Innovation at large, established companies is hard. So we made a podcast to help you overcome obstacles and create change at your organization.
Welcome to Innovation Answered, the podcast for corporate innovators. In each episode, we explore one major roadblock to change at large organizations. We gather advice from experts — academics, reporters, our strategic partners, and innovation executives like you — to help you move your industry forward. Join your host, Kaitlin Milliken, for a new episode every Tuesday morning.
Listen to Innovation Answered wherever you get your podcasts:
iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | SoundCloud
Innovation Answered is created by InnoLead. We’re a media and events company with a laser focus on helping 100-year-old companies survive for 100 years to come. For access to articles, videos, and downloadable resources, check out our main website.
If you want to suggest a topic for this podcast or send feedback, email kaitlin@innovationleader.com.
Innovation Answered Season 2
Episode 6: Remaking R&D at the Kellogg Company
When it comes to consumer packaged goods, the Kellogg Company is a big player, with about $13.5 billion in revenue. But the company’s best-known breakfast items face a tougher landscape as more people choose to skip the most important meal of the day. To find out how the company is reimagining their business through R&D, we sat down with Nigel Hughes, Senior Vice President of Global Research and Development at Kellogg’s.
Related Resources:
- Read the transcript for this episode
- Get an inside look of Kellogg’s Manhattan-based cereal café
- Read our full interview with Nigel for our Fall 2018 magazine
Special thanks to Planbox for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 5: Innovators vs. the Rulebook. Who Wins?
While innovation can be difficult at any company, highly regulated industries with a thick rule book — both internally and from the government — face more roadblocks along the innovation journey. To find out how highly regulated companies can chalk up innovation wins, we sat down with Mohan Nair, Chief Innovation Officer at Cambia Health Solutions. Guests include Steve Faktor, host of the McFuture Podcast and the former Vice President of Business Growth and Innovation at American Express, and Ludwig Melik, CEO of the agile innovation company Planbox.
Related Resources:
- Read the transcript for this episode
- Get tips on innovating in the regulated world of healthcare from Boston Children’s Hospital
- Find out how Fidelity creates change in financial services
Special thanks to Planbox for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 4: Bringing Star Wars to Life at Lucasfilm
While everyone knows Star Wars and Indiana Jones, not everyone is familiar with ILMxLAB, Lucasfilm’s immersive entertainment division. In this episode, we sit down with Vicki Dobbs Beck, the Executive in Charge of ILMxLAB, to find out how her team uses new technology to bring stories to life. Topics of discussion include, virtual reality, augmented reality, tech scouting, and testing new ideas with end users.
Related Resources:
Special thanks to Planbox for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 3: Playing in the (Startup) Sandbox
Corporate teams know they should be tapping into the startup ecosystem somehow, but they don’t always know how to get started. In this episode, we explore different ways innovators engage with startups and how they forge more meaningful relationships. Guests include Arvind Purushotham, the Head of Venture Investing at Citi Ventures; Northwestern Professor Mohan Sawhney; and Jenny Lawton, COO of Techstars.
Related Resources:
- Read the transcript for this episode
- Find out how corporates can better work with accelerator programs
- Learn how Jet Blue navigates the world of venture capital
Special thanks to Techstars for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 2: Staying Relevant in Retail
In the age of Amazon, how are retailers staying relevant with customers? We went to the National Retail Federation’s annual Big Show to find out. Guests include Kambiz Hemati, Footlocker’s Vice President of Global Store Design; Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, founder of the publication Retail Minded; and Joe Pine, author of The Experience Economy.
Related Resources:
- Read the transcript for this episode
- Read how LA’s Platform is reinventing the mall
- Find out how retailers are combatting disruption in 2019
- Get insights from Lowe’s CEO and Target’s CEO at NRF’s Big Show
Special thanks to Techstars for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 1: Inside the Mind of Clay Christensen
Clay Christensen is one of the most influential figures in corporate innovation, and his book, The Innovator’s Dilemma remains a business leader must-read. We wanted to know how Christensen’s ideas apply in 2019. To find out, we sat down with InnoLead’s Scott Kirsner to discuss his interviews with the acclaimed professor.
Related Resources:
Read the transcript for this episode
Check out part one, two, and three of our magazine cover story on Clay Christensen
Find out why Christensen thinks most corporate innovators fail
Special thanks to Techstars for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 0: And We’re Back, by Popular Demand
Bonus Content
The State of Innovation 2019
What are corporate innovators thinking about in the first quarter of 2019? We sat down with Professor Gary Pisano at Harvard Business School to find out. In this interview, Pisano discussed last years innovation wins and his new book, Creative Construction. We also talked to our Editor and CEO to find out what InnoLead members are thinking about in the new year.
Related Resources:
- Check out InnoLeads top stories and resources from 2018
- Find out more about Professor Gary Pisano’s book, Creative Construction
Special thanks to Techstars for sponsoring this episode.
TGI Fridays: Turning Customers into Regulars
As more millennials opt for fast, inexpensive dining options like Shake Shack, casual dining faces a tough landscape. So how are restaurants keeping up? We talked to Sherif Mityas, the Chief Experience Officer of TGI Fridays, to find out how the chain is using AI and personalization to create a dining experience that keeps customers coming back for seconds.
Related Resources:
- Read the transcript from the conversation
- Find out how Dunkin Dunkin’ Brands is innovating donuts and digital
Lyft, Tesla, and the Future of Mobility
With increased traffic and decreased parking, many urbanites have opted out of owning a car. So what will the future of mobility look like? We talked to Jon McNeill, COO of Lyft, about what consumers can expect moving forward. In this interview, Jon also discussed his experience at Tesla and his move to the ride sharing industry.
Related Resources:
- Watch highlights from Jon McNeill’s Fireside Chat at Impact
- Find Out How Daimler’s Lab 1886 Rolls out New Businesses
Innovation Answered Season 1
Episode 8: Startup Culture in Big Companies
Startups are viewed as innovative utopias, filled with a dedicated workforce of entrepreneurs. So can big companies behave like startups and capture their culture? To find out, we sat down with Steve Blank, a key player in the lean startup movement. This episode also features insights from Lyft COO Jon McNeill and InnoLead’s Kelsey Alpaio.
Related Resources:
- Find out the best tactics and timelines for creating a culture of innovation
- Leo Chan from Chick-fil-A shares how his company built a culture that supports innovation
- For more from Steve Blank, check out InnoLead’s deep dive into the world of CEOs
Special thanks to Wellspring for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 7: Innovating the World of Sports
What’s disrupting the world of sports, and how are teams adapting? We asked sports innovators how teams and franchises can knock innovation out of the park. Guests include Angela Ruggiero, CEO of the Sports Innovation Lab, and Jack Elkins, Director of Innovation at the Orlando Magic.
Related Resources:
- Listen to Angela Ruggiero’s full interview in this mini-episode of Innovation Answered
- Find Out How the San Francisco 49ers are Gathering Real-Time Fan Data
- Read Why the Los Angeles Dodgers are Running a ‘Training Camp’ for Sports Startups
Special thanks to Wellspring for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 6: Moving Fast…Full Speed Ahead!
Innovators are always encouraged to move faster and avoid disruption. But can a big, slow company really move fast? And is faster necessarily better? We sat down with Rachael Schwartz, formerly of Keurig, to find out. This episode also features insights from TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer and InnoLead’s Kelsey Alpaio.
Related Resources:
- How Royal Bank of Canada moved fast to deploy mobile payments
- Wells Fargo on using rapid prototyping to learn fast
Special thanks to Wellspring for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 5: What’s Digital Transformation, Anyway?
Digital transformation has become a buzzword. However, the perfect formula — and even the definition — are a mystery at most companies. So what’s the right strategy for making digital transformation happen inside a big organization? To find out, we went to Chicago. Guests include Patrick Bass, the CEO at thyssenkrupp North America, and Marcelo De Santis, former Chief Information Officer at Mondelez International and Pirelli.
Related Resources:
- Members only: Advice from former Chief Information Officer Marcelo De Santis, plus a special podcast episode
- Harvard Business School’s Sunil Gupta on designing a digital strategy that works
Special thanks to Wellspring for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 4: (Better) Business Model Innovation
Avoiding disruption is often central to innovation teams. But can changing your business model make your company an innovation powerhouse? We sit down with Rick Paster of Walmart Global eCommerce and Mark Johnson of Innosight to find out.
Related Resources:
- Alex Osterwalder on the Business Model Canvas
- Four pillars that can help you achieve a business model innovation “wins”
- Best practices for developing new business models according to Saul Kaplan, Founder of Business Innovation Factory
Special thanks to Startgrid for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 3: The Ex-Files
What is it really like to head innovation at a large company? We talked to former innovation executives to find out the good, the bad, and the ugly. Welcome to the Ex-Files. Guests include Rick Waldron, former Vice President of Innovation Strategy & Partnerships at Nike, and Ace Moghimi, former Global Head of Innovation Strategy at Manulife John Hancock.
Related Resources:
- Check out all 16 interviews in our next magazine
- More innovation insights from Ace Moghimi
Special thanks to Startgrid for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 2: Those Darned Millennials
Millennials are murderers. At least according to the headlines, where the generation is blamed for killing all sorts of industries. But are millennials really killing established brands? Nondini Naqui, a millennial engagement consultant and former CEO of Society of Grownups, discusses how companies can connect with the age group. InnoLead’s Kelsey Alpaio also explains how brands like Cadillac, L’Oreal, and Denny’s are staying relevant with the kids.
Related Resources:
- Take a look inside Cadillac House
- Learn how PepsiCo makes products with millennials and women in mind
- Check out more advice from Nondini Naqui in our “Innovation Confidential” video series
Special thanks to Startgrid for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 1: The Innovation Survival Guide
Innovation initiatives at large companies often have a short life span, leaving unfulfilled ideas in their wake. So what kills innovation at established companies? And what can you do to survive? InnoLead’s Editor Scott Kirsner and Assistant Editor Kelsey Alpaio share best practices that can help initiatives stay afloat and create organizational change.
Related Resources:
- InnoLead’s “Benchmarking Innovation Impact 2018” report
- Our list of all the things that kill innovation initiatives
- Five tips to increase your innovation initiative’s odds for success
Special thanks to Startgrid for sponsoring this episode.
Episode 0: Welcome to Innovation Answered
