David Hamme

• How is your presentation relevant to the theme of this year’s BBC conference: Innovation in the Fast Lane?

Einstein once stated that if he were given an hour to solve the world’s most challenging problem, he’d spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute crafting the solution. A predecessor to any deliberate innovation is an awareness of existing conditions — both the operational and the market environment. Attendees of this session will be given a framework for building an innovation approach and tools to execute it.

• What are your top tips for companies or employees wishing to innovate?

1. Get started now! Innovation is about exploring opportunities until you land on something that is differentiated, repeatable, and valued by the consumer. It takes cycles to get there. The sooner you start, the sooner you find it.
2. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of progress! Your solution — your market approach — your product do not have to be perfect. They simply need to be differentiated and valued. Getting it to market is more important than a flawless offering.
3. Get help! Innovation in isolation translates into innovation with only a limited number of inputs. To really rev the innovation engine, invite others. What business partners, customers, suppliers, consultants, or others can you invite to the party? The more the merrier.