Best David J BLand Podcasts (2025)

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Why Innovation Theater Still Dominates Corporate America with David J Bland 19:06

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3h ago19:06

19:06

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with David J. Bland, founder of Precoil, co-author of the global bestseller Testing Business Ideas, and creator of the EMT (Extract, Map, Test) framework — a practical approach that Fortune 500 teams use to run smarter experiments and reduce risk in real innovation work. David shares hard-won …

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Michael Leung | How I Tested An Assisted Hearing Device 33:14

1d ago33:14

33:14

In this episode we interview Michael Leung. Michael, is the CEO and founder of the Flo Group. He’s built his company around a simple mission, which is making hearing solutions accessible, affordable, and life-changing for people of all ages. We discuss how his own personal experiences have shaped his approach to product development and testing. Spe…

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“Change Is NOT Soft” — Why Most Transformations Fail Before They Start with Kimberly Shaw 20:23

1d ago20:23

20:23

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Kimberly Shaw, founder of Changeify, to bust the myth that change is just “soft stuff.” With decades of experience across industries, Kimberly has built a framework that brings structure and sustainability to complex transformations. 📉 Why 75% of transformations fail — and why that stat i…

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Matt Bowman: Why Public Education Is Failing Curious Kids 23:14

6d ago23:14

23:14

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Matt Bowman, founder of OpenEd, bestselling author of Open Education, and former classroom teacher who's now helped over 100,000 students reclaim learning on their own terms. Matt shares why traditional schooling — built for industrial-era conformity — is no longer serving the needs of to…

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The Secret to Leadership That Business School Still Isn’t Teaching with Jim Carlough 18:51

8d ago18:51

18:51

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Jim Carlough, business strategist, speaker, and author of The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership, who’s spent over 30 years guiding high-performing teams and transformational change — from scrappy startups to healthcare giants. Jim’s message is clear: Leaders aren’t born. They’re develop…

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Why So Many Top Performers Burn Out — And How to Stop It with Andrew Poles 21:09

14d ago21:09

21:09

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Andrew Poles — executive coach, leadership strategist, and ultra-endurance athlete who’s coached over 10,000 leaders to grow sustainable, high-impact businesses without burning out. Andrew unpacks the idea of "dirty fuel" — the stress, self-doubt, and fear that drives many high achievers …

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Joao Moita | How I Tested Product Weekend 35:41

14d ago35:41

35:41

Summary In this episode we interview Moita, the Founder and CEO of Product Weekend. He shares his journey from studying aerospace engineering to becoming a product manager and eventually creating what is now called Product Weekend. It is a community of Product Management enthusiasts who share their experiences and take their careers to the next lev…

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Tech-Led Innovation Is Failing — Here's What Actually Works with Kevin Carlson 18:27

16d ago18:27

18:27

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Kevin Carlson, a fractional CTO/CISO and executive coach with decades of experience helping companies overcome critical inflection points at the intersection of technology, product, and security. He shares insights from inside high-growth companies — and the moments where innovation either…

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Leadership Is Making Us Sick — Here’s What to Do About It with Rachael Edmondson-Clarke 19:35

21d ago19:35

19:35

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Rachael Edmondson-Clarke, founder of Elevar and a neuroscience-based leadership strategist helping high-performing leaders avoid burnout and stay creative under pressure. After a dramatic collapse from stress in her glass-walled corner office, Rachael rebuilt her approach to leadership us…

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The Neuroscience of Innovation with Marina Morgan: Why Most Teams Aren’t Wired to Change 23:03

23d ago23:03

23:03

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we speak with Marina Morgan, founder of Morgan Impact, a Silicon Valley-based organizational psychologist whose work bridges neuroscience, psychology, and business strategy. She’s led transformations for companies ranging from startups to global enterprises with 300,000+ employees — and she’s here to expl…

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"Google Owns You" — Why Ken Cox Is Building the Anti-Big-Tech Platform 18:47

28d ago18:47

18:47

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Ken Cox — president of River City Internet Group, host of the award-winning Clicks and Bricks podcast, and founder of InLink, a radically human-centered business platform designed to empower solopreneurs. Ken shares the highs, lows, and hard truths of entrepreneurship — from building data…

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Charles Sims | How I Tested The NBA Fan Experience 37:10

29d ago37:10

37:10

In this episode we interview Charles Sims. Charles is the ex-CTO for the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team and currently Founder of Skafld, an end-to-end venture studio partner, turning visionary ideas into real-world success. Charles shares his journey from the entertainment industry to becoming the CTO of the Clippers. We dug into how experimentation…

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The Seinfeld Strategy That Reinvented Recruiting (Seriously!) - Bill Kasko 21:50

1M ago21:50

21:50

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we speak with Bill Kasko, CEO of Frontline Source Group, who flipped the recruiting model on its head by offering a five-year placement warranty in an industry that barely guarantees 90 days. With a mindset rooted in “do the opposite” (yes, inspired by Seinfeld’s George Costanza), Bill built a company tha…

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Top-Down Is Dead: Why the Future of Leadership Is Human, Not Heroic with Victoria Pelletier 17:42

1M ago17:42

17:42

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Victoria Pelletier, known as the “Turnaround Queen” and “CEO Whisperer” — a former COO at 24, president by 35, and CEO by 41. She’s led 40+ transformations and has the scars (and stories) to show for it. Victoria shares how healthy resilience, inclusive leadership, and “whole human” cultur…

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Turning Industrial Waste Heat Into Profit — Why Nobody Did It (Until Now) 15:50

1M ago15:50

15:50

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Matt Curry, business developer and clean energy evangelist at ICE Thermal Harvesting. His team helps industrial and energy companies convert waste heat into zero-emission electricity — with no upfront cost. Matt shares how ICE’s “power as a service” model is changing the game for clients …

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From McKinsey to Walmart: How Astha Purohit is Leading the AI Revolution in Retail 16:41

1M ago16:41

16:41

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Astha Purohit, Director of Product at Walmart, former McKinsey consultant, and expert at the intersection of AI, product, and retail. She shares how she’s leading cutting-edge innovation across Walmart’s AI ecosystem — and how to thrive in times of exponential change. 🧠 How to apply first pri…

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This Leadership Mindset Is Wrecking Your Culture (And Nobody Talks About It) with Faith Clarke 24:42

1M ago24:42

24:42

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Faith Clarke, a brilliant systems thinker, psychologist, and founder of FaithClarke.com. With deep roots in engineering, research, and inclusion strategy, Faith is reimagining work as a place of healing — not harm. 💡 What it really means to build a restorative culture (and why “healthy” isn’t…

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Inventing the Metaflex Glove: How Téa Phillips Turned Grit Into Healthcare Innovation 21:00

1M ago21:00

21:00

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Téa Phillips — founder of ATS Innovations and inventor of the Metaflex Glove — a breakthrough wearable that helps people with arthritis improve hand function, reduce pain, and regain strength. Inspired by her grandmother’s struggle, Téa shares how she turned an idea from a college pitch compe…

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Hala Saleh | How I Tested Community Building 33:45

1M ago33:45

33:45

In this episode we interview Hala Saleh. Hala is a skilled and thoughtful product leader who I met by coincidence over 10 years ago while reading a copy of the Lean Startup book. We catch up and discuss how the term Minimum Viable Product or MVP has evolved since then and how lean startup principles can be applied outside of the digital product spa…

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What Most Change Management Misses — and Why It’s Costing You Millions from Sarena Diamond 15:03

1M ago15:03

15:03

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we speak with Sarena Diamond — transformational change expert and founder of Diamond Solutions Group — who shares decades of wisdom from roles at IBM, Accenture, and PepsiCo on what really makes transformation succeed. 🔥 Why three emails and a PowerPoint deck will never create real change 🧠 How Sarena's “…

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“High Performers Are the Most Stuck” — David Prosper on Clarity, Failure, and Freedom 15:31

2M ago15:31

15:31

In this milestone 100th episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with David Prosper — clarity architect, author of Finding Clarity, and founder of Clarity Catalyst Solutions — to explore what it really means to live by design, not default. From boardrooms to personal breakthroughs, Prosper helps high achievers build purpose-driven systems fo…

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Burnout, Silence, Scarcity: How to Fix What’s Actually Broken in Nonprofits with Kate Viana 19:42

2M ago19:42

19:42

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Kate Viana, founder of Viana Communications — a powerful multi-brand organization created to help nonprofits fix the dysfunction no one else will touch: broken communication, toxic culture, and missing systems. With deep nonprofit experience across consulting, staffing, and board roles, Kate …

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Stop Building in a Vacuum — How Real Tech Leaders Make Systems That Matter 18:01

2M ago18:01

18:01

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Jayanth Kumar, tech leader and co-founder at Turl Street Group. After building at Amazon, a unicorn startup, and a YC-backed company, he’s now tackling democracy with GatherGov — a platform that uses AI to surface insights from local government meetings. 🎯 Why local politics is where real pow…

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The Truth About Agile: Why Most Teams Miss the Point (Alex Blinov Tells All) 15:25

2M ago15:25

15:25

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Alex Blinov, Chief Product Officer at ZenDrop, who walked into a 200-person company with 30+ developers, zero product managers, and zero designers — and turned it into a fast-moving, metric-driven machine. From implementing agile that actually works to building trust with leadership, Alex sha…

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Why Most AI Pilots Fail — And How Jim Palermo at Red Hat Turned Experiments into Impact 20:47

2M ago20:47

20:47

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Jim Palermo, former Global CIO of Red Hat, where he helped lead massive transformation efforts across hybrid cloud, FinOps, and enterprise AI — all while staying rooted in Red Hat’s open-source DNA. Jim shares a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how one of the world’s most influential tech comp…

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Dr. Micheal Neal | How I Tested The Hiring Process 34:46

2M ago34:46

34:46

In this episode we interview Dr. Michael Neal. He is the Founder of Build My Team, a hiring service for private practices. We explore the rigorous testing of his innovative hiring process. From the initial missteps to the breakthrough system that accurately matches the candidates' natural strengths with the job requirements. In our conversation I l…

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Why 97% of Us Lose Our Creativity — and How to Get It Back (Lara Bowen on Innovation That Works) 20:07

2M ago20:07

20:07

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Lara Bowen, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer at Univet Optical Technologies, whose career spans art, storytelling, metaverse tech, AI, and global operations. Lara pulls back the curtain on what real innovation takes in complex, hierarchical cultures — and why you don’t need an “inn…

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Lightsabers, Gaming & Growth: Jen Horton on Job Crafting for Real Life 18:52

2M ago18:52

18:52

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Jen Horton, founder of Dull Made Daring, who uses game-based design, psychotherapy, and lightsabers to help professionals reconnect with purpose, reduce burnout, and craft intentional growth — both in work and life. Jen brings powerful insights from the science of job crafting and leisure cra…

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From Patents to Pipe Welders: Jeff Danley on Human-Centered Innovation in Engineering and Infrastructure 19:14

2M ago19:14

19:14

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Jeff Danley, Director of Innovation at Burns & McDonnell—one of the nation’s leading engineering and construction firms. Jeff’s story spans startups and global enterprises, and includes a patent for the mobile hotspot, pioneering mobile video with Sprint TV, and even an Emmy award. But his…

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From AdTech to AI-Powered Pharma: Julius Ramirez on Building the Future of HCP Engagement 16:57

2M ago16:57

16:57

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Julius Ramirez, a platform builder and revenue strategist who’s redefining how pharmaceutical brands connect with healthcare professionals (HCPs). With a career spanning companies like Meta, ChartBoost, and now DoCare, Julius shares how he’s applying tech-forward thinking to one of the mos…

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Breaking the Rules to Build What Works: Neha Monga on Product Strategy, Career Growth, and Leading with Courage 20:26

2M ago20:26

20:26

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Neha Monga, a visionary product leader whose career spans Amazon, Meta, and now Lattice, where she serves as Chief Product Officer. From scaling billion-dollar platforms to pioneering new AI tools for the future of work, Neha brings a refreshing mix of product expertise, candid leadership,…

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From Chaos to Clarity: Mike Urban on Human-Centered Innovation and Agile That Actually Works 18:13

2M ago18:13

18:13

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Mike Urban, Chief Technology Operations Officer at Best Egg and a transformation leader with over 20 years of experience in fintech and enterprise innovation. From cross-functional agile adoption to enterprise-wide AI implementation, Mike shares how simplifying complexity and putting peopl…

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Alberto Savoia | How I Tested Pretotyping 43:58

2M ago43:58

43:58

In this episode we interview Alberto Savoia. Alberto was Google’s first Engineering Director and the author of The Right It - Why So Many Ideas Fail and How to Make Sure Yours Succeed. He also coined the term “pretotyping” and has influenced my thinking over the years. In a previous episode we interviewed Pat Copeland, who authored a white paper wi…

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From Death March to Culture Shift: Stephanie Antonelli on Leading Transformations That Actually Stick 17:53

2M ago17:53

17:53

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with Stephanie Antonelli, Global Chief Business Transformation Officer at VML, whose career has spanned strategy, systems thinking, and executive leadership across some of the world’s most complex organizations. From navigating multi-year, high-stakes digital transformations to reshaping how g…

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Fixing the Signal Gap: Daniel Herb’s Mission to Reinvent Wireless Infrastructure from the Inside Out 16:06

2M ago16:06

16:06

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Daniel Herb, Chief Product Officer at Dense Air, a leader in network infrastructure innovation. From his early work at Amazon to his current mission of solving wireless connectivity inside buildings, Daniel shares how he's scaling breakthrough ideas to tackle one of telecom’s most overlook…

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From Photoshop to Figma: David Altis on Humanity, AI, and the Future of Experience Design 18:40

3M ago18:40

18:40

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by David Altis, Global Chief Experience Design Officer for the Ford Business at VML. With a creative career spanning two decades and clients ranging from Intel to Kellogg’s to United Rentals, David shares how AI is reshaping experience design—and why human insight still leads the way. Key Les…

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Empathy Over Ego: Trevor Paulsen on Building Breakthrough Products Inside Big Companies 16:53

3M ago16:53

16:53

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, hosts JL Heather and Preston Chandler sit down with Trevor Paulsen, Director of Product Management at Adobe, and one of the key architects behind Customer Journey Analytics (CJA)—a product that redefined Adobe’s analytics strategy and scaled from zero to hundreds of millions in revenue. Trevor takes us be…

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Slaying Bureaucratic Banshees: Kristin Bryce on Playful Innovation, Workforce Trauma, and Government Reinvention 17:20

3M ago17:20

17:20

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Kristin Bryce, founder and CEO of Managed Chaos Innovations, whose bold, human-centered approach has helped transform burnt-out teams into engaged innovators. Drawing on a background in engineering, logistics, and government operations, Kristin blends lean methodology, storytelling, emotio…

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Why Responsible AI Isn’t Optional: Dr. Mihaela Vorvoreanu on Designing AI That Works With People, Not Just for Them 17:10

3M ago17:10

17:10

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Dr. Mihaela Vorvoreanu (aka “Miki”), Principal Applied Scientist at Microsoft. A leading expert in human-computer interaction and AI ethics, Miki brings a bold perspective on what it means to build good AI—and why “responsible AI” shouldn’t be a separate track, but core to everything we bu…

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Sylvia Hall | How I Tested Mood Probiotics 36:14

3M ago36:14

36:14

In this episode we interview Sylvia Hall. Sylvia is the co-founder of Lifted Naturals. We chat about how a company can start out as a solution to a personal problem, but in order to be a viable business, we need to perform customer discovery beyond friends and family to see if there is any traction. Sylvia emphasizes the significance of authenticit…

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From Failed Sales Jobs to EdTech Empire: Stuart Draper on Building Stukent, Simternships, and Innovation That Sticks 22:06

3M ago22:06

22:06

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, host JL Heather sits down with serial entrepreneur and investor Stuart Draper, founder of Stukent, a trailblazing edtech company that revolutionized digital marketing education. From losing three jobs in a recession to helping over a million students in 80+ countries, Stuart shares his raw, resilient jour…

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From Banking Systems to Generative AI: Max Winter on Escaping the Remix Trap and Rethinking Innovation 19:27

3M ago19:27

19:27

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Max Winter, Principal Solutions Architect at AWS and a former IT leader at Goldman Sachs and Bank of America. With decades of experience in financial systems and a front-row seat to the rise of generative AI, Max explores how AI can both unlock new potential and unintentionally trap us in …

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From Surgical Robots to Decarbonization: Dave Saunders' Vision for Transforming Industries with Innovation 18:47

3M ago18:47

18:47

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Dave Saunders, a tech pioneer with a career spanning the internet, surgical robotics, and decarbonization. From his groundbreaking work at Bell Labs to his current efforts in environmental sustainability, Dave shares his journey of turning visionary ideas into impactful solutions that chan…

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From Traditional Fracture Care to 3D-Printed Solutions: Diana Hall’s Vision for Revolutionizing Orthopedic Treatment 18:37

3M ago18:37

18:37

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Diana Hall, founder and CEO of ActivArmor, a biomedical company revolutionizing fracture care with 3D-printed medical devices. Diana shares her journey from chemical engineer to healthcare innovator and how ActivArmor is transforming the treatment of broken bones with cutting-edge, customi…

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Mastering the Art of Storytelling: Andrew Chesnutt’s Guide to Unlocking Authentic Connections in Public Speaking 18:35

3M ago18:35

18:35

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, JL Heather sits down with Andrew Chesnutt the CEO at The Authority Forge, a speaker and coach dedicated to helping individuals share their personal stories with the world. With his mission to empower 100,000 people to speak authentically, Andrew provides valuable insights on how storytelling can elevate p…

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The Courage to Lead: Rethinking Vulnerability in Innovation with Jason Gaikowski 16:47

3M ago16:47

16:47

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Jason Gaikowski, Chief Transformation Officer at VML, endurance athlete, and neurodivergent leader. Jason challenges the popular narrative of vulnerability as the ultimate leadership trait, arguing that true innovation and growth come from courage, not vulnerability. Key Lessons Covered in…

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Dylan Lam | How I Tested Dropshipping 31:50

3M ago31:50

31:50

In this episode we interview Dylan Lam. Dylan is an entrepreneur and a growth marketing expert with a focus on e-commerce. His super power is helping companies grow their brands on platforms like Amazon. Dylan shares how he started out by bootstrapping an eBay business from his apartment and testing out what worked, and what didn’t. He then took wh…

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Outcome-Driven Innovation: Predicting Product Success with Tony Ulwick 17:52

3M ago17:52

17:52

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Tony Ulwick, founder and CEO of Strategyn and the pioneer behind Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI), a proven approach that helps companies predict product success with greater precision. Tony shares his journey from his early days as a mechanical engineer at IBM to becoming a leading voice i…

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Culture Is Strategy: Redefining Leadership with Jaime Taets 16:47

3M ago16:47

16:47

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Jaime Taets the CEO of Keystone Group International, author, and leadership strategist. Jaime shares how today’s high-growth companies can no longer afford to separate culture from strategy. With decades of experience leading both Fortune 50 teams and entrepreneurial ventures, she reveals …

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Quantum Vision: How Khalia Padilla Is Building the Future of VR, AI & Space Commerce 16:29

4M ago16:29

16:29

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Khalia Padilla—a 20-year-old quantum physicist, visionary entrepreneur, and co-founder of Imagine Engine Studios. From starting a fashion line at 14 to pioneering AI-driven VR platforms and now turning her sights toward space commerce, Khalia brings a bold, systems-thinking mindset to ever…