Designing Your Life

What Designing Your Life does

Designing Your Life (DYL) is a coaching, education, and content company that commercializes a design thinking methodology for life and career design, originally developed at Stanford University's Life Design Lab by co-founders Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. The core product portfolio centers on four published books (including a #1 New York Times bestseller and the 2025 release 'How to Live a Meaningful Life'), supplemented by a CreativeLive video class, downloadable worksheets and discussion guides in multiple languages, and the freemium 5-Day Meaning Design Experiment. Service delivery is executed through a globally distributed, franchise-like network of 800 certified coaches, 3,000 trained educators, 15+ certified workshop providers across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America, and the DT.School partnership adding 50+ facilitators in Greater China; the methodology is taught at 600 universities worldwide. Dedicated programs include DYL for Women and a 'Bring DYL to Your Organization' corporate engagement offering.

The business operates as a private, founder-owned entity headquartered in San Francisco with 11-50 employees and no disclosed external funding. Revenue is generated through six streams: book sales (one-time retail), online class sales, certification and licensing fees from coaches and workshop providers, coaching services routed through the certified directory, in-person workshops delivered by certified providers, and corporate/enterprise consulting engagements. Marketing relies on thought leadership, PR in outlets such as the New York Times, Fast Company, TED, and NPR, the weekly 'Fully Alive' newsletter, and an in-house blog (DYL Insights), with founder speaking engagements booked through Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau. Customer segments are intentionally diversified across B2C individuals seeking career/life clarity, corporate buyers of organizational workshops, universities integrating the curriculum, and aspiring coaches purchasing certification.

Name

Designing Your Life

Legal name

Designing Your Life

Website

https://designingyour.life

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Designing Your Life is a privately held, founder-owned coaching and content company that commercializes a Stanford-developed design thinking methodology for life and career design, delivered through books, certified coaches, workshops, corporate programs, and online classes to individuals, universities, and organizations worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Life Design Coaching

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification & Credentialed Creator Programs (MPACALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Learning Strategy, Instructional Design & Content Development (BPACANAG)

Keywords

• Life design coaching
• Design thinking methodology
• Career coaching services
• Personal development books
• Life planning workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Sale of published books including 'How to Live a Meaningful Life', 'Designing Your Life' (original), 'Designing Your New Work Life', and the Designing Your Life Workbook. Books available through standard retail channels.
2. Online Classes: CreativeLive online class based on the bestselling book. Customers purchase digital access to video-based learning content.
3. Workshops: In-person workshops facilitated by certified workshop providers globally. Providers pay for certification and operate independently.
4. Coaching Services: One-on-one and group coaching services through certified coaches. The platform connects clients with coaches through the 'Find a Coach' directory.
5. Certifications: Revenue from certifying coaches and workshop providers who pay for training and credentialing to deliver DYL methodology.
6. Corporate Engagements: Bringing DYL to organizations through consulting and workshop programs for corporate clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Designing Your Life offers a suite of books, workshops, coaching, certifications, and digital learning programs built around the Stanford Life Design Lab methodology. The company sells published books, operates an online class via CreativeLive, runs in-person and virtual workshops through certified providers globally, and offers one-on-one coaching via a certified coach directory. It also certifies coaches and workshop providers and delivers corporate engagement programs ("Bring DYL to your Organization") plus specialized offerings like DYL for Women.

Product overview

Designing Your Life is a coaching and educational content company built around the Stanford design thinking methodology, offering a suite of books, workshops, coaching services, and digital learning programs. The core product portfolio centers on four books (How to Live a Meaningful Life, Designing Your Life, Designing Your New Work Life, and the Designing Your Life Workbook), complemented by the 5-Day Meaning Design Experiment and a CreativeLive online class. The company provides coaching and workshop services through a global network of certified coaches and workshop providers, with specialized offerings like DYL for Women. Additional offerings include DT.School for design thinking certification, downloadable worksheets and discussion questions in multiple languages, and organizational consulting services. The ecosystem is supported by the Fully Alive newsletter and DYL Insights blog content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DT.School: Greater China partner organization for Designing Your Life, co-founded by Cheng Wang, Bill Burnett, and Paul Marca. Provides design thinking and life design training and certification across China.

Products and services

• How to Live a Meaningful Life (Book) A book by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans exploring how to find meaning in life through design thinking principles, addressing societal shifts and increasing isolation. Sold through standard retail channels.
• Designing Your Life (Original Book) The original New York Times bestselling book that introduced the design thinking approach to building a well-lived, joyful life. Sold through standard retail channels.
• Designing Your New Work Life (Book) A book focused on applying design thinking to career and work-related challenges and transitions. Sold through standard retail channels.
• Designing Your Life Workbook A companion workbook with exercises and activities to support the application of Designing Your Life principles. Sold through standard retail channels.
• DYL Workshops In-person and virtual workshops led by certified workshop providers to help participants apply Designing Your Life principles. Operated through a global network of 15+ certified partners.
• CreativeLive Online Class An online video class by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans taught through the CreativeLive platform based on their #1 New York Times bestseller. Self-paced digital learning with paid access.
• Coach Certification Program Training program to become a certified Designing Your Life coach, including coaching skills development and methodology training. Graduates join the 'Find a Coach' directory.
• Workshop Provider Certification Certification program for individuals and organizations to become authorized providers of Designing Your Life workshops globally.
• Bring DYL to Your Organization Corporate engagement and organizational consulting services to bring Designing Your Life principles to businesses, universities, and institutions for employee development and team workshops.
• DT.School Certification Program A certification and training program for Design Thinking practitioners, offering courses and workshops in the Greater China region (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan) and globally. Co-founded by Cheng Wang, Bill Burnett, and Paul Marca.
• DYL for Women Specialized coaching and resources tailored for women seeking to design meaningful lives and careers, including women-specific community programs.
• 5-Day Meaning Design Experiment A five-day program offering one mindset and practice per day to help users design a more meaningful life, including an exclusive preview from Bill & Dave's new book. Free entry-point product.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1M+ readers have engaged with the methodology
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Penguin Random House Speakers BureaucoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBill Burnett and Dave Evans are represented by Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau for speaking engagements. Contact: Kim Thornton Ingenito ([email protected])
• Beyond Boundaries Consulting (Netherlands)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider based in Netherlands, operating independently under DYL certification.
• Daws and Rose (New York)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider in New York, NY, operating independently under DYL certification.
• Designing Your Life Hong KongminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider in Hong Kong, HK, operating independently under DYL certification.
• Growth Factory (Greater Sacramento Valley)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider in Greater Sacramento Valley, operating independently under DYL certification.
• Leadership Labs (Stanford, California)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider based in Stanford, California, operating independently under DYL certification.
• Modular Consulting (Thailand)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider based in Thailand, operating independently under DYL certification.
• Off Course Ltd. (Taiwan)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider based in Taiwan City, Taiwan, operating independently under DYL certification.
• Plus Rasmussen (Munich, Germany)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider based in Munich, Germany, operating independently under DYL certification.
• QGLUE (New Delhi, India)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider based in New Delhi, India, operating independently under DYL certification.
• Transcend Thought (Oakland, California)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider based in Oakland, California, operating independently under DYL certification.
• The Life Experiment (Quito, Ecuador)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified workshop provider based in Quito, Ecuador, operating independently under DYL certification.
• DT.School (Greater China)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChina partner of Designing Your Life with 50+ certified facilitators across China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Co-founded by Cheng Wang (王成), Bill Burnett, and Paul Marca. Offers Design Thinking and DYL certifications.
• CreativeLivecoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline class platform hosting the DYL video course based on the bestselling book. Customers purchase digital access to video-based learning content.
• Stanford University / Stanford Life Design LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginated from Stanford University where co-founders Burnett and Evans co-founded the Stanford Life Design Lab. Methodology developed through academic research and teaching.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Skillshare: Skillshare is an online learning community with creator-led video courses on creative and personal development topics—similar business model to DYL's online class offering but with a broader creator ecosystem and subscription pricing.
• Mind Tools: Mind Tools is a corporate learning and personal development content platform with books, courses, and resources on career and leadership skills—directly competing with DYL in the self-directed learner and corporate L&D segments.
• MasterClass: MasterClass operates a creator-led online video course platform where experts (including Bill Burnett and Dave Evans on CreativeLive, which is similar) sell premium video courses—overlapping with DYL's online class and certification monetization streams, but with a much broader content portfolio.
• CoachHub: CoachHub is a digital coaching platform serving enterprise clients globally with a network of certified coaches—competing in the same corporate L&D market that DYL targets through its 'Bring DYL to Your Organization' program.
• IDEO U: IDEO U is the educational arm of IDEO (whose founder David Kelley endorsed DYL), offering design thinking courses online—positioned as the institutional origin of the design thinking methodology that DYL commercialized for life applications.
• LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a major online learning platform with extensive career and personal development course libraries—competing with DYL for both individual learners and corporate L&D budgets at significantly greater scale.
• Gallup (CliftonStrengths): Gallup's CliftonStrengths is an assessment-based coaching and training methodology widely adopted in corporate L&D—competing for the same enterprise training budget as DYL's corporate workshops, with much deeper HR/HRIS integration.
• BetterUp: BetterUp is the leading enterprise coaching platform combining technology, AI, and a network of coaches—competing directly with DYL's corporate engagement business and 'Find a Coach' directory, but at much greater scale and with integrated digital tooling.

Direct peers

• The School of Life: Founded by Alain de Botton, The School of Life offers books, workshops, one-on-one coaching, and online classes around life design, emotional intelligence, and meaning—essentially the same business model as DYL with comparable content philosophy and direct customer overlap.

Emerging players

• Brené Brown Education and Research Group: Brené Brown has built a comparable individual-author-to-movement brand around Dare to Lead and Daring Greatly, with books, workshops, corporate training, and certifications—structurally similar to DYL's book-to-workshop-to-certification flywheel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/designing-your-life-the-book

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Designing Your Life