🌱 Midwifery for Ideas
A very personal reflection on my work and how I am trying help ideas come to life…
In a just a few days or maybe weeks, I’ll become a father for the third time ❤️. Even though I’ve been through this before (and it’s some years ago…), I find myself again in that familiar and extraordinary space — between anticipation and awe, excitement and quiet fear. It gives me goosebumps.
There’s a strange moment before something new arrives — when you already know it’s real, but it’s not yet visible. You prepare, you imagine, you feel it coming closer — yet life remains as it was, just for a little longer.
I’ve always found this moment of anticipation fascinating. It’s the tension between what is and what will be — between potential and presence. And as I sit here reflecting on this moment in my life, I realise that, in many ways, it mirrors what I experience in my professional life.
Because there too, I often find myself accompanying something that wants to be born. It’s part of my doing — helping ideas to claim life.
What It Takes to Make It Real
Bringing something new into the world — whether it’s a child, a piece of art, or an idea — follows a similar rhythm.
It takes patience to let it grow at its own pace.
It takes faith to believe that what is forming inside will find its way.
It takes careful nurturing and sometimes a sound base and clear structure — the right conditions for it to take shape.
And when the moment comes, it takes courage to let go, to allow what was once just a thought or a feeling to exist on its own.
It’s a constant balancing act between caring and giving space — yet always grounded in intention and love. I believe all this is true not only as human beings but also as professionals and organisations when we pursue our endeavours.
As a consultant and advisor for entrepreneurs, developers, or inventors, I often feel as if I were working with people who are about to — or have just — become parents. They are deeply in love with their “new baby” and truly want the best for it. And yet, they often struggle.
That’s where my task begins: to help them step back and find clarity and structure.
I’m in a privileged position because I don’t own their ideas — but I can feel with them.
Just the Right Amount of Consulting
Coming back to that initial spark — the idea.
Many people and organisations carry bold, beautiful ideas that could change something for the better, but they often don’t know where to start. That’s where my work begins. With sound guidance, I help these young “idea carriers” find their way forward.
Over the years, I’ve seen how ideas evolve — from an intuition to a concept, from a sketch to a strategy, from a wish to a tangible project.
That transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It needs guidance, reflection, structure — and a little faith. It benefits from the right amount of company and advice, just as a midwife supports a mother-to-be.
🌿 Programmes for your ideas…
Based on this experience, I have shaped a two-step consulting offer that helps clarify ideas and develop them into fundable projects.
Step (1) Impact Business Case Readiness
Getting an idea to the concept stage by defining the value, logic, and purpose behind it.
Step (2) Impact Business Model & Project Development
Transcending the idea into tangible project documents that provide clarity and can be the basis for funding, partnership or roll-out.
What Do You Do With an Idea?
While reflecting on this topic, a children’s book came to mind. (see below) It tells the story of a child who discovers a tiny, fragile idea — unsure what to do with it. At first, the world doesn’t seem to notice or care. But the child chooses to care for it, protect it, and believe in it — until one day, the idea grows wings.
This simple story reminds us how fragile ideas can be — and how much they depend on our belief and care to grow.
Sometimes, what an idea needs most is someone who stands beside it — long enough for it to find its form.
“What Do You Do With an Idea?” by Kobi Yamada.
If you don’t know the book, it’s worth a look — a short video reading here and a lovely review here.
Some Recent Births
Over the past years, I’ve been lucky to accompany a few “births” — projects that started as sparks and are now walking on their own feet.
One of them is a mechanical safety mechanism that helps prevent severe injury or even death among height workers — developed from a simple idea into a certified product soon entering the market. (see below)
Another is a medical innovation redefining how we measure visual performance. And another still — a project developing sustainable business models for soil decontamination and biofuel production.
All these projects are very different, yet they share the same essence: they once were mere ideas that, step by step, gained clarity, structure, and form — until they became real.
The “unlocking device”
– an idea that can safe lives of height workers
One of the projects I have been working with for several years is an invention that prevents workers that have fallen into their safety-harness from the deadly suspension trauma. Also this project once was a simple idea and is ready for market now
Passion for Assisting This Process
As I wait for my littlest one to arrive, I’m reminded how every creation — big or small — carries both uncertainty and wonder.
This reflection has been deeply meaningful to me. In those early stages, when we start shaping an idea, we often feel fragile and unsure. Taking deliberate steps toward clarity helps transform that uncertainty into confidence.
As a consultant, accompanying others through this process is a real pleasure. It’s uplifting to help people decide which paths to follow and which ones to let go of — at just the right moment.
I’m curious to see which new ideas I may assist in their upbringing in the near future. If there’s some even a remote idea or invention, you’ve always wanted to talk about with someone — reach out!
I’m sure it’s worth sharing!