Breakthrough Innovation

In this milestone 100th episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we sit down with David Prosper — clarity architect, author of Finding Clarity, and founder of Clarity Catalyst Solutions — to explore what it really means to live by design, not default. From boardrooms to personal breakthroughs, Prosper helps high achievers build purpose-driven systems for clarity, courage, and connection. 🚗 Why high pe...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Kate Viana, founder of Viana Communications — a powerful multi-brand organization created to help nonprofits fix the dysfunction no one else will touch: broken communication, toxic culture, and missing systems. With deep nonprofit experience across consulting, staffing, and board roles, Kate reveals what really holds back mission-driven orgs...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Jayanth Kumar, tech leader and co-founder at Turl Street Group. After building at Amazon, a unicorn startup, and a YC-backed company, he’s now tackling democracy with GatherGov — a platform that uses AI to surface insights from local government meetings. 🎯 Why local politics is where real power lies — and how AI can democratize it 🛠️ How Ja...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Alex Blinov, Chief Product Officer at ZenDrop, who walked into a 200-person company with 30+ developers, zero product managers, and zero designers — and turned it into a fast-moving, metric-driven machine. From implementing agile that actually works to building trust with leadership, Alex shares how he helped ZenDrop double its delivery velo...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Jim Palermo, former Global CIO of Red Hat, where he helped lead massive transformation efforts across hybrid cloud, FinOps, and enterprise AI — all while staying rooted in Red Hat’s open-source DNA. Jim shares a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how one of the world’s most influential tech companies scaled innovation — and what it really takes...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Lara Bowen, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer at Univet Optical Technologies, whose career spans art, storytelling, metaverse tech, AI, and global operations. Lara pulls back the curtain on what real innovation takes in complex, hierarchical cultures — and why you don’t need an “innovation team” to drive breakthrough change. 🎨 Why...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Jen Horton, founder of Dull Made Daring, who uses game-based design, psychotherapy, and lightsabers to help professionals reconnect with purpose, reduce burnout, and craft intentional growth — both in work and life. Jen brings powerful insights from the science of job crafting and leisure crafting, blending play, neuroscience, and agency to...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Jeff Danley , Director of Innovation at Burns & McDonnell—one of the nation’s leading engineering and construction firms. Jeff’s story spans startups and global enterprises, and includes a patent for the mobile hotspot, pioneering mobile video with Sprint TV, and even an Emmy award. But his current mission? Reinventing innovation at...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Julius Ramirez , a platform builder and revenue strategist who’s redefining how pharmaceutical brands connect with healthcare professionals (HCPs). With a career spanning companies like Meta, ChartBoost, and now DoCare , Julius shares how he’s applying tech-forward thinking to one of the most regulated industries—healthcare. From creatin...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Neha Monga , a visionary product leader whose career spans Amazon, Meta, and now Lattice, where she serves as Chief Product Officer. From scaling billion-dollar platforms to pioneering new AI tools for the future of work, Neha brings a refreshing mix of product expertise, candid leadership, and the courage to challenge the status quo. Ke...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Mike Urban , Chief Technology Operations Officer at Best Egg and a transformation leader with over 20 years of experience in fintech and enterprise innovation. From cross-functional agile adoption to enterprise-wide AI implementation, Mike shares how simplifying complexity and putting people at the center leads to meaningful, scalable ch...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we sit down with Stephanie Antonelli , Global Chief Business Transformation Officer at VML , whose career has spanned strategy, systems thinking, and executive leadership across some of the world’s most complex organizations. From navigating multi-year, high-stakes digital transformations to reshaping how global teams collaborate, Stephanie shares what...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Daniel Herb , Chief Product Officer at Dense Air , a leader in network infrastructure innovation. From his early work at Amazon to his current mission of solving wireless connectivity inside buildings, Daniel shares how he's scaling breakthrough ideas to tackle one of telecom’s most overlooked challenges— making mobile networks work wher...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by David Altis , Global Chief Experience Design Officer for the Ford Business at VML. With a creative career spanning two decades and clients ranging from Intel to Kellogg’s to United Rentals, David shares how AI is reshaping experience design—and why human insight still leads the way. Key Lessons Covered in This Episode: AI as a Creative P...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , hosts JL Heather and Preston Chandler sit down with Trevor Paulsen , Director of Product Management at Adobe , and one of the key architects behind Customer Journey Analytics (CJA) —a product that redefined Adobe’s analytics strategy and scaled from zero to hundreds of millions in revenue. Trevor takes us behind the scenes of launching CJA, not just as...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Kristin Bryce , founder and CEO of Managed Chaos Innovations , whose bold, human-centered approach has helped transform burnt-out teams into engaged innovators. Drawing on a background in engineering, logistics, and government operations, Kristin blends lean methodology, storytelling, emotional intelligence, and gamification to solve the...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Dr. Mihaela Vorvoreanu (aka “Miki”) , Principal Applied Scientist at Microsoft. A leading expert in human-computer interaction and AI ethics, Miki brings a bold perspective on what it means to build good AI—and why “responsible AI” shouldn’t be a separate track, but core to everything we build. From her early academic career to helping s...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , host JL Heather sits down with serial entrepreneur and investor Stuart Draper , founder of Stukent , a trailblazing edtech company that revolutionized digital marketing education. From losing three jobs in a recession to helping over a million students in 80+ countries, Stuart shares his raw, resilient journey to building a company that made the Inc. 50...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Max Winter , Principal Solutions Architect at AWS and a former IT leader at Goldman Sachs and Bank of America. With decades of experience in financial systems and a front-row seat to the rise of generative AI, Max explores how AI can both unlock new potential and unintentionally trap us in cycles of past ideas. Key Lessons Covered in Thi...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Dave Saunders , a tech pioneer with a career spanning the internet, surgical robotics, and decarbonization. From his groundbreaking work at Bell Labs to his current efforts in environmental sustainability, Dave shares his journey of turning visionary ideas into impactful solutions that change industries and improve lives. Key Lessons Cove...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Diana Hall, founder and CEO of ActivArmor , a biomedical company revolutionizing fracture care with 3D-printed medical devices. Diana shares her journey from chemical engineer to healthcare innovator and how ActivArmor is transforming the treatment of broken bones with cutting-edge, customizable, and comfortable 3D-printed casts. Key Les...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , JL Heather sits down with Andrew Chesnutt the CEO at The Authority Forge, a speaker and coach dedicated to helping individuals share their personal stories with the world. With his mission to empower 100,000 people to speak authentically, Andrew provides valuable insights on how storytelling can elevate public speaking, build trust, and make a lasting i...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Jason Gaikowski, Chief Transformation Officer at VML, endurance athlete, and neurodivergent leader. Jason challenges the popular narrative of vulnerability as the ultimate leadership trait, arguing that true innovation and growth come from courage, not vulnerability. Key Lessons Covered in This Episode: From Vulnerability to Courage : Ja...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Tony Ulwick, founder and CEO of Strategyn and the pioneer behind Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI), a proven approach that helps companies predict product success with greater precision. Tony shares his journey from his early days as a mechanical engineer at IBM to becoming a leading voice in the world of product development and innovation...

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation , we’re joined by Jaime Taets the CEO of Keystone Group International , author, and leadership strategist. Jaime shares how today’s high-growth companies can no longer afford to separate culture from strategy. With decades of experience leading both Fortune 50 teams and entrepreneurial ventures, she reveals how to turn “culture” from a buzzword into a tan...