The Innovators Studio with Phil McKinney

Welcome to season 18 of the Killer Innovations podcast! We are thrilled to kick off the 18th year of Killer Innovations. Today's show is dedicated to answering your questions about the podcast.

My mentor Bob Davis, who I attribute much of my success to, inspired me to pay it forward

I used to listen to a motivational speaker, Earl Nightingale's Insight Audio Magazine cassette tapes.

I recorded it in a Marriott bathroom, using a $5 microphone attached to my laptop.

Adam Curry, an MTV VJ who had a podcast called Daily Source Code, promoted my show.

Odeo was a podcast directory that promoted my podcast on their show. Not too long after, the Apple podcast came out, killing Odeo. Odeo pivoted and eventually became Twitter.

What was the original audience for the podcast? – The original audience consisted of mostly tech people.

Yes, most early listeners were podcasters. Now people from all sorts of backgrounds are listening.

Longevity (averaged 40-45 episodes a year for seventeen years) and staying consistent with the content.

This show is my creative outlet.

Geoffrey Moore or Peter Guber.

Dealing with personal issues that impact getting a show out and maintaining consistency

Don't chase the numbers. Focus on your content, be consistent, and collaborate with other podcasters who you like.

The podcast is encouraging and holds timeless content with a long/deep archive of episodes - take advantage of it.

Inspiring others to podcast, inspiring creatives to create, and inspiring innovators to invent

Fans were becoming friends – Woody, Seth (designer), and many others.

The listeners of the show threw me a party in London.

COVID-19 greatly impacted technology efforts and continues to do so rapidly. Tim Bajarin joins us from Silicon Valley to discuss work from home shifts and the newest innovations from Apple.

Over the last eighteen months, businesses have realized that bringing everybody back to the office isn't realistic. People are comfortable with the flexibility that working from home provides. Creative Strategies did several studies on this topic and discovered that people establish sophisticated work from home set-ups. Because people want consistency with their office and work from home, IT directors face new challenges. Even when in-office, people are still connecting with clients and colleagues virtually.

Because people now want studios in their homes for work, homeschooling kids, etc., the housing demand has skyrocketed. Architects are currently designing new custom homes that include studios. We are moving towards the hybrid environment being the norm. Large and small companies have been investing in sprucing up their offices for their employees to match their WFH settings.

COVID has opened room for more innovative technologies. People want better cameras, pushing laptop makers and other tech companies to make heavy improvements. Intel competitors have evolved, such as AMD and Qualcomm. Apple's introduction of the M1 Chip has immensely shaken things up in the valley. The demand for Macs has increased immensely as well. Apple is innovating on so many fronts and has the patience to stay in it for the long run.

Government regulation has become more prevalent, specifically with the European Union, as it attempts to harness the growth of companies like Apple and Facebook. Tim says that Washington D.C does not understand technology, which has caused some issues. While they talk significantly about clamping down on things, the reality is that great economic challenges will arise if governing bodies step in.

Tim Bajarin is one of the most recognized and sought-after global technology analysts, futurists, and consultants. His fifty years in Silicon Valley have made him a voice that moves the market.

"With his writing and analysis being at the forefront of the digital revolution, Tim was one of the first to cover the personal computer industry and is considered one of the leading experts in the field of technology adoption life cycles. He is president of a technology-focused company, Creative Strategies, and a regular podcaster on Tech.Pinions (also broadcasted on The Innovators Network). He is a futurist and credited with predicting the desktop publishing revolution three years before it reached the market and multimedia.

Been with Creative Strategies since 1981, Tim has served as a consultant to most of the leading hardware and software vendors in the industry (IBM, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, AMD, HP, Xerox, Compaq, Dell, AT&T, Microsoft, Polaroid, Lotus, Epson, Qualcomm, Toshiba, and numerous others).

Tim Bajarin is on the technology advisory boards of IBM, Compaq, and Dell. (from Wikipedia)"

It's no mystery that COVID-19 disrupted the technology industry. Bob O'Donnell joins us to discuss the innovation impacts of broadband and 5G.

COVID-19 dramatically changed how we communicate, increasing the need for fast, consistent broadband. The broadband industry globally builds around two and a half years of capacity ahead of time. High internet usage spikes from COVID resulted in broadband capacity exhaustion 14 days after March 1, 2020. The spikes were due to people working from home and kids being home from school. Zoom, WebEx, Microsoft, etc., all came together to improve the problems.

A strong work-from-home environment is the byproduct of the shift from in-person to remote. To build out their mobile workstations, people invest in high-quality PCs, monitors, cameras, platforms, etc. Bob believes there will continue to be an “explosion of installs” of different video calling platforms.

Competition in the tech world has seen accelerated growth since COVID-19 started. There are four or five video conferencing platforms most people are currently using. Zoom, for instance, released 320 new features last year. When it comes to microchips, things have never been more competitive. Intel and AMD are working with global governments on semiconductor and supply chain issues. Technological innovations are continuously rolling out.

When it comes to 5G innovation, most of the world started out using mid-band frequencies. The U.S started with low and high-band frequencies. Mid-band turned out to be the fastest, leaving U.S 5G efforts off to a slow start. Like Y2K, everybody knew 5G was coming but did not plan for it properly. However, things are now starting to pick up.

The world's leading proponents on 5G private networks, Vodafone Germany recently unveiled a private network at Porsche's main factory. Everything at the factory runs on a 5G network, which does real-time tuning on the car while it's on a test track. Bob is currently working on a study of private 5G and how companies are implementing it. Everybody is talking about private 5G and its potential impacts from chip manufacturers to software, devices, and networks.

Bob O'Donnell is the President, Founder, and Chief Analyst of TECHnalysis Research. The firm's research and O'Donnell's opinions are also regularly used by major media outlets, including Bloomberg TV, CNBC, CNN, Investor's Business Daily, the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, and more.

O'Donnell writes regular columns for USAToday and Forbes and a weekly blog for Tech.pinions.com published on TechSpot, SeekingAlpha, and LinkedIn. Before founding TECHnalysis Research, Bob served as Program Vice President, Clients, and Displays for industry research firm IDC. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

To know more about Bob O'Donnell and innovation impacts, listen to this week's show: Bob O'Donnell of TECHnalysis Research — What Innovation Will Impact You?

It's no mystery that COVID-19 disrupted the technology industry. Today, Bob O'Donnell joins us to discuss the innovation impacts of broadband and 5G.

COVID-19 dramatically changed how we communicate, increasing the need for fast, consistent broadband. The broadband industry globally builds around two and a half years of capacity ahead of time. High internet usage spikes from COVID resulted in broadband capacity exhaustion 14 days after March 1, 2020. The spikes were due to people working from home and kids being home from school. Zoom, WebEx, Microsoft, etc., all came together to improve the problems.

A strong work-from-home environment is the byproduct of the shift from in-person to remote. To build out their mobile workstations, people invest in high-quality PCs, monitors, cameras, platforms, etc. Bob believes there will continue to be an "explosion of installs" of different video calling platforms.

Competition in the tech world has seen accelerated growth since COVID-19 started. There are four or five video conferencing platforms most people are currently using. Zoom, for instance, released 320 new features last year. When it comes to microchips, things have never been more competitive. Intel and AMD are working with global governments on semiconductor and supply chain issues. Technological innovations are continuously rolling out.

When it comes to 5G innovation, most of the world started out using mid-band frequencies. The U.S started with low and high-band frequencies. Mid-band turned out to be the fastest, leaving U.S 5G efforts off to a slow start. Like Y2K, everybody knew 5G was coming but did not plan for it properly. However, things are now starting to pick up.

The world's leading proponents on 5G private networks, Vodafone Germany recently unveiled a private network at Porsche's main factory. Everything at the factory runs on a 5G network, which does real-time tuning on the car while it's on a test track. Bob is currently working on a study of private 5G and how companies are implementing it. Everybody is talking about private 5G and its potential impacts from chip manufacturers to software, devices, and networks.

Bob O'Donnell is the President, Founder, and Chief Analyst of TECHnalysis Research. The firm's research and O'Donnell's opinions are also regularly used by major media outlets, including Bloomberg TV, CNBC, CNN, Investor's Business Daily, the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, and more.

O'Donnell writes regular columns for USAToday and Forbes and a weekly blog for Tech.pinions.com published on TechSpot, SeekingAlpha, and LinkedIn. Before founding TECHnalysis Research, Bob served as Program Vice President, Clients, and Displays for industry research firm IDC. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

Many businesses find their innovations fail, often at great expense and strenuous effort. These innovation failures surprise and frustrate them. They are then left wondering as to what caused their innovations to fail.

Many causes result in innovation efforts failing. While many causes of innovation failure are within your control, some are not. Understanding the most common causes of innovation failure is essential to prepare yourself better to address them. When you are prepared to face the inevitable, you increase your chances of success.

To know more about the causes of innovation fails, listen to this week's show: Why Innovation Fails – The Top 10 Causes.

Many businesses find their innovations fail, often at great expense and strenuous effort. These innovation failures surprise and frustrate them. They are then left wondering as to what caused their innovations to fail.

Many causes result in innovation efforts failing. While many causes of innovation failure are within your control, some are not. Understanding the most common causes of innovation failure is essential to prepare yourself better to address them. When you are prepared to face the inevitable, you increase your chances of success.

1. Lack of Problem Identification:Often, innovators are so excited about their new idea that they don't take the time to identify the problem they're trying to solve. This leads to a lot of wasted time and resources.
2. Lack of Ideation or Inability to Generate Good Ideas: Lack of ideationis a reason for many failed processes, and the inability to develop good ideas is close behind.
3. Poor Execution of the Idea:If you can't successfully execute an idea, it will go nowhere.
4. Lack of Funding or Support: Many promising innovations get canceled due to lack of funding. Dollars, time, and people are all critical parts of successful innovations.
5. Lack of a Clear Roadmap/Plan: Without a rational plan, it's nearly impossible to remain focused and motivated when those inevitable roadblocks arise.
6. Implementation Challenges:Implementation challenges can include anything from tech issues to employee pushback.
7. Cultural Barriers: Cultural barriers, whether on an individual, team or organizational level, can prevent the successful implementation of new ideas.
8. Naysayers (innovation antibodies): Every organization has people who refuse to accept change or even consider it.
9. Poor Timing: Several factors can lead to poor timing, such as market or technology changes, shifts in customer needs or preferences, and changes in the current political climate.
10. Customer Disinterest: No matter how great your innovation is, they won't buy it if customers aren't interested.

Innovation tools allow us to do things we naturally can't, which unleashes our creative potential. It can be hard to pinpoint the right one for your organization with thousands of options out there. Let's explore several innovation tool categories that will help improve performance.

1. Idea sketching tools: Idea sketching tools can be extremely helpful in speeding up the innovation process. They act as time savers, and all you to better communicate your ideas visually.
2. Idea Generation tools: Tools like mind maps, freewriting, or ideation exercises speed up the ideation process, allowing you to generate more ideas. These tools are powerful because they can be used individually or in groups in a way that is free of distractions and deadlines.
3. Creativity tool: Creativity tools improve innovation speed and fall into three main categories. The ideation category includes brainstorming sessions, and the collaboration category includes techniques like facilitated team exercises. The evaluation category contains methods like ranking ideas and project priorities that lead to the best solution.
4. Prototyping tools: Prototyping tools offer a quick and easy way to create a mock-up of ideas, get feedback, and then improve ideas. Prototyping tools can also help save time and money by avoiding future mistakes.
5. Visualization tools: Visualization tools accelerate innovation success by giving access to different perspectives and starting points for creativity. Flow charts or process maps are tools that create more efficiency and effectiveness by indicating the path from start to finish.
6. Market research tools: These tools help innovators identify customer needs, problems, and potential solutions. The top tools provide quantitative data about the general population and specific demographics that aid in product development. They simplify the process of determining idea popularity, best launch time, and areas of improvement.
7. Trend analysis tools: These tools help identify social media, news, and consumer trends. Trend analyses give users opportunities to jump on new ideas before their competition.
8. Technology scouting tools: These tools help you quickly identify and assess new useful technologies. They can also help you ensure you are aware of technologies that might benefit your organization. Properly utilizing these tools allows companies to compete in their market more effectively.
9. Business model generation tools: These tools help you explore and analyze a wide range of business models for your product or service. Business model generation enables you to select the best model for your innovation project. Popular tools include the Business Model Canvas, the Value Proposition Canvas, and The Lean Startup Methodology.

Creativity is one of the most important skills you can have. It unlocks the door to game-changing ideas. Although some people have it naturally, some exercises help in improving creativity.

1. Take a walk outside: Breaking free of your work, moving around, and observing your surroundings can give you mental clarity and boost creativity.
2. Write a list of things that annoy you: You can identify new patterns by identifying these things. This exercise can lead to new ideas previously unseen.
3. Play with the lyrics to your favorite song: Playing with the lyrics of your favorite song opens your mind to new possibilities and breaks you out of your comfort zone.
4. Create a video montage of your day: This can be a fun way to document your life and see how your creativity manifests itself. Trying different techniques and making edits will improve your creativity skills.
5. Write about what scares you and why it scares you: Some creatives sharpen creativity muscles by writing about what scares them and why (or writing about what doesn't scare them). Exploring scary things can open new avenues that would otherwise be closed.
6. Play games that require creativity: Many creatives play games such as chess or scrabble. These games sharpen the mind and improve problem-solving.
7. Do something that makes you laugh:If you're struggling with a creativity block, you can watch funny videos or do other things that release endorphins.
8. Draw something you see every day but don't pay attention to: When we see the same things repeatedly, they become mundane. If we examined the objects and scenes that make up our everyday lives, we'd be surprised at how much creativity hides in plain sight.
9. Exercise your brain with a puzzle:Puzzles exercise the creative side of your brain by forcing you to come up with new ideas and solutions. Doing this can help you break out of a rut.
10. Make crafts out of old things lying around the house: Crafts helps you tap into your creativity and improves your ideation.

Benchmarking compares your organization to others to measure your performance and identify areas for improvement. When done correctly, benchmarking can help you learn from your peers and identify areas for improvement. However, benchmarking can also have negative consequences if done incorrectly. How do you escape the innovation benchmark trap?

Proper benchmarking helps you understand how you compare to others in your industry and makes it easier to identify best practices. It can also help with planning strategic initiatives and resource allocation. An example of bad benchmarking comes from the story of MCI WorldCom in the late 90s and early 2000s. MCI WorldCom was involved in fraud which inflated their assets. Ultimately, many companies benchmarking themselves with MCI WorldCom went bankrupt.

Innovation benchmarking, which compares how an organization innovates to others, is becoming more popular. This is growing because leaders are feeling more uncertain about innovation. This uncertainty comes from a lack of confidence in their ability to generate new ideas.

Some consequences of innovation benchmarking include:

Leaders -

1. Run unnecessary risks trying to replicate benchmark results exactly.
2. Benchmark themselves out of uncertainty and into comfort without realizing it.
3. Benchmark their competitors rather than taking a fresh look at their innovation approach.

The best way to avoid the trap is to benchmark with purpose. Learn from peers, but don't assume that what worked for them will work for you. If you follow blindly, your organization can fall apart. It's critical to understand their thought process and discern if their approach is worth experimenting with.

It takes practice and patience to develop your creativity, and there are bad habits people learn which crush their creativity. But like all bad habits, we can break these if we are willing to work at it!

Habits are things you do automatically, without thinking. Bad habits can form in a few days, but it can take months or years to form good ones. Breaking bad habits and creating good ones can be challenging, but it's worth it in the long run. You need to be aware of your bad habits and then find a new routine that rewards you by creating a good habit to replace them.

Here are eight of the very worst bad habits that could hold you back creatively every day:

1. Not allowing yourself time to relax and daydream:Daily downtime is crucial to keeping those creative juices flowing.
2. Procrastination: Putting off creative tasks is terrible for your mental health and career. To avoid it, establish deadlines and accountability measures.
3. Perfectionism: Many great ideas never see the light of day because people become perfectionists. It's crucial to permit yourself to make mistakes and see the beauty in flawed things.
4. Over researching before starting a project: Some projects require extensive research, others do not. Too much background reading can hinder creativity.
5. Listening only to critics: Criticism can be a valuable learning tool, but it should never hold you back from pursuing your dreams. Surround yourself with creative peoplethat inspire you.
6. Trying to do everything yourself: This can halter your productivity and block success. Collaboration can unlock new ideasand successes.
7. Judging your work too harshly: It's natural to be critical of your work, but it's essential to avoid self-doubt. When overly critical of our work, we become more guarded with our thoughts, killing creativity.
8. Giving up too quickly: You'll never accomplish anything significant by giving up too easily on the hard problems and tasks. Nothing worthwhile comes easy, but the hard work will pay off.