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The Iowa Idea: Aaron Proietti

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, Aaron Proietti returns as we try to make sense of 2020 from an innovation perspective. Aaron is the author of Today’s Innovator. He is an innovation expert with seventeen years of experience innovating in complex organizations. Through his company “Today’s Innovator” and his writing, Aaron’s mission is to connect and empower the innovators found within each of us.

Aaron and I talk about 2020 and how we’re making sense of it. We discuss disruption, the winners and losers of the year, as well as historic parallels to the 1920s. We dig deep into sensemaking, wayfinding, and crisis innovation, and close with what lessons we might take away from a crazy year.

It was great having Aaron back on the podcast. I thank him for his time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode and wish you the best in 2021.

About Aaron

Aaron Proietti is an innovation expert with seventeen-plus years of experience innovating in complex organizations. Most recently, at Transamerica, a multinational Fortune 500 insurance company, Aaron built and led the company’s Insights & Innovation department consisting of six centers of excellence designed to fuel innovation. As Chief Innovation Officer he led a division- wide effort to transform the culture of 6,000 employees to a culture of innovation, collaboration, and trust. As Chief Customer Advocate he merged the company’s customer-centric service strategy with its forward-looking innovation strategy. And as the Head of Marketing Innovation he built and staffed a cutting-edge Research & Development team tasked with building customer experiences of the future and integrating them back into Transamerica’s core business.

After getting his Master’s Degree in Applied Mathematics from Georgia Tech, Aaron got his career started as a Data Analyst at Capital One, one of the nation’s largest banks — a role that for sure would be called a Data Scientist today. It is there that he gained his first exposure to innovation as part of a team that developed new products and processes that contributed over $50 million per year. Aaron later worked as a Product Owner in Capital One’s “Invention Factory,” as well as several other roles that would shape his career as an innovator. It is at Capital One where Aaron learned the value a strong corporate culture has in driving innovation. He left Capital One in 2007 to gain experience in the startup environment, working to develop a new way of packaging and selling life insurance.

In 2016, at the age of forty, Aaron stepped away from the corporate grind to decompress and reevaluate his career trajectory. He recently founded Today’s Innovator, a coaching and training company working to “connect and empower innovators.” Aaron is the author of the book Today’s Innovator (Motivational Press, 2019). He speaks at conferences and events on topics related to technology trends, innovation leadership, innovation strategy, and culture change. Aaron has also been a regular writing contributor at Future Shapers, InnovationLeader.com and Insurance Thought Leadership.

Today’s Innovator Website

Today’s Innovator Book

Credits

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/)

The Iowa Idea Podcast music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Jorge Arango

 “We need to resist the siren call of the extreme.”

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Jorge Arango. Jorge is an information architect, author, and educator. He helps design products and services that bring business goals and user needs into alignment. Jorge is the author of Living in Information: Responsible Design for Digital Places (released in 2018) and co-author of Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond. He’s a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at global design conferences. In addition to his design consulting practice, Jorge also writes a blog, hosts a podcast, and teaches systems design in the graduate interaction design program at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

We explore Jorge’s journey from an architect of buildings to an information architect and a designer of digital systems and applications. We discuss the need for responsible design and why it’s important to be suspicious of extremes, especially in the context of social media.

It was an honor having Jorge join me on the show. I thank him for sharing his time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Jorge

Jorge Arango

Information Architect, Author, and Educator

Jorge Arango helps design products and services that bring business goals and user needs into alignment. Over the past twenty-five years, he has architected digital experiences and “made the complex clear” for organizations ranging from non-profits to Fortune-500 corporations. Jorge’s areas of expertise include strategic design direction, conceptual modeling, and navigation design.

Jorge is the author of Living in Information: Responsible Design for Digital Places (Two Waves Books, 2018) and co-author of Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond (O’Reilly Media, 2015). He’s also a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at global design conferences. In addition to his design consulting practice, Jorge also writes a blog, hosts a podcast, and teaches systems design in the graduate interaction design program at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

Links

Jorge’s site: https://jarango.com

Jorge’s Podcast: https://theinformed.life

Jorge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jarango

Credits

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/)

The Iowa Idea Podcast music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Jesse Elliott 

You can’t always get what you want.

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Jesse Elliott. Jesse is the Director of Creative Ecosystems for CACHE (Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange), is a lifelong champion of collaborative social entrepreneurship, the power of multimedia and storytelling, and inclusive arts and artist resourcing.  He is the founder and songwriter of two rock and roll bands, who released six albums and performed live 1,200 times in a decade, from SXSW and Glastonbury to Lollapalooza and your favorite local dive. A proud graduate of the University of Iowa, Elliott penned books and speeches with economist Richard Florida, helped research and author music strategies for the City of Denver and the State of Colorado, and served Bohemian Foundation as the founding Director of The Music District.

We talk about his work with economist Richard Florida; the building of creative collaborations and creative ecosystems, and the simple power of collaboration that can be fueled by as little as cheap pizza and cold beer. We dig into the early days of the James Gang collaboration, as well as Jesse’s work on Denver’s music strategies, as well as the State of Colorado’s music strategy. We briefly touch on Jack Kerouac’s affinity for Iowa and how he may have mistaken Des Moines for Iowa City.

I encourage you to check out Jesse’s Tedx talk, linked in the episode description, as he talks about music ecosystems and the remixing of community.

It was an honor having Jesse join me on the show. I appreciate how Jesse credits and shares the positive influence that mentors have had on his journey. I Jesse for sharing his time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Jesse

Jesse Elliott, Director of Creative Ecosystems for CACHE (Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange), is a lifelong champion of collaborative social entrepreneurship, the power of multimedia and storytelling, and inclusive arts and artist resourcing.  He is the founder and songwriter of two rock and roll bands, who released six albums and performed live 1,200 times in a decade, from SXSW and Glastonbury to Lollapalooza and your favorite local dive. A proud graduate of the University of Iowa, Elliott penned books and speeches with economist Richard Florida, helped research and author music strategies for the City of Denver and the State of Colorado, and served Bohemian Foundation as the founding Director of The Music District.  He’s a complete amateur at everything from old Schwinns and experimental cooking to eastern philosophies and evolutionary neuroscience, living on Beaver Lake in Rogers, AR, with his kayak Ozzie, his bike Trailzz, and various maps of the earth and sky hung on everything that’s not a window.

https://www.themusicdistrict.org/

http://www.cachecreate.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7RwANj9z-c

https://schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/making-a-music-city-home-innovating-music-podcast/

Credits

Episode produce by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/)

The Iowa Idea Podcast music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Matthew Swift 

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Matthew Swift. Matt is an entrepreneur, restauranter, and CEO. If you enjoy great beer, great food, and well-designed settings in the ICR corridor, you’ve most likely been at one of Matt’s hospitality projects, which include St. Burch, Mosely’s, Pullman’s, 30 Hop, Red’s, Blackstone, and Big Grove – I hope I got them all.

Matt is an Iowa native and grew up in the restaurant industry learning the business first-hand at his mother’s restaurant Slugger’s.  We discuss how his hospitality projects, especially Big Grove have evolved, grown – and have pivoted in the middle of the pandemic. We dig deep into the craft beer business and spend some time discussing barbeque. I really appreciated how Matt attributes his success to team collaboration as well as strong, trusted partnerships. We explore the importance of community and place when it comes to designing an experience, and  the need to remain nimble to keep growing.

It was an honor having Matt join me on the show. I thank him for sharing his time and insights. Sit back, crack a cold one, and enjoy the episode.

Credits

Episode produce by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/)

The Iowa Idea Podcast music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Mark Nolte

“It mattered to that one.”

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down Mark Nolte. Mark is a lifelong Iowan who feels indebted to this state and has spent his professional life trying to help strengthen and grow the economy through entrepreneurship. He and his wife Leslie have five children. Mark is considering a run for Governor as an Independent in 2022 to bring Iowans back together and solving problems with common sense.

Mark and I discuss his journey into economic development. We dig into the need for more collaborative ways to address the complex, or wicked, problems that may be preventing our communities and state from being the best they can be.

It was an honor having Mark join me on the show. Mark was a big help when I launched my company and incredibly supportive of me as I started this podcast. I really appreciated his stories and perspectives. I thank Mark for sharing his time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Mark

Mark Nolte is a lifelong Iowan who feels indebted to this state and has spent his professional life trying to help strengthen and grow the economy through entrepreneurship. He and his wife Leslie have five children that they hopefully haven’t screwed up too much. Mark is considering a run for Governor as an Independent in 2022 to bring Iowans back together and solving problems with common sense.

Credits

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/)

The Iowa Idea Podcast music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Samantha Ferm

“I just followed what felt like the next best step.”

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Samantha Ferm. Samantha helps businesses in southeast Iowa navigate the world of local, state, and federal government contracting. She also owns and operates her own massage therapy and sound healing business in Iowa City, Full Circle Wellness, and is one of the leaders for Her Experience, a day-long urban retreat for women.

Samantha and I discuss her journey starting her own business, helping small businesses navigate government contracts, and working on a family farm in California; as well as her early job as a Starbucks barista. I apologize, to you dear listeners, for my excitement digging into the barista naming process, Starbucks socks policy, and the glory of French press coffee.

It was an honor having Samantha join me on the show. I really appreciated Samantha’s stories and perspectives. I thank her for sharing her time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Samantha

Samantha joined the ISU CIRAS Procurement Technical Assistance Center team in 2018, after almost three years as a Business Counselor for the Kirkwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC), where she supported small businesses throughout Linn, Benton, and Jones counties. During her time there, she received the Iowa SBDC ‘Support Person of the Year’ award for 2017 and also supported the state’s largest 1 Million Cups weekly networking program. Prior to joining the SBDC, Samantha was the Marketing Director for EntreFEST, Iowa’s largest startup, and small business conference. Originally from the Phoenix area, Samantha spent nearly five years in Washington D.C. prior to moving to Iowa, where she worked as the Marketing and Community Outreach Manager for the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza).

Samantha also owns and operates her own massage therapy and sound healing business in Iowa City, Full Circle Wellness, and is one of the leaders for Her Experience, a day-long urban retreat for women.

Links

CIRAS –  https://www.ciras.iastate.edu/

Credits

Episode produce by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/)

The Iowa Idea Podcast music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).