105. What If I Had 5 Minutes? Designing for Dignity and Independence - Douglas Katz

If you had just five minutes to leave the world with one message, what would you say?In this episode of Growth Room's What If I Had 5 Minutes? series, we sit down with Douglas Katz—a West Point graduate, disabled Army veteran, inventor, and founder of Redleg Innovation.After decades of serving in the military and leading across multiple industries, Douglas turned his personal experiences with disability and caregiving into a mission to design products that restore independence, dignity, and confidence. From inventing the adaptive NULU kitchen knife to developing tools that improve everyday life, his work proves that innovation is most powerful when it's built with empathy.Before answering the one question at the heart of this series, Douglas shares the experiences that shaped his purpose, the challenges that transformed his perspective, and why designing for real people matters more than designing for trends.Whether you're an entrepreneur, innovator, caregiver, veteran, or someone searching for purpose through life's challenges, this conversation will leave you inspired to think differently about impact, resilience, and service.🎧 Listen now and discover why sometimes five minutes is enough to change a life.Connect with Douglas Katzhttps://dougkatz8.wixsite.com/douglasmkatz📱 Follow Douglas on:LinkedInYouTubeInstagramFacebookTikTokThreadsRedditIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Growth Room, leave a review, and share it with someone who believes the best innovations are the ones that make life better for others.