Design Matters with Debbie Millman Pum Lefebure
Apr 13, 2026
Pum Lefebure, co-founder and chief creative officer known for blending art and commerce, reflects on her journey from Bangkok to leading a global studio. She discusses childhood creativity, building Design Army, studio culture that prizes solo ideation, and experimenting with AI in campaigns. Conversations focus on leadership, parenting while growing a business, and how to keep work culturally relevant.
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Colored Pencils Turned Into A Magical Voice
- As a child in Bangkok, Pum felt art was essential and used colored pencils to become a 'fairy godmother' who transformed ordinary things into wonder.
- That early drive made creativity a survival instinct: 'if I don't create, I die.'
Yard Sale Poster Won Their First Clients
- Pum Lefebure landed Design Army's first major clients from a DIY yard sale flyer that she designed as a retail-styled garage sale poster.
- A visitor loved the poster, hired them for a new political consulting firm, and that referral network brought clients like the Washington Ballet.
Replace Why With How To Gain Agency
- Shift from asking 'why' to asking 'how' when facing constraints so you move from victimhood to agency.
- Pum converted an unplanned pregnancy into structured plans: build Design Army and also be a good mother via deliberate scheduling.