Jim McKelvey, entrepreneur and cofounder of Square, says that most companies that think of themselves as innovative are really just copycats. True innovation, he argues, is about fearlessly exploring novel solutions and dramatically expanding markets. Doing so also helps startups defend their innovations against industry giants, as Square did against Amazon. ... Show More
Oct 7
The Trouble with Tech Companies (and Their Strategies)
Cory Doctorow, author and digital rights advocate, argues that big tech companies from Facebook to Google and beyond have evolved - or devolved - in a disappointing way. He says that many large tech companies begin with a good product, but that over time they prioritize first bus ... Show More
26m 30s
Sep 30
How to Lead with Courage in Chaotic Times
Courage involves taking bold action despite uncertainty and fear. In a volatile business environment, it's hard to be brave. But Ranjay Gulati, a professor at Harvard Business School, says that there are strategies any of us can use to get improve our ability to make smart bets o ... Show More
32m 9s
Sep 23
Steven Pinker on Speculation Bubbles, Super Bowl Ads, and What Leaders Need to Know About Group Psychology
As a leader, psychology is fundamental to your success - whether that means understanding consumer behavior, team dynamics, or even your own biases and blind spots. Harvard professor Steven Pinker says that an important phenomena to understand is that of common knowledge and its ... Show More
27m 29s
Dec 2022
Ep 484: Innovation and Skills-Based Hiring
The pace of business change is continuing to accelerate. According to a recent McKinsey Global Survey, business leaders expect that by 2026, half of their companies' revenues will come from products, services, or businesses that haven't been invented yet. Innovation is critical f ... Show More
35m 52s
Jun 2017
Innovation is managed chaos, w/Eric Schmidt of Google/Alphabet
Google has succeeded by innovating again and again. Their secret? They don’t tell their employees how to innovate; they manage the chaos. Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google since 2001 and now chair of parent company Alphabet, shares the controversial management techniques he created ... Show More
30m 18s
Nov 2023
Lessons in Innovation from a Legacy Firm
Pencil-maker Faber-Castell has been in business since 1761, but it is still innovating and adopting new technology. In this episode, Harvard Business School associate professor Ryan Raffaelli discusses his case, “Faber-Castell.” He explains how the company balances stewardship of ... Show More
17m 52s
Jun 2020
Jim McKelvey: The Innovation Stack | Entrepreneurship | E69
Fail-proof your start up with techniques developed by Square's co-founder and billionaire, Jim McKelvey ! Today on the show we’re chatting with serial entrepreneur and author Jim McKelvey. Jim co-founded the super successful point of sales company, Square, along with Jack Dorsey ... Show More
1 h