The Innovation Meets Leadership Podcast

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born continues the Set It On Fire: The Art of Innovation series by diving into Chapter 7: Failure: Innovation's Training Ground. Joined by Moriah Hidden, Natalie explores why failure is not the opposite of innovation, but a necessary part of the process. Together, they unpack the difference between failures and mistakes, the role of...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born continues the Set It On Fire: The Art of Innovation series by diving into Chapter 6: The Product Development Framework. Joined by Moriah Hidden, Natalie explores practical ways organizations can intentionally surface innovation, move ideas from concept to execution, and create systems that help innovation thrive long-term. This conv...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born continues the Set It on Fire: The Art of Innovation series by diving into Chapter 5: Pace, Process & Empowerment. Joined again by Moriah Hidden, Natalie explores how organizations often struggle to innovate because teams are either moving too slowly, operating in chaos, or lacking the empowerment needed to make decisions confide...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born continues the Set It on Fire: The Art of Innovation series by diving into the topic of Socializing Innovation. Joined again by Moriah Hidden as guest-host, Natalie explores why innovation is no longer about brilliant individuals—it’s about building brilliant teams. This conversation unpacks how leaders can break down silos, involve...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born continues the Set It on Fire: The Art of Innovation series by diving into Chapter 3: Culture Killers for Innovation. Joined again by Moriah Hidden as guest-host, Natalie explores the internal cultural dynamics that either fuel or shut down innovation inside organizations. This conversation unpacks the importance of alignment, team h...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born continues the Set It on Fire: The Art of Innovation series by diving into Chapter 2: Get Out of My Sandbox. Joined again by Moriah Hidden as the co-host, Natalie unpacks one of the biggest hidden barriers to innovation inside organization, ownership silos. While many organizations believe innovation belongs to a specific department...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, Natalie Born launches a special series exploring her book "Set It on Fire: The Art of Innovation", starting with the foundational elements every innovative organization must build. Joined by Moriah as interviewer, Natalie explains why many companies struggle with innovation, not because they lack ideas, but because they lack clarity. Drawing from Cha...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership , host Natalie Born sits down with Braydan Young , B2B tech entrepreneur, co-founder of Sendoso, and founder of Slash Experts , to unpack what innovation really looks like inside early-stage startups. Braydan shares hard-earned lessons from building and scaling multiple companies—covering everything from replacing traditional sales demos with peer-to-...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born sits down with author, keynote speaker, and former executive Scott Millson to explore what it truly means to operate at the Frequency of Excellence. Drawing from decades of leadership experience—from the U.S. Navy to global consulting—Scott shares how excellence isn’t accidental, but something leaders must intentionally tune into ev...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born sits down with Clifton Dickens, a seasoned information security leader with over 30 years of experience spanning cybersecurity, IT audit, governance, and organizational leadership. This conversation goes beyond technology to explore how leadership mindset, diversity of thought, and healthy conflict directly impact innovation, decisi...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born sits down with executive coach, former diplomat, and author Rene Sonneveld for a powerful conversation about leadership, innovation, and the unseen forces that shape both. Rene explores why innovation doesn’t begin with strategy decks or brainstorm sessions—but with the courage to name what everyone feels and no one is saying. From...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born welcomes back Ron Crabtree—founder and CEO of MetaOps and MetaExperts, global process improvement leader, and one of the most respected voices in Lean and operational excellence. This conversation takes a deep dive into value stream mapping, a powerful visual methodology that helps leaders uncover hidden inefficiencies, reduce cycle...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, Natalie Born sits down with Quentin Florence and Doug Vanderlinde, the founders of Coplanar Capital, to explore a powerful reframing of wealth, investment, and calling. With a faith-driven mission and a deep belief in stewardship, Quentin and Doug unpack why the future of investing isn’t just about capital — it’s about identity, leadership, and multi...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership , host Natalie Born sits down with Jolynn Ledgerwood , learning and development expert, certified Gallup Strengths coach, and founder of Elevate Your Talent . With over 25 years of experience working with global brands like PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, and Toyota, Jolynn introduces us to a transformative methodology called LEGO® Serious Play , a hands-on appro...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership , host Natalie Born sits down with Brad McDonald — leadership designer, executive coach, and co-founder of Pattern Talent. With a mission to develop one million leaders, Brad brings deep insights from his work with organizations like Chick-fil-A, the U.S. Army, and the City of Phoenix. Together, Natalie and Brad unpack the four dimensions of leadershi...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, Natalie Born sits down with Louisa Loran, former Google executive and author of Leadership Anatomy in Motion. With an impressive career spanning Diageo, Maersk, and Google, Louisa has redefined what it means to lead across industries—from building billion-dollar supply chains to transforming legacy business models. Louisa reveals how curiosity, coura...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership , Natalie Born sits down with Doug C. Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies and a sales growth expert who has generated over $900M in revenue for clients worldwide. Doug reveals how math, metrics, and automation can transform any sales organization into a predictable growth engine. From reducing refund rates by spotting hidden blind spots, to building AI...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership , Natalie Born sits down with Scott Smith, CEO of True Network Advisors. Scott has transformed the employee benefits industry by building a thriving community of 93+ member agencies and curating industry-leading events that go beyond networking—they create unforgettable experiences. From humble beginnings in rural Alabama to leading one of the most co...

In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, Natalie Born sits down with Dr. Scott Hutcheson, biosocial scientist, senior lecturer at Purdue University, and author of Biohacking Leadership. Scott blends his academic expertise with real-world experience advising organizations—from startups to the White House—to uncover how biology shapes leadership and team performance. Drawing from both persona...

What Happens When Pressure Builds—and You Don’t Even Know It? In this episode, Natalie Born sits down with Ryan Dunlap, conflict strategist, former hostage negotiator, and author of How to Untie a Balloon: A Negotiator’s Guide to Avoid Popping Under Pressure. Ryan brings real-life strategies from both interrogation rooms and executive coaching sessions, helping leaders recognize how pressure impac...

What happens to marketing when AI becomes not just a tool, but a partner? In this episode, Natalie Born speaks with Nick Jain, founder of Content Hurricane and former CEO of IdeaScale. Nick shares insights from building a scalable AI-powered content marketing platform, diving into how AI is reshaping marketing departments, team structures, and creativity itself. He unpacks the transition from manu...

What does it take to keep people laughing while tackling tough topics—and why does humor open unexpected doors for influence? In this episode, Natalie welcomes Ben Price, widely known as Australia’s Best Impersonator. With more than 200 voice impressions in his repertoire, Ben shares how a childhood talent led him to national TV, comedy tours, and street outreach. From his journey on Australia&#39...

What if the secret to career satisfaction isn't changing what you do, but rediscovering who you are? In this episode, Natalie welcomes back career coach and author Kene Iloenyosi for a conversation about purpose, identity, and how understanding your natural abilities can unlock clarity in both life and work. Kene shares insights from his workshops and books, including “Finding Your Sweet Spot” and...

Why do so many entrepreneurs fail to close deals, not because they lack a great product, but because they misunderstand the real nature of sales? In this episode, Natalie welcomes Jeb Blount Jr., division leader at Sales Gravy and host of the Sales Gravy podcast. They dive into the crucial but often misunderstood role of sales in entrepreneurship. Jeb breaks down the emotional intelligence behind...

What’s the real reason most digital transformation projects fail—and what are successful leaders doing differently? In this episode, Natalie welcomes Ron Crabtree, founder and CEO of MetaOps and MetaExperts. With over 30 years of experience in operations, supply chain, and digital transformation, Ron shares hard-earned insights from his work across industries—from automotive to tech to manufacturi...