Diana Kander, New York Times Bestselling Author and Renowned Innovation Keynote Speaker
Three years ago, I was coaching a successful company that was very confused about the failure of a recent product launch. When I was first hired, they told me they were convinced they had done everything by the book. Before developing the product, the company held five focus groups with potential customers to make sure … Read more
When I walked into a local car dealership in Columbia, Mo. earlier this year, I knew which car I wanted and I had a plan to get it at a great price. Within thirty seconds of walking onto the showroom floor, a sales rep named Chad asked me to step into his cubicle with promises … Read more
A few weeks ago, at the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) Conference, I took part in a panel discussion on the subject of preparing our future workforce for entrepreneurial thinking. As companies increasingly express an interest in creative, innovative employees, one of the hottest questions in entrepreneurship education has become, “How do we … Read more
Corporate innovation is all the rage these days. With plenty of money and time at their disposal, employees have ample resources to create the next big thing. But before they commit too many resources to an idea, these intrapreneurs can learn a lot from successful entrepreneurs who operate with fewer resources. Innovation within a corporation … Read more
I’ve been thinking about my first motorcycle accident. I’m not counting the time when I drove my Kawasaki Ninja to my friend Eric’s house and, while showing it off, fell over and needed his help to pick it back up. No, this was a lot more serious I was attempting to make a left turn … Read more
No innovator fails because they couldn’t build their product. They fail because no one found value in what they built. Here’s what usually happens when someone gets a new idea: Their mind starts racing with all the possibilities of what it could turn into, the impact it could have on the world, and all the … Read more
What does it feel like to have a terrible business idea? The kind where people laugh behind your back as you walk away? Take a moment. Think about it. It actually feels a lot like having the world’s best business idea…right up until the moment when the market tells you that you don’t have anything anyone wants. I meet with a lot … Read more