What are you struggling with at the moment? A business issue? A design issue? A personal issue? Whatever the matter, rather than struggle alone, seek out advice from someone who can help you resolve it. You will learn something new, gain a new perspective, and be able to return to a more balanced, productive state of mind.

In this episode, Gail talks with Mike Agugliaro, founder of FuDog Group, an online firm focused on accelerating personal growth and mind growth. After starting, growing and selling several businesses, Mike decided to draw upon his own life and growth experiences to pursue his aim of helping others to remove suffering and to have life, business and wealth by design.

A self-made entrepreneur, Mike told Gail that he discovered early on that the way to resolve issues he was confronting, either personal or in his business, was to formulate a question about that issue and then ask it of someone smarter about the subject than he was. Be persistent and seek out the best experts you can find. Don’t let yourself get distracted by other matters until you get the issue resolved.

“If you ask the right question of the right people, the life that you desire is not that far away,” he said. Learn from someone else and get back to happiness as quickly as possible.

Gail asked Mike what his definition of success was. He replied that for him success is not what you achieve or acquire, rather it is a mental state. “Success is getting to the point of no matter what you want or what you desire, you can sit in a state of grace and be excited to be alive.”

From his years of experience coaching people, Mike said he has found two major reasons why people are struggling needlessly. Often, most of their pain and suffering is either old trauma, guilt and shame that they are still living with. They need to work toward letting go and living in the present. Also, a lot of people are struggling in their mind because they see only the downside when things go wrong. They should consider the upside of the downside. What is the opportunity being presented to them?

During the wide-ranging conversation, Mike and Gail also talked about the difference between knowledge and wisdom, what to consider when selling a business, and the importance of maintaining balance in your life in all things. For those insights and more, listen to the entire podcast.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s12e8-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

To learn more about Mike and the services offered by the FuDog Group, go to the firm’s website at fudoggroup.com.

Mike mentioned his book, Mind Power: The 17 Secrets Of Using Your Thoughts To Powerfully Accelerate Every Area Of Life. It’s available from online booksellers.

Mike also recommended two books: Three Feet from Gold: Turn Your Obstacles into Opportunities! Think and Grow Rich by Sharon L. Lechter and Greg S. Reid. Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell. Both are available from online booksellers.

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Mike, welcome to the Creative Genius podcast. I've been looking to our conversation for quite a while and you are up on the East Coast and hopefully safe from all the hurricane issues that are going on. Yeah, very safe and excited to be here, Gail. Well, it's our pleasure. So thanks for being here. I was thinking back, you and I met, my gosh, 2015. I know it was in a mastermind group. It's been a while. And I was just thinking about how

when I met you, you were just so quiet. You're very intent, you're thoughtful. That's the memory of my meeting with you. And what I've come to find out is how brilliant you are at business. And I'd love for you to share a little bit about your journey and how you got into doing what you're doing.

When builders and interior designers work together, magic happens. A well-built and well-designed home is a win-win for the builder and the homeowner. If you've never worked on a new construction project, you may be wondering how to tap into the high-end luxury home market. Start by educating yourself about what a builder needs and the value you bring as a designer.

In this episode, Gail talks with Brad Leavitt, president of AFT Construction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Founded in 2013, AFT Construction specializes in custom luxury homes. A key selling point for their properties is their meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of the home.

Given that some designers have found some high-end luxury clients have become more demanding and more difficult to work with post-pandemic, Gail asked Brad what his experience has been with this type of client. Brad said that by and large their clients tend to be collaborative, but there are some who are very demanding and want to be in control of the project. He attributed some of that to the fact that projects nowadays take longer to complete and at a higher cost. Clients want to be sure the end result lives up to their expectations.

Gail asked Brad if his firm works with interior designers. Brad replied absolutely. “I won’t do a project unless there’s an interior designer,” he said. “There’s a value the designer brings to the look of the home, to the feel of the home.” Usually it is the client who hires the designer, but Brad said his company has also sought out designers to work on projects.

For designers who are interested in working on new construction projects, Brad said they should start by building a relationship with the builder over a period of time. This could involve some face-to-face meetings and sharing some tips or industry information as a way of demonstrating your value. Get to know what the builder’s pain points are and how you can alleviate them.

Brad also talked about some of the technology he has introduced into his firm to streamline processes, improve document control, and facilitate coordination between the builder, designer and architect working on a project. He has found QR codes to be especially effective.

Wrapping up, Brad offered three pieces of advice he received when he was younger and which have guided him throughout his career:

Generosity precedes prosperity.

Chase experience, not money.

Leave things better because you were there.

For more details and insights, listen to the entire podcast.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s12e7-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

For more information about Brad and ATF Construction, go to the firm’s website at www.aftconstruction.com.

Brad mentioned a construction management software his firm uses, called Buildertrend. Among other functions, the software can produce the QR codes his firm uses for document control.

Another construction management software Brad mentioned is Bluebeam. Bluebeam helps construction teams connect office and field through an easily accessible single source of information that can be updated on the fly.

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Welcome to the Creative Genius podcast, Brad. I am so excited to have this conversation with you today. And I'd love for you to start by telling us how you became a builder. That's a really good question. I originally grew up in San Diego. My dad and uncles were all electricians. My grandfather, when he retired from the Navy, started electrical companies. So, you know, I grew up blue collar working in the trades through high school. And, you know, I definitely hated it when I was a teenager and kid. Like it just

You know, it's really hard work, you know, being at school and then over the summers work...

You don’t last 20-plus years in the interior design industry without learning a few valuable lessons along the way. While every interior design firm is unique, the principles of sound business management and marketing still apply. You can learn them the hard way, or you can learn them from others who’ve learned the hard way. The latter path is less of a steep and bumpy road to long-term growth and success.

In this episode, Gail talks with Katie Decker-Erickson, principal with Color Works Design, a company she founded in 2007. Although she started out focused solely on designing with color, clients kept asking her to include an ever-increasing number of interior design services. After working in residential design for several years, she came to realize she preferred commercial projects. Today, with a team of between 15 and 20, her firm specializes in hospitality, senior living, university facilities and housing, and multifamily housing.

Gail asked Katie what are some of the lessons she’s learned over the years about how to operate and market her business. Katie said first and foremost, you have to let go and be comfortable delegating work to others. To grow, she said, you need a vision and a team to execute on that vision. “It’s all about letting go to the right person for the right reason. You can’t do it all on your own.”

Furthermore, she said, “Figure out who is your target market and go hard. If you’re trying to be everything to everyone, you’re nothing to no one.” Take care of the clients you have, she added. They can become clients for life. Also, take care of your team and they will stay with you over the years.

Your business should not become a burden. “Your business should work for you, not you work for it.” Do some self-introspection, she advised. Figure out where is your happy place—i.e., what fulfills you and gives you joy—and pursue that. Let others do the other stuff. 

Over the years, Katie and her firm have experienced some good times and some not-so-good times. Just accept that these are normal business cycles. “Don’t be afraid to let your business expand and contract,” she said.

Gail and Katie also talked about how AI might impact the interior design industry and how Katie is using it now in her firm. They also discussed the importance of curating your firm’s culture. For those insights and more, listen to the entire podcast.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s12e6-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

For more information about Katie and her firm, go the website at colorworks.coach.

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Welcome to the podcast, Katie. I have a special guest today, Katie Decker Erickson, and I am so excited to have a conversation with you today. You and I had a good chat not too long ago and you've been doing interior design for a while now and I'd love to know about how you got into it.

That's so kind of you, Gail. I'm so honored to be here. And yeah, I don't know a while that's like a kind way of saying someone is seasoned, right? Which is code for old. And we're now at the age where we're giving back in our industry. Yeah. You know, it's funny. My journey to design was very unique. it wasn't traditional. Like I woke up my junior year of high school and decided I should do interior design. And that is what I love. And I'm going to go pursue that in college. I actually didn't come to interior design until I was in. Gosh, early twenties.

It was after I had my master's degree in business administration that I went I want to start a business and I love creating and I need to use the left and right side of my brains or my brain to feel like satisfied at the end of the day and It was funny. I was actually fixing and flipping houses at the time or condos and ...

Interior design is demanding work, involving thousands of detailed decisions, project challenges and competing personalities. That can give rise to a lot of friction and stress. While you can’t eliminate every stressor, you can minimize them by establishing good project management practices and cultivating mental fitness.

In this episode, Gail talks with mental fitness coach Janine Aurichio. A self-titled “Joy Master,” Janine offers an approach she calls Life Styling that trains interior designers to build the capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive mindset rather than getting stressed or upset for breakthrough results in their life and business. “I believe our true nature and essence is joy,” she says.

Gail asked Janine why she chose to focus on working with designers. She said that after working in the industry for twenty years she has come to admire what designers do and bring to the world. “What they do is part science and part magic,” she said, adding “beauty is my core value.”

Janine said that from what she’s seen in her practice the biggest challenges for many designers are twofold. They have an internal challenge of maintaining command over their mind and mindset, in part because they have many demands on themselves and many distractions. In addition, they have an external challenge because they lack or do not utilize a well-oiled process for managing their projects and other aspects of their business operations.

“Good project management leads to more and better projects, more profit and more peace of mind,” she explained. It should be core to every interior design business.

As well, Janine identified what she sees as the three biggest mistakes designers make when managing their projects. A major one is that they think of the client as the center of the project rather than of the project itself. They are afraid to communicate truth to the client for fear of being reprimanded or even fired. They don’t have a plan for executing the project, or they have one but don’t follow it.

Janine went on to talk about how designers can better deal with their internal challenges by learning to manage their mindset. She described a four-step process that she teaches to rewire negative ways of thinking in order to develop positive intelligence. The goal, she said, is to achieve mental fitness, which she defined as your capacity to handle life’s challenges with a positive response or mindset.

Gail and Janine also discussed why good project management is so crucial to the success of a design business, the major types of “saboteurs” that contribute to negative thinking, and the steps designers can take to improve their mental fitness and boost creative flow. Get all the details by listening to the entire podcast.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s12e5-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

Download the Drama-Free Projects Guide PDF here: https://www.yes2yum.com/drama-free

You'll also find other resources that Janine mentioned on the podcast on her website.

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Today we have Janine Arricchio on our podcast and her superpower is managing design projects. And her zone of genius is the inside job of managing your mindset for peak performance, thriving relationships, and maximizing happiness. And today we're going to explore the outside in and inside out ways of creating drama-free projects. And wouldn't we all love that? Welcome to the Creative Genius podcast, Janine.

Thank you, Gail. It's great to be here with you and your listeners, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity. it's so great. I love your LinkedIn post or listing that says you're a joy master. So tell us about how you came up with that title. Yes. Well,

It seems like everyone nowadays has a podcast. So why not you? Although one might argue that there are far too many podcasts, they are extremely popular ways of consuming information. Like blogs and videos, different podcasts attract different audiences, offering something for everyone. That makes them a great medium for marketing and building brand awareness if you tap into the right niche.

In this episode, Gail talks with Nicole Lashae Ben, CEO and founder of Thrive in Design, a web-based firm that specializes in empowering exceptional design-focused brands to tell their stories through impactful product launches and podcasts. A seasoned expert in the interior design industry with over 17 years of experience working in firms and with manufacturers, Nicole found her true calling in helping interior design firms and product companies boost brand awareness and revenue by telling their unique stories.

Gail asked Nicole why interior designers might want to consider podcasting. She said, “You should be podcasting if you want to establish yourself as an expert and authority in whatever it is that you are doing.” Podcasts are an effective way of building brand awareness, broadening audience reach, and giving value to clients and prospective clients.

Before diving into podcasting, advised Nicole, think about who the audience is that you’re trying to attract and what your goal is in attracting them. “Your podcast is a marketing tool, a sales tool,” she said. “Think about what call to action you want people to take as result of listening to the podcast.”

Whether you choose a video or only an audio format, realize that producing a podcast takes a fair amount of time and resources. You have to develop topics or themes for your individual podcasts. You need to identify, invite and schedule time with guest participants. You have to record and edit the podcast. Once in its final form, you have to upload the podcast to the various platforms that distribute podcasts. Usually, this requires a team of support and technical folks to make it manageable. However, the results can be quite rewarding.

Nicole also talked about what kind of content to develop for your podcast, how to get the most from your investment by repurposing your content in various ways, and some of the tools she uses to prepare and distribute her podcast. For all that and more, listen to the entire podcast.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s12e4-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

For more information about Nicole and Thrive in Design, go to the firm’s website at www.thriveindesign.co.

Gail and Nicole mentioned Zoom and several other software programs useful for podcasters:

Klap - This is an app used to create short videos from longer videos for use on TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms. More information at klap.app.

Riverside - This is an online studio for high-quality podcast and video recording and editing. You can use it for live video events as well as for editing text, audio and video. More information at riverside.fm.

Garage Band - This is Apple’s video editing app. It comes standard on Apple smartphones, tablets and computers.

Pod Bean - This is an app for recording, editing, publishing and distributing podcasts. More information at www.podbean.com.

Izotope - This is an audio mixing and mastering software. More information at www.izotope.com.

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Welcome. Today we have Nicole Lachey-Benn. She is our guest on the Creative Genius podcast. Welcome, Nicole. Thank you So good to have you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited about this conversation today. it'll be so great. Well, tell us a little bit about your background in the interior design industry.

All designers aim to create environments for their clients that will improve their lives and support their health and wellness. In the execution of those designs, that often focus on functionality and aesthetics, other areas of wellbeing may get overlooked. Taking a broader, more holistic approach to client needs and the connection of the space to the natural environment can produce additional benefits.

In this episode, Gail welcomes back to the podcast Matthew Tenzin, principal designer with Joe McGuire Design, with offices in Aspen, Boulder and Denver, Colorado. Previously Matthew appeared in an episode with the firm’s founder and partner, Joe McGuire. A former Buddhist monk, Matthew has had a lifelong love for creativity and interconnectivity with spirituality and the natural world.

In 2017, Joe and Matthew launched a Holistic Design Consultancy, now known as Home Within, where they focus on offering the healthy, sustainable and energy-balancing aspects of their design process. Matthew explained that their method is to examine the project in the context of five levels of holistic wellbeing in the home, taking a top-down approach. Those are the spiritual and/or sacred level, a wellness vision, symbolic or meaningful level, sensory level and functional level.

Matthew said that normally the energetic level in the home is not addressed in traditional building and design. He explained that spaces contain residual energies from previous inhabitants that can affect the current residents, either for good or for ill. From an energy perspective, the space may be out of balance and require cleansing before any other work is undertaken.

Connectivity is also central to their process. Matthew urged designers to make more of an effort to connect with their clients. “If only the designer could just breathe and slow down for a minute to connect with client, it’s amazing what can come out of that,” he said. Connecting to the natural environment is also essential. “If we can’t connect to the planet and the whole from our home, where are we going to do that?” he noted.

Matthew also talked about how the firm is using a new wellness space they opened up next to their studio and their work with indigenous communities in the rain forests of South America.

Listen to the entire podcast for more details and insights from Matthew.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s12e3-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

For more information about Matthew and Joe McGuire Design, go to the firm’s website at www.joemcguiredesign.com.

For more information about their wellness consultancy, Home Within, go to the firm’s website at www.homewithin.com.

Listen to the previous podcast with Matthew and Joe discussing ways designers can break out of the cycle of constant business ups and downs.

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Welcome to the Creative Genius podcast, Matthew. You've been with us before, but our listeners might not have heard that episode. So we're gonna dive right in. So how did you become a designer? Tell us about that. Well, hi, Gail. Thanks for having me back. Of course. It's wonderful. I always love chatting with you and I'm excited to get to talk a little more with your listeners. So yeah, I became an interior designer in a little bit of an unusual way.

didn't go to design school, my background was more, I was more interested in fine art. And even though as a kid, I told people I wanted to be an interior designer, I grew up in a very conservative Christian family and community. And I think at the time when I said I wanted to be an interior designer, it was a teacher and I can't remember which one said, well, that's what women do. So you should be an architect. And so that sort of planted a seed of.

Many interior designers are uncomfortable with the idea of selling their services to a client. For them, the word “selling” carries a connotation of persuading someone to buy something that maybe they don’t want or can’t afford. There are other ways to approach a sale, however. Keep in mind that prospective clients are looking for help from you, the expert. Explain to them what you have to offer and explore whether you are a good fit for each other.

In this episode, Gail talks with Shannyn Lee, managing director of Win Without Pitching, based in Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada. Shannyn stated the firm seeks to help people in the interior design industry and others to learn to sell more professionally.

Shannyn stressed that designers need to accept that “it’s okay to sell and price like the experts they are.” She said a professional sales approach is a combination of understanding the client’s mindset and then giving them a framework for the different conversations that happen during the sales process. Let them know they have choices and options.

From the designer’s perspective, said Shannyn, think of the discussion with the prospective client not as an opportunity to pitch a sale but as a qualifying conversation. Leave room for the client to open up and talk about what they want, what’s motivating them to make a change. You’re looking to see if you’re a good fit for each other. You may find that you have reservations about taking on this project or working with this client.

“It’s okay to have power in the sale,” said Shannon. She advises that before meeting with the prospective client that designers repeat a helpful mantra: “I am the expert. I am the price to be won. I am on a mission to help. I will only be able to help you if you let me lead. All will not follow, and that is okay.”

For many designers, Shannyn said, it’s a matter of getting “comfortably uncomfortable” with selling. They just need to shift their mindset that it’s okay. “When you have the right mindset, typically the correct behaviors follow.” Keep in mind it takes a lot of practice to build up your confidence. Work on your skills and give it time.

Shannyn noted some common mistakes designers make when selling or pitching a project. She also discussed why the better option for some designers might be not to sell but rather to hire a business development person to handle that side of the business.

For all that and more, listen to the entire podcast.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s12e2-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

For more information about Win Without Pitching, including the many resources they have available, go to the firm’s website at www.winwithoutpitching.com.

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Welcome to the podcast, Shannon. I am so excited to have you on here. Thank you, Gail. I am too. I've been looking forward to this, so thanks for having me on. it's my pleasure. Well, we met in a mastermind, and it has been a lot of fun. And I have found out what great expertise you have in an area that I think will be great for our listeners today, which is sales, especially for people in the services business. Yes.

I can't wait to talk about that. But first, I have to ask you a few questions that are a little bit personal, and I would love to hear about these. And we asked this question about what your biggest life lesson was. Why don't you share with us what you shared? So I have to remember honestly what I shared, but I'll tell you what I think I shared. Okay.

There's a lot of life lessons, but I know one that made a big impact on me was when I was fired from a job. And it definitely was humbling, but also lit a fire. And what I mean by that was it caused me to take a hard look at who I was and what I w...

Sometimes a designer latches onto a particular period or style and builds their career around it. It may appeal to their sense of aesthetics or taste. Or it may speak them in more profound ways. They look for clients who also respond to that style and adapt when possible to meet that client’s needs.

In this episode, Gail talks with Christopher Kennedy, principal, Christopher Kennedy in Palm Springs, California. Christopher has a B.A. in architecture and an MBA in finance. He has been labeled an architectural designer but considers himself an interior designer, not an architect. He designs interiors, not buildings. He is the author of California Modern and Making Mid-Century Modern.

Christopher related his journey of how he eventually found his way to becoming an interior designer. He said that from a young age he was interested in creating positive environments for people. Although he is perhaps best known for his revival of mid-century modern design, he stressed that above all he thinks about how his clients will be impacted by the spaces he designs.

As designers, he said, “we’re not like selling a chair or a pillow. We’re really creating the home where someone is going to live out their human drama.”

Gail asked Christopher about his own books and what books he’s been reading lately. He mentioned a few titles and added that he basically reads three types of books, those on healing, spirituality and business.

In addition to his interiors work, Christopher has also developed a furniture line and currently has a number of licensing agreements with various manufacturers. In the future, he said, he would like to try his hand at designing fabrics, lighting and perhaps some smaller accessories, such as mirrors.

Christopher is a strong believer in giving back. Some years ago he created the Christopher Kennedy Compound showhouse in Palm Springs and helped to establish a Modernism week celebrating local design. Showhouses are not for everyone, he acknowledged, but there are many other ways designers can contribute to their communities. “We all have ways that we can give,” he said.

To learn more about Christopher and his work, listen to the entire podcast.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s12e1-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

To learn more about Christopher and to read his blog, go the firm’s website at www.christopherkennedy.com.

Christopher’s book, Making Mid-Century Modern, is available from online booksellers. His other book, California Modern, is currently out of print but available from used booksellers.

Gail asked what Christoper was currently reading, He said,

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well by Gabrielle Lyon

He also said he was reading various writings by Abraham Hicks, who writes about manifesting and related topics.

Gail mentioned the book, Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential by Brian Johnson. She called it inspiring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac-6UZBkbQo&pp=ygUYcGVhcmwgY29sbGVjdGl2ZSBwb2RjYXN0

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So Christopher, welcome. So glad to have you on the podcast. Thank you, Gail. I've been a fan of yours for a long time, as you know, and I'm thrilled to be here. it's just a delight for us. I want to start off and talk a little bit. We're going to dive into your background and all of that, but I want to go to your About page on your website. love that About page. So please share that with us.

sure. You mean the one that talks about like I believe in humanity? Is that the copy? Yeah, that's the one. I happen to have it here. okay,

Interior designers deal with hundreds, if not thousands, of details every day. It only takes one slip-up to jeopardize a project and potentially lose a client. Being well organized can help prevent mistakes from happening or deadlines falling through the cracks. You need someone on your team with top-notch project management skills.

In this episode, Gail talks with Kathleen DiPaolo, founder and CEO of Kathleen DiPaolo Designs, based in Newport Beach, California. Kathleen also operates a website and a blog called Return on Interiors dedicated to helping designers take control of their businesses. For the past several years she has been living abroad and attributes her ability to keep operating her design business remotely to being well organized.

Kathleen recounted that she has been obsessed with being well-organized since she was very young. “It gives me a sense of calm and frees up space in my mind to do what I need to do,” she said.

Over time, Kathleen also has found that it is a competitive advantage for her business. As a client, she said, “you want to have the organized designer working for you.” In her experience, clients have greater respect and confidence in you as a designer. They also will pay more because they trust you will save them time and money.

For an interior design firm, a key component of being organized is having top-notch project management. Kathleen defined project management as organized processes. Usually these are processes that are frequently repeated. Standardizing them makes the business more efficient and effective by helping to prevent mistakes, avoiding duplicating routine work, and improving communication among members of the team and with clients.

“We’re creatives, but you have to keep the machine going, even when you don’t want to,” she said. She suggested designers who can’t afford to hire or outsource someone to do project management start with a simple project, such as setting up a digital file structure for documents, to begin to get better organized. As a next step, she recommended “taking something that’s repeatedly a roadblock or time suck, and building a better process around it.” Begin to develop a repository of these processes.

In her conversation with Gail, Kathleen also talked about her experiences living abroad and some of the challenges and life lessons she’s picked up along the way. Listen to the entire podcast to get all the details.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s11e10-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

For more information about Kathleen and her design firm, go to the website www.kathleendipaolodesigns.com.

To learn more about Kathleen’s Return on Interiors time savings and organizational tactics system, and to read her blog, go to www.returnoninteriors.com.

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Welcome to Creative Genius. Kathleen, it's so great to see you. So where are you living these days? Gail, I'm so happy to be here. Thank you for inviting me. Of course. am here in London right now. So I've been here for about two years now, believe it or not. my gosh. You have been on quite the journey. As long as I've known you, you started, I believe, in India? Yes. When I first knew you. And then from there, you went to?

Budapest I was there for four and a half years and then moved here. So I was in India for two years too. So two and four and a half and now I've been here too. Wow. Are you ever coming back to the U S I really thought maybe we would be doing that at the end of this second year, but we just found out.

last week or the week before that we'll be staying for another year and they said it's a little open-ended. So you never know. my gosh. Well, that is so different. So what is it like being an expat and being gone for...

In his 2020 account of his 15 years as CEO of the Disney empire, The Ride of a Lifetime, Roger Iger proclaimed the maxim, "Innovate or Die". It quickly became a mantra for business executives and would-be executives hoping to emulate Disney’s phenomenal success. Whether or not you share the same sense of passion and urgency for innovation as Iger does, the fact is that some degree of innovation is needed for any business to maintain competitiveness and move forward. Knowing how to apply innovation to your business can be a strategic advantage.

In this episode, Gail talks with consultant Jeff Standridge, based in Conway, Arkansas. Jeff also teaches in the College of Business at The University of Arkansas. He is the author of The Innovator's Field Guide: Accelerators for Entrepreneurs, Innovators and Change Agents and The Top Performers Field Guide: Catalysts for Leaders, Innovators and All Who Aspire to Be.

Innovation, as Jeff defines it, is “planned change directed at better ways than we are currently doing things today.” He identified three types of innovation that occur in businesses: incremental, breakthrough, and disruptive. Innovation, he said, is happening exponentially in today’s businesses. Much of it is driven by new technologies, such as the digital revolution and AI.

Gail asked Jeff how owners can apply innovation to their businesses. He said designers already have expertise in one of the main tools for innovation, design thinking. Beyond that, he said, first learn what innovation is and how it can impact a business, utilize an innovation process, conduct quantitative and qualitative research to determine what things in your business could be done better than how they’re being done today. Having identified those things and confirmed that they are things that are negatively impacting the business, develop solutions and implement them.

Gail also asked Jeff what key messages from his book he would like to share with listeners. He offered the following:

Sustained success comes from the ability to balance results and relationships.

Failure is only failure if you quit.

The only thing required for innovation to occur is a constraint.

To hear why Jeff believes innovation and leadership are inseparable and other insights, listen to the entire podcast.

If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s11e9-shownotes

Mentioned in This Podcast

To learn more about Jeff and to contact him, go to the firm’s website at jeffstandridge.com.

You will also find information about his books and a page with a list of his podcasts and videos. You can also message Jeff through his page on LinkedIn.

Jeff recommended the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni. Both Jeff and Gail recommended another book by the same author, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business. Both are available from online booksellers.

Gail mentioned the book The Obstacle Is the Way: the Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday.

In speaking about their use of AI, Gail and Jeff mentioned a couple of AI tools they are currently using. Gail mentioned one called Granola, a self-described AI notepad for meetings. Jeff recommended a site called Auxigen, a library of AI-driven tools that bills itself as the “the world's first Entrepreneurial Support Platform.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SCaDSkYCPs

Episode Transcript

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Well, welcome to the Creative Genius podcast. this we have today, our guest, Jeff Standridge, and he is from Arkansas. And we were just sharing with each other before we started the recording today that I also lived in Arkansas for about 10 years of my life. So I'm glad to meet with another Arkansan. There you go. That's right. How are you doing,