Category Archives: Innovation

Good Enough Does Not Apply to Hiring People

Let’s get real for a moment.

We’ve all heard the startup mantras: “Move fast and break things.” “Minimum viable product.” “Just ship it.” And in most cases, these approaches work pretty darn well. Your first marketing campaign doesn’t need to be perfect. Your initial product can have a few rough edges. Heck, even your financial strategy can be tweaked along the way.

Want Innovation? Let Your Team Question the Norm

While running Netek, my affective computing startup, I hired some college students as summer interns. After just one week, I handed each of them a sticky note and asked them to write down 3-5 things they thought we should stop doing and explain why.

Unlock Innovation: Are You Asking the Right Questions?

It all starts with a provocative question! Are you aiming to spark breakthrough innovation within your organization? Often, the most impactful innovations don’t stem from having all the answers but rather from asking the right questions. Asking better, more insightful questions can lead your team down paths you’ve never explored, opening doors to unprecedented creativity and groundbreaking solutions.

What My Call Center Rebellion Taught Me About Business

“Is Jorge Barba available? I only want to talk to him.”

During college, I worked at a call center serving Verizon Wireless customers. Like most call centers, we had a mandatory script to follow for every customer interaction. The script was supposed to ensure consistency and quality—at least, that’s what management believed.