Shows
The ThinkND PodcastTen Years Hence: Innovation, Part 5: Why Well-Run Companies Will Continue to FailEpisode Topic: Why Well-Run Companies Will Continue to FailJoin Alex Slawsby, Chief Growth Officer at InnoLead in Boston MA, for a discussion about why employees' fear of speaking up is the single greatest obstacle to success when companies innovate.Featured Speakers:Alex Slawsby, InnoLeadRead this episode's recap over on the University of Notre Dame's open online learning community platform, ThinkND: https://go.nd.edu/1ec602.This podcast is a part of the ThinkND Series titled Ten Years Hence: Innovation. Thanks for listening! The ThinkND Podcast is brought t...2025-07-161h 17
Innovation AnsweredThe AI Experiment: How Corporate Innovation Will Change in 2025For the latest episode of our Innovation Answered podcast, we decided to do something experimental. We’re leveraging all of the AI tools that can possibly help us create a podcast episode — and using them to summarize some of our best content from 2024, and also hone in on some of the important dynamics that will impact corporate innovation work in 2025. We deployed ChatGPT, of course, but also Suno, Google’s NotebookLM, and ElevenLabs to clone the voices of episode co-hosts Scott Kirsner and Alex Slawsby. (And we comment on and criticize their outputs as we go.) 2024-12-0929 min
Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out.Scott Kirsner, CEO of Innolead - Navigating The Future of Innovation TeamsIn this episode, we sit down with Scott Kirsner, CEO of Innolead.
Scott shares his journey from his early days being a Catalyst at the Boston Globe, where he helped build the newspaper’s first website, to founding Innolead in 2013. Since launching InnoLead, Scott has had his finger on the pulse of the latest trends and insights about corporate innovation.
In this conversation, Scott shares some key takeaways from their latest research,"The Future of the Innovation Team" including innovators' top challenges: driving revenue growth, increasing agility, and adopting new technologies like AI. He highlights the importance of acting on...2024-09-2643 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovating Disney's Theme Parks: Success (and Failure) at Walt Disney ImagineeringIn this episode, we talk with Bob Weis, the former President of the legendary Imagineering division at Disney and author of the new book, Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering. If you've been to a Disney theme park, resort, or cruise ship recently, you've experienced Weis' work. He has helped design theme parks in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Orlando, and he also had a hand in rethinking the California Adventure theme park in Anaheim after it got off to a rough start. We talk about the origins of Imagineering under Walt Di...2024-09-2030 min
Innovation TalksThe Leadership Trap: Balancing Identity with Customer-Centricity with Alex Slawsby Today, Paul discusses the intricacies of corporate innovation and explores the challenges and successes in the mobile technology market of the early 2000s. Alex Slawsby, Chief Growth Officer at Innolead, joins in this enlightening discussion and introduces listeners to the upcoming Impact conference in Boston. The conference, aimed at corporate innovation leaders, will feature sessions on AI, collaboration, digital transformation, and much more. Alex Slawsby is a seasoned innovation leader with extensive experience in both analytical and executive roles. Beginning his career at IDC, he specialized in the mob...2024-09-0934 minInnovation TalksEncore: Innovation Leadership 101- How Chief Innovation Officers Shape Culture and Drive Change with Alex SlawsbyAlex Slawbsy is the Chief Growth Officer of InnoLead, an organization that creates content, events, and tools to help the world's largest network of corporate strategy, innovation, and R&D leaders drive change more successfully. Over the past 20 years, Alex has dedicated his time to researching, teaching, guiding, and leading corporate innovation strategy development, capability building, and new business incubation. Before InnoLead, Alex was the Director of Innovation at Embraer-X and an innovation consultant for several years for organizations, including Clayton Christensen’s disruptive innovation consultancy, Innosight. Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Brown Un...2024-09-0232 min
Innovation AnsweredBringing Outside Ideas in at LG NOVAIn this episode, we connect with Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, EVP of Innovation at LG Electronics and Head of the LG Nova Innovation Center in Silicon Valley. We talk about Dr. Rhee's past as an entrepreneur and Presidential Innovation Fellow, and also the goals of LG Nova — collaborating with startups and new partners, and making investments. Two areas of interest: healthcare and cleantech. Dr. Rhee also serves up advice about getting (and keeping) the backing of senior leaders.2024-08-0537 min
Innovation AnsweredAI & Innovation Converge at Harvard Business Publishing In this episode, we talk to Laura Northridge, Senior Director of the AI Innovation Lab — previously just the "innovation lab" — at Harvard Business Publishing. As is the case with many corporate innovators, she’s helping shape AI strategy and policy for the Boston-based nonprofit, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. It’s one of small number of organizations we’ve been tracking where the innovation lab shifted its focus entirely to AI earlier in 2024. Harvard Business Publishing is best known for the Harvard Business Review — in print and online — but it also pub...2024-07-0825 min
Innovation AnsweredSteve Blank on Why 'Innovation Heroes' are a Bad SignIn this episode, we talk with Steve Blank about why celebrating innovation heroes is symptomatic of a problem in large organizations. Steve is a serial entrepreneur, author, and educator and leading advocate for the methodology of customer development and the lean startup approach. In a recent Substack piece, Blank writes about an innovation awards ceremony he attended at a government agency: "I'm constantly puzzled why thoughtful and astute CEOs and agency directors never asked, why is it that innovations require heroics to occur in our organization? Why don't we have a repeatable process for innovation...2024-07-0126 min
Innovation AnsweredGenAI Hits the Road with Mercedes-BenzIn this episode, we talk about generative AI, speech interfaces, and evolving the customer experience for one of the world’s top luxury car brands: Mercedes-Benz. At the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, Mercedes made a major splash with a new virtual assistant that leverages advanced software and generative AI — along with on-screen visuals — to provide more proactive support and a more intuitive way of interacting with the vehicle. One of the people behind that project is James Liu, the head of customer experience for the Mercedes-Benz operating system. "I always joke with my team that we're...2024-06-1030 min
Innovation AnsweredAI Anxiety and Automotive FuturesWe talk AI, employment disruption, UBI, corporate innovation, and the future of the automotive industry with Evangelos Simoudis, an author, investor, and advisor based in Silicon Valley. At Synapse Partners, he invests in early-stage startups that develop enterprise software and AI applications and also advises big companies and governments on the use of data and AI to address strategic problems. "This is not the first time that we've seen this bringing together of both anxiety and excitement" around AI, Simoudis says. "My perspective is colored by the fact that I've seen three other AI springs, as...2024-05-0635 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovating Coffee, with Starbucks Veteran Mesh Gelman From six years spent at Starbucks to designing a new countertop coffeemaker that cranks out cold brew, Mesh Gelman has been working at the cutting edge of coffee. During his time at Starbucks, he witnessed the rising popularity of cold beverages, a trend that his new startup, Cumulus Coffee Company, aims to capitalize on. In this podcast episode, we talk with Gelman about coffee trends; developing a new product from scratch; the difference between big organizations and start-ups; and his past work as an innovation...2024-04-1522 minInnovation AnsweredGeoffrey Moore on Generative AI, Zone to Win, and Crossing the Chasm In this episode, we catch up with Geoffrey Moore, the best-selling author, consultant, and venture capitalist whose groundbreaking work has shaped how we think about innovation strategy. If you’ve ever talked about a technology "crossing the chasm" from the realm of early adopters into the early majority, or your company has put a high potential project into the incubation zone, you’ve been using language given to us by Moore. His best-selling books including Zone to Win, Inside the Tornado, and Crossing the Chasm — and lately, he’s been publishing a series of insightful LinkedIn articles on topic...2024-02-2025 minInnovation AnsweredDriving Innovation in Biopharma and Other Regulated IndustriesIn this episode, we talk about the challenges of innovating in biopharma with a veteran of that industry, Dan Seewald. Seewald is the former Head of Worldwide Innovation at Pfizer, the $100 billion pharma giant headquartered in Manhattan, and now the founder and CEO of the consulting and training firm Deliberate Innovation. Among the questions that InnoLead CEO Scott Kirsner covers with Seewald: How do you create space for new ideas in a regulated industry? What's your advice on exploring the potential of AI? How do you effectively communicate an internal innovation initiative? How do you deal with all o...2024-02-0724 minInnovation AnsweredWho's Leading the Charge on Gen AI in Big Companies?Who’s leading the charge on generative AI in big organizations? How are they managing the tension between moving quickly and not making major missteps? And what use cases are they moving forward with? In this episode, we dive into the rapidly-evolving world of generative AI with Paul Baier, the CEO and co-founder of GAI Insights. Baier talks about the vendor landscape and shares several examples of first-mover companies, including McDonald's and Walmart, that are making strides in deploying generative AI. You can subscribe to our podcast, “Innovation Answered,” on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, or Googl...2024-01-2911 minInnovation AnsweredAct 1 of Corporate Innovation is Over — It's Time for Act 2"For too long," says Todd Dunn, "many organizations have not developed innovation as a strategic and ongoing source of competitive advantage. Instead, some organizations have used it for reputational points in the public eye, but not to deliver measurable value to consumers, customers and the company." That's a big problem, argues Dunn, who was most recently the Vice President of Enterprise Innovation at Advocate Health. Advocate is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, and it’s the fifth biggest nonprofit health system in the US. In this episode, we talk with Dunn about what went wrong in Act...2024-01-0918 minInnovation TalksInnovation leadership 101: How chief innovation officers shape culture and drive change with Alex SlawsbyAlex Slawbsy is the Chief Growth Officer of InnoLead, an organization that creates content, events, and tools to help the world's largest network of corporate strategy, innovation, and R&D leaders drive change more successfully. Over the past 20 years, Alex has dedicated his time to researching, teaching, guiding, and leading corporate innovation strategy development, capability building, and new business incubation. Before InnoLead, Alex was the Director of Innovation at Embraer-X and an innovation consultant for several years for organizations, including Clayton Christensen’s disruptive innovation consultancy, Innosight. Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Brown Un...2023-10-0232 minInnovation AnsweredA Beginner's Guide to Design Thinking Design thinking is a well-known concept in the innovation sphere — it often comes up in conversation, at conferences, or in passing. But for as much as people talk about design thinking, not everyone understands its full scope — and even fewer people use it in their day-to-day work. To help bridge the gaps, we created this "beginner's guide" podcast. For this episode, we wanted to ask some basic questions about what design thinking is, how non-experts can get up to speed, the challenges experts have seen when introducing it to others, and how it can...2023-03-2714 min
Innovation AnsweredA Beginner's Guide to Artificial IntelligenceThis bonus episode of "Innovation Answered" features Matt Baker, Head of Corporate Strategy at Dell Technologies. AI has generated so much interest with the release of ChatGPT; the announcements from Google, Baidu, Microsoft, and Alibaba about chatbots and generative AI; and increased adoption of art-focused AI platforms like DALL-E and Midjourney. So we decided to explore the basics and background of the technology — and what happens next. This episode focuses on what AI is; generative AI; how it could affect jobs going forward; and how large companies' adoption of AI may create competitive advantage or disadvantage. O...2023-02-1328 min
Idea to Value - Creativity and Innovation with Nick SkillicornScott Kirsner & Alex Slawsby - Benchmarking Innovation Impact 2023: Podcast E164Nick's Services: Innovation & Creativity Since 2005, Nick Skillicorn has been helping companies around the world enhance their innovation capabilities, deliver their most strategically transformational projects, unlock the creativity of their people and execute their ideas more effectively to deliver more value from their ventures and innovation portfolio. He does this through his Consulting, Keynote Speeches, Project Management, Workshops and Sprints. Click here to find out how he can help you: https://www.improvides.com/ Episode Highlights: In today's episode of the Idea to Value podcast, we speak with Innovation Leader ma...2023-02-0953 min
Innovation AnsweredA Beginner's Guide to Innovation SpacesIn this episode, we’ll dive into four questions: what is an innovation space? What are the pros and cons of physical versus virtual spaces, what are the qualities great spaces possess... and what common mistakes do people make in setting them up and running them. For expert perspective, we consult Michelle Cohen of CME Group, Andy Miller of AARP, and Michael Cross of Entergy. Our "beginner's guide" podcast episodes take on important topics at the 101 level, without jargon or complexity, assuming that you may be new to the job of making innovation and change happen inside a...2023-01-2421 min
Innovation AnsweredWho are the Unsung Persistent Innovators?In our Persistent Innovators miniseries, InnoLead and Wade Roush explored the cultures of four large companies that have pushed the innovation envelope for decades: Disney, Apple, Lego, and Novartis. But who else deserves recognition? From making pizza ever more convenient at Domino's, to finding new markets at FujiFilm, we dissect the practices and strategies at six more persistently-innovative companies, with input from guests like Bill Taylor, Braden Kelley, and Rita McGrath. Special thanks to our friends at PatSnap and Innovation Academy for sponsoring this miniseries.2022-03-2225 min
Innovation AnsweredWhat Makes Novartis a Persistent Innovator?How do big companies stay innovative across many decades, and in different industries? That’s been the driving question of our Persistent Innovators miniseries. In the fourth and final episode we turn to company in a very different kind of business: discovering and developing new drugs. And we focus on the global pharmaceutical giant Novartis, formed in 1996 from the merger of the venerable Swiss companies Sandoz and CIBA-Geigy. At its Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, opened in 2002, Novartis invented a new style of biology-centric drug discovery that has changed practices across the industry—and sparked a local biopharma boom that...2022-02-2856 minInnovation AnsweredWhat Makes LEGO a Persistent Innovator?LEGO is one of the world’s most famous and admired brands. The company’s colorful plastic bricks are the literal building blocks of an empire that spans a $5 billion annual toy business, hundreds of retail stores, 10 theme parks, and a series of hit movies. But what LEGO actually sells isn’t just the bricks, it’s a whole system of play: an endlessly expandable way for children (and adults) to combine hand, eye, and imagination. It was when product developers drifted away from that system in the 1990s and early 2000s—introducing a blizzard of toy lines that...2022-02-1452 min
Innovation AnsweredWhat Makes Disney a Persistent Innovator?Disney isn’t the world’s largest media company—that title goes to Comcast. But it’s probably the one that has burrowed the deepest into our psyches. As it approaches its 100th birthday in 2023, The Walt Disney Co. not only dominates in its original field of feature animation, but also operates some of the world’s most famous film studios (Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century, Searchlight), television and streaming networks (ABC, ESPN, National Geographic, Hulu, Disney+), and theme park resorts. And to generate the content and experiences that power all of those properties, it marries the latest media technologies with story...2022-01-3151 min
SoonishThe Reinvention of AppleThis week, I've got something different for Soonish listeners. I'm sharing Part 1 of "The Persistent Innovators," a miniseries I'm currently guest-producing and guest-hosting for InnoLead's podcast Innovation Answered. The big question the series tackles is: "How do big companies become innovative—and stay innovative?" I'm looking at four long-lived global companies—Apple, Disney, LEGO, and Novartis—and asking how they've all stayed creative and curious long past the age when most companies stop innovating and decide to coast on profits from their existing businesses. For this initial episode, I traced Apple's evolution from a renegade upstart in the ear...2022-01-2954 min
Innovation AnsweredWhat Makes Apple a Persistent Innovator?If you want to understand how some large organizations manage to keep innovating, decade after decade, you need to study the companies that actually do that. And Apple is at the top of the list. Thanks largely to sales of its world-conquering iPhone, it recently became the first company in the world to reach a $3 trillion market capitalization. But Apple’s journey toward “persistent innovator” status started long before the iPhone’s introduction in 2007. In this first episode of our Persistent Innovators miniseries, guest host and producer Wade Roush travels back to the 1980s and 1990s, to talk with people w...2022-01-1850 minInnovation AnsweredSneak Preview: Our New Season on Persistently Innovative CompaniesThere’s a great quote in David Robertson and Bill Breen’s book Brick by Brick, a look inside The LEGO Group. They write, “The most difficult challenge in business is not to invent an innovative product; it’s to build an organization that can continually create innovative products.” How companies can become innovative and stay that way is the focus of a special series coming soon from Innovation Answered, the podcast for corporate innovators. We’ll be looking at big, established companies like LEGO, Apple, and Disney and asking what makes them so successful decade after decade and how they bou...2021-12-2015 min
Innovation AnsweredMars, Inc. President of Innovation on “innovation myth busting” and moreYou may know Mars Incorporated for the sweet and tasty treats you can find on store shelves – classic Twix candy bars, Juicy Fruit gum, and so much more. However, Mars is exploring much more than just candy and snack foods. Jean-Christophe Flatin, President of Innovation, Science, Technology, and Mars Edge at Mars, talks about "innovation myth-busting," the importance of connecting with consumers, and new patterns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021-10-1923 min
Innovation AnsweredVenture Capital — Silicon Valley StyleVenture capital funds provide the gasoline startups need to get from an initial sketch on a cocktail napkin to a global-scale giant like Uber, Amazon, or Airbnb. With so much change over the last year, we drove out to Los Altos Hills, California to sit down with Hemant Taneja, one of venture’s power players to understand what’s on his mind half way through this year. Marcus Daniels, Highline Beta’s Founding Partner & CEO, also shares his insights.2021-07-2735 min
Innovation AnsweredLeveraging Design as a Competitive AdvantageBringing designers in early can help companies execute on big ideas more successfully and create smoother customer experiences. But how do you get that right, especially if design isn’t baked into the culture, or if other functions tend to dominate the innovation process? Phil Duncan, the Global Design Officer at Procter and Gamble, discusses his experience. Brett Lovelady and Andy Goodman of PA Consulting also share.2021-07-2030 min
Innovation AnsweredDavid’s Bridal CEO on Styling the COVID WeddingWeddings in the COVID-era look a little different. Many couples staged “minimonies” to celebrate their big day, sometimes with a Zoom link as a substitute for in-person celebrations. Just as celebrations have adapted, the way people shop for wedding wear also had to shift. David’s Bridal CEO Jim Marcum discusses how he’s navigating the future of the wedding business. That includes building an omnichannel experience to help brides shop from anywhere and industry trends to look out for in 2022.2021-06-0822 min
Innovation AnsweredLundbeck's CEO on Developing Breakthrough Medications & Allocating FundingHow do CEOs determine focus areas and allocate budget to R&D initiatives? In this episode, Deborah Dunsire, four-time chief executive of public and private companies shares her experience. Dunsire has been the CEO of Lundbeck since 2018 — overseeing teams that discover new medicines in Copenhagen and California, as well as others who market and sell the company’s products around the world. Get her tips for innovators looking to improve their relationships with their CEOs.2021-04-2727 min
Innovation AnsweredWhat Makes Chief Strategy Officers TickHow do Chief Strategy Officers balance the core business with new opportunities? And, what can teams do to build the right portfolio of activities? Megan Lyon, Chief Strategy Officer of Herman Miller, explains how she approaches crafting strategy for the furniture company. George White, Chief Innovation Officer of Cantina, also shares best practices for setting strategy. 2021-04-2030 min
Innovation AnsweredSonesta Hotels’ COO on Growth During a PandemicHow did Sonesta grow from 58 hotels in November of 2020 to 1,200 locations today? Vera Manoukian, Chief Operating Officer at Sonesta International Hotels Incorporated, explains. Manoukian also shares how the team pivoted to meet guest concerns and keep rooms booked during the pandemic. 2021-04-1325 min
Innovation AnsweredTakeda Pharmaceutical's CTO on Building Technology RoadmapsHow do Chief Technology Officers build roadmaps to implement new technologies? Leo Barella, Chief Technology Officer at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, explains. He also discusses best practices for working with data and using data to inform digital strategy. 2021-04-0624 min
Innovation AnsweredExploring the Psyches of Chief Innovation OfficersHow do chief innovation officers they set priorities? And, what do they do to influence culture? Debbie Brackeen, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at CSAA, explores how she approaches the insurance company’s innovation portfolio, the metrics that matter, and disruption in the insurance space. Frazer Bennet, Chief Innovation Officer of PA Consulting, also shares insights.2021-03-1630 min
Innovation AnsweredThe Portland Trail Blazers Chief Commercial Officer on Pivoting the Fan ExperienceDewayne Hankins, the Chief Commercial Officer of the Portland Trail Blazers, shares how the basketball team shifted the fan experience in response to challenges created by COVID-19. During the conversation, he covers how the team kept fans connected to players in the NBA’s 2020 bubble, how the team is approaching empty seats this season, and storytelling tips. He also shares his past experiences at Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at the organization.2021-03-0924 min
Innovation AnsweredEmpowering an AI-First Organization with Anthem’s Chief Digital OfficerHow can AI and machine learning provide patients with personal, preemptive healthcare? Rajeev Ronanki, the Chief Digital Officer of Anthem, shares his experience. He also discusses how his team works with large data sets, the skills he looks for in employees, and how AI can improve telehealth. 2021-03-0222 min
Innovation AnsweredBuilding a Culture of Innovation with Delta Dental's Chief People OfficerHow can organizations build a culture of innovation and effectively create buy-in for change? Sarah Chavarria, the Chief People Officer of Delta Dental, explains. Chavarria also shares how the dental insurance company developed its core values, the importance of gathering feedback from employees, and how the company responded to challenges caused by COVID-19.2021-02-2325 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovation Answered: Taking You Inside the C-SuiteInnovation Answered, the podcast for corporate innovators, is back for its fifth season. And this season of our podcast is very special: We’re going to take you inside of the C-Suite of some very well-known, well-established organizations. In each episode, we’ll interview a different C-level leader to talk about their innovation priorities. That includes how to secure their support and how to push projects across the finish line. Subscribe for updates. New episodes debut starting February 23. 2021-02-0202 min
Innovation AnsweredTackling a Bike Shortage and Approaching Early R&D at Trek BicycleCOVID-19 has changed the way people get around. Instead of public transportation, cycling has become a preferred mode of mobility, as well as a way to safely exercise outdoors. A spike in demand might seem like a clear win for bike makers. But, more sales means greater stress on supply chains and longer wait times. To find out how the bike sector is dealing with the unexpected surge of interest, we talked to Chad Manuell, Director of Engineering at Trek Bicycle. Manuell also discusses how his team approaches early innovation and R&D project.2020-12-1524 min
Innovation AnsweredHow Diversity Drives Innovation2020 has been a year of racial reckoning — with discussions about police brutality and systematic racism stretching from the streets to the dinner table to the virtual conference room. To take a deeper dive, we gathered a panel to discuss how to make DEI initiatives at big companies more effective. Our panelists include: Irina Kozlovskaya, a Director of Industrial Design at Fitbit; Alfred Jones, Head of Mechanical Engineering at Lyft Level Five; Jessica Hansen, Executive Director of the Alliance for Smiles; and Simone Hadley Wilson, a marketing strategist, formerly of Lyft.2020-12-0134 min
Innovation AnsweredEssential Data for Finishing 2020 StrongIn so many ways, 2020 has been defined by sudden, dramatic change — from the shift to remote work, to redesigning brick and mortar locations, to changing buying habits, to the national dialogue around racial reckoning, to the aftermath of the presidential election. To find out how big companies have been responding to it all, Innovation Leader’s Editorial Team released four research reports this fall. This episode of Innovation Answered explores the most important data points from that research that can help teams finish the year strong. Scott Kirsner, CEO and Co-founder of Innovation Leader, and Alex Slawsby, a Se...2020-11-1033 min
Innovation AnsweredDigital & Business Model Transformation at Rosetta StoneYellow boxes with CD-ROMs made Rosetta Stone an iconic brand in the 2000s. Since then, the company has transformed itself into an educational technology powerhouse. Matthew Hulett, President of Language at the company, discusses how Rosetta Stone pivoted from a physical product to a subscription service. He also discusses the company’s approach to digital innovation and how his team is working through the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020-10-0625 min
Innovation AnsweredPodcast: The Biggest Barriers to InnovationWhile demand for shipping to office spaces is down, the team at UPS has seen an increased in customers shipping purchases to their homes. In this installment of Innovation Answered: Essentials, David Lee shares how his team has adapted to these new needs. He also discusses how his team has changed their approach to storage and gives best practices for innovators in 2020. After the conversation, Lee reads “The Biggest Barriers to Innovation”, an article he contributed to Innovation Leader’s magazine, aloud. Our Essentials segment is designed for busy innovators in big organizations. In each episode, we discus...2020-09-1515 min
Innovation AnsweredHow Innovation Shaped the Fall Semester at UniversitiesAfter planning for hybrid classes all summer, this month the team at Barnard College pivoted suddenly to another semester of online learning. What goes into making these decisions? And how will today’s pivots affect the future of higher education? We gathered an online panel of higher education experts to share. This episode features Barnard President Sian Beliock, Len Schlesinger of Harvard Business School, and the co-CEO of edX, Adam Medros. 2020-08-2528 min
Innovation AnsweredPivoting During a PandemicThe sudden onset of a global pandemic shifted priorities at many large companies. Innovation teams have been tasked with facing new challenges that can help save lives and keep people safe. Colleen Hau of Carhartt discussed how her team worked quickly to make PPE for frontline workers. Firdaus Bhathena of CVS talks about how the company’s COVID-19 testing efforts and acceleration in digital health care. Rhett Alden, Chief Technology Officer of Health and Commercial Markets at Elsevier, shares how his team created a COVID-19 Resource Center in four weeks. 2020-07-2824 min
Innovation AnsweredLeveling Up Your Customer EmpathyWhat does it mean to practice empathy? Teams need to think about end-users as real live human beings — not just a rectangle on a PowerPoint slide labeled “the customer.” To learn more, we sat down with Irina Kozlovskaya, Director of Industrial Design at Fitbit. Kozlovskaya shares how the team at Fitbit listens to customers and pairs the process with design thinking to build better products. Lisa Somogyi, Director of Business Development at Cooper Perkins, shares tips for practicing empathy in a remote world. Cooper Perkins is also a sponsor of this podcast. 2020-07-0727 min
Innovation AnsweredWhat Comes Back & When? Exploring Life After COVID-19What’s changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic? What’s likely to come back? And when? Innovation Leader’s What the Future Looks Like report seeks to answer that question. Kaitlin Milliken, Multimedia Editor at the publication, shares data from the report. Stephan Chase, a futurist and founder of the consultancy Chase Intel, discusses how the pandemic has affected life downtown and the hospitality space. Peter Berger, Director of Innovation for the aircraft manufacturer EmbraerX, explains why drastic innovation cuts are short-sighted. 2020-06-3008 min
Innovation AnsweredHow R&D Keeps the CPG Industry on the Cutting-EdgeConsumer packaged goods (CPG) describes any product that requires routine replacement — from personal care to food. Companies in this space have to create new offerings that shoppers will buy again and again. To find out how big R&D bets empower the process, we talked to Ranjani Varadan, VP of R&D at the meat alternative company, Impossible Foods. Jodi Benson of General Mills discusses how her team used customer insights to refresh the yogurt category. Jeff George of Hain Celestial Group also shares how his team has shifted to respond to COVID-19.2020-06-2324 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovation Essentials: Why Corporate Innovators are like Pirates in the NavySteve Jobs once said it’s better to be a pirate than to join the Navy. Pirates refer to startups, built by nimble teams. Large organizations, which are slower to innovate, are compared to the bureaucratic Navy. But how do corporate innovators fall into this metaphor? In this installment of Innovation Answered: Essentials, Tendayi Viki explains. Molli DeRosa from Innovation Leader also reads a passage from Viki’s most recent book, Pirates in the Navy. 2020-06-1613 min
Innovation AnsweredInside Innovation at AARPHow does AARP use innovation to empower people as they age? During a conversation with Innovation Leader, VP of Product and Startup Engagement Rick Robinson explains how his team uses design thinking to solve unmet needs in the 50-years-and-older community. He also discusses the importance of testing products with end users and the dangers of over relying on data.2020-06-0923 min
Suero PodcastsSolutions for Entrepreneurs Affected By RecessionToday, we interviewed Mr Oabona Kgengwenyane. He is the Founder of Innolead Consulting and Chairman of group of companies Innolead Consulting, Digital Gae Technologies and Manenzo Farming. He specializes in Project Management and Corporate Strategy Facilitation and has been at it for the past 20 years. In this video he shares a lot wisdom on how to sustain a business during these turbulent times and the strategies he uses for his businesses. We touched on a lot including the importance of not being dependent on govt business only as an entrepreneur and to be sustainable. I think you will enjoy this o...2020-06-0445 min
Innovation AnsweredChangemaking in GovernmentInnovators in the public and private sectors face many of the same challenges: There’s resistance to change and internal politics that can bog down progress. However, teams in the government may have tighter budgets that come directly from tax payer dollars. These teams also face demands from both supervisors and constituents. To gather best practices for changemakers in government, we sat down with Tanya Hannah, the former Chief Information Officer of King’s County Washington. Steve Rader, Deputy Manager of NASA’s Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, also shares insights. 2020-05-2623 min
Innovation AnsweredRunning Innovation LabsPursuing new ideas can be difficult when employees bogged down with day-to-day business. To foster new processes, many companies created separate innovation teams and labs. But how have these labs shifted during this period of remote work? What sets labs up for success? Linda Elkins, Chief Technical Officer of W.L. Gore’s Silicon Valley Innovation Center, shares. Other guests include Frankie James from General Motors, Jeffrey Welser from IBM, and Sara Husk of Planbox.2020-05-1935 min
Innovation AnsweredWhat Corporate Venture Funds can Learn From VCsWhat are the risks when large companies dive into the venture capital game? To answer that question and more, we sat down with Rudina Seseri, Founder and Managing Partner of Glasswing Ventures. Amish Parashar, Co-founder of the Yamaha Motor Exploratory Fund, also explains why corporate venture is like a two-tiered cake and how the venture capital world has responded to COVID-19.2020-05-1229 min
Innovation AnsweredCreating Culture at WayfairCreating an innovative culture involves much more than fun activities and idea challenges. Building a healthy culture involves deliberate choices that create space for experimentation and risk. Wayfair Co-founder Steve Conine discusses how the online furniture retailer maintained its culture as it grew from a two person idea to a company with 16,000 employees. He also shares advancements in augmented reality and virtual reality at the company.2020-05-0518 min
Innovation AnsweredComing Soon: Innovation Answered Season 4Innovation Answered returns for a fourth season on May 5, 2020. Producer Kaitlin Milliken and Intern Molli DeRosa share what listeners can expect in upcoming episodes. Upcoming topics include the future of food, inside Wayfair’s culture of innovation, innovation labs in Silicon Valley, and more. 2020-04-0702 min
Innovation AnsweredPursuing Innovation During COVID-19COVID-19 has transformed the way teams across the globe work. Stock markets have been in turmoil, and companies across industries have announced layoffs and furloughs. In this episode of Innovation Answered, experts share best practices for teams as they navigate uncertainty. Topics of discussion include shifting innovation teams’ priorities, switching over to remote work, and cultivating a “service oriented” mindset. Russell Rogers, former Vice President of Global Innovations at Blue Shield of California; Christian Ponce, Director of Operational Transformation at LogMeIn; and Nancy Tennant, author and former Chief Innovation Officer at Whirlpool share insights. 2020-03-3116 min
Innovation AnsweredLoonshots — Crazy Ideas that Just Might WorkIdeas that have the potential to shape industries may end up stuck in the corporate basement. So how can companies embrace risky — but potentially revolutionary — ideas? Authors Safi Bahcall and Hugh Molotsi tackle this question in a main stage session at Innovation Leader’s 2019 Impact event. Bahcall also discusses learnings from his time as the CEO of Synta Pharmaceuticals, a company focused on developing new cancer treatments. Molotsi shares his experiences as a CEO of a startup and Vice President at Intuit. This session is moderated by Innovation Leader CEO Scott Kirsner. 2020-03-1025 min
Innovation AnsweredDrones, Self-Driving Cars & the Silicon Valley ProblemWhile drones present a world of opportunities, these unmanned aerial vehicles face regulations across different levels of government. Chris Anderson — CEO of 3DR, a drone software company — shared his experience building and deploying drones at Innovation Leader’s 2019 Impact event. During the conversation, Anderson also discusses use cases for autonomous vehicles and the problems with corporate innovation in Silicon Valley. This session is moderated by Harvard Business Publishing’s Chief Product and Innovation Officer Josh Macht. 2020-02-1132 min
Innovation AnsweredFailure: The Other F-WordInnovators often repeat the mantra, “Fail fast, fail cheap.” But is that the right approach to projects that flop? To find out, we sat down with Rita McGrath, a professor of strategy at Columbia Business School. We also called Shaun Stewart, CEO of New Lab, to discuss how startups and entrepreneurs in the space approach failure.2019-12-1725 min
Innovation AnsweredInside the Mind of Alex OsterwalderHow should teams pursue business model innovation? Why should companies “professionalize” innovation? Alex Osterwalder, creator of the Business Model Canvas and co-founder of Strategyzer, explains. Osterwalder also shares insights from his recently published book, Testing Business Ideas. His next book, The Invincible Company, will be out in the spring of 2020. 2019-12-1026 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovation Essentials: Revera Senior LivingIn this installment of Innovation Answered: Essentials, we break down our article on co-creation at Revera Senior Living. Innovation Leader’s Producer, Kaitlin Milliken, shares what she learned from the company’s president of innovation. Want to read along? Get the latest issue of the magazine or visit our website. 2019-12-0316 min
Innovation AnsweredInside the Supply ChainThe supply chain can sometimes be regarded as a function far removed from the corporate headquarters. However, it's an essential part of most businesses, and it offers a massive opportunity for innovation to create new value. To learn more about supply chain innovation, we interviewed Aisha Nabiyeva from Retail Business Services, a logistics provider for Ahold Delhaize US. Gerry Collins from J&J and Josué Velázquez Martínez from MIT also share insights.2019-11-1928 min
Innovation AnsweredGetting Innovation StartedGetting innovation started at an established company can be fraught with challenges. So how can teams build the right foundation for new initiatives? To find out, we sat down with Executive Chef Robert Price, who founded Philadelphia Downtown Marriott’s 1201 Innovation Lab. Danielle Cohn, Vice President for Entrepreneurial Engagement for Comcast NBCUniversal, discusses launching LIFT Labs. Natalie Painchaud also shares best practices from the consulting company, Innosight.2019-11-1230 min
Innovation AnsweredFast Times in Quick ServiceWhat can we expect from Quick Service Restaurants of the future? We sat down with Jessica Anselmi, Panera’s Director of Innovation and Category Growth, to find out what her team is working on. We also explore innovation inside Chick-fil-A’s Hatch Innovation Center in Atlanta and get tips from a former Vice President of Innovation for Starbucks.2019-11-0529 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovation Essentials: The Nature ConservancyWe introduce a new segment of the show — Innovation Answered: Essentials. Designed for innovators on the go, we break down one of our articles and read it aloud for you. In this episode, we take you inside innovation at The Nature Conservancy. Innovation Leader’s Managing Editor Kelsey Alpaio shares her takeaways and the reporting process. Want to read along? Get the latest issue of our magazine or visit our website.2019-10-2917 min
Innovation AnsweredAll Your Innovation Questions, AnsweredOver the summer, we gathered listener questions about corporate innovation. Hari Nair, a current fellow at Harvard University and a former Global Managing Director at Kimberly Clark, shares best practices from his 25 years of experience in the innovation space. Innovation Leader’s Managing Editor Kelsey Alpaio shares tips that’s she’s learned in her reporting. Have questions for future episodes? Email podcast@innovationleader.com.2019-10-2245 min
Innovation AnsweredHigh-Tech on the High SeasLast week, we discussed best practices for tech scouting. In order to see advice in action, we went to Miami to visit Royal Caribbean’s ship, Navigator of the Seas. We also take a look inside the company’s innovation lab and hear about the company’s digital transformation strategy. Guests include Joey Hasty, Head of Innovation and Transformation at Royal Caribbean, and Josh Nakaya, Creative Director and Lead Designer at the innovation lab.2019-10-1529 min
Innovation AnsweredScouting Emerging TechnologyEvery company knows that responding to technological change is important. But scouting for emerging technology can be really overwhelming. To gather best practices, we visited The New York Times’ headquarters and talked to Marc Lavallee, the paper’s Head of R&D. Other guests include Mona Vernon of Fidelity Labs and John Woods of Kalypso. 2019-10-0833 min
Innovation AnsweredDoes It Scale?Innovation teams have no shortage of ideas, but scaling initiatives requires a different set of skills. So, how do you turn a promising but fragile idea into something really big? To get best practices, Innovation Leader traveled to Shell TechWorks in Cambridge, Mass. Experts from ESPN and KPMG also share their advice. For more best practices on scaling, read our Benchmarking Innovation Impact 2020 Report.2019-10-0127 min
Innovation AnsweredFinding Your Innovation AlliesIn our recent Benchmarking Innovation Impact 2020 Report, 75 percent of respondents cited leadership support from CEOs, business unit leaders, and others as their top enabler. But how do you find innovation allies? To find out, we went to the Bose headquarters in Framingham, Mass. to talk to NB Patil, Head of the Bose Corporate Concept Group. We also spoke with Bill Gaussa of Philips Healthcare and Fiona Grandi of KPMG to get their insights. For more best practices on building allies, read our Benchmarking Innovation Impact 2020 Report.2019-09-2426 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovation Answered, Season 3We're back and better than ever. This season, we took our show on the road to Miami, Philadelphia, and New York to Learn from Innovators in those ecosystems. We also talked to innovators at Ahold Delhaize, Bose, Panera, and more. Subscribe for new episodes starting next week on Tuesday morning. 2019-09-1601 min
Innovation AnsweredInside the Mind of Bob Metcalfe"Invention is a flower. Innovation is a weed," innovator Bob Metcalfe explains his famous quote during in this special bonus episode. Metcalfe also shares his experiences as a founder at 3Com, the company culture that allowed him to invent Ethernet, and why big companies should work with startups.2019-07-2318 min
Innovation AnsweredAt Experian, Data is an Innovator's Best FriendIn this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of data and how Experian’s DataLabs spread innovative data solutions across the company. Originally focused on credit reporting, Experian now works with all types of data, software, and decision analytics. The company also runs four DataLabs in San Diego, London, São Paulo, and Singapore. Eric Haller, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Experian DataLabs, discusses the mandate of the DataLabs and the talent that drives the program.2019-06-2522 min
Inside Outside InnovationEp. 147 - Innovation Leader’s Scott Kirsner on Corporate Innovation Tools & TrendsScott Kirsner is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Innovation Leader. As a journalist, Scott spent his career covering how ideas in companies get commercialized. Five years ago, Scott launched Innovation Leader, a company focused on how innovation happens in big companies. Brian Ardinger, Inside Outside Innovation founder, spoke with Scott about emerging issues in corporate innovation. What innovation issues are tops for companies? - Innovation Leader Survey - Solving bureaucracy and How to Tap Employee Ideas - Highest areas of Internal innovation interest - Startup engagement meaningful, but companies have only starte...2019-05-1419 min
Inside OutsideEp. 147 - Innovation Leader’s Scott Kirsner on Corporate Innovation Tools & TrendsScott Kirsner is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Innovation Leader. As a journalist, Scott spent his career covering how ideas in companies get commercialized. Five years ago, Scott launched Innovation Leader, a company focused on how innovation happens in big companies. Brian Ardinger, Inside Outside Innovation founder, spoke with Scott about emerging issues in corporate innovation. What innovation issues are tops for companies? - Innovation Leader Survey - Solving bureaucracy and How to Tap Employee Ideas - Highest areas of Internal innovation interest - Startup engagement meaningful, but companies have only started their collaboration experiences. Why did corporates jump i...2019-05-1419 min
Innovation AnsweredInside Silicon Valley's Innovation CultureSilicon Valley and Seattle have created a number of startup unicorns turned trillion dollar companies — like Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google (FAANG). In order to find out what makes FAANG more innovative than other companies, we sat down with Faisal Masud, Chief Operating Officer of Wing at Alphabet Inc. Innovation Leader CEO Scott Kirsner also shares insights from his interviews with FAANG founders. This episode also features Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple.2019-05-1432 min
Innovation AnsweredRemaking R&D at the Kellogg CompanyWhen it comes to consumer packaged goods, the Kellogg Company is a big player, with about $13.5 billion in revenue. But the company's best-known breakfast items face a tougher landscape as more people choose to skip the most important meal of the day. To find out how the company is reimagining their business through R&D, we sat down with Nigel Hughes, Senior Vice President of Global Research and Development at Kellogg's. 2019-04-3013 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovators vs. the Rulebook, Who Wins? While innovation can be difficult at any company, highly regulated industries with a thick rule book — both internally and from the government — face more roadblocks along the innovation journey. To find out how highly regulated companies can chalk up innovation wins, we sat down with Mohan Nair, Chief Innovation Officer at Cambia Health Solutions. Guests include Steve Faktor, host of the McFuture Podcast and the former Vice President of Business Growth and Innovation at American Express, and Ludwig Melik, CEO of the agile innovation company Planbox.2019-04-2329 min
Innovation AnsweredBringing Star Wars to Life at LucasfilmWhile everyone knows Star Wars and Indiana Jones, not everyone is familiar with ILMxLAB, Lucasfilm’s immersive entertainment division. In this episode, we sit down with Vicki Dobbs Beck, the Executive in Charge of ILMxLAB, to find out how her team uses new technology to bring stories to life. Topics of discussion include, virtual reality, augmented reality, tech scouting, and testing new ideas with end users. 2019-04-0917 min
Innovation AnsweredPlaying In the (Startup) Sandbox Corporate teams know they should be tapping into the startup ecosystem somehow, but they don’t always know how to get started. In this episode, we explore different ways innovators engage with startups and how they forge more meaningful relationships. Guests include Arvind Purushotham, the Head of Venture Investing at Citi Ventures, Northwestern Professor Mohan Sawhney, and Jenny Lawton, COO of Techstars.2019-04-0229 min
Innovation AnsweredStaying Relevant in Retail In the age of Amazon, how are retailers staying relevant with customers? We went to the National Retail Federation's annual Big Show to find out. Guests include Kambiz Hemati, Footlocker's Vice President of Global Store Design; Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, founder of the publication Retail Minded; and Joe Pine, author of The Experience Economy.2019-03-2629 min
Innovation AnsweredInside the Mind of Clay Christensen Clay Christensen seems larger than life to corporate innovators. His book, The Innovator’s Dilemma is still considered a business leader must-read. We wanted to know how Christensen's ideas apply in 2019. To find out, we sat down with Innovation Leader's Scott Kirsner to discuss his interviews with the acclaimed professor.2019-03-1922 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovation Answered, Back by Popular Demand!The second season of our podcast starts on March 19th. Find out more about our show and catch up on bonus content at innovationleader.com/podcast. 2019-03-1201 min
Innovation AnsweredThe State of Innovation 2019What are corporate innovators thinking about in the first quarter of 2019? We sat down with Professor Gary Pisano at Harvard Business School to find out. In this interview, Pisano discussed last years innovation wins and his new book, Creative Construction. We also talked to our Editor and CEO Scott Kirsner to find out what Innovation Leader members are thinking about in the new year.2019-02-2627 min
Innovation AnsweredTGI Fridays: Turning Customers into RegularsHow can AI help turn restaurant customers into regulars? We sat down with Sherif Mityas, TGI Friday's Chief Experience Officer to find out. Other topics of discussion include personalization, catering to millennials, and best practices for innovation. 2019-02-0512 min
Innovation AnsweredLyft, Tesla, and the Future of MobilityWith increased traffic and decreased parking, many urbanites have opted out of owning a car. So what will the future of mobility look like? We talked to Jon McNeill, COO of Lyft, about what consumers can expect moving forward. In this interview, Jon also discussed his experience at Tesla and his move to the ride sharing industry.2019-01-2228 min
Innovation AnsweredStartup Culture in Big CompaniesStartups are viewed as innovative utopias, filled with a dedicated workforce of entrepreneurs. So can big companies behave like startups and capture their culture? To find out, we sat down with Steve Blank, a key player in the lean startup movement. This episode also features insights from Lyft COO Jon McNeill and Innovation Leader’s Kelsey Alpaio.2018-11-2729 min
Innovation AnsweredInnovating the World of SportsWhat’s disrupting the world of sports, and how are teams adapting? We asked sports innovators how teams and franchises can knock innovation out of the park. Guests include Angela Ruggiero, CEO of the Sports Innovation Lab, and Jack Elkins, Director of Innovation at the Orlando Magic.2018-11-1326 min
A Sherpa's Guide to InnovationE31: Sherpa Showdown: Fast Company Innovation Festival vs. Impact 2018Two great conferences – two Innovation Engine Sherpas facing off to extol their virtues! Ann Somers Hogg and Will Behrmann each recently attended a stellar innovation conference and share their experiences via a good-natured duel, making the case for why YOU should attend the conference they attended next year. Which conference wins our Sherpa Showdown? Will it be the Impact 2018 conference hosted by Innovation Leader or the Fast Company Innovation Festival? What’s the Job to Be Done of attending a conference, and which of the many conferences should healthcare innovators select? Listen and find out, then add it to your...2018-11-0837 min
Innovation AnsweredMoving Fast...Full Speed Ahead!Innovators are always encouraged to move faster and avoid disruption. But can a big, slow company really move fast? And is faster necessarily better? We sat down with Rachael Schwartz, formerly of Keurig, to find out. This episode also features insights from TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer and Innovation Leader’s Kelsey Alpaio.2018-11-0622 min
Innovation AnsweredWhat's Digital Transformation, Anyway?Digital transformation has become a buzzword. However, the perfect formula — and even the definition — are a mystery at most companies. So what's the right strategy for making digital transformation happen inside a big organization? To find out, we went to Chicago. Guests include Patrick Bass, the CEO at thyssenkrupp North America, and Marcelo De Santis, former Chief Information Officer at Mondelez International and Pirelli.2018-10-3032 min
Innovation Answered(Better) Business Model InnovationAvoiding disruption is often central to innovation teams. But can changing your business model make your company an innovation powerhouse? We sit down with Rick Paster of Walmart Global eCommerce and Mark Johnson of Innosight to find out.2018-10-1624 min
Innovation AnsweredThe Ex-FilesWhat is it really like to head innovation at a large company? We talked to former innovation executives to find out the good, the bad, and the ugly. Welcome to the Ex-Files. Guests include Rick Waldron, former Vice President of Innovation Strategy & Partnerships at Nike, and Ace Moghimi, former Global Head of Innovation Strategy at Manulife/John Hancock.2018-10-0923 min
Innovation AnsweredThose Darned MillennialsMillennials are murderers. At least according to the headlines, where the generation is blamed for killing all sorts of industries. But are millennials really killing established brands? Nondini Naqui, a millennial engagement consultant and former CEO of Society of Grownups, discusses how companies can connect with the age group. Innovation Leader's Kelsey Alpaio also explains how brands like Cadillac, L'Oreal, and Denny's are staying relevant with the kids.2018-10-0226 min
Innovation AnsweredThe Innovation Survival GuideWhat kills innovation initiatives at large companies? And what can you do to survive? Innovation Leader's Scott Kirsner and Kelsey Alpaio share their tips that can help innovation initiatives stay afloat and create organizational change. 2018-09-2524 min
Innovation AnsweredWelcome to Innovation AnsweredInnovation at large, established companies is hard. So we made a podcast to help you overcome obstacles and create change at your organization. Welcome to Innovation Answered, the podcast for corporate innovators. Innovation Answered is created by the media and events company Innovation Leader. For more information visit innovationleader.com/podcast.2018-09-1001 min