Creativity Boosters

Creativity Boosters

Stop letting others steal the spotlight with andquot;better ideas.andquot; Creativity Boosters is your toolkit for decoding innovation and applying it to real-world business challenges. Hosts Dinko and Nikhil cut through the academic fluff to bring you: * 🚀 Actionable Frameworks to generate winning ideas on demand. * 🧠 Applied Innovation Theory that actually works in corporate settings. * 🎙️ Expert Interviews with industry leaders who walk the talk. Whether you want to lead your team, disrupt your market, or just be the smartest person in the room, this is where you learn how. Subscribe now and start building your creative advantage.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Subtraction Innovation | Creativity Boosters Episode 32

    🚨 The most powerful innovation move isn’t adding — it’s removing. 🚨 Welcome back to Creativity Boosters — the podcast for people who are tired of feature bloat, complexity creep, and innovation theater. In this episode, Dingo and Nikhil flip the innovation mindset upside down and explore subtraction innovation — the art of creating massive value by taking things away. It starts with a simple but radical story. A pharma startup asked: What if we removed everything patients hate about prescriptions? No pill bottles. No confusion. No mental load. Two years later, Amazon acquired PillPack for $753 million. This episode dives into why our brains default to adding instead of subtracting — and how that bias quietly creates waste, complexity, and fragile systems. 🧠 Why humans instinctively add instead of simplify 📉 How cognitive bias and “feature theater” inflate products and processes 🏗️ How lean thinking and waste removal unlock real value 💊 PillPack, Swiffer, IKEA, Nothing Phone, and Cirque du Soleil as masters of subtraction ⚡ Why doing less can create premium positioning and higher margins 🧩 How subtraction can backfire (Google Wave, Instagram, Tesla indicators) 🛠️ A practical 5-step SIT framework for applying subtraction innovation 🎯 How leaders should decide what to cut — using data, not opinions 📊 How to identify the 20% of features that create 80% of value We also tackle the hard part: Subtraction requires courage, clear communication, and strong leadership. Removing features can feel like loss — unless it’s explained with a compelling narrative and backed by customer feedback. The episode closes with concrete tools: ✅ A subtraction sprint exercise ✅ A conversation starter for leadership and product teams ✅ A metric shift to expose hidden maintenance waste The takeaway is simple but uncomfortable: The best innovation often comes from asking what can we remove — not what we can add. Less — but better. 🚀 ⏱️ Time Stamps: 00:00 A Pharma Startup Removes Everything Patients Hate 00:15 Amazon Buys PillPack for $753 Million 00:28 Welcome to Creativity Boosters 00:48 Why Innovation Is Usually About Adding (and Why That’s Wrong) 01:03 What Is Subtraction Innovation? 01:25 SIT: Systematic Inventive Thinking Framework 01:55 PillPack Case: Removing Bottles, Confusion, and Mental Load 03:06 Convenience Beats Complexity 04:32 Why Our Brains Default to Adding (Cognitive Bias) 05:47 Lego Study: Why We Add Instead of Remove 06:49 Lean Thinking and Waste (TIM WOODS) 08:02 Why Removing Requires Courage 09:40 Simplicity as a Leadership Superpower 10:27 Cognitive Fixedness and Hidden Assumptions 11:27 More Examples: Swiffer, Muji, Nothing Phone 13:01 Nothing Phone: Making Money by Doing Less 14:12 Cultural Shift Toward Simplicity 19:04 IKEA and Flat-Pack Subtraction Innovation 22:47 How to Apply SIT: The 5-Step Subtraction Method 25:14 Are Corporate Layoffs Really Strategic Subtraction? 29:49 “Less But Better” Design Principle (Apple, Google) 32:00 Cirque du Soleil: Reinventing an Industry by Removing Core Elements 35:56 When Subtraction Fails: Google Wave & Instagram 37:52 Tesla Indicator Stalk: Listening to Customer Feedback 39:12 Subtraction Needs Narrative and Trust 41:26 Should You Remove Features Users Ask For? 44:40 Subtraction Is Surgical — Not Reckless 46:32 Business Toolkit: Subtraction Exercises and Metrics 49:20 Final Takeaway: The Power of Removing Instead of Adding

    50 min

  2. 26 JAN

    Is AI changing consulting forever? | Creativity Boosters Episode 31

    🚨 The $440,000 mistake that exposed consulting’s biggest lie. 🚨 Welcome back to Creativity Boosters — the podcast for people who don’t buy glossy PowerPoints and “expert theater” anymore. In this episode, Dingo and Nikhil open the black box of consulting and ask the uncomfortable question: If AI knows everything consultants used to sell… what are we actually paying for? It starts with a scandal. A 237-page government report. Fake citations. Invented quotes. A $440,000 refund. Deloitte used GPT-4 — and got caught hallucinating in a high-stakes public document. Twice. In two countries. When bookmakers start betting on your next AI scandal, your credibility is officially in trouble. But this isn’t just one firm messing up. It’s the first real existential crisis in consulting. 💸 Knowledge is now basically free 🧠 Strategy frameworks live inside your $20/month chatbot 📊 Research, analysis, and slides are automated in seconds 👶 Junior consultants are being replaced first 🏗️ The consulting pyramid is shrinking into a slim “Washington Monument” We unpack how AI is eating the consulting value stack — from data collection and analysis to benchmarks and frameworks — and what still survives: 🤝 Judgment 🧭 Accountability 🗣️ Trust and relationships 🚀 Implementation and change management We also explore the irony: consulting firms sell AI transformation while AI is actively disrupting their own business model. Along the way: ⚡ A real story of ChatGPT outperforming paid consultants 📉 Why vanity AI metrics mean nothing 🧪 Why AI can hurt business judgment if misused 💼 Why AI fluency is now mandatory for consultants 📦 Why consulting may shift from hourly billing to AI-powered packages The takeaway: The consultant of 2030 will look nothing like the consultant of 2020. Knowledge arbitrage is dying. What survives is judgment, trust, and execution. The black box is opening. And consulting will never be the same again. 🚀 Timestamps: 00:00 The Deloitte AI Scandal: Fake Citations and a $440K Refund 03:15 Why This Isn’t Just a Mistake (Consulting’s Wake-Up Call) 05:22 The Consulting Business Model Is Breaking 06:32 When ChatGPT Outperforms Paid Consultants (A Real Story) 08:46 How Big Consulting Is Responding: McKinsey, Bain, BCG 10:09 Why “3,000 Custom GPTs” Means Absolutely Nothing 11:51 AI Is Replacing the Consulting Pyramid from the Bottom Up 14:32 The Consulting Value Stack: What AI Automates vs What Survives 18:39 What AI Still Can’t Replace: Judgment, Trust & Politics 22:58 From Pyramid to “Washington Monument” Organizations 23:25 Why AI Can Make Business Decisions Worse (BCG Study) 25:10 The Three Future Roles in Consulting 29:49 If 80% Is Automated, Should Prices Drop — Or Rise? 31:43 Why AI Fluency Is Now the Bare Minimum for Consultants 33:00 Practical Takeaways: How to Buy (and Sell) Consulting in an AI World 38:54 Final Takeaway: The Consultant of 2030 Will Look Nothing Like Today

    40 min

  3. 31/12/2025

    What is 2026 going to look like? | Creativity Boosters Episode 30

    🚨 Stop scrolling. The future just went live. 🚨 Welcome back to Creativity Boosters — the podcast for people who are tired of “innovation theater” and ready for the real thing. In this episode, Dinko and Nikhil officially cancel 'basic innovation thinking'. If you’re here for AI-powered emails, productivity hacks, or yet another “top 10 trends” list… this is your cue to leave. We’re aiming bigger. Much bigger. We’re talking about 2026 — the year where weird stops being hypothetical and starts shipping. 🧠 Computers built from human brain cells 🧬 Biology replacing factories 💊 Personalized medicine powered by protein folding breakthroughs like AlphaFold 🏭 Manufacturing without cells, smokestacks, or massive plants 👓 Life beyond the smartphone with ambient AI and zero-UI experiences 🚗 Full self-driving in Europe, solid-state batteries, and wireless power in the air This episode is a fast-moving, no-filter conversation about how innovation is shifting from slides to matter — biology, energy, hardware, and infrastructure. We unpack why startups will outpace corporate supertankers, why “apps” are a dead end, and how the companies that win next are designing for a post-smartphone world right now. Expect bold predictions, dark humor, questionable analogies, and ideas that might make your next Monday meeting very uncomfortable (in a good way). If your innovation doesn’t need a lab coat, regulatory approval, or a hard hat… it might just be a feature update. Oh, and Dinko owes Nikhil so many cookies! The future is weird. The future is squishy. And it’s already here. You’re listening to Creativity Boosters 🚀 Time Stamps: 00:00 Stop Scrolling: Welcome to 2026 00:48 What Creativity Boosters Is (and Is Not) 01:40 Why 2026 Is Not “2025 Plus One” 02:45 The Death of Traditional Manufacturing 03:15 Protein Folding, AlphaFold, and the Biology Breakthrough 06:30 The End of One-Size-Fits-All Medicine 08:45 Cell-Free Bio-Manufacturing and Printing Biology 12:20 Organoid Intelligence and Brain Cells as Computers 14:10 Why Big Pharma and Corporations Will Miss This Shift 16:20 Personalized Medicine at Pharmacy Scale 19:40 Startups vs Supertankers: Who Really Wins 22:00 The Death of the Smartphone (Slowly) 24:30 From GUIs to AI Agents and Zero-UI Design 27:00 Ambient Computing and the Disappearing Computer 31:00 Why AR, Wearables, and Spatial Computing Actually Matter 35:30 Retail, Work, and Life After the App 38:45 Who Controls the Future Platform? 41:20 Designing for a Post-Smartphone World 45:10 European Full Self-Driving and Regulation Reality 50:00 Energy Limits, Solid-State Batteries, and Wireless Power 55:30 Factories Without Wires, Plugs, or Downtime 58:40 Ethics, Safety, and the Price of Progress 01:02:30 The Physicality Test: How to Spot Real Innovation 01:05:30 Why Startups Will Ship the Future First 01:08:00 Season 2, Growth, and the Creativity Boosters Call to Action

    53 min

  4. 31/07/2025

    Is China dominating Innovation? | Creativity Boosters Episode 29

    Join hosts Dinko and Nikhil on Creativity Boosters, the podcast that dives into the heart of innovation and creativity in today’s fast-paced business world. In this episode, we explore whether China is emerging as the global powerhouse of innovation. From massive R&D investments surpassing $500 billion annually to leading in AI, 5G, electric vehicles, and fintech, China is reshaping the innovation landscape. But is it genuine leadership or strategic replication at scale? We debate the myths and realities of China’s innovation model, from state-driven initiatives to private-sector breakthroughs, and examine how global standards, cultural shifts, and reverse brain drain are positioning China for the future. Tune in for a nuanced discussion on what it means to be an innovation hub in 2025, and walk away with fresh perspectives on creativity, competition, and the forces driving the next generation of technology. Subscribe, rate, and share to keep your creativity boosted! Time stamps: 00:00 The Rise of China's Innovation Landscape 02:42 Shifting Perspectives on Innovation 06:22 The Role of Government and Private Sector 09:57 Education and the New Generation of Innovators 13:09 Quality vs. Quantity in Innovation 16:41 The Impact of Subsidies on Innovation 19:36 China's Manufacturing Dominance and Global Supply Chains 25:09 China's Influence on Global Standards 26:30 China's Dominance in Green Energy 28:43 The 996 Work Culture and Its Implications 30:16 Cultural Perspectives on Pressure and Resilience 32:12 India's Rise as an Innovation Hub 33:56 Shifts in Innovation Paradigms 35:12 China's Demographic Challenges 36:21 The Future of China's Workforce 38:38 Education Reforms and Creativity 42:22 Measuring Innovation in a Global Context 43:33 Work-Life Balance vs. Competitiveness 46:16 Reflections on Future Innovation Hubs

    49 min

  5. 12/07/2025

    Balancing Logic and Imagination: Unleashing High IQ and High CQ in Everyday Business | Creativity Boosters Episode 28

    Curious about making your ideas not just smart, but irresistible? This episode uncovers the secrets to balancing high IQ logic with high CQ creativity in everyday business scenarios. Discover practical strategies to enhance your team's innovation, make meetings more engaging, and transform routine tasks into opportunities for innovation. Whether you're a manager aiming to inspire your team or an individual looking to boost your creative edge, this episode offers actionable insights to improve your approach and drive real results. Join us and let's boost your creativity together. Takeaways - Creativity is essential for innovation in business. - Balancing logic and emotion is crucial for team dynamics. - Offsites should focus on experiential design and storytelling. - CQ (Creativity Coefficient) is as important as IQ. - Narratives make financial reports more engaging. - Budget cuts can be reframed as opportunities for creativity. - Diversity in teams enhances creative problem-solving. - Emotional attachment to ideas can hinder innovation. - Leaders should foster a culture of creativity and safety. - Hiring for both IQ and CQ is vital for success. Chapters (00:16) Exploring Team Offsites and Their Effectiveness (01:13) Balancing High IQ and High CQ Thinking (02:06) The Importance of Engaging Hearts and Minds (03:37) Emotional Impact of Events (05:54) Understanding Creativity Coefficient (CQ) (08:06) The Role of High IQ vs High CQ in Offsites (10:18) Innovative Approaches to Offsite Planning (14:28) Quarterly Financial Presentations: Clarity vs Creativity (20:03) Navigating Budget Cuts: Optimization vs Opportunity Mining (26:58) Time Management and Creative Thinking in Organizations (33:00) Fostering a Culture of Creativity (37:23) The Need for Immigration and Diversity (38:53) High IQ vs. High CQ in Hiring (42:10) Creative Approaches to Product Development (45:50) Balancing Creativity and Structure in Management (47:51) Do's and Don'ts for Managing High CQ Individuals (53:44) Emotional Attachment to Ideas and Business Context (59:46) Final Thoughts on Creativity and Innovation

    1h 6m

  6. 21/06/2025

    The Creative Scorecard: Benchmarking U.S. Presidents on Innovation | Creativity Boosters Episode 27

    What is the line between originality and unpredictability in leadership? Using Donald Trump's rhetoric as a focal point, we question whether his approach is a reflection of originality or a descent into chaos. Utilizing the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, Dinko and Nikhil assess various dimensions such as fluency, originality, flexibility, and elaboration, benchmarking Trump against historical figures like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Our discussion reveals contrasting perspectives on Trump's approach to creativity and leadership, sparked a debate on the impact of presidential creativity on the American population. We invite you to tune in and decide for yourself if Trump's style signals brute innovation or just a whirlwind of unpredictability. Chapters (00:00) Exploring Creativity in Leadership (03:08) Historical Perspectives on Presidential Creativity (05:58) The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (08:59) Analyzing Donald Trump's Creativity (11:23) Dimensions of Creativity: Fluency and Originality (14:37) The Impact of Originality in Leadership (17:29) Contrasting Leadership Styles: Trump vs. FDR (20:39) The Role of Creativity in Political Solutions (26:25) Historical Context of Tariffs and Economic Consequences (29:00) Flexibility in Leadership: Lessons from Lincoln (31:59) Cognitive Flexibility: Trump’s Media Adaptation (35:10) Elaboration: The Need for Detailed Policy Plans (40:15) Assessing Creativity: Gains and Losses in Trump’s Approach (42:03) Improving Creativity: Suggestions for Trump (55:19) Final Thoughts: Evaluating Trump’s Creative Quotient

    55 min

  7. 07/06/2025

    From Struggle to Success: The UFC Story about Visionary Leadership in Action I Creativity Boosters Episode 26

    This episode explores the incredible transformation of the UFC from a struggling organization to a global powerhouse, highlighting the visionary leadership of Dana White, the importance of risk-taking, strategic management, and emotional branding. The discussion delves into the role of storytelling in business, the necessity of change management, and the impact of digital transformation on the UFC's growth. Listeners will gain actionable insights into how these principles can be applied in their own professional journeys. Takeaways: - The UFC's transformation is a case study in visionary leadership. - Risk-taking is essential for innovation and growth. - Strategic management involves leveraging intellectual property effectively. - Emotional branding creates strong connections with audiences. - Change management is crucial for implementing new strategies. - Incremental and radical innovations can coexist in an organization. - Effective storytelling enhances project proposals and engagement. - Digital transformation requires overcoming resistance to change. - Building a culture of innovation involves continuous feedback and adaptation. - Authentic leadership is key to navigating challenges and driving change. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Creativity and Innovation 01:18 Risk-Taking and Visionary Leadership in UFC 06:39 Strategic Management and Control of Intellectual Property 14:49 Overcoming Skepticism and Building Credibility 24:58 Innovative Strategies: The Ultimate Fighter Reality Show 32:02 The Birth of the Octagon 35:26 Get Fired Ideas: Embracing Creativity 37:53 Incremental vs. Radical Innovation 41:02 Emotional Branding and Storytelling 47:31 Digital Transformation and Change Management 51:32 Navigating Resistance to Change 59:53 The Change Management Model 01:04:47 Visionary Leadership and Authenticity

    1h 8m

  8. 14/05/2025

    Uncharted: Innovation in Uncertain Times - Surviving VUCA through bold innovation | Creativity Boosters Episode 25

    In a world defined by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity, how do the most resilient minds lead, adapt, and create? VUCA & Visionaries dives deep into the strategies, stories, and mindsets that fuel innovation in unpredictable times. Each episode unpacks how real-world leaders—from global businesses to grassroots ventures—harness creativity to not just survive, but thrive in today’s rapidly shifting landscape. With insights from experts, quotes from thought leaders like McKinsey, HBR, and BCG, and inspiring case studies beyond the usual tech suspects, this podcast is your go-to guide for building agility, resilience, and bold thinking in a complex world. Whether you're a team leader, strategist, or change-maker, VUCA & Visionaries gives you the tools and inspiration to navigate chaos with confidence.

    1h 12m
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About

Stop letting others steal the spotlight with andquot;better ideas.andquot; Creativity Boosters is your toolkit for decoding innovation and applying it to real-world business challenges. Hosts Dinko and Nikhil cut through the academic fluff to bring you: * 🚀 Actionable Frameworks to generate winning ideas on demand. * 🧠 Applied Innovation Theory that actually works in corporate settings. * 🎙️ Expert Interviews with industry leaders who walk the talk. Whether you want to lead your team, disrupt your market, or just be the smartest person in the room, this is where you learn how. Subscribe now and start building your creative advantage.

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