71. Harnessing Human Design Types in Business: Discover the 5 Types and How They Shape Success
- Brittany Miller
- Sep 10, 2024
- 17 min read
Updated: Sep 17
I remember the first time I heard the phrase human design type — once I understood what "Manifesting Generator" meant, it felt like someone handed me a map of myself. In this post I’m going to walk you through everything I learned from a deep, energizing conversation with human design practitioner Jenn Walker owner of Dive Heart First, on the Go Get Great podcast.
Jenn will explain the five human design types, how each type shows up in business, what a human design reading can reveal about your life (including digestion and decision-making), and practical ways to start deconditioning and living in alignment with your design. If you’ve ever felt out of step with “one-size-fits-all” business advice, this post is for you.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Table of Contents
One chart, many layers: what your human design type reveals (and doesn’t)
How each human design type shows up in business (practical examples)
Human design type and the parenting question: how to raise kids with different designs
The art of deconditioning: how to get back to who you truly are
What a human design reading looks like (practical expectations)
FAQs about human design type (quick answers I wish I’d had earlier)
Final thoughts — how to approach human design with curiosity, not dogma
Why this matters to me (and why it should matter to you)
I run a business, raise three kids, and get asked all the time to simplify my offerings: “Pick one thing, niche down, and be the expert at that single thing.” That advice works brilliantly for some people — but it felt wrong for me. I’m the kind of person who holds many interests, launches multiple projects, and thrives when I’m juggling several creative fires at once. When I discovered my own human design type, it gave me permission to stop apologizing for the way I operate. It helped me see that my energy has a blueprint, and that when I orient my business around that blueprint, everything runs smoother. I want you to get that same clarity.
What is human design?
Jenn explains that human design is a modern system that synthesizes several ancient and contemporary disciplines — Western astrology, the I Ching, the Kabbalah, the chakra system (Vedic concepts), genetics, and quantum physics — into a single map of how you’re designed to make decisions, use energy, and interact with the world. When people hear “human design” they often expect mysticism alone, but the framework combines metaphysical ideas with practical, somatic cues. Your human design type is essentially your energetic role: how you best use your energy and how you’re wired to interact with others.
To generate your chart you need three things: your date of birth, your time of birth, and the place (location) of your birth. The time and location matter because human design takes planetary placements into account — like astrology — and those placements shift depending on where and when you were born.
You can get a free chart from sites like https://www.myhumandesign.com or other human design chart generators. Once you have your chart, the first big label you’ll see is your human design type.
Five human design types — a high-level guide
There are five human design types that show up in the population. Each type has its strengths, natural decision-making strategy, and common pitfalls. I’ll describe them the way Jenn explained them to me — practical, unapologetic, and full of examples.
Manifestors
(about 9% of the population)
Initiators. Manifestors are designed to start things. They have an initiating energy, which means when they get an impulse, they can act fast and catalyze change. They don’t need to ask permission to begin. That freedom can be misunderstood by others because manifestors can feel repelling; people either love them or aren’t sure what to do with them. Examples of manifestor energy in history or culture include people who invent movements or start companies with speed and force.
Generators
(about 37% of the population)
Sustainers. Generators have a sacral, sustaining energy. They’re built to respond and to build momentum through engagement and enjoyment. Their strategy is to wait to respond to life’s prompts — people, opportunities, or signs in the world — then do the work with sustained energy. When they’re doing things they love, they generate more energy.
Manifesting Generators
(often abbreviated as ManGen; about 33% of the population)
Multi‑tasking superhumans. These people have the initiating spark of manifestors mixed with the sustaining sacral energy of generators. They often juggle multiple projects, jump through steps, and loop back to fill in missing pieces. Think of someone who starts five creative projects in a week, finishes some, and then circles back to finish the rest later. Elon Musk and Tony Robbins are examples Jenn referenced as high-profile manifestations of this energetic style.
Projectors
(about 20% of the population)
Guides and strategists. Projectors have a penetrating, overseeing aura. They’re designed to see systems and spot efficiency. Their role is to guide, advise, and manage other people’s energy — often stepping in as the expert who helps teams operate better. Their strategy typically involves waiting for recognition and invitation before offering their deepest gifts.
Reflectors
(about 1% of the population)
Mirrors of the community. Reflectors have all their energy centers open (in human design language), which makes them highly sensitive and reflective. They sample the vibe of an environment and mirror it back. Organizations and families can use reflectors as a barometer for culture: when a reflector is thriving, the environment is often healthy; when they’re struggling, it’s a warning sign.
One chart, many layers: what your human design type reveals (and doesn’t)
Your human design type is the headline, but your full chart includes profiles, centres, gates, channels, authority, and more. When Jenn reads a chart she looks for the “big needle movers” — the essential pieces that will give the most immediate benefit. A typical reading often focuses on:
Type and strategy — the basic how-you’re-designed-to-operate framework.
Authority — how you’re designed to make decisions (e.g., sacral response, emotional wave, splenic intuition, etc.).
Profile — personality archetypes that describe how you learn and interact (often numbered combinations like 3/5, 1/3, etc.).
Defined vs. undefined centres — which parts of you are consistent and which are open to conditioning.
Channels and gates — more granular traits that describe themes and talents.
Practical life areas — including business strategy, relationships, parenting nuances, and even digestion/nutrition cues.
For most people, a human design reading is less about being told a fixed destiny and more about receiving a map that validates patterns they already know — and gives permission to lean into them. As Jenn said: she’s not going to tell you anything you don’t already know. Instead, she’ll affirm what’s true and give you language and permission to act differently. Which is 100% what happened when I did a reading with her!
How each human design type shows up in business (practical examples)
Let’s translate energy into action. Here are practical ways each human design type tends to show up in business — what works, what doesn’t, and how to orient your strategy around your type.
Manifestors in business
If you’re a manifestor, you’re built to start and paint the first stroke. Your value is initiation. In a business context, that looks like ideation, launching projects quickly, and getting things moving when others hesitate. Your marketing might be bold and direct — “just do it” energy — and you’ll often be the person who creates new categories or starts trends.
What helps manifestors succeed:
Allowing yourself to initiate without guilt.
Communicating your intentions clearly so others aren’t surprised by your speed.
Partnering with people who can take your initiation and scale it — often generators or projectors who can steward the ongoing work.
Common traps:
Being boxed in by advice that tells you to “wait” or “be methodical” when your natural rhythm is fast.
Feeling misunderstood when others don’t match your pace.
Generators in business
Generators thrive when they do work that lights them up. Their strategy is response: wait for opportunities, and then say “yes” when their sacral center gives a clear burst of energy or a gut “heck yes.” In business, generators are excellent at deep work and sustaining systems. They are the builders who complete projects, serve clients consistently, and become magnetic when they enjoy the process.
What helps generators succeed:
Designing businesses that allow them to respond to inbound interest (attraction marketing works well).
Choosing work that gives them a real, bodily sense of “yes.”
Practicing pacing: when you love the work, you actually get more energy to keep going.
Common traps:
Forcing initiation instead of waiting to respond and feeling drained doing things that don’t light them up.
Confusing mental excitement for sacral “yes” — generators benefit from learning to feel the body response, not just the idea.
Manifesting Generators in business
Manifesting generators are often the ones juggling multiple things and making them all happen — albeit sometimes in a chaotic-looking way. They’re great at iterating quickly, finding shortcuts, and making progress in creative, non-linear ways. They get the job done — often faster than a more methodical approach would.
What helps manifesting generators succeed:
Accepting their multi-passionate nature and building an “umbrella” brand where their various projects live under one identity.
Partnering with people who fill in the linear gaps they may skip (e.g., team members who handle follow-through or details).
Giving themselves permission to loop back and refine unfinished pieces instead of forcing a single-track process.
Common traps:
Feeling guilty for not finishing every step in order.
Overdo and burn out by trying to carry too many boats at once without aligning with their sacral energy.
Projectors in business
Projectors shine when they’re recognized and invited for their wisdom. They’re exceptional at offering strategy, organizing systems, and helping groups work more efficiently. Projectors often benefit from being seen as the expert or guide — their offerings work best when they wait for invitations that align with their talents and then accept.
What helps projectors succeed:
Building invitation-based marketing: focusing on being recognized and invited rather than constantly pushing offers.
Structuring rest and boundaries; projectors do not have a sacral source of sustaining energy and need deliberate downtime.
Packaging expertise in ways that highlight the value of their perspective (consulting, advising, strategic sessions).
Common traps:
Forcing themselves into roles that require sustaining energy (e.g., grinding, constant output) and feeling depleted.
Not getting recognition or invitation and experiencing resentment.
Reflectors in business
Reflectors are rare and highly sensitive to environment. In a business setting, they can act as culture consultants, human resources barometers, or intuitive advisors who reflect what’s happening at the collective level. If a reflector is hired into a team, they will naturally show how the system is working or where it’s out of balance.
What helps reflectors succeed:
Workplaces that honor their rhythm and environment.
Roles that utilize their ability to sense culture — team health checks, community management, or roles that involve high-level intuition.
Time and permission to process their reflections; reflectors don’t make decisions in a rush.
Common traps:
Being placed in environments that are chaotic or toxic without the space to process feelings.
Feeling like they must conform to rigid roles that don’t honor their reflective nature.
Human design type and the parenting question: how to raise kids with different designs
One of the most practical takeaways I got from talking with Jenn was how human design can be used as a parenting tool. When you understand your child’s human design type, you can stop forcing them into a model that doesn’t fit and start creating the conditions where they’ll thrive.
Examples and tips:
Manifestor children — They don’t like to ask permission. They’re primed to initiate and explore. Keep them safe but give them space to try things. Communicate boundaries clearly so they know limits without shutting down their initiative.
Generator children — Provide opportunities where they can respond to the world. Let them choose activities that light them up. Teach them to notice their gut-level “yes” and “no.”
Manifesting Generator children — Celebrate their multi-passionate nature. Help them finish key projects by offering structure without killing their momentum. They’ll often benefit from an “umbrella” approach where different interests live under the same identity.
Projector children — Invite their insights. Ask for their perspective and make space so they feel recognized. They often act wise beyond their years and need practical invitations to share their views.
Reflector children — Pay attention to the environments they flourish in. Reflectors are especially sensitive to community and family rhythms and often act as a mirror for the household’s emotional climate.
Parenting with human design doesn’t mean labeling kids forever. It’s about offering them a framework to better understand their needs and giving them tools for decision-making and self-acceptance.
The art of deconditioning: how to get back to who you truly are
“Deconditioning” was one of the words that stuck with me after my conversation with Jenn. We’re all conditioned by family, culture, and schooling to behave in ways that aren’t always aligned with our design. The idea of deconditioning is to intentionally remove those external layers and reconnect with the instincts of your human design type.
Here’s a simple, practical approach to deconditioning I use and recommend:
Awareness: The first step is noticing where you’ve been living out of alignment. A reading or a chart can help you identify which centers are defined and which are open. Listen for patterns: “I always feel like I have to finish what I started” or “I feel guilty when I skip steps.”
Experimentation: Treat your life like a lab. Try small experiments to test what feels aligned. If you’re a generator, try waiting for a sacral response rather than forcing an idea. If you’re a manifestor, practice telling people what you’re going to do before you do it to reduce surprise and resistance.
Body-awareness: Your body is your compass. Tune into how decisions feel physically. Does this idea expand you? Does it make the chest lighter? Does your stomach give a distinct “yes” sensation? Strengthening this connection helps you trust your internal authority instead of external voices.
Limit the mental noise: Culture loves “fix everything” and “be productive” messages. Deconditioning often involves saying no to those well-intentioned but misaligned messages. Replace them with invitations to experiment: “What if I tried this for 30 days?”
Celebrate feedback: Track results. If your experiment gives you more energy, it’s probably aligned. If it drains you, adjust. Small wins reinforce trust.
For me, deconditioning meant accepting that my creative bursts and multi-project tendencies were part of my design, not a flaw. That self-acceptance lowered friction in my business and made strategy feel less like a prison and more like a lighthouse. Understanding my human design gave me permission to stop worrying about how my business looked to others, now I let "chaos rein", knowing my ideal clients will appreacite seeing that I can balance many projects at once.
What a human design reading looks like (practical expectations)
If you’re curious about booking a reading, here’s what you can expect based on Jenn’s approach and my own experience:
Intake form: Most practitioners will ask for your birth info (date, time, place) and areas you want to focus on (business, parenting, health, relationships).
Reading length and deliverables: Readings often include a live session — typically via Zoom — that is recorded. Jenn’s readings frequently come with a written booklet of 20–25 pages covering the key takeaways: type, strategy, authority, relevant channels/gates, and practical recommendations. Which is an incredible resource you can come back to time and time again!
Focus areas: Depending on whether you book a business reading or a general reading, the practitioner will tailor the session. Business readings translate type into go-to-market strategy, team structures, and marketing alignment. General readings focus on life patterns, decision-making, and personal deconditioning.
Follow-up: Good practitioners will encourage you to treat the reading as a starting point, not a script. They may offer follow-ups or application sessions to help implement changes.
I personally booked a one-on-one reading with Jenn after our conversation and felt electrified and validated. The reading didn’t invent new truths — it gave language and permission to the parts of me I’d been hiding.
Science, woo, and the middle ground
I know some of you may be skeptical. Is human design just spirituality dressed up as pop psychology? The answer that resonated with me (and with Jenn) is: it’s a bridge. Human design speaks in archetypes and energy language, but it also connects to neuroscience, genetics (epigenetics), and quantum understandings of reality. What used to be labeled “woo” can now be discussed in ways that align with modern research. That doesn’t mean we throw away critical thinking — it means we expand our map of what counts as useful knowledge.
For me, the most compelling evidence for human design is pragmatic: when people experiment with the strategy their type recommends, they often get different results. That doesn’t prove destiny, but it does prove that aligning how you use energy can change outcomes and create a more aligned life and business.
Other energetic modalities You Can use (beyond human design)
Human design is one lens. In my own work and in Jenn’s practice, there are other energetic, somatic, and psychological tools that support change. Depending on the practitioner you work with, you might find:
Rapid mind reset techniques and clearing protocols for subconscious patterns.
Hypnosis, NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), or rapid resolution therapy for trauma and limiting beliefs.
Kinesiology, craniosacral work, myofascial release, or other body-based therapies to access the subconscious in the body.
Mindset coaching that translates human design insights into business actions.
The unifying theme is that energy (how we feel, where we put attention) determines what grows. Once you understand your human design type and your decision-making authority, these other modalities can help clear the path and make your experiments more effective.
How to get started with your own human design journey
If you’re curious and ready to experiment, here’s a simple step-by-step starter plan you can do this week:
Get your chart. Go to a free generator such as https://www.myhumandesign.com and enter your date, time, and location of birth. Take note of your human design type and authority (the decision-making strategy).
Read a quick primer. Look up a short description of your type and authority. Don’t try to learn everything; focus on the main strategy for 7–14 days.
Design one experiment. If you’re a generator, practice waiting to respond before launching a business idea. If you’re a manifestor, try telling people small intentions before acting (a proven aura-smoothing habit). If you’re a manifesting generator, allow yourself to start on multiple things but log which ones truly sustain your energy. Projectors: practice waiting for recognition before pitching a major offer. Reflectors: notice how environments affect your mood and energy and try one environmental change.
Journal results. Track how decisions felt physically and what outcomes followed. Did your energy increase? Did fewer things feel like a fight?
Consider a reading. If you want clarity faster, book a one-on-one with a practitioner who offers a recorded session and a notes booklet. Look for someone who uses human design as a practical tool and respects your autonomy.
How Human Design changed the way I run my business
After learning my human design type, I made three immediate shifts that have helped me run my business with less grinding and more joy:
Permission to be multi-passionate: I stopped forcing myself into a single-box niche when my wiring thrives on variety. That meant reworking how I structure offers so different services can live under a cohesive brand.
Pacing with energy: Instead of pushing through exhaustion, I started tracking which projects produced a sacral “yes” and which felt like obligation. The work I take on now more often fuels me rather than drains me.
Team alignment: I started thinking about human design when hiring or delegating: who on my team has sustaining energy? Who sees strategy best? That has made collaboration smoother.
These aren’t magic cures, but they are practical steps that reduced friction in my life and increased momentum for work I love.
Want to try a small experiment right now?
Here’s a 7-day experiment you can do to test whether aligning with your human design type changes your energy and results:
Day 1: Get your chart and identify your human design type and authority.
Day 2: Pick one work task you’re avoiding. If you’re a generator, wait and feel the sacral response before deciding to do it. If you’re a manifestor, tell one person your plan before you act. If you’re a manifesting generator, allow yourself to start the task but plan time to loop back and finish it. If you’re a projector, wait for recognition or build a small invitation. If you’re a reflector, change the environment and note the difference.
Days 3–7: Track energy levels and outcomes. Note what felt easier and what felt harder.
At the end of the week you’ll have real data about how a small design-friendly change affected your day-to-day. That’s the practical, grounded way to use human design — not as a belief system, but as an experimental operating manual for your life.
FAQs about human design type (quick answers I wish I’d had earlier)
Q: What do I need to get my human design chart?
A: Date of birth, exact time of birth, and birthplace (city). The time is important because planetary placements shift throughout the day and your authority and type are time-sensitive.
Q: How accurate is a human design reading?
A: The reading is as accurate as your birth data and the practitioner’s skill. Many people feel immediate resonance with the core themes — manifestor/ generator / projector / manifesting generator / reflector — because the reading often confirms patterns you already notice in yourself.
Q: Can human design tell me exactly what job I should have?
A: Not a single job title, but it will clarify how you’re designed to work. For example, it can say whether you’re wired to initiate, sustain, guide, or reflect. With that knowledge, you can choose roles that fit your energetic strategy.
Q: Does human design include health and nutrition advice?
A: Yes, some human design practitioners include a digestion or nutrition component. The chart can offer clues about how you best take in energy and sustain your body, though you should always combine this with professional medical advice if you have health concerns.
Q: Is there certification to practice human design?
A: There are certification programs available, but many practitioners (including Jenn) learn through a mix of reading, mentorship, experimentation, and hands-on client work. Some people prefer structured certification; others prefer an embodied approach. Choose a practitioner whose style and ethics align with you.
Q: How often should I come back to my chart?
A: Some people revisit their chart seasonally, others after major life changes. Human design is a lifelong study — you’ll keep uncovering new layers as you apply it in different areas of life.
Q: Will knowing my human design type remove all struggle?
A: No. It won’t eliminate challenges, but it helps you use your energy more efficiently. The point isn’t perfection; it’s decreasing friction and increasing alignment so you can move forward with less resistance.
Q: Can human design change over time?
A: No — your human design type is fixed based on your birth data. However, your relationship to your design can change as you decondition and grow. The chart is a blueprint; how you use it evolves as you experiment, clear old patterns, and gain experience.
Q: Can two people with different human design types work well together?
A: Absolutely. In fact, complementary types often create powerful partnerships. For example, a manifestor can initiate a project, a generator can provide sustained labor to execute it, and a projector can refine the strategy. When each person honours their role and the other’s role, collaboration becomes much easier.
Q: Is human design compatible with other approaches like astrology or Myers-Briggs?
A: Yes. Many people use human design alongside astrology, personality tests, and psychometric tools. Human design often provides an energetic, somatic complement to cognitive personality frameworks.
Q: How do I find a reputable human design reader?
A: Look for practitioners who offer clear descriptions of what’s included, provide recorded sessions and written notes, and have strong testimonials. If possible, listen to a sample of their work (podcast interviews, videos) to see if their style resonates with you. Personally, I highly recommend working with Jenn but there are other skilled practitioners out there too.
Q: What’s the best first step if I’m skeptical but curious?
A: Start with a free chart and a 7-day experiment. You don’t need to book an expensive reading to test whether the strategy feels useful. Small, practical experiments will tell you more than debates.
Final thoughts — how to approach human design with curiosity, not dogma
If you take one thing away from this, let it be this: human design type is a tool for experimentation and self-understanding, not a rulebook. I love how Jenn framed it — non-dogmatic, practical, and focused on what gives you more energy. Whether you’re a skeptic, a curious practitioner, or someone ready to book a reading, approach it with curiosity and a willingness to test small changes.
For me, the most powerful part of the whole process was permission. Permission to be myself — to organize my business in a way that suits my energy, to parent my kids in ways that honor their design, and to stop apologizing for not fitting a narrow template of success. Human design type gave me a language to explain those differences and a strategy to make them productive.
Episode References
Find Your Human Design (free) - https://www.myhumandesign.com Human Design Readings with Jenn - https://www.diveheartfirst.com/humandesign
Connet with Jenn
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Hit follow and please leave a review if you enjoyed this episode! The kids and I might even bust out a happy dance! 💗 - Brittany
00:00 Intro
4:30 What is human design
9:30 Human Design in business
13:15 Five design types explained
23:30 Society's effect on Human Design
27:00 Working with different designs
33:30 What you can learn about yourself
36:00 Becoming a Human Design expert
37:15 Modalities of energy
50:30 Wrap up
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