designACE Blog

Welcome.

Our blog is filled with the latest and greatest from our team. Here you will find updates on our recent projects, behind-the-scenes exclusives on the work we are proud of, and new ideas and perspectives we think there is value in sharing.

Recent Articles

Featured
The Follow-Up Formula: Outreach Without Being Pushy

Struggling to follow up without feeling pushy? This blog breaks down designACE’s proven follow-up formula that helps small business owners and entrepreneurs build real connections through outreach that feels human, valuable, and effective. Learn how to time your messages, personalize your approach, and increase response rates—without the awkwardness.

Understanding Customer Psychology in Outreach: How to Land and Close Deals

Understanding customer psychology is the key to effective outreach. In this blog, we explore how human behavior impacts response rates, why personalization matters, and how to structure messages that connect and convert. From psychological principles like reciprocity and loss aversion to practical tips using tools like Amplemarket, this guide will help you refine your outreach strategy and close more deals—without sounding salesy.

Stop Overthinking Content: Create More in Less Time to Grow Faster

Struggling to keep up with LinkedIn while running your business? You’re not alone. This blog from Andrew Edwards, co-founder of designACE, reveals why LinkedIn is the most powerful platform for B2B growth—and how outsourcing your content strategy can save you time while driving real results. Learn how designACE helps small businesses create high-impact LinkedIn content that builds brand authority, generates quality leads, and frees up time for strategic growth. If LinkedIn feels like a time-sink, this blog will show you how to turn it into a growth engine.

Boost LinkedIn Engagement: Proven Strategy for Higher Reach & Visibility

Struggling with LinkedIn engagement? Learn how to stop overthinking, create high-performing posts, and stay consistent with a simple content strategy. Download our free Content Planner to streamline your LinkedIn marketing and start getting results today!

DeepSeek AI: What Small Businesses Need to Know for LinkedIn Content Creation

AI is revolutionizing content creation, but should small businesses fully rely on it? In this blog, we explore how DeepSeek AI can support LinkedIn content strategy without replacing human creativity. Discover the best ways to use AI for brainstorming, drafting, and editing, while ensuring your brand’s voice stays authentic and engaging. Plus, learn key insights on data privacy, AI bias, and building a sustainable AI strategy for 2025. Whether you’re a small business owner or a marketer, this guide will help you leverage AI as a tool—not a crutch.

Resilience in Action: Lessons From 2024’s Rebounding Canadian Businesses

Explore inspiring stories of resilience and recovery from Canadian businesses in 2024. This blog highlights key strategies that helped companies like Suncor Energy, Organigram Holdings, and Air Canada turn challenges into opportunities. From embracing innovation to prioritizing employee well-being, learn actionable insights to apply to your business and create your 2025 success story.

New Year, New Me, New LinkedIn

Discover how to maximize LinkedIn's 2025 updates to turn your profile into a magnet for opportunities. From crafting attention-grabbing headlines to using LinkedIn’s new features like interactive banners, analytics, and cover stories, this guide will help you create a profile that stands out and delivers results.

Beyond the Blur: Redefining Work-Life Balance in 2025

This blog explores the evolving concept of work-life balance in 2025, offering actionable strategies to combat burnout and maintain clarity amidst the challenges of hybrid and remote work. It highlights research-backed tools and practical tips for setting boundaries, designing productive work environments, and fostering meaningful connections, ensuring readers can reclaim balance and purpose in their professional and personal lives.

Discover What’s New on LinkedIn in 2025: Tools to Transform How You Connect!

Uncover LinkedIn’s latest tools and features for 2025! From AI-powered profile insights to interactive banners and deeper analytics, these updates can transform your professional connections. Learn how to optimize your profile, tell your story, and make the most of LinkedIn's dynamic features.

What Work-from-Home Essentials Should Be on Your Wishlist?

The shift to remote work has redefined how we approach our daily grind—but is your home office truly set up for success? From ergonomic chairs to noise-canceling headphones, this guide covers the must-have essentials that boost comfort, focus, and productivity. Discover practical upgrades that turn your workspace into a haven for peak performance, helping you thrive in 2025 and beyond.

A Quick Guide to Expanding Your Mindset: Futures, Systems, and Design Thinking

Explore how Futures Thinking, Systems Thinking, and Design Thinking can transform the way you approach challenges. This quick guide provides practical insights into expanding your mindset, anticipating changes, and designing solutions that resonate. Whether you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or curious thinker, learn how to envision the future, understand the bigger picture, and create meaningful change.

Design Thinking: Innovating with Empathy and Creativity

Design Thinking is not just a buzzword—it's a powerful approach that places empathy and creativity at the forefront of problem-solving. This blog explores how businesses and nonprofits can leverage Design Thinking to create solutions that resonate deeply with their audiences, emphasizing the crucial role of understanding user needs and embracing creative processes to drive impactful change.

Skills Development

Blog
Elevating Entrepreneurship: Game-Changing Advice I Learned from 4 successful BIPOC Business Leaders

Uncover the transformative lessons learned from influential female entrepreneurs.

If you are curious to learn what sets successful female run companies and BIPOC entrepreneurs apart, I have a few great tips to share from the recent Standing on Business event hosted by The Why Not Agency, where experienced business leaders shared some of their best advice while discussing the enablers and barriers they each experienced throughout their journey to entrepreneurship.

Gen Z Unleashed: How the P.O.E.M.S Framework Supercharged My Startup Adventure

Discover how Christine, co-founder of DesignACE, harnessed the power of the P.O.E.M.S Framework to supercharge her startup journey. Explore how insightful user research, catering to diverse generational needs from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, transformed her innovative approach to meetings. Uncover the secrets behind creating user-centric products that truly resonate.

Spirited Insights: Life Lessons from Working at a Distillery

Spirited Insights: Life Lessons from Working at a Distillery - A tale of self-discovery and career development by Andrew Edwards. Follow his transformative journey, learn the art of craft spirits, and uncover valuable life lessons from the distillery floor.

Part 4: Transform Your Leadership Style: Level Up with These Essential Skills

Incorporating essential qualities into your professional development can elevate your leadership approach. This blog post delves into four skills that can immediately enhance your leadership style. We include pro tips that work for our leadership skill development.

My Transformational Journey with the High-Performance Leadership, Teamwork, and Collaboration Certificate from Northwestern

I'm eager to share my personal and professional growth experience after completing the Coursera High-Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation certificate (offered by Northwestern University).In this blog post, I review how this certificate helped me learn new skills and greatly impacted my approach to collaborating with people and leading teams.

How to Unleash Your Creativity with Walking

Walking is not only good for your physical health, but also for your creativity and mental well-being. Learn how walking can boost your creative output by up to 60%, improve your cognitive functions, and reduce your stress levels. Find out how to make walking a part of your daily routine and enjoy the benefits of a healthier and happier mind.

The Winning Formula: How Purpose, Goals, and Aligning Values Supercharge Teams

Are you ready to unlock the secrets of exceptional teamwork and high performance? Building a high-performing team requires more than assembling a group of people with diverse skills and experiences. While diverse expertise and perspectives are crucial to a successful team, a sense of alignment regarding a common purpose, shared goals, and core values is pertinent to cohesion and performance.

How the Google Project Management Professional Certificate Helped Me Start My Own Company

I dreamed of starting my own company. I daydream about running my professional services agency, visualizing my success, and planning my next moves. Then I realized that leaping would be extremely hard without getting organized and developing solid project management skills. The online Google Project Management Professional Certificate program equips you with the necessary skills and tools to manage any project, from initiation to launch.

5 Benefits of a Bold Vision for Your Organization

A bold vision is essential for any team or business to succeed. It provides a clear direction and focus and allows individuals to make proactive strategic choices confidently.

Unlock Your Potential: 5 Brilliant Questions to Ask the Boss 

Take the next step and ask your boss the 5 brilliant questions listed. See what insights you can gain and start the journey to unlocking your potential.

Ambient Focus Music for Busy Professionals

Ambient focus music is essential for busy professionals who need to stay productive at home, in the office, or wherever they call their workplace. Here are our top seven choices for focus music for busy professionals.

What is the Design Thinking Process? A Leadership Primer on Human-Centered Design Methods

Discover our go-to resource for mastering the art of Design Thinking so you can easily implement effective new ways of working. We provide tools and tips for entrepreneurs, teams, and leaders that will enable them to harness the power of Design Thinking to drive meaningful change.

5 Ways to Stop Hosting Boring Meetings

Stop hosting boring meetings if you want people to contribute to your initiatives. Forbes estimates that 70% of all meetings are a waste of time. Therefore, we are making it our mission to help revitalize people's days and bring back constructive discussions. #NoMoreBoringMeetings

23 Happy Habits to Focus on in 2023 | Part 2

We all want to live our best personal and professional life in 2023. So here are our next eight of twenty-three happy habits to focus on in 2023 to help make the year ahead the most successful.

Unlock your Sales Potential with Empathy, a Human-Centred Approach to Business Development

This article provides six steps to unlock your sales potential with empathy and help you develop a human-centred approach to business development. Empathy is a powerful tool to help you connect with your target audience and build trust. By focusing on your customers' needs and understanding their problems, you have a better chance of developing a solution that appeals to them and drives sales.

Level Up your Leadership Skills; Transform your Team

This blog briefly covers the common benefits and blindspots of different Leadership styles and gives five simple tips to level up your leadership skills today.

Improve your creative output, take a walk

I can confidently say with 100% certainty that I have my best ideas when walking. I feel my mind relax, my body energize, and my heart find a healthy rhythm. There were many times over the last couple of years when I was feeling stressed, overworked, and burnt out. I instantly felt better when I took a break, stepped outside, and got my steps in.

6 Lessons About Public Speaking You Need To Learn To Succeed

Public speaking is one of the most important skills you can develop. These speaking techniques will help you to stand out for the right reasons. Apply them at school, at work, or for a personal event.

Take 11 Minutes. Start Innovating with Design Thinking

An introduction to the advantages the Design Thinking framework brings to a business, culture, and product. First, learn to harness the Design Thinking process from brainstorming to testing. Then, prepare your approach to empower a team to focus on what’s important at every step of the design journey. Finally, explore methods and workshops to solve real-world problems.

Workshops & Meetings

Blog
Love & Laughter: Romantic Reflection Ritual

Discover a delightful way to deepen your bond with your significant other through the 'Love & Laughter: Romantic Reflection Ritual.' Unveil the week's shared joys, navigate challenges, and relive moments that make your journey together extraordinary. Strengthen your connection with each heartfelt reflection, fostering a love that thrives on laughter and cherishes every moment. Join us in this captivating ritual that transforms reflection into a celebration of your unique love story.

Building Resilience: The Art of Volunteer Reflection

These reflection questions allow you to gain valuable insights into their volunteer experiences. Learn how people quantify their contributions. Discover how to foster a culture of continuous improvement and appreciation for their dedication.

Let’s explore each question to see how they can foster self-reflection and progress for you and your valued volunteer team.

Beyond the 9-to-5: Follow us on An Unconventional Work Field Trip with Extreme Post-its

Are you tired of the same old 9-to-5 routine? Do you want to spice up your work life with adventure and creativity? If so, you will love this blog post by designACE, which specializes in creating productive spaces for imagination. They will show you how they used their waterproof Extreme Post-its to run a fun and effective retrospective on a paddleboard in the middle of a lake. You will learn how to break free of the boring office meetings and unleash your inner explorer.

The Power of Friday Reflection: Unlocking Insights to Anticipate and Learn from Risks

If you want to get better at anticipating challenges or learn how to support your teams through risks better, you need to add these three questions to your team retrospectives and stand-ups. Try these questions today and see how they boost your confidence and solidify your chances of project and team success. 

Navigating Success: The Importance of a Go-to-Market Strategic Review Strategy for Your Next Launch

As busy professionals embark on their journey to success, you'll encounter smooth sailing and unexpected bumps. Innovation leaders must recognize the need for continuous improvement and anticipate potential pitfalls.

This blog will explore the significance of incorporating a go-to-market strategic review strategy. Our framework will enable you to steer your projects toward triumph while building a cohesive and resilient team.

The Power of Friday Reflection: Unlocking the Essential Questions to Launch Your Project with Confidence

Discover the essential reflection questions to kickstart your project with success. Learn how to align your team's vision, mitigate potential risks, and leverage strengths for optimal outcomes. Boost project performance and achieve remarkable results with these key insights.

Why Niching Down is Essential for Entrepreneurs and How to Do It Right

As an entrepreneur, one of the keys to success is finding your niche—a specific market area where you can offer something unique and valuable to your customers. Doing so allows you to differentiate yourself from competitors, attract loyal customers, and build a sustainable and profitable business. In this blog post, we'll explore why finding your niche is crucial and provide examples of how entrepreneurs have thrived by narrowing their focus.

My Transformational Journey with the High-Performance Leadership, Teamwork, and Collaboration Certificate from Northwestern

I'm eager to share my personal and professional growth experience after completing the Coursera High-Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation certificate (offered by Northwestern University).In this blog post, I review how this certificate helped me learn new skills and greatly impacted my approach to collaborating with people and leading teams.

Friday Reflection: Three Questions to HelpYour Team Stay Focused and Aligned

As a leader, you have the power and responsibility to guide your team to achieve goals. How do you ensure your team is focused and aligned on what matters? The answer is simple: ask these three goal-oriented questions every Friday and facilitate a meaningful conversation to help your team reach new heights.

The Winning Formula: How Purpose, Goals, and Aligning Values Supercharge Teams

Are you ready to unlock the secrets of exceptional teamwork and high performance? Building a high-performing team requires more than assembling a group of people with diverse skills and experiences. While diverse expertise and perspectives are crucial to a successful team, a sense of alignment regarding a common purpose, shared goals, and core values is pertinent to cohesion and performance.

Breaking Down Barriers: How 'My User Manual' Can Strengthen and Align Your Team

In the ever-changing world of project management, effective communication holds the key to success. Exceptional leaders and dynamic project teams have one thing in common: they dedicate time to align their team norms and establish communication standards and expectations. Using a unique activity like “My User Manual,” teams can find the perfect work style.

Friday Reflection: Three Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves

Encouraging a Friday reflection routine can uplift your team's communication, teamwork, and overall progress. Simply initiate open-ended questions that spark creativity and honest conversations. Then, spotlight the week's highs, learn from any lows, and foster collaborative skills.

How the Google Project Management Professional Certificate Helped Me Start My Own Company

I dreamed of starting my own company. I daydream about running my professional services agency, visualizing my success, and planning my next moves. Then I realized that leaping would be extremely hard without getting organized and developing solid project management skills. The online Google Project Management Professional Certificate program equips you with the necessary skills and tools to manage any project, from initiation to launch.

The Power of Team Alignment Workshops

Are you looking for an effective way to foster collaboration, align goals, and jumpstart problem-solving within your team? If you are looking for new ways of working to foster collaboration, align goals, and jumpstart problem-solving within your team, you may benefit from hosting a Team Alignment Session. In this blog, we'll delve into the exciting world of alignment workshops and discover how they can revolutionize your team's dynamics.

Power Up Your Team: How to Identify and Utilize Your Team's Superpowers

Harnessing your team's superpowers and celebrating your strengths can increase collaboration, productivity, and success. Identifying each member's strengths can benefit the team and create a positive and inclusive work environment. Look for each other's kryptonite and celebrate your team's victories by blasting your theme song. These steps will power up your unit and soar toward your goals.

How to Run a High-Performing Retrospective

A retrospective activity involves looking at past successes and failures to learn from them.

Retrospective activities at the end of a sprint or when completing a new project are the optimal time to reflect on the goals and challenges faced and what was done to achieve and mitigate them.

Brilliant Questions

Blog
From Winter Blues to Spring Views: Refresh Your Team Dynamics with April Icebreakers

Revitalize your team dynamics with our spring-themed icebreaker questions infused with April Fools' Day fun! Boost camaraderie, spark engaging conversations, and enhance collaboration with our expertly crafted prompts. Explore now for a refreshing twist on team building.

LinkedIn Icebreakers: Building Meaningful Connections After Virtual Conferences

Unlock the art of meaningful networking with our guide to effective LinkedIn icebreakers. Discover how to initiate engaging post-conference conversations, and delve into thought-provoking questions that foster genuine connections in the digital realm.

Constellations & Campfires: Five Icebreakers to Spark Camaraderie on Your Next Camping Adventure

Enhance your camping trips with these engaging icebreakers! Ignite meaningful conversations under the stars, from choosing animal sidekicks to sharing secret trail mix ingredients. Discover how these creative prompts foster connections, making your outdoor adventures even more unforgettable.

Love & Laughter: Romantic Reflection Ritual

Discover a delightful way to deepen your bond with your significant other through the 'Love & Laughter: Romantic Reflection Ritual.' Unveil the week's shared joys, navigate challenges, and relive moments that make your journey together extraordinary. Strengthen your connection with each heartfelt reflection, fostering a love that thrives on laughter and cherishes every moment. Join us in this captivating ritual that transforms reflection into a celebration of your unique love story.

Series 20 - Beam Me Up, Small Talk: Five Cosmic Icebreakers for Alien Encounters

Looking to connect with extraterrestrial beings from distant galaxies? Unleash your inner cosmic conversationalist with our blog post! 'Beam Me Up, Small Talk' presents 10 mind-bending icebreakers that will have you mingling with aliens like a seasoned space traveller. From sharing interstellar knowledge to exploring alien cultures, these cosmic questions are your ticket to forging connections that defy the bounds of space and time. Embark on an intergalactic journey of curiosity and wonder, and get ready to break the ice in a truly out-of-this-world style.

Building Resilience: The Art of Volunteer Reflection

These reflection questions allow you to gain valuable insights into their volunteer experiences. Learn how people quantify their contributions. Discover how to foster a culture of continuous improvement and appreciation for their dedication.

Let’s explore each question to see how they can foster self-reflection and progress for you and your valued volunteer team.

Series 18 - Destination Bonding: 5 Icebreakers for Unforgettable Road Adventures

Embarking on a road trip is a memorable adventure. Spark conversations with 5 icebreaker questions. Share road trip playlists, driving preferences, must-have snacks, dream co-travellers, and reality show ideas. Connect, laugh, and make lasting memories with fellow travellers.

The Power of Friday Reflection: Unlocking Insights to Anticipate and Learn from Risks

If you want to get better at anticipating challenges or learn how to support your teams through risks better, you need to add these three questions to your team retrospectives and stand-ups. Try these questions today and see how they boost your confidence and solidify your chances of project and team success. 

Series 17: How to Break the Ice with Your New Team Members

Hiring new employees is an exciting and important process for any organization. It’s also a crucial opportunity to make a good first impression, establish a rapport and create a positive and welcoming work environment. One of the ways to do that is to use icebreaker questions that can help you get to know the new hires better, understand their strengths and interests, and make them feel comfortable and valued.  Here are five icebreaker questions that are perfect for new hires.

Series 16: Five Icebreakers for Festivals - How to Meet New People and Have Fun

Festivals are a wonderful way to celebrate life, culture, and art. It's always an experience finding a crowd full of people with the same passion and enthusiasm. Whether it's music, film, comedy, arts and crafts, or any other genre, there's a festival for everyone and everything. Here are five icebreaker questions you can bring to your next festival.

The Power of Friday Reflection: Unlocking the Essential Questions to Launch Your Project with Confidence

Discover the essential reflection questions to kickstart your project with success. Learn how to align your team's vision, mitigate potential risks, and leverage strengths for optimal outcomes. Boost project performance and achieve remarkable results with these key insights.

Series 15: Chill Out and Connect: 5 Icebreaker Activities for Your Next Summer Gathering

Summer is here, and it’s time to enjoy the sunshine, the warm weather and the fun activities with your friends and family. Whether you’re at a work event, hosting a backyard barbecue, a pool party or a picnic in the park, you’ll want some icebreakers ready to get the conversation flowing and break the ice with new or old acquaintances. Here are five icebreaker questions that are perfect for summer parties!

5 Icebreaker Questions: How to Avoid Awkward Silences and Boring Conversations

5 Icebreaker Questions: How to Avoid Awkward Silences and Boring Conversations Learn how to use icebreaker questions to start engaging and productive conversations with anyone. These 5 questions will help you build rapport, trust, and creativity with your team. Click here to discover them now.

The Secret to a Successful Product Design Stand-Up: Five Icebreakers to Unite Your Team

Effective stand-ups have invested and engaged team members present who contribute and engage. They often have a fearless leader who thoughtfully plans each stand-up and picks the perfect icebreaker to kick the meeting off and encourage participation. In this article, we’ll show you how to do that and create a strong sense of community and collaboration among your team with five winning icebreaker questions. These questions will encourage communication, bring your team together and get everyone excited about the work you are doing together. So, let’s get started!

Friday Reflection: Three Questions to HelpYour Team Stay Focused and Aligned

As a leader, you have the power and responsibility to guide your team to achieve goals. How do you ensure your team is focused and aligned on what matters? The answer is simple: ask these three goal-oriented questions every Friday and facilitate a meaningful conversation to help your team reach new heights.

Series 11: Five New Icebreaker Questions - to help you align with your team

Team building and collaboration will enhance your meetings and group dynamic. We are happy to offer five excellent icebreaker activities to energize your team and promote teamwork. These questions range from discussing communication preferences to learning styles and will help your team build meaningful connections.

Friday Reflection: Three Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves

Encouraging a Friday reflection routine can uplift your team's communication, teamwork, and overall progress. Simply initiate open-ended questions that spark creativity and honest conversations. Then, spotlight the week's highs, learn from any lows, and foster collaborative skills.

Series 6: Five Springtime Icebreaker Questions - tired of talking about May Showers?

Forget small talk about the weather. Freshen things up instead and get to know your teammates with these five winning icebreaker questions.

Series 4: Five Unique Icebreakers That Will Help You Connect with Your Team

Connecting with your team can be challenging, especially in a virtual setting. These five unique icebreakers will help you break down barriers, improve communication, and build stronger relationships with your colleagues.

Series 3: Exciting Meeting Icebreakers for your work week

Skip the awkward small talk and jump into a meaningful conversation with these unique and creative icebreakers. Your colleagues will thank you!

Five Questions Guaranteed to Make a Lasting Impression on Your CEO

In today's fast-paced business world, understanding your CEO's vision is crucial to your team's success. That's why we've compiled a list of five questions guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on your CEO and help you seek advice for your future.

Unlock Your Potential: 5 Brilliant Questions to Ask the Boss 

Take the next step and ask your boss the 5 brilliant questions listed. See what insights you can gain and start the journey to unlocking your potential.

29 Thoughtful Retrospective Questions

Here are 29 thoughtful retrospective questions to help you consider past successes and failures so you can learn from them. Retrospective activities at the end of a sprint or when completing a new project are the optimal time to reflect on the goals and challenges faced and what was done to achieve and mitigate them.

Six thoughtful questions for your next 1-on-1

Ask your team these questions to improve your working relationship and move forward towards common goals.

It is important to note that all managers can apply this structure - it is up to more than one side to organize and shape these periodical meetings.

All Blog Articles

7 Reasons Team-building Activities will Transform your Organization
Meetings and Workshops Andrew Edwards Meetings and Workshops Andrew Edwards

7 Reasons Team-building Activities will Transform your Organization

Leaders must approach engagement as a business strategy to yield the results required to overcome the transitional workforce challenges we are currently facing. One of the best (and easiest) ways to do this is with team-building activities. Team building activities give participants a low-stakes setting to connect and discover each other's working preferences, strengths, and shortcomings.

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Always use a Meeting Agenda and Our Legendary Tips
Meetings and Workshops Andrew Edwards Meetings and Workshops Andrew Edwards

Always use a Meeting Agenda and Our Legendary Tips

Planning a meeting without an agenda is a recipe for confusion, distraction, and, worse, a long story about Sandra’s cat’s latest alignment.

Managing attendee expectations begins the moment you set an agenda. The more prepared attendees feel, the more likely they will engage during the meeting and contribute effectively.

An agenda articulates to attendees that you will run the meeting orderly and that productivity is the objective.

Read More
Learn How to Improve Your Project Kick-off Meetings
Andrew Edwards Andrew Edwards

Learn How to Improve Your Project Kick-off Meetings

Make a great impression by being prepared for your kick-off meeting. We cover objectives, sample agendas, and tips on level set with attendees and align on shared objectives. Starting without a kick-off puts your goals and objectives at risk while creating an unsatisfactory experience for attendees.

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