Innovation Talks

Marie-José van den Boomgaard is the Liaison Manager for Start-ups and Scale-ups at KPN, a Dutch telecommunications company. MJ has demonstrated her passion for open innovation throughout her role as Liaison Manager and through the 300 deals she has closed between KPN and scale-ups. In addition to her role at KPN, MJ is an active board member of Costa, an initiative from VNO NCW where the 25 top brands in the Netherlands exchange information on working with scale-ups. In September, MJ will be launching The Innovation Cast—a podcast sharing and discussing personal stories from innovation heroes—with Kirsten van Rijn. MJ joins me today to discuss her role as the mediator between KPN and scale-ups. She offers advice to people new to the scale-up world. She explains how COVID-19 has changed the relevance of telecommunications. She describes why process optimization is the easiest innovation type for scale-ups. MJ also reveals how top-level commitment has helped her create successful collaborations between KPN and scale-ups and highlights the importance of assessing your organization’s internal processes when working with scale-ups. “Experiment and fail fast. Optimize your processes, get a coalition of the willing, experiment, and use a CRM.” - Marie-José van den Boomgaard This week on Innovation Talks: ● The responsibilities of the Liaison Manager KPN ● Why open innovation is highly valued at KPN ● How to create impactful collaborations between your organization and a scale-up ● The types of innovation that work best with scale-ups ● Engaging with scale-ups and the importance of the culture of collaboration ● Speeding up the deal-making process and the emphasizing strategic relevance of deals ● Finding, hiring, and developing interns Resources Mentioned: ● Magnet.Me (https://magnet.me/jobseekers) Connect with Marie-José van den Boomgaard: ● KPN (https://www.kpn.com/) ● KPN on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpn/) ● Marie-José van den Boomgaard on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-jos%C3%A9-van-den-boomgaard/) ● Email: kpnscale-ups@kpn.com This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Jim Fava is the former Executive Director of the Anthesis Group, which supports businesses and governments in understanding and navigating the risks and opportunities they face. Renowned as the "father of modern-day life cycle assessment," Jim has provided invaluable guidance, tools, and expertise on strategies and actions that enable organizations to operate in a more environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. His efforts have contributed significantly to supporting global decision-making processes and have led the United States delegation responsible for shaping the first generation of ISO LCA standards. He is the co-founder of influential organizations such as the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, Five Winds International, and the Forum for Sustainability through Life Cycle Innovation (FSLCI). Alongside Neil D’Souza, Jim co-hosts Five Lifes to Fifty, a podcast that explores the intersection between society, business, environment, and technology and how to negotiate the path to sustainable products. Jim joins us today to discuss the golden rules for embedding sustainability into the innovation process. He shares how he was inspired to conceptualize the golden rules of innovation and sustainability. He outlines the foundations of sustainable development and why those foundations need to be led by governance. He explains why sustainability officers need to be assigned directly to an innovation department. Jim also highlights why it’s important for sustainability officers to avoid “sustainability talk” and instead speak the language of their audiences. “If you’re going to do something different, do it now. Change is part of what we have to do to make it happen.” - Jim Fava This week on Innovation Talks: ● The Ten Golden Rules of sustainability and innovation ● The increasing awareness of sustainability’s importance ● Integrating sustainability into innovation ● The foundations of sustainable development ● Good governance and its role in sustainable development ● Recalibrating the roles of sustainability officers in an organization ● The value of speaking the language of your audience ● How innovation drives marketing and procurement ● Breaking silos and why people sustainability should be part of the innovation technology department Related Episode: ● Golden rules for a sustainable business with Jim Fava (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/golden-rules-for-a-sustainable-business-with-jim-fava) Connect with Jim Fava: ● Podcast: Five Lifes to Fifty (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/five-lifes-to-fifty/id1687638970) ● Jim Fava on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-fava-04b88b5/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Huub Rutten is the co-founder and Vice President of Product Research and Design at Sopheon. Huub has over 20 years of experience in language management and holds a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Radboud University in the Netherlands. He plays a pivotal role in developing Sopheon’s linguistics and knowledge management technologies and leads the organization into solutions for innovation. Huub integrates his expertise in linguistics and information technology to innovate language management technology within knowledge-intensive business processes and has recently created an in-depth course on innovation portfolio management. Huub joins me today to discuss managing, governing, and balancing an innovation portfolio. He explains why there is no “ideal” portfolio and how the most desirable portfolio is relative to the regional market sector someone is going for. He describes why developing and investing in production and manufacturing plants is as critical in innovation as product research and development. He underscores why larger companies need to create an innovation management council within their organization. Huub also highlights the importance of bridging the gaps between product portfolios and production portfolios and understanding how they impact each other. “The simplicity of looking at a portfolio as a series of projects is ridiculous. If you want to add value from a portfolio management perspective, you have to connect with its complexity.” - Huub Rutten This week on Innovation Talks: ● Huub’s thoughts on innovation portfolio balance ● Thinking about an innovation portfolio as a “living” business object in itself ● How the direction of a company’s innovation portfolio demands a continued SWOT analysis ● Innovation management in production processes and technology ● Investing in manufacturing and production plants ● Balancing a portfolio of portfolios ● Bridging product and production portfolios ● Creating an innovation management council within a large company ● How people are reacting to Huub’s courses on portfolio management Related Episodes: ● The Importance of Sprint Portfolios with Huub Rutten (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/the-importance-of-sprint-portfolios-with-huub-rutten) ● Pillars of Portfolio Management with Huub Rutten (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/pillars-of-portfolio-management-with-huub-rutten) Connect with Huub Rutten: ● Huub Rutten on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/huub-rutten-9958136/?originalSubdomain=nl) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Frank Mattes is a thought leader, startup mentor, and expert in corporate business-building. He is the founder and CEO of Lean Scaleup LLC, which co-created the Lean Scaleup Framework, the best practice for overcoming corporate scaling-up problems and creating profitable businesses. As an advisor and mentor, Frank helps corporations accelerate the learning cycle in building new businesses, allowing them to create new revenue streams and move swiftly on their transformation journey. He is the author of the books, Lean Scale Up and Scaling-Up Corporate Startups. Frank joins me today to discuss corporate business building, its challenges, and how to overcome them. He explains why only a small fraction of companies succeed in bringing new business models into the market. He describes the two value-creation systems that exist under one corporate roof. He outlines three approaches to overcoming the odds of creating new businesses in a company. He underscores how building new businesses requires solving systematic problems. Frank also highlights why achieving success in building new businesses inside a company involves making two incompatible factors work together. “The success rate of building sizable, profitable businesses is 3%. It’s not that companies don’t know how to create new products, but it’s all about knowing how to launch new businesses.” - Frank Mattes This week on Innovation Talks: ● Corporate business-building, how it works, and the history of Amazon ● Innovation and creating new business models ● The defined “red shirt” value-creation system ● The innovative “blue shirt” value-creation system ● The success rate of companies creating new businesses and business models ● Frank’s definition of innovation ● The Kodak vs. Fujifilm innovation story Connect with Frank Mattes: ● Lean Scaleup (https://www.leanscaleup.com/) ● Book: Scaling-Up Corporate Startups: Turn innovation concepts into business impact (https://www.amazon.com/Scaling-Up-Corporate-Startups-innovation-concepts-ebook/dp/B07KNCNG9X/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=2rRJE&content-id=amzn1.sym.ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_p=ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_r=131-0454843-5311538&pd_rd_wg=TafrK&pd_rd_r=f0962679-2905-475a-8fd6-fc56967cfbb2&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk) ● Book: Lean Scaleup: A proven framework for building new businesses from innovation (https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Scaleup-framework-businesses-innovation/dp/3982315409/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=2rRJE&content-id=amzn1.sym.ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_p=ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_r=131-0454843-5311538&pd_rd_wg=TafrK&pd_rd_r=f0962679-2905-475a-8fd6-fc56967cfbb2&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk) ● Lean Scaleup on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-scaleup) ● Lean Scaleup on Twitter (https://twitter.com/LeanScaleup) ● Frank Mattes on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankmattes/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or...

Marko Jak is a product and growth professional who builds high-growth products and brings together talented individuals and strategic expertise to reach remarkable outcomes. He has founded two ventures. The first involved leveraging a Machine Learning API for unstructured text data processing, revolutionizing how companies organize their job applications and access a broader pool of tech applicants through collaboration with external recruiters. His current venture, Secta.AI, uses AI to generate professional headshots from regular photos. He now resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and two children. Today, Marko and I discuss how AI can help professionals better present themselves online. Marco reminisces about his journey in the AI and machine learning field and the trials he faced along the way. He stresses the significance of comprehending the disruptive nature of AI and tailoring products to address customer needs. We look back on the historical evolution of film and digital technology, delving into the price reduction of photography and the gradual transition from film to digital cameras. We talk about the roles of third-party APIs and the significance of testing and customizing AI solutions to suit specific tasks and problem domains. We analyze Watson Transformer architecture, the cautious implementation of AI solutions, and the value of experimentation and learning from failures. I also ask Marko to weigh in on which precautions companies should take when adopting AI, and he suggests ways to approach aligning AI capabilities with the problems at hand. “For all new tech, including AI, you're going to make some kind of trade-off somewhere, and you need to be conscious that that trade-off is probably short term only.” - Marko Jak This week on Innovation Talks: ● Marko’s journey with AI and machine learning ● The challenges and evolution of AI technology ● The importance of understanding AI’s disruptive nature ● How to foster a culture that embraces innovation and accepts failure ● The history of film and digital technology ● The trade-offs in technological advancements and AI ● Understanding the short-term limitations of new technologies ● The role of third-party APIs ● Why you should proceed with caution when implementing AI solutions ● The importance of aligning AI capabilities with specific problems ● The future of AI in image processing Resources Mentioned: ● Attention is All You Need (https://proceedings.neurips.cc/paper_files/paper/2017/file/3f5ee243547dee91fbd053c1c4a845aa-Paper.pdf) ● Open AI Memo (https://www.semianalysis.com/p/google-we-have-no-moat-and-neither) Connect with Marko Jak: ● Marko Jak Website (https://markojak.com/) ● Marko Jak on Twitter (https://twitter.com/markojak_) ● Marko Jak on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/markojak/) ● Secta Labs on Twitter (https://twitter.com/sectalabs) ● Secta Labs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sectalabs/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter...

Carla Johnson is a global keynote speaker, author, marketing and innovation strategist, and innovation architect. She is the author of RE:Think Innovation: How the World's Most Prolific Innovators Come Up with Great Ideas that Deliver Extraordinary Outcomes. Carla was formerly the Programme Director of Digital Marketing at HARBOUR.SPACE and the Director of Media Relations and Employee Communications at Time Warner Telecom. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and is a graduate of the Influence / ICAN Leadership Institute. On a mission to teach one million people how to become innovative thinkers, Carla has partnered with leaders and Fortune 500 brands to train thousands of people to rethink the work they do and make an impact. Carla joins me today to discuss fostering a culture of innovative thinking and turning it into a competitive advantage. She explains how observing the world around us can increase creative thinking. She outlines the six innovation archetypes and explains how understanding these archetypes can improve teamwork and idea generation in organizations. Carla also highlights the bottom-up approach to building a culture of original thinking and innovation and underscores the role of structured processes in idea generation and problem-solving. “Innovation really is everybody's business and we all have the ability to contribute if we just understand how.” - Carla Johnson This week on Innovation Talks: ● Carla’s background and work as an innovation architect ● How design architects did design thinking before it became popular ● How creatives and innovators are perceived differently in organizations ● Connecting emotions to products and user experiences ● The relationship and difference between innovation and creativity ● Why creativity is undervalued in organizations ● How observing the world can fuel creativity and innovation ● RE:Think Innovation and Carla’s goal to teach a million people to become innovative thinkers ● The six innovation archetypes and their application to teams and organizations ● The importance of culture-shapers and storytellers in today’s companies ● How diversity can make innovative ideas powerful ● Bringing empathy into the innovation process Resources Mentioned: ● Book: Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days (https://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Solve-Problems-Test-Ideas/dp/150112174X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MY5KDGSJGH87&keywords=Sprint&qid=1696425962&s=books&sprefix=sp%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C299&sr=1-1) by Jake Knapp Related Episode: ● RE:Think innovation with Carla Johnson (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/rethink-innovation-with-carla-johnson-1) Connect with Carla Johnson: ● Carla Johnson Website (https://www.carlajohnson.co/) ● The RE:Think Lab Newsletter (https://www.carlajohnson.co/newsletter/) ● Book: RE:Think Innovation: How the World's Most Prolific Innovators Come Up with Great Ideas that Deliver Extraordinary Outcomes (https://www.amazon.com/RE-Innovation-Prolific-Innovators-Extraordinary/dp/1631953176) ● Book: Union Pacific and Omaha Union Station (https://www.amazon.com/Union-Pacific-Omaha-Station/dp/0934904448/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=00Mbo&content-id=amzn1.sym.579192ca-1482-4409-abe7-9e14f17ac827&pf_rd_p=579192ca-1482-4409-abe7-9e14f17ac827&pf_rd_r=131-0454843-5311538&pd_rd_wg=UB0yW&pd_rd_r=f6208913-3bd7-4f1d-a438-d2d66f4fdb67&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk%5C) ● Carla Johnson on LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/carlajohnson) ● Carla Johnson on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/carlajohnson.co) ● Carla Johnson on Twitter (http://twitter.com/carlajohnson) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn...

Jim Fava is the former Executive Director of the Antithesis Group, an organization that supports businesses and governments in understanding and navigating risks and opportunities. Regarded as the “Father of Modern-Day Life Cycle Assessment,” Jim is on a mission to make the world a better place and has been one of the leading pioneers in sustainability. He has made significant contributions to the sustainability and environmentalism movement for more than 40 years and has spent his career guiding businesses and governments through risks and opportunities, enabling them to hold environmentally responsible and sustainable operations. Today, alongside Neil D’Souza, Jim co-hosts Five Lifes to Fifty, a podcast that explores the intersection between society, business, environment, and technology and negotiating the path to sustainable products. Jim joins me today to discuss embracing change for a more positive, sustainable impact. He shares the eighth and ninth Golden Rules for sustainable innovation and discusses the foundational changes needed to embed sustainability and life cycle information into the innovation process. He highlights the role of sustainability professionals in translating environmental and life cycle data into business value. He also outlines the five attributes needed for any kind of change and illustrates how customers around the world are driving the need for greener, more sustainable products. “The whole ecosystem is changing; customers, governments, regulators, competitors, and markets globally want greener products—and sustainable innovation is the next frontier for greener products.” - Jim Fava This week on Innovation Talks: ● Sustainable innovation as the next frontier for greener products ● The eighth Golden Rule: focusing on positive impacts and results rather than just data and information ● Why life cycle professionals need to engage with information users and stakeholders at the beginning stages of a life cycle or sustainability study ● The differences between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom ● How sustainability and life cycle professionals can bridge the gap for decision-makers by translating data and information into applicable knowledge and wisdom ● How a computer company connected their sustainability professionals with their innovation team to shift perspective ● The ninth Golden Rule: actions, changing behavior, and business practices ● The five attributes that can help you achieve change and embed sustainability into innovation ● Why companies avoid change regarding positive environmental and sustainability impact ● How consumers, governments, and regulators are driving the need to integrate sustainability into innovation Resources Mentioned: ● Book: Greener Products, 1st Edition: The Making and Marketing of Sustainable Brands (https://www.amazon.com/Greener-Products-Making-Marketing-Sustainable-ebook/dp/B008472NF6/ref=sr_1_3?crid=194Y9CZ0ZXEE6&keywords=Greener+Products+book&qid=1695113745&sprefix=greener+products+bo%2Caps%2C272&sr=8-3) by Al Iannuzzi Related Episodes: ● How to embed sustainability into your innovation process with Jim Fava (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/how-to-embed-sustainability-into-your-innovation-process-with-jim-fava) ● Golden rules for a sustainable business with Jim Fava (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/golden-rules-for-a-sustainable-business-with-jim-fava) (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/golden-rules-for-a-sustainable-business-with-jim-fava) Connect with Jim Fava: ● Podcast: Five Lifes to Fifty (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/five-lifes-to-fifty/id1687638970) ● Jim Fava on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-fava-04b88b5/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn...

Challenges around resource planning and management with Ketan Jahagirdar

Huub Rutten is the Co-Founder and Vice President for Product Research and Design at Sopheon. With over two decades of experience in language management and a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Radboud University in the Netherlands, Huub is instrumental in developing Sopheon’s linguistics and knowledge management technologies and continues to lead the organization into solutions for innovation. Huub integrates his expertise in linguistics and information technology to innovate language management technology within knowledge-intensive business processes and, recently, has created an in-depth course on portfolio management. Huub joins me today to discuss why, when it comes to innovation portfolio management, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. He explains why the front-end of a portfolio needs to be separated from the ‘realization’ end of a portfolio. He discusses why the launch strategy of a new product is as important as its development. He also highlights why companies need to focus on establishing the value of realization instead of the value of the front-end of a portfolio, describes why the portfolio leader needs to ensure a portfolio’s balance and direction, and underscores why portfolio management has to be executed in combination with concrete decision-making. “Look at a portfolio—and portfolio management—as a business object in itself, a collection of things, of products, of projects that have value, business cases, and risk.” - Huub Rutten “Companies who look at portfolio management as a tool for change, transformation, and modernization of a company will be more mature.” - Huub Rutten “Innovation management is about making promises for the future, and you have to believe in the promise of the whole thing.” - Huub Rutten This week on Innovation Talks: ● The tendency of people to look at portfolios as reports instead of a business object ● The fundamentals and foundations of innovation portfolio management ● Distinguishing the difference between the ‘front end’ and ‘realization’ parts of a portfolio ● Separating the front end innovation portfolio from your ‘realization’ portfolio ● Feature development and its prototyping ● Examples of features and components in different products ● Considering the pipeline value of a portfolio ● How a portfolio’s front end is an important knowledge base ● Portfolio management as an organizational transformation tool ● Portfolio leadership and why companies struggle to transform their organization ● Theory versus practice in portfolio management Related Episode: ● AI and machine learning in innovation with Huub Rutten (https://www.sopheon.com/podcasts-audio/ai-and-machine-learning-in-innovation-with-huub-rutten) Connect with Huub Rutten: ● Huub Rutten on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/huub-rutten-9958136/?originalSubdomain=nl) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s...

Carla Johnson is a marketing and innovation strategist, author of ten books, and keynote speaker. She has partnered with leaders and Fortune 500 brands to train thousands of people to rethink the work they do and make an impact. Carla’s goal is to teach one million people how to become innovative thinkers by 2025. She is the Leap Advisor at Demand Spring and was previously the Programme Director of Digital Marketing at HARBOUR.SPACE. Carla has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and is a graduate of the Influence / ICAN Leadership Institute. Carla joins me today to discuss creating consistent innovation through new, impactful, and reliable ideas. She defines innovation, and outlines where to find it as well as how to reignite it alongside creativity. Carla shares her five-step “Perpetual Innovation Process” and reveals the things that block innovation, such as the complexity bias. She talks about recognizing those with the courage to pitch new ideas and how to give feedback. Carla highlights the six different personality types that contribute to innovative teams and how they bring ideas to the table. “In order to get fantastic ideas that have an extraordinary impact and outcome, you have to slow down and observe the world around you.” - Carla Johnson This week on Innovation Talks: ● Carla’s definition of innovation ● Drawing inspiration for innovation by looking outside your industry and what it takes to be successful ● What perpetual innovators are, learning to be one, and waking up your innovative muscles ● Carla’s five-step “Perpetual Innovation Process” ● Inspiring a team to create ideas and the two vital parts of giving feedback ● The six different archetypes of innovative teams: strategist, collaborator, culture shaper, psychologist, orchestrator, and provocateur Connect with Carla Johnson: ● Carla Johnson’s website (https://www.carlajohnson.co/) ● Book: RE:Think Innovation by Carla Johnson (https://www.amazon.com/RE-Innovation-Prolific-Innovators-Extraordinary/dp/1631953176) ● Carla Johnson on LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/carlajohnson) ● Carla Johnson on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/carlajohnson.co) ● Carla Johnson on Facebook (http://facebook.com/carlajohnsonspeaker) ● Carla Johnson on Twitter (http://twitter.com/carlajohnson) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Cris Beswick is a highly acclaimed global authority on innovation strategy, leadership, and culture and is renowned for his groundbreaking work in assessing corporate innovation maturity. He co-authored the best-selling book 'Building a Culture of Innovation,' which received recognition from the CMI as a Top Innovation Book in 2017. With a position as adjunct faculty at a business school and advisory roles on the boards of The Innovators CoLab and The Global Innovation Institute, Cris actively contributes to the field. He is also a co-founder of OUTCOME, a boutique innovation advisory firm. Today, Cris and I discuss the importance of leadership and culture in driving innovation within organizations. We emphasize the need for a systemic approach to innovation and owning the innovation agenda. We analyze why designing an intentional culture is crucial to foster innovation, focusing on understanding a culture's significance, fostering a growth mindset, providing psychological safety, and continuous culture design. We highlight the effect of strong leadership, particularly during uncertain and disruptive times. We also discuss how to proactively shape organizational culture to drive innovation and adapt effectively. “It's now becoming evident that the innovation system as a whole isn't where organizations really need it to be because they're recognizing that the system needs all of the components to work in harmony.” - Cris Beswick This week on Innovation Talks: ● The challenges and opportunities for innovation organizations ● Why leadership and culture are crucial factors in driving innovation ● Why Cris advocates for a systemic approach to innovation ● Why ownership of innovation is not limited to the CEO ● How to design an intentional culture that fosters innovation ● The four key principles of design culture ● Why culture design is a continuous process ● The importance of strong leadership during uncertain times ● How to proactively shape an organization to adapt Connect with Cris Beswick: ● Cris Beswick’s Website (http://www.crisbeswick.com/) ● OUTCOME Website (http://www.weareoutcome.co/) ● Book: Building a Culture of Innovation: A Practical Framework for Placing Innovation at the Core of Your Business by Cris Beswick (https://www.amazon.com/Building-Culture-Innovation-Practical-Framework/dp/0749474475) ● Cris Beswick on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/crisbeswick?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAALLsIkBAUkLmWKTEuoDp0EkzvAddyiDHXA&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3Bg13DzF3OTPKgDvDnwMuE1Q%3D%3D) ● Cris Beswick on Twitter (https://twitter.com/CrisBeswick) ● Email: cris@weareoutcome.co This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here...

Dr. Sven Schimpf is the Managing Director of the Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research and the Director of the Institute for Human Engineering and Empathic Design at Pforzheim University. He is involved in research, education, training, and mentoring in the field of innovation. Sven has conducted extensive studies on roadmapping and has a degree in Business Administration and a doctorate in Engineering earned during his tenure as part of CC R&D Management at Fraunhofer IAO. Throughout his career, he has actively engaged in national and international research and consulting projects, collaborating with various industrial companies to enhance their R&D strategies, processes, and organization. His focus lies in the realm of strategic R&D and innovation management, where he dedicates himself to monitoring, evaluating, and incorporating potentially disruptive advancements. Today, Sven and I discuss the findings of the updated roadmapping study conducted by the Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research with three other organizations. We discuss how organizations use roadmapping and the challenges they face. We highlight the importance of clear communication and why excessive details should be avoided in roadmaps. We analyze how software developers can use the insights gained from the study to improve their roadmapping processes. Sven explains the basics of roadmapping and why mismatches between market-oriented information sources and the responsibility for roadmapping occur. We also discuss how organizations can enhance their strategic planning and decision-making processes, foster creativity, envision ambitious futures, and uniquely engage stakeholders. “There is huge potential because in the long run production technologies there are a lot of things happening and they are enabling the development of the next—or the generation after this— generation of products and services.” Dr. Sven Schimpf This week on Innovation Talks: ● The definition of roadmapping and why it is important ● An overview of the roadmapping study ● The types of companies that participated in the study ● Why there is a lack of marketing involvement in roadmapping ● The importance of sharing roadmaps with stakeholders ● The best processes to manage and update roadmaps ● Roadmapping software recommendations ● Why detail makes roadmaps less useful Connect with Dr. Sven Schimpf ● Dr. Sven Schimpf (https://qepler.com/speakers/sven-schimpf.html) ● Dr. Sven Schimpf on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sven-schimpf-a527261b/) ● Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research Roadmapping Study (https://publica.fraunhofer.de/entities/publication/b52af96f-a870-4660-837e-49d0f9db3c92/details) ● Fraunhofer Group on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fraunhofer-gesellschaft/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices...

Steve Johnson is a speaker and product coach consulting on modern methods that move ideas to market. He is the author of Turn Ideas Into Product and has served as an advisor and executive for technical organizations and industry associates. He is a former instructor and vice president at Pragmatic Marketing and a co-creator of QuartzOpen Framework. He is also a founding partner of the Product Growth Leaders community. Steve has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Computer Science from Hallam College of Business at the University of Tennessee. Steve joins me today to discuss the process of product management. He shares why leaders need to understand the differences between the roles of product managers and product owners. Steve shares his definition of product management and discusses the importance of a systematic approach. He reveals where companies should begin with their product process and why it is imperative to start with personas. He shares how to problem solve using design, as well as the issues businesses experience when product managers play the role of designer or developer. “The goal of design is not beauty, but when you are done with the design, if it’s not beautiful, you have made a mistake.” - Steve Johnson This week on Innovation Talks: ● How changing the role of product managers to product owners can cause problems ● Why you should only focus on ten or fewer of the 37 boxes of the pragmatic framework ● Finding your best practice and implementing product ops to create consistency and standardization ● How Steve’s “No Chaos Product Process” works and the differences between Waterfall and Agile product development ● The role of documentation in product management and why there should be a more significant focus on communication ● Why achieving superior product management involves loving the problem more than the product ● How many product managers are performing the roles of designers and developers and the problem this creates when building a business Resources Mentioned: ● Book: Turn Ideas Into Product by Steve Johnson (https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Ideas-into-Products-Delivering/dp/1520728549) Connect with Steve Johnson: ● Under10 Consulting (https://www.under10consulting.com) ● Under10 Consulting on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/under10consulting) ● Steve Johnson on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjohnson717/) ● Steve Johnson on Twitter (https://twitter.com/sjohnson717) ● NotExactlySteve.com (http://www.notexactlysteve.com) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

If you weren’t able to attend the Innov8rs Conference in Amsterdam, you missed out on some great speakers, a friendly, collaborative environment, and the latest industry updates on open innovation. My experience at the conference was so positive that it got me thinking about the definition of open innovation. It’s a question I love to ask my guests, and the answers vary from industry to industry. For me, open innovation is all-encompassing, including everything from the initial idea to seeing value returned from the successful launch of the idea. Innovation isn’t just about the next great idea—it’s about bringing that product to market and seeing consumers respond. Today, I summarize my experience at the Innov8rs Conference, the concept of open innovation, and its implementation in various industries. I describe open innovation and how it pertains to consumers, partners, consultants, universities, and startups. I highlight the benefits of open innovation and recount how conference attendees came together to create an environment that fostered collaboration. I discuss the challenges we still face as innovators in implementing open innovation successfully, including issues related to access to talent, intellectual property, and industry expertise. I shout out the conference keynote speakers I loved listening to and their insights on the most important topics facing innovators today. I also emphasize the importance of open innovation and the need for collaboration between corporations and startups to drive successful innovation outcomes. “It was just really a great environment. I've been to many conferences where you just don't have that level of interaction, friendliness, and camaraderie among the attendees.” - Paul Heller This week on Innovation Talks: ● My experiences at the Innov8rs Conference in Amsterdam ● The amazing environment created by the leading minds in innovation ● The challenges of implementing open innovation ● The key topics presented by the keynote speakers ● The clash between traditional business models and open innovation ● The importance of collaboration in open innovation Resources Mentioned: ● Mindthebridge.com Research (http://mindthebridge.com/research/) ● Book: Lean Scaleup: A proven framework for building new businesses from Innovation (https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Scaleup-framework-businesses-innovation/dp/3982315409) by Frank Mattes ● Book: Scaling-up Corporate Startups: Turn innovation concepts into business impact (https://www.amazon.com/Scaling-up-Corporate-Startups-innovation-concepts/dp/1790696305) by Frank Mattes This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Tim Kidd is an innovator with over 20 years of experience working in large corporations. He began his career at DSM, where he held various positions spanning from research and development to new business development. Eventually, Tim became an innovation coach, providing guidance and support to DSM's top innovation teams and projects. In 2021, He embarked on a new venture by joining Stahl, where he is currently working to establish an open innovation program to forge connections and partnerships with external parties that possess technologies and capabilities complementary to Stahl's own. This initiative aims to accelerate growth and bring Stahl's strategic ambitions to fruition in sustainable, high-performance waves across diverse markets and applications. Today, Tim joins me to discuss the importance of connecting with external parties to solve problems and achieve limitless growth. He shares why he believes that open innovation is critical for innovation success and explains how to leverage external resources and capabilities to solve challenges and create value. He suggests ways to identify external partners and address the misconception that innovation is a chaotic process. We talk about the power of quick wins and how they demonstrate the value of open innovation. He offers advice to companies on formulating a strategy or approach and reveals why a C-level buy-in is critical for open innovation success. We also discuss who should be the innovators in a company, the challenges of reaching out to external resources, and the rewards of networking. "Open innovation is about bringing an ecosystem of partners together that can solve the problems and the challenges that you have." - Tim Kidd This week on Innovation Talks: ● The importance of in-person connection for innovation ● Tim's journey into innovation starting with his Ph.D. in Chemistry ● Tim's transition into new business development at DSM ● The importance of problem-solution fit and product-market fit ● Why you need an ecosystem of partners in open innovation ● Looking outside your value chain for solutions ● How to define a common innovation language and use a stage-gate approach to track progress ● The challenges of implementing open innovation in an organization ● Engaging with unsupportive team members ● Asking “Why?” five times to understand objections ● Getting C-level buy-in and support ● Getting people excited about open innovation ● The value of external partners Resources Mentioned: ● The 5 Whys Strategy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_whys) Connect with Tim Kidd: ● Tim Kidd on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-kidd-5904949/?originalSubdomain=nl) ● Stahl (https://www.stahl.com/) ● Stahl on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/stahl/) ● Tim Kidd on Twitter (https://twitter.com/TimKidd74) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDY1ODg1LnhtbA) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) | Amazon (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6e12f112-fdc6-499e-be27-bcdd18505859/innovation-talks) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share...

Esther Gons is the CEO and co-founder of GroundControl, a software platform that specializes in measuring and de-risking innovation. GroundControl has worked with companies like Colgate/Palmolive, Euler Hermes, DHL, Enexis, and ABN Amro. Esther's expertise extends beyond her role at GroundControl. She is also the co-author of the award-winning book, Innovation Accounting, which offers practical guidance on measuring a company's innovation ecosystem. She co-authored another influential book, The Corporate Startup: How Established Companies Can Develop Successful Innovation Ecosystems. Her expertise and thought leadership has made her an in-demand international speaker, sharing insights on various topics including corporate innovation, innovation accounting, entrepreneurship, startups, lean methodology, business models, and customer development. Esther has mentored hundreds of startups and has served as a lead mentor in prestigious programs such as the Rockstart Accelerator programs, Lean Startup Machine, and Evolv weekends. Today, Esther and I discuss innovation and her work as an entrepreneur, international speaker, author, and founder of Ground Control. She shares her experience writing her two books, The Corporate Startup and Innovation Accounting. We discuss the maturing of corporate innovation and why it must now be taken seriously. Esther underscores how innovation is a learning process and how it is necessary to make mistakes to understand what works. We talk about why innovation should be treated as a discipline and why the input of specialists who have the necessary skills is crucial. Esther also emphasizes the importance of understanding innovation to succeed and shares some great insights as to why innovation labs are often stopped after only a few years. “Corporate innovation is maturing. We can no longer play around with innovation. The trend is that people are saying, ‘No, we have to take this thing seriously.’” - Esther Gons This week on Innovation Talks: ● An overview of ISO Standard Certification ● Why companies are taking sustainability seriously in innovation ● The benefits of innovation in business ● The purpose and struggles of innovation labs ● Challenges in innovation ● The future of innovation maturity in corporations ● The responsibility innovation labs hold ● How open innovation affects corporate ecosystems ● Esther’s experience designing an online course Resources Mentioned: ● Course on Validated Learning (https://togroundcontrol.com/lean-innovation-training-course/) ● Innov8tors Conference (https://innov8rs.co/lisbon/) ● Book: Open Innovation Works (https://openinnovation.works/) Connect with Esther Gons: ● Esther Gons on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/esthergons/) ● Book: Open Innovation Works (https://openinnovation.works/) ​ by Dr. Diana Joseph, Dan Toma, and Esther Gons ● Book: Innovation Accounting: A Practical Guide for Measuring Your Innovation Ecosystem’s Performance (https://innovationaccountingbook.com/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product...

Jim Fava is the recently retired Executive Director at Anthesis Group, which supports businesses and governments in understanding and navigating the risks and opportunities they face. Throughout his career, Jim has provided invaluable guidance, tools, and expertise on strategies and actions that enable organizations to operate in a more environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. Renowned as the "father of modern-day life cycle assessment," he has devoted his career to advancing and promoting the practice and application of life cycle information worldwide. His efforts have contributed significantly to supporting global decision-making processes. Notably, he led the United States delegation responsible for shaping the first generation of ISO LCA standards. Moreover, Jim co-founded influential organizations such as the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, Five Winds International, and the Forum for Sustainability through Life Cycle Innovation (FSLCI). Today, Jim and I discuss what his career taught him about supporting businesses and governments, turning risks into opportunities, and strategies and actions to operate more sustainably. Jim shares his journey from frat house to c-suite and talks about how he saw the human impact on the environment firsthand and started focusing on sustainability. He outlines life cycle assessment and how it helps us understand the environmental impact of a product over its entire life. He cites disposable diapers as a case study to understand life cycle assessment. Jim also recounts his experience in developing the Technical Framework for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Code of Practice that eventually became the foundation of the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) Environmental Management Standards. “You have to put what we want to have happen in the language of the decision-makers, and that's our revenue, brand, cost, and risk management.” - Jim Fava This week on Innovation Talks: ● Jim’s best sustainable business strategies ● The Life Cycle Assessment journey to sustainability ● What cloth diapers can teach us about sustainability ● How Jim developed the Life Cycle Assessment Methodology ● How Life Cycle thinking affects product design ● The seven golden rules for achieving sustainability ● How to drive change ● The urgency of sustainability in business management ● The role of the product manager Resources Mentioned: ● Early Life Cycle Assessment Books Laid the Foundation for Modern-Day LCA (https://globe.setac.org/early-life-cycle-assessment-books-laid-the-foundation-for-modern-day-lca/) ● The Origins of LCA: Perspective from The Father of Modern-Day Life Cycle Assessment (https://www.anthesisgroup.com/the-origins-of-lca-perspective-from-the-father-of-modern-day-life-cycle-assessment/) Connect with Jim Fava: ● Jim Fava Website (https://globe.setac.org/) ● Jim Fava on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-fava-04b88b5/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter...

Rich Mironov is a tech start-up veteran, writer, and coach for product leaders with four decades of experience in Silicon Valley's product management landscape. With his expertise, he’s led six start-ups to success. Rich occasionally acts as the interim VP of Products or CPO for software companies, lending his expertise to drive their success. With a passion for sharing knowledge, Rich has been an avid blogger on software product management since 2002. His influential insights and expertise have been compiled in his book, The Art of Product Management. He continues to shape the industry with his wealth of experience and dedication to empowering product teams. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Yale University, where his thesis focused on dinosaur extinction theories. He also holds an MBA from Stanford University. Today, Rich and I discuss how product management influences innovation. Rich elaborates on the role of product managers in innovating at the feature and sub-feature levels. He explains why he is wary of the word “innovation” and what he believes it should mean. He tells us how product managers can turn innovation into an intentional process that produces an impactful result. He shares how product managers can sell their ideas to get the resources they need and make a logical financial argument to show how proposed ideas will benefit the company financially. Rich also highlights the importance of accountability for product managers in driving forward progress with the product. “We're an important driver of the system, but let's not get our heads too big that we can't walk through the doors of our building like everybody else.” -Rich Mironov This week on Innovation Talks: ● How product managers can influence executives ● Common product management challenges and opportunities ● How product innovation and leadership are connected ● The benefits of pruning product backlogs ● How to attach money to roadmap items ● How to speak an executive’s language ● The role of product managers in product waste ● Discovery challenges for product managers ● The origins of Rich’s Product Camp Connect with Rich Mironov: ● Rich Mironov’s Website (https://www.mironov.com/) ● Book: The Art of Product Management: Lessons from a Silicon Valley Innovator by Rich Mironov (https://www.amazon.com/Art-Product-Management-Lessons-Innovator-ebook/dp/B00347AIDA?ref_=ast_author_mpb) ● Rich Mironov on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmironov) ● Rich Mironov on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RichMironov) ● Rich Mironov on Medium (https://richmironov.medium.com/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

April Dunford is the founder of Ambient Strategy, a consulting firm that helps technology companies grow. She has led marketing, product, and sales teams at companies like IBM, Siebel, and Sybase. April's work is focused on early and growth-stage startups—recognizing that weak positioning can be the difference between success and failure. She also works with large global companies, helping them develop deeper positioning expertise in their product and marketing teams. April's best-selling book, Obviously Awesome, captures her ideas about positioning and provides a methodology that any startup can follow. Today, April is focused on giving back as much as she can. She mentors and advises dozens of startups and is an enthusiastic board member at a handful of startups. April resides in Toronto, Canada, where she enjoys spending time with her kids and small dog in a cabin in the woods. Today, April joins me to discuss positioning for B2B tech companies. She explains how to position a product to the current market, rather than the company’s vision of the future. She discusses what product managers need to understand about their vision and the current market to craft a successful position. She explains why product positioning is most important in B2B and why positioning is different from messaging. We discuss the importance of positioning to improve marketing and sales performance and why you need to continually refine and evolve positioning over time. April also suggests the best way to develop a positioning thesis and calculate the value it will deliver to the customer. “The best way to test positioning if you're B2B and you have a sales team is to take that positioning and translate it into a sales pitch, then test it out on qualified prospects in a sales call.” - April Dunford This week on Innovation Talks: ● How to explore the best positioning strategy for your company ● How B2B tech companies can position themselves for their specific market ● Why weak positioning makes your sales process harder ● April’s five components of positioning ● April’s methodology for positioning that any company can follow ● How to test your positioning ● The benefits of structured sales pitches Connect with April Dunford: ● April Dunford’s Website (https://www.aprildunford.com/) ● Book: Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It by April Dunford (https://www.amazon.com/Obviously-Awesome-Product-Positioning-Customers/dp/1999023005/) ● April Dunford on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/) ● April Dunford on Twitter (https://twitter.com/aprildunford) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click here (https://info.sopheon.com/subscribe) .

Rachel Wynn is a B2B SaaS product leader with over a decade of experience in product strategy. Rachel has a proven track record of bringing new products to market and managing complex enterprise products and has helped numerous clients think more strategically, de-risk decision-making, and find product-market fit faster. As an experienced product manager, she has worked at companies at various stages, from bootstrapped to venture capital-backed, private equity funded, and public. She has also experienced acquisition and IPO exits, served on a board of directors, served as a pitch judge for an innovation challenge, and founded companies. With a background in managing road mapping software at ProductPlan and product analytics software at Quantum Metric, Rachel has interviewed hundreds of product teams, making her an authority in product vision and strategy, product road mapping, 0-1 product thinking, interviewing customers, customer discovery and validation, product innovation, product launch and go-to-market planning, product analytics, stakeholder communication, pricing and packaging, research and discovery, and customer-centric products. In her spare time, Rachel is a bookworm and she’s always ready to recommend a great read. Today, Rachel joins me to discuss how research-driven innovation can help teams create something new. She explains how research-driven innovation lessens your risk of failure and allows teams to make solid decisions. We discuss the importance of having a clear vision and why that vision needs to include all the problems you’re currently trying to solve. Rachel shares her approach to research in product management and how her background as a cognitive rehabilitation therapist informed her process. She emphasizes the importance of customer interviews, learning from your customers, and paying attention to what your competitors are doing. Rachel also outlines the research and feedback cycle and how to know when you’ve provided your customers with the most valuable solution. “People will develop that book knowledge, yet—for all their best intentions—they're not getting different results. So there's this gap of taking that knowledge and bringing it into action.” - Rachel Wynn This week on Innovation Talks: ● Rachel’s tips for product managers ● How companies can improve performance ● The role of research in product innovation ● The benefits of customer research ● How to overcome burnout as a product manager ● Product management success stories ● Rachel’s top team coaching techniques ● How to avoid common mistakes in product research ● The impact of AI on product management Connect with Rachel Wynn: ● Rachel Wynn’s Website (https://www.wynnproductconsulting.com/) ● Rachel Wynn on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmwynn/) This Podcast is brought to you by Sopheon Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Innovation Talks. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-talks/id1555857396) | TuneIn (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Innovation-Talks-p1412337/) | GooglePlay (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbm5vdmF0aW9udGFsa3MubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D) | Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=614195) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1dX5b8tWI29YbgeMwZF5Uh) | iHeart (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-innovation-talks-82985745/) Be sure to connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SopheonCorp/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/sopheon) , and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sopheon/) , and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners, like you. For additional information around new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s newsletter where we share news and industry best practices monthly! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com (https://www.sopheon.com/) and click...