innovation

The other day, I drove home from the supermarket so deeply lost in thought that I don’t remember the trip. Has this ever happened to you? If you’ve been driving for a while, and the trip to the supermarket is a routine occurrence, I am…

I remember, as a first grader, my hand shooting in the air in response to a question posed by my teacher, Miss Bonk (yes, that was really her name). There was something solid, definitive, and reliable about having the correct response. My…

With one wave of the pandemic storm over and economies opening up again, those companies that secured their finances and took the necessary steps quickly enough to survive or even thrive now need to turn their attention to getting back to…

There is no “pandemic playbook“ to which leaders can refer for answers. But, one can begin to develop those answers by using two questions to frame solutions: How do I survive or maybe thrive in this shutdown?  How do I prepare for my…

My daughter and son-in-law own a smarter home. It has a 6.5 kW solar system which is connected to a Tesla PowerWall battery system. The house is also connected to the grid. The entire thing is operated through a smart phone app. They…

I inherited my fascination with the word "ingenious” from Benjamin Franklin, whose ingenuity is on display in his many achievements, from the legendary kite experiment, to inventions like the Franklin Stove and lightning rod, to his…

Nine things I do daily or weekly to keep myself sharp and engaged. My time in quarantine is starting to feel like Groundhog Day, each day repeating itself in an endless loop. Same environment. Same people. Same food. Same view…

Masks have a long history of protecting people from the spread of disease. During the Black Plague in the 1600s, doctors wore a hollow beak-like mask, stuffed with dried flowers, herbs, or sponges soaked in vinegar to protect…

So, “What makes you ingenious?” I’ve been fascinated by the word “ingenious” for some time now, because it describes a quality that applies to every single person, while at the same time allowing for the fact that we are all…

Latino entrepreneur John Cueva is a pioneer in holographic technology A pilot's multi-functional visor keeps pushing the boundaries of technology. This is how John's back story on how he got involved in the holographic optical industry…

This New Years embrace customers, talk to them, and build something really great that customers will crave. As a startup lifer who lost more than a few million bucks one spring 2000 afternoon, I’m always on the lookout for…

Igniting innovation Digital Business Transformation Part 2 Editor's note: this is part one of a two part article. Part 1:  Igniting Innovation- Digital Business Transformation In part two I'll cover: The Process, Meaningful…

Innovation can come from anywhere or anyone and can lead to quantum gains in productivity or revenues.   Editor's note: this is part one of a two part article. Digital Business Transformation (just another word for innovation) is one…

“Commit to lifelong learning. Skills to learn are more important than what you learn.” Thaddeus Arroyo Thaddeus Arroyo heeded his father’s words: “Take advantage of all opportunities in life.”  Those opportunities presented…

It means doing the right thing and building market share Would you like to grow your revenues by 20%? Is your business caught in a price war that is killing your profit margins? Evidence continues to grow that CSR…

What's my role in a collaborative organization? Editor's note: This is the second and final part of 6 Characteristics of a Collaborative Organization The trust factor Collaboration is at the core of being…

What you sell, who you sell to and how you sell it is being disrupted by these megatrends. Five demographic megatrends are now driving business success. What you sell, who you sell to and how you sell it is being disrupted by…

Four big ideas around learnings and creative thinking methodologies. Over breakfast a number of years back with Bryan Mattimore, I shared an increasingly gnawing concern with an innovation doctor…

Content creation requires insights, relevance and the ability to anticipate future interests. As Clay Shirky has famously pointed out, publishing is no longer a job or an industry, it’s a button. We’re all…

No matter how technical and complicated a problem, small business owners have a universal source of information. Consultants are expensive. When you contract a consultant, you are paying for expertise that you do not…

3 tips help manage hiring in today’s ever-changing world Over the past couple of years I have noticed an increase in the volume of social media networking conversations on the topic of disruptive innovation. If…

The Business Culture Of Being Cheaper, Easier, Faster and Healthier- 3 questions defining business culture success The world is getting warmer due to human pollution. So what? Is this impacting your sales or costs today?…

Have you driven a Tesla S? You have to. It has a cool factor that competes with Ferraris. Yes, it has a $100,000 price tag. That is too pricey for most of us. But until you get in the driver seat of a Tesla and punch the…

Electric cars can benefit small businesses, here's a close look at the Chevy Bolt. The Bolt is a breakthrough in all electric cars. At a Chevy price, it delivers a 238 miles driving range on a fully charged battery.…

Three consumers groups, with their own individual agendas, are in active revolt against unhealthy foods. Look no further than soda sales to see how large this revolt has grown. For the first time in U.S. history,…

How can America keep its lower consumer prices and win back global manufacturing leadership? The global supply chain has taken a lot of political hits. The political focus has been on shuttered U.S. factories. The global…

Brazil’s Center for Integrated Education and Health- A look into innovative healthcare delivery. Going Global: Part 1 As the Center for Integrated Education and Health (C.I.E.S.) Brazil…

5 areas identified where virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) could radically impact your business. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies are going to reshape our businesses. They already…

Speed, connectivity and creative destruction defines 21st century business success. Think Yellow Cab. One minute they have a near monopoly in what they called the cab business. Today companies like Uber and Lift are…

The proof is in. Sustainability sells. How does your business use sustainability to grow business results? Did you know that today over a dozen companies sell over a billion dollars EVERY YEAR in green products? Here are…

Entrepreneurship- review these two steps for insights on what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Just add water. Can entrepreneurship really be that easy? Can the seeds of entrepreneurship grow for us if we just add water?…

How bike lanes make bricks and mortar retailers compete for internet customers. Three quarters of retails sales growth during the 21st century has been through online channels. If you are a brick and mortar retailer you…

This emerging mega trend that will reshape how businesses make money. Smart buildings use the Internet of Things (IoT) plus artificial intelligence (AI) to increase productivity. This emerging mega trend will reshape how…

There are six core areas where this is more clear than in education. During the industrial era and even at the beginning of the knowledge economy, there were severe barriers of entry for entrepreneurs, innovators and even…

Your accountant will document the superior economics of this car. The Chevy Volt is the ideal small business car. It is very competitive in price or lease compared to other four passage cars. As a plug-in electric hybrid the…

The benefits of active, standing small business workspaces and desks allow us to stand and lean. My 21 year old healthy yoga practicing daughter has been working in an office for the past six months. Recently, she's…

Six benefits on how autonomous electric cars will benefit small business auto fleets. Autonomous electric cars are coming and they will be transform how business auto fleets are managed. Autonomous electric cars will deliver…

It opens the door to a future where we drive electric cars rather than gasoline fueled cars. The Chevy Bolt is an all electric car with a 200+ mile range between charges that will sell for less than $30,000 after tax credits.…

These technologies will improve business, spark innovation and drive down the cost of IT. The global economic headwinds in 2016 will once again constrain IT budgets; nonetheless, the rapidly changing business climate…

A global work environment, where interconnectivity is the rule, requires new skills of adaptability and diversity. Editor's note: This is part two of a two part article. Part one was entitled Business Learning Experiences in…

Carbon-free plastics sounds like a great idea, but how will it positively benefit a small business? Anyone viewing a ranking of the largest corporations in Latin America will undoubtedly notice one thing: oil…

​Two energy instrustry veterans square off on fossil fuels and renewable energy Editor's note: Mark L Robinson, PhD, Executive Director, Americans for Fossil Fuels and Bill Roth, Economist and Founder of Earth 2017 share…

Here are 4 tactics to stay on top of trends and use changing energy standards to your advantage As a small business owner, you tend to feel the effects of global trends first and hardest — but this gives you the advantage of…

Depending on the business entity energy costs can have a huge impact on revenue and profitability In a previous column, I discussed the impact of falling gasoline prices on consumers and small businesses. Depending on…

A well rounded sustainability best practices strategy will drive revenue for large and small businesses Walmart just announced a Sustainability Leadership Shop website solely focused upon their growing range of products that are…

The impact of lower gasoline prices on small business Over the last six months, the price of gasoline has fallen for a record-setting 109 days in a row. On Monday, January 12, 2015 the national average for a gallon of…

When it comes to the environmental health impact, all electric vehicle "fuels" are not created equal Editor: Energy industry veteran weighs on the respective "fuels" of electric cars and related health footprints. …

3 essential technology tips for your small business to look and operate like a big business A small business today can use sophisticated technology that used to be found only in enterprises due to the high cost and…

These easy steps will help small businesses improve their bottom line through electric bill reductions Electric bills are going higher. Your business must act now because the utilities in over a dozen states are projecting 5-15% annual…

Whether used externally to reach customers or internally to keep in touch with employees, mobile technology is a boon to businesses of all sizes Mobile technology has become nearly ubiquitous, and companies would be wise to…

Just ask CEOs and chief marketing officers (CMOs) about the importance of technology Not to long ago, technology was viewed by most as important but not critical to driving business revenues. But after 2008 when…

Lower-costs technologies will make zero net energy buildings more feasible in the near future. Remember December 4, 2013, in terms of your commercial building and its potential to achieve zero net energy (ZNE). This is the…

How Mobile Technology is Changing the Landscape for Small Business Owners For small business owners, mobile technologies offer a two-pronged solution to boost productivity and increase marketing reach. Whether or not…

The technology mega-trends that are making smart buildings affordable for small businesses New code revisions are helping make zero net energy buildings a reality. The key components for reaching this goal are smart sensors and monitors;…

A local government focuses on STEM educational programs to retain its most valuable asset —intellectual capital Westchester County, New York’s emphasis on Science, Technology Education, Engineering and Math or…

Video perspectives on Hispanic business from visionary Irving Wladawsky-Berger, his insights on technology and innovation. In this video episode Irving Wladawsky-Berger shares his depth of knowledge on Hispanic business as…

Why small business energy-efficient building technologies and a $8.88 LED light bulb matter to you Because energy consumption is only continuing to rise 'resulting in high utility bills and an increase in toxic emissions' alternative energy…

A small business must keep up with changing IT technology to remain competitive Even though rapid technology change isn’t anything new (one can go back to the start of the industrial revolution to see how each…

Today's wareable computers may not be ready to introduce into your business environment With the recent spate of new-technology announcements including wareable computers, it may be tempting to shoehorn the latest-and-greatest into your…

Three technology considerations- for your customers sake don't get caught up in the hype As I skim through multiple technology articles of the newly introduced Samsung smartwatch and ongoing drips of information regarding Google…

Video- Tech visionary's insights on STEM and enhancements for small businesses. In this video episode Irving Wladawsky-Berger shares his depth of knowledge on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as related…

A look at the exciting possibilities for the future of The Washington Post No, no one has called it that yet, at least not that I've seen, but news of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos’ $250 million acquisition of The Washington Post…

Video- Tech visionary's insights on how Big Data analytics benefit small businesses. Up until recently small businesses have been excluded from Big Data analytics. Advances in technology, pervasive of sensors and affordable applications…

New innovation spaces provide benefits to small business and entrepreneurs   From the Ancient Library of Alexandria to present day, libraries have long served as centers of learning. Now, with the rapid proliferation of the Internet,…

Video Episode 2: Armed with a Ph.D. in physics, Wladawsky-Berger innovates for IBM. Gifted not only in his ability to understand complex technical issues, but also in his aptitude to apply, explain and market those concepts,…

Latino immigrant leaves Cuba for the U.S. and becomes one of the nation's leading innovation visionaries. Episode 1: A journey from Cuba to the world of science and innovation. Irving Wladawsky-Berger's parents left…

These sustainable action items can help reduce your company’s fuel costs Here’s the bad news. Pump price pain will only increase for your small business. The good news is you can take five sustainable action items you can take to cut your…

Defining The Role And Tasks Of An Entrepreneur In a 1929 photo, Thomas A. Edison shows a new incandescent lamp, at left, while holding a replica of his first model, from 1879. Credit: UPI …

Green is the new fast track to winning corporate customers Becoming a green supplier is the new fast track to winning corporate customers. Most large companies, including Walmart, Ford, Nike and Marriott, are adding sustainability criteria…

Follow these steps to take advantage of social media's myriad business benefits There is ample evidence that things are changing and that the way business gets done will never be the same. Police now use crowd-sourcing to…

Beware of the fine print of a contract to always get the best deal While leasing of IT equipment is better financially for most, the advantages are achieved only if lessees are aware of and carefully negotiate the terms of…

Learn from healthcare's example and refocus on customer relationships One of the things enabled by social media is the ability to develop deeper and stronger relationships with one's customers. Social network platforms provide a forum…

Media Background IBM SmartCamp KickStart  IBM SmartCamps are two day long events that bring together and judge the best start-up companies in different cities around the globe. At the event, IBM brings together local venture capitalists,…

Smartphones and other mobile devices are the new frontier for hackers; is your Hispanic business at risk? Whether we’re walking down a busy city street, waiting at the airport or sitting on the…

Hispanic business leaders looking to increase productivity with tablets will find a plethora of options After just a few years on the market, there’s little doubt that tablet computers are changing the way that business gets done.…

The vital role creativity plays in business, innovation and solving problems. The role of creativity in business and innovation is a topic often discussed of late. Creativity in business is not only about product…

Moving email and anti-spam to the cloud offers advantages for small businesses Editor’s note: This article is part of a series. In a previous article, author David Streit explained the origins of cloud services and the…

Technology Is Your Tool For A Better Business Technology is just one more tool for business. But it’s a tool that can enhance every aspect of your product and the customer experience, according to Irving  Wladawsky-Berger.…

 The best products marry technology and customer experience. Recently I went to an "innovation thinking" event at the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum, organized by my friend Jeremy Epstein (@jer979). It was a rare opportunity to get…

Time to outsource IT and get down to business. The best analogy is to electricity, and the way it was delivered 100 years ago compared to today. Companies used to generate their own power, first with steam…

...And Other Words of Advice From A Successful Entrepreneur (This is the second of an exclusive two-part series on Atlanta data services company Cloud Sherpas. See Part 1  to find out how the company went from basement hobby to Google…

Startup America Helps Entrepreneurs Get Off On The Right Foot Maxine Gomez, CFO of Pompano Beach, Florida-based Swipes Inc., is on a roll. Making a two-minute "elevator pitch" to a half-dozen corporate executives and…

Irving Wladawsky-Berger’s long road from Cuban émigré to Internet pioneer Editor's Note: This is the first of a three-part series based on an interview with Irving Wladawsky-Berger, former vice president of…

The Web made it possible to start a business on a shoestring. The following article is provided by SCORE, a nonprofit association of business counselors who mentor small business owners across the U.S. For more…