The Story of Thrive, by Design

Business leaders today urgently seek strategies for enhancing performance amid shifts brought about by COVID-19, early generative AI, ML, and chaotic geopolitical dynamics. Yet, even the most successful teams and organizations typically fall short of full potential. They succeed but fail to thrive.

To reach and sustain full potential, tweaking legacy organizations will not meet the demands of the day. To leap beyond success to thrive, legacy organizations, where tasks are completed, must be transformed into Renaissance 21 Innovation Studios, where art is made.

In the Renaissance 21 Innovation Studio, talent, creativity, and potential are unleashed, and innovation is core business process. Engagement, efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity soar. Fewer people do more, better.

What You Will Learn

In reading Thrive, by Design you will understand the pressing need to re-imagine and re-invent the way we work. You will learn to see the distinctions and benefits of moving from legacy organizational mindsets, structures, and operating standards to the dynamic, organically evolving, cross-functionally collaborative Renaissance 21 Innovation Studio.

The result will be a full-potential cultural architecture comprised of four building blocks:

• First Principles,
• Foundations,
• Innovation, and
• Innovation Drivers.

In addition, you will learn that human complexity and potential are two sides of the same coin, and how to:

• Thrive, by design—intentionally, systematically, and iteratively;
• Make innovation flow from all levels;
• Align people and teams around what matters, operating principles, and standards in service of seamless collaboration and execution; and much more.

The Book in Four Parts

Part 1: A Twenty-First Century Renaissance

Part One sets the stage in today’s era—a true twenty-first-century Renaissance—where rapid advances in technology, relentless connectivity, and a surge of innovation compel leaders and organizations to reinvent themselves or risk falling behind.

As we seek fundamental shifts in how we work and connect, the opening chapters immerse us in the candid conversations of fifteen accomplished executives who, despite outward success, share a common sense of urgency to adapt to new realities, and a longing for fulfillment through meaningful contribution and impact.

Part One defines this inflection point and urges leaders to move beyond legacy thinking and action, outlining a practical approach for building Innovation Studios that deliver measurable results by making innovation job one for all.

Part 2:  The Renaissance 21 Innovation Studio

Part Two bridges personal experience and inspiration with a practical, actionable blueprint for change. Providing an overview of the four building blocks of a holistic  cultural architecture that transforms organizations into vibrant, innovation-driven studios.

Drawing from our journeys and inspired by the wisdom of trailblazers past and present, these chapters illustrate a holistic architecture and high level overviews of the four building blocks essential to turning legacy organizations and careers into engines of creativity, contribution, and full potential realized.

Part 3: Building Blocks

Part Three defines in detail the four essential building blocks that set thriving organizations apart today.

It starts with First Principles—clarifying the human-centered truths that shape every design, decision, and outcome.

From there, Foundations establishes the core cultural elements—values, standards, talent, optimization, and navigational capabilities—that turn intention into disciplined, sustainable action.

Innovation becomes the engine, shifting from a privileged silo to an organization-wide mandate: every action, process, and experience is designed to create value and ignite advocacy.

Finally, Innovation Drivers harness the factors required to sustain peak creativity and measurable results in a world where the need to adapt, collaborate, and thrive by design is both urgent and inescapable.

Part 4: The Renaissance 21 Innovation Studio Toolkit

Part Four provides an overview of the highly innovative and pragmatic Innovation Studio Toolkit. This fully integrated suite of concepts, tools, and practices aligns with the four building blocks of the studio.

Sharpened through decades of real-world application, these resources—organized by Innovation Studio Building Block—provide actionable guidance for navigating the complexities of leadership, innovation, and collaboration. These tools offer clarity and discipline to help leaders and teams reach and sustain their full potential.

Informed and shaped by feedback from hundreds of leaders across industries and designed for practical impact, each tool helps individuals and organizations imagine, design, and deliver results that transform everyday experience into lasting advocacy and thriving performance.

Other Ways to Support Us

Some of you may not chose to contribute, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help:

• Please share our presale campaign on social media with your friends, family and network. Please use #ThrivebyDesign and tag us so we can help amplify your efforts.
• Please recommend our book to five (5) friends, family members, or co-workers who you think would enjoy it via text or direct message on social media.

Thank you so much for your interest and support!

Thanks again, Sandy and Caroline

About the Authors

Sandy Nelson 

Sandy Nelson is a former internationally recognized architect, business leader, passionate executive coach, leadership and cultural architect, father, and author. Sandy helps leaders, teams and organizations leap beyond success to thrive sustainably.

Sandy thinks and acts holistically, reducing complexity to essence to get to the heart of matters in executive coaching, cultural transformations, and performance optimization. Prioritizing clear metrics and sustainable competitive advantage, aligning talent and teams around measurable results that propel lasting success, Sandy’s comprehensive approach builds the advanced awareness, skills, and practices essential for sustained full potential performance.

Sandy is based in Upper Northwest Washington, DC where he lives with his beautiful bride, Ling, daughter Kai, their fuzzy Cockapoo Oscar, and alternately ornery and silly cat, Jackson.

Caroline Wang

Caroline Wang is an executive coach and organizational development consultant with over 25 years of experience helping leaders, teams, and organizations thrive. She believes who we can become is beyond our wildest imagination.

Her approach—rooted in integral coaching, adult development, and the Enneagram—sparks real behavior change and lasting impact. From consulting in Shanghai to global leadership roles at Apple, Caroline has spent her career exploring one essential question: how can people and organizations thrive together?

Based in San Jose, California, she balances her work with Zen meditation, yoga, Nia dance, and the joy of cooking—always seasoned with gratitude.