Innovation Navigation

Luis Perez-Breva, the author of "Innovating: A Doer's Manifesto for Starting from a Hunch", shares how innovation is the subject of countless books and courses, but there's very little out there about how you actually innovate. He and host Dave Robertson will also discuss how innovation and entrepreneurship are not one and the same, although aspiring innovators often think of them that way. Dave's second guest is Hugh Molotsi, the CEO of Ujama, who talks about the concept of "lean" startups and his work as a consultant to other entrepreneurs.

Dave Robertson's first guest is Brian Blum, the author of the new book "Totaled: The Billion-Dollar Crash of the Startup that Took on Big Auto, Big Oil, and the World." In the second half of the show, Dave talks to Blake Irving, the CEO of GoDaddy, who discusses his career before GoDaddy as well as how he's worked to keep GoDaddy innovative since he took over four years ago.

Host Dave Robertson sits down with Terrence Curtin, the CEO of TE Connectivity, to discuss innovation within an existing company and how to cultivate creativity among employees. Innovation Thought Leader Tony Ulwick will also stop by to give an update on the what he says are the next big things that are coming to market.

LEGO had been fighting off the digital revolution successfully until their most recent quarterly earnings showed a dip in profits. Now after cutting 1,400 jobs, the business is looking to innovate. Host Dave Robertson talks with two guests about these developments: Richard Milne of the Financial Times, who has covered the company extensively; and Jay Peters, managing director of LEGO’s preferred design and Innovation management partner, PARK USA.

Host Dave Robertson is joined by “The Dean of Innovation,” Jeff Degraff. The two discuss his new book “The Innovation Code,” why harmony is deadly for innovation, and how the best way to create hybrid solutions is to clash. Later Dave is joined by Walter De Brouwer and they dive into his work at Doc.AI, the company with a quest to create the first robotic doctor.

Dave Robertson's first guest is Nelo Lucich, who is the co-founder of the innovative, forward-thinking tech-entertainment company Skyrocket.  They take a deep dive into making it in the toy industry. Dave's second guest is former Stanford football player and founder of STRIVR Labs, Derek Belch. STRIVR Labs is a cutting edge virtual reality company, and they talk about the new applications of that technology.

Host Dave Robertson first welcomes Andy Cruz, the Co-Founder of the type factory and design studio House Industries, which has been a standard bearer for American graphic design for 25 years. House's work is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and will be the subject of a major exhibition at the Henry Ford Museum in the summer of 2017. In the second half of the show Dave talks to Adam Lashinsky, Executive Editor for Fortune Magazine and a best-selling author, about his new book "Wild Ride: Inside Uber's Quest for World Domination."

Host Dave Robertson is joined first by entrepreneur Bart Weetjens, who trained rats to sniff out land mines in Africa - and how he went from detecting land mines to detecting Tuberculosis, also using rats. In the second half of the show Dave speaks with Jim Koch, the founder of Boston Brewing Company, the maker of Sam Adams beer. Jim has often been called the father of the craft beer movement.

It was in 2015 that the EPA disclosed that Volkswagen had installed software in 11 million cars that deceived emissions-testing mechanisms – and in 2017, the company is still working to repair its reputation. Host Dave Robertson talks to Jack Ewing, author of a new book about the scandal, called "Faster, Higher, Farther." Learn how a succeed-at-all-costs mentality about innovation can really backfire. In the second half of the show Dave's guest is Yves Karcher, CEO, InnoExec and former Engineering VP of Logitech, who discusses the birth and development of the Logitech presenter.

Meet  guy who spends all his time trying to come up with new flavors of beer!  Host Dave Robertson talks to Rob Naylor, Manager of Anheuser-Busch's Research Pilot Brewery, who will explain how innovative technologies are the key to his job. Dave also talks to any-am Pathak, who developed a computerized, motion-stabilizing spoon that can be used by people living with movement disorders like Parkinson's.

With Independence Day approaching host Dave Robertson explores the business stories that have defined America's history. Benjamin Waterhouse, historian and author of "The Land of Enterprise: A Business History of the United States" talks with Dave about what led to the rise and fall of some of this country's top companies. Also on the show: the evolution of fast-food in America with the first and oldest restaurant chain in the country.  Kevin Bazner, President and CEO of A&W Restaurants, discusses the brand's 98-year history. With changing restaurant trends and a split from YUM! Brands, hear what's in store in building the future of this American brand.

Host Dave Robertson talks first to Suhail Algosaibi, business leader in Bahrain and the CEO and Founder of Falak Consulting, who discusses how a nation can support an innovative culture. Dave also talks to Greg Satell, author of "Mapping Innovation: A Playbook for Navigating a Disruptive Age."

Whether it's Adidas, Coca-Cola, Mattel, Samsung, or Marriott, Dave Robertson's guest has helped some of the world's most established brands find ways to innovate.  Todd Rovak, Managing Partner and CEO at the innovation and design firm Fahrenheit 212 and CEO of Capgemini Consulting North America, talks to Dave about the method and model behind developing new products, services, and experiences that allow businesses to grow.

Host Dave Robertson is joined by the former CIO of Walgreens, Abhi Dhar.  Hear how the innovation lessons from working in the big business of Walgreens are helping him in the development of his new startup, Packyge. Plus, the 3-D printer that could revolutionize manufacturing.  Ricin's Flop, CEO of Desktop Metal, discusses the recent launch of its 3D metal printing system.

Host Dave Robertson's first guest is journalist Duff McDonald, who talks about his latest book, "The Golden Passport: Harvard Business School, the Limits of Capitalism and the Moral Failure of the MBA Elite."  Do we need more innovative ideas at the leading business schools? In the second half of the program Dave welcomes back Robbie Bach, Former Chief Xbox Officer and President at Microsoft, who tells the story of Xbox's development.

A low-risk, high-reward approach to innovation. To mark the release of host Dave Robertson's new book, "The Power of Little Ideas," Dave takes us into the stories and speaks to some of the inspirational figures who discovered how to effectively innovate around a product to make it more competitive and appealing. Hear Donal Ballance and Darren Fagan discuss their journey in working with Guinness to build authentic Irish pubs around the world and ultimately bring business to the iconic dry stout.  You'll also find out about the cannabis industry, and innovation at Victoria's Secret, from reporter Debra Borchardt.

How do you become an innovation leader? Host Dave Robertson is joined by Sarah Robb O'Hagan, former President of Gatorade, Former President of Equinox Fitness and Current CEO of Flywheel Sports to discuss the process of innovating your life to not only reach your own full potential but also discovering the greatest potential for your business. Learn how to accept risk and embrace failure. Her new book is called "Extreme YOU: Step Up. Step Out. Kick Ass. Repeat."

First, how can your business be ready for the threat of disruption?  Host Dave Robertson talks with Scott Anthony, Managing Partner of Insight and author of "Dual Transformation: How to Reposition Today's Business While Creating the Future," who explains how to create the next version of your business. Then Dave welcomes Dan Widmaier, CEO and Co-Founder of Bolt Threads, who is looking towards nature to spin up the future of fashion.

The history of artificial intelligence.  Host Dave Robertson first welcomes Luke Dormehl, tech journalist and author of "Thinking Machines: The Quest for Artificial Intelligence - And Where It's Taking Us Next."  Hear how AI began and what advanced technology's historical past can teach us about the future. Plus, Dollar Tree Co-Founder Macon Brock talks to Dave about his book "One Buck at a Time."  Hear how this business is able to maintain its founding principle and stick with a one-dollar price point.

Host Dave Robertson is first joined by Scott Barry Kaufman, Scientific Director of the Imagination Institute and author of "Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind," who discusses strategies that promote creative thinking. Plus, the evolution of play.  Game Designer Rob Daviau discusses designing board games for the modern era.

A house built by 3-D printing. Host Dave Robertson is joined by Larry Haines, Founder of Sunconomy.com and the entrepreneur bringing 3D printed housed to the US.  Hear how new technology is transforming the field of construction and providing more sustainable solutions for future housing. Plus, Erik Wahl, author of "The Spark and the Grind: Ignite the Power of Disciplined Creativity," discusses the journey to discover a great idea.  Do breakthroughs happen as "AHA" moments or do they prevail in a process of trial and error?

Host Dave Robertson is joined by Dr. Dan Skovronsky, SVP of Clinical and Product Development for Eli Lilly and Company, as they discuss the process of trying to solve some of the world's most complicated diseases.  From experimentation to cross-field collaboration, learn the work that goes into life-saving drugs. Plus, Dr. Stanley B. Burns takes us on a journey through medicine's past. Discover the revolutionary ideas that transformed our healthcare system and find out how medicine's history continues to shape the industry's future.

Host Dave Robertson is joined first by Ashlee Vance, Bloomberg writer and author of "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future." Hear the incredible story of how Elon became one of the most influential and striking figures in American business. How is he changing industries and what does his success have in common with inventors like Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs? In the second half of the show Dave welcomes Fran Maier, the Co-Founder and first General Manager of Match.com. She's now using the insight from that earlier venture to manage and run Babierge, a baby equipment rental marketplace.

Fragrances are a popular gift on Valentine's Day, but could smell help you actually fall in love with a brand?  Host Dave Robertson is joined by Mark Schmidt, ScentAir's VP of Marketing and Fragrances Development, and Ed Burke, VP of Customer Strategy and Communications, as they discuss the process of building a brand's scent.  From retail stores to hotel lobbies, hear how smells are created to build a customer base and develop a brand identity. Dave also learns about how data is being used to design better-fitting lingerie.

Bill Taylor is the guest for the full hour.  Taylor is the co-founder and founding editor of media outlet Fast Company, a business that has gone on to win countless awards and become recognized as one of the leading publications within the business world.  He talks to host Dave Robertson about his latest book "Simply Brilliant: How Great Organizations Do Ordinary Things in Extraordinary Ways."

Reinventing an age-old sport. Having just completed the PGA Merchandise Show, hear the latest insight on how companies are attempting to disrupt an industry when host Dave Robertson is joined by Sal Syed, CEO of Arccos Golf. He explains how artificial intelligence is finding its way onto the golf course. Then, Amy Webb, Founder and CEO of The Future Today Institute, discusses the systematic way to identify the future trends in an industry. Learn how to pursue and forecast ideas with long-term value and avoid the concepts that are merely trendy.

First up is Steve Lehto, author of "Preston Tucker and His Battle to Build the Car of Tomorrow."  With a dream to shake up the auto industry, hear the story of what went wrong and why the production of such an innovative car got killed. In the second half of the show host Dave Robertson talks to Tom Cochran, Chief Digital Strategist at Acquia, who previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of State and Director of Digital Technology at the White House.  They discuss how easy (or difficult) it is to innovate at the government level.

How do we bridge design thinking with the thinking of an entrepreneur? Host Dave Robertson's first guest is Shana Dressler, Executive Director of Google's 30 Weeks, who works with designers on conceiving ideas to efficient prototyping, and talks about what it could mean for not only the next phase in design but also the evolution of business. Dave's second guest is Marcus Weldon, President of Bell Labs and Corporate Chief Technology Officer for Nokia, who discusses the future of technology. Is it a high R&D budget or a startup mentality that will bring us into the new era?

First up is Traci Morris, CEO of BGRS (Brookfield Global Relocation Services), a company that develops and implements comprehensive talent mobility solutions for corporate and government clients worldwide. Traci took her "old" company out to Silicon Valley to learn from Google. In the second half of the show Dave is joined by Alan Boehme, Global CTO, Chief Innovation Officer, and Chief Enterprise Architect for Coca-Cola. Hear why one of the largest brands in the world is not only looking towards startups for the next breakthrough idea, but also helping them with the knowledge and experience only a large company can provide.

Host Dave Robertson's first guest is Jim Gilmore, Co-Founder of Strategic Horizons, a thinking studio dedicated to helping businesses conceive and design new ways of adding value to their economic offerings. He's also the author of many books including the latest, "Look: A Practical Guide for Improving Your Observational Skills." In the second half of the show Dave talks to Carla Diana, author, designer and faculty member in the Integrated Product Design program at the University of Pennsylvania.

The evolution of gaming.  Host Dave Robertson first welcomes Richard Marks, Sony's Senior Researcher and Head of Playstation's Magic Lab, who talks about what went into Playstation's entrance into virtual reality.  Hear how one of the leaders in gaming thinks about developing the future of virtual reality. In the second half of the show Dave speaks with Mick Simonelli, who leads the consulting firm Simonelli Innovation LLC and is the former Senior Innovation Executive for USAA. He talks about helping larger businesses develop that next big idea.

Host Dave Robertson is joined first by New York Times journalist Rob Walker, who discusses his piece for the magazine called "Makeover Mania: Inside the 21st-Century Craze for Redesigning Everything." From updating the wine glass to re-imagining a brand's logo, they talk about the failures, successes, and processes of questioning the status quo. In the second half of the show Dave welcomes Jules Ehrhardt, Co-Owner at UsTwo, a digital product studio, who talks about how the process of designing products for clients has evolved.

First, using artificial intelligence to fight cancer. Host Dave Robertson is joined by Niven Narain, Co-Founder, President and CEO of Berg, a Boston pharma startup that is re-imagining the scientific method to attempt to solve some of health care's biggest questions sooner rather than later, using the latest technology. In the second half of the show Dave talks to Kevin Baker, author of "America the Ingenious: How a Nation of Dreamers, Immigrants, and Tinkerers Changed the World," which is full of untold stories of American innovation.

Host Dave Robertson first welcomes George Guastello, President and CEO of Union Station Kansas City, who talks about the transformation of the historic landmark into a hub of culture, entertainment, and education. His second guest is Bill Aulet, Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and author of "Disciplined Entrepreneurship: 24 Steps to a Successful Startup."

First, a story of successful American manufacturing. Drew Greenblatt, President of Marlin Steel Wire Products, joins host Dave Robertson to discuss the transformation his business underwent to survive in the competitive manufacturing space. When Drew bought the business it was a Brooklyn-based company responsible for making the baskets you might find in a bagel shop. He took that business and completely re-imagined it to become an innovative small manufacturer. In the second half of the program Dave talks to David Sax, author of "The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter," who explains why he believes the tangible is here to stay.

The first guest is Otto Berkes, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of CA Technologies and the former CTO of HBO, and one of the founders of Xbox. He and host Dave Robertson discuss his new book, "Digitally Remastered: Building Software into Your Business DNA," in which he shares his first-hand experiences on what it takes to overcome corporate hurdles, reshape business models and develop a culture that can thrive in the digital world. In the second half of the show Robertson's guest is Dave Wright, CEO of CFM and Creator of MyZone, who talks about the wearable technology market and how it's becoming a very crowded field of competitors.

Innovating for Halloween! Host Dave Robertson celebrates the holiday by talking with the Creative Director for Eastern State Penitentiary's "Terror Behind the Walls," Amy Hollaman, who takes us behind-the-scenes on the process for creating a haunted house. Hear how a prison that was home to some of America's most notorious criminals is transformed into cell blocks of zombies, ghosts and ghouls. Plus, the process of chocolate making. Brad Kintzer, Chief Chocolate Officer for TCHO, explains how he is building a development process to reinvent chocolate. From sourcing cocoa to taste testing, discover all the work behind a bar of chocolate.

How can a business avoid the hit and miss of product development? Host Dave Robertson is joined first by Taddy Hall, Principal of the Cambridge Group and Co-Author of "Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice." Learn the theory behind understanding customer jobs and find out how to apply it for real-world company success. Plus Vijay Govindarajan, Professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business and author of "The Three Box Solution: A Strategy for Leading Innovation," discusses how organizations can handle they day-to-day demands and simultaneously plan for the future.

The future of virtual reality. Host Dave Robertson is joined by Joel Breton, VP of VR Content at HTC Vive. Hear the process for designing a virtual reality experience and what role VR could play across industries. Plus, Brad Barbera, author of "Keep Innovation Simple - Lead With Clarity and Focus in a World of Constant Change," discusses the systematic way top brands are able to develop new products - even if it involves "shooting puppies!"

First up, the Maker Movement; Ten years ago Dale Daugherty, CEO and Founder of Maker Media, launched his first MakerFaire. Since then, the Maker Movement has grown immensely, promoting the idea of creating, inventing, and designing. Host Dave Robertson talks to Dale about his new book, "Free to Make: How the Maker Movement is Changing our Schools, Our Jobs, and Our Minds." In the second half of the show Dave is joined by Volvo's Chief Engineer of Vehicle Architecture, Peter Adreasson. Hear how car engineering is adapting for the future of self-driving technology and learn how effective collaboration, across departments and across companies, is working to push the envelope on the next generation of car services.

The future of health care. Host Dave Robertson is joined by Stephen Klasko, President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, and they discuss the disruptive solutions that could revolutionize the healthcare industry within the United States. Hear how new ideas can effectively overcome the complexities and advance the field. Plus, Keller Rinaudio, Founder of Zipline, is seeing drone delivery as a pivotal piece in the future of healthcare. Learn how his business is utilizing cargo drones to fly life-saving medical supplies across Africa.

First, a behind-the-scenes look at designing IKEA products, from inspiration to execution. Host Dave Robertson is joined by Marcus Engman, Head of Design for IKEA, and he walks us through the process of developing furniture for the masses. Hear how one of the creative minds behind the iconic Swedish brand envisions the furnishings of the future. In the second half of the show Dave talks to Todd Zenger, Professor of Strategy and Strategic Leadership at the University of Utah and author of "Beyond Competitive Advantage: How to Solve the Puzzle of Sustaining Growth While Creating Value."

Teaching Innovation. Host Dave Robertson is joined first by Peter Boatwright, Professor of Marketing and New Product Development at Carnegie Mellon University, who talks about whether the path to great ideas can be taught -- or is it based on natural ability? Plus, Pam Henderson, CEO of NewEdge and author of "You Can Kill an Idea, But You Can't Kill an Opportunity! - How to Discover New Sources of Growth for Your Organization," discusses the process of identifying great ideas and having your business see a greater return on creativity.

On this show host Dave Robertson explores the innovation around virtual and augmented reality.  His first guest is Ron Padzensky, Founder of Augmera.com.  They talk about the success of Pokemon Go and the future of augmented reality in light of its popularity -- Can we anticipate the return of Google Glass, and how could AR influence future businesses and product development? In the second half of the show Dave talks to Adam Draper and Jeff Wassen of Boost VC, a seed-stage accelerator that chose to diversify its portfolio by entering the virtual reality space.

This week's theme is "Innovation in the Art World." First, Dave talks with Julia Kaganskiy, director of the New Museum’s art, technology and design incubator.  They discuss how artists can also become entrepreneurs, and what resources and techniques can help them to do that. Dave's second guest is Amy Whitaker, author of "Art Thinking," and the holder of both an MBA and an MFA degree.  She explains how the creative thinking of the art world can be applied to more aspects of business than one might think.

The theme of the week's show is reinvention. Host Dave Robertson first welcomes Eric Villency, CEO of Villency Design Group. As the man behind projects that vary from the iconic SoulCycle bike to a Delta airport terminal, Eric talks about how he thinks about design. In the second half of the show Dave is joined by Tommy Stadlen, Co-Founder of Polaroid Swing, who talks about how the company plans to reimagine the photograph.

How do we unleash the power of creativity? Host Dave Robertson is joined by Tim Brown, CEO and President of one of the world's top design companies, IDEO. Brown has written a book called "Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation." Hear how the approach for great design has evolved and what it takes to develop the next breakthrough idea. From reinventing the Temper-Pedic Mattress to creating the Apple mouse, hear the process that has led to the thousands of ideas that IDEO has helped create with its clients. Find out how to approach design thinking and what organizations can do to build an innovative culture.   (This episode originally aired on November 3, 2015, but was not previously released in its entirety on this podcast.)

Connected Innovation - the technology that will shape our future. Host Dave Robertson is first joined by the Co-Founder of Wired Magazine, Kevin Kelly, and they discuss the inevitable trends of the future and how businesses can best prepare to embrace new advancements in tech. Dave's second guest is Doug Collins, an innovation management consultant who helps organizations such as The Estee Lauder Companies, Intel, and Johnson & Johnson navigate the fuzzy end of innovation.

Can you teach someone to be a great artist, or is it a natural talent? Host Dave Robertson is joined by David Bayles and Ted Orland, co-authors of "Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking."  Discover how artists find inspiration when they sit down at the easel. Plus, they talk about how executives and business leaders can learn from artists on what it takes to inspire creativity.

What does it take to be an innovative leader? Host Dave Robertson discusses that question with two guests. First, he speaks with Keith Wilmot, President and CEO of Leadercast, which recently launched a new technology platform, Leadercast Now, uniquely designed for time-starved leaders to strengthen leadership insights to action. Dave's second guest is Kat Cole, Group President of Focus Brands, who talks about her move up to this role from her former position as Cinnabon's president, and how she tries to mentor emerging, retail, education and tech startups.

Technology that can help you become a better basketball player? Host Dave Robertson is joined by John Carter, CEO of Pillar Vision, Inc., and they discuss the development process behind Noah Basketball.  By calculating shot arc and shot depth, hear how this device is working with youth, college, and professional athletes to help build muscle memory for the perfect shot.  Find out the keys to great design and product testing when looking to enter the sports industry. Plus, Dave talked to Boston University Professor Marshall W. Van Alstyne, author of "Platform Revolution: How Networked Markets Are Transforming the Economy — and How to Make Them Work for You," who explains what businesses like Uber, Airbnb, Amazon, and PayPal all have in common.  Hear how traditional companies should adapt to this new market.