In this illuminating episode of Innovation Storytellers, I sit down with the Wall Street Journal best-selling author, INK Magazine columnist, and Co-founder of Praxie.com, Soren Kaplan, Ph.D. Recognized as a top management thought leader by Thinkers 50 and Business Insider, Kaplan brings his profound expertise in new business models and disruptive innovation to the table.

Kaplan, who previously led the strategy and innovation group at HP, shares invaluable insights into the world of startups, asserting that sales are the cornerstone of innovation. With a deep connection with customers and an understanding of their needs, there's more room for innovation.

Not only does Kaplan discuss the power of sales and customer connection, but he also delves into the transformative potential of personal experiences. Drawing from his own past, he reveals how seemingly small events can significantly shape our beliefs and how these beliefs can both limit and expand us in different ways. Kaplan's journey highlights the importance of empathy in business and the value of understanding people's motivations.

Moreover, Kaplan discusses the necessity of out-of-the-box tools for innovators and leaders, sharing how his platform Praxie.com provides instant, accessible solutions for lean startup work and business case creation. Today, Praxie is home to thousands of different tools that help 60,000 monthly visitors navigate their innovation journeys.

Join us as we explore Kaplan's concept of 'experiential intelligence,' his philosophy of learning from failures and successes, and how he applies these insights to propel himself and others towards a more innovative future. Listen in as this Commodore 64 video game contest winner (at age 13!) shares his unique insights into the world of innovation. If you're an innovator at heart, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Charlie Tuxworth, Founder and Director of Celsio, joins me in exploring the fascinating world of innovation. We discuss the challenges, joys, and excitements of creating a universal standard around innovation. Is it possible? Can it be applied to everyone, both inside and outside of corporations? Tune in to learn more.

Charlie is an expert in helping companies set a clear direction for innovation and develop the capability and confidence to deliver it. He shares his journey from taking on the innovation brief in a UK financial services company in 2013 to founding Celsio and co-founding Innovate Island. 

Listen in as Charlie discusses the challenges he faced when tasked with making a company "more innovative," revealing the power of diverse perspectives and finding better ways to solve problems. Charlie shares his captivating stories, from his experiences with international innovation consultants to the inspiration he drew from Winnie the Pooh in finding creative solutions. 

This interview will leave you pondering the importance of innovation and the potential for a universal standard that could change how we approach and think about innovation across industries.

In this episode, I am joined by Paul Orlando, founder of Startups Unplugged and professor of entrepreneurship at USC. We explore the ins and outs of integrating startups, accelerators, and groundbreaking innovations into the processes of large companies. With a wealth of experience in building startup accelerators around the world and mentoring founders, Paul shares valuable insights on how to navigate the complex world of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Listen in as we discuss the role of accelerators in speeding up the process of connecting startups with potential investors and customers. Paul emphasizes the importance of accelerator management, knowing when and how to make appropriate introductions, and how this can impact a founder's success. He also shares his thoughts on the prerequisites of an excellent accelerator experience and the challenges startups may face when working with corporate accelerators.

Paul shares his knowledge and experience on how accelerators can help startups thrive in today's competitive landscape. This episode is packed with valuable insights and stories that will inspire and guide anyone looking to navigate the world of startups and accelerators.

In today's special double-header episode, I sit down with Carrie Chambliss, former VP of Innovation at Jacobs, and Valerie Van den Keybus, Managing Partner at Cosmos Collective, to explore the power of collaboration in driving innovation.

Carrie and Valerie share their experiences working together in a 14-week intensive program that combined design thinking, lean experimentation, and agile methodologies to uncover new growth opportunities. They discuss the importance of making assumptions, creating experiments, and iterating based on learnings—all while staying agile and adaptive.

Listen in as they delve into the significance of validating and invalidating ideas and how this can lead to expedited decision-making and better results. Learn how teamwork, storytelling, and a strong focus on customer feedback can shape the success of innovative projects. Take advantage of this engaging conversation about the ins and outs of corporate innovation, collaboration, and the pursuit of new opportunities.

In this episode,  I'm embarking on a fascinating journey into the dynamic realm of financial services, compliance, guidance, and governance. As we explore the intersections of Web1, Web2, and Web3, we'll dive into these evolving technologies' impact on our growth strategies and product design.

Join me in a conversation with Aviad Stein, Global Head of Innovation and Corporate Strategy at Broadridge. With an impressive background in financial services, e-commerce, and other tech-related industries, Aviad is a former Bloomberg and Dun and Bradstreet executive. His expertise in ideation, incubation, and scaling new products and business opportunities has made him a force to be reckoned with.

We discuss how Aviad's focus on understanding consumers helps drive innovation within large corporations. We'll also explore the role of innovation labs, incubators, accelerators, and other tools in meeting customers' needs. Finally, we'll delve into the power of storytelling to foster innovative ideas within organizations like yours. Take advantage of this captivating episode filled with insights and inspiration!

This week, on The Innovation Storytellers Show, I dive into a fascinating and sticky conversation with Jayshree Seth, Corporate Scientist and Chief Science Advocate at 3M. As the creator of everyone's favorite product, the Post-It Note, 3M has left an indelible mark on note-taking and organization. 

In this episode, we explore Jayshree's incredible journey from her start in 1993 with a PhD in chemical engineering to holding 77 patents and becoming the first female engineer inducted into the Carleton Society 3M Science and Innovation Hall of Fame. In addition, we discuss her two books, her role in the 2021 docu-series "Not the Science Type," and her passion for innovation, leadership, and STEM advocacy.

Tune in to this unforgettable conversation with a true trailblazer in innovation and STEM. You will discover the heart and soul behind the sticky notes that have transformed our lives and learn about the inspiring journey of Jayshree Seth, a remarkable woman who continues to break boundaries and redefine what's possible in the world of science and engineering.

In this week's edition of the Innovation Storytellers podcast, I invite you to join me in an insightful conversation with Chris Duffy, a strategic futurist and leading figure in digital experiences with Adobe. We explore how AI, creativity, and the metaverse collide as we discuss Adobe's groundbreaking work in generative AI and the transformation of work through AI, and the future of design.

In this captivating episode, delve into the intricacies of AI in image generation, the evolving landscape of the metaverse, and the impact of AI on jobs and work dynamics. Gain a unique perspective on the convergence of technology, creativity, and the human experience, and learn how Adobe pushes the boundaries of innovation to shape the future. Take advantage of this thought-provoking and inspiring conversation that will leave you pondering the limitless potential of Generative AI and the digital realm.

In today's episode, I am thrilled to have Josh Gould, the Director of Innovation at Pittsburgh's Duquesne Light Company, share his unique insights from his dynamic career in energy and innovation. With experience as an entrepreneur, a venture capitalist, and a federal government official, Josh brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation. We dive into his journey, from founding the Innovation Hub at Con Edison to his current role at Duquesne Light Company.

Join us as we discuss the importance of making innovation relevant and tangible for everyone in an organization. Josh shares fascinating stories that showcase how innovation can be accessible, concrete, and directly tied to our daily work. We explore the interplay between innovation and strategy, embracing uncertainty and running tests to validate market outcomes.

Moreover, we delve into the power of partnership and collaboration in design and innovation. Discover how Josh and his team involve communities and customers early to create more meaningful solutions that reflect their needs. It's time to rethink paradigms and make innovation a shared, transformative journey. Take advantage of this illuminating conversation with one of the leading minds in energy and innovation, Josh Gould!

In this episode of Innovation Storytellers, we have the privilege of hearing from Brian Clawson, Executive Director - Global Head of Innovation at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Brian shares his insights on the importance of small innovation and citizen development in our everyday lives. He explains how some of the best inventions come from people who have a problem to solve and how we can all use the tools available to us to create solutions that make a difference. 

Brian also discusses the differences between small and big innovation and why both are necessary for progress. Tune in to this fascinating conversation to learn more about the power of small innovation and citizen development.

In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, Liam Black, Author of How To Lead With Purpose: Lessons in life and work for the gloves-off mentor, talks about the urgency and scale of the challenges facing society and business. He emphasizes the importance of genuine diversity in all its forms, particularly diversity of thought, for innovation and success. Liam challenges senior leadership to become real enablers to the generations coming behind them and to root out hypocrisy hiding away. 

Liam shares his thoughts on staying angry at injustice, working hard, and giving teams the freedom to do what they are great at. Join us for an insightful conversation on embracing an innovator's mindset and creating real change.