This was the Start – June 2013 to June 2014
How do you learn about innovation – what is working and what is not? My answer, or more specifically, my plan to find an answer to this question was to rent my house, put my stuff in storage, and move my family of four into an RV for a year. We would travel the US, building experiences as a family, living in about 300 square feet of rolling Winnebago workmanship while I find interesting business people, entrepreneurs, and wantrepreneurs and discuss innovation with them.
A Crazy Innovation Adventure—A Year on the Road
The plan is fairly simple and leverages existing contacts, travel, and serendipity. I will…
- visit factories and take tours of businesses when possible, asking about innovation practices in the process. Organizations that are already providing tours are eager to share what they have learned and are a good source for innovation insights. Bonus – my family enjoys touring factories also!
- find business owners who have an insights into being successful. This is pretty easy for me – I enjoy talking about business operations and many business owners enjoy talking about what they have learned from their mistakes and successes.
- leverage my network to identify interesting organizations and people who have experience with innovation and try to arrange for interesting interviews that match with my travel plans.
It seemed only fitting the this crazy innovation adventure should be aided by our trusty Winnebago Adventurer motorhome. What better way to have an adventure than in a model of RV named Adventurer. Here is a pic of my family’s home for the year.
Keep reading the blog to find out what innovators are saying.
The primary responsibilities for an organization are product management and innovation. They deliver value to customers. They're also exciting responsibilities for those properly equipped. That is my job - equipping product managers and innovators. 