The Design Of Embracing Paradox and Personal Growth: Meet Jerry Takigawa

Jerry Takigawa is a rare kind of thinker, someone who approaches the world not just with creativity but with deep awareness, humility, and care. His work as an artist and storyteller explores what it means to carry a legacy, reframe pain into purpose, and make meaning in a world that often feels fragmented.

In this episode of Design Of, Jerry shares how his Japanese American heritage, his parents’ experience with internment, and his lifelong creative practice have shaped the way he see, and responds to, the world.

This is a conversation for leaders, creators, and anyone navigating complexity. Jerry doesn’t just talk about ideas, he embodies a way of thinking that invites reflection, connection, and change.

You’ll hear:

• Why embracing uncertainty can lead to more authentic leadership

• How silence and heritage shape our voice — and our responsibility

• What it means to create from both logic and intuition

• How storytelling, metaphor, and vulnerability unlock deeper trust

• And why making space for meaning is essential to resilience and growth

One of the most powerful ideas Jerry shares is this:

“Your thinking is genesis, and your actions are contagious. So what is worth doing?”

Whether you’re building a business, guiding a team, or simply trying to live with more intention, this conversation is a meaningful invitation to pause, look closer, and move forward with greater clarity.

🎧 Listen now to Design Of with Jerry Takigawa — and explore how the way you see the world shapes the way you change it.

To dive deeper into Jerry’s philosophy, we highly recommend his book, Grace in Uncertainty: A Designer’s Search for Meaning. 👉 Explore it here.