Uncertainty derails even the smartest people and the most well-designed plans.

In high-stakes change moments—at work or in life—our brains crave clarity.
Instead, we face ambiguity.

Ambiguity isn’t a flaw—it’s a feature.
It’s the raw material of meaningful change—if you know how to work with it.
But biologically, ambiguity triggers stress—disrupting decision-making, leadership, and team dynamics.
That’s when even the most capable individuals and teams get stuck—waiting for certainty or forcing quick answers.

This is the liminal space: between what was and what’s next.
Where it feels right to pause—and wrong not to move.
Where you know too much to leap, and too much not to.

There’s a better way: approach ambiguity like a designer.

Design brings a human-centered, iterative approach to complexity.
It reframes change as invitation, sparks ideas before there’s a plan, and uses experimentation to create clarity.

I offer products that help high-achievers and forward-thinking organizations move through uncertainty with intention, clarity, and momentum.

Hi, I’m Amy Bonsall.

As a former design executive at IDEO, I’ve helped companies like Google, John Deere, and YouTube reimagine what’s next. I’ve led innovation at an $8B company (Old Navy), spoken at SXSW, written for *Harvard Business Review*, and I hold degrees from Carnegie Mellon and IMD. My work has supported high-achieving leaders across industries and geographies—and I’ve had the joy of living in (and the pain of moving to!) six countries across four continents.
**But here’s what you *don’t* see:**
**Every transition came with a knot in my stomach, a jolt of uncertainty, and a real sense of being unmoored.**
More than once (erm, many times), I looked wildly successful on paper while quietly wondering: *What now?*
Over and over, I found myself thinking: *I need a new playbook.*
That’s what led me to this work—not because the changes were easy, but because they *weren’t.* They exposed the limits of my old playbook, encouraging me to build a new one.
So I got curious. I layered my design thinking expertise with sciences (neuroscience, behavior change, biology) and embodied practices (somatic experiencing, parts work, mindfulness). And true to my background, I began experimenting—with myself first, then with clients.
What’s emerged is a distinctive approach to navigating the in-between—what I call the liminal space.
I’ve helped individuals and leadership teams navigate high-stakes change—professionally, personally, and organizationally. Through all of it, I’ve earned something like a PhD in liminality.
If you—or your organization—are in that space, I’d love to help you find clarity, steadiness, and momentum. Let’s design what’s next.

Curious? Let’s talk

What is the liminal space?

In architecture, liminal spaces are the spaces between (like this courtyard)

It’s the in-between—after what was, before what’s next.
When things are shifting, but you’re still expected to decide, lead, act with conviction.

It shows up in reorgs, job shifts, relocations, leadership changes, breakups—any time when what once worked no longer does.

In architecture, liminal spaces are hallways, courtyards, arcades (the European kind, not the 12-year-old birthday party kind)—the places between “real” rooms. Unstructured, but powerful. They invite movement, creativity, unexpected encounters.
(Anyone who’s had a career-making conversation in a hallway knows: these aren’t throwaway spaces. They’re where things happen.)

Life’s liminal spaces are the same. Foggy, yes—but full of freedom and possibility.

Liminal spaces show up everywhere—across roles, industries, and life stages.

I support both individuals and organizations in learning how to navigate the in-between—

Not just get through it, but to grow from it.

For individuals

Whether you’re shifting careers, cities, identities, or priorities, I help you move through ambiguity with more clarity, more steadiness, and more of yourself intact.

I offer:

Short, high-impact courses to shift how you approach change and uncertainty
Deep-dive programs for designing what’s next with intention
Private coaching for personalized support in transitional moments
Community-based experiences to make the in-between feel connected and purposeful

Explore individual offers

For corporate leaders & organizations

Whether your organization is navigating a reorg, a culture shift, a leadership transition, or the kind of change that doesn’t come with a playbook, I help you equip your people to navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.

I offer:

Team- and organizational-level experiences to build a shared language and toolkit for navigating ambiguity
Coaching & peer groups for leaders to navigate change personally while guiding others through it
Open-enrollment leadership programs to build capacity alongside peers from other organizations

Explore organizational offers

Not sure where to begin?

Book a call to learn more

In the words of a client:

We loved our day and I would say it changed all of our lives. THANK YOU. It wasn’t the easiest crowd. You had 7 busy and exacting CEOs and everyone was like best day ever.

Founder and CEO, Hipcamp (YPO experience)

More testimonials here.