Innovation Talks

Challenges around resource planning and management with Ketan Jahagirdar

Huub Rutten is the Co-Founder and Vice President for Product Research and Design at Sopheon. With over two decades of experience in language management and a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Radboud University in the Netherlands, Huub is instrumental in developing Sopheon’s linguistics and knowledge management technologies and continues to lead the organization into solutions for innovation. Huub integrates his expertise in linguistics and information technology to innovate language management technology within knowledge-intensive business processes and, recently, has created an in-depth course on portfolio management.

Huub joins me today to discuss why, when it comes to innovation portfolio management, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. He explains why the front-end of a portfolio needs to be separated from the ‘realization’ end of a portfolio. He discusses why the launch strategy of a new product is as important as its development. He also highlights why companies need to focus on establishing the value of realization instead of the value of the front-end of a portfolio, describes why the portfolio leader needs to ensure a portfolio’s balance and direction, and underscores why portfolio management has to be executed in combination with concrete decision-making.

 

“Look at a portfolio—and portfolio management—as a business object in itself, a collection of things, of products, of projects that have value, business cases, and risk.” - Huub Rutten

 

“Companies who look at portfolio management as a tool for change, transformation, and modernization of a company will be more mature.” - Huub Rutten

 

“Innovation management is about making promises for the future, and you have to believe in the promise of the whole thing.” - Huub Rutten

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     The tendency of people to look at portfolios as reports instead of a business object

●     The fundamentals and foundations of innovation portfolio management

●     Distinguishing the difference between the ‘front end’ and ‘realization’ parts of a portfolio

●     Separating the front end innovation portfolio from your ‘realization’ portfolio

●     Feature development and its prototyping

●     Examples of features and components in different products

●     Considering the pipeline value of a portfolio

●     How a portfolio’s front end is an important knowledge base

●     Portfolio management as an organizational transformation tool

●     Portfolio leadership and why companies struggle to transform their organization

●     Theory versus practice in portfolio management

 

Related Episode:

●     AI and machine learning in innovation with Huub Rutten (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/ai-and-machine-learning-in-innovation-with-huub-rutten)

 

Connect with Huub Rutten:

●     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=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | 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/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks)

 

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 me

Carla Johnson is a marketing and innovation strategist, author of ten books, and keynote speaker. She has partnered with leaders and Fortune 500 brands to train thousands of people to rethink the work they do and make an impact. Carla’s goal is to teach one million people how to become innovative thinkers by 2025. She is the Leap Advisor at Demand Spring and was previously the Programme Director of Digital Marketing at HARBOUR.SPACE. Carla has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and is a graduate of the Influence / ICAN Leadership Institute.

 

Carla joins me today to discuss creating consistent innovation through new, impactful, and reliable ideas. She defines innovation, and outlines where to find it as well as how to reignite it alongside creativity. Carla shares her five-step “Perpetual Innovation Process” and reveals the things that block innovation, such as the complexity bias. She talks about recognizing those with the courage to pitch new ideas and how to give feedback. Carla highlights the six different personality types that contribute to innovative teams and how they bring ideas to the table.

 

“In order to get fantastic ideas that have an extraordinary impact and outcome, you have to slow down and observe the world around you.” - Carla Johnson

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     Carla’s definition of innovation

●     Drawing inspiration for innovation by looking outside your industry and what it takes to be successful

●     What perpetual innovators are, learning to be one, and waking up your innovative muscles

●     Carla’s five-step “Perpetual Innovation Process”

●     Inspiring a team to create ideas and the two vital parts of giving feedback

●     The six different archetypes of innovative teams: strategist, collaborator, culture shaper, psychologist, orchestrator, and provocateur

 

Connect with Carla Johnson:

 

●     Carla Johnson’s website (https://www.carlajohnson.co/)

●     Book: RE:Think Innovation by Carla Johnson (https://www.amazon.com/RE-Innovation-Prolific-Innovators-Extraordinary/dp/1631953176)

●     Carla Johnson on LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/carlajohnson)

●     Carla Johnson on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/carlajohnson.co)

●     Carla Johnson on Facebook (http://facebook.com/carlajohnsonspeaker)

●     Carla Johnson on Twitter (http://twitter.com/carlajohnson)

 

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 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) .

Cris Beswick is a highly acclaimed global authority on innovation strategy, leadership, and culture and is renowned for his groundbreaking work in assessing corporate innovation maturity. He co-authored the best-selling book 'Building a Culture of Innovation,' which received recognition from the CMI as a Top Innovation Book in 2017. With a position as adjunct faculty at a business school and advisory roles on the boards of The Innovators CoLab and The Global Innovation Institute, Cris actively contributes to the field. He is also a co-founder of OUTCOME, a boutique innovation advisory firm.

Today, Cris and I discuss the importance of leadership and culture in driving innovation within organizations. We emphasize the need for a systemic approach to innovation and owning the innovation agenda. We analyze why designing an intentional culture is crucial to foster innovation, focusing on understanding a culture's significance, fostering a growth mindset, providing psychological safety, and continuous culture design. We highlight the effect of strong leadership, particularly during uncertain and disruptive times. We also discuss how to proactively shape organizational culture to drive innovation and adapt effectively.

 

 

“It's now becoming evident that the innovation system as a whole isn't where organizations really need it to be because they're recognizing that the system needs all of the components to work in harmony.” - Cris Beswick

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     The challenges and opportunities for innovation organizations

●     Why leadership and culture are crucial factors in driving innovation

●     Why Cris advocates for a systemic approach to innovation

●     Why ownership of innovation is not limited to the CEO

●     How to design an intentional culture that fosters innovation

●     The four key principles of design culture

●     Why culture design is a continuous process

●     The importance of strong leadership during uncertain times

●     How to proactively shape an organization to adapt

 

Connect with Cris Beswick:

 

●     Cris Beswick’s Website (http://www.crisbeswick.com/)

●     OUTCOME Website (http://www.weareoutcome.co/)

●     Book: Building a Culture of Innovation: A Practical Framework for Placing Innovation at the Core of Your Business by Cris Beswick (https://www.amazon.com/Building-Culture-Innovation-Practical-Framework/dp/0749474475)

●     Cris Beswick on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/crisbeswick?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAALLsIkBAUkLmWKTEuoDp0EkzvAddyiDHXA&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3Bg13DzF3OTPKgDvDnwMuE1Q%3D%3D)

●     Cris Beswick on Twitter (https://twitter.com/CrisBeswick)

●     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=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | 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/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks)

 

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 around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for S

Dr. Sven Schimpf is the Managing Director of the Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research and the Director of the Institute for Human Engineering and Empathic Design at Pforzheim University. He is involved in research, education, training, and mentoring in the field of innovation. Sven has conducted extensive studies on roadmapping and has a degree in Business Administration and a doctorate in Engineering earned during his tenure as part of CC R&D Management at Fraunhofer IAO. Throughout his career, he has actively engaged in national and international research and consulting projects, collaborating with various industrial companies to enhance their R&D strategies, processes, and organization. His focus lies in the realm of strategic R&D and innovation management, where he dedicates himself to monitoring, evaluating, and incorporating potentially disruptive advancements.

 

Today, Sven and I discuss the findings of the updated roadmapping study conducted by the Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research with three other organizations. We discuss how organizations use roadmapping and the challenges they face. We highlight the importance of clear communication and why excessive details should be avoided in roadmaps. We analyze how software developers can use the insights gained from the study to improve their roadmapping processes. Sven explains the basics of roadmapping and why mismatches between market-oriented information sources and the responsibility for roadmapping occur. We also discuss how organizations can enhance their strategic planning and decision-making processes, foster creativity, envision ambitious futures, and uniquely engage stakeholders.

 

“There is huge potential because in the long run production technologies there are a lot of things happening and they are enabling the development of the next—or the generation after this— generation of products and services.” Dr. Sven Schimpf

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     The definition of roadmapping and why it is important

●     An overview of the roadmapping study

●     The types of companies that participated in the study

●     Why there is a lack of marketing involvement in roadmapping

●     The importance of sharing roadmaps with stakeholders

●     The best processes to manage and update roadmaps

●     Roadmapping software recommendations

●     Why detail makes roadmaps less useful

 

Connect with Dr. Sven Schimpf

 

●     Dr. Sven Schimpf (https://qepler.com/speakers/sven-schimpf.html)

●     Dr. Sven Schimpf on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sven-schimpf-a527261b/)

●     Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research Roadmapping Study (https://publica.fraunhofer.de/entities/publication/b52af96f-a870-4660-837e-49d0f9db3c92/details)

●     Fraunhofer Group on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fraunhofer-gesellschaft/)

 

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=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | 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/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks)

 

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 in

Steve Johnson is a speaker and product coach consulting on modern methods that move ideas to market. He is the author of Turn Ideas Into Product and has served as an advisor and executive for technical organizations and industry associates. He is a former instructor and vice president at Pragmatic Marketing and a co-creator of QuartzOpen Framework. He is also a founding partner of the Product Growth Leaders community. Steve has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Computer Science from Hallam College of Business at the University of Tennessee.

 

Steve joins me today to discuss the process of product management. He shares why leaders need to understand the differences between the roles of product managers and product owners. Steve shares his definition of product management and discusses the importance of a systematic approach. He reveals where companies should begin with their product process and why it is imperative to start with personas. He shares how to problem solve using design, as well as the issues businesses experience when product managers play the role of designer or developer.

 

“The goal of design is not beauty, but when you are done with the design, if it’s not beautiful, you have made a mistake.” - Steve Johnson

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     How changing the role of product managers to product owners can cause problems

●     Why you should only focus on ten or fewer of the 37 boxes of the pragmatic framework

●     Finding your best practice and implementing product ops to create consistency and standardization

●     How Steve’s “No Chaos Product Process” works and the differences between Waterfall and Agile product development

●     The role of documentation in product management and why there should be a more significant focus on communication

●     Why achieving superior product management involves loving the problem more than the product

●     How many product managers are performing the roles of designers and developers and the problem this creates when building a business

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     Book: Turn Ideas Into Product by Steve Johnson (https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Ideas-into-Products-Delivering/dp/1520728549)

 

Connect with Steve Johnson:

 

●     Under10 Consulting (https://www.under10consulting.com)

●     Under10 Consulting on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/under10consulting)

●     Steve Johnson on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjohnson717/)

●     Steve Johnson on Twitter (https://twitter.com/sjohnson717)

●     NotExactlySteve.com (http://www.notexactlysteve.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/)

 

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 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) .

If you weren’t able to attend the Innov8rs Conference in Amsterdam, you missed out on some great speakers, a friendly, collaborative environment, and the latest industry updates on open innovation. My experience at the conference was so positive that it got me thinking about the definition of open innovation. It’s a question I love to ask my guests, and the answers vary from industry to industry. For me, open innovation is all-encompassing, including everything from the initial idea to seeing value returned from the successful launch of the idea. Innovation isn’t just about the next great idea—it’s about bringing that product to market and seeing consumers respond.

 

Today, I summarize my experience at the Innov8rs Conference, the concept of open innovation, and its implementation in various industries. I describe open innovation and how it pertains to consumers, partners, consultants, universities, and startups. I highlight the benefits of open innovation and recount how conference attendees came together to create an environment that fostered collaboration. I discuss the challenges we still face as innovators in implementing open innovation successfully, including issues related to access to talent, intellectual property, and industry expertise. I shout out the conference keynote speakers I loved listening to and their insights on the most important topics facing innovators today. I also emphasize the importance of open innovation and the need for collaboration between corporations and startups to drive successful innovation outcomes.

 

“It was just really a great environment. I've been to many conferences where you just don't have that level of interaction, friendliness, and camaraderie among the attendees.” - Paul Heller

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     My experiences at the Innov8rs Conference in Amsterdam

●     The amazing environment created by the leading minds in innovation

●     The challenges of implementing open innovation 

●     The key topics presented by the keynote speakers

●     The clash between traditional business models and open innovation

●     The importance of collaboration in open innovation

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     Mindthebridge.com Research (http://mindthebridge.com/research/)

●     Book: Lean Scaleup: A proven framework for building new businesses from Innovation (https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Scaleup-framework-businesses-innovation/dp/3982315409) by Frank Mattes

●     Book: Scaling-up Corporate Startups: Turn innovation concepts into business impact (https://www.amazon.com/Scaling-up-Corporate-Startups-innovation-concepts/dp/1790696305) by Frank Mattes

 

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=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | 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/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks)

 

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 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 (h

Tim Kidd is an innovator with over 20 years of experience working in large corporations. He began his career at DSM, where he held various positions spanning from research and development to new business development. Eventually, Tim became an innovation coach, providing guidance and support to DSM's top innovation teams and projects. In 2021, He embarked on a new venture by joining Stahl, where he is currently working to establish an open innovation program to forge connections and partnerships with external parties that possess technologies and capabilities complementary to Stahl's own. This initiative aims to accelerate growth and bring Stahl's strategic ambitions to fruition in sustainable, high-performance waves across diverse markets and applications.

 

Today, Tim joins me to discuss the importance of connecting with external parties to solve problems and achieve limitless growth. He shares why he believes that open innovation is critical for innovation success and explains how to leverage external resources and capabilities to solve challenges and create value. He suggests ways to identify external partners and address the misconception that innovation is a chaotic process. We talk about the power of quick wins and how they demonstrate the value of open innovation. He offers advice to companies on formulating a strategy or approach and reveals why a C-level buy-in is critical for open innovation success. We also discuss who should be the innovators in a company, the challenges of reaching out to external resources, and the rewards of networking. 

 

"Open innovation is about bringing an ecosystem of partners together that can solve the problems and the challenges that you have." - Tim Kidd

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     The importance of in-person connection for innovation

●     Tim's journey into innovation starting with his Ph.D. in Chemistry

●     Tim's transition into new business development at DSM

●     The importance of problem-solution fit and product-market fit

●     Why you need an ecosystem of partners in open innovation

●     Looking outside your value chain for solutions

●     How to define a common innovation language and use a stage-gate approach to track progress

●     The challenges of implementing open innovation in an organization

●     Engaging with unsupportive team members

●     Asking “Why?” five times to understand objections

●     Getting C-level buy-in and support

●     Getting people excited about open innovation

●     The value of external partners

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     The 5 Whys Strategy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_whys)

 

Connect with Tim Kidd:

 

●     Tim Kidd on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-kidd-5904949/?originalSubdomain=nl)

●     Stahl (https://www.stahl.com/)

●     Stahl on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/stahl/)

●     Tim Kidd on Twitter (https://twitter.com/TimKidd74)

 

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=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | 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/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks)

 

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 epis

Esther Gons is the CEO and co-founder of GroundControl, a software platform that specializes in measuring and de-risking innovation. GroundControl has worked with companies like Colgate/Palmolive, Euler Hermes, DHL, Enexis, and ABN Amro. Esther's expertise extends beyond her role at GroundControl. She is also the co-author of the award-winning book, Innovation Accounting, which offers practical guidance on measuring a company's innovation ecosystem. She co-authored another influential book, The Corporate Startup: How Established Companies Can Develop Successful Innovation Ecosystems. Her expertise and thought leadership has made her an in-demand international speaker, sharing insights on various topics including corporate innovation, innovation accounting, entrepreneurship, startups, lean methodology, business models, and customer development. Esther has mentored hundreds of startups and has served as a lead mentor in prestigious programs such as the Rockstart Accelerator programs, Lean Startup Machine, and Evolv weekends.

 

Today, Esther and I discuss innovation and her work as an entrepreneur, international speaker, author, and founder of Ground Control. She shares her experience writing her two books, The Corporate Startup and Innovation Accounting. We discuss the maturing of corporate innovation and why it must now be taken seriously. Esther underscores how innovation is a learning process and how it is necessary to make mistakes to understand what works. We talk about why innovation should be treated as a discipline and why the input of specialists who have the necessary skills is crucial. Esther also emphasizes the importance of understanding innovation to succeed and shares some great insights as to why innovation labs are often stopped after only a few years.

 

“Corporate innovation is maturing. We can no longer play around with innovation. The trend is that people are saying, ‘No, we have to take this thing seriously.’” - Esther Gons

 

This week on Innovation Talks:

 

●     An overview of ISO Standard Certification

●     Why companies are taking sustainability seriously in innovation

●     The benefits of innovation in business

●     The purpose and struggles of innovation labs

●     Challenges in innovation

●     The future of innovation maturity in corporations

●     The responsibility innovation labs hold

●     How open innovation affects corporate ecosystems

●     Esther’s experience designing an online course

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

●     Course on Validated Learning (https://togroundcontrol.com/lean-innovation-training-course/)

●     Innov8tors Conference (https://innov8rs.co/lisbon/)

●     Book: Open Innovation Works (https://openinnovation.works/)

 

Connect with Esther Gons:

 

●     Esther Gons on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/esthergons/)

●     Book: Open Innovation Works (https://openinnovation.works/) ​ by Dr. Diana Joseph, Dan Toma, and Esther Gons

●     Book: Innovation Accounting: A Practical Guide for Measuring Your Innovation Ecosystem’s Performance (https://innovationaccountingbook.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/)

 

Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/c

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.

 

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