The Innovation Meets Leadership Podcast

“If you're going into freelancing as a way to escape something that you don't like with what you're doing, you may discover that that same thing is in freelancing or entrepreneurship, and it sometimes may even be more severe." - Jason Montoya

Have you ever wondered if freelancing is the future of work? Clearly, the landscape of employment is evolving, and the world of freelancing is opening up opportunities for independence and flexibility that were once unheard of. In today’s episode Natalie Born welcomes Jason Montoya, where they explore the intricacies of freelancing and its growing prominence. Jason, a freelance consultant, author, and podcast host, shares his insights on how freelancing has become a viable career path, especially in the wake of recent global changes. He delves into his journey, from transitioning out of a marketing agency to embracing the freelance lifestyle, all while managing a family of seven. Jason emphasizes the importance of being fully committed to freelancing, showcasing the achievements freelancers must accomplish for success. He unveils strategies for building a steady stream of paying clients, navigating the challenges of the freelancer-client relationship, and maintaining balance between work and personal life. 

Jason Scott Montoya grows small business owners, teams, and incomes around Atlanta, Georgia as a freelance consultant (since 2014). He's also the author of two books, one for aspiring freelancers (Path of the Freelancer) and another for striving small business owners (The Jump). On his blog and the Share Life podcast — JasonScottMontoya.com — Jason shares stories and systems to live better and work smarter. He also lives with his wonderful wife and five cherished children in Atlanta, Georgia (since 2005).

What you get from this episode:

• Navigating the Freelance Journey

• Exploring the Future of Work: Pros, Cons, and Collaborative Dynamics

Key Quote:

“Increasingly, the state of unemployment is self-employment.” – Jason Montoya

Connect with Jason Montoya

"You don't have to be a writer to be an author.” – Dave Sheets

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born and publishing industry expert Dave Sheets delve into the transformative power of publishing. With a captivating hook, they explore the question: "Why should someone publish a book?" Dave's extensive background in the industry sets the stage as he highlights the importance of credibility and the doors that open for authors through book publication. They debunk the misconception that one must be a skilled writer to become an author, emphasizing the availability of professional services that can help bring ideas to life. The conversation navigates the traditional publishing model versus self-publishing, shedding light on factors like control, timeframes, and investment. They stress the pivotal role of a platform in reaching and engaging with readers, expanding on the various channels that enable authors to share their message. As the discussion continues, the hidden benefits of becoming an author come to light, with a focus on the sense of community among authors who support one another's journey. Natalie and Dave underline the impact of self-promotion, sharing strategies to authentically promote one's work without feeling like self-promotion.

Dave Sheets has spent more than 25 years in the publishing industry working with many of the top book publishers, distributors, and printers in the industry. He currently owns a publishing services company primarily working with independent authors

The Publishing Journey

·       The Power of Books: Success and Community

Key Quotes:

"Publishing a book it's not about having an ego. The difference is about getting your message out. If you think your message is important, you have to talk about it.” – Dave Sheets

Connect with Dave

" A realistic outlook will keep you moving toward your desired future. A limiting belief will prevent you from moving forward.” – Dr. Clint Ladine

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born engages in a captivating conversation with Dr. Clint Ladine, a leadership success coach and former professional basketball player. They explore the power of coaching, emphasizing the transformative impact of active listening and reframing limiting beliefs. Dr. Ladine highlights the importance of empowering others and creating a culture of trust to unlock leadership potential. Dr. Ladine delves into the significance of belief systems, distinguishing between a realistic outlook and limiting beliefs. He underscores the lifelong journey of coaching and the value of having a coach to navigate professional challenges and achieve desired goals. Throughout the episode, Natalie and Dr. Ladine discuss the transformative power of coaching, the art of active listening, overcoming limiting beliefs, unlocking potential, and the impact on organizational success. 

Dr. Clint Ladine, a former basketball player turned leadership coach, is on a mission to empower leaders through effective coaching. He distinguishes between bad and good coaches, emphasizing unlocking potential and nurturing abilities. His book, "Power Coaching," is essential for optimizing leadership skills. As the owner of Successfully Coaching, he helps leaders overcome obstacles for success. Featured on Fox, CBS, ABC, and NBC, Dr. Ladine's expertise is widely recognized. Inspired by his transformative coaching experience, he pursued a doctoral program, becoming a sought-after writer, author, and speaker on Leadership Coaching.

Key Takeaways:

• Unleashing your Leadership Potential

• Overcoming Limiting Beliefs and Cultivating Growth

Key Quote:

"When you think about it, in your life, very few times have you had somebody just listen without giving advice. Try asking questions and see people light up, saying, 'Nobody's ever asked me that before. What a great question...' "– Dr. Clint Ladine

Connect with Dr. Clint Ladine

“Covid has taught me that remote workers can actually deliver great results.” - Alex Svinov

In this episode, we explore the founding story of Insquad – a platform that helps to build remote teams. Alex Spinoff discusses how remote work can help companies attract talent, increase productivity, and conserve resources. He also highlights the importance of understanding and respecting cultural norms when working with colleagues in other countries. Tune in to discover the misconceptions regarding remote work and how best to hire for remote positions.

Alex is the CEO and Co-founder of Insquad, the platform to build remote development teams. He believes that the future of work is in remote teams – and this notion will radically change the world as it will bring opportunity and talent closer to each other. 

Key Takeaways:

• Exploring the Pros and Cons of Remote Work

• Unlocking the Power of Remote Work

• Reimagining the Way We Think About Remote Work

Key Quotes:

“When you have talents that you could pick and choose from anywhere and have your team match exactly what the needs of the team are, then you can build a team that is so much more powerful than when you choose from only the guys that are available here at the office.” - Alex Svinov

“The more standardized processes you have, the more power you have to leverage the opportunities of remote work.” - Alex Svinov

Connect with Alex

"Fund what matters and fund it well. Innovation is not just a buzzword; it's an investment in the future of your company.” – Scott Ritzheimer

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born dives deep into the world of scaling businesses and the crucial role of innovation. Joined by Scott Ritzheimer, CEO of Scale Architects, they explore the power of finding a profitable, sustainable market, the delicate balance between systematization and creativity, and the importance of allocating resources for innovation. With insightful discussions on fostering a culture of innovation and the significance of embracing failure, this episode provides valuable insights for leaders aiming to drive strategy that demands innovation action.

Scott Ritzheimer is the Founder and CEO of Scale Architects. He has helped start nearly 20,000 new businesses and nonprofits and with his business partner started led their multimillion-dollar business through an exceptional and extended growth phase (over 10 years of double-digit growth) all before he turned 35. He founded Scale Architects to help businesses across the country identify the right growth strategies and find the right guides to get them on the fast-track to Predictable Success and stay there as long as possible.

Key Takeaways:

• Cultivating an Innovative Culture
• Navigating Growth and Success

Key Quotes:

"The real irony of predictable success is that it is inherently unpredictable. Embrace the tension between risk-taking and risk mitigation to create consistent success.” – Scott Ritzheimer

Connect with Scott

"Healthcare seemed like a place where we could really make an impact because I think that was part of the goal – to have purpose to what we were doing.” – Matt McBride

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born talks with Matt McBride, the CEO and Co-founder of MEND, an enterprise patient engagement telehealth platform designed to help healthcare organizations scale their practice and care for more patients. McBride shares how his team saw an opportunity to revolutionize healthcare delivery by reshaping patient engagement through technology. They realized that healthcare was still stagnant in phone calls, paper forms, and waiting times, while other industries were being consumed by digital mobile experiences. Thus, they set out to change this and help healthcare organizations reshape how they engage with patients through technology. The episode also discusses the grounding principles of MEND, which include prioritizing customer service and patient convenience, as well as the importance of enabling doctors with technology.

Matt McBride is the CEO and Co-Founder of Mend — an enterprise-grade patient engagement and telehealth platform designed to help healthcare organizations scale their practice and care for more patients. An experienced entrepreneur, he co-founded MEND in 2015 with his three best friends to revolutionize healthcare delivery.

Key Takeaways:

• Technology at the Service of The Patient

• Exploring the Horizon of Healthcare Innovation

Key Quotes:

"Healthcare has to account for everyone because everyone will be a patient at some point in their lives.” – Matt McBride

Connect with Matt

"Automation is not just automation just for automation's sake. Automation has to be meaningful." – Andrew Cohen

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born talks with Andrew Cohen, the CEO and Managing Partner of Evoke, an award-winning digital transformation company specializing in modern workplace solutions. Andrew discusses how to help small businesses scale through automation and streamlining processes. They explore the benefits of reducing application stacks, connecting technologies, and providing real-time data, as well as the importance of a unified strategy and roadmap when implementing automation in small business environments. Andrew details his career journey from being an athlete to becoming a technology entrepreneur, highlighting the strategic vision he brings to the table. They also discuss how Netsurit offers a range of services to help companies automate traditionally manual efforts such as accounts payable and receivable, HR onboarding, and sales, track their success for accurate ROI guarantees, and ensure executive buy-in for digital transformation initiatives.

Since 1997, Andrew Cohen has been the CEO and Managing Partner at EVOKE, an award-winning Digital Transformation company that partners with their clients to build modern workplace solutions for nearly every common organizational and technological challenge imaginable. In 2019, Andrew launched the EVOKE Engage division, which focuses on automation and streamlining processes. He joined Netsurit at the beginning of 2022, and this now allows Netsurit to provide their clients with guidance and solutions on using technology to maximize ROI.

Key Takeaways

• Transformation and Automation

• Unlocking Innovation Through Data and Collaboration

Key Quotes:

"Automation has to connect these systems together to bring those real-time insights and outcomes for these companies as they start driving their business decisions going forward.” – Andrew Cohen

Connect with Andrew

"It's possible to achieve both fulfilling career and happy life, and it's what I want for people. So, go for it. You deserve it." – Randi Roberts

In this podcast episode, Innovation Meets Leadership host Natalie Born interviews executive and career life coach Randi Roberts. Randi shares her journey from corporate to coaching, emphasizing the importance of introspection and self-awareness in personal development. The conversation centers on the benefits of coaching in navigating career challenges and personal growth, with both speakers sharing personal experiences. You will gain insights into using an eight-pillar tool for self-assessment and the importance of culture, feedback, and vulnerability in personal development. The episode concludes by Randi encouraging you to seek formal and informal coaching relationships to aid their growth and achieve career satisfaction.

Randi Roberts, MBA, PCC, is an Executive and Career-Life Coach, President of Corlin Roberts Coaching, LLC, and founder of the Fulfilling Career, Happy Life community. With 30+ years of successful experience as a Pharmaceutical Executive and two businesses of her own, Randi helps people achieve their career goals while exploring new possibilities that truly fit their framework. She skillfully combines business leadership experience with exceptional coaching skills.

Key Takeaways 

• Unlock Your Highest Potential

• Navigating Career Changes and Finding Fulfillment

• The Importance of Personal Values 

Key Quotes:

"Look at experiences as an opportunity to learn and grow. Mine them for all the knowledge you can, but always ask yourself: What can I do differently next time? How can I handle this situation in a bigger, better, and more productive way?” – Randi Roberts

Connect with Randi

"Experience transformation is the next frontier of digital transformation for companies." – Satyam Kantamneni

In this podcast episode, Innovation Meets Leadership host Natalie Born talks to Satyam Kantamneni, Chief Experience Officer of UX Reactor. He joins us to discuss the importance of being user-centric in business. Satyam emphasizes understanding user pain points and suggests techniques like empathy maps, persona exercises, and experience roadmaps to achieve this. He explains the role of a Chief Experience Officer and how it can improve overall user experience. The guests also discuss the importance of experience transformation and how companies can focus on user-centered practices to innovate and solve current problems.

Satyam is the Chief Experience Officer at UXReactor. In less than 7 years, UXReactor has become the fastest-growing specialized experience design firm in the US, with a team of 50+ employees spread over three continents. Satyam (_ is passionate about user-centered innovation, and he has recently released a book, User Experience Design: A Practical Playbook to Fuel Business Growth. 

• The Importance of User-Centered Design

• The Paradox of Digital Transformation

Key Quotes:

"Every time your user should feel that somebody thought about me and solved a problem, and that's magic. And any company that can ship magic on a consistent basis is only going to win.” – Satyam Kantamneni.

Connect with Satyam

"Facilitation is a key leadership skill." – Marsha Acker

In this podcast episode, Innovation Meets Leadership host Natalie Born talks to Marsha Acker, a skilled facilitator can identify hidden dynamics in conversations and guide participants towards actionable outcomes. Marsha emphasizes that following good facilitation principles in meetings is crucial for success, even without a facilitator present, to avoid wasted time, lack of clarity, and missed opportunities. The conversation centers around the cost of repeated and unproductive meetings in organizations, and the speakers identify warning signs of ineffective meetings, such as impulsive eye rolls and unclear decisions. Key skills for effective facilitation are neutrality, intentional planning, clear design, engaging all voices, and knowing when to provide input. Facilitation is a skill that takes practice and maturity, and staying present and curious when things get difficult is key to successful meetings. 

Marsha Acker is an executive & leadership team coach, author, speaker, facilitator, and the host of Defining Moments of Leadership Podcast. She is the author of The Art and Science of Facilitation: How to Lead Effective Collaboration with Agile Teams and Build Your Model for Leading Change, coming in early 2023. Marsha is the founder and CEO of TeamCatapult, a respected and sought-after leadership development firm that equips leaders, at all levels, to facilitate and lead sustainable behavioral change.

Key Highlights:

• The Power of Facilitation 

• The Importance of Effective Facilitation in Meetings 

• Mastering the Art of Facilitation 

Key Quotes:

"As a facilitator, the beauty is in standing back, looking at the lay of the land, and cutting right to the heart of what we're really trying to say. It's about bringing focus to the discussion and preventing things from going off in different directions." – Marsha Acker.

Connect with Marsha

"Our peace self in us knows that we are always loved, always learning. It's always a constant". – Amy Balog

Looking to unlock your true potential as an innovator or leader? In this podcast episode, Innovation Meets Leadership host Natalie Born talks to Amy Balog about the concept of 'peace over performance': how inner peace can be the catalyst for true and lasting success. Amy explains how this paradigm shift can help innovators and leaders alike by establishing a secure self-identity and understanding that failure isn't a reflection of one's worth. Through this conversation, you will gain insights into creating a feedback loop to recognize and manage risk, as well as learn practical tips on being open to learning, owning up to mistakes, and telling a powerful story. With these tools, you can harness your power and use it for innovation.

Amy Balog is a senior executive coach, facilitator, writer, and speaker. With 15 years of coaching experience, she helps global leaders discover their peaceful selves and grounding identities to achieve peak performance. Amy challenges the paradigm that peace and performance are mutually exclusive and instead advocates for their powerful duet. She developed the Peace Over Performance journey to combat self-limiting narratives and self-rejection in leaders.

Key Highlights:

• Peace Over Performance and Fueling Innovation

• Acknowledging the Learning Curve and Admitting Risks 

• Feedback Loops and The Imposter Syndrome.

Key Quotes:

"Peace is the true fuel to performance." – Amy Balog.

Connect with Amy

“It's not only listening to the customer. It's really taking action, being proactive to talk to your customers, inviting them for specific interviews where the agenda is really to talk about their needs. That is really important for innovation”. – Stefan Debois

In this episode of the podcast, Innovation Meets Leadership host Natalie Born invites Stefan Debois, the founder, and CEO of Pointer Pro, an assessment software platform that helps professional services companies automate their advisory processes. Together, they discuss how to optimize consulting strategies, leverage skills and outsource tasks to subcontractors, democratize knowledge and access free information on the internet, utilize an advice engine to provide relevant recommendations to clients and use a structured methodology like Jobs to be Done to understand customer needs and translate them into successful products or services. Listeners will gain insight on how to efficiently charge for outcomes instead of time in order to incentivize efficiency improvements and encourage innovation from consultants. Tune in to this engaging conversation between two real innovators as they discuss the importance of listening to customers, taking action, and asking specific questions.

Stefan Debois is the founder and CEO of Pointerpro, an assessment software platform that helps professional services companies to automate their advisory processes. Stefan is passionate about the use of technology to build professional relationships with people, at scale.

Key Highlights:

• Outcome-Based Innovation

• The Importance of Customer Feedback in Innovation

• The Value of Structured Conversations

Key Quotes:

"Don't charge for time, charge for value.” – Stefan Debois

Connect with Stefan

“"Don't take goal setting in your life too seriously. Goals are guideposts along the journey.” – Matteo Grassi

In this episode of the podcast, Innovation Meets Leadership host Natalie Born interviews Mateo Grassi, co-founder and CEO of the funded startup Popup. Through his remarkable journey from street performer to successful entrepreneur, Mateo shares his experience bootstrapping a business until it was ready for funding, as well as the difficulties and opportunities that come with being an entrepreneur. They discuss Mateo’s experience of scaling an e-commerce store from zero to 4 million in two weeks, only to have all profits lost due to disputes and fines from credit card providers. Additionally, they compare the pre-tech bubble landscape to today's remote work opportunities which have opened up possibilities of living and working abroad without language barriers. Finally, they speak about the importance of self-regulation when it comes to technology and social media use, setting boundaries for oneself when it comes to media consumption and finding one’s big “why” - a goal that can never be achieved - in order to stay motivated throughout life.

Matteo Grassi is co-founder of Popup, a no code eCommerce platform for the next generation, has also founded 7 direct-to-consumer brands, an NGO/DAO, and an anonymous support group for founders. Prior to this, they were a professional break-dancer and circus performer who also produced and performed music. Matteo now creates documentaries, interviews, and shows for YouTube. Known to share either a lame joke or intriguing trivia upon meeting in person.

Key Highlights

• Innovating in E-Commerce
• A Journey of Exploration, Not Destination
• Breaking the News Cycle

Key Quotes:

"People should embark in a journey of being an entrepreneur the same way you embark in a journey where like in an adventure. And you don't go in an adventure because you necessarily want to reach a destination. You go in an adventure because you love the adventure.” – Matteo Grassi

“Sometimes you have to be pushed to the limits to realize that maybe a problem was small before it got really, really big. But then once you solve it, you solve it." – Matteo Grassi

Connect with Matteo

“Look for the impact that you want to have, and then prioritize based on impact rather than market.” – Esther Gons

In this episode, the founder and CEO of GroundControl, Esther Gons discusses how innovation accounting can help organizations measure success when launching high-risk projects. She explore the need to start multiple ventures in order to predict success, and the importance of implementing formalized processes for innovation in order for an organization to create a culture of innovation. Esther also provides insight into how to measure performance metrics before beginning any project, fail fast and use learnings from failed experiments to inform future projects, and celebrate those who have saved the company money.

Esther Gons is the CEO and founder of GroundControl, an innovation software company that helps corporate startup teams develop new business models. The company has clients such as Euler Hermes, DHL, and ABN Amro. Gons is a speaker on corporate innovation, innovation accounting, and startups, and was named to Inside Outside's 2022 Watchlist: Women in Innovation.

Main Highlights:

• Unpacking the Layers of Innovation Accounting
• Examining Processes, Culture, and Habits to Achieve Success
• Mitigating Risk with a Systematic Approach

Key Quotes:

" To do innovation within an organization, you need multiple teams trying to validate multiple ideas.

You need to understand if your teams are doing well and if they're moving forward.” – Esther Gons

“Look at the impact you want to make, because otherwise you're never gone make that change." – Esther Gons

Connect with Esther

“A lot of skillsets you can teach, but the culture you can't.” - Marc Reifenrath

Is a company’s culture critical to achieving and maintaining success? In this episode, the CEO of Spinutech, Marc Reifenrath encourages leaders to invest more time in building culture and core values for better retention and growth. He breaks down key strategies for onboarding new team members, creating an environment of trust, and understanding the importance of cultural alignment between clients and employees. Tune in now to learn how culture can be used to hire and retain top talent!

Marc has seen Spinutech grow from a college start-up to one of the premier full-service digital marketing agencies in the country. He would be the first to tell you that Spinutech would not be what it is today without a team of people who are as invested in each other’s growth and success as they are in delivering the best for their clients.

Main Highlights:

• 10 Years of Zero Turnover
• How Spinutech's First 100 Days Shape Employee and Organization Experiences
• How Core Values Helped build a Successful Business

Key Quotes:

"You just gotta capitalize on every learning opportunity, whether it came from a great situation or a bad situation." - Marc Reifenrath

"Job descriptions aren't restrictions.." - Marc Reifenrath

Connect with Marc

“The more people you have thinking about the problem you're trying to solve, the further you're going to get as an organization.” - Sohail Abbasi

Are you adapting to digital transformation and continuous change? In this episode, Sohail Abbasi, the VP of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Hamava Innovation Factory, discusses how to overcome the not invented here syndrome - a tendency to avoid using or buying products research, or knowledge from external sources - and how organizations can leverage outside processes and resources to innovate and create value. Tune in and discover why embracing open source is essential for business growth and success!

Main Highlights:

• Unlocking Innovation Through Diversity and Disruption
• Exploring Open Innovation to Mitigate Risk in Large Organizations
• How to Transform an Organization Through Open Innovation

Key Quotes:

"Diversity basically is one of the key things contributing to innovation." - Sohail Abbasi

"We don't transform by our own group think we transform by other ideas and other thoughts by expanding our knowledge and ability. That's how we transform." - Natalie Born

Connect with Sohail

“Think about some people you can pull alongside you to help you be a zero gravity thinker, to think outside the box and to look differently at problems that you're trying to solve.” - Natalie Born

What is holding back explosive growth and breakthrough ideas? In this episode, Natalie and Aaron Born disclose the importance of innovation and how to foster it in an organization. They break down the 3 principles that kill innovation and explain how innovation looks different for everyone. Natalie talks about how she enjoys doing podcasts, her experiences with podcasting, and some of their favorite conversations. Listen and enjoy!

Aaron is a father of two daughters, the husband to  Natalie, and the owner of a runaway circus dog named Bear. They currently live in Sugar Hill, Georgia. When he is not with his family, he is the Lead Pastor of House Churches for Victory Church, a multi-site church made up of about 20,000 households from 142 people groups based in the Metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia.

Main Highlights:

• How Psychological Safety Kills Innovation
• 3 Principles of Killing Innovation
• Innovation Looks Different for Every Organization
• The Importance of Zero Gravity Thinkers in Innovation

“Self-ownership of issues or mistakes is huge because that's where that's where I learn and I know that's where other people learn.” - Bob Hasson

Are you ready to gain courage and clarity on how to achieve the life you dream of? In this episode, Bob Hasson stresses the importance of having a strong character be seen as an asset and a value to your company during difficult times. He discusses how a culture of love should not coexist with fear, and encourages you to work for companies where innovation is celebrated and new ideas are embraced. Let’s dive in!

Bob Hasson is a businessman, Author, Consultant, and Podcaster. He is both the Founder and CEO of HPCI, a painting subcontractor, which he founded in 1978. For over thirty years, he has been active as a consultant and board member for churches, ministries, nonprofits, and school boards.

Main Takeaways:

“Just because an idea's not original doesn't mean it's not effective.” - Michael F. Schein

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, we are catching up with Micahel F. Schein.

Michael is the founder and president of MicroFame Media, a company that specializes in making consultants and coaches famous in their fields. Some of his clients have included eBay, Magento, The Medici Group, University of Pennsylvania, Gordon College, University of California Irvine, United Methodist Publishing House, Ricoh, LinkedIn, and Citrix. His writing has appeared in Fortune, Forbes, Inc., Psychology Today, and Huffington Post, and he is a speaker for international audiences spanning from the northeastern United States to the southeastern coast of China. His book The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers, published by McGraw Hill, appears where books are sold.

[00:16] Building a Secret Society

• Michael explains why the word hype has had negative connotations over time
• Why Secret Society:
• The notion that hype artists are incredibly effective at making it look like all of their success comes from the bottom up but actually rely on individuals doing work below the surface
• Why the point of the secrecy is the secrecy
• Why it’s the exclusivity that makes it special and fun

[13:31] Applying The Idea of a Secret Society to Our Business

• How can you bring ritual and exclusivity into what you're doing
• Why we should look to places outside your industry
• Why we should have a very experimental mindset

[22:50] What is Core to Innovation

• Emphasizing what you're calling the innovation component
• Why everything is innovation
• How to be comfortable with innovation

[25:23] Closing Segment

• Final thoughts from Michael
• Connect with Michael!

Key Quotes:

“If you create something that people would do anyway because it's an adventure. Business gets done as a side effect.” - Michael F. Schein

“So the trick is to base your stuff on psychological principles that work, but even more importantly, conduct very small experiments that just give you the data you need to know if you should go bigger and kill the losers very, very quickly.” - Michael F. Schein

Connect with Michael

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Kathya Acuña of Change Strategy at LOCAL focuses on the human aspect of change. She discusses the importance of communication and bringing people along in the process. By effectively engaging employees, organizations can have faster adoption and establish a healthy work culture.

Kathya is the Director of Change Strategy at LOCAL, a Change Marketing™ consultancy helping some of the world's best companies make change stick by treating their employees as an audience worth winning. She is a business transformation consultant passionate about human-centered storytelling. Over the past 12 years, Kathya has worked in various roles, from helping non-profits define their vision, mission, and values to launching a brewery in Bogota, Colombia.

Main Takeaways:

• A Human-Centered Approach to Change
• Co-Creating Change
• Handling Dissension
• Success Ties Back to Adoption
• Avoiding Learned Helplessness

Key Quotes:

“When it comes to change, everything comes back down to adoption, which comes back down to people. It's not so much about managing change as it is about marketing change and making sure that the change is very much human-centered.” - Kathya Acuña

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, we welcome Shea Gerhardt. Shea talks about how to develop an effective product that could compete with the bigger players in the market. She reiterates the importance of focusing on the customer needs and being a solution to a problem and that product development never stops.

Shea Gerhardt is the Founder and CEO of Buderflys Technologies, Inc. Prior to Buderflys Tech, Inc – she spent nearly two decades in executive roles in the mobile, gaming, and music industries. Having worked with major music labels, including Universal, Sony, EMI, and Warner Bros., as well as some of the world’s largest mobile wireless companies, including VZW, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Vodafone, Shea built her career on the ability to develop a clear and focused path to cutting through the noise in crowded and stale industries and growing business where user-centric products are king.

Main Takeaways:

• A Brilliant Product Built Out of Need
• It’s Not About What You Want, It’s About What the Customer Wants
• Designing A Future-Ready Product

Key Quotes:

“I also had to find people who knew what they were doing. That took a long time. But I have an incredible team that is so much smarter than I am in that regard. And they are on this journey with me.” - Shea Gerhardt

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Helene Cahen talks about innovation and collaboration in organizations. She explains how fear of failure can prevent us from innovating and why it’s important to create a culture that allows for risk-taking and creativity. She also shares insights on design thinking principles and ideation, and how teams can collaborate more effectively by putting clear processes in place and being open to each other’s opinions and preferences.

Born and raised in Paris, France, Helene graduated with a business degree from the elite Sciences-Po Paris and earned a Master of Sciences degree in Creativity and Change Leadership from the State University of New York. she is an Innovation Consultant, Trainer, Facilitator, Coach, and Speaker with over 20 years of experience helping companies navigate innovation challenges. She guides Fortune 500, small businesses, and non-profits to have a better understanding of innovation and innovation processes, create new products/services, build effective teams, and support a user-centered culture. Prior to founding her consulting practice, Strategic Insights, Helene held executive and management positions in advertising, marketing research, HR, finance, and sales as well as VP of Innovation for a start-up. Most recently, she was a TedX Talk speaker at TedX Seattle and has been a speaker on Design Thinking and Creativity at various conferences including the American Creativity Association, Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI), Creativity Expert Exchange (CEE), and the Design Thinking Unconference.

Main Takeaways:

• Cultivating A Culture of Innovation
• Design Thinking and Creative Problem Solving
• Team Improv and Co-Creation

Key Quote:

“What I'm encouraging is actually to see the value in people thinking differently and appreciating that. See others for who they are and embrace the differences in thinking.”  - Helene Cahen

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, we welcome Alex Castro of M Corp. He discusses how to identify and address the root causes of failed strategic initiatives to make future attempts at execution more successful. He also shares his thoughts on recognizing and overcoming cognitive bias, utilizing data in decision-making, and being adaptive to change as an organization.

Alex Castro is an aligner of execution to strategy for digital transformation & innovation, best-selling author, and creator/founder of ReM Score™ Alex believes that the gap between ideas (strategy) and execution is a persistent problem that is sidelining too many high potential digital transformation and innovation growth opportunities.

Main Takeaways:

• Bridging the Gap Between Ideas and Execution
• Employees Want to Be Part of the Winning Team
• Strategies for Execution Success
• Avoiding Rigged Decision-Making

Key Quote:

“There's a hair's difference between the top team in a league and the bottom team. And it's really how well can they put the execution component together, right? You can have the best playbook in the world but if you don't know how to really tune that play in, it's kind of useless.” - Alex Castro

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Sunny Han discusses Fulcrum’s mission to transform the manufacturing industry with technology. He talks about how outdated software and processes can hinder an organization's ability to scale. However, he reminds us that newer doesn’t always mean better and there is always value to the mundane. He also digs deep into why companies should constantly evaluate their values and why they should never lose sight of their customer’s needs.

Sunny Han is the CEO and Founder of Fulcrum, a manufacturing ERP platform dedicated to helping manufacturers build a better future. He led Fulcrum to raise a $3.1M seed round of venture capital in 2020. Sunny is dedicated to delivering a connected future where frictionless manufacturing production and supply chains lead to faster and better product innovations.

Main Takeaways:

• An Empathetic Leader
• The Future of Manufacturing
• Evolving Values

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Payitoff Founder and CEO Bobby Matson talks about turning a problem into a business possibility. Frustrated by his own student loans, he founded a debt infrastructure company to bring more transparency to the repayment process. He details how to dig deep into a personal pain point and discover the demand for a solution on a broader scale. Bobby also gives advice to people who are looking to begin their startup journey.

University of Michigan grad obsessed with building better infrastructure for all borrowers: Bobby led engineering teams at Carbon Five, where he built technology for Groupon, Fandango, and Stitchfix and shipped software to millions of users. After managing six-figure student debt in his own life, he's working on Payitoff to create better outcomes for every borrower.

Main Takeaways:

● All Borrowers Want Clarity

● Driven by Customer Demand

● Success Breeds Passion

● Nailing Your Niche

Key Takeaways:

“There are a lot of moments in company building where you'll say to yourself, am I doing the right thing? Are we working on the right thing? Knowing the personal need that you had, in the beginning, is the anchor that helps you answer that question.” - Bobby Matson

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, William Santana Li of Knightscope discusses the importance of innovation in public safety and why robotics is the solution to crime and terrorism. ASRs provide real-time surveillance across multiple locations and are designed to help law enforcement be a lot more effective at doing their job. He also offers insights on where the technology is heading and encourages us to pursue our passions and focus on adding value to society.

William Santana Li is an American entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience and has a broad and deep range of expertise gained from several global assignments in the automotive sector and a number of startups. He is presently the Chairman and CEO of Knightscope, a developer of crime-fighting Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs).

Main Takeaways:

• Combating Crime and Terrorism Through Robotics
• The Technology Behind ASRs
• Securing the Future

Key Quotes:

“In order to fix the problem, which is crime and terrorism, it has to be software plus hardware plus humans. You need the machines to do the monotonous and computationally-heavy stuff that no human can do, and you need the humans to do the decision-making and enforcement.” - William Santana Li

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Bryan Clayton started by mowing his neighbor’s lawn as a side hustle and ended up founding a multimillion-dollar lawn care business. From customer-centricity to self-improvement, he joins us to share his secrets to success.

Bryan Clayton is CEO and co-founder of GreenPal, an online marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. GreenPal has been called the “Uber for lawn care” by Entrepreneur magazine and has over 200,000 active users completing thousands of transactions per day.

Main Takeaways:

• From Lawn Mower to Building a Business with 20M a Year in Sales
• Putting the Customer at the Center of the Business
• Strategies to be a Successful Entrepreneur

Key Thought:

“As a founder, you're doing three things at once at all times. You're working in the business. You're trying to develop some kind of systems, processes, and routines. And then you're working on yourself.” - Bryan Clayton

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, we share a conversation about self-discovery. Karen Hardwick, the author of The Connected Leader, joins us to talk about how leaders must first connect deeply with themselves in order to connect with others in a healthy way. We also focus on empathy, one of Karen’s 7 strategies to empower our true selves, and the power it holds in transforming relationships.

With master's degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary and Rutgers and decades of front row experience, Karen is a spiritually and psychologically trained leadership consultant, speaker, author, podcast host, and lover of connection. Her in-depth clinical training, along with her tenured business acumen, sets her apart and matters a great deal in a world where anyone can be a “coach”; her expertise allows her to understand, name, and address what is getting in the way of people and organizations performing at their best. Her wisdom helps her to guide individuals, teams, and entire organizations to navigate the complexities of human nature

and organizational dynamics so they can move into a culture of empowerment, inspiration, and transformation.

Main Takeaways:

• Leaders Have a Human Being Crisis
• Empathy is A Superpower
• Finding Ourselves in Silence

Key Takeaways:

“We are not leaders having a leadership crisis. We're leaders having a human being crisis. So when we let that sink in and wash over us, what does that mean? What I believe it means is that leaders can no longer MBA their way into leadership, what we need to do is show up more fully human with the power of our stories.” -  Karen Hardwick

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Kevin Mills takes us behind the scenes of podcasting, the pitfalls and benefits of starting your podcast, and how you can use this powerful tool to your advantage.

Kevin Mills is a co-founder of Streamlined Podcasts, a full-scale podcast production agency. Streamlined Podcasts helps its clients edit and produce their podcasts consistently for an affordable price. With industry-leading turn-times, technologies, and teams, you'll have trouble finding a better value anywhere else. Kevin's entrepreneurial journey began in direct-to-consumer sales. He now spends his time and efforts helping podcasters focus on what they do best - producing content. He is passionate about making it as easy as possible for content creators to get their message to their audience.

Main Takeaways:

● There is No “Recipe” to Success, Just Consistent Action

● How To Avoid the Pitfalls of Podcasting

● Can I Make Money with my Podcast?

● How to Start Your Own Podcast

Key Quotes:

“If you’re not using a podcast right now to network, drive more leads into your business, and build thought leadership or brand awareness, you might regret it three years from now. Podcasting is here to stay and the exponential growth has just begun.” - Kevin Mills

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Thomas Watkins breaks down the ins and outs of effective design. He emphasizes the need to consider the user experience and that the process of design development must be centered around it. The key is making people’s lives easier and avoiding over-complicated systems.

Thomas Watkins is a thought leader, speaker, and industry practitioner located in Houston TX. Thomas has made it his career’s focus to combine technology with design psychology in order to drive business success. He specializes in helping his business partners bring their own brilliant ideas to life, by translating complexity into simplicity.

Main Takeaways:

● Where Apps Go Wrong and How to Address Them

● Curating a User-Friendly Design to Establish Connection

● Utilizing Psychology to Understand the Customer

Key Quotes:

“Anytime a user has to think about your software, usually, that's not a good thing… If it's something that's easy to learn and for you to operate in, that's where the win is.” - Thomas Watkins

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Shaunak Roy discusses innovation in education through technology. Backed by evidence, it goes to show that active and engaged learning results in better outcomes. By being aware and taking part in the dialogue, the future of better education can become clearer and more feasible.

Shaunak Roy is the founder and CEO of Yellowdig. Yellowdig is a community-driven active learning platform adopted by over 130 colleges and universities, K12 schools, and corporate training clients. Yellowdig’s mission is to transform every classroom into an active, social and experiential learning community.

Main Takeaways:

● The Most Effective Method of Learning for Better Engagement

● The Spike of Innovation and Utilizing Technology for Education

● Create the Dialogue for Future of Education

Key Quote:

“We have to really start to question whether the time the students are spending in the classrooms, and the value they're getting out of the education system… [are] adding up… in terms of the effort that is getting into it.” - Shaunak Roy

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Brad Smith talks about blind spots and how we can better address these issues through self-awareness. Without recognizing our natural tendencies, we tend to refuse proper delegation and thus, lack exponential growth. By understanding ourselves and our capacities to learn, we can stay intentional with what we do.

Brad Smith is the founder and CEO of Stellar Insight Inc. a business growth consulting and coaching company. Brad has been a chemist, production plant and equipment designer, a business manager, a business consultant, and an executive coach for CEOs and business owners among other things. He pursues insight and understanding into the convergence of business success, organizational excellence, and the practical actions it takes to consistently achieve significant business growth. In his words, “Everything is a theory until you experience it and can consciously repeat the experiment.” He has coached CEOs, business owners, and legislators for organizational growth and excellence for more than twenty years.

He has worked extensively with a variety of industries. Those companies who commit to the work find the specific results rewarding and significant. His passion is working with ambitious CEOs, business owners and their teams who are committed to their company’s excellence and growth.

Main Takeaways:

● Thinking For Yourself to Get Rid of Dependence

● Recognizing Who You Are and Where You Fit

● How Organizations Can Address the Blind Spots

Key Quote:

“If you're in pain, stop, step back, look at it and say, ‘What's the purpose that I wanted to create that created this instead of what I wanted?’ There's purpose in pain.” - Brad Smith

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Michael Sahota discusses what it entails to unlock the creative potential of people in the organization. He reveals the oppression behind the traditional systems and how leaders must make the daily choice of evolving. By prioritizing people over process, it is possible to create an agile space.

Michael K Sahota is a Speaker, Trainer, & Consultant on Evolutionary Leadership. He is the founder and CEO of SHIFT314 Inc - a boutique training and consulting organization that specializes in the organizational, cultural and leadership shifts needed to unlock success with Agile, Digital, Lean, etc. Michael is the co-creator of the SHIFT314 Evolutionary Leadership Framework™ (SELF) that provides practical step-by-step for the inner and outer shifts needed to unlock Business Agility, Teal and other new ways of working. Michael has trained thousands of leaders worldwide through his highly accoladed Certified Agile Leadership Training.

Main Takeaways:

● Building Engaging Frameworks in the Digital and Agile Space

● Eradicate Oppression and Make the Shift to Challenge the System

● People Over Progress - Harnessing The Power of Agility

Key Quote:

“The truth of the matter is, all those transformation programs are done with the same traditional mindset… They're actually huge acts of oppression… Wake up, stop oppressing the people.” - Michael Sahota

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Rosemary Rein tackles hybrid work and how companies adapt. By effectively utilizing technology, applying positive reinforcement, and providing an avenue for collaboration, organizations can enable a better employee experience.

Rosemary is an author, consultant, and international speaker on leadership, employee engagement, and innovation. She has received the Beyonder Award for her contributions to creativity and was Vice-Chair of the Creative Problem Solving Institute. She was Head of Learning and Development for Wikipedia before moving to Ecuador, where she currently resides.

Main Takeaways:

● Mapping Out the Employee Experience for Hybrid Work

● Imprinting Positive Reinforcement for Ownership and Innovation

● The Formula to a Culture of Creativity

Key Quotes:

“Innovation really can't be put on the back burner. It has to happen today. And your employees are the key secret ingredient - employee experience with innovation.” - Rosemary Rein

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Paula White joins us to expound the concept of music as a metaphor in leadership. She highlights the importance of recognizing the different roles and tapping into your whole self to pivot while being in the metrics-driven world of sales.

Paula White has an unwavering passion for music that she applies in order to bring new perspectives and open new possibilities for leaders. Her one-of-a-kind, forward-thinking approach starts with a foundation of heart and mind. A globally recognized sales leader, Paula has leveraged her talents to scale Inside Sales Teams into multi-million stand-alone sales channels. She has helped organizations achieve 8% - 10% yearly compounded growth, demonstrating success in a wide variety of industries to include travel and tourism, investments, veterinary, and healthcare distribution.

Main Takeaways:

● How Music Composition is Similar to Leadership

● Understanding Side A’s and B’s in the Metrics-Driven World of Sales

Key Quotes:

“When you leave a positive legacy, it's really about being real. It's being relational and helping somebody rather than demanding.” - Paula White

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Sangram Vajre from Season 1 is back! He discusses what the go-to-market means and why low retention rates translate to the death of organizations. He expounds on the four leaky buckets to consider when solving the common problems businesses face.

Bestselling author Sangram Vajre co-founded Terminus in 2014 and ever since has been teaching the business of marketing with his signature frameworks. He’s an international keynote speaker, was named one of the top twenty-one B2B marketing influencers in the world, and is the host of a top-fifty business podcast called FlipMyFunnel. Bryan Brown is Chief Strategy Officer at Terminus and a SaaS visionary in the marketing and sales tech industry. From co-founder to scale with multiple exits, he has envisioned and brought to market software that has shaped the way thousands of businesses grow and communicate with their customers. All resources, templates, scorecards, and frameworks from this book can be found on www.themovebook.com.

Main Takeaways:

● Embracing our Business Journey by Exploring the Go-To-Market

● How Retention Rate Translates to the Company Valuation

● Solving the Problem by Targeting the Retention Angle

Key Quotes:

“You can't solve all of it at one go… Really get into that and say, we're gonna pick this first problem, or the second, or the third.” - Sangram Vajre

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, we have Carol Seymour who will be differentiating sponsorship and mentorship. Throughout the times in the workforce, we have been experiencing biases and some forms may not even be obvious. As we dig into these, there came the need to heavily consider sponsorship as the way to elevate our profiles as women leaders.

Carol Seymour is a sought-after business leader and catalyst for growth. As an executive advisor to businesses and executives around the globe, she has a passion for helping leaders perform at maximum potential in their professions and lives.

Carol founded Signature Leaders in 2013 at the request of a dozen global heads of HR, and now runs multiple leadership-focused offerings FOR women, not about women, including Signature Premier, Signature Select, Strive, and Surge. Today, more than 1,600 global executives in the Fortune 1000 are part of Signature Leaders, which also partners with more than 130 market-leading companies for their selective investments, including Eastman, ADP, Ahold Delhaize, Ingersoll Rand, ServiceNow, Cardinal Health, Merck, UPS, Nestle, Southern Company, AT&T, and Cigna. She is also a top-rated speaker, named one of the Top 40 Women Keynote Speakers for 2020 by RealLeaders Magazine, spending most of her speaking time with women’s forums, industry conferences, and client leadership forums.

Main Takeaways:

● The Sobering Reality of Economic Parity for Women

● Bridging the Gap: The Critical Role of Advocates

● Inviting Opportunities for Sponsorship through Exposure

Key Quotes:

“Your direct supervisor is typically not going to be a sponsor, right? That's their job to kind of help develop you, what you want to do is get some visibility by people who actually don't know that much about you… Being part of those allows visibility into some of the other things that you're capable of.” - Carol Seymour

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Mike Krass discusses what it takes to build a business that lasts for centuries, the considerations in this evolving society to make it happen, and the way to cultivate leadership in this values-led organization.

Mike Krass is the CEO of MKG Marketing, a digital marketing agency that gets tech and healthcare brands found online through transparent, measurable digital marketing. Over the last ten years, Mike has grown MKG Marketing into a 7 figure business not only by specializing in data and analytics but by embracing a “people first” philosophy that promotes a strong work-life balance while systematically holding employees as well as clients accountable. Mike takes this philosophy with him as he sits on the Board of Directors of the global Entrepreneur’s Organization, as well as mentoring other businesses through organizations such as Idea Village and General Assembly. 

The genesis of MKG Marketing came when, at a creative agency, Mike was caught completely flat-footed by a client’s question - “How much money did we make from your campaign?” Realizing the importance of analytics, Mike and his business partner, Kerry Guard, set out to found an agency that could both perform creatively and provide hard numbers in order to quash the frustration that companies can often feel when navigating the digital marketing landscape.

Main Takeaways:

• Building Businesses That Lasts for Centuries
• Values Run in the Company’s DNA
• The Path to Leading a 100-Year Business

Key Quote:

“It [the leadership plan] exists. It's communicated. It's communicated regularly. Those are two separate things, right? You didn't just say it once, and then put it in the drawer. It's communicated regularly, and it's understood. And I use the word understood very intentionally.” - Mike Krass

Welcome to Innovation Meets Leadership! I’m your host, Natalie Born. In this episode, Michael F. Schein redefines the effective manner of marketing or getting the hype. Why is it that those who do not consider themselves marketers turn out to have a bigger following? From this conversation, Michael points out the power of utilizing psychology and how it should be used responsibly by keeping our motives in check.

Michael F. Schein is the founder and president of MicroFame Media, a company that specializes in making consultants and coaches famous in their fields. Some of his clients have included eBay, Magento, The Medici Group, University of Pennsylvania, Gordon College, University of California Irvine, United Methodist Publishing House, Ricoh, LinkedIn, and Citrix. His writing has appeared in Fortune, Forbes, Inc., Psychology Today, and Huffington Post, and he is a speaker for international audiences spanning from the northeastern United States to the southeastern coast of China. His book The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers, published by McGraw Hill, appears where books are sold.

Main Takeaways:

• The Marketing Hype: Utilizing Psychological and Emotional Drives
• The Implications of the Hype - Emotional Regulation
• Targeting Mistrust to Effectively Offer Value

Key Quotes:

“We let our emotions get in the way. And that's a good thing. The problem with that is some of the best people with the best ideas, they throw the baby out with the bathwater, they willfully reject driving attention and emotion around what they're selling, what their messages are.” - Michael F. Schein

In this episode, we have Howard Tiersky joining us to discuss how companies can position themselves in the digital world by acknowledging your identity in the industry, recognizing the needs of customers, and becoming relevant in this digital age.

Howard Tiersky has been named one of the Top 10 Digital Transformation Influencers to follow today by IDG (International Data Group). As an entrepreneur, he has launched two successful companies that help large brands transform to thrive in the digital age. His dozens of Fortune 1000 clients have included Verizon, NBC, Avis, Universal Studios, Facebook, Spotify, and Amazon.

Main Takeaways:

● Movement towards Thriving in the Digital Age

● Staying Relevant and Recognizing Digital Transformation

● The Ideal Positioning in Finding Digital Customers

Key Thoughts:

“Do not try to invent the future, just try to improve on the future. I think that that is a much more predictable and effective strategy than thinking you can sit there and create the complete future by yourself.” - Howard Tiersky

In this episode, Ken Lundin joins us to talk about the invaluable journey of going through hardships, failure, breaking the cycle of passive accountability, and how we can get back up and show up stronger.

Ken Lundin, the founder of Ken Lundin & Associates and creator of the Sales Alpha Roadmap, found his mission while standing in his front lawn in Atlanta in 2011. He learned from the people who had purchased it that his house had been sold by the bank. With his business - and the last 6 years of his life - up in smoke, he took a mid-level sales position and over the course of the next 2 years was offered 2 promotions attaining the role of SVP of Sales within two years. With his unique perspective on thriving during difficult times and his considerable sales acumen, he soon became a consultant in order to bring his systematic process to other companies, helping them adapt to difficult changes and to thrive in uncertain times.

Main Takeaways:

• Acknowledging the Barriers and Embracing the Modern Framework
• Becoming Present: Show Up Better and Stronger

Key Quote:

“I'm very protective of my emotional energy, you know, and so from that perspective, if it doesn't come into my three-foot circle, which is representative of things that I can actually influence change, and I put zero emotional energy into it.” - Ken Lundin

In this episode, we have two guests, Jennifer Wilde and Dan McClure, to share their insights on the holistic approach in redesigning systems in the organization, how leadership impacts the platform for innovators, and how to encourage agility for choreographers to take the realm.

Jenny Wilde is currently serving as Managing Director at Innovation Ecosystem, an organization offering practical tools and support to deliver a step-change in innovation effectiveness. A leader in System Innovation, they enable organizations to solve challenging problems, and find the right solutions to build high impact change.

Dan McClure is a systems strategist and agile product manager. Dan helps organizations envision and create high-impact innovations. He has over 30 years of hands-on experience shaping systems-level initiatives that combine business + technology in tumultuous environments.

Main Takeaways:

● Reimagine the Norm with System Innovation

● Creating Impact through Innovative Ecosystems

● The System Innovator Choreographers in the Making

Key Quote:

“Choreographers are chased out of traditional organizations. So part of the goal here is to rather than chasing them away, identifying them, bringing them in and embracing them as part of the creative process.” - Dan McClure

In this episode, we have Eb Ikonne joining us to share his story of taking a leap towards product development, the concept of leadership in the lens of mentality, and the power of communication as an adaptive leader.

Ebenezer Ikonne is a practitioner-academic (pracademic) with over 20 years in product development. He is currently a product and engineering leader at Cox Automotive. Ebenezer started his technology career as a network engineer and software developer. He later transitioned into product development leadership and management and has held middle- to senior-level leadership and management positions in large organizations, small corporations, and startups.

Main Takeaways:

• Making the Leap Towards Holistic Product Development
• The Power of Communication in Becoming an Adaptive Leader

Quote:

“Can we expect our leaders to have the answers and to come up with a game plan that will just make sure things work out? But we have so much evidence in front of us that shows us that it's not true, it never happens. And when things get done in any organization, it's not just the leader who did it. I can guarantee that.” - Eb Ikonne

In this episode, Nora Herting joins us to discuss the ways visual communication impacts organizations and how storytelling can influence our mental mapping towards our goals.

A pioneer of visual strategy, Nora Herting is passionate about expanding peoples’ definition of creativity and believes the best way to meet the demands of business today is to take a visual approach that blends strategic thinking and creative expression.

Nora’s skill and impact with businesses, and her own entrepreneurial prowess founding ImageThink has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fox Business, Entrepreneur, and INC.

She leads a compelling conversation around the power of visual thinking as a catalyst for personal and organizational change. As a sought-after speaker and thought leader, Nora has inspired global audiences with her creative keynotes at Cannes Lions, SXSW Interactive, WBENC

Nora’s first book, Draw Your Big Idea, has inspired thousands to think visually and access their own creativity.

Main Takeaways:

● How Visual Thinking Helps in Collaboration and Communication

● Cultivating the Habit of Visual Planning

● How the Power Visual Thinking Refashions Organizations

Quote:

“How do you get from where you want to go? The desired future to where you are right now? And then that's where you start filling in what are the action steps, what are the plans, but also articulating the challenges, and you can have fun with those things.” - Nora Herting