In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with David J. Bland, founder of Precoil, co-author of the global bestseller Testing Business Ideas, and creator of the EMT (Extract, Map, Test) framework — a practical approach that Fortune 500 teams use to run smarter experiments and reduce risk in real innovation work.

David shares hard-won truths about why most innovation efforts stall, how to build momentum inside bureaucracy, and how to stop treating experimentation like a one-time event.

📉 Why innovation theater is still rampant — and how to spot it

🧪 The real reason most experiments don’t de-risk anything

📊 Why failure needs structure, not slogans (“fail smart” > “fail fast”)

🎃 How “Dead Projects Day” at DuPont changed how leaders saw failure

🎯 How to shift accountability from performance to learning

Whether you're building a venture, running a transformation, or leading a product team, this episode is packed with field-tested wisdom from one of the best in the game.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Kimberly Shaw, founder of Changeify, to bust the myth that change is just “soft stuff.” With decades of experience across industries, Kimberly has built a framework that brings structure and sustainability to complex transformations.

📉 Why 75% of transformations fail — and why that stat is probably wrong

🧱 The 3 overlooked phases of change: pre-work, design, and embedment

📣 Why comms alone doesn’t drive change — and what does

👥 The secret power of change communities and “shepherds”

🧠 Why change fatigue isn’t a side effect — it’s a signal of deeper design flaws

🎯 What it takes to build capability, not just compliance

This is a must-listen for executives, HR leaders, and consultants driving large-scale transformation.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Matt Bowman, founder of OpenEd, bestselling author of Open Education, and former classroom teacher who's now helped over 100,000 students reclaim learning on their own terms.

Matt shares why traditional schooling — built for industrial-era conformity — is no longer serving the needs of today’s students, families, or economy.

🚨 Why traditional education is a “200-year trap” built for control, not curiosity

💡 The 5 building blocks of OpenEd: a learner-first framework for the modern world

📚 How to replace “one size fits all” with choice, voice, and sprint-based learning

🧠 The power of “mastered or not yet” — and why it’s better than grades

🎓 What happens when we let kids pursue curiosity, not just compliance

Whether you're a parent, educator, innovator, or future-of-work leader, this episode offers a radical, hopeful alternative to the status quo.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Jim Carlough, business strategist, speaker, and author of The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership, who’s spent over 30 years guiding high-performing teams and transformational change — from scrappy startups to healthcare giants.

Jim’s message is clear: Leaders aren’t born. They’re developed. And it’s time we started treating leadership like the teachable craft it is.

📚 The origin of The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership — and how he narrowed it down from 18

🧱 Why integrity is the foundation (and why so many leaders lack it today)

😂 Why humor is a leadership skill — not a punchline

🧠 Why emotional intelligence matters more than a business degree

📖 How a simple bedtime question changed his approach to integrity forever

Jim’s offer? The first three people to comment on this episode’s socials will receive a free, autographed copy of his book.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Andrew Poles — executive coach, leadership strategist, and ultra-endurance athlete who’s coached over 10,000 leaders to grow sustainable, high-impact businesses without burning out.

Andrew unpacks the idea of "dirty fuel" — the stress, self-doubt, and fear that drives many high achievers — and offers a powerful alternative rooted in neuroscience, empathy, and clean motivation.

🔥 Why fear-fueled ambition leads to burnout (even at the top)

🧠 How to switch from dirty to clean fuel — and sustain performance long-term

👥 Why influence is about commitment, not being right

🎯 How to lead through empathy without giving up accountability

💬 The mindset shift that unlocks resilience, clarity, and creativity

If you’re scaling a company, leading a team, or simply trying to stay sane while driving change — this is your reset moment.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Kevin Carlson, a fractional CTO/CISO and executive coach with decades of experience helping companies overcome critical inflection points at the intersection of technology, product, and security.

He shares insights from inside high-growth companies — and the moments where innovation either scales or breaks down.

🚨 What tech-led innovation gets wrong (and why market-led wins)

🔁 Why “changing the wheels on the bus while it’s moving” is the new norm

💥 The real reason most products fail — and how to avoid building for no one

🧠 How radical candor and alignment (not consensus) drive clarity

🔐 Why security still keeps him up at night — and how AI is making it harder to get right

If you’re scaling tech, navigating team complexity, or leading innovation inside chaos — this episode brings practical wisdom from someone who’s been there.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Rachael Edmondson-Clarke, founder of Elevar and a neuroscience-based leadership strategist helping high-performing leaders avoid burnout and stay creative under pressure.

After a dramatic collapse from stress in her glass-walled corner office, Rachael rebuilt her approach to leadership using science-backed strategies rooted in mood regulation, neurobiology, and emotional resilience.

🧠 The 4R framework for sustainable performance: Recognize, Restore, Resolve, Regulate

⚠️ Why burnout begins long before the breakdown

💬 The myth of “mindset-only” leadership

🌱 How nature, mood, and nervous system cues drive clarity and innovation

🛠️ What neuroscience says about performance without depletion

This episode is a must-listen for executives, HR leaders, and performance coaches seeking innovation that’s sustainable and human.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we speak with Marina Morgan, founder of Morgan Impact, a Silicon Valley-based organizational psychologist whose work bridges neuroscience, psychology, and business strategy.

She’s led transformations for companies ranging from startups to global enterprises with 300,000+ employees — and she’s here to explain why tech isn’t what’s blocking innovation. It’s the mental load, emotional friction, and cultural wiring we ignore.

🧠 Why entrepreneurs' brains are wired differently from their teams — and why it matters

⚠️ How lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and low oxygen silently sabotage innovation

🚫 Why “resistance to change” is often just a sign of exhausted nervous systems

🎮 How business games and safe-play environments accelerate mindset shifts

💬 The 3 groups you’ll always face in a transformation — and which one to focus on

This episode is a must-watch for founders, execs, and transformation leaders who want to unlock innovation by understanding the human operating system behind it.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Ken Cox — president of River City Internet Group, host of the award-winning Clicks and Bricks podcast, and founder of InLink, a radically human-centered business platform designed to empower solopreneurs.

Ken shares the highs, lows, and hard truths of entrepreneurship — from building data centers to launching boxing gyms, losing millions, and coming back stronger.

💡 Why per-user pricing and tech lock-in are crushing small businesses

🔐 What real data privacy means — and why Google and Amazon aren’t offering it

🛠️ How InLink offers enterprise-grade CRM, hosting, and AI tools at a price solopreneurs can actually afford

💬 Why most startup ideas won’t survive contact with customers — and why that’s OK

💥 The brutal reality of losing $4M and a cofounder — and what it taught him about resilience

If you’re a founder, freelancer, or operator who wants to win without selling your soul (or your data), this is a must-listen.

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In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we speak with Bill Kasko, CEO of Frontline Source Group, who flipped the recruiting model on its head by offering a five-year placement warranty in an industry that barely guarantees 90 days.

With a mindset rooted in “do the opposite” (yes, inspired by Seinfeld’s George Costanza), Bill built a company that thrives on trust, success, and long-term thinking.

🔥 Why selling on success instead of failure transformed their client relationships

💡 How the Costanza Theory led to a billion-dollar-level staffing innovation

📉 What it took to survive LinkedIn hate mail and industry backlash

🤖 How AI is changing staffing — and why human connection matters more than ever

🧠 The most powerful question leaders can ask: “What are our options?”

If you’re in staffing, HR, or leadership, this episode redefines what it means to innovate from the inside out.

Thanks for tuning in to Breakthrough Innovation! Want to subscribe to the podcast? Have feedback to share? Connect with us on Spotify or iTunes and leave us a review—we’d love to hear from you!