We’re not just advisors.
We’re your strategic partners, fully invested in helping you move smart ideas into real-world impact.
My name is Alisa Smith and I started Baraza Impact Design Studio after more than 25 years working in strategy, innovation, and social impact. As a corporate innovator, I often experienced the tension between bold ideas and the internal complexity of getting them off the ground. I saw how hard it can be to move quickly, gain alignment, and unlock under-explored needs, even with all the right intentions.
Baraza was created to change that. We help teams uncover insights, build alignment, and bring better products and services to market—with speed, clarity, and confidence.
“Baraza” means council in Swahili—a gathering place for sharing knowledge, making decisions, and taking action. That spirit guides how we work: collaborative, focused, and always moving forward.
Our Mission
We help innovators turn big ideas into clear, focused action—so they can launch better products, build stronger programs, and make a real difference.
Our Vision
We imagine a world where innovation is not just fast, but thoughtful—shaped by real people, guided by real insight, and built to create lasting impact.
Our Approach
Innovation starts with big ideas.
We help you make them real through insight, structure, and momentum.
Clear, Actionable Plans
Innovation starts with big ideas. We help you make them real—through insight, structure, and momentum.
Targeted Expertise
Every challenge is different, and so is our approach. From immersive workshops to in-depth research or rapid sprints, we bring the right tools (and years of experience in corporate innovation and consumer insights) to fit your needs.
Measurable Impact
Our work always leads to results. Whether it’s validating consumer needs, designing pilot programs, or building business cases that win leadership buy-in, we make sure every project delivers tangible value - and sets the stage for what’s next.
Our Operating Principles
We build capability.
Our job isn’t to stay forever. It’s to leave you stronger, more confident, and equipped to keep going long after we’ve stepped out.
We bring clarity to complexity.
We’re not afraid of messy problems. We help teams untangle them—finding focus, removing noise, and making decisions feel easier.
We believe active listening is a form of respect.
We take the time to understand before we act—because true innovation starts with seeing people clearly and hearing what’s often overlooked.
We collaborate with intention.
We show up as real partners—honest, open, and invested. That means co-creating solutions that fit you, not forcing a framework that doesn’t.
We turn ideas into action.
Strategy only matters if it moves. We help you take what’s abstract and turn it into real steps, real decisions, and real progress.