Igniting Innovation

Igniting Innovation

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Igniting Innovation episodes

  • Jason Mars shares Artificial Intelligence Monsters and Myths
    "the one about The Art of the Possible"

    Prof. Jason Mars PhD is one of the world leaders in the realm of "conversational artificial intelligence" (THE world leader by my personal assessment!). He is on a mission to have a meaningful impact on the lives of every human and if you take a look at what he and his team at Clinc.com have achieved so far, he is certainly on track to do exactly that!

    If you have even the slightest interest in artificial intelligence, you will be well aware that there are MANY Monsters and Myths associated with it - how many times have you heard "the robots are going to replace us" and other such scary stories? Jason is determined to demonstrate the enormous potential that artificial intelligence has to transform our lives and our work - starting with revolutionising the way that we interact with technology by using the most natural communication interface available to us as humans - VOICE.

    In this episode, Jason shares the most common barriers to artificial intelligence adoption that he most frequently encounters:-

    1. the Monster of Training an AI - the thought of which prevents people from even starting out in the first place
    2. the Monster of Scale - where things can work well in a lab but often not in the real world
    3. the Myth that "an AI company is a Tech company" - spoiler alert, tech is less important than ....... (you'll have to watch / listen to find the answer)

      4. Jason has recently shared his artificial intelligence journey to date in his book "Breaking Bots" which is available right NOW and is well worth a read to find out more about his background (which might surprise you) and his philosophy that is driving the future for us all.

      How many Monsters & Myths could we
      CONQUER TOGETHER?

      Click here to find out more!

      You can see the full video of the interview here or listen to the audio on your favourite platform by clicking on the links below.

      You can find out more, follow and connect with Jason Mars on:-

      LinkedIn :- https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjasonmars/

      Personal Website :- https://www.jasonmars.org/

      Company Website :- https://clinc.com/

      Twitter :- https://twitter.com/drjasonmars

       

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      The post Jason Mars shares Artificial Intelligence Monsters and Myths appeared first on Andrew Vorster.

      50 min
    4. Stan Horwitz shares Digital Transformation Monsters and Myths
      "the one about Digital Transformation"

      Stan Horwitz is an internationally certified and accredited Master OD, Change and HR specialist (UK CIPD Fellow equivalent) who has encountered many Monsters and Myths over the course of his career as he strives to drive change and transformation across organisations.

      Stan and I go waaaaaay back however as we met in our teens while serving 2 years active duty in the South African Defence Force together. Back then, we faced many real barriers and obstacles that we had to learn to overcome and although the physical and emotional scars have long since healed, we learned many lessons which we still aplly to our lives to this day.

      How many Monsters & Myths could we
      CONQUER TOGETHER?

      Click here to find out more!

      In this interview he shines the light on :-

      1. the "Myth of Digital Transformation" - that is widely perpetuated these days
      2. the "Monster of Digital Transformation" - when the Myth becomes a Monster
      3. the "Known Monster" - which forces us to question if what we think we know is true

        4. The full video interview with Stan Horwitz can be found here or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.

        If you'd like to hear more from Stan and follow what he is up to then you can call or whatsapp him on +447307070606 or find him on LinkedIn here:-

        LinkedIn :- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanhorwitz/

         

        Go back to the podcast playlist

         

        The post Stan Horwitz shares Digital Transformation Monsters and Myths appeared first on Andrew Vorster.

        43 min
      4. Becky Downing shares the biggest Monsters and Myths encountered by Entrepreneurs
        "the one with the viruses"

        Becky Downing is a serial entrepreneur who started trying to change the world way back when she was still in school (it didn't go as planned - you'll have to watch / listen to find out what happened).
        She went on to be one of the few female founders globally that has raised in excess of £20 million in Angel and VC funding for her startups and was recognised as "One of the 200 most influential people in Tech (UK)" in 2015.
        But the journey of an entrepreneur does not always end in Unicornville, even though it might look like you're headed in that direction. The road has many unexpected twists and turns and sadly the current pandemic was just one obstacle too many for Becky to overcome.
        I am honoured that this is the very first time her story has been shared, complete with all the ups and downs, as she slowly recovers from "co-dependicitus" (given the current circumstances, she has most appropriately decided to give each one of the Monsters and Myths Virus names!!).
        How many Monsters & Myths could we
        CONQUER TOGETHER?
        Click here to find out more!
        In this highly entertaining and extremely informative interview, Becky discusses:-

        * "Big Idea Influenza" - where you catch more than a cold
        * "Ignoramus Passionitis" - which can have servere side effects
        * "Timing-19" - which can be as devestating as the pandemic
        * "Co-dependicitis" - which is an extremely painful affliction

        The full video interview with Becky Downing can be found here or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.

        If you'd like to hear more from Becky and follow what she is up to then you can find her on LinkedIn here:-
        LinkedIn :- https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckydowning/

         

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        45 min
      5. Monsters And Myths impact mental health of entrepreneurs and founders – Kent Vorland
        "the one about Mental Health"

        Kent Vorland is no stranger to Change and Transformation. Having started his career in the Norwegian Air-force, progressing on to gaining an Economics degree in the USA after which he spent time on Wall street before moving to the UK to start his own consultancy and then taking on the position of CEO at SimplyPayMe, it's been one hell of a ride.
        But Kent didn't want to be introduced by any flash titles for this session, choosing rather to simply be introduced as "a Passionate Person".
        Passionate about Mental Health that is.
        Kent has suffered first hand the Mental Health havoc caused by the common Monsters & Myths faced by Entrepreneurs, Founders and those working in early stage Startups - and he wants to share his warnings and his advice with those considering starting out on the journey.
        How many Monsters & Myths could we
        CONQUER TOGETHER?
        Click here to find out more!
        In this interview, Kent calls out:-

        * the Myth of "giving it your all" - which is believed to guarantee success
        * the "Hustle, hustle, hustle" myth - that is preached by many
        * the "#startuplife" myth - that is perpetuated across social media
        * the "Toxicity" monster - and what it will do to you if you let it

        The full video interview with Kent can be found here or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.

        This ended up being a much longer episode than usual - but I thought Mental Health is far too important a topic to cut short to fit into the standard show format - I hope you get a chance to listen / watch all the way to the end.
        You can find out more from Kent here:-
        LinkedIn :- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kent-vorland/
        Instagram :- https://www.instagram.com/kentvorland/
        Twitter :- https://twitter.com/BizDevMentor

         

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        55 min
      6. S2E010 Rosie and Faris Yakob – Creative Monsters and Myths
        "the one with the inner critic"

        Rosie and Faris Yakob are the geniuses behind the nomadic creative consultancy Genius Steals. They have traveled the world and worked with amazing individuals and organisations of all sizes, accumulating a long list of accolades and achievements along the way.
        To me they are the epitomy of creativity and as creativity is a core component of innovation, I knew that they would have encountered many Monsters and Myths in their lives as they continually push the boundaries of possibility!
        How many Monsters & Myths could we
        CONQUER TOGETHER?
        Click here to find out more!
        I was keen to hear what they deem to be the biggest barriers on the path to progress and the ensuing conversation was both entertaining and intellectually stimulating as they shared:-

        * The "Inner Critic Monster" - that we all have to deal with at some point
        * The "Myth of Originality" - nothing is truly new ...........
        * The "Myth of Personal Advertising" - that has become a Monster in today's world

        The full video interview with Rosie and Faris can be found here or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.

        You can find out more about them on:-
        Their newsletter, Strands of Genius :- http://geniussteals.substack.com (HIGHLY recommended weekly dose of inspiration and provocation)
        Website :- https://geniussteals.co/
        The School of Stolen Genius :- http://schoolofstolengeni.us
        Twitter :- @rosieyakob @faris

         

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        34 min
      7. S2E09 Adrian Holt – Innovation Monsters and Myths
        "the one with the 20 storey multi-headed monster"

        Adrian Holt has had a long career in the military, where he was a founding member of the MOD's jHUB innovation facility before moving onto his current role as Head of Defence at Capita Consulting.
        I met Adrian at an event where he had shared a fascinating presentation about the challenges of open innovation and collaborating with the startup community from while working within the confines and culture of the military. His presentation left me with one overarching question - "if the military can find a way, what's stopping YOU???".
        How many Monsters & Myths could we
        CONQUER TOGETHER?
        Click here to find out more!
        Adrian has of course encountered a plethora of Monsters and Myths on his journey to date and in this session he covers:-

        * The Myth that "innovation is all about creativity" - which of course it isn't
        * The Myth of "the Frozen Middle (management)" - it's not them, it's you ........
        * The "Multi-headed Monster of Integration" - the biggest one described (visually) on the show so far!

        He also throws in the "Toxic Innovation" monster - just for good measure 🙂
        There are many interesting insights Adrian shares that will make you pause for thought.
        The full video interview with Adrian Holt can be found here on YouTube or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.

        If you'd like to find out more about him or get in contact, you can find him on LinkenIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianflholt/

         

        Go back to the podcast playlist

        39 min
      8. S2E08 Robert Wood – Innovation Monsters and Myths
        "the one with the Bloody Mary"

        Robert (Rob) Wood embodies innovation, although that's not something you will ever hear him say about himself!
        This former Marine turned Drinks Iconoclast has a slew of awards under his belt gained via his grounbreaking and entrepreneurial achievements and yet he introduces himself as "a bartender" ....... which in my personal opinion is akin to Heston Blumenthal introducing himself as a "cook" ............
        Rob has encountered many Monsters and Myths on his journey so far and he shares some of the ways they manifest themselves within his industry, which are in fact applicable to any and all industries I've worked within.
        How many Monsters & Myths could we
        CONQUER TOGETHER?
        Click here to find out more!
        In this session we discuss:-

        * The Monster of "Innovation for innovation's sake" - just because you can, doesn't mean you should
        * The Myth that "Doing it all yourself is always better" - when it's often best to collaborate with a specialist
        * The Myth that "Money can buy success" - money really can't buy you everything!

        The full video interview with Robert Wood can be found here on YouTube or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.

        If you'd like to find out more about him or get in contact, you can find him on:-
        Instagram:- @bonvivantbartender  https://www.instagram.com/bonvivantbartender/
        Twitter:- @InRobWeTrust https://twitter.com/InRobWeTrust
        And if you are interested in having one of the best flavour experiences in your life ........ you need to check out https://1881birmingham.co.uk/ and get to one of their popups or grab some of their limited edition "at home" releases - your taste buds will thank you!!

         

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        29 min
      9. S2E07 Innovation Monsters and Myths – Marc Dowd
        "the one with the electronic suggestion box"

        I've known Marc for many years - ever since he was (unfortunately for him) assigned as my "CIO Advisor" by the organisation he was working for at the time. I quickly grew to trust his advice and I valued the many and varied conversations we've had over the years - and not just because he shares a common passion for motorcycles! (Don't worry, sadly we don't talk about them in the show).
        As a CIO advisor, Marc has encountered many more Monsters and Myths than most as he gets to see and hear about them across all his clients and organisations he advises - so I was really pleased when he agreed to be on the show.
        How many Monsters & Myths could we
        CONQUER TOGETHER?
        Click here to find out more!
        Marc's top 3 list is composed of:-

        * The Myth of "the Need for Innovation" - Marc asks "why?"
        * The Monster of the "electronic suggestion box"
        * The Myth of "Who Needs to be Involved" - it's probably not who you think should be

        The full video interview with Marc Dowd can be found here on YouTube or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.

        If you'd like to find out more about Marc, you can reach out to him on:-
        LinkedIn:- https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcdowd/
        Twitter:- @MarcDowd -  https://twitter.com/MarcDowd
         

         

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        32 min
      10. S2E06 Innovation Monsters and Myths – Katryna Dow
        "the one with the plane crash"

        Katryna Dow, CEO and Founder of Meeco.me specifically requested that we record this episode on Friday 13th November ........ not just any Friday 13th, but a Friday 13th in 2020!!! Given how the year has gone so far I figured "what the heck - it can't get any worse now can it??".
        Thankfully the interview went off without a hitch 😜
        Having got to know Katryna quite well over the last 6 or so years and having had MANY meandering conversations about life, the universe and everything, I knew that once we got going, the conversation would go in unexpected directions and it certainly did - instead of focussing purely on the negatives in the form of barriers and obstacles, Katryna shares words of hope and encouragement for startup founders, changemakers and dreamers everywhere!
        How many Monsters & Myths could we
        CONQUER TOGETHER?
        Click here to find out more!
        The conversation roamed across:-

        * The Mindset Monsters - both the ones you face in the form of the fixed mindsets of others and the Monster of self doubt that most founders face at some point in their journey
        * The Misconception that we are not accountable for unintended consequences of our actions
        * The Magic of Signposts - the often overlooked need to be aware of the signs along the way

        The full video interview with Katryna Dow can be found here on YouTube or you can listen to the podcast right now using the player below OR simply subscribe to your favourite platform using the links below.

        If you'd like to find out more about Katryna and Meeco, take a look here:-
        LinkedIn:- https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrynadow/
        Twitter:- https://twitter.com/katrynadow
        Meeco website :- https://meeco.me/  and a great 1 minute explainer video of what Meeco is all about can be found here:- https://meeco.wistia.com/medias/363hhq0gtx
        Meeco Twitter :- https://twitter.com/meeco_me

         

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        40 min

      About Igniting Innovation

      From the publisher's feed

      Inspiring individuals and organisations to THINK and BE more innovative in everything you do