Hey, I’m Warren

I’m a husband and father. I’ve been known to paint and play the drums. I love to hike and play golf, among many other things. And I’m a coach.

Before becoming a coach, I was a designer. When people asked what I did, I’d say, “I make things easy and hopefully fun to use.” 

I thought I would only ever work as a designer: studied it in college, got a job quickly, and off to the races. And it was a great career. I loved solving interesting problems and creating clear, meaningful experiences for people. I loved the craft of it.

In 2024, I was laid off. It wasn’t unexpected—there seemed to be a round of layoffs every quarter. Even so, at 56, I felt that my age had something to do with it. Tech can be ruthlessly ageist.

Six months before the layoff, I was given an ultimatum: take a two-step demotion to remain an individual contributor (uh, ok sure!), become a manager, or leave. It told me everything I needed to know about the new leadership that had moved in, so I chose the manager route and started making plans to move out.

I updated my portfolio and started looking for another design job. Seemed like the obvious choice.

When the layoff came, I was ready. Admittedly, I was also disappointed and a little sad—for a short while. I liked the team, and after seven years there, I felt like I had made a positive impact that maybe wasn’t fully appreciated.

As part of the layoff package, I had access to an outplacement service that provided great webinars, classes, and one-on-one coaching. After only a couple of weeks, I started thinking, “Maybe I should explore what coaching is about…”

I could see that coaching had parallels to design. The same skills—empathy, deep listening, curiosity—are just as essential. And I had mentored dozens of interns and junior designers throughout my career, so I knew I liked helping people one-on-one.

I decided to say goodbye to my 34-year design career and shift.

I chose to do my certification through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). Their Core Energy Coaching™ philosophy explores how our thoughts and emotions shape how we show up in the world—and how, by shifting that energy, we can create lasting change.

So now, instead of designing products, I’m helping mid-to-late career professionals design lives that feel authentic and aligned—moving from functioning to thriving!

All my “stuff” is here: https://me.warrencroce.com/