From jigsaw puzzles to global campuses, Jon Rowand’s career has been all about solving complex problems and making them look effortless. In this episode, Jon, Founder and CEO of Slate Gold Preferred Partner ReWorkflow, joins David Dysart for an energizing discussion into staff empowerment, tech adoption, and building sustainable innovation in higher ed.

They unpack how to actually do more with less without burning out your team, why “meeting staff where they are” is more than a feel-good phrase, and how shiny Slate projects can be both inspiring and overwhelming. Jon also shares how to flip your ticketing system, the role of “unreasonable hospitality” in operations, and what happens when you stop trying to be perfect—and start writing it down.

In the Molted Metrics segment, Jon tackles the big question: When is it time to take your Slate data to the next level with tools like Tableau, Excel, or Power BI?

Plus, in the Smith’s Signature, Jon reveals:

The tool that keeps both his team and family running smoothly

The trend he sees reshaping higher ed innovation

The advice he'd give his younger self (spoiler: start coding!)

The community project that’s quietly transforming how schools stay organized

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by options, under-resourced, or unsure how to get your campus to see the full power of Slate, this episode is your playbook.

Reach Jon at Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmaesrowand/

ReWorkflow https://www.reworkflow.com/

Jon’s Book and Podcast Recs Books

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres

The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

Shape Up by Ryan Singer (37 Signals)

Podcasts / YouTube

ReWork by 37 Signals

Lenny's Podcast by Lenny Rachitsky

WorkLife by Adam Grant

Layla at ProcessDriven

And as always, subscribe to the podcast and get your copy of The Innovation Forge in ebook or print - https://tinyurl.com/TheInnovationForgePaperback

Music:

"Cold Sober" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Journey To Ascend" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Galway" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

“Goblin_Tinker_Soldier_Spy” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

“Southern Gothic” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Village Consort" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Club Seamus" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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