🔍 The product in NOT the destination

Hello and Welcome to Behind the Friction, Reader!

A place where we look past the obvious answers, question assumptions, and uncover what’s really getting in the way.

Looking for a previous issue? They are all available to read on my website.

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This week, I’m busy getting ready for Becky’s upcoming Schools In for Summer event.

I’m contributing two products.

One is something I created last summer and decided deserved a second life.
The other is… well… let’s just say it started as something fun to do with my son!

You’ll get to see both next week.

But something interesting happened while I was putting everything together.

My focus had shifted.

I wasn’t thinking about the products anymore.
I was thinking about the experience around them.

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A few years ago, my questions would have sounded something like:

“Is this good enough?”
“Did I include enough?”
“Should I add one more thing?”

You know. Creator questions 😆

This time, though, I found myself asking:

“What happens when someone first discovers this?”
“What might make them smile?”
“Where might they get stuck?”
“What happens after they’re done?”

Here’s what changed for me when I started learning about experience design:

The product isn’t the whole experience.
It’s the starting point.

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And I think that’s one reason some products quietly outperform others.

Not because they’re objectively better.
But because someone took the time to think beyond the product itself.

The instructions.
The first impression.
The little surprises.
The tiny moments that say:

“Hey, I thought about you while creating this.”

Those things matter more than we often give them credit for.

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The funny part?

Once you start looking through an experience design lens, you see it everywhere.

In businesses.
In communities.
In restaurants.
In emails.

Even in a simple $7 offer!

And that’s been the most fun part of this whole project.

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PS: Becky’s new training is live! It’s definitely worth checking out if you want to use AI to create and sell awesome stationery products online without all the usual hassle.

PS2: Sometimes the biggest breakthrough isn’t finding the answer.
It’s realizing you’ve been trying to solve the wrong problem.

Here’s what can help:

👉 https://stephiethehappymom.com/log/kit​​

👉 https://stephiethehappymom.com/snapshot/kit​

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NOTE: I’m moving things around in the backend to make room for a new project. Can you help me spot “bad experiences” regarding my site, your members’ area, communications, or whatever? I would really appreciate your help with this! It will make it so much easier for me to fix and improve everything that needs attention. Thank you!

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Disclosure: From time to time, I will include links in the emails that would include promotions for my own products or affiliate products, meaning I get paid when you buy the product. However, I only ever mention products I love and would recommend whether I was being compensated or not. Always use due diligence when buying anything and remember, what works for me may not always work for you!

Thank you so much for your support of Stephie The Happy Mom!

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