Our Story

With decades of experience advising Fortune 500 companies & global brands across many sectors, Lisa Pope Westerman & Heather Van Ravenswaay Womac have built their careers on guiding complex decision-making in the field of architecture & design. As problem solvers & strategists, they frequently used a method to define long-term goals & create actionable strategies known as visioning.

The inspiration for DYF emerged when Westerman applied this same process thinking to a more personal context: guiding her twins through decisions about college majors & future careers. She recognized a fundamental gap- students were being asked to make high-impact life decisions without access to the same strategic frameworks widely used in business.

“Students are expected to choose a path before they fully understand themselves or the range of opportunities available to them,” said Westerman. “We realized the tools we use with organizations could be just as powerful- if not more so- when applied earlier in life.”

Both founders have served as mentors to young professionals, consistently observing the challenges of navigating career decisions without structured guidance or real world context.

THE QUESTION BECAME CLEAR:

What if students had access to the same strategic tools used to guide companies & leaders?

By adapting professional visioning into a student-centered experience, we equip individuals with the tools to explore their interests, clarify their values, & build a personalized roadmap for success.

“Our goal is not to prescribe a path,” added Womac. “It’s to help students develop the clarify & confidence to define their own. They have the answers, we just ask the right questions.”