Innovation Talks

By: Paul Heller
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  • Summary

  • Welcome to Innovation Talks. Each week our host, Paul Heller talks at the executive level about how strategic innovation and new product development are essential for thriving in the modern marketplace. Paul is regularly joined by top executives and cross-industry thought leaders who share their unique insights and key learnings garnered from decades of experience.
    Copyright 2024 Innovation Talks
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Economics Management
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Episodes
  • Bye for Now

    Bye for Now
    Oct 21 2024
    Today, Paul reflects on his journey as an innovation evangelist and shares the valuable lessons he's learned over nearly four decades in the industry. He expresses gratitude to his listeners, guests, and colleagues while recounting the significant milestones that have shaped the Innovation Talks series. This introspective episode serves as a heartfelt farewell as Innovation Talks closes its podcast run, leaving a legacy of knowledge and insight for innovators worldwide. Paul Heller has an illustrious career advancing innovation practices across various organizations. Paul's work has influenced countless professionals in the field. With a background at IBM and startup experience, Paul's journey is rich with firsthand accounts of implementing cutting-edge solutions and methodologies such as Expert Systems and Stage Gate. His unique perspective on cross-functional integration and empathy in innovation has made him a revered voice in the industry. “Staying positive and seeing the good in every situation keeps the spirit of innovation alive through any challenge.” ~ Paul Heller Today on Innovation Talks: • The importance of cross-functional understanding: Innovation involves marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution, product development, and customer success, aligning towards a common goal. • Embracing diverse business disciplines: Experience in sales, consulting, customer support, and engineering development can significantly enhance one's capability in innovation. • The value of empathy: Empathy towards colleagues, especially when challenges arise, is crucial for a positive and collaborative work environment. • Staying positive as a strategic advantage: Maintaining a positive attitude and seeing the best in people can drive team morale and productivity. • Configurability as a cornerstone: Unique processes and success measurements require adaptable systems, a lesson learned from product configurator projects. • The evolution of Expert Systems to AI: Early experience with Expert Systems demonstrates how foundational technologies have evolved into modern AI applications. • Importance of compassion in leadership: Genuine compassion and understanding within teams foster a collaborative environment conducive to innovation. • Continuous learning and respect for colleagues: Maintaining a beginner's mindset and respecting peers can lead to ongoing personal growth and team success. Resources Mentioned: • Guy Kawasaki's Wikipedia page: To learn about the origins of the term "evangelist" in a technology context. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Kawasaki • Sopheon: A company supporting innovation and methodologies like Stage Gate. https://www.sopheon.com/ • Union Pacific Railroad innovations: Historical examples of early AI application in rail maintenance and optimization.https://www.up.com/aboutup/community/inside_track/ai-rahul-insights-it-230721.htm • Gateway 2000: A case study in product configurators for complex product sales. https://www.techspot.com/article/2087-gateway-2000/ 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 | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | iHeart Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, 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 and click here.
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    19 mins
  • Golden Rules for a Sustainable Business with Jim Fava

    Golden Rules for a Sustainable Business with Jim Fava
    Oct 14 2024
    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 played a leading role in the development the Life Cycle Assessment Methodology ● How Life Cycle thinking affects product design ● The ten 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● The Origins of LCA: Perspective from The Father of Modern-Day Life Cycle Assessment Connect with Jim Fava: ● Jim Fava Website● Jim Fava on LinkedIn 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 | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | iHeart Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, 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 and click here.
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    35 mins
  • Reimagining tomorrow with futurist Thomas Frey

    Reimagining tomorrow with futurist Thomas Frey
    Oct 7 2024
    Today, Paul has an enlightening conversation on the future of technology and innovation with futurist Thomas Frey to explore how emerging technologies, robotics, and biotechnologies are poised to reshape our lives. Diving into the potential evolution of entertainment, healthcare, quantum computing, and the role of personal bots, they offer a glimpse of a future where technology redefines human potential. Thomas Frey is a prominent futurist and the founder of the Da Vinci Institute. Renowned for his engaging keynotes and thought-provoking predictions, Thomas travels globally to discuss how burgeoning technologies will shape the future. With extensive expertise in foresight and innovation, he is often sought after for his ability to expand people's understanding of upcoming trends and developments. Thomas has also authored several publications, including "Future Like a Boss," and actively contributes to his blog at futuristspeaker.com. "Technology will redefine human potential, enabling people to become exponentially more adaptable." ~Thomas Frey Today on Innovation Talks: · The inevitability and rapid pace of technology.· There is a need for exponentially better talent in the tech industry.· The potential of robotic performances and races blends with human entertainment.· The shift from pharmaceutical solutions to biotechnological systems.· The world's largest quantum computer and its future applications.· Predictions, including smart glasses and personal bots.· Insights into demographic changes and their implications on technology and jobs.· Philosophical thoughts on societal balance and the necessity of struggle. Resources Mentioned: "Future Like a Boss": Thomas Frey’s book is available as a course on thinking like a futurist. Quantum computing developments by Quantinium.https://www.quantinuum.com/ Thomas Frey's columns and blogs at Future Speaker.https://futuristspeaker.com/12 Famous Quotes that Will Change Your Lifehttps://futuristspeaker.com/futurist-thomas-frey-insights/12-famous-quotes-that-will-change-your-life/ Connect with Thomas Frey: Website: https://futuristspeaker.com/ Thomas Frey Futurist of the Year 2024https://foty2024.sgmk.edu.pl/en/thomas-frey-en/ Ready to Transform Your Innovation Strategy?If you're a product manager or innovator looking to streamline your processes and turn chaos into control, you won't want to miss this opportunity.Dive into our exclusive, free eBook on Innovation Ops strategies designed just for you.Learn the secrets to revolutionizing your approach and achieving success with clarity and precision.Download your copy today.Visit https://info.sopheon.com/innovationops-ebookStart your journey to becoming an innovation powerhouse now! This Podcast is brought to you by SopheonThanks 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 | TuneIn | Stitcher | Spotify | iHeart Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more listeners like you. For additional information about new product development or corporate innovation, sign up for Sopheon’s monthly newsletter, where we share news and industry best practices! The fastest way to do this is to go to sopheon.com and click here.
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    36 mins

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