The Systems Studio exists to speed up the evolution towards systems that allow humans and nature to flourish.
Many of our institutions, industries, organizations and professions were built in a very different context.
A context where for example we believed that we could have constant economic growth, without fear of running out of natural resources. The concept of white supremacy was accepted, where women had clearly defined roles and were not seen as capable as men in the workplace.
The world has changed, but we have built institutions, markets, culture, infrastructure that are hugely powerful and have huge negative consequences for significant chunks of people and the planet.
Much of our existing infrastructure needs to change at once.
Creating spaces where people can really learn
We have a rare gift of bringing people together across diverse fields and empowering them, not just through your insights but by creating spaces where people feel heard, supported, and energized to take action.
Our work in systems change isn't just about ideas—it's about cultivating an environment where others can thrive and lead with purpose. This combination of strategic leadership and personal connection is what makes our impact both lasting and profound.
Change is hard. It feels heavy, political, exhausting and serious. But change involves people, and they thrive in conditions of joy. To us joy constitutes the principles outlined by the Leading Causes of Life five:
Agency – “I can do something to change this.” “My contribution counts.”
Connection – Skip the small talk- design experiences where people can talk about things you really care about.
Intergenerativity- Passing knowledge up and down the generations. Take this further and allow people of all levels of seniority to share experience.
Hope – Create a sense that things can change for the better.
Coherence - Help people make sense of how they think and feel about an issue and create the conditions for them to share this with the group.
It emerges during a convening when people are able to connect in a meaningful way. It is life affirming, it is inspiring and it creates a bond between people that last long after your intervention. It also motivates participants to work on projects that are difficult and to keep going even when it gets really tough.
What impact do we have if we're successful?
The Systems Studio is designed to create meaningful change, by reigniting inspiration and energy in people committed to the long-term work of systemic transformation. We do this with people who are doing the long-term work of systemic change, but are feeling tired and becoming cynical. We create spaces to get clear on purpose and build clear strategies, where people can show up with honestly and add a sprinkling of fun and joy.
People leave feeling a sense of connection and camaraderie and love for the work they are doing, which is hard, but they know is worthwhile.
Who?
The Systems Studio was founded by Rachel Sinha. Rachel works in collaboration with a wider team to meet the needs of different projects or to build new programs in partnership together.
Rachel Sinha
Rachel Sinha partners with leaders spearheading transformative change initiatives, offering expert guidance in systems leadership and strategic direction. She has over a decade of experience co-leading innovative platforms and multi-stakeholder networks and a proven track record of creating the conditions for systemic change.
Rachel co-founded The Systems Sanctuary, teaching and training leaders on systems leadership and strategy for systemic change. Based in St Louis and Montreal, the Sanctuary Team works with individuals, teams and ecosystems to support learning and coach next steps. They taught a Masterclass in Systems Practice for 5 years and hosted peer-learning communities for people leading social and environmental change in everything from refugee action, to climate change, gender based violence and beyond. They use an intersectional feminist lens in all they do and are champions of women leading systemic change.
She has a long track record of starting-up and co-leading ecosystems, multi-stakeholder platforms and networks that create the conditions for systems change.
Rachel co-founded The Finance Innovation Lab in London, a collaboration between WWF and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 2008. This award-winning systems change initiative became a key case study in the early years of Innovation Labs and has been shared at Yale, Harvard and Stanford amongst others. Rachel was chosen to sit on the European Commission panel for Social Business as a result of her work on the Lab and received a ‘person of exceptional ability’ Green Card, to move to the US with her young family.
She co-founded spin-off initiatives from the Lab including the Capitals Coalition and Audit Futures. Most recently, with a core group of other systems change leaders, The Sanctuary team became the start-up crew for Illuminate - designed to cultivate the field of systems change practice internationally with partners including Academy of Systems Change, CoCreative, Garfield, Lankelly Chase and School of Systems Change.
Rachel began her career in Marketing (MA), working both agency and client side and still holds that strategic mindset. She has always had an interest in Psychology (BA) and knows the value of creating clear punchy comms that cuts through the noise to shift hearts and minds and bring people in.
Rachel frequently speaks at webinars and conferences on systems change and has co-authored a series of articles in Harvard Business Review and Fast Company and publications including Labcraft: How Social Labs Cultivate Change Through Collaboration and The Finance Innovation Lab: A Strategy For Systems Change and Building Ecosystems for Positive Change. Collaborating with Oxford Said Business School, she also led an inquiry into the language of systems change and launched the publication Keywords.
Rachel has taught strategy for systems change at Harvard, The New School, The US Federal Government.
She has worked on Sustainability issues at the think tank of ICAEW and facilitated more multi-stakeholder gatherings than she can count, with the International Federation of Accountants in New York and has facilitated social innovation processes with senior post secondary leaders in Canada with McConnell, on the Opioid Crisis in California, with systems change funders and beyond.
Rachel is British and has lived in the US for 9 years. She has lived in New York, San Francisco and now lives in St Louis in Missouri in the US with her young family.
Our unique approach
We pride ourselves in using a the combination of strategic depth with a creative and experimental methodology. We don't just offer practical solutions to complex problems—we make the process of addressing these challenges fun, engaging, and inspiring.
Specifically we focus on:
Creative Experimentation: We approach problem-solving in an innovative, flexible way. By encouraging creativity and experimentation, providing a fresh take on tackling systemic issues. This makes the work feel less daunting and more dynamic for clients.
Holistic Support for Change Leaders: We are more than just consultants; we’re trusted guides and a "secret weapon." We have a personal investment in your success and look to build a deep, ongoing partnership that’s not just about giving advice but about co-owning the change process, while letting you shine.
Building Momentum: We emphasize building momentum and accountability. We’re not just there for the strategy sessions—we stick around, meeting weekly to ensure clients maintain progress, overcome roadblocks, and stay motivated.
Engaging Collaborations: We facilitate collaborative gatherings that aren't just meetings but action-focused spaces. This ability to convene stakeholders in a way that drives real, tangible outcomes is a powerful part of our offering.
Systems Thinking Expertise: Our grounding in systems thinking allows us to bring a deeper level of strategic insight into complex, multifaceted problems. We go beyond surface-level advice and help clients develop frameworks that can create lasting change within their organizations.
Human-Centered Coaching: Our coaching model is designed around the human experience of leading change. We recognize the emotional, mental, and practical challenges leaders face, and we help them navigate these pressures with confidence.
Our unique approach blends strategic rigor, creative freedom, and deep personal support, transforming the often overwhelming process of leading change into something actionable, inspiring, and enjoyable.