In this episode of Monsters of Design, the core trio—Jon Sontag, Adrian Crabtree, and Jon Delman—march into the labyrinth to face the dreaded GATEKEEPER. This isn’t your friendly neighborhood doorman; this is the hip, pencil-wielding minotaur guarding the gates of design, deciding who gets in and who gets left wandering outside. The three dig deep into the monsters that keep brilliant talent out: sky-high barriers to entry, overcomplicated tech requirements, and the cult of “culture fit” that ignores the magic of true culture adds. Most importantly, they shine a spotlight on the interview process as the arena where this monster can be slayed—where a surprising candidate could reveal themselves as the missing spark your team never knew it needed. As always, the episode ends with a romp through their latest monster sightings, including the one haunting Jon Sontag this week: Ben Affleck’s brooding performance in The Accountant 2.