Blog
The Woman Inventor That Saved the Cotton Industry
One reason only a fraction of patent holders are women is because women simply aren't encouraged to invent. That wasn't the case with Ruth Benerito, who was surrounded by encouragement in her formative years, which was spent in the grips of the Great Depression....
How Humor Affects Creativity
As a creativity keynote speaker I love seeing audience members jump up on stage and get out of their comfort zone with improv. Not that it's easy to get them to do that. But once they find out how much fun it is, their creativity is unleashed. Because creativity is...
The Surprising Reason for Lack of Women Inventors
At a recent innovation keynote speech I gave to Fortune 500 women executives, sponsored by Cognizant Technology Solutions, we examined some of the reasons fewer than 19 percent of all patents in the world are secured by women. This isn't patents held by a single...
Inventor Spotlight – Louis Pasteur
Because of the nature of their jobs, many inventors are scientists and engineers. One scientist who was also an inventor was Louis Pasteur, a French chemist and microbiologist, who was known for his discovery of pasteurization and microbial fermentation. His germ...
Primitive Creativity and Innovation
Creativity and innovation cover such a wide spectrum, it's hard to say when it all actually started. Since the beginning of mankind we have had a propensity to come up with new ideas, and constantly improve on existing ideas. The need to create is built into our DNA....
Could There Finally be Diversity for Women in the C-Suite?
We've been hearing forever that there need be more women in the C-Suite. Tiny baby steps have gradually been pushing this into becoming a reality. But maybe it will finally happen... in 2030. I know, that sounds like a very long time to wait for women who have only...
Inventor Spotlight – Garrett Morgan
Garrett Morgan proves that you don't have to be a scientist or an engineer to be an inventor. You also don't have to have a college degree. But there is one trait you must have if you want to be an inventor, and that's curiosity. Garrett Morgan was the son of...
Innovative Experiential Learning
Entrepreneurs who bootstrap businesses will tell you that the best way to learn is by actually getting your hands dirty and learning by doing, or experiential learning. I've been doing this for over 20 years as a serial entrepreneur. As long as I had a passion for a...
Bra Inventor and Art Patron Caresse Crosby
Caresse Crosby lived the life of an upper class debutante in New York and Connecticut growing up. One night while she was dressing to go out to another ball, she put on her customary whalebone corset under her evening gown. Disappointed in the way it made her dress...