Shows
The Disruptor PodcastNavigating Startup Challenges: The Synergy of Empathy, Design Thinking, and InnovationEmbark on a transformative journey where failure paves the path to innovation, and empathy maps the way to understanding. Together, we navigate the startup ecosystem, championing the 'fail forward' mentality and the essential quest for product-market fit. Drawing inspiration from Andy Jassy's wisdom on mitigating the risks of unsuccessful endeavors, we share personal stories that highlight the resilience and adaptability required to thrive in the startup arena. Our conversation takes a deep dive into the practicalities of validating business concepts, leveraging design thinking and lean startup methodologies, and utilizing social media analytics as a powerful, cost-effective gauge of consumer...2024-06-1335 min
The Disruptor PodcastInnovating With Design Thinking: From 'Cupcakes' to "Blue Ocean" TriumphsPrepare to have your entrepreneurial mindset revolutionized as we introduce you to the marriage of design thinking and strategic innovation. Imagine starting your product journey with a 'cupcake'—a delectable morsel of customer delight, rather than settling for the bare-bones functionality of a typical 'minimum viable product.' This episode guides you through an Agile-inspired 'cake roadmap' that promises to sprinkle delight at every development stage, serving up practical advice for remote collaboration and iterative testing, designed to steer your ventures toward a mouthwatering product-market fit.As the tide of competition rises, we sail into the uncharted wa...2024-06-0622 min
Rock n' Roll Research PodcastEpisode #114: Nicholas Jayanty - Award-Winning Film Producer, UX Researcher for IBM Red HatRecorded live on the Purple Stage at the IIEX conference in Austin, TX on April 18!Nicholas Jayanty, Principal User Experience Researcher at IBM’s Red Hat, traces his path from making sketch comedy pilots on MTV to producing award-winning films to researching and designing digital user experiences.Nicholas contrasts the supply chains of the independent film industry and software design, discusses how UX can reduce its dependency on software engineering, the roadmap to a world without work and his love of the Austin music scene.Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You ha...2024-05-0332 min
The Disruptor PodcastNavigating the Currents of Change: Mastering Disruption, Design Thinking, and Customer-Centric InnovationIn this Throwback Thursday (TBT) edition of The Disruptor Podcast, we delve deep into the whirlwind world of digital disruption, design thinking, and the critical importance of a customer-centric approach to innovation. Join hosts Jan Almasy and John Kundtz, alongside special guest Nicholas Jayanty, as they explore the intricate dance between disrupting and being disrupted in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. What You'll Learn:The Essence of Value Creation: Discover how businesses navigate the complex terrain of delivering value not just to themselves but, more importantly, to their customers. ...2024-03-2816 min
The Disruptor PodcastRevolutionizing the Sales Landscape through Design ThinkingIn this Throwback Thursday edition of The Disruptor podcast, co-hosts Jan Almasy and John Kundtz interview Ashley Welch, co-founder of Somersault Innovation and author of “Naked Sales.” They discuss how design thinking can transform traditional sales techniques by building empathy, uncovering insights, and accelerating revenue growth. Ashley explains how she helps sales teams move from pushing products to co-creating solutions tailored for each customer. Quotes:“Design Thinking Tools in the Hands of Sales Professionals is like p...2024-02-0142 min
The Apex PodcastBuilding Trust and Surviving Digital Disruption: Improving Your Product/Market Fit by Applying Design Thinking to the Sales ProcessWe are in a period of digital disruption, and, as we like to say, “You are either being disrupted, or you are the disruptor.” During this segment of The Disruptor podcast, we discuss experiences and stories from the field that will empower any burgeoning entrepreneurs to deepen their design thinking practice and any naysayers to give it a second look. Jan and John interview Nicholas Jayanty, a Principal User Experience Researcher at Red Hat and former film maker. Jayanty’s human-centric focus began early on. As a kid, he was into writing and storytelling. Film and the...2021-07-241h 22