Hi there!

My name is Benedikt Lehnert (but everybody calls me Ben). I’m a designer, author, educator, and advisor living between Princeton, NJ, Montréal, QC and Greystones, Ireland.

I design, write, teach and make things. I mentor and coach to equip the next generation of leaders with the necessary humanity, optimism and creative courage to tackle the paradigm shifts ahead.

Designer

I create useful products people love and lead the world-class teams that make them. As a designer turned big tech executive and angel investor, I’ve experienced both what it takes to scale a startup from zero to multi million dollar exit as well as how to transform the culture of companies such as Microsoft and SAP. Some of the products I helped design are used by billions of people (you most likely have touched one), have won awards, shaped culture and hopefully made some people smile.

Author

I write for children and grown-ups who still live with child-like wonder. My first children’s book “We Are All Made From Stars” will be published on September 8, 2026 by Little Gestalten and was illustrated by the magnificent Marc Majewski. Currently, I’m working on three new children’s book manuscripts and am developing a non-fiction book on Ingenuity. I also write and irregularly publish my own poetry.

Advisor & Coach

I’m the founder and CEO of 74West, a sleeves-up, hands-on advisory and coaching practice for founders, executives, and boards who find themselves at pivotal moments. Putting the human experience at the center, we work at the intersection of love (customer experience), craft (design integration), and value (business strategy). Our clients are leaders at venture-backed startups, mission-driven non-profits and established corporations looking to create net-positive impact on the world around them.

Educator

In my role as Entrepreneurship & Design Fellow at Princeton’s Keller Center, I research and teach the convergence of entrepreneurship, design, and business with a focus on AI and co-creativity, neuroaesthetics, and the socio-economic responsibility of design. With our platform The Entrepreneurs, my partner Derek Lidow and I provide accessible entrepreneurship education, coaching and community to underserved startup founders.

Humanist

I host a bi-weekly podcast called Poets & Thinkers where I explore the humanistic future of business leadership with visionary minds from across the world. And I write a very irregular newsletter called “To whom it may inspire” where I cover topics at the intersection of business and poetry.

What fills me up

My purpose in life is (and I have this tattooed on my hands): To love and create. Along the way, I’ve learned that the most impactful businesses of the 21st century aren’t built on extraction, efficiency and spreadsheets. They’re built on a profound understanding of the human experience, hands-on creative leadership, and the courage to challenge conventional wisdom. This insight drives my work with leaders who are ready to move beyond traditional business school frameworks and create organizations that inspire their teams, their customers and the world.

I enjoy spending my spare time with my family, reading, painting, yoga, and walking. I love pour-over coffee, typography, handmade things, the sound of water, and photography in black and white.

If you want to talk shop or have a question you think I could help you answer, connect with me on Linkedin, drop me a line or let’s meet for a coffee.