What is Innovation?

Hosted by Jared Simmons

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142

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Jul 2025

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Conversations with innovation experts and practitioners about what innovation is and how we can all get better at it.

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March 13, 202430 min

Innovation is the practice of bringing new things to life :: Katrin Zimmerman

🎙️ Join us for this week's episode with Katrin Zimmerman, CEO of TLGG USA, on "What is Innovation?"Katrin shares her perspective on innovation types—evolutionary vs. revolutionary—and dives into innovation portfolios, values, and the delicate balance between investment and ROI. She also offers advice on navigating innovation cycles, confronting AI resistance, and applying innovation across various industries.What's the impact of 'today's money' on innovation? Considering their innovation portfolios and values, how should companies balance investment and ROI?--Katrin launched TLGG’s New York office. As Managing Director, she is responsible for consulting services with global clients. At TLGG, Katrin has served and mentored clients on business strategy, digital transformation, marketing transformation and innovation up to the C-suite. Prior to joining TLGG, Katrin co-created the Lufthansa Innovation Hub (named as best digital lab by Capital Magazine in 2017 and 2018) with global responsibility for business innovation where she developed ventures in the services and mobility field from Seoul to Berlin. She has a deep knowledge of digital marketing and growth hacking techniques which enabled new ventures to scale quickly and incumbent players to strategically maximize their ROI.Know more about her here:Katrin ZimmermannCompany: TTLG------------------------------------------------------------Episode Guide:0:00 - Intro0:49 - What is Innovation?1:20 - Defining "New"2:53 - Innovation portfolio and values: Investment vs ROI4:33 - Innovation cycles and evolution6:59 - Artificial Intelligence: resistance, fear, and legislation 9:57 - Nuclear power, AI, and GMO13:04 - Innovation for cross functional teams and environments15:22 - Innovation cycles in modern large organizations18:50 - Innovation in different industries, consumer expectations, and Wall Street expectations24:28 - Katrin's impact to companies26:44 - Money and Innovation28:08 - Advice to Innovators--------------------------OUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management

July 12, 202330 min

Innovation is delivering what the world wants, doesn’t have, and can afford :: Doug Howarth

Doug Howarth—CEO of Hypernomics, Inc.- discusses the concept of innovation, why it matters in today's world, and practical ways to drive innovation in your businessMore about our guest:Doug Howarth's life is a story of remarkable challenges and groundbreaking discoveries. From his fascination with coordinate systems to a life-saving kidney transplant, his journey led him to uncover the concept of Hypernomics—a field that explores uncharted dimensions in market analysis. Driven by newfound clarity, Doug founded Hypernomics Inc. and collaborated with industry giants like NASA and Lockheed Martin, developing innovative software capable of analyzing markets in four or more dimensions. His upcoming book, "Hypernomics: Using Hidden Dimensions to Solve Unseen Problems," will revolutionize conventional thinking. Doug's story inspires us to embrace unconventional thinking and unleash extraordinary breakthroughs.Know more about her and his affiliations here: Doug Howarth------------------------------------------------------------Episode Guide:0:00 - Intro1:30 - What is Innovation?2:30 - What is "society's next step?"7:35 - Manifesting over different domains9:57 - Importance of understanding capacity and price12:03 - Personal opinions, biases, and hypothesis15:52 - Space tourism industry19:16 - What isn't innovation?23:24 - Increasing value by cost reduction26:32 - Advice for innovators--------------------------OUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management.

July 2, 2025Episode 14130 min

Innovation is bringing unseen opportunities to profitable reality :: Steve Hinch

What if the true barrier to innovation isn't a lack of ideas, but how we manage them?In this episode of What is Innovation?, Jared Simmons sits down with Steve Hinch — award-winning author, high-tech executive, and innovation consultant — to uncover the overlooked mechanics of corporate and startup innovation. Drawing on decades of leadership experience at Hewlett Packard, Agilent Technologies, and startup ventures, Steve breaks down innovation into four clear categories, reframes failure as a learning opportunity, and explains why managing innovation demands a radically different mindset.Whether you’re in a Fortune 500 boardroom or an early-stage startup, this conversation delivers insight on how to build repeatable innovation processes, manage risk with purpose, and make sure your great ideas don’t die at the delivery stage.Guest Bio:Steve Hinch is the author of Winning Through Innovation: Lessons from the Front Lines of Business, winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award. With a long career spanning senior R&D, marketing, and general management roles at Hewlett-Packard and Agilent Technologies, Steve has also served as CEO of TeamLogic IT. He now consults with senior leaders across industries to design innovation strategies and processes that work, from product launches to corporate transformations.What You’ll Learn:A simple 4-part framework for classifying innovation: product/process + incremental/disruptiveWhy innovation in large corporations fails — and how to fix itHow to manage innovation differently from traditional projectsWhy failure is critical to innovation (and how venture capitalists accept it)How to protect innovation from corporate reporting cycles and quarterly pressureWhat support really looks like in a thriving corporate innovation cultureHighlighted Insight:“Innovation is not just about seeing opportunity — it’s about delivering it profitably. Without delivery, even the best idea is useless.”Quote to Remember:“In the startup world, 80% of ventures fail. But that 20% that succeed? That’s where the real return is — and failure is part of the learning.”Resources & Links:Winning Through Innovation – Book by Steve HinchSteve Hinch on LinkedInAbout the Host:Jared Simmons is the Founder and Principal of OUTLAST Consulting, a boutique firm helping organizations unlock innovation through intentional action. With leadership experience at Procter & Gamble, McKinsey & Company, and Coca-Cola, Jared blends corporate strategy with entrepreneurial thinking to help clients innovate on their own terms.

May 20, 202240 min

Innovation is creating or developing something positive for society :: Nathan Stuck

Nathan Stuck, is the creator of B Local Georgia, a Georgia based nonprofit that focuses on helping companies get B-Corp certified, and use their business as a force for good. More about our guest:Nathan is an award winning leader in the B Corp community. In addition to his role as the Director of Corporate Culture & Strategic Impact at Ad Victoriam Solution, a certified B Corp, he founded and runs B Local Georgia, a nonprofit dedicated to growing the number of purpose-driven businesses in the Peach State. Nathan also teaches an experiential MBA course on B Corps at the University of Georgia and is the founder of Profitable Purpose Consulting, which helps for-profit businesses certify as B Corps. He has appeared on multiple podcasts and spoken at events across Georgia and the Southeast.His unique background provides both an authentic and genuine story that resonates with audiences and inspires them, and their businesses, to be a force for good.------------------------------------------------Episode Guide:1:42 - What is Innovation?2:58 - In the B-Corp space3:40 - Company Case Study: Advic (Ad Victoriam Solution)4:50 - What is a B-Corp?5:41 - B Corp Assessment 10:06 - Placing workers first12:18 - Recertification and scores14:38 - Impact assessment and business impact16:27 - B Local Georgia19:55 - Starting B Local Georgia: Capitalism and ROI22:13 - B Corps in the South25:32 - Working for B Corps28.02 - The capitalist system and B-Corps31:20 - Creating a playbook32:40 - Reverse engineering your career 34:30 - Advice for innovators-------------------------Resources Mentioned: BCorp:B Corp (B Corporation) - certified by BLabB Corp CertificationB Local Georgia--------------------------OUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management.

November 18, 202032 min

Innovation is about moving humanity forward :: Annabel Mendez

Annabel Mendez, founder of Aromalief Vegan Pain Relief Creams, shares how to shift from a problem-focused self into an outcome-focused self.More about our guest: Annabel Mendez, Founder of Aromalief Vegan Pain Relief Creams. Episode guide1:17 - What is Innovation?2:33 - Expanding the definition of Innovation4:51 - What Isn't Innovation8:04 - Innovation From A Scientific Standpoint 8:45 - Problem-focused and outcome-focused (A 2005 or 2020 Annabel) 13:31 - Uncertain vs. Unknowable15:19 - Becoming An Entrepreneur16:42 - Launching Her Business 24:21 - The importance of support In An "Emotional" Business25:12 - Dealing With Business Problems27:36 - Advice To Innovators29:37 - Staying True To Oneself And Your Business Featuring:Annabel Mendez, Founder of Aromalief Vegan Pain Relief Creams. Host:Jared Simmons (@outlastllc), Founder and Principal at OUTLAST Consulting LLCThanks:Theme: “This Must Be Heaven” by Buzz AmatoEditing and Production: Buzz AmatoMarketing and Visuals: Naomie Oplado Follow us:LinkedInOUTLAST InsightsTwitter

January 25, 202230 min

Innovation is an iterative process :: Quinn Osha

Quinn Osha is the founder of Topmarq, an innovative online platform that allows car owners to get the best price for their used car. Quinn shares how his company applies the aggregator concept common in other industries to transform the private seller experience in the automotive industry. He also discusses the differences among the four types of innovation he sees in the business world.More about our guest:Quinn Osha is the founder of Topmarq, an innovative online platform that allows car owners to get the best price for their used car. A car fanatic since he was young, Quinn saw room for disruption in the trillion dollar automotive industry that would allow people to get better deals when selling cars. Despite starting with no co-founder and minimal funding, Quinn took Topmarq to revenue within 6 months and the company now covers dealerships with a combined volume of over 1 million vehicles per month.------------------------------------------------------------Episode Guide:0:00 - Intro1:43 - What is Innovation3:44 - Innovation: influencing business-building5:21 - The automotive industry and Topmarq's search engine-esque feature7:20 - Differentiating Topmarq from competitors11:54 - Role as the aggregator13:25 - Staying away from heavy research projects15:04 - What isn't innovation17:14 - Working on patents and eureka moments18:09 - Engineering background standpoint22:12 - Engineering and Sales: different perspectives24:30 - TopMarq today26:56 - What's next for TopMarq?28:30 - Advice for innovators--------------------------Resources Mentioned: Book Mentioned:Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition IrrelevantServices compared:Kayak - Online Travel Search EngineGoogle FlightsPrevious episode mentioned:Episode 7: Innovation is more than invention--------------------------OUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management.

July 24, 202426 min

Innovation is challenging the status quo :: Shanil Ebrahim

Join us this week for a conversation with Shanil Ebrahim, Partner and National Life Sciences & Healthcare Consulting Leader at Deloitte Canada! We challenge the common misconception that innovation requires constant efficiency. Shanil shares why some "wasted work" is inevitable, and even essential, for groundbreaking ideas.------------------------------------------------------------Episode Guide:0:00 - Intro0:42 - What is Innovation?2:20 - Technology in Innovation3:55 - Innovation: Solving Problems4:51 - Not (inherently) efficient7:12 - Innovation, Efficiency, and Problem-Solving10:40 - Internal usage of innovation processes13:47 - What isn't Innovation?17:09 - Dangers of Gen AI20:26 - New Technology, New Hype, Wrong Implementation22:38 - Advice to Innovators------------------------------------------------------------Shanil Ebrahim is a Partner and the National Life Sciences and Healthcare Consulting Leader at Deloitte Canada. He is a senior advisor for clients in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and retail and special pharmacy sectors, and has supported a diverse set of public and private stakeholders in innovation-based business transformations and technology implementations. Shanil held roles as a Clinical Epidemiologist, Faculty Member and Researcher, and also serves as a Board Director in multiple non-profit organizations focused on vulnerable patient populations.More about our guest:Shanil EbrahimCompany: Deloitte CanadaOUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management

June 4, 2025Episode 13834 min

Innovation is radical by nature :: Stefan F. Dieffenbacher

Innovation isn’t just new. It’s radical — and when we treat it like a minor update or a clever tweak, we undermine its potential. In this episode, Jared Simmons speaks with Stefan F. Dieffenbacher, founder of Digital Leadership AG and author of How to Create Innovation, to challenge the status quo around innovation strategy and execution.With experience leading major transformation projects for companies like Amazon, BMW, and Google, Stefan outlines how most organizations fail by mislabeling incremental improvements as innovation — and by applying the same tools and processes across all types of change. He explains why innovation requires its own distinct mindset, resource model, and methodology, and how most companies neglect the “accelerator” side of innovation, leading to promising ideas being crushed by their own systems.This episode explores topics like the Three Horizons of Growth, how to structure incubators and accelerators, and how applying engineering principles to innovation can drastically reduce the failure rate. Stefan also shares insights from his global community of 60+ contributors, whose work has culminated in the most comprehensive innovation framework currently available.If you’re looking to better understand what makes innovation succeed — and why so many companies get it wrong — this conversation offers clear, actionable insights rooted in years of hands-on experience and research.Chapters:00:00 — Introduction to Stefan F. Dieffenbacher01:00 — Innovation, transformation, and radical change02:13 — Why “new to us” is not innovation04:13 — Aligning methods with the type of innovation06:45 — Incubators vs. accelerators09:59 — The danger of putting $1M ideas in $1B portfolios11:28 — When a business is ready to integrate innovation12:29 — What happens when we mislabel change as innovation13:22 — Why most innovations fail — and how to change that16:10 — Innovation as an engineering discipline18:49 — Underinvestment and innovation’s ROI potential22:05 — Integration > excellence in individual domains25:14 — Is innovation an industry or a project type?27:04 — Focus innovation where you differentiate29:54 — Why finance probably isn’t the place to innovate31:45 — Advice for innovators and free access to toolsResources Mentioned:➤ How to Create Innovation (book + open source toolkit)About the Guest:Stefan F. Dieffenbacher is the founder of Digital Leadership AG and lead author of How to Create Innovation. With more than 20 large-scale innovation and transformation projects under his belt, Stefan helps global organizations mature their innovation capabilities and drive strategic growth. His open-source innovation platform has reached over 100,000 users worldwide.About the Host:Jared Simmons is the Founder and Principal of OUTLAST Consulting, a boutique firm helping organizations unlock innovation through intentional action. With leadership experience at Procter & Gamble, McKinsey & Company, and Coca-Cola, Jared blends corporate strategy with entrepreneurial thinking to help clients innovate on their own terms.

March 26, 202538 min

Innovation is thinking smarter :: Dave Martin

Join us as we explore the essence of innovation with Dave Martin, founder of 280 Capital Partners. From Silicon Valley's most groundbreaking technologies to the leadership qualities that drive innovation, discover how to transform your business and stay ahead in a rapidly changing world.------------------------------------------------------------Episode Guide:0:00 - Intro0:47 - What is Innovation?1:15 - Recipe for Innovation2:41 - IBM's Innovation Legacy3:47 - Leadership in Innovation4:10 - Entrepreneurship and Innovation6:48 - Intel's Microprocessor Revolution10:28 - Apple's iPhone Innovation12:44 - Amazon's Retail Revolution14:10 - AI and Future Innovation27:49 - Government and Innovation32:00 - Advice for Innovators------------------------------------------------------------Dave Martin, founder and managing director of 280 Capital Partners, is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur. He has been CEO Leader of four information technology (IT) companies and a strategic advisor and/or executive chairman for dozens of other IT companies, where he coached hundreds of CEOs, executive leaders, and members of the board of directors. His coaching focuses on how to apply more effective thinking to a company’s leadership and strategic direction. He has coached in the same capacity as an officer or board member for non-profit industry associations and educational institutions. He received a BSE degree from Princeton University, where he also started and lettered on the varsity football and baseball teams. It was as a freshman at Princeton that he first developed the MegaCept thinking process. After graduating, he joined IBM, where he became knowledgeable in computer science and began his career in IT. Davie has led or advised many technology companies. More about our guest:LinkedIn: Dave MartinCompany: 280 Capital PartnersBook: Mega ThinkingOUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management

November 13, 202431 min

Innovation is about evolving yourself, your environment, and the world :: Pam Buchanan

Innovation is evolving - are you? In a recent conversation with Pam Buchanan, founder of Quantum Sense, we explored the deeper dimensions of innovation. Pam challenges us to think beyond products and technologies, emphasizing that true innovation starts at the soul level. "Innovation is about evolving yourself, evolving your environment, and evolving the world," says Buchanan. She argues that by focusing on soul health and creating positive, love-based environments, we can unlock unprecedented levels of creativity and innovation. How are you fostering a culture of soul-driven innovation in your organization?------------------------------------------------------------Episode Guide:0:00 - Intro0:53 - What is Innovation?3:21 - Love-based vs Fear-based Innovation6:15 - Innovation as Living and Evolving11:21 - Elon Musk and Connectedness in Innovation14:51 - Geographic Distribution and Innovation18:33 - Creating Optimal Environments for Innovation21:23 - Soul Health and Innovation25:05 - Soul-driven vs. Intellect-driven Innovation29:43 - Advice for Innovators------------------------------------------------------------Pam Buchanan, the founder of Quantum Sense, stands at the intersection of corporate prowess and soulful innovation. With over 40 years of experience in corporate America, including pivotal roles at Nasdaq where she worked closely with tech titans like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, Pam brings extensive experience to the table. Her journey to Quantum Sense began with a profound assertion: that the modern world is missing a focus on a very vital contributor to success, Soul Health. Pam has developed programs tailored for companies that are proven to enhance employee well-being, reduce anxiety, and boost creativity, ultimately fostering a more satisfying work-life balance. Covering topics from neuro-aesthetics to sound engineering, Pam explores how these can be used to benefit the soul from the outside in, through the gateway of the senses. More about our guest:Pam BuchananCompany: Quantum SenseOUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management