TMM126 Limitless Thinking with Philippe Guichard

TedX speaker, award winning industrial designer and french entrepreneur Philippe Guichard chats with me about the concept of growth mindset, curiosity and the role that design has to play in people, profit and looking after our planet.

With over 25 years of experience in the industry Philippe has launched numerous successful products – a feat, which is also helped by his background in mechanical engineering.

In 2013 he founded his Melbourne design studio, D2 Design and Development. Philippe is also the founder of Cablestop, a cable management device, which was successfully funded on Kickstarter.

He has a mission: to change the world one product at the time. Philippe designs for the Triple Bottom Line: people, planet, and profits.

We live in a time of challenges, environmental and social: he sees opportunities to design a better world, better products that serve people, restore the planet and bring a positive social impact.

His design for a chair made out of linen has recently won the Gold Melbourne Design Award for Industrial Design, as well as the International JEC award for Innovation and Design. Another product, the Eclipse Inverter, received the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Award in June 2016.

Philippe is passionate about making a positive difference to the world through his work as a designer and through sharing his ideas as a speaker.

Philippe’s message is “I can design a better world, with my own two hands”, a perspective that will highlight opportunities do to better, be better and change the way we design and consume.

“Most of the talks around climate change are doom and gloom, I want to focus on what we can do, can change and can build. All we need is a mind-shift”.

I like to call that unlimited thinking – so I trust you enjoy this interview with Philippe on design, deities and dedication to purpose.

80% of a products purpose, is impacted at the design phase

Limitless Thinking: Design

Life – after being a B- student at school and his career advisor telling him to do something “with your hands” Philippe went on a journey of education that ultimately led to a chance meeting at university with an Industrial Engineer – then fuelled by that curiosity he embarked on making that his new path.

Philippe’s vision is to help change the way we produce and consume “things”.

* He does this by designing purposeful products and companies – ultimately for the triple bottom line: profit, environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

Limitless Thinking: Deities & Higher Self

A deity or god is a supernatural being considered divine or sacred. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines deity as “a god or goddess”, or anything revered as divine”. We can all access a higher sense of self and awareness but it requires personal dedication to doing the inner work – not just commercial and external projects.

For Philippe, Buddhism is a daily practice – it’s not a moment it is an embodiment.

Now a buddhist monk, he started meditation at 21 (before it was cool) and discovered a new connection to self that evolved past traditional education and allowed more freedom to access creativity, ideas, conceptual thinking and purpose behind his work.