How to Drive Innovation in Corporations Using the Entrepreneurial Spirit with Elliott Parker

In this episode Nate and Elliott dive into the history and necessity of optimism in entrepreneurship, the challenge of maintaining innovation in large corporations, and the importance of running fast, cheap, and weird experiments. Elliott Parker is the CEO of High Alpha Innovation, a venture studio that works with large-scale corporations and universities to co-create startups.  Elliott is also the author of The Illusion of Innovation, a book to help big corporations escape efficiency and achieve progress. You are going to walk away with actionable items insights on creating a culture of innovation and the practical steps to blend the strengths of both worlds for sustainable success. Check out these great clips: 00:20 Historical Perspective on Optimism 01:04 The Innovator's Dilemma 01:35 Elliot Parker's Background 02:29 Early Entrepreneurial Influences 03:17 Lessons from Family Business 05:18 First Steps in Entrepreneurship 07:45 Business School Insights 13:53 Journey to Indiana 16:19 Corporate Innovation at Roche 20:56 The Innovator's Dilemma in Practice 28:42 High Alpha Innovation 29:57 Spinning Out High Alpha Innovation 30:47 Early Experiments and First Launches 31:51 Partnering with Corporations and Universities 32:47 Challenges of Corporate Innovation 35:59 The Walt Disney Tinkering Story 38:46 Encouraging Innovation in Organizations 46:00 The Role of Optimism in Innovation 53:34 Lightning Round and Closing Thoughts By listening to this episode you will learn: The value of an MBA. Is it worth it?  What is the innovator's dilemma and how to overcome. How contrarian thinking can be game changer for your company as well as your personal life.