Innovation Nation Podcast

In this podcast we Speak with top executives and industry experts, harnessing their expertise and sharing their insights to empower our listeners to grow

You’ll hear stories of grit, determination, experimentation, and core creative solutions to help embrace innovation. This podcast will help you innovate in practice. We’ll focus on industry trends and how certain companies stay ahead of the curve by driving their own innovation and building a safer and more sustainable future.

LISTEN & Subscribe With Your Preferred Player:

Episode 22: Baking Innovation Into Your Company’s DNA w/ Maria Fagan

When you’ve grown from three people in 2008 to just about 500 today, you need a way to scale the innovation you had as a startup. You have to bake innovation into the very DNA of your company from core values to automation. In this episode of Innovation Nation, I interview Maria Fagan, President at RQM+, about the evolution of innovation during her company’s explosive growth. Join us as we discuss:

• The close relationship between growth and innovation
• How innovation informs core values, culture statements, and corporate vision
• Trust, onboarding, and the people component of innovation
• Measuring your critical processes and getting rid of the ones that don’t work

Episode 21: Learning & Innovation: Tapping Into the Ecosystem of Knowledge w/Dr. Michael Noble

The key to our evolution is our innate ability to learn. That’s what drives us forward. It stimulates human innovation. And curiosity is the engine. So, how can we become more active players in that larger ecosystem of knowledge? On this episode of Innovation Nation, I talk with Dr. Michael Noble, President - Americas at Area9 Lyceum, about how we can improve the way we learn and stimulate curiosity. We discuss:

• The relationship between memory and innovation
• How to improve learning
• How to encourage curiosity
• Breaking out of our knowledge bubbles

Episode 20: AI Innovation Starts with Responsible Regulation

When we think of artificial intelligence, we think about innovation. AI is a catalyst for important innovation, but not all innovation goes into a positive desired direction, especially when we don’t understand the risks involved in AI and machine learning. I talk with Sri Krishnamurthy, Founder and CEO of Quant University, about how organizations can engage with AI in a responsible manner. We also talked about:

• How to innovate with AI while mitigating risk
• Why people should care about privacy.
• The evolution of innovation in higher education

Episode 19: Innovation in 5G: From Manufacturing to AI with Luke Kannike

Manufacturers are among the first to implement innovations based on technology. Most recently, 5G has provided opportunities for innovation in many industries. Here’s where to keep your eye. I interview Luke Kannike, Business Line Manager, West & Central Region at TÜV SÜD, about the hottest spots in innovation for manufacturers right now. What we talked about:

• 5G market trends & concerns
• Cybersecurity measures for 5G
• Automobile, mobile phones, medical, & AI applications

Episode 18: Empathy, Innovation, & Evolution in MarTech with Paige O’Neill

When innovation is a part of the very DNA of your company, combining the essential culture with passionate, ideas-filled new hires is a beautiful combination. Though the pandemic changed everything for marketers, it also created the perfect conditions for innovation in MarTech. I interview Paige O’Neill, CMO at Sitecore, about innovation in the marketing discipline, in MarTech, and in her personal career. What we talked about:

• How empathy became a guiding business principle
• Driving a modern digital tech stack
• Sitecore’s innovation-based growth

Episode 17: Essential Elements for Company-Wide Innovation with Dr. Marion Damm

Innovation is about continuous learning, having the curiosity to make the next step, to analyze what you learned and how to improve. If you have this intrinsic motivation, then innovation is for you. This wisdom comes straight from today’s guest on Innovation Nation, Dr. Marion Damm, Global Innovation Manager at TÜV SÜD. What we talked about:

• Fueling the innovation spirit at work
• Programs & awards to encourage innovation among employees
• Tangible and intangible elements that foster and reward innovation

Episode 16: Infinite Possibilities: Exploring the Mindset of an Innovative Thinker with Jasmine Birtles

Our world is brimming with infinite ideas. And the truth is they’re available to everybody. All you need to do is learn to tap into them. Our guest, Jasmine Birtles, a prominent British television and radio personality, entrepreneur, and author of 30 books, joins us today to talk about the importance of being open to a world of new permutations, new approaches, and new ideas. What we talked about:

• Thinking in terms of infinite possibilities
• The necessity of doing the boring tasks to set a foundation for the exciting ones
• The power of cultivating curiosity and a constant interest in our world

Episode 15: The 2 Most Important Goals in the World: Sustainability & Social Justice wtih Bracken Darrell

What are the 2 most important things in the world right now? Saving the planet with environmental responsibility and unlocking the power of every individual with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. In this episode, I interview Bracken Darrell, CEO at Logitech, about his unwavering focus on legacy. What we talked about:

• 3 user-centered design principles
• The vulnerability and excitement of breaking down walls
• The inextricable goals of social justice and sustainability

Episode 14: A Mountain Climber's Guide to Innovation with Liz Fendt

It sounds like the start of a joke: What do corporations and Kilimanjaro have in common? Quite a lot, actually, when it comes to mental toughness, agility, and a growth mindset. In this episode, I interview Liz Fendt, Global CMO and Cofounder of Women’s Network at TUV SUD, about innovation, climbing, and advocacy. We had an amazing conversation about:

• Undertaking preparation for mountaineering… and not making the summit
• 2 reasons women don’t step up to opportunity
• Developing a fixed vs. a growth mindset
• Co-founding the Women’s Network and the importance of people

Episode 13: Stop Overlooking Functional Safety & Start Innovating

In this episode, I interview three experts about how Functional Safety drives innovation: Sven Nowak, Regional Program Director and Global Head of Functional Safety; Kevin Connelly, Functional Safety Business Development; and Justin Heyl, NA Program Manager, Cybersecurity, Digital, and AI — all at TÜV SÜD. What we talked about:

• How Functional Safety is rising in importance across industries
• When manufacturers should incorporate Functional Safety into design
• Functional Safety is a cross disciplinary responsibility
• Innovating with Functional Safety

View All Podcast Episodes on Sounder.fm