Think Like an Innovator

The stories of three great inventions that started by accident. Willis Carrier set out to solve one problem and in the process he invented air-conditioning. Edouard Benedictus had an accident which led to safety glass. Wilson Greatbatch made a mistake and went on to invent the pacemaker. Stories taken from the book, The Art of Unexpected Solutions , by Paul Sloane.

We review the remarkable achievements of three women innovators. Ada Lovelace (1815 - 1852) is recognised as the world's first computer programmer. Stephanie Kwolek (1923 - 2014) was the inventor of Kevlar. Stephanie (Steve) Shirley (1933 - 2025) was an IT pioneer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. All challenged conventions.

Zhao Kuangyin (927 - 976) was a shrewd reformer who became Emperor of China and founded the Song dynasty. Zhang Ruimin was born in 1949. He is famous entrepreneur and innovator.

We review the lives and impacts of two towering iconoclasts and innovators in 20th century art. - Marcel Duchamp (1887 - 1968) and Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973).

We review the stories of two great 20th century inventors. Guglielmo Marconi (1874 - 1937) was an Italian radio pioneer. Edwin Land (1909 - 1991) was the American chemist who invented the Polaroid Camera.

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) is considered the greatest playwright of all time; Jonathan Swift (1667 - 1745), the greatest satirist. What can we mere mortals learn from these literary giants? You might be surprised.

The stories of two very different inventors. One was forced to innovate and the other stumbled on a great idea by chance. Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate and Percy Spencer created the microwave oven.

The stories of two contrasting inventors and innovators who made contributions to the allied efforts in World War II.  Both featured in films.  Hedy Lamar (1914 - 2000) was an Austrian actress and Hollywood star who was called the most beautiful woman in the world.  She invented a radio technique still used today in wifi and bluetooth technologies.  Barnes Wallis (1887 - 1979)...

What ideas and inspiration can we glean from two English entrepreneurs and innovators?  Sir Charles Dunstone (born 1964) is the founder and former chariman of Carphone Warehouse, at one time the world's largest mobile phone retailer. Rob Law (born 1982) is the inventor of the Trunki, a ride-on suitcase for children which was savaged on Dragon's Den.

Paul Sloane relates the stories of two influential innnovators who each took an idea from one field and applied it with great effect in another.  Clarence Birdseye (1886 - 1956) was an American scientist who created the frozen food industry.  Jorge Odon (born 1952) is an Argentinain car mechanic who invented a device which can help save the lives of mothers and babies.

We consider the lives and achievements of two great inventors, who had contrasting experiences of fame and fortune. Thomas Edison (1847 - 1931) was probably the greatest inventor of all time.  Trevor Baylis (1937 - 2018) was the British inventor of the clockwork radio. 

Let's celebrate the achievements of two outstanding Scottish innovators.  Both were called Allexander and both had a tremendous impact on our lives. Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor of the telephone. Sir Alexander Fleming was the doctor who discovered penicillin.

We gain insights and inspiration from three great American movie makers and innovators.  Walt Disney (1901 - 1966) creator of ground-breaking cartoon films and founder of Disneyland.  The comedian, actor, writer and director, Woody Allen (born 1935).  And Steven Spielberg (born 1946), the most commercially successful film director of modern times. 

Let's go way back in history and consider the achievements of two geniuses of ancient Greece.  Pythagoras (570 - 495 BC) was a mathematician and philosopher.  Archimedes (287 - 212 BC) was a mathematician, engineer and inventor.  They laid the foundations of our understanding of mathematics and their theorems are taught in schools to this day.

The stories of two superb military leaders and innovators.  Hannibal (247 BC - 182 BC) was Rome's greatest enemy and one of the finest military strategists of all time. Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758 - 1805) is Britain's greatest naval commander.

Let's review the achievements of two great American engineers and inventors.  Martin Cooper (born 1928) is the creator of the mobile phone.  Ted Hoff (born 1937) invented the microprocessor.  Their stories are highly instructive for innovators.

This episode concerns two towering French innovators of the 19th century.  Each had a profound impact and can teach us lessons today.  Louis Braille (1809-1852) was the boy who enabled the blind to read.  Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923) was the engineer who designed the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.  He was known as the 'magician of iron'.

We will see what lessons we can learn from two American entrepreneurs who were remarkable mavericks.  Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011) was the brilliant but irascible founder who led Apple Corporation to incredible sucess.  Phil Romano (born 1940) is a controversial restaurateur who has founded a series of successful restaurant chains.

We review the towering contributions of two great scientific thinkers and innovators.  The Italian mathematician, experimenter and polymath, Galileo (1564-1642) is considered to be the father of modern science.  Charles Darwin (1809-1882) is the English naturalist who expounded the theory of evolution, one of the most influential and brilliant ideas ever conceived.

We consider the works and impacts of two of the greatest composers.  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was a child prodigy and a creator of brilliant works.  Ludwig van Beethoven (1779-1827) revolutionized classical music when he initiated the romantic movement.  What can we mere mortals learn?

The stories of two great business leaders and innovators.  Anne Mulcahy was the chairperson and CEO who turned around and saved the giant Xerox corporation.  Tony Hsieh was the young entrepreneur who created a remarkable corporate culture at Zappos.

Let's review the achievements of two great modern innovators.  Paul MacCready (1925 – 2007) was an American aeronautical engineer and inventor of the first human-powered aircraft.  Eric Migicovsky (born 1986) is the Canadian enrepreneur who invented the Pebble Watch and founded Pebble Inc.

We review the achievements of two leading industrialists, innovators and lateral thinkers.  Ricardo Semler (born 1959) is a Brazilian businessman who has revolutionized management thinking with the practices at his companies.  Rob McEwen (born 1950) is a Canadian mine owner who ran one the first and most successful corowdsourcing competitions on the internet. 

In this episode of the podcast series we consider the achievements of two influential medical innovators.  Joseph Lister (1827 - 1912) was the Scottish surgeon who pioneered antiseptic surgery and sterilisation of equipment.  Govinda Vekataswamy (1918 - 2006) was the Indian eye surgeon who took an idea from manufacturing and fast food and used it to transform the treatment of cataracts.&...

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973) is the most famous painter of the modern era.  He is considered by some to be five artists in one.  Roy Lichtenstein (1923 - 1997) responded to his son's challenge to become a leading figure in the Pop Art movement.