Innovation Answered

What are corporate innovators thinking about in the first quarter of 2019? We sat down with Professor Gary Pisano at Harvard Business School to find out. In this interview, Pisano discussed last years innovation wins and his new book, Creative Construction. We also talked to our Editor and CEO Scott Kirsner to find out what Innovation Leader members are thinking about in the new year.

How can AI help turn restaurant customers into regulars? We sat down with Sherif Mityas, TGI Friday's Chief Experience Officer to find out. Other topics of discussion include personalization, catering to millennials, and best practices for innovation. 

With increased traffic and decreased parking, many urbanites have opted out of owning a car. So what will the future of mobility look like? We talked to Jon McNeill, COO of Lyft, about what consumers can expect moving forward. In this interview, Jon also discussed his experience at Tesla and his move to the ride sharing industry.

Startups are viewed as innovative utopias, filled with a dedicated workforce of entrepreneurs. So can big companies behave like startups and capture their culture? To find out, we sat down with Steve Blank, a key player in the lean startup movement. This episode also features insights from Lyft COO Jon McNeill and Innovation Leader’s Kelsey Alpaio.

What’s disrupting the world of sports, and how are teams adapting? We asked sports innovators how teams and franchises can knock innovation out of the park. Guests include Angela Ruggiero, CEO of the Sports Innovation Lab, and Jack Elkins, Director of Innovation at the Orlando Magic.

Innovators are always encouraged to move faster and avoid disruption. But can a big, slow company really move fast? And is faster necessarily better? We sat down with Rachael Schwartz, formerly of Keurig, to find out. This episode also features insights from TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer and Innovation Leader’s Kelsey Alpaio.

Digital transformation has become a buzzword. However, the perfect formula — and even the definition — are a mystery at most companies. So what's the right strategy for making digital transformation happen inside a big organization? To find out, we went to Chicago. Guests include Patrick Bass, the CEO at thyssenkrupp North America, and Marcelo De Santis, former Chief Information Officer at Mondelez International and Pirelli.

Avoiding disruption is often central to innovation teams. But can changing your business model make your company an innovation powerhouse? We sit down with Rick Paster of Walmart Global eCommerce and Mark Johnson of Innosight to find out.

What is it really like to head innovation at a large company? We talked to former innovation executives to find out the good, the bad, and the ugly. Welcome to the Ex-Files. Guests include Rick Waldron, former Vice President of Innovation Strategy & Partnerships at Nike, and Ace Moghimi, former Global Head of Innovation Strategy at Manulife/John Hancock.

Millennials are murderers. At least according to the headlines, where the generation is blamed for killing all sorts of industries. But are millennials really killing established brands? Nondini Naqui, a millennial engagement consultant and former CEO of Society of Grownups, discusses how companies can connect with the age group. Innovation Leader's Kelsey Alpaio also explains how brands like Cadillac, L'Oreal, and Denny's are staying relevant with the kids.

What kills innovation initiatives at large companies? And what can you do to survive? Innovation Leader's Scott Kirsner and Kelsey Alpaio share their tips that can help innovation initiatives stay afloat and create organizational change. 

Innovation at large, established companies is hard. So we made a podcast to help you overcome obstacles and create change at your organization. Welcome to Innovation Answered, the podcast for corporate innovators.  Innovation Answered is created by the media and events company Innovation Leader. For more information visit innovationleader.com/podcast.