Around The Ladder : Quiet Growth & Clear Instruction With Elisa Cruickshank

In this inspiring episode of Around the Ladder, host Erika Steinberg sits down with Elisa Cruickshank, an instructional designer and founder of EC Designs for Learning, to explore a career path that zigzagged from banking to entrepreneurship.

Elisa shares how her early experiences creating cheat sheets and coaching teams laid the foundation for her passion: turning complex ideas into simple, human-centered learning experiences. From managing bank branches to gamifying compliance courses, Elisa reveals the many hats instructional designers wear and the power of making learning feel personal.

She also opens up about embracing imposter syndrome, honoring family-first values, and recognizing that real growth often happens quietly in the background.

Whether you're a corporate leader, a creative freelancer, or someone navigating your own unconventional path, this episode is a reminder that success doesn’t always follow a straight line, and that’s a beautiful thing.

Topics Covered:

- What instructional design really is...and what it’s not

- Elisa’s transition from banking to instructional design

- The importance of simplifying complex processes

- Wearing multiple hats: project manager, designer, strategist

- How adults learn and why relevance matters

- Humor and personality in learning design

- Imposter syndrome as a sign of growth

- Why quiet consistency leads to meaningful change

- Including motherhood on LinkedIn—and why it matters

 

Connect With Elisa Cruickshank:

- Website: EC Designs for Learning

- LinkedIn: Elisa Cruickshank