Texas Innovation Keynote Speaker Blog
Real-world strategies, trends and expert tips from Texas’s leading innovation keynote speaker to spark creativity and drive growth.
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
Since necessity is the mother of invention it's no surprise that the bra inventor was a woman. A debutante and art patron named Caresse Crosby. Caresse Crosby grew up the very definition of an upper-class debutante, moving between New York and Connecticut in a world...
3 Reasons People Resist Change and How to Fix it
Change is something that's going to happen whether you want it to or not. As a business owner, if you wait for change to happen, your competition is going to eat your dust. Getting stuck in the same old tired ideas that aren't working anymore is a formula for failure....
The Future of Newspapers
The thing about innovation is that people are inherently resistant to change. That's never been truer than in the newspaper industry. And, I mean, who could blame them? For decades newspapers were raking in such enormous profits it was literally like printing money....
Innovative Balloon Technology
Winnie the Pooh said "Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon". And many of Pooh's adventures involved balloons. Simple latex party balloons, which haven't really changed that much over the years. But there is more to balloons and balloon technology if you include...
Can Creativity Be Automated?
The topic of artificial intelligence taking over the world has been something fiction writers have been talking about for years. But should we be worried about robots taking over our jobs? I mean, they are already capable of cleaning our floors, like the Roomba, and...
Women Inventors – Marie Van Brittan Brown
In keeping with Women's History Month, I wanted to highlight women inventors who exemplify the phrase "Necessity is the Mother of Invention". Marie Van Brittan Brown is one of those inventors. Marie was a nurse who didn't keep regular hours. While her husband,...
Valentine’s Day – Innovating Within a Tradition
The basis of innovation is about making a connection that didn't exist before. But what about innovating within a tradition? The real history of Valentine's Day isn't completely clear, but the underlying theme is one of love, fertility, and marriage. Like all...
Innovators Embrace Uncertainty
Uncertainty isn't a comfortable place. In fact, it triggers a flight or fight response in the amygdala part of the brain. And most people choose flight. But innovators embrace uncertainty because we venture into uncharted territory every day. I was talking to a...
How a Bird Inspired a Bullet Train Engineer to Innovate
Inspiration for innovation is literally all around us. Mother nature has supplied us with billions of years of natural R&D. If you ever think that everything that could have been invented has been invented, think again. If you only got your inspiration from...
What Type of Innovator Are You?
In 1962 the book "Diffusions of Innovations" came out. It was a phrase coined by communications professor Everett Rogers to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology is spread through cultures. Rogers explained in his book that four main elements are...
Inventor Spotlight – Ann Moore
Inventor and pediatric nurse Ann Moore proved that you can make an old idea new again. It was during her time in the Peace Corps in West Africa that she first saw mothers carrying their babies around on their backs in fabric harnesses. The babies seemed very content...
The Value of Incremental Innovation
A good portion of my day is spent working with small businesses, especially bricks and mortar stores, on how to compete and stay ahead of the curve in a time when change is so rapid. But there is a lot of resistance to being the first to jump off the cliff and try...