Caroline Murphy, Design Engagement Strategist, SANDOW
From Barriers to Entry by SANDOW Design Group, digby, and SURROUND
April 8, 2026 · 40 min · Season 4 · Episode 2
About this episode
Caroline Murphy discusses the challenges young designers face with AI and the importance of community and mentorship.
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…
People in this episode
Host: Andrew Lane
Guest: Caroline Murphy
Topics covered
- design
- AI
- young designers
- community
- mentorship
Keywords
- design engagement
- AI in design
- young designers
- mentorship
- community support
Sponsors
Arktura
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: SANDOW, Young Designers Collective, Interior Design 30/30
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