Innovation Storytellers

Hosted by Susan Lindner

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100

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Did you ever wonder how an innovation got to its finish line? How innovators saw the future, made a product, and created change – in our world and in their companies? I did. Innovation Storytellers invites changemakers to describe how they created their innovation and just as important – THE STORIES – that made us fall in love with them. Come learn how great innovations need great stories to make them move around the world and how to become a better storyteller in the process. I'm Susan Lindner, the Innovation Storyteller. But I wasn't always. I've been a wannabe revolutionary, an epidemiologist at the CDC and an AIDS educator in the brothels of Thailand helping to turn former sex workers into entrepreneurs. Trained as an anthropologist and the Founder of Emerging Media, I've spent the last twenty years working with innovators from 60+ countries. Ranging from cutting edge startups to Fortune 100 companies like GE, Corning, Citi, Olayan, and nine foreign governments, helping their leaders to tell their stories and teaching them how to become incredible advocates for their innovations. Great innovation stories make change possible. They let us step into a future we can't see yet. I started this podcast to shine a light on our generation of great innovators, to learn how they brought their innovation to life and the stories they told to bring them to the world.

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August 25, 2026Episode 27236 min

(BEST OF) Weathering the Tech Front: Amy Freeze on Avatars, AI, and Audience Connection

In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I sit down with Amy Freeze, a meteorologist, innovator, and public safety advocate who has spent decades helping people understand risk when it truly matters. Everywhere I go lately, conversations circle back to AI, but this one brings it out of the abstract and straight into our homes, our screens, and moments where trust can make all the difference. Amy shares her remarkable journey from broadcast journalism to becoming one of the most recognized voices in weather. We talk about her work forecasting major events like Superstorm Sandy and the Joplin tornado, and how those experiences shaped her sense of responsibility to the public. As the first female chief meteorologist in Chicago and a six time Emmy Award winner, her career has been built on credibility and calm communication. What fascinated me most was why she chose to create a digital avatar, and how she sees AI as a way to deliver urgent, accurate information at scale without losing the human connection people rely on in moments of uncertainty. We also dig into the fears and ethical questions surrounding digital twins, AI driven storytelling, and protecting name, image, and likeness. Amy offers a grounded perspective on why avoiding new technology can sometimes create more risk than adopting it thoughtfully. Together, we explore how empathy, trust, and clear storytelling help audiences move past fear toward understanding, especially when the stakes involve safety, language barriers, and real-time decision-making. This conversation reminded me that innovation does not have to feel cold or distant. It can be practical, human, and deeply rooted in care. We talk about how trusted voices evolve with technology, how stories help people accept change, and why the future of AI may depend far less on hype and far more on responsibility, context, and trust.

August 18, 2026Episode 27131 min

How Curiosity Built Siri, Alexa, and the Future of AI

What allows someone to see a technology years before the rest of us realize we need it? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I speak with Kevin Surace, the serial entrepreneur and inventor whose pioneering work on human-like virtual assistants helped create the path toward Siri, Alexa, and the AI assistants we use today. Kevin takes me back to the late 1990s, when leaving your desktop computer meant leaving your email, contacts, calendar, and digital information behind. His team saw that frustration and asked a remarkably simple question: could everyone have access to the kind of assistant usually reserved for executives? The result was Mary, a virtual assistant that could recognize callers, answer phones, manage calendars, and converse using natural language. Building and launching it required around $100 million at a time when cloud infrastructure did not exist. But this conversation is about much more than the history of AI. Kevin explains why curiosity helps innovators find genuine customer pain, why a product should occupy surprisingly little space in a great investment pitch, and why corporations should stop expecting every innovation project to succeed. His argument is that experimentation works when organizations place smaller bets, learn from the market, and invest further when product timing and product-market fit become clearer. We also discuss The Joy Success Cycle and a question becoming increasingly relevant as AI changes knowledge work: if technology removes parts of the process we once enjoyed, can we learn to find greater satisfaction in the outcomes we create? For leaders trying to understand storytelling for AI innovation, win AI stakeholder buy-in, or how to communicate AI transformation without making technology the entire story, Kevin offers an unusually practical perspective. Where do you think curiosity ends and the business case for innovation begins? Listen to the episode and share your thoughts with me.

August 11, 2026Episode 27057 min

270: How the Apple Store Used Storytelling to Change Retail Forever

What does it take to create a store that people visit even when they are not planning to buy anything? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I speak with Ron Johnson, the creator of the Apple Store, former CEO of J.C. Penney, and author of Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius . Ron shares the experiences that shaped his approach to leadership, beginning with an unlikely high school soccer transformation and continuing through his work at Target, Apple, and some of the most influential retail innovations of the past several decades. Ron explains how Target made great design accessible through its groundbreaking partnership with architect Michael Graves, and why committing to 140 products created a movement that a cautious three-product test never could have achieved. He also takes us inside the creation of the Apple Store, where the objective was not simply to sell computers, but to remove people's fear of technology through welcoming spaces, hands-on experiences, and human support. We hear the story behind the Genius Bar, including why Steve Jobs initially preferred the name Geek Bar, and how Ron persuaded him that genius offered employees and customers something aspirational. Ron also reveals why the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue was built underground, how its glass cube changed the Manhattan skyline, and why opening it 24 hours a day generated $80 million in overnight sales during its first year. Our conversation goes beyond retail. It is about finding a story that gives people something to believe in, communicating a vision clearly enough that teams can act on it, and having the courage to commit fully when an idea has the potential to change an industry. Can physical spaces still create the human connections that digital convenience often removes, and what could your organization learn from the story behind the Apple Store? Share your thoughts.

August 4, 2026Episode 26935 min

269: How Great Innovation Leaders Get Everyone Speaking the Same Language

What happens when everyone in an organization claims to support innovation, but each person has a different idea of what innovation means? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I speak with Iffat AlRowaithy, Corporate Innovation and Innovation Center Unit Head at a globally recognized bank in Saudi Arabia. Iffat has spent more than a decade building innovation functions, developing employee capabilities, and connecting new ideas with corporate strategy and measurable business value. We begin with a problem many innovation leaders will recognize about how people define innovation. One department may view innovation as a new product, another may focus on customer experience, while others see a system update as progress. Iffat explains why leaders must establish a shared language before asking people to innovate, including clear expectations around purpose, ownership, timelines, and outcomes. Iffat also shares what she learned while building innovation centers across the public and private sectors. A creative space may look impressive, but it cannot succeed if the organization has not developed the culture, sponsorship, and capabilities required to use it. Her current center was designed around the five senses, creating an experience that helps employees think differently, contribute ideas, and participate in building solutions. We discuss why open calls for ideas can produce large volumes of suggestions without solving the problems business units actually face. Iffat describes how her team reversed the process by asking departments to submit one real challenge and inviting employees across the organization to propose solutions. This approach allowed an IT employee to solve an HR communication problem and helped turn employee insight into an implemented broadcast capability. Our conversation also examines the relationship between AI and human creativity. Iffat shares how employees used AI to move from ideation to a working prototype in around two hours, while emphasizing that human judgment, context, and empathy must remain part of the process. Perhaps the most powerful lesson is that people respond to experiences, participation, and being heard far more readily than they respond to promises. Innovation becomes part of the culture when employees can see their contribution, understand its connection to strategy, and feel included in creating what comes next. Can a shared language, a clearly defined challenge, and greater empathy help your organization turn innovation from an ambition into everyday behavior? Listen to the conversation and share your thoughts.

July 28, 2026Episode 26857 min

268: How Paul Campbell Wrote the Playbook for Corporate Innovation

What does it really take to turn bold ideas into billion-dollar businesses inside large enterprises? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I'm joined by Paul Campbell, one of the world's leading experts on corporate innovation and co-author of The Corporate Innovator's Playbook. Over the course of his career, Paul has helped create more than 50 new businesses that have generated over $5 billion in growth while advising companies including Hewlett-Packard, Philips, Schneider Electric, Mercedes-Benz, and W.L. Gore. Our conversation moves beyond brainstorming and ideation to focus on the reality of making innovation succeed inside complex enterprises. Paul shares why so many innovation initiatives fail, why incremental thinking holds companies back, and what leaders can do to create an environment where bold ideas have a genuine chance to succeed. We also tackle one of the biggest questions facing business today. Is AI replacing corporate innovation, or is it creating the biggest opportunity innovation leaders have seen in years? Paul explains why most companies are still focused on using AI for efficiency while missing its greatest potential as a driver of entirely new products, business models, and sources of growth. One of my favorite moments is Paul's story from Hewlett-Packard, where CEO Carly Fiorina personally challenged her team to think bigger, breaking through organizational resistance and helping transform HP's position in the Chinese market. It's a powerful reminder that innovation succeeds when leadership creates the confidence to take meaningful risks. Throughout our conversation, Paul shares practical lessons from decades of helping global enterprises commercialize ideas, navigate internal resistance, and build innovation programs that deliver measurable business results. We discuss why corporate innovation needs a practical playbook rather than more theory, how AI is changing the role of innovation teams, why efficiency alone is not enough to deliver future growth, the importance of bold leadership and executive engagement, overcoming organizational barriers to innovation, building an innovation culture that encourages smart risk-taking, and using the Innovation Canvas to uncover the blind spots preventing companies from turning ideas into successful businesses. If you've ever wondered why some organizations consistently create new growth while others struggle to move beyond incremental improvements, this conversation offers valuable insights from someone who has spent decades helping some of the world's biggest companies make innovation work.

July 21, 2026Episode 26740 min

267: How SharkNinja Builds Viral Products Through Consumer Obsession

How do you build something nobody asked for—and turn it into an overnight obsession? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I speak with Ross Richardson, Chief Design Officer at SharkNinja, about the thinking, testing, storytelling, and consumer obsession behind some of the company's most successful products. Ross leads a global team spanning mechanical and product engineering, industrial design, product innovation, and R&D. But his path into product design began much earlier, from taking things apart and borrowing his father's tools as a child to studying product design engineering and building a career around understanding how people interact with physical products. Our conversation reveals how SharkNinja approaches innovation by starting with consumer behavior rather than technology for technology's sake. Ross explains how the company identifies what he describes as "desirability gaps," finding experiences people already want but cannot easily recreate at home. From frozen drinks and ice cream to coffee and personal care, the opportunity often comes from making something previously difficult, intimidating, or inaccessible feel simple and repeatable. We also discuss the story behind products such as BlendBoss and how observing changing consumer behavior can lead to unexpected opportunities within established categories. Rather than assuming innovation always requires inventing an entirely new market, SharkNinja watches how people live, what they carry, what they share on social media, and how cultural trends are changing their expectations. At the center of this process is a deceptively simple challenge: "prove it." Ross explains why new ideas must withstand technical testing, commercial scrutiny, consumer validation, and internal skepticism before moving forward. He also takes me inside SharkNinja's show-and-tell culture, weekly product demonstrations, in-home user trials, observational research, physical prototyping, and its "red team" approach to bringing fresh perspectives into the development process. In an era where AI can help almost anyone create a polished presentation or convincing visualization, Ross argues that evidence matters more than ever. A compelling story may earn attention, but data, testing, consumer insight, and a working proof of concept are what help turn skepticism into stakeholder buy-in. We also discuss why teams need room to dream before inviting skeptics into the process, how collective enthusiasm can help engineers solve seemingly impossible problems, and why admitting that a favored idea is wrong can sometimes lead to a far better product. As AI changes how we research markets, generate concepts, and communicate innovation, my conversation with Ross is a timely reminder that understanding human behavior remains at the heart of successful product development. The tools available to innovators may be changing rapidly, but our ability to listen to consumers, identify genuine needs, test assumptions, communicate breakthrough ideas, and prove that an idea deserves to exist still determines whether innovation connects with the people it was designed to serve. How can we combine faster, technology-enabled innovation with the deep consumer understanding needed to create products people genuinely want? Listen to the full conversation and share your thoughts.

July 14, 2026Episode 26636 min

Beyond Networking: Why Relationships, Not Contacts, Drive Innovation

What if the most valuable asset in your career is not your expertise, your technology, or even your latest idea, but the people you already know? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I welcome Yaron Flint back to the podcast to discuss his new book, Beyond Networking: Making Connections That Matter , and why many professionals are failing to make the most of one of their greatest business assets. Networking has become easier than ever. LinkedIn gives us access to thousands of people, conferences create endless opportunities to exchange contact details, and AI can research prospects, write outreach messages, and help us manage relationships at scale. Yet having more contacts does not necessarily mean having stronger relationships, greater influence, or better business outcomes. Yaron argues that the problem begins when networking becomes transactional. Too many people reach out only when they need something, collect contacts without maintaining relationships, or rely on generic AI-generated messages that make communication feel impersonal. We discuss why a network should be treated as something active and deliberate, built around genuine human relationships, mutual value, and the ability to help people achieve outcomes they could not accomplish alone. Our conversation also examines the role AI should play in modern networking. Rather than using technology to replace human interaction, Yaron explains how AI can help professionals prepare for meetings, understand the people they want to connect with, identify shared interests, maintain relationships, and arrive at conferences with a clear purpose. For business leaders considering human-AI collaboration narratives and storytelling for AI adoption, his message is a useful reminder that technology should support better human relationships rather than automate them. We also discuss why preparation matters before attending conferences and industry events, how introverts can become highly effective networkers, and why building a large contact list is very different from creating a network that produces meaningful opportunities. The conversation goes further into innovation storytelling and the challenge of winning AI stakeholder buy-in and support for breakthrough ideas. Yaron explains why promising initiatives often fail because innovators communicate from their own perspective rather than understanding what executives, decision-makers, and other stakeholders need to hear. This is where corporate storytelling strategy becomes inseparable from networking, influence, and the ability to turn ideas into business outcomes. Finally, we examine the progression from contacts to networks and from networks to communities. What happens when professionals stop thinking about relationships solely in terms of personal advantage and begin connecting people who could accomplish more together than they ever could alone? If AI can give us greater access to people, information, and opportunities than any previous generation, are we using that technology to build stronger relationships, or are we allowing convenience and automation to make our professional connections increasingly transactional? Listen to the conversation and share your thoughts. You can find Yaron's book here

July 7, 2026Episode 26541 min

265: How Atlassian Makes Complex Technology Feel Human

In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I sit down with Priyank Jain, Enterprise Strategy & Innovation Leader at Atlassian, for a conversation about AI storytelling for business leaders and why the success of any innovation often depends on the story told long before a product is introduced. Priyank shares the personal journey that took him from a childhood ambition of becoming a doctor to building enterprise systems that improve outcomes for millions of people. That perspective has shaped his belief that technology should always begin with people, making this an insightful conversation for anyone asking how to communicate AI transformation inside complex organizations. Drawing on his experience at IBM and Atlassian, Priyank explains why storytelling for AI adoption is becoming one of the most valuable skills for innovation leaders. He argues that employees rarely resist new technology because they dislike innovation. Instead, they resist uncertainty. That distinction changes the entire conversation around AI change management storytelling and offers a practical AI disruption communication strategy that focuses on trust, clarity, and shared outcomes instead of technical specifications. We also discuss storytelling for AI innovation through the lens of healthcare, where Priyank helped introduce new approaches by focusing first on patients, clinicians, and caregivers rather than software features. His examples demonstrate why communicating AI to employees begins with understanding the human impact before discussing the technology itself. Another major theme throughout our conversation is storytelling for C-suite leaders and the importance of building support before launching an initiative. Priyank explains why winning AI stakeholder buy-in starts with listening, conducting thoughtful user interviews, and allowing stakeholders to help shape the future instead of presenting them with a finished solution. His approach provides a practical corporate storytelling strategy that encourages collaboration rather than compliance. As we discuss innovation storytelling in the age of AI, Priyank shares valuable lessons on how to lead AI culture change by balancing evidence with emotion. He explains why data creates awareness, but stories create movement, and why every successful human-AI collaboration narrative begins with understanding what matters most to the people who will ultimately use the technology. Whether you are responsible for storytelling for digital transformation, leading enterprise innovation, or looking for better ways of communicating breakthrough ideas, this conversation is filled with practical insights that can help leaders build confidence, encourage adoption, and create lasting support for new ideas. Priyank also reflects on the greatest innovation in history, the innovation team he would most like to have joined, and why he believes the world's greatest opportunity has nothing to do with technology at all. Instead, he argues that compassion and empathy remain the qualities we need most if innovation is going to improve people's lives.

June 30, 2026Episode 26437 min

264: Are you W.I.R.E.d for Innovation?

Have you ever wondered why some people push bold ideas forward while others hesitate, even when they know they're onto something valuable? In this episode, I speak with Dr. Zakia Ghafari, a behavioral scientist, pharmacist, storyteller, and creator of the WIRE Framework. Our conversation explores a topic that every innovator encounters but rarely talks about openly: fear. Not the fear of technology or market competition, but the deeply personal fears that shape how we show up, speak up, and share our ideas with the world. Zakia explains how experiences from childhood, family history, and even generations before us can influence the decisions we make today. Drawing on neuroscience, epigenetics, and identity research, she shares why change can feel uncomfortable, why some leaders struggle to find their voice, and how hidden patterns often influence innovation efforts inside organizations. We also discuss the connection between storytelling and personal growth, the role of self-awareness in leadership, and why small, consistently repeated changes can create remarkable results over time. Zakia shares her own journey from quietly holding back her ideas to stepping onto storytelling stages and helping others do the same. As AI continues to reshape industries and workplaces, Zakia offers a powerful reminder that human connection, empathy, and understanding remain among our greatest strengths. Technology may change how we work, but the human experience continues to shape how we lead, communicate, and innovate. What patterns from your own past might still be influencing the way you approach change today, and what could happen if you challenged just one of them?

June 23, 2026Episode 26326 min

How LG Nova Is Turning Corporate Innovation Into New Companies

Could a company best known for TVs, appliances, and consumer electronics become a launchpad for entirely new businesses? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I sat down with Sokwoo Rhee, Corporate Executive Vice President for Innovation at LG Electronics and Head of LG NOVA, to discuss why some of the world's largest organizations are rethinking how innovation happens and what it takes to build the next generation of companies from within a corporate environment. Sokwoo shares his journey from entrepreneur and government innovator to leading LG NOVA, LG's Silicon Valley-based innovation center focused on creating entirely new ventures in areas such as healthcare, AI, energy, and digital services. We explore why innovation requires a different mindset from traditional business operations and why corporate leaders must be willing to invest in opportunities where the outcome is uncertain but the long-term potential could reshape an organization's future. Our conversation also examines the challenge of balancing quarterly business realities with long-term innovation goals. Sokwoo explains why successful innovation portfolios resemble venture capital strategies, where multiple experiments are necessary because breakthrough ideas rarely arrive with guaranteed outcomes. He offers a candid perspective on risk, leadership, failure, and the importance of creating space inside large organizations for ideas that may eventually define the next decade of growth. We also discuss LG NOVA's approach to building new companies, including its work in mental health technology, where AI is being used to help therapists spend more time supporting patients and less time on administrative tasks. Along the way, Sokwoo reflects on the role of storytelling in innovation, why evidence matters as much as vision, and how innovators can help organizations imagine futures that do not yet exist. If you've ever wondered how corporate innovation can move beyond pilots and PowerPoint presentations to create entirely new businesses, this conversation offers a fascinating look inside one of the world's most ambitious innovation initiatives. What role should large corporations play in building the companies of tomorrow, and how much risk are they willing to take to get there?