About OutsideLens

Business today is a steep and dangerous climb into unmapped territory. If you go it alone, you won’t reach the top. You need diverse perspectives to get where you want to go. We provide them.

Ever increasing volatility and complexity means navigating today’s business environment is no walk in the park. To be successful, business leaders must invest in the right tools for the adventure. They must crack open old ways of thinking, escape either/or propositions, and learn to value questions over answers. We believe the secret to doing this is locked away in a neglected but valuable resource: the insights and experiences of outsiders.

Our services for executives, along with founder Mark Bidwell’s acclaimed podcasts, break business leaders out of their bubbles. By carefully curating fresh, diverse perspectives and guiding leaders as they encounter and process them, our programs offer new ways of seeing — and conquering — your challenges.

OutsideLens is the brainchild of anthropologist-turned-executive Mark Bidwell. Both Mark’s academic training and decades in the corporate world taught him the same lesson: outside perspectives are incredibly powerful. Examining your world through the eyes of someone from a different background lets you see things in a new light and discover new ways forward.

Mark founded OutsideLens to leverage this insight to help leaders navigate the choppy waters of today’s volatile business environment.

Whether it is Mark’s renowned podcasts, his public speaking, or his executive coaching, the goal is always the same: to offer fresh perspectives that help you solve your biggest challenges.

We believe:

  • Marshall Goldsmith was right: “What got you here won’t get you there.”
  • Bubbles and silos kill agility.
  • We are all surrounded by useful wisdom hiding in plain sight.
  • New ways of looking unlock new ways of doing.
  • The best results come from pushing yourself hard, but safely.

Clients