Innovation Talks

Jim Fava is the recently retired Executive Director at Anthesis Group, which supports businesses and governments in understanding and navigating the risks and opportunities they face. Throughout his career, Jim has provided invaluable guidance, tools, and expertise on strategies and actions that enable organizations to operate in a more environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. Renowned as the "father of modern-day life cycle assessment," he has devoted his career to advancing and promoting the practice and application of life cycle information worldwide. His efforts have contributed significantly to supporting global decision-making processes. Notably, he led the United States delegation responsible for shaping the first generation of ISO LCA standards. Moreover, Jim co-founded influential organizations such as the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, Five Winds International, and the Forum for Sustainability through Life Cycle Innovation (FSLCI).

 

Today, Jim and I discuss what his career taught him about supporting businesses and governments, turning risks into opportunities, and strategies and actions to operate more sustainably. Jim shares his journey from frat house to c-suite and talks about how he saw the human impact on the environment firsthand and started focusing on sustainability. He outlines life cycle assessment and how it helps us understand the environmental impact of a product over its entire life. He cites disposable diapers as a case study to understand life cycle assessment. Jim also recounts his experience in developing the Technical Framework for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Code of Practice that eventually became the foundation of the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) Environmental Management Standards. 

 

“You have to put what we want to have happen in the language of the decision-makers, and that's our revenue, brand, cost, and risk management.” - Jim Fava

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     Jim’s best sustainable business strategies

●     The Life Cycle Assessment journey to sustainability

●     What cloth diapers can teach us about sustainability

●     How Jim developed the Life Cycle Assessment Methodology

●     How Life Cycle thinking affects product design

●     The seven golden rules for achieving sustainability

●     How to drive change

●     The urgency of sustainability in business management

●     The role of the product manager

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     Early Life Cycle Assessment Books Laid the Foundation for Modern-Day LCA (https://globe.setac.org/early-life-cycle-assessment-books-laid-the-foundation-for-modern-day-lca/)

●     The Origins of LCA: Perspective from The Father of Modern-Day Life Cycle Assessment (https://www.anthesisgroup.com/the-origins-of-lca-perspective-from-the-father-of-modern-day-life-cycle-assessment/)

 

Connect with Jim Fava:

 

●     Jim Fava Website (https://globe.setac.org/)

●     Jim Fava on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-fava-04b88b5/)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

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Innovation is inherently a forward-looking practice and, as the world changes, so does the way we innovate. In the next decade, as the world encounters various challenges stemming from climate change, resource pressures, and global policy, companies will need to embrace disruption and develop an innovative culture that can react quickly and adapt to changing environments. But what do companies need to do this successfully? The 4,000 experts contributing to The Millennium Project have done extensive research and provided us with a framework to assess local and global factors that will influence humanity's chance to build a better future.

 

In that light, I discuss my predictions of how innovation will change and how companies can prepare to do more with fewer resources. I predict the role that AI tools will play in product management and how team leaders can get the most out of those tools. I discuss the need for business model thinking and how business models can rapidly change due to customer expectation. I also discuss the importance of dual innovation and highlight how core innovation won’t be enough to make businesses stand out from the competition.

 

“In 2030, innovation will put product management at the center.” - Paul Heller

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     What The Millennium Project’s research is telling us about the future

●     How to make development sustainable while addressing climate change

●     How innovators can use scientific and technological breakthroughs to improve the human condition

●     How innovation will change in the year 2030

●     The importance of dual innovation

●     How AI will influence innovation

●     Why North Star thinking will be more important than ever

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     The Millennium Project (https://www.millennium-project.org/)

●     Ambidexterity in Business Innovation with Noel Sobelman (https://www.sopheon.com/_hcms/analytics/search/conversion?redirect=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc29waGVvbi5jb20vcG9kY2FzdHMtYXVkaW8vYW1iaWRleHRlcml0eQ%3D%3D&ct=SEARCH&pid=6722983&cid=78499505574&t=bm9lbCBzb2JlbG1hbg%3D%3D&d=www.sopheon.com&c=2&c=3&c=6&rp=5&ab=false&opcid=&rs=UNKNOWN&hs-expires=1716581389&hs-version=1&hs-signature=APUk-v7SbY4LYcdcgjZ7nZ6EfZldL8uZtA)

●     Dual innovation with Ralph-Christian Ohr (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/dual-innovation-with-ralph-christian-ohr)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

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For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Rich Mironov is a tech start-up veteran, writer, and coach for product leaders with four decades of experience in Silicon Valley's product management landscape. With his expertise, he’s led six start-ups to success. Rich occasionally acts as the interim VP of Products or CPO for software companies, lending his expertise to drive their success. With a passion for sharing knowledge, Rich has been an avid blogger on software product management since 2002. His influential insights and expertise have been compiled in his book, The Art of Product Management. He continues to shape the industry with his wealth of experience and dedication to empowering product teams. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Yale University, where his thesis focused on dinosaur extinction theories. He also holds an MBA from Stanford University.

 

Today, Rich and I discuss how product management influences innovation. Rich elaborates on the role of product managers in innovating at the feature and sub-feature levels. He explains why he is wary of the word “innovation” and what he believes it should mean. He tells us how product managers can turn innovation into an intentional process that produces an impactful result. He shares how product managers can sell their ideas to get the resources they need and make a logical financial argument to show how proposed ideas will benefit the company financially. Rich also highlights the importance of accountability for product managers in driving forward progress with the product.

 

“We're an important driver of the system, but let's not get our heads too big that we can't walk through the doors of our building like everybody else.” -Rich Mironov

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     How product managers can influence executives

●     Common product management challenges and opportunities

●     How product innovation and leadership are connected

●     The benefits of pruning product backlogs

●     How to attach money to roadmap items

●     How to speak an executive’s language

●     The role of product managers in product waste

●     Discovery challenges for product managers

●     The origins of Rich’s Product Camp

 

Connect with Rich Mironov:

 

●     Rich Mironov’s Website (https://www.mironov.com/)

●     Book: The Art of Product Management: Lessons from a Silicon Valley Innovator by Rich Mironov (https://www.amazon.com/Art-Product-Management-Lessons-Innovator-ebook/dp/B00347AIDA?ref_=ast_author_mpb)

●     Rich Mironov on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmironov)

●     Rich Mironov on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RichMironov)

●     Rich Mironov on Medium (https://richmironov.medium.com/)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/)

 

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For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/s

April Dunford is the founder of Ambient Strategy, a consulting firm that helps technology companies grow. She has led marketing, product, and sales teams at companies like IBM, Siebel, and Sybase. April's work is focused on early and growth-stage startups—recognizing that weak positioning can be the difference between success and failure. She also works with large global companies, helping them develop deeper positioning expertise in their product and marketing teams. April's best-selling book, Obviously Awesome, captures her ideas about positioning and provides a methodology that any startup can follow. Today, April is focused on giving back as much as she can. She mentors and advises dozens of startups and is an enthusiastic board member at a handful of startups. April resides in Toronto, Canada, where she enjoys spending time with her kids and small dog in a cabin in the woods.

 

Today, April joins me to discuss positioning for B2B tech companies. She explains how to position a product to the current market, rather than the company’s vision of the future. She discusses what product managers need to understand about their vision and the current market to craft a successful position. She explains why product positioning is most important in B2B and why positioning is different from messaging. We discuss the importance of positioning to improve marketing and sales performance and why you need to continually refine and evolve positioning over time. April also suggests the best way to develop a positioning thesis and calculate the value it will deliver to the customer.

 

“The best way to test positioning if you're B2B and you have a sales team is to take that positioning and translate it into a sales pitch, then test it out on qualified prospects in a sales call.” - April Dunford

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     How to explore the best positioning strategy for your company

●     How B2B tech companies can position themselves for their specific market

●     Why weak positioning makes your sales process harder

●     April’s five components of positioning

●     April’s methodology for positioning that any company can follow

●     How to test your positioning

●     The benefits of structured sales pitches

 

Connect with April Dunford:

 

●     April Dunford’s Website (https://www.aprildunford.com/)

●     Book: Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It by April Dunford (https://www.amazon.com/Obviously-Awesome-Product-Positioning-Customers/dp/1999023005/)

●     April Dunford on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/)

●     April Dunford on Twitter (https://twitter.com/aprildunford)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/)

 

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For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://in

Rachel Wynn is a B2B SaaS product leader with over a decade of experience in product strategy. Rachel has a proven track record of bringing new products to market and managing complex enterprise products and has helped numerous clients think more strategically, de-risk decision-making, and find product-market fit faster. As an experienced product manager, she has worked at companies at various stages, from bootstrapped to venture capital-backed, private equity funded, and public. She has also experienced acquisition and IPO exits, served on a board of directors, served as a pitch judge for an innovation challenge, and founded companies. With a background in managing road mapping software at ProductPlan and product analytics software at Quantum Metric, Rachel has interviewed hundreds of product teams, making her an authority in product vision and strategy, product road mapping, 0-1 product thinking, interviewing customers, customer discovery and validation, product innovation, product launch and go-to-market planning, product analytics, stakeholder communication, pricing and packaging, research and discovery, and customer-centric products. In her spare time, Rachel is a bookworm and she’s always ready to recommend a great read. 

 

Today, Rachel joins me to discuss how research-driven innovation can help teams create something new. She explains how research-driven innovation lessens your risk of failure and allows teams to make solid decisions. We discuss the importance of having a clear vision and why that vision needs to include all the problems you’re currently trying to solve. Rachel shares her approach to research in product management and how her background as a cognitive rehabilitation therapist informed her process. She emphasizes the importance of customer interviews, learning from your customers, and paying attention to what your competitors are doing. Rachel also outlines the research and feedback cycle and how to know when you’ve provided your customers with the most valuable solution.

 

“People will develop that book knowledge, yet—for all their best intentions—they're not getting different results. So there's this gap of taking that knowledge and bringing it into action.” - Rachel Wynn

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     Rachel’s tips for product managers

●     How companies can improve performance

●     The role of research in product innovation

●     The benefits of customer research

●     How to overcome burnout as a product manager

●     Product management success stories

●     Rachel’s top team coaching techniques

●     How to avoid common mistakes in product research

●     The impact of AI on product management

 

Connect with Rachel Wynn:

 

●     Rachel Wynn’s Website (https://www.wynnproductconsulting.com/)

●     Rachel Wynn on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmwynn/)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/)

 

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For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we

Dan Olsen is a product management trainer, consultant, author, and speaker who has worked with both small startups and large public companies. He began his career designing nuclear-powered submarines and later transitioned into product leadership roles at Intuit and several startups. As a product management trainer and consultant with Olsen Solutions, Dan helps CEOs and product leaders build high-performing product teams that drive growth and innovation. His impressive list of clients includes Google, Walmart, Amazon, Facebook, Box, Microsoft, Medallia, and One Medical Group. Dan is the author of the best-selling book, The Lean Product Playbook, and is a frequent speaker at business and tech events. Dan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Northwestern, a Master of Business Administration degree from Stanford, and a Master's degree in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech.

 

Today, Dan and I discuss the best practices every software product manager should follow for optimal success. Dan shares his observations about the increase in product management roles, training new product managers, and the global tech expansion. We dissect remote work, whether it’s preferable to employees returning to the office, and the trend of getting rid of leased office spaces in favor of it. Dan also describes his journey into product management and what he learned from designing nuclear submarines for the Navy.

 

“If you really want your software to be successful, you need product managers to be there.” - Dan Olsen

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     How Dan transitioned from designing nuclear submarines to product management

●     The best practices that all product managers should follow

●     The bell curves of product management in different types of companies

●     Best practices with respect to product management

●     How to train new product managers

●     The core roles of design and development teams

●     Why product managers are more in demand than ever before

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     Book: Crossing the Chasm, 3rd Edition: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers (https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-3rd-Disruptive-Mainstream/dp/0062292986) by Geoffrey Moore

●     Book: What Customers Want: Using Outcome-Driven Innovation to Create Breakthrough Products and Services (https://www.amazon.com/What-Customers-Want-Outcome-Driven-Breakthrough/dp/0071408673) by Anthony Ulwick

 

Connect with Dan Olsen:

 

●     Dan Olsen Website (https://dan-olsen.com/)

●     Dan Olsen Newsletter (https://dan-olsen.com/get-tips/)

●     Book: The Lean Product Playbook: How to Innovate with Minimum Viable Products and Rapid Customer Feedback (https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Product-Playbook-Innovate-Products/dp/1118960874/)

●     Dan Olsen on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danolsen98/)

●     Dan Olsen on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/c/danolsen/)

●     Dan Olsen on Twitter (https://twitter.com/danolsen)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/)

 

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Charlie Widdows is a thought leader and the Acclaim Ideas Product Specialist at Sopheon. Charlie joined the team after Sopehon acquired Solverboard, an innovative idea management tool that he co-founded. With a passion for ideation that spans over a decade, Charlie empowers customers to harness the full potential of their ideas. He believes that impactful ideas can change the world and is committed to helping businesses transform their ideas into better, more profitable products. Charlie is not content with merely achieving professional success. He gives back to his community as a business mentor at Black Valley, where he helps to increase equity in tech and foster Black entrepreneurship.

 

Charlie is back on the podcast to discuss the difficulties of creating an innovation-ready culture in a risk-averse world. He offers suggestions on how companies can become ready for innovation through culture shifts and uncover insights about innovation processes. We discuss how new ways of working can facilitate innovation and how most companies still use outdated technology. We deliberate on who innovation ideas should come from within the company and the qualities and skills an innovation manager needs. We also debate whether it’s better to experiment with innovation behind closed doors or make it a transparent and educational process.

 

“The world will always want innovators working for them. If you feel like you're an innovative person and the business is just not listening to you, go somewhere else.” - Charlie Widdows

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     How to know if your company is ready for innovation

●     The effect the pandemic has had on attitudes toward innovation

●     How digital tools have transformed the process of innovation

●     How to actualize ideas quickly

●     The 4 Vs of innovation culture

●     The value of openness and inclusivity for innovation

●     The qualities and skills innovation managers need to drive long-term success

 

Connect with Charlie Widdows:

 

●     Charlie Widdows on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliewiddows/)

●     Charlie Widdows on Twitter (https://twitter.com/charliewid)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/)

 

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For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Dan Adams is a B2B innovator with over 40 years of experience in the field. He is the founder and President of The AIM Institute and the author of New Product Blueprinting: The Handbook for B2B Organic Growth. As a chemical engineer, Dan holds numerous patents and innovation awards and has been recognized by the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dan is a frequent keynote speaker and has delivered lectures at prestigious institutions—such as Wharton’s Executive MBA program—and leading universities in North America and Europe. In recent years, Dan and his team at The AIM Institute have conducted extensive original research into the behaviors that drive B2B organic growth, which has helped many companies achieve profitable growth through innovation.

 

Today, Dan joins me to discuss the role quantitative interviews play in driving success and how Dan’s company, the AIM Institute, trains business leaders to do better customer interviews. Dan outlines what he learned from his leadership research with Professor Gina O’Connor of Babson College and the four types of leaders they discovered. Dan reveals the dangers of not innovating and spiraling into commoditization. He outlines the best way to promote employees and avoid chasing short-term gains to foster a culture of future builders. Dan also shares his beliefs about the type of people leadership should promote for long-term company success.                                                                   

 

“We're turning the sales force into a learning force, showing them how their product managers and marketing people can data mine this and look for weak signals of market interest and then know when to develop new product projects.” - Dan Adams

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     How to optimize B2B Voice-of-Customer programs

●     How leadership styles affect product development

●     The effect of promoting leaders who are only focused on cutting costs

●     The definition of “builder mentality” and why people who think this way need to be in the C-Suite

●     How to build a customer-centric business model

●     The value of quantitative interviews

●     How to build a culture that values listening

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     B2B Voice of Customer Skills Research Report (https://theaiminstitute.com/library/b2b-voice-of-customer-skills-research-report/?utm_source=&utm_medium=Direct&utm_campaign=research-reports&utm_term=b2bvocskills.com&utm_content=44531)

●     Everyday VOC (EVOC) (https://theaiminstitute.com/library/everyday-voc-evoc/?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Direct&utm_campaign=everyday-voc&utm_term=evocpaper.com&utm_content=44895)

●     Professor Gina O’ Connor (https://www.babson.edu/about/our-leaders-and-scholars/faculty-and-academic-divisions/faculty-profiles/)

 

Connect with Dan Adams:

 

●     AIM Institute Website (https://theaiminstitute.com/)

●     Book: New Product Blueprinting: The Handbook for B2B Organic Growth by Dan Adams (https://www.amazon.com/Product-Blueprinting-Handbook-Organic-Growth/dp/0980112346)

●     Dan Adams on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danadamsataim/)

●     AIM Institute on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/advanced-industrial-marketing/)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/)

 

Be sure to connect with us on Fac

Huub J.M. Rutten is the VP of Research and co-founder of Sopheon. Throughout his 20 years of experience in linguistics, communication, and innovation management, he has helped manufacturing, insurance, banking, aerospace, chemical, and healthcare businesses modernize their innovation management methodologies and software. Before joining Sopheon, Huub spent 15 years teaching linguistic disciplines and communication skills at various Institutions of higher education and universities in the Netherlands. In addition to his work at Sopheon, he currently serves as an adjunct professor at the European Institute for Public Administration (EIPA), where he teaches European IT politics and strategies.

 

Today, Huub is back on the podcast to discuss portfolios and how companies can operate in an uncertain business climate and still see success. Huub shares how he was inspired by a quote from the leader of the German Chemical Association about sprint portfolios and marathon portfolios. He offers his thoughts on how leaders can balance the needs of the company in both the short term and the long term. We deliberate on how global events like war affect the supply chain and recommend steps businesses can take to be prepared for those dramatic moments. Huub also explains how data can help you and your team speak the same language.

 

“The infrastructure that you need as a company should be based on being prepared for the dramatic moment.” - Huub Rutten

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     How to create a balanced portfolio even in difficult financial times

●     How to plan for both short-term and long-term success

●     Why it’s necessary to have both a sprint and marathon portfolio

●     Possible disruptions in the chemical industry

●     The factors that affect supply chain issues

●     The importance of good governance

●     How data organization helps with long-term success

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     Ansoff Matrixes (https://www.sopheon.com/products/acclaimideas/insights/innovation-management)

 

Connect with Huub Rutten:

 

●     Huub Rutten Website (https://www.huubrutten.com/)

●     Huub Rutten on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/huub-rutten-9958136/?originalSubdomain=nl)

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/)

 

Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners like you.

 

For additional information about new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter, where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Ulrike Laubner-Kelleher is a product management consultant and published author with over 20 years of experience advising companies of all sizes on how to successfully and efficiently bring their products to market. She empowers product managers and their teams with cutting-edge knowledge through training, masterclasses, and one-on-one mentoring. She has worked with over 100 companies, including UBS, ABL, RRC-Power Solutions, Elementar, Bystronic, Milwaukee Tools, JP3, and Scotiabank. Her mission is to bring better products to market more quickly by enabling product managers to impact their industry through customer-centered product creation. Ulrike's proprietary Red String Method helps companies become industry leaders by empowering teams through advanced product management know-how, creating skilled product managers, and fostering great inter-departmental team collaboration. The Red String Method has helped Ulrike's clients speed up time-to-market, make market-based decisions, and improve profitability by 30% or more. Her latest book is Powerful Communication for Product Managers.

 

Today, Ulrike joins me to discuss how she started her career 20 years ago and became a product manager before the profession had a label. She shares the most significant challenges product managers face and how she has helped companies refine innovation to be more successful. We discuss how business leaders can support product managers and outline the education, mentorship, and other resources product managers need to do their jobs properly. She emphasizes how marketing is often forgotten in the product development process, why the process is expected to be completed in just four weeks, and how product managers can ensure that everyone is on the same page with her Red String Method. Ulrike also breaks down how data should flow to support the product launch, prevent tasks and information from falling through the cracks, and ultimately achieve balance in the company.

 

"You cannot have a process without people and cannot have a product without people." - Ulrike Laubner-Kelleher

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     How Ulrike became a product manager before the profession even existed

●     The main challenges in product management

●     How Ulrike’s Red String Method connects products, people, and process

●     How the Red String Method can help make your company more profitable

●     How Ulrike streamlines the product management methodology

●     The role product managers play in a businesses success

●     The main differences between software and physical product management

●     How product management can be more sustainable

 

Connect with Ulrike Laubner-Kelleher:

 

●     Ulrike Laubner-Kelleher Website (http://www.redstringmethods.com)

●     Book: Powerful Communication for Product Managers (https://www.amazon.com/Powerful-Communication-Product-Manager-Laubner/dp/3752855053/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1659641252&refinements=p_27%3AUlrike+Laubner&s=books&sr=1-2)

●     Book: A Product Manager’s Cookbook (https://www.amazon.com/Product-Managers-Cookbook-Ulrike-Laubner/dp/3744802094/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CQZN3ZCE34AJ&keywords=ulrike+laubner&qid=1659641307&s=books&sprefix=ulrike+laubner%2Cstripbooks%2C52&sr=1-1)

●     Ulrike Laubner-Kelleher on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulrike-laubner-kelleher-26456028/)

●     Email: [email protected]

 

This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (htt