Inspiring Conversations with Tara Colvin and Denise McClennen of Thought Design

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Colvin and Denise McClennen.  

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Denise: After years of leading teams, designing corporate training programs, and learning as I went, I began to dream about a space that was designed to transform people and their teams. In April of 2013, I finally decided to go for it. I put my life savings on the line, signed a lease and began demolition on the space that is Thought Design today!

Decades into developing my own expertise in brain science and adult development, I designed both a space and a training program that supports teams in their own development. This meant a physical space that served as a playground for adults – inspiring creativity, connection, and learning. It meant a culinary space since adults learn best when all five senses are engaged. And it meant training that helps people think about their thinking.

I operated as the business owner, trainer, coach, program designer, and even as chef sometimes, but I never intended to run the business alone. During 2020, I began brainstorming new ideas with Tara Colvin. We had met years prior because Tara regularly brought her department into Thought Design to take advantage of the unique space and learning.

Tara: I fell in love with the people development and strategic planning parts of being a leader and decided to make a career change to pursue this full-time! In January 2022, we officially became partners of Thought Design!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
HA! No! 

The biggest struggle along the way has really been ourselves! Starting from the very beginning, everyone who heard Denise talk about creating a space where adults could learn, and she could teach told her she was crazy! But she could see it. She had spent every day for several months planning, dreaming, debating, and looking for signs that she should do this! The whole time, doubting that she was capable or smart enough or that she deserved to get her dream. Wondering if she actually was crazy to risk her entire life savings on this! On the day she signed the lease, she was calm, clear, ready, and really excited! But the self-doubt, the impostor feelings, the scarcity mindset creeps back up regularly! 

When Tara left the corporate role, she had spent 14 years building, the fear was real as well! When she told people she was leaving but didn’t have another job lined up because she was going out on her own, everyone made some obligatory comment like, “Well, I am sure you will figure it out.” Truthfully, she really wasn’t sure if she was going to figure it out! The pandemic started just 6 weeks after she left her job, and the panic really started to set in! She started to doubt that she was good enough to or that she was a good enough coach and facilitator to make it. 

It took time for both Denise and Tara to understand that owning your business requires you to love mistakes and failures, to take risks and constantly experiment, to always be learning and wondering. It takes vulnerability, asking for help, and admitting that you don’t know all the things. It takes trusting yourself and your instincts. Over time, both Denise and Tara have learned so much about themselves, met an uncountable number of interesting and amazing people, and have grown into the people they are today. According to Denise, “It has been an incredibly rich return on my investment.” 

As you know, we’re big fans of Thought Design. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Thought Design provides three unique and related offerings: 

1) Team and Leader Development: The most important thing we do is grow and develop teams. Our approach is different from most of the training you come across – we are pioneers in West Michigan in the integration of brain science and adult development theory into our programs and coaching. Starting with shifting how people think, our focus on equipping people to create psychologically safe, thriving work culture has helped thousands of people across West Michigan transform their teams and organizations. 

2) Space Rental: Designed to promote creativity, curiosity, and connection with a view of the beautiful Rogue River just outside, moveable furniture, and over 30 linear feet of whiteboard wall, you can host your team at Thought Design for your most productive meeting yet! 

3) Culinary Team Building: We know that adults learn best when all five senses are engaged, so that meant a Culinary Studio was a “must” for the space! Teams can cook a gourmet meal together, having fun and building connection while also practicing skills like communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and leading. We also offer public cooking classes. 

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Our best mentors have been the ones who aren’t afraid to ask you the hard questions, who don’t just tell you want you want to hear or tell you what they think you should do – instead, they ask you the kind of questions that challenge your current thinking, push you to new levels, celebrate your successes, and help you find the learning in your failures. We’ve also learned that there is value in what we call “micro-mentoring,” which is taking the opportunity to learn from people in short bursts rather than in formal, long-term mentoring relationships. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thought-design.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtdesignmi/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtdesignmi
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thought-design/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeYNxU3qH9puob8WeXCPiUQ