. How Dan Deals With Negative Book Reviews and/or Article Comments (00:42:32)

13. Dan's New Podcast: Unchecked (00:45:28)

14. Dan's Approach to Marketing Curious Squid (00:51:57)

15. Why Dan Named His Consultancy Curious Squid (00:56:36)

16. What Makes a Consultant Good? (00:58:10)

17. The Best Piece of Business Advice Dan Has Ever Received (00:59:08)

18. Dan's Helpful Consulting Resources (01:00:15)

19. Where to Find Dan (01:01:35)