In early 2024, I moved to Belgium with uncertainty, limited Dutch, and no clear idea of how my career would unfold. A few months later, I became the solo designer in a B2B startup (Dillen), the only design voice in a room full of engineers. The solo role at Dillen was challenging, intense, and sometimes overwhelming… but it pushed me to grow faster than ever. I later joined Yaghma, a B2B consultancy company in Delft. As a designer, I worked on multiple B2B and B2C products. Here, I significantly strengthened my product thinking and execution agility, learning to navigate intense pressure and limited deadlines while delivering full product cycles for research-driven UX and graphic works. Through my brand UXbyElly and collaborations with senior mentors, I help students build stronger case studies, understand strategic prioritisation, and improve their skills in design systems and AI-driven product design.