Cathy Schuppe

Why this persona fits the audience

Runs a solo UX design practice serving 5 overseas clients in the UK, Germany, and India. She receives project payments in multiple currencies and sends occasional payouts to a part-time motion designer, keeping transfer dates, bank details, and invoice status in a spreadsheet.

• Age: 33
• Location: Austin, TX, USA
• Occupation: Independent UX designer
• Income: $92k gross annual business income
• Education: BFA in Graphic Design
• Company size: 1 (sole proprietor)
• Years in role: 8

“I love that I can build a living doing something I'm passionate about, connecting with people and ideas from all over the world, all from my desk.”

Cathy Schuppe, a 33-year-old freelance UX designer based in Austin, Texas, carved her path into independent work after graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design. Dissatisfied with the rigid structures of agency life, she established her own practice eight years ago, focusing on providing high-quality, user-centered design solutions. Her business acumen, honed through necessity, allows her to manage a diverse international clientele across the UK, Germany, and India. This necessitates a keen eye for detail, particularly in managing cross-border financial transactions, which she currently handles via a robust spreadsheet system, tracking payments in various currencies and coordinating occasional payouts to a motion designer in Portugal. Cathy’s workspace is a testament to her organized nature: a dedicated corner of her apartment, equipped with a powerful MacBook Pro and a suite of industry-standard design software, primarily Figma. She views her income as a direct result of her effort and skill, reinvesting a portion into professional development and saving for future travel and financial security. She recently made a deliberate decision to streamline her workflow by outsourcing motion graphics, recognizing the need to delegate tasks that fall outside her core expertise to maintain focus on UX strategy and user flows. This strategic delegation reflects her commitment to delivering reliable, high-quality outcomes for her clients, even as it introduces new logistical considerations. Her approach to work is deeply rooted in a desire for autonomy and the satisfaction of seeing a well-crafted product come to life, driven by a strong sense of personal responsibility and a value for clear, efficient communication.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Cathy's typical weekday begins around 7:30 AM with a quiet cup of coffee and a review of urgent emails. From 9 AM to noon, she dives into focused design work, often tackling wireframing or prototyping for her UK client. Lunch is usually a quick, healthy meal prepared at home. The afternoon is often reserved for client calls, which means adapting to time zones – a 2 PM call might be with Germany, while a 4 PM call could be with India. She dedicates a block of time each day to administrative tasks, like updating her payment spreadsheet, sending invoices, or coordinating with her motion designer. Evenings are for unwinding, perhaps with a walk, reading, or sketching, before preparing for the next day.

Lifestyle

Cathy lives a relatively quiet life in her Austin apartment, prioritizing a calm and organized environment that fuels her creative work. Her routine is structured around client deliverables and personal well-being. Mornings often start with a yoga session or a brisk walk, followed by focused work blocks. She enjoys cooking healthy meals and occasionally explores Austin's food scene. While she values her independence, she maintains close ties with a small group of designer friends for mutual support and inspiration. She's financially prudent, saving a portion of her income for future travel and investment, viewing money as a tool for independence and experiences.

Work life

As a solo UX designer, Cathy's workdays are a dynamic mix of client interaction, deep-dive design thinking, and administrative tasks. She juggles projects for a UK-based SaaS startup, a German e-commerce platform, and an Indian fintech company, requiring constant adaptation to different time zones and cultural nuances. Her current focus is on refining the onboarding flow for a new German client and iterating on a mobile payment experience for the Indian firm. She relies heavily on her trusty MacBook Pro, Figma for design, and a meticulously maintained Google Sheet to track payments and invoices, especially with the various currencies involved. She recently decided to engage a part-time motion designer in Portugal for some animated UI elements, which adds another layer to her payment management.

Relationships

Cathy maintains a strong but geographically dispersed network. She is close with her family back in her home state, with regular video calls. Her core social circle consists of a few fellow freelance designers in Austin and online communities, providing a sense of camaraderie and shared experience. She cherishes these connections, finding them essential for professional growth and emotional support.

How they decide

Cathy is a methodical decision-maker. She prioritizes thorough research, weighing pros and cons carefully. When it comes to work tools or processes, she'll often test out free versions or read extensive reviews before committing. She values tangible benefits and demonstrable efficiency gains, often seeking out solutions that simplify complex tasks. Peer recommendations from trusted colleagues carry significant weight.

How they sound

Cathy speaks with a clear, measured cadence. Her tone is generally calm and professional, though she can become more enthusiastic when discussing design concepts. She avoids excessive slang, preferring articulate and precise language. When discussing her work, she’s focused on outcomes and process, not hyperbole. She tends to underplay minor inconveniences, highlighting solutions rather than dwelling on problems.