Oct 25, 2022Swiftly Move Through Any Design Process With These Powerful ToolsThe following is adapted from Learning to Build. As an innovator and entrepreneur, I design a lot of products. To do that successfully, I have to continually consider how everything will fit together as a whole. …5 min read5 min read
Oct 18, 2022To Succeed as an Innovator and Entrepreneur, Always Consider the Entire SystemThe following is adapted from Learning to Build. “Do you know the difference between correlation and causation?”, one of my mentors, Dr. Taguchi, asked me one morning as we shared breakfast while traveling for work. …6 min read6 min read
Oct 11, 2022Why Tradeoffs Matter for Innovators and EntrepreneursThe following is adapted from Learning to Build. When you’re designing, developing, and building a product, you need to think about tradeoffs. You must be able to define what you are willing to give up to move forward. …6 min read6 min read
Oct 4, 2022Design and Innovate Solutions That Achieve the Desired Performance by Prototyping to LearnThe following is adapted from Learning to Build. Many years ago, I was brought on as an advisor at a major cookie and cracker manufacturer. My job was to help them speed up their production line for two popular cookies, but as I rolled up my sleeves and got to…8 min read8 min read
Sep 27, 2022To See Around Corners and Through Space and Time, You Need Supply-Side Empathetic PerspectiveThe following is adapted from Learning to Build. In order for innovators and entrepreneurs to see around corners and see through space and time — in other words, to get an omniscient, God-like perspective that allows them to see the whole — they must have what I call “supply-side empathetic…6 min read6 min read
Sep 20, 2022Before You Can Uncover Demand for Your Product, You Need to Understand these 3 Key FrameworksThe following is adapted from Learning to Build. Oftentimes, we as innovators talk to people through the lens of our product and its features and benefits. Why is this feature important? What does it help you do? We think questions like this help us understand the buyer, because we get…6 min read6 min read
Sep 13, 2022Designing a Truly Great Product Requires Asking Yourself This Crucial QuestionThe following is adapted from Learning to Build. As an innovator and entrepreneur, you probably already know that you can’t design and build a product without making tradeoffs. Everyone makes tradeoffs to make progress: “I’m willing to give up this so I can get that.” No one can have everything. …5 min read5 min read
Sep 6, 2022Want Your Product to Succeed? Then You Need to Understand the “Struggling Moment”(Royalty free image: https://unsplash.com/photos/mGP8gyGb8zY. Credit: Unsplash / Denny Müller) The following is adapted from Learning to Build. What’s the difference between a Snickers and a Milky Way? On the surface, these two products seem similar. They’re both candy bars that are made in the same plant with chocolatey ingredients and…4 min read4 min read
Sep 1, 2022Ideas in the Wild: Bob Moesta is Making Innovation Easier by Teaching 5 Crucial SkillsEntrepreneurship and innovation is a journey — but it shouldn’t be a solo trip. If an innovator or entrepreneur is missing something, struggling to begin, or has reached a plateau, fellow entrepreneur and innovator Bob Moesta knows their next steps because he’s been there himself. Bob has coached entrepreneurs for…4 min read4 min read
May 26, 2021To Make More Sales, Know Your CustomerThe following is adapted from Demand-Side Sales 101. Salespeople are competitive. Very competitive. They’re vying for awards, recognition, and sales commissions, and are always looking for a way to up their game. But you don’t need to learn six rules or seven habits to become a successful salesperson. All you…Sales5 min readSales5 min read
