596: Build product innovation into your company – with Phil Burks
Innovators think, “There has to be a better way” Watch on YouTube TLDR In this episode of Product Mastery Now, I’m interviewing serial entrepreneur and innovation leader Phil Burks. Phil shares the humble beginnings of his now-global software company, the Genesis Group, lessons learned from solving his own business problems, the importance of intuitive and practical innovation, and strategies for building innovative organizations. He also discusses his work nurturing the next generation of innovators through LeTourneau University’s R&D initiative. Introduction Most entrepreneurs don’t set out to build a global company. They set out to solve one problem. Phil Burks set out to help a client manage their two-way radio network and wrote the software himself, in his bedroom, on a DOS computer. That was 1989. Today, The Genesis Group has offices in Tyler, Texas and London, serving some of the world’s largest public safety communications networks, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bell Mobility Canada, and cities like New York and San Francisco. Along the way, Phil has started multiple companies across very different industries and become a trustee at his alma mater, LeTourneau University, where he now guides an R&D initiative designed to train the next generation of engineering innovators. That’s not a bad track record for someone who started by writing code in his bedroom. I wanted to find out how a person builds innovation into their companies, not as a buzzword, but as a practice. The answer is more practical than you might expect. Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers From Solving a Problem to Building a Business:Phil Burks wrote the original Genesis software so he didn’t have to do repetitive tasks for invoicing for his two-way radio business. He says he “works hard to be lazy.” He began selling his invoicing software and soon developed other products for data analytics. His software business evolved into a suite of software products, thanks to insights from direct customer needs and data analysis, and was eventually adopted by some of the world’s largest public safety communications networks. Phil attributes his success to paying attention to real-world constraints and leveraging feedback from users, often leading to the creation and refinement of new products. Innovation from Unexpected Places:For Phil, innovation is often intuitive. He thinks about the world differently. He tells the story of developing eBonds, a software that streamlines bail bonding. Phil uses his experience with two-way radio to look at the problem of managing bail bonds from a new perspective to create a solution that is now used in every state. Phil innovates by thinking “there has to be a better way.” He recommends that product managers listen, and they may find surprising opportunities for innovation. Building an Innovative Culture:At Genesis Group, culture is intentionally shaped to foster innovation. Phil encourages employees to engage in creative side projects. He encourages characteristics he calls CHIFF: Clever, High quality, Innovative, Functional, and Fun. Giving back to the community is also integral to employee development and creativity. Embracing Failure as a Stepping Stone:Phil takes inspiration from R.G. LeTourneau, who experienced many failures along the way to success. Phil celebrates failure as a necessary part of innovation. Useful Links Visit Phil’s website Learn more about Genesis Learn more about eBonds Check out Phil’s book, How to Eat a Failure Sandwich Innovation Quote “Work hard to be lazy.” – Phil Burks Application Questions How can you apply the principle of “working hard to be lazy” to encourage innovative problem-solving within your team? What are some ways to organically identify new product opportunities from everyday business challenges and customer feedback? How can your organization foster a culture where “savoring the surprise” leads to actionable innovation? What steps can you take to ensure failure is viewed as a valuable learning experience, both personally and for your team? How might you design or influence programs that support the development of future product innovators in your company or community? Bio Shortly after college, Phil began a rising career in sales with Motorola. An oilfield client offered a new position and opportunity for Phil to start a communication tower rental company and in 1980 Jecca Towers was born. Jecca owned towers and sold & installed towers for MCI, AT&T and various communication firms. In 1988 Motorola made an offer that was accepted to purchase all assets of Jecca Towers, and The Genesis Group began. In 1989, Genesis grew from a single DOS based billing software product that Phil wrote in his bedroom, to now over 30 Windows and browser-based software products that are designed to enhance Motorola critical two-way radio systems. Genesis software is globally installed for government and industrial clients too numerous to mention. Genesis has also created a radical change for jail bail bonds with a product called eBonds that is reducing fraud and waste as well as digitizing a 100 year old process. Phil is in process of retiring and spends many days mentoring young entrepreneurs, especially those with a Kingdom mindset. He is a trustee at LeTourneau University, Longview, Texas. Phil is also the current president of RGRD (R.G. LeTourneau Research & Development). Phil has published “How To Eat A Failure Sandwich,” a book about how major failures and near failures built Genesis. Thanks! Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below. Source
