Meet Liya Safina, a trailblazer in digital innovation and the CEO of her self-titled agency, Liya Safina. With a career that spans continents and industries, Liya has become a recognized leader in user experience and digital product development, collaborating with some of the world’s most iconic brands.
After moving from Belarus to Brooklyn, she immersed herself in the world of digital design, applying the lessons learned from architecture to the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Her unique approach to tackling user experience challenges has led her to work with global giants like Nike and Alibaba, as well as cultural icons such as LeBron James and Bob Dylan. Today, her work is celebrated not only for transforming businesses but also for enhancing user experiences across a variety of industries.
We asked Liya about the pivotal moments in her career, the strategies that define her approach to digital design, and her vision for a future where technology is designed to prioritize human needs over profit.
Tell us about your career background. How has it led you to where you are today
If there was a tagline to my journey, it would be “optimistic resilience.” Born and raised in Belarus, I lived and learned in New York and now call Hawaiʻi home. I’ve experienced everything from bootstrapping a business as an immigrant woman in Silicon Valley to establishing digital products for Toyota’s new autonomous city in Japan. With over a decade of experience in various facets of digital innovation—from e-commerce to virtual reality and beyond—my journey has been all about tackling user experience challenges in uncharted territories, all while navigating my own cultural assimilation journey.
What problem does Liya Safina solve?
My vision is to build a future where technology serves human needs, instead of humans serving revenue models. What this means practically is that I will never build anything just as a marketing stunt, no matter how much money is offered. While technology has brought significant benefits like increased connectivity and productivity, it also poses severe risks, including the erosion of privacy, democratic functioning, and mental health. To mitigate these harms, I aim to critically assess technology's impact and involve diverse stakeholders in creating more humane, sustainable digital products. Creating such an ecosystem requires changing business models and cultural norms to prioritize people over profits. To be honest, everyone can help by using their influence to support technology that benefits humanity.
What is the most rewarding part about your current role?
I really enjoy being a freelance solopreneur because I get to work with a variety of companies and projects. Some projects can last a year, like my current one with Google, while others might be as short as four months. I really appreciate this breadth of experience. I draw inspiration from cross-pollination—finding something in fashion and applying it to AI or taking something from dating apps and using it in e-commerce. That’s what keeps my ideas fresh and exciting for me.
My vision is to build a future where technology serves human needs, instead of humans serving revenue models. I aim to create humane, sustainable digital products by critically assessing technology's impact and involving diverse stakeholders.
What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on to date?
Imagine working on a completely new city’s design system without an existing technological blueprint or best practices. This is the story of Toyota’s future city. It’s a fresh way to rethink city organization. On the surface, there will be three separate paths: one for self-driving cars, one for pedestrians, and one for both pedestrians and personal mobility devices. Underground, a fourth path will be dedicated to moving goods using robots, where the city’s logistics network will also be installed. There were many new digital services and products to consider. The time horizon is five-plus years ahead. We know that the current pace of tech development makes it fairly difficult to predict where they’re going to be in a five-year window. But what we can predict is user needs and emotional triggers throughout the journey—and they universally inform design for any technology, no matter how new. That’s what I specialize in.
What, in the earlier parts of your career, best prepared you for this particular role?
People are often surprised to learn that I initially studied architecture. I applied that knowledge at a large firm in Minsk, working on projects like waterparks, embassies, and amphitheaters, which demanded a lot of responsibility early on. This experience fundamentally shaped my approach to digital products, teaching me to embrace high-stakes situations and make quick decisions. These traits have served me well throughout my career. Transitioning from architecture to teaching, I was invited to develop a methodology for a massive open online course on urban studies. I fell in love with user experience and interaction design, realizing the digital world’s vast possibilities. Currently, I’m working on innovative projects with Google’s AR/VR team, as well as serving as an Executive Creative Advisor with Verbal+Visual.
What piece of advice has played the biggest role in your career so far?
One day many years ago, I found myself on a gaming subreddit reading about cheat codes to life: “Follow your highest excitement to the best of your ability, at every moment, with no expectation or insistence on an outcome.” This message resonated strongly. I’ve been following this advice from an anonymous lurker ever since. It led me to grow my career as a freelance solopreneur for over eight years, allowed clients like Google and Toyota to find me, and provided me with joy in my daily work.
What’s something you do outside of work that makes you a better leader?
I pay attention to leaders around me, even in industries outside of my own. I observe how managers behave in restaurants, how people in other fields talk about their managers, and what frustrates my friends about their bosses. My secret weapon, though, is watching a lot of TV shows about terrible managers, like Industry and Succession. Sure, these portrayals are exaggerated. However, the screenplays are so precise when it comes to the anthropology of dynamics, the psychology of manipulation, respect, and the whole concept of status. I recently took an online class on the psychology of status, and it was fascinating to see how people choose to advance. Ultimately, it all boils down to providing real value, which is what I strive to do.
What advice would you give someone starting out on the journey you’re on?
First, think about the problems you want to solve for people. For me, it’s about access. My life has been transformed by apps that gave me access to things I didn’t have before. I met my partner on an online dating app, so I ended up working on a few dating apps as a way to give back to the industry. I don’t drive because I’ve lived in big cities my whole life, so having access to a car through Lyft or Uber, or a bike through bike-sharing programs, has been crucial. That’s why I worked on mobility programs for Toyota’s new city in Japan, including shared mobility. Leveraging my personal experiences has been key.
Second, think about the companies you admire and dissect what aligns with your values. This will eliminate a lot of doubt and will help you identify which skills to add to your stack.
Third, talk about your passions. Surprisingly, none of my most amazing clients were ones I proactively sought out—they all found me. Google, Toyota, Alibaba, and Nike—they all somehow stumbled upon my work, and I’m forever grateful. It boils down to that advice I mentioned earlier: Follow your highest excitement to the best of your ability in every moment, without expecting a specific outcome. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what comes your way.
