We’re design thinkers
with teachers’ hearts.

Our team’s experience runs deep and wide. Each of us draws on over 20 years of working across countless projects, brands, and categories. Our backgrounds and training allow us to generate living examples and guide you past common obstacles — so you’ll be ready to turn what you learn into innovations, career-growth opportunities, and delighted customers.

Gretchen Goffe

Founder & CEO

Combining experience as the Executive Director of Innovation at a leading business school and 15+ years as a consulting firm partner, Gretchen’s mission is to make design thinking accessible to everyone.

Gretchen Goffe - CEO & Founder dtLIVElab
LinkedIn

Our Team

Jim Johnson - DESIGN THINKING INSTRUCTOR at dtLIVElab

JIM JOHNSON

PARTNER
DESIGN THINKING INSTRUCTOR

Whether teaching at top business schools or conducting corporate training, Jim knows how to keep everyone engaged.

Brian Spain - DESIGN THINKING VOICE OF CUSTOMER at dtLIVElab

BRIAN SPAIN

PARTNER
VOICE OF CUSTOMER

Brian uncovers customer insights and stories, drawing from 20 years as a brand planner in dozens of categories.

Teri English - DESIGN THINKING OPERATIONS at dtLIVElab

TERI ENGLISH

MANAGER
LIVELAB OPS

After 20 years as a systems integration expert, Teri curates our LiveLAB panelists to tell their stories in live projects.

Work With On-Demand Customers Live.

Finding real people to give their time and information can be challenging. That’s we have thousands of real people, ready at moment’s notice to weigh in with their opinions, wants, and needs. Our range of curated customers can give you the insight you need to innovate and grow. 

So my wife is from Ecuador and we have the chance to go live with her family and travel really inexpensively, so why not go for 3 months? But we have a cat…

We go on 4 vacations a year and basically spend $10-15 per visit for 2 visits a day, 7 days a week, times 4 vacations….so that’s our biggest expense….payin’ for a catsitter LOL.

The hardest part of pet ownership? the good-bye.

Everyone says pets are expensive but I have 2 kittens and they have had 0 issues so I don’t know what the big deal is.

Tell them they need to invent a mind reader…for animals.

My first dog was my “daughter” and when she passed it was heartbreaking. One day I saw a photo in a magazine with a yellow lab and I just know, it was time to get a dog again.

I have 2 cats, one is obese. I know I should feed him less but he loves me for the treats.

I don’t really have pets but I always seem to wind up helping with my friend’s pets. Like, I’ll walk them or fill the water bowl because I know they need it. But it wouldn’t be fair for me to have pets right now.

I desperately want a pet, but my kids say I can’t have one. That taking care of it will be too much for me and my husband. I just want a cat that would curl up with me on my lap. It’s the hardest part of getting older.

We’re dog people, but this latest rescue dog is the toughest dog we’ve ever had! He falls apart if it rains so we are constantly looking at the weather. A pop up storm? Nightmare.

I adopted a dog thinking he would be great company. Turns out, we just weren’t compatible. I looked for the right family for him…lots of land, other dogs and kids. He will love it there. I feel terrible it didn’t work out and I dread the questions I’ll have to answer. Will people be judging me?

After an emergency room trip we looked into pet health insurance…end of the day we didn’t really see the value in the early years. But I think it depends on your dogs personality….whether you can see them getting into everything and many trips to the ER.

I adopted a fella I thought was a border collie. Turns out he’s 3 aggressive breeds and has shown aggression on walks. I don’t know what to do! He loves me and has bonded to me. If I give him up, will he wind up somewhere terrible? And if don’t, what does that mean for the next 10 years?