Conversation in motion
We first met Michael through a long-time collaborator who insisted we talk. “He just needs to speak with you about something he’s building,” they said. “It’s a great idea and much needed, but it’s confused.” That was enough to spark curiosity.
Our first meeting with Michael, his business partner, and CTO, was brief but high-energy. Michael has ADHD - a fact that frames his life story as much as it shapes the way he approaches business. Early school years marked by restlessness and a sense of being misunderstood gave way to entrepreneurial success in healthcare. Now, he wanted to build something that would positively impact his community in a way only he could envision.
The idea itself was hybrid, frankly bonkers, and hard even for Michael to explain fully. Part social media, part recruitment platform, it aimed to create a safe space for the community to present themselves professionally while allowing user-led, manageable introductions to employers and recruiters. The concept felt alive in his mind, but needed clarity outside of it. Michael’s lived experience lent enormous authority to every conversation, but he also gave us the freedom to run with our thinking, a bravery not everyone would afford after just an hour-long introduction.
Our first step was to educate ourselves. We spoke with trusted friends - a clinical psychologist, a university educator, a colour specialist - trying to anticipate the challenges of designing for this community. Then we moved on to the users. Always the users. Every idea was sense-checked against their perspectives, ensuring the platform would understand them, welcome them, and have their back. These conversations reframed the way we saw recruitment entirely: it wasn’t just about jobs; it was about trust, safety, and being understood.
From this dialogue, BU emerged. Spoken aloud, it’s “be you.” The URL, buallways.com, doubles as a rallying cry, a reminder that there’s no single way to engage with this community. The double ‘l’ emphasises inclusivity: all ways of living are welcome. We translated this into a simple animation: B and U forming word pairs like Be Unforgettable, Be Unique, Be Unorthodox, Be Unhindered, Be Unflappable. Each iteration reinforced difference, acceptance, and strength. It concluded with: “No BS. Just BU. Allways.” The platform became a living conversation, not a polished product - a reflection of dialogue in motion.
Sadly, BU has been mothballed for now. Michael’s focus has shifted to a new community venture in his South London neighbourhood, which demands more of his time than anticipated. Yet the work lingers in potential. BU waits patiently in the wings, much like the insights we gleaned from this process: that conversation, listening, and the courage to be unapologetically yourself can be as transformative as any product.