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In this episode of UX Leadership by Design, Mark Baldino talks with Dave Seligsohn, founder of A2O Consulting, about creating a culture of innovation and driving business growth. Drawing from his rich background in education and leadership, Dave shares insights into the challenges small businesses face, such as breaking revenue ceilings, optimizing operations, and achieving growth. He highlights the importance of fostering innovation through intentional processes, forming dedicated teams, and leveraging data-driven decision-making. The conversation offers practical strategies for establishing an innovation pipeline, validating ideas, and navigating organizational challenges, making it an invaluable guide for leaders and entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaways

• The Cycle of Innovation – Effective innovation is intentional and embedded into company culture, driven by an innovation team tasked with surfacing, testing, and implementing ideas.
• Breaking Revenue Ceilings – Small businesses often face growth plateaus due to overreliance on founders; collaboration, delegation, and external advisors can help overcome these challenges.
• Prevention Over Cure – Leaders should prioritize continuous innovation to avoid desperation-driven solutions during crises.
• Structured Idea Validation – A systematic approach to market validation, involving customer feedback and financial analysis, reduces risk and ensures alignment with business goals.
• Leadership’s Role in Innovation – Leadership should sponsor and support innovation initiatives, but remain hands-off during idea generation to encourage creativity.
• The Power of Data in Decision-Making – Businesses must identify and focus on the most relevant data points to track progress and ensure operational efficiency.
• Overcoming Fear of Change – Allocating budget and fostering openness to new ideas are critical to embracing innovation as a business growth driver.

Resources & Links

• Connect with Dave Seligsohn on LinkedIn

• Connect with Mark on LinkedIn
• Fuzzy Math - B2B & Enterprise UX Design Consultancy