Caroline Murphy, Design Engagement Strategist, SANDOW

The Curse of Youth

This week Andrew welcomes Caroline Murphy, Design Engagement Strategist at SANDOW, for a conversation that starts with a familiar modern curse of youth: being the default tech support person in your family. From there, Andrew and Caroline dig into a bigger question—what happens when young designers are expected to master both design and AI at the same time?

Caroline shares how her own early-career frustration in Nashville led her to build the Young Designers Collective, creating spaces where emerging designers could actually learn, connect, and feel supported. She and Andrew unpack why many younger designers are more cautious about AI than people assume, where firms are embracing it, and how the best use case may simply be removing friction so designers can spend more time actually thinking.

They also explore why, in an age of algorithms and AI companions, real-world community, mentorship, and human connection may matter more than ever.

Connect with our host, Andrew Lane, on LinkedIn

Follow Caroline Murphy on LinkedIn

References and resources

Young Designers Collective

Interior Design 30/30

Get in touch with us at bte@sandowdesign.com

Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com

This episode of Barriers to Entry was produced by Rob Schulte.

This season of Barriers to Entry is sponsored by Arktura.

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