Natalie W. Nixon, PhD is a design strategist and a hybrid thinker. At Figure 8 Thinking, LLC she helps organizations accelerate innovation and growth by developing meaningful strategy through design thinking and ethnographic research. She applies her diverse background in service design, anthropology and fashion, to help clients with culture transformation, leadership development, ideation sessions and envisioning labs.

My interview with Natalie was fascinating, talking about visual thinking and the role that doodling can play in innovation and communication. Most intriguing for me, however, was her willingness to spend time on a "listening tour" with people she trusted and respected as she made the brave move from the classroom to entrepreneurship.

Learn more about Natalie at www.figure8thinking.com.