The Innovation Day Podcast

It’s astounding to think of all the puzzle pieces that need to fall in place for a successful product launch. From a great design, to manufacturing, to product market fit, to shipping and sales and so (SO) much more. In this episode Tony take us from a conversation that inspired the RUX system through to today, where the product is sold online and in major retailers across North America, Europe and Asia. It’s an amazing product and a great story.

Open innovation and prizes to drive exponential change have been around for a long time and have delivered huge results. In this episode Eric shares insights and stories from the front lines of sustainability – from Paris, to the UN to the XPRIZE. Eric is a fantastic storyteller and listening to this episode will be 40 minutes well-spent.

This episode is for everyone sitting in their cubicle (if that’s still a thing!) or working from their kitchen table dreaming of following their passion and starting up a business. Bern shares his journey from self-funded festival founder running the event on vacation time and credit cards, to pre-pandemic heights through the inevitable pandemic pivot. Filled with insight and humour, this is a story of passion, resilience and the power of a great party.

Every Founder has their “Founder’s Story”, but few have a story like Emily’s. In this episode Emily takes us on an incredible journey, from incarceration to inspiration to the shelves of your local grocery store. With humility and humour Emily shows us that creativity can’t be constrained, and that second chances can deliver astounding results.

Dieter Rams, the legendary industrial designer, created with the ethos of “less, but better” and that pretty neatly sums up Ralph Dunning’s approach to Foreign Rider Co. Based out of Toronto, Ralph is channeling his experience from creating Dunning Golf in his newest venture. Ralph is passionate about getting it right: for his customers, his suppliers and for the planet. Purpose is one of the most commonly misused words in business, and Ralph shares his view on what purpose really means. Foreign Rider marries great design with strong values and that foundation is the launching pad for a brand poised to take off.

“We aren’t saving lives here.” This is a phrase I’ve heard many times in the business world as we put our projects and stress into perspective. Well, as an ER physician, Dr. Brian Goldman is actually saving lives, and in his latest book The Power or Teamwork, How We Can All Work Better Together, he brings the teamwork tools from the OR into perspective for the rest of us.

As businesses across North America struggle with the concept of “hybrid” work, employees are experiencing record levels of stress. In this episode Jennifer Moss shares her insights on what makes work meaningful. Strong bonds, individual contributions and empowered teams all contribute to happy employees, but remote work can stand in the way and employees are often trading the commute for real connections at work. Jen brings years of experience as an author, researcher, Harvard Business Review contributor and combines those with personal anecdotes in this very timely episode.

AI is popping up everywhere, from helping your photos look better to finishing the sentences in your email. But despite all the talk of, “big data”, for many leaders AI has not come knocking on their door. Peak AI is looking to change all that. At Peak, AI is being used to help business make better decisions, and in this episode Chris Billingham guides us through the what, how and why of AI powered decisions.

“Innovation”, the very subject of this podcast, is still a mysterious concept to most. Often understood to be a magical moment of “eureka”, the process of innovating is actually slow, messy and fraught with emotional landmines. In her new book, Experiencing Design: The Innovator’s Journey, Karen and her co-authors break down the innovation journey and, most importantly, focus on the barriers and biases that often limit our capacity to be innovative.

Getting outside is good for you, that is a well-established fact. Fresh air, exercise and being in nature have positive, and measurable, health benefits. Now, powered by AI and machine learning, NatureQuant is putting a number on nature and working to quantify the positive impacts of getting off your screen and out of your home. This start-up is mapping North America and Europe, pulling in data from myriad sources and providing insights that are driving decisions within not only the public and private sector, but also by individuals who want better health outcomes.