Better Innovation

Joining Jeff for the latest episode of the Better Innovation podcast is Dr. Julia Glidden, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Public Sector, for Microsoft. Julia is a renowned expert on public sector digital transformations and recognized as the pioneer of Cognitive Government.  Naturally, technology and digitalization within the public sector is at the heart of today's discussion. Digital transf...

In this important episode, Jeff talks to US Congressman Tom Emmer about the intersection of US policy and emerging technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Rep. Emmer is the Co-chair of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus, a bipartisan group who study and promotes blockchain technology. Jeff and Congressman Emmer discuss 3 bills he introduced within the past year impacting blockchain...

Part two of Jeff's conversation with Whitney Johnson focuses on reaching the top of the personal learning S-Curve - the mastery phase - and why it's important to celebrate your achievements. Jeff and Whitney talk about their own career-shifting experiences, as they jumped from one S-Curve onto another. Are you contemplating a new personal S-Curve? If so, then let Whitney guide you through this per...

In part one of a two-part episode, Jeff welcomes Whitney Johnson into Better Innovation. Whitney is the CEO of Distribution Advisors, S Curve Learning coach, Disrupt Yourself podcast host, and an award-winning author. In this timely discussion, Whitney breaks down the key principles from her latest book, Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company. Whitney is THE leader in the appli...

In this episode, Jeff talks with Bruno Carrasco, a Director General and Chief Compliance Officer with the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department. Bruno explains how the ABD produced an oversized pandemic response, as it strives for economic stability in the Region. Jeff and Bruno also discuss innovation across climate change and sustainability, new way...

Jeff Wong, EY's Global Chief Innovation Officer and technology enthusiast joins Better Innovation host Jeff Saviano for a fascinating and fluid conversation about the Metaverse.    Some predict the Metaverse could soon become a $1 trillion+ industry. Jeff Wong explains the importance of distinguishing between hype and value curves when assessing emerging technology trends. The pair of Jeffs explor...

How will innovative technologies influence the Citizen - State relationship? In this episode, Jeff is joined by Nick Davies, an innovation and technology leader within Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the UK tax authority. Jeff and Nick discuss the role of innovation and advanced tech in the changing economy, perhaps manifested in a new (digital) social contract. Technologies such as AI and...

In this episode, Jeff is joined by Jeremy Allaire - technologist, internet pioneer, and serial entrepreneur. Jeremy is the founder of Circle, a global financial technology firm enabling a multitude of organizations to harness the power of digital currencies for payments, e-commerce and a wide variety of financial applications. Jeff and Jeremy talk about the fast-moving digital currency revolution,...

This episode is about the friction we face as innovators. Jeff is joined by David Schonthal, Clinical Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and co-author of The Human Element: Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas. Jeff and David discuss the headwinds that stand in the way of innovation; the four frictions that, unless overc...

As we kick off a new season, Jeff speaks with Rita McGrath, Professor of Management at the Columbia Business School and author of Seeing Around Corners, How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen . Rita has received the #1 achievement award for strategy from the prestigious Thinkers50, and has been consistently named one of the world's Top 10 management thinkers. Rita shares her...

Marcello Estevão, Global Director of Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment at The World Bank knows the importance and impact of public debt management. In this episode, Marcello takes Jeff through the process of debt intervention for national economies, the role of debt in tax policy making, and how emerging technology can materially enhance public finance (including tax) systems. Marcello also off...

Susan Garfield, Chief Public Health Officer at EY, believes we're at the precipice of a transformational moment in health equity, leveraging innovative technology to make a difference in the lives of millions. Jeff and Susan chat about the cascading effect of technology in healthcare, its impact on the democratization of high-quality care, and how the public sector can learn from the pandemic to i...

One episode was not enough, so we broke it in two. Here's the second part of Jeff's interview with Dave Duncan. Dave is the author of The Secret Lives of Customers: A Detective Story About Solving the Mystery of Customer Behavior. Through a very engaging parable, Dave dives into what motivates customers across the functional, social, and emotional spectrum, with an emphasis on the important questi...

Dave Duncan, author of The Secret Lives of Customers: A Detective Story About Solving the Mystery of Customer Behavior, investigates what customers truly care about most. Through a very engaging parable, Dave dives into what motivates customers across the functional, social, and emotional spectrum, with an emphasis on the important questions you're asking about your customers. Whether your custome...

Are you incorporating "digital trust" into your digital transformation efforts? Hank Prybylski breaks down what it means to incorporate mission-critical trust elements into a successful digital transformation endeavor. In his role as Global Vice Chair of Transformation at EY, Hank helps business leaders approach innovation through an emphasis on courage and curiosity, with insights they need to bu...

In this episode, Jeff is thrilled to speak with Tendayi Viki, PhD, Partner at Strategyzer, and author of Pirates In The Navy: How Innovators Drive Transformation . Jeff and Tendayi dive into the role of the "intrapreneur" within organizations, and the ways in which their ideas and innovations can gain greater traction with key organizational decision-makers. Tendayi talks about how "raising the pi...

This week, Jeff sits down with FinTech expert, and friend from Davos, Lawrence Wintermeyer, Co-Chair of Global Digital Finance. They deep-dive into a wide range of topics, including digitization of products and services, and the opportunity for governments to utilize digital currencies for relief in times of crisis. Lawrence was the CEO of Innovate Finance, an NGO established by U.K. Prime Ministe...

This week, we're thrilled to speak with Sandra Ro, CEO of the Global Blockchain Business Council, and one Jeff's favorite collaborators in the innovative technology community. Sandra's positive influence in the blockchain community is significantly helping this potent technology flourish and illuminating how people and organizations can improve their resiliency. As we watch digitalization flourish...

Rumi Morales has seemingly done it all . . . she has worked at traditional financial institutions, advised blockchain startups, and at one point was even a lounge singer! She knows so much about the power of reinventing oneself. Rumi has adopted this unique philosophy of reinvention throughout her career. Over the years she has played the part of a forward-thinking innovator at century-old traditi...

In this episode, Jeff talks tech governance with Shelia Warren, Head of Blockchain, Data, and Digital Assets at the World Economic Forum. While tech leaders often think that governance hinders innovation, Warren argues that a basic governance framework can help solution developers think more deliberately about their products and build more inclusive experiences for users, which ultimately translat...

Our third season of Better Innovation was like no other. COVID-19 caused us to refocus our strategy; we took our own advice and had a series of 'innovation pivots' along the way. This led to a season filled with diverse topics - from artificial intelligence, to technical convergence, and ultimately a deep dive into what it means to innovate during a crisis. In this wrap-up episode, Jeff recaps a s...

In a few short years, there will likely be 10x as many IoT devices on the planet than humans. We've never had more data, but how do we utilize it without compromising privacy? This week, Jeff is joined by Dr. David Bray, inaugural Director of the GeoTech Center with the Atlantic Council. David knows how to innovate in a crisis. He has been on the front lines of the response to 9/11, anthrax attack...

This week, we're joined for the second time by Steve Blank—innovator, educator and founder of lean start-up theory. Organizations of all types are seeking a return to growth. Steve has applied his lean theory to institutions reemerging from the pandemic; in search of unique ways to accelerate innovation. Steve and his team are running multiple 5-day virtual workshops at Stanford, called 'Hacking 4...

This week, we're talking to Pete Newell, retired U.S. Army Colonel, CEO of BMNT (a government consulting/innovation firm), and close collaborator of former guest Steve Blank. Pete has helped entrepreneurs and organizations across the globe apply the innovation lessons he learned in the Army to better perceive when significant – and disruptive - change is near. Now, amidst a global pandemic, those...

This week, we're back with the Safe Paths team as Jeff sits down with its founder, MIT Associate Professor Ramesh Raskar. Jeff and Ramesh explore the inspiration for Safe Paths and Ramesh's vision for establishing Path Check, a nonprofit committed to developing leading technology to slow the spread of COVID-19.   Ramesh's inspiration for the Safe Paths technology stems from his experience at Burni...