Ask An Innovator

Innovation in Collaboration | EP. 026

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 12:36:22 +0000

Episode Notes:

The intersection between the enterprise and start-up worlds can seem vast. Matt Kammerait, the Director of Digital and Emerging Technology at AAR sits down with Josh this week to discuss innovation in collaboration. Matt has spent his career split between the riskier, more agile start-up environment and the slower moving enterprise world.

In this one, Matt and Josh talk about how innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. For this reason, it takes multiple people with different skills and different talents to create change. In addition, they discuss the aviation industry and the beginning of the digital journey for AAR.

Matt relays the would-be benefits of more collaboration between the start-up and enterprise world. Moreover, the opportunities it would create could be endless and it would provide huge value to each side.

To finish, we delve into the creation of process and how much that can change depending on the organization you work for. Matt also shares his 4-step guide for the greatest chance of innovation. Listen in to learn more!

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review ✩✩✩✩✩ or share AAI with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

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Innovation Through Entrepreneurship | EP. 025

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:32:18 +0000

Finding the perfect work-life balance can be hard and throwing in a side hustle in the mix can make it even more challenging. Melissa Byrn is on AAI today teaching us about innovation through entrepreneurship.

Melissa is the founder of FORESEEaBILL and the Director of Innovation Programs at the Polsky Center. Not an entrepreneur by nature, she discusses the balance between teaching entrepreneurship to others and learning how to be an entrepreneur herself.

Josh and Melissa discuss why she believes that innovation is pushing through barriers and she opens up about the beginning of her venture, FORESEEaBILL.

Tune in to learn why customer discovery was the most important part when starting her company. Stay to learn why building a network is important and why talking about what we’re doing helps us find people that share our passion.

Thanks so much, Melissa!

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review ✩✩✩✩✩ or share AAI with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

Connect with Ask an Innovator on Facebook and LinkedIn

Discover more about FORESEEaBILL

Learn more about the Polsky Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Connect with the Polsky Center on LinkedIn & Twitter

Say Hi to Melissa on LinkedIn

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Innovation through Transparency in Healthcare | EP. 024

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 13:25:29 +0000

Alex Rozenbaum joins us this week. He is the Director of Product Management at the American Hospital Association. Josh sits down with Alex and talks about all things healthcare. They dive into why the medical field needs to be more transparent.

Alex and Josh discuss the use of data and how it will affect patient care, they discuss the next major technology players in the industry and what other innovative ideas the medical field could see in the next few years.

They talk about empathy for a patient or a customer and how companies need to constantly hear the voice of the consumer to gain new perspectives.

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review ✩✩✩✩✩ or share AAI with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

Connect with Ask an Innovator on Facebook and LinkedIn

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn

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Innovation Starts With Empathy | EP. 023

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 14:05:57 +0000

This week we talk about all things e-commerce, innovation and empathy with Jyll Rademacher. Jyll is the Head of E-Commerce and Marketing at NorthShore Care Supply.

Josh talks to Jyll about how to use marketing when your product has a stigma surrounding it, why technology and innovation should only be used when necessary and why product education is so vital.

Jyll lets us in on the most important core value they have at Northshore, why sustainability is top of mind for her going into the future and why innovation starts with empathy.

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review ✩✩✩✩✩ or share AAI with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

Connect with Ask an Innovator on Facebook and LinkedIn

Learn more about Northshore Care Supply

Connect with NorthShore Care Supply on Facebook & Instagram

Connect with Jyll on LinkedIn

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Innovation Through Relationships | EP. 022

Josh Barker, Saim Salahuddin — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 13:19:33 +0000

Saim Salahuddin is here this week. He is the VP of Development at Level Construction. Josh and Saim sit down and discuss what innovation means in the construction industry.

Saim talks about efficiency, transparency and safety and how they spark innovation in his industry. They chat about all the new technology that is allowing them to do these things more effectively.

Listen in for tips on how to innovate even when you’re in a constrained industry and the greatest thing Saim has ever learned.

Thanks again Saim!

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review ✩✩✩✩✩ or share AAI with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

Connect with Ask an Innovator on Facebook and LinkedIn

Learn more about Level Construction

Connect with Level Construction on LinkedIn & Facebook

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Innovation as a Discipline | EP. 021

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:34:38 +0000

Nicolette de Guia joins us on Ask an Innovator this week. She is the Managing Director at N7 Momentum and she is an expert on all things innovation and digital transformation.

Nicolette teaches us why innovation is a discipline, why marketing should be involved from the very beginning and why we should start talking about the problem from the beginning to validate our idea and reduce risk.

Listen in to hear Nicolette’s triad approach to innovation, why multi-modal omnichannel experiences are the future and why chatbots make her cringe.

This is a super insightful episode, enjoy it!

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review ✩✩✩✩✩ or share AAI with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

Connect with Ask an Innovator on Facebook and LinkedIn

Learn more about N7 Momentum

Connect with Nicolette

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Innovation Through Acceptable Failure | EP. 020

Josh Barker, Dan Smolilo — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 11:47:36 +0000

We dive into all things construction with Dan Smolilo this week. He is the Director of Process and Innovation at the Walsh Group. Here we go!

We talk with Dan about the balance between analog and digital innovations in the construction industry. We dig into what projects need technology and which are better suited for a pen to paper approach.

We learn why we should give our employees some freedom to explore new technologies, how big data is going to drive the future of the industry and the difference between acceptable and unacceptable failure.

*Note: [20:12 on the subject of smart glazing, Dan went on to say, “When using smart glazing, designers are able to do run an analysis on their model to eliminate the need for expensive smart glazing systems.”

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review or share AAI with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

Connect with Ask an Innovator on Facebook and LinkedIn

Learn more about the Walsh Group

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn or Twitter

All ideas and opinions are Dan’s own and do not necessarily express the views or opinions of his employer.

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Innovation is Creativity | Ep. 019

Josh Barker, Ben Brenton — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 11:56:02 +0000

Ben Brenton, the Chief Innovation Officer at Snap-On Tools sits down with us this week and we discuss what innovation means to him.

We learn that innovation is creativity put to practice and that creativity outside of innovation becomes art. Ben tells us that innovation is a journey and we discuss Snap-On Tool’s Open Innovation Program.

Find out how software will play a bigger role in the manufacturing industry, why we should develop prototypes as quickly as possible and what the number one characteristic all companies should employ is.

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review or share with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

Connect with Ask an Innovator on Facebook and LinkedIn

All ideas and opinions are Ben’s own and do not necessarily express the views or opinions of his employer.

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Why Innovation Must Provide Value | Ep. 018

Josh Barker, Dominique Betancourt — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 13:29:54 +0000

Just in time for the end of August – we have one more episode for you this month. Dominique Betancourt joins us today! At the time of the interview, she was the Open Innovation Manager at Carlson Wagonlit Travel. She is now the Senior Innovation Program Manager at Equity Lifestyle Properties.

This week, we learn about all things corporate travel. Dominique teaches us the importance of keeping our eye on the problem, why we should make sure the solution adds value and always know the value that we’re delivering to clients, customers and the company.

We learn Dominique’s thoughts on how corporate travel will change in the next ten years, why a distinct separation between innovation and iteration is important and why a fluid corporate structure can help facilitate innovation.

What’s on your mind?

Are you interested in being interviewed or know someone innovative perfect for this podcast? Leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed #askaninnovator – before you leave – post a review or share with your friends. Innovation is more fun together!

Connect with Ask an Innovator on Facebook and LinkedIn

All ideas and opinions are Dominique’s own and do not necessarily express the views or opinions of her employer.

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Innovation through Incremental Change | Ep. 017

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 14:40:55 +0000

Let’s have a big AAI welcome for Max Juster this week. Max is a Brand Director at Anheuser-Busch. Let’s get into it. We sit down with Max and talk about all things beer. We learn how making small changes to packaging is innovative but also changes brand perception for the consumer. Learn how market research […]

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Innovation is Persistence | Ep. 016

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 13:23:47 +0000

Bill Smith is the Founder and CEO at GDI International. Bill’s interested in how we can turn waste into usable energy. We chat with Bill about gasification and the impact of this technology on the environment. Listen in as Bill walks us through the tech that promises to help clean up the world’s oceans. Bill’s […]

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How Metrics Spark Innovation | Ep. 015

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 14:01:26 +0000

Adam Bratt is the CTO at Indio Technologies. At Indio they simplify the insurance application process for brokers and their clients. We chat with Adam about metrics: why they’re important, when to start using them and how they can influence your business. We learn how to assess the market we’re trying to get into, why […]

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Building an Innovation Community | Ep. 014

Bill Fienup, Josh Barker — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 13:31:28 +0000

Bill Fienup is the Co-Founder & Director of Innovation Services at mHUB, a manufacturing innovation hub and co-working space for hardware entrepreneurs. We learn about the origins of mHUB, companies that are creating hardware as a service and the importance of community in innovation and collaboration. Bill’s explains the benefits and risks of working in […]

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Innovation and Wellness | Ep. 013

Josh Barker, Alana Sandel — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 12:25:53 +0000

This week our guest is Alana Sandel, the Mindful Marketing Ambassador at Marketing for Wellness. Alana believes that brands have the power to create positive or negative lifestyle habits. She leads teams to unleash the power of marketing to help brands that prioritize customer well being above all else to create compelling stories and drive engagement with their […]

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Innovation Through Consumer Insights | Ep. 012

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 12:45:57 +0000

We interview Colette Matthews, the VP of Innovation and Marketing at Alpha Guardian. We talk with Colette about how consumer’s unarticulated needs provide the most insight and opportunity for innovation. Find out how to pinpoint the correct insights to drive innovation for consumers and how foresights and environmental scanning are important to get a glimpse […]

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Innovation is Solving Problems Differently | Ep. 011

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 13:15:20 +0000

We interview John Florek, the Director of Creative Innovation at ARC Worldwide about how innovation means solving problems differently. John talks about how brands need to create an ecosystem and connect with customers on their level, providing a greater sense of empathy and understanding. Learn how to create value for brands within your own team, […]

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Invention is Not Innovation | Ep. 010

Ask An Innovator — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 12:12:20 +0000

Our TENTH episode is here! In this Ask an Innovator we interview Stacy Scopano the CTO at Skender about innovations in the construction industry. We talk with Stacy about developing full-scale room templates that offer a product mentality more so than a project mentality and how to prototype a module to gain customer feedback. We […]

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How to Innovate Using Old Ideas | Ep. 009

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 13:21:28 +0000

Episode 9: Rachel Morgan is our guest this week. She is the Product & Marketing Development Director at Accurate Perforating We discuss why we should not underestimate the value of revisiting old ideas, how the metal industry hasn’t changed much – but combining two legacy ideas brings potential for new products and innovation. We chat […]

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How SpotHero is Innovating the Parking Industry | Ep. 008

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 13:48:59 +0000

Episode 8 is here: This week we interview Greg Svitak, the head of SpotHero labs about how the heck they are disrupting the parking industry. We talk about SpotHero’s roots, how they’re using IoT to develop “mobility hubs” and how creating partnerships has been an integral part of their business model. Learn why Greg believes […]

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How to Create a Culture of Innovation | Ep. 006

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 07:01:57 +0000

In Episode 6: Heidi Brown the Director of Strategy and Innovation at OMI Industries gives us some insight into the odor industry and how to cultivate a culture of innovation within the workplace. Being a department of one, Heidi is creating an innovative culture from the ground up. She shares with us that empowering employees […]

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How to Innovate Legacy Systems | Ep. 005

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 30 May 2019 07:24:07 +0000

In Episode 5: Gibran Hadj-Chikh the VP of Strategic Transformation and Innovation at Parsons talks with us about how to innovate within cities. We talk about the importance of framing innovation around adjectives instead of nouns, explore smart mobility and smart cities and how cities are trying to operate more like start ups. Find out […]

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How to Make Education Innovative | Ep. 004

Josh Barker, John Rumery, Rachel Harper — Thu, 23 May 2019 06:01:01 +0000

In Episode 4: John Rumery of Grand Circus discusses how a company can be innovative in the education sector. How can you change a conventional institution such as education? Enter the Grand Circus method, bootcamps that can teach you a coding language in 10-12 weeks. Believing that anyone can learn to code, Grand Circus is […]

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How to Create Innovation Opportunities Internally & Externally | Ep. 003

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 16 May 2019 06:01:58 +0000

In Episode 3 we interview Josh Stauffer, the CEO of Blue Flame Thinking. BFT helps manufacturing and financial clients that are in a certain arc of digital transformation solve their toughest marketing challenges. This episode explores innovating with companies who are behind their competitors, how failing is inevitable and how voice will be the wave […]

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How to Innovate in Publishing | Ep. 002

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 09 May 2019 06:00:09 +0000

In episode #002 Josh Barker interviews Tom Klausing the Director of Digital Media at Amos Media. Founded in 1876, Amos Media is the leading resource for coin and stamp collecting and investing. Josh talks with Tom about how a small niche publisher can innovate in the digital space and how to transition customers from print […]

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How to Innovate Using Building Information Modeling | Ep. 001

Ask An Innovator — Thu, 02 May 2019 10:01:05 +0000

In this episode Josh Barker interviews Ian McGaw the VP of Technology and Innovation at ENGworks. ENGworks is a leader in the building technology space. Josh chats with Ian on how to innovate using Building Information Modeling (BIM), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). We discover why data is the future and how ENGworks […]

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