Innovation Nation
Innovation is all around us. In fact, everyone innovates, often unbeknownst to themselves. Many mistakenly assume that innovation is either a big capital project, or a figurative bolt of lightning that brings inspiration, or the province of some exceptionally gifted people. This is the myth of innovation. Those people and organizations that are not beholden to this myth, in fact, have practices and processes that encourage innovation systematically. This is true of manufacturing, high-tech, medical device, or any other industry that keeps evolving to answer the demands of the day, both locally and globally. Those that are mystified by innovation are the ones that resist change, avoid digital transformation, and, over time, become extinct. Innovation Nation is the podcast that speaks with top executives and industry experts, harnessing their expertise and sharing their insights to empower our listeners to grow. You’ll hear from these industry experts, their stories of grit, determination, experimentation, and core creative solutions to help embrace innovation. This podcast will help you innovate in practice. We’ll focus on industry trends and how certain companies stay ahead of the curve by driving their own innovation and building a safer and more sustainable future.
What are the 2 most important things in the world right now?
Saving the planet with environmental responsibility and unlocking the power of every individual with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
In this episode, I interview Bracken Darrell, CEO at Logitech, about his unwavering focus on legacy.
What we talked about:
- 3 user-centered design principles
- The vulnerability and excitement of breaking down walls
- The inextricable goals of social justice and sustainability
To stay connected with Innovation Nation, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
It sounds like the start of a joke: What do corporations and Kilimanjaro have in common?
Quite a lot, actually, when it comes to mental toughness, agility, and a growth mindset.
In this episode, I interview Liz Fendt, Global CMO and Cofounder of Women’s Network at TUV SUD, about innovation, climbing, and advocacy.
We had an amazing conversation about:
- Undertaking preparation for mountaineering… and not making the summit
- 2 reasons women don’t step up to opportunity
- Developing a fixed vs. a growth mindset
- Co-founding the Women’s Network and the importance of people
To stay connected with Innovation Nation, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
- How Functional Safety is rising in importance across industries
- When manufacturers should incorporate Functional Safety into design
- Functional Safety is a cross disciplinary responsibility
- Innovating with Functional Safety
When today’s guest realized she was poisoning herself with toxic thinking and an addiction to junk food, she started imitating the Navy SEALS — and earned an Olympic gold medal in her 60s. She learned mental toughness.
Mental toughness starts with deleting your toxic thoughts by creating an exciting why and personal vision for yourself.
In this episode, I interview Laura Eiman, Gold Medal Olympic Weightlifter and Mental Toughness Leadership Coach, about techniques for becoming like a corporate Navy SEAL.
She and I discuss:
- Her journey from toxicity to mental toughness and elite athleticism
- Team building techniques of Navy SEALs that work in the office, too
- Her advice for positivity during COVID-19
- The relationship between innovation, determination, and excitement
To stay connected with Innovation Nation, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
What’s the optimal environment for innovation?
In this episode, I interview Alisa Coffey, Head of Marketing at Abaco, about how she creates a culture of change and why she loves failure.
What we talked about:
- Technology tools of the future spark innovation
- Alisa: “We need to fail fast.”
- The importance of collaboration and consensus in spurring creativity
To stay connected with Innovation Nation, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
Innovators don’t just wake up and decide to innovate. They work towards objectives — and those become the moments when innovation happens.
In this episode, I interview Ben Branham, Director of Global Quality at Abaco, about innovation en route toward objectives.
What we talked about:
- What to measure & what not to measure
- Getting your team positive & motivated about the goal
- Appropriate risk in prioritizing objectives
- What makes a tool valuable
To stay connected with Innovation Nation, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
The velocity of innovation has ramped up in the manufacturing space. Today’s guest explains why.
In this episode, I interview Jeff Wurzbach, Founder and Engineer at Wurzbach Electronics, about 3 spaces for innovation in manufacturing.
What we talked about:
- Software management techniques don’t go down well with hardware
- Distributed manufacturing has embraced innovation and creativity
- A plug for more vertical integration
- Innovation isn’t a step function but a continuous function
To stay connected with Innovation Nation, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
Boxes are awfully cramped, especially when we put ourselves in them. It’s hard to do very much growth in a box.
Innovators need to ask this question: How can I change the box that’s holding me back?
In this episode, I interview Runa Magnusdottir, CEO & Creator at The Change Makers, about her #NoMoreBoxes movement:
What we talked about:
- Finding & trusting your flow
- Breaking out of what you’re “supposed” to do
- Strategies for recognizing & overcoming your box
- What innovation looks like for a leader in the flow
Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:
- The #NoMoreBoxes Movement site
- The Story of Boxes, cowritten by Runa and her business partner
To stay connected with Innovation Nation, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
The concept of synthesis doesn’t come up a lot at work. But it should.
We innovate by synthesizing knowledge we already have with what we’ve recently learned. This is why education is the heart of innovation.
In this episode, I interview Rodger LeGrand, Academy Manager at TÜV SÜD, about how and why to build a learning organization.
What we talked about:
- Einstein, art, and poetry
- 2 things that learning organizations must do
- The intricacies of course design
- Empowering all employees to be knowledge workers
To stay connected with Innovation Nation, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
Trust is the foundation for a shared mission among team members and for relationships with customers.
We actually don’t think it’s possible to innovate without trust.
In this episode, I interview John Tesoro, President & CEO at TÜV SÜD, about how trust and innovation influence our industry.
What we talked about:
- The impact of trust on teams’ expertise
- How to build & retain marketplace trust in the time of COVID-19
- Future episode topics with John
Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:
- Patrick Lencioni on vulnerability trust
- Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on trust and consistency
We’ve all had enough of grand, sweeping changes with COVID-19.
What we would benefit most from right now is gradual, continuous, and client-focused innovation.
In this episode, I interview Jim Marsh, President & CEO at TÜV SÜD, about best practices for continuous improvements.
What we talked about:
- Hearing the voice of the client
- Kaizen focus groups
- How data & technology are only as good as the use to which they are put
Once upon a time, customers didn’t ever want to see people cleaning. Now they expect it.
The ways we have innovated in the hygiene industry are here to stay.
In this episode, I interview Mark Alpert, VP of Business Assurance at TÜV SÜD, about innovations in hygiene audits.
What we talked about:
- The hidden industry that makes us feel safe during COVID-19
- How Mark has innovated on innovation
- The qualities of communication & responsiveness that are here to stay
With today’s remote work culture, we all feel trapped on Zoom for 9 hours a day…
Well, there’s an easy way to save yourself from bad meetings. Ask why you were invited.
In this episode, I interview David Grady, CISM & Security Evangelist at Verizon, about innovating our mindset about time.
What we talked about:
- Not everyone on a team needs to go to the meeting!
- In security as in life, you need to clarify your goals
- Digital transformation actually starts with communication
- Being continually available for work erodes your resilience
When you evolve from a chemistry postdoc to the head of sales, marketing & communications at a fragrance company, you learn something about innovation.
One of the things you learn is to ask many questions. Another thing? Gratitude.
In this episode, I interview Marta Araujo, Board Member & former CEO of Castelbel, about how her roles at Castelbel evolved.
What we talked about:
- The strength of an interdisciplinary team
- Before launching a product, ask for as many opinions as you can
- The social responsibility of manufacturers to give back
We’re all working from home not thinking about cybercriminals at all.
They’re thinking about us, though.
In this very first episode of Innovation Nation, I interview Matthew Rosenquist, CISO at Eclipz.io, about cybercrime in the time of COVID-19.
What we talked about:
- Hardware vs. software vs. wetware (people)
- We’re vulnerable during quarantine not because technology but our behaviors
- Cybersecurity issues that SMBs need to consider with IOT
- Security fears that we have & education that we need
In our intro episode, host Jasmine Martirossian shares what to expect from the podcast going forward.
For more, subscribe to the podcast in your favorite podcast player.
