What is Innovation?

What if the true barrier to innovation isn't a lack of ideas, but how we manage them?

In this episode of What is Innovation?, Jared Simmons sits down with Steve Hinch — award-winning author, high-tech executive, and innovation consultant — to uncover the overlooked mechanics of corporate and startup innovation. Drawing on decades of leadership experience at Hewlett Packard, Agilent Technologies, and startup ventures, Steve break...

What does it mean to build something enduring in a world obsessed with fast growth and quick exits?

In this episode of What is Innovation?, Jared Simmons sits down with Shawn Nelson, CEO and founder of Lovesac, to explore the deeper layers of innovation in business, leadership, and life. From making beanbags in his parents’ basement to running a public company approaching a billion in revenue, Shawn shares how clarity of purpose and...

When most people think about innovation, law firms don’t usually come to mind; Zack Oliva is working to change that. In this episode, Jared Simmons talks with Zack, Managing Partner at Oliva Gibbs and founder of Oliva Partners Management, about how innovation in professional services isn’t always about new technology or radical inventions. Sometimes, it starts with running things a little differently.

Zack shares how treating his la...

Innovation isn’t just new. It’s radical — and when we treat it like a minor update or a clever tweak, we undermine its potential. In this episode, Jared Simmons speaks with Stefan F. Dieffenbacher, founder of Digital Leadership AG and author of How to Create Innovation, to challenge the status quo around innovation strategy and execution.

With experience leading major transformation projects for companies like Amazon, BMW, and Googl...

Title: Innovation is delivering something exceptional (with Jeremy Kourdi)

Description:
What separates innovation from imitation? In this episode, Jared Simmons talks with business author, coach, and entrepreneur Jeremy Kourdi about how innovation creates both impact and long-term value, and why originality and authenticity matter more than ever.

Jeremy shares lessons from NASA, Amazon, and even sport, while unpacking his view that in...

What if innovation isn't about having the best idea — but about letting go of the need to be right?

In this episode, Jared Simmons talks with entrepreneurial coach, author, and facilitator David Greer about the power of thinking differently and acting differently. They explore the critical role belief systems, fear of success, and perfectionism play in holding back innovation — and why real innovators treat life like an ongoing expe...

Join us on "What is Innovation?" as we explore the true meaning of innovation with Kris Forrest, Co-Founder and CEO of C&D Tools USA. From his background in the intelligence community to leading an American manufacturing company, Kris shares insights on how innovation can be about improving existing ideas rather than just creating new ones.

Discover how his unique journey shapes his vision of innovation.

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Join us as we explore the essence of innovation with Dave Martin, founder of 280 Capital Partners. From Silicon Valley's most groundbreaking technologies to the leadership qualities that drive innovation, discover how to transform your business and stay ahead in a rapidly changing world.

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Episode Guide:

0:00 - Intro

0:47 - What is Innovation?

1:15 - Recipe for Innovation

2:41 - ...

Innovation: A way of thinking about the world

Is your company's culture stifling innovation? Dr. Laura Hamill, organizational psychologist and author of "The Power of Culture," argues that innovation is fundamentally about mindset.

"Innovation is a mindset. It's a way of thinking about the world," says Dr. Hamill. She emphasizes the importance of creating a culture where people feel encouraged to innovate, think differently, and conn...

Innovation isn't just about having ideas—it's about getting them done. As Duncan Wardle, former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, says: "I define creativity as the ability to have an idea. We can all do that. But I genuinely believe everybody is creative, and I define innovation as the ability to get it done."

In his new book, "The Imagination Emporium: Creative Recipes for Innovation," Duncan distills his experience into...

Innovation is evolving - are you? In a recent conversation with Pam Buchanan, founder of Quantum Sense, we explored the deeper dimensions of innovation. Pam challenges us to think beyond products and technologies, emphasizing that true innovation starts at the soul level. "Innovation is about evolving yourself, evolving your environment, and evolving the world," says Buchanan. She argues that by focusing on soul health and creating...

Innovation: Driving Better Outcomes or Reinforcing the Status Quo? In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, true innovation is more crucial than ever. But what separates genuine innovation from mere change? David Sinkinson, co-founder of AppArmor and author of "Startup Different," offers a thought-provoking perspective: "Innovation is not changes that reinforce the status quo. It's about doing something differently with bett...

Join us in a profound discussion with Rani Al Hajji, a trailblazer in the FMCG sector with over 25 years of experience at leading companies like L'Oréal and Colgate. Rani shares his unique insights on turning complex technologies into consumer-friendly solutions that not only innovate but resonate widely.

"Innovation has 4 criteria: it has to be new, it has to bring a positive dimension to people. It has to be easily understood, and...

Purandar Das, a two-time CTO and the current CEO of a leading data protection company, shares his insights on redefining innovation in the tech world:

"Innovation is creating a new process, a new product, or a new approach to doing something better—solving a problem that's not been solved before." - Purandar Das

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Episode Guide:

0:00 - Intro

0:56 - What is Innovation?

2:30- The R...

In a world where the term 'innovation' risks becoming a buzzword, understanding its true essence is crucial. Joia Spooner-Fleming, a seasoned innovation executive with a decades-long track record of developing people and products at Procter & Gamble, joins the show to discuss what innovation looks like in practice.

Throughout the process of transforming ideas into value, it's critical to distinguish invention from innovation. Joia e...

Join us this week for a conversation with Shanil Ebrahim, Partner and National Life Sciences & Healthcare Consulting Leader at Deloitte Canada! We challenge the common misconception that innovation requires constant efficiency. Shanil shares why some "wasted work" is inevitable, and even essential, for groundbreaking ideas.

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Episode Guide:

0:00 - Intro

0:42 - What is Innovatio...

This conversation with Collin Graves, CEO of North Labs, revolves around simplifying complex processes, removing technical debt, and streamlining workflows to increase efficiency and productivity. Jared and Collin also discuss the challenges of managing technical debt in complex systems and the importance of a slow and steady approach to AI adoption.

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Episode Guide:

0:00 - In...

Host Jared Simmons talks with Tatsuya Nakagawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Castagra Products. Tatsuya offers a unique take: "For me, innovation is value creation towards some sort of goal or aim." This reflection springs from the story of his junior high school decision about whether to alter his name to overcome social barriers, highlighting how innovation is woven into the human experience.

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Join us on "What is Innovation?" where Jared Simmons discusses what it takes to generate game-changing ideas with Dr. Craig Detweiler, President of Wedgwood Circle and Dean of the College of Arts and Media at Grand Canyon University. Dr. Detweiler shares his insights on innovation: "Innovation is all about changing the game. It shifts the paradigm in ideas, culture, and products, introducing something we haven't seen before."

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