The UX Consultants Lounge Jeff Gothelf: Becoming Forever Employable
Mar 7, 2026
Jeff Gothelf, consultant, speaker, and author of Lean UX and Forever Employable, shares his journey from agency founder to thought leader. He talks about building reputation through writing and teaching. He covers partnerships without losing independence, niching and positioning, owning your audience with email, and why generosity and disciplined writing drive long-term consulting opportunities.
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Be Transparent About IP And Revenue With Partners
- Maintain open, explicit agreements about IP and revenue sharing with collaborators to avoid resentment.
- Jeff and Josh split workshop fees (e.g., 10–20%) and raise issues quickly so partnerships last across books and businesses.
Why Training Often Survives Budget Cuts
- Training can be evergreen: companies buy training both when they have surplus cash and when they need to retain staff after layoffs.
- Jeff sees predictable seasonal anxiety but finds inbound work returns each January when organizations restart initiatives.
Plant A Narrow Flag And Test It Strategically
- Plant a narrow flag where there's depth and demand, then test it using 'Where will you play' and 'How will you win'.
- Example: target digital design teams in legacy enterprises and win by helping them integrate AI into workflows.
