Renu Johnson

How I started

I wasn’t taught to solve problems. I was forced to learn by living through them. I was born and raised in India, spending the first 29 years of my life navigating boundaries that weren’t always visible but deeply felt.

Girls weren’t encouraged to work outside their city. Talking to boys was frowned upon. Wearing makeup or dressing up was seen as something to be ashamed of. I wasn’t allowed to attend the college I dreamed of because it wasn’t a girls’ college.

In a home filled with love, but also fear and protection, I learned early how to carry the weight of expectations. Every decision was watched. Every ambition questioned. But one thing I never let go of was hope and my desire to not give up!

I didn’t know where it would lead me but I knew I had to keep going. One step, one choice, one quiet act of courage at a time. Not to rebel, but to grow. To show that I could honor my roots without abandoning myself.

What I didn’t realize then is that these experiences were shaping something powerful in me:

• The ability to think under pressure
• The strength to move forward with limited options
• And the kind of empathy you can’t learn in a classroom

These lessons made me the UX designer I am today.

Because I don’t just solve design problems. I solve human problems the ones you can’t wireframe until you understand them. The ones you need empathy for. And empathy isn’t taught. It’s lived.