First-person insights from our Executive programme for Design Leaders

This July we kicked off a new cohort of our Executive Programme for Design Leaders.

One of our amazing delegates, Cynthia Flores, was sharing her insights throughout the first Module on how successful companies are built. In case you wanted a sneak peek into the programme through the eyes of someone actually doing it, here are some insights we found especially memorable and inspiring.

Written by Cynthia Flores,
Delegate of Executive Programme for Design Leaders 2025/26

Strategy, Joy, Leadership, and the Human Side of Sales

This first module was all about how to build better companies: ones that are future-proof, human, strategic, and intentional from the inside out. Our goal was to understand business fundamentals, scale smartly, lead better, and think with clarity and boldness.

We learned from leaders at Uber, NHS, monday.com, ustwo, and other companies how to read P&L and cash flow, calculate TAM, SAM and SOM, approach building organisational structures, set OKRs and KPIs, and so much more.

Here are my key takeaways:

The biggest obstacle to learning something new is the belief that you already know everything.

Abi Wright, Leadership Coach, explained that a fixed mindset is rooted in fear, perfectionism, or a desire to be seen as “smart” or already accomplished. A growth mindset embraces learning, iteration, and the idea that “I can’t” is really just “not yet.”

Abi cultivated a mindset that is both action-driven and growth-oriented, starting with how we speak to ourselves. Removing language like “I should have” or “I should be” makes room for clarity, kindness, and actual movement.

Knowing your numbers and understanding finance will help you lead.

Joy Nazzari, who founded and ran DNCO for many years, taught us: when you understand finance, you’re making informed decisions around creative work and strategy. As company directors, we have legal and social responsibilities. We need to watch budgets to give our clients and employees confidence.

Most importantly, financial health keeps things fun. When your finances are well-tracked and you’re doing well, you get to have more fun with your work.

The biggest thing about finance? Track what’s happening over time. Numbers can shift dramatically, so ratios help you see patterns, ask questions, and spot trends (good or bad).

Designing how you work is as creative and important an endeavour as any other. It’s an ongoing process which ensures you can achieve shared goals ever more effectively.

I loved the approach shared by Tony Browne, Head of Product at NHS, during his session on Org Design: we, as creatives, are not just the people who make things look pretty, but essential voices in shaping how work gets done.

The key insight? Organisational design isn’t an abstract concept. It can either enable incredible innovation or create barriers that prevent good people from doing their best work.

Approach business not just as a numbers game, but as a human exchange — built on clarity, intention, and trust. It’s not about what you need from your customer, but what your customer needs from you.

During the session on Sales, Paul Albert, Fractional Chief Revenue Officer at Element Human, explained that the customer’s voice should be embedded into the heart of the business. Not just in pitch decks or prototypes, but in how we operate, hire, create, and grow. It’s so simple, and yet these questions are the cornerstone of a business that knows what it does, how it does it, and — most importantly — why it exists.

What stayed with me most was this framework:

⚫️ Why should your customer do anything?
⚫️ Why should they do it now?
⚫️ Why should they do it with you?

Building a business isn’t just about ideas. It’s also about structure. Boundaries. Discipline. And learning to make decisions with both heart and strategy.

One of the most valuable takeaways from the session on Legal from James Sullivan, Global General Counsel at Bitstamp, was understanding the real cost of vagueness. James spoke about how ambiguity (especially in early collaborations) can become the root of future conflict. What starts as a shared vision between passionate people can quickly unravel if expectations, equity, and roles aren’t clearly defined from the beginning.

There was so much more that I learned during these two weeks, but the main question that will stay with me is ‘What’s one thing you can do today to move your company or team forward?’ This single question, posed during this first Module, has become my new daily mantra. 

And if this resonates with you, I’d love to hear: What’s one thing you can do today to move your company or team forward?

By Cynthia Flores,
Creative Director at National Academy of Sports Medicine,
Delegate of Design Leaders programme at Future London Academy