A Beginners Guide to Design Thinking
Lucy Patterson
Meet Lucy, an accomplished Design Thinking Practitioner, Facilitator and Trainer, with over 25 years experience.
Following a career in senior management and coaching roles, she founded Flourish Unlimited in 2017. Awarded Institute of Enterprise & Entrepreneurs Approved Academy status, Flourish Unlimited supported 100s of business’ to implement and embed the design thinking process into their everyday activities for maximum profit and impact.
Since selling up Lucy has returned to freelance work. She now focuses on supporting people to design the lives & business’ they wanted to build before compromise & other people’s opinions crept in.
She also supports women 50+ to enter the growing longevity economy as active profiteers and impact-makers, rather than passive consumers, runs design thinking workshops for several enterprise training providers and is a guest lecturer for FE students.
As a postgraduate of Durham University Business School, a graduate of Babson College’s Inspiration USA Business Growth program, a judge and advisor for the University of Sussex’ Big Ideas program, she’s had the pleasure of working within a variety of sectors, and with organisations ranging from kitchen table start-ups to internationally renowned brands.
If you’re ready to stop tolerating, contorting or waiting your turn, Lucy is here to help every step of the way.
Tracy Sharp
Meet Tracy, your go-to expert for all things product design, development, and engineering.
With an impressive 20-year career that has taken her around the world, Tracy has led innovative projects for big names like SharkNinja, Google, KitchenAid, and the Royal College of Art. She’s got the inside scoop on design for manufacture and assembly, plastics design, and all the latest manufacturing techniques.
Noticing a serious lack of female mentors in her own journey, Tracy decided to change the game. In 2022, she founded SharpMinds, a passion project dedicated to empowering women in design and engineering. Tracy champions diversity, equity, and inclusion, sharing real-world tips on tackling imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and burnout. Her mission is to inspire and support others, fostering a community where everyone can thrive together.
Design Thinking is Tracy’s secret sauce, and she loves weaving it into her mentoring approach. In 2022, a simple hashtag on her LinkedIn profile led to an amazing connection with Lucy Patterson. They quickly realized they shared a passion: spreading the word about the incredible value of Design Thinking. And just like that, ‘Beginner’s Guide to Design Thinking’ was born, making these powerful principles fun and accessible for everyone.
Whether you’re looking to shake up your business or invigorate your love for life, Tracy is here to help every step of the way.