There’s a reason they call it talent. It’s hard to find, and even harder to keep – especially in fast-evolving environments. Marié Whittington is the cofounder and Creative Director at Pepperplane, a software design agency dedicated to helping businesses craft remarkable apps and interfaces. To inspire other owners of medium-sized businesses, Marié shares her story, plus strategies for attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive creative market.
I’ve always loved design and tech. After completing my degree in Visual Communications Design at the University of Stellenbosch, I was fortunate to be hired by Adii Pienaar, co-founder of WooThemes and WooCommerce. This opened the door to UX design, and I immediately fell in love with it. In 2018, I co-founded Pepperplane with my sister, Annette Schuman, with the vision of bringing innovative UX/UI design to tech companies and start-ups.
One of the biggest challenges is keeping up with the rapid pace of technological advancement. Businesses are continuously adopting new tools, and staying ahead of innovations like AI and technology in general can be overwhelming. Additionally, creating personalised and seamless experiences at scale is becoming increasingly difficult.
Business growth isn’t just about scaling your team or client base – it’s about evolving your mindset. I had to learn that agility is key, and sometimes, it’s okay to pivot. Being comfortable with change is critical.
Balancing creativity with functionality as we scale. Maintaining our innovative edge while delivering practical solutions has been both challenging and rewarding.
Scaling isn’t just about adding team members – it’s about building processes and systems that support growth. Maintaining a strong company culture, even as the team expands, has been key for us.
Realising that our experience in software development agencies could streamline design processes for clients was a game-changer. We responded by refining our approach, integrating design systems into development workflows, and positioning ourselves as both design and operational partners.
We prioritise creativity, ownership, and collaboration. We look for designers who not only excel at UX/UI design but also think critically and can solve complex problems.
At Pepperplane, we focus on radical ownership. Each designer deals directly with clients and must take responsibility for the entire process. Our emphasis on this ownership and collaboration has helped attract top-tier talent.
We have a fully remote team and encourage a healthy work-life balance. Allowing our team the flexibility to pursue personal passions keeps them motivated and inspired.
Businesses often rely on short-term incentives like bonuses, which don’t foster long-term loyalty. Investing in your people’s personal and professional development is key to retention. Ensure they have mentorship, enough freedom, and a clear sense of purpose.
Marié’s journey shows that to build a successful business, you sometimes have to think outside the box to manage the careful balance between people and product. Attracting and retaining talent through company culture and strong leadership is key to growing a sustainable business.
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