WHAT IS LIFE DESIGN?

Ever thought you might not be on the best career path for you? Going through a life transition? Feel stuck in a rut and intrigued to experience how design thinking could fundamentally shift the way you think about your life and career? Join one of our workshops where we apply the process and principles of design thinking to our most precious creation, our lives!

Design thinking has been used for over 50 years to solve the world’s most “wicked”problems - from getting access to clean water to designing the next hot product. Throughout this interactive series, you’ll apply a design mindset: curiosity, action, reframing and collaboration along with design tools: empathy, brainstorming, prototyping and testing - to build your way forward.

We bring in principles from product management, decision making, and business from thought leaders including thought leaders including Bill Burnett, Dave Evans (Designing Your Life), Simon Sinek, Gretchen Rubin and Brene Brown

The real magic in this class is the experience of going through this together with other people - all of whom are in similar stages of transition, searching for self-insight. This course draws people who want to think differently and learn tools for creative problem solving. You may be in class with a senior attorney, a recent college graduate and an entrepreneur – all trying to design a better life. The course is interactive. We have discussion guides, activities and break-out sessions to give you a chance to create your life design in collaboration with new people and in new ways.

WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR LIFE DESIGN?

Get the most out of our classes, plan to commit 1- 2 hours per week in addition to the live sessions. See more info below about reading and prep work.

IS THERE PRE WORK, READING OR OTHER TIME COMMITMENTS OUTSIDE OF CLASS?

Yes, each week we will have pre reading and independent preparation or reflection exercises such as journaling or worksheets. In the 101 class, we read select chapters of the book “Designing Your Life, How to build a well-lived and joyful life” by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, Silicon Valley innovators and Stanford University design educators. One on one coaching with Amy or Erin is available, especially in advance of your own brainstorming session.

WHAT IF I CAN’T READ, DO THE HOMEWORK OR ATTEND A CLASS?

This is a “come as you are” class. Some classmates won’t have time to read prepare exercises in time for class. Commit and complete what is doable and useful to you. If something doesn’t speak to you, it’s fine to skip it. I do encourage participants to trust the process and work through things even when you find them awkward or uncomfortable. Bottom-line, come to class even if you aren’t “ready”. You can always help out a classmate and learn something new.

WHAT IF HAVE TO MISS ONE (OR MORE) CLASSES?

If you have to miss a class, we will do our best to provide a recap of the content and exercises you missed. Most attendees have at least one scheduling conflict throughout the course.

WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT?

The life design journey is $649. The time and energy you invest in yourself? Priceless!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TAKING THIS CLASS?

Through this experience, you’ll apply design thinking to get unstuck and generate options for your life. As a baseline, you will learn the design thinking process and behaviors. By experiencing this in community with others, you’ll help each other seethings in new ways and reach new insights. Past course graduates have left jobs, switched to part time work, or started new businesses. Others have realized the value in their current situation and have a new toolkit to use when thinking about and planning for future change. You’ll leave the class with new tools and a new community to support you in your adventures.

WHO ELSE WILL BE IN THE CLASS?

The course attracts people of all ages, backgrounds and life stages. Participants range from executives entering an encore career to students to entrepreneurs re-evaluating the lines between their business and their life.

WHO IS THIS CLASS FOR?

There are some commonalities among those attracted to the course:

• People in mid-life going through a career transition or encore career (after a layoff or departure from a long, intense career).
• People in mid-life experiencing a life transition; launching their kids off to college, a recent divorce/separation, a lingering malaise about their career choice or feeling overwhelmed with too many options.
• People over 50 or entering retirement wanting to flip the script of this chapter of their life. These folks are searching for an approach to rethink and reframe how they contribute to the world.
• Thirty and forty-something parents trying to find a fair balance between parenting and working. Some of these parents want to build a side hustle or design a “plan B” that is more flexible and sustainable.
• Recent college grads and 20-somethings who are launching into adulthood. They may have seen their parents struggle with life and career challenges and want to do things differently. They see entrepreneurship or freelance as a viable option and need tools to get started and guidance from more experienced classmates.
• Entrepreneurs or small business owners experiencing the loneliness and all-consuming nature of business ownership. These folks are looking forward and planning business growth or planning an exit. They crave a balance of business and personal time.