The Innovation Day Podcast

On the day of launch, the card game Exploding Kittens raised millions on Kickstarter, and went on to be one of the most successful campaigns in the history of the platform. In this episode Exploding Kittens Co-Founder Elan Lee shares what led up to that experience, how it felt to see those numbers continue to grow, and how the world of tabletop games has changed in the decades since that initial c...

Little Canada is consistently rated as one of the best attractions in Ontario, and those who've been know why. This is the story of how Jean-Louis channeled his love of Canada and his love of modelling into an astounding 45,000 square foot world inhabited by over 40,000 little people. The Innovation Day Podcast is hosted by Neil Follett and produced by Chess Originals. The song "Your Eye...

Kassia Meador has crafted an incredible career as a professional surfer, wellness advocate, and entrepreneur. From turning pro at 16 through to her very recent decision to set a new path for her business, Kassia has dropped in with focus and intentionality. In this episode Kassia brings her trademark candour, humour and warmth as she reflects on her journey, and shares her thoughts on what might c...

When he was just 18, Ben Taylor started the Beachman Life account on Instagram, and at the time it was a brand in search of a product. Fast forward to 2025 and that product is now an eBike (and soon to be motorcycle) like you’ve never seen before. On this episode Ben shares the Beachman story, from those very first bikes to the immanent launch of their electric motorcycle.  

Jayme and her co-founder Jessica set out to solve a complex and layered problem and wound up being voted one of Time Magazine's best new inventions. Jayme brings her infectious energy and passion to the show and shares with us how Everist is going about transforming the world of beauty care. 

For many, newspapers may not exactly be synonymous with “innovation”, but that opinion may change after listening to this episode. In 2017 musician and author Dave Bidini was inspired to start up a community paper in his west end Toronto neighbourhood. It was a labour of love and, with the help of his team and community, the West End Phoenix was born. The paper, and now the WEP’s office and event...

The path to entrepreneurial success is winding, steep and treacherous – just ask anyone who’s started a business. As with so many founders, Robert Kirstiuk had to make a ‘pandemic pivot’, and the result was Freshline. Robert’s story is one of starting local, with what you know, scaling up, scaling down and then rebuilding something new from the pieces. It’s a story about staying committed and bein...

Britta Shillingsburg has been hands-on in her quest to create a product that is just right for her customers and the best it can be for the planet. As you’ll hear in the episode. It's a high bar to meet, one that has set Britta on a multi-year journey from the hiking trails to her kitchen to her new online store. Britta’s story is one of commitment to the vision through the twists and turns o...

Founders like Ali Sabti, who have built a product are inventors at heart. Every inventor has their “Eureka” moment, for Archimedes it was in his bathtub and for Ali it was on his front lawn. Dealing with wasps and watering was the problem and, eventually, OtO was the solution. In this episode Ali shares his journey to create the product that was named one of the “Best Innovations” at CES and one o...

Founders find inspiration in all sorts of places, and for Craig Follett, Co-Founder of Peggy, it was at Art Bazel in Switzerland. Craig, along with his Co-Founder Adam, set out to take all the best elements of the Blue Chip art market and make it available to the rest of us. The result is Peggy, a platform that enables discovery, purchase and resale of art. If you love art, technology and creativi...

It’s astounding to think of all the puzzle pieces that need to fall in place for a successful product launch. From a great design, to manufacturing, to product market fit, to shipping and sales and so (SO) much more. In this episode Tony take us from a conversation that inspired the RUX system through to today, where the product is sold online and in major retailers across North America, Europe an...

Open innovation and prizes to drive exponential change have been around for a long time and have delivered huge results. In this episode Eric shares insights and stories from the front lines of sustainability – from Paris, to the UN to the XPRIZE. Eric is a fantastic storyteller and listening to this episode will be 40 minutes well-spent.

This episode is for everyone sitting in their cubicle (if that’s still a thing!) or working from their kitchen table dreaming of following their passion and starting up a business. Bern shares his journey from self-funded festival founder running the event on vacation time and credit cards, to pre-pandemic heights through the inevitable pandemic pivot. Filled with insight and humour, this is a sto...

Every Founder has their “Founder’s Story”, but few have a story like Emily’s. In this episode Emily takes us on an incredible journey, from incarceration to inspiration to the shelves of your local grocery store. With humility and humour Emily shows us that creativity can’t be constrained, and that second chances can deliver astounding results.

Dieter Rams, the legendary industrial designer, created with the ethos of “less, but better” and that pretty neatly sums up Ralph Dunning’s approach to Foreign Rider Co. Based out of Toronto, Ralph is channeling his experience from creating Dunning Golf in his newest venture. Ralph is passionate about getting it right: for his customers, his suppliers and for the planet. Purpose is one of the most...

“We aren’t saving lives here.” This is a phrase I’ve heard many times in the business world as we put our projects and stress into perspective. Well, as an ER physician, Dr. Brian Goldman is actually saving lives, and in his latest book The Power or Teamwork, How We Can All Work Better Together , he brings the teamwork tools from the OR into perspective for the rest of us.

As businesses across North America struggle with the concept of “hybrid” work, employees are experiencing record levels of stress. In this episode Jennifer Moss shares her insights on what makes work meaningful. Strong bonds, individual contributions and empowered teams all contribute to happy employees, but remote work can stand in the way and employees are often trading the commute for real conn...

AI is popping up everywhere, from helping your photos look better to finishing the sentences in your email. But despite all the talk of, “big data”, for many leaders AI has not come knocking on their door. Peak AI is looking to change all that. At Peak, AI is being used to help business make better decisions, and in this episode Chris Billingham guides us through the what, how and why of AI powere...

“Innovation”, the very subject of this podcast, is still a mysterious concept to most. Often understood to be a magical moment of “eureka”, the process of innovating is actually slow, messy and fraught with emotional landmines. In her new book, Experiencing Design: The Innovator’s Journey , Karen and her co-authors break down the innovation journey and, most importantly, focus on the barriers and...

Getting outside is good for you, that is a well-established fact. Fresh air, exercise and being in nature have positive, and measurable, health benefits. Now, powered by AI and machine learning, NatureQuant is putting a number on nature and working to quantify the positive impacts of getting off your screen and out of your home. This start-up is mapping North America and Europe, pulling in data fr...

In 2022 your time, eyes and data are fought over, and sought after, by a long list of advertisers, app developers, publishers and brands. Vox media is no different, they want your eyes and need your time, but they are different in the way they are going about it. In this episode Melissa shares the personal journey that led her to Vox, and shares her perspectives on the future of everything from pr...

In big cities around the world, housing, especially in a downtown core, has become financially out of reach for many. Add to that the disruption of development on those in a neighbourhood, and the environmental impact of building and we are truly facing a multi-faceted housing crisis. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Leith Moore envisioned a future where houses and land can be used more efficie...

After the tragic events of 9/11 Steve Abrams took a hard look at his career and decided it was time for a change. That change—starting Mill St. Brewery with some friends—took him on an amazing journey, one he is starting all over again. Steve and his Co-Founders sold sold Mill St. to Labatt in 2015, but the entrepreneurial spirit was still very much alive and Steve is at it again. His new company...

In this, our first iD Short, we are taking a quick break from our regular format as we introduce you to our Producer, Darryl Webster. Far more than just our Producer, Darryl is also a musician, published author and film adapter. On this episode we get Darryl in front of the mic to tell us the story of his first book, Pride in Travel.

When Luke Anderson was 24 years old he experienced a mountain biking accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury, leaving him with quadriplegia. That moment set in motion a series of events that led Luke to create the Stopgap Foundation, an organization dedicated to both the creation of ramps that solve some of the challenges of our build environment, and also to education and awareness of the...