"I actually started out thinking I wanted to be a graphic designer. I was really into anime as a kid, and when I got my hands on a (very outdated and pirated) copy of Photoshop 6 at around age 11, I was hooked. In high school, I also taught myself how to code, which opened the door to doing small freelance jobs here and there while I was still in school."
"I had to learn how to problem-solve on my own from a young age, which made me very independent. My family moved around a lot, so I was constantly rebuilding my support system and adapting to new cultures. That experience shaped the way I work today - it taught me how to be flexible, resilient, and comfortable walking into unfamiliar environments. Those skills came in handy when I moved into consulting. I had no trouble starting conversations, building relationships quickly."
Lan Johnson began pursuing graphic design after discovering Photoshop at age eleven and taught herself coding in high school, enabling freelance work. She joined a startup in New York, then returned to Dallas to complete her degree. She spent about ten years in consulting across agencies and design shops, which provided variety but left her wanting deeper product connection. In 2020 she transitioned in-house just before the pandemic and stayed almost two years. She now works at Square as a Senior Product Designer. Lan grew up in Japan, South Korea, and Guam, and developed independence, adaptability, and relationship-building skills from frequent moves.
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