The Innovation Meets Leadership Podcast Natalie Born

“It's not only listening to the customer. It's really taking action, being proactive to talk to your customers, inviting them for specific interviews where the agenda is really to talk about their needs. That is really important for innovation”. – Stefan Debois



In this episode of the podcast, Innovation Meets Leadership host Natalie Born invites Stefan Debois, the founder, and CEO of Pointer Pro, an assessment software platform that helps professional services companies automate their advisory processes. Together, they discuss how to optimize consulting strategies, leverage skills and outsource tasks to subcontractors, democratize knowledge and access free information on the internet, utilize an advice engine to provide relevant recommendations to clients and use a structured methodology like Jobs to be Done to understand customer needs and translate them into successful products or services. Listeners will gain insight on how to efficiently charge for outcomes instead of time in order to incentivize efficiency improvements and encourage innovation from consultants. Tune in to this engaging conversation between two real innovators as they discuss the importance of listening to customers, taking action, and asking specific questions.

 

Stefan Debois is the founder and CEO of Pointerpro, an assessment software platform that helps professional services companies to automate their advisory processes. Stefan is passionate about the use of technology to build professional relationships with people, at scale.

 

Key Highlights:


Outcome-Based Innovation


The Importance of Customer Feedback in Innovation


The Value of Structured Conversations



 

Key Quotes:

"Don't charge for time, charge for value.” – Stefan Debois

 

Connect with Stefan

LinkedIn: https://be.linkedin.com/in/stefandebois

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sde77

 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone empower their businesses through collaboration, innovation, and transformation by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.

 

These are proven solutions to advance your innovation process. Check out our website innovationmeetsleadership.com or connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube

 

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Let’s go transform something!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/support

“"Don't take goal setting in your life too seriously. Goals are guideposts along the journey.” – Matteo Grassi

In this episode of the podcast, Innovation Meets Leadership host Natalie Born interviews Mateo Grassi, co-founder and CEO of the funded startup Popup. Through his remarkable journey from street performer to successful entrepreneur, Mateo shares his experience bootstrapping a business until it was ready for funding, as well as the difficulties and opportunities that come with being an entrepreneur. They discuss Mateo’s experience of scaling an e-commerce store from zero to 4 million in two weeks, only to have all profits lost due to disputes and fines from credit card providers. Additionally, they compare the pre-tech bubble landscape to today's remote work opportunities which have opened up possibilities of living and working abroad without language barriers. Finally, they speak about the importance of self-regulation when it comes to technology and social media use, setting boundaries for oneself when it comes to media consumption and finding one’s big “why” - a goal that can never be achieved - in order to stay motivated throughout life.

Matteo Grassi is co-founder of Popup, a no code eCommerce platform for the next generation, has also founded 7 direct-to-consumer brands, an NGO/DAO, and an anonymous support group for founders. Prior to this, they were a professional break-dancer and circus performer who also produced and performed music. Matteo now creates documentaries, interviews, and shows for YouTube. Known to share either a lame joke or intriguing trivia upon meeting in person.

Key Highlights


Innovating in E-Commerce
A Journey of Exploration, Not Destination
Breaking the News Cycle

Key Quotes:

"People should embark in a journey of being an entrepreneur the same way you embark in a journey where like in an adventure. And you don't go in an adventure because you necessarily want to reach a destination. You go in an adventure because you love the adventure.” – Matteo Grassi

“Sometimes you have to be pushed to the limits to realize that maybe a problem was small before it got really, really big. But then once you solve it, you solve it." – Matteo Grassi

Connect with Matteo

LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/matteowastaken

Twitter: https://twitter.com/matteowastaken

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone empower their businesses through collaboration, innovation, and transformation by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.

These are proven solutions to advance your innovation process. Check out our website innovationmeetsleadership.com or connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Let’s go transform something!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/support

“Look for the impact that you want to have, and then prioritize based on impact rather than market.” – Esther Gons

In this episode, the founder and CEO of GroundControl, Esther Gons discusses how innovation accounting can help organizations measure success when launching high-risk projects. She explore the need to start multiple ventures in order to predict success, and the importance of implementing formalized processes for innovation in order for an organization to create a culture of innovation. Esther also provides insight into how to measure performance metrics before beginning any project, fail fast and use learnings from failed experiments to inform future projects, and celebrate those who have saved the company money.

Esther Gons is the CEO and founder of GroundControl, an innovation software company that helps corporate startup teams develop new business models. The company has clients such as Euler Hermes, DHL, and ABN Amro. Gons is a speaker on corporate innovation, innovation accounting, and startups, and was named to Inside Outside's 2022 Watchlist: Women in Innovation.

Main Highlights:


Unpacking the Layers of Innovation Accounting
Examining Processes, Culture, and Habits to Achieve Success
Mitigating Risk with a Systematic Approach

Key Quotes:

" To do innovation within an organization, you need multiple teams trying to validate multiple ideas.

You need to understand if your teams are doing well and if they're moving forward.” – Esther Gons

“Look at the impact you want to make, because otherwise you're never gone make that change." – Esther Gons

Connect with Esther

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esthergons/

Website: https://estheremmelygons.nl/

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone empower their businesses through collaboration, innovation, and transformation by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.

These are proven solutions to advance your innovation process. Check out our website innovationmeetsleadership.com or connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review!

Let’s go transform something!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/support

“A lot of skillsets you can teach, but the culture you can't.” - Marc Reifenrath

Is a company’s culture critical to achieving and maintaining success? In this episode, the CEO of Spinutech, Marc Reifenrath encourages leaders to invest more time in building culture and core values for better retention and growth. He breaks down key strategies for onboarding new team members, creating an environment of trust, and understanding the importance of cultural alignment between clients and employees. Tune in now to learn how culture can be used to hire and retain top talent!

Marc has seen Spinutech grow from a college start-up to one of the premier full-service digital marketing agencies in the country. He would be the first to tell you that Spinutech would not be what it is today without a team of people who are as invested in each other’s growth and success as they are in delivering the best for their clients.

Main Highlights:


10 Years of Zero Turnover
How Spinutech's First 100 Days Shape Employee and Organization Experiences
How Core Values Helped build a Successful Business

Key Quotes:

"You just gotta capitalize on every learning opportunity, whether it came from a great situation or a bad situation." - Marc Reifenrath

"Job descriptions aren't restrictions.." - Marc Reifenrath

Connect with Marc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcreifenrath/

Website: https://www.spinutech.com/

These are proven solutions to advance your innovation process. Check out our website  innovationmeetsleadership.com or connect with us on Instagram and Facebook

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Let’s go transform something!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/support

“The more people you have thinking about the problem you're trying to solve, the further you're going to get as an organization.” - Sohail Abbasi

Are you adapting to digital transformation and continuous change? In this episode, Sohail Abbasi, the VP of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Hamava Innovation Factory, discusses how to overcome the not invented here syndrome - a tendency to avoid using or buying products research, or knowledge from external sources - and how organizations can leverage outside processes and resources to innovate and create value. Tune in and discover why embracing open source is essential for business growth and success!

Main Highlights:


Unlocking Innovation Through Diversity and Disruption
Exploring Open Innovation to Mitigate Risk in Large Organizations
How to Transform an Organization Through Open Innovation

Key Quotes:

"Diversity basically is one of the key things contributing to innovation." - Sohail Abbasi

"We don't transform by our own group think we transform by other ideas and other thoughts by expanding our knowledge and ability. That's how we transform." - Natalie Born

Connect with Sohail

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohailabbasi/

These are proven solutions to advance your innovation process. Check out our website  innovationmeetsleadership.com or connect with us on Instagram and Facebook

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Let’s go transform something!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/support

“Think about some people you can pull alongside you to help you be a zero gravity thinker, to think outside the box and to look differently at problems that you're trying to solve.” - Natalie Born

What is holding back explosive growth and breakthrough ideas? In this episode, Natalie and Aaron Born disclose the importance of innovation and how to foster it in an organization. They break down the 3 principles that kill innovation and explain how innovation looks different for everyone. Natalie talks about how she enjoys doing podcasts, her experiences with podcasting, and some of their favorite conversations. Listen and enjoy!

Aaron is a father of two daughters, the husband to  Natalie, and the owner of a runaway circus dog named Bear. They currently live in Sugar Hill, Georgia. When he is not with his family, he is the Lead Pastor of House Churches for Victory Church, a multi-site church made up of about 20,000 households from 142 people groups based in the Metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia.

Main Highlights:


How Psychological Safety Kills Innovation
3 Principles of Killing Innovation
Innovation Looks Different for Every Organization
The Importance of Zero Gravity Thinkers in Innovation

Be sure to check out full show notes at https://innovationmeetsleadership.com/resources or click "Episode Website" below.

Connect with Natalie

Website: https://innovationmeetsleadership.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieborn

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/innovationmeetsleadership/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/innovationmeetsleadership

Connect with Aaron

Website: https://victoryatl.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-david-born-4a66b7bb/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/born_aaron

These are proven solutions to advance your innovation process. Check out our website  innovationmeetsleadership.com or connect with us on Instagram and Facebook.

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Let’s go transform something!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/natalie-born/support