Spotting Ideas with the Potential for Scale| Ward Kampf | 538

Can you spot a good idea? And when you do, how do you successfully find its best audience? These are just two questions we examine with today's guest, Ward Kampf. Ward is the President of Northwood Retail, which leases, manages, and markets a portfolio of over five million square feet of mixed use and community properties. With retail facing constant technological changes, leaders are always trying to discover the next frontier. Ward shares with us the exciting way content and context come together to impact a potential consumer. Part of creating that impact involves staying relevant, fresh, and - if possible - first to market. Searching for the next frontier means having to constantly examine new ideas.  Ward explains why we need to step back, absorb the idea, and learn about it.  Only then can you create a vision, strategy, and execution that can bring success. We also discuss building relationships.  Again, retail and thought leadership involve creating relationships based on trust, which means not always seeking to make a sale.  Ward shares how some of his best relationships took years to develop before any business transactions took place, but that time invested has paid off in the long run. Today's episode is a great example of how thought leadership can have an impact on a wide variety of industries - around the world! Three Key Takeaways: ·         You have to have an open mind and a want to listen and learn. It's an evolve-or-die environment.  You can't afford to become irrelevant or stale.   ·         Financial and human resources are not infinite.  Go where you can be your most productive with the resources you have. ·         It can take years to develop a business partnership.  Investing time can pay off down the road when you are trying to sell a better experience and partnership instead of just a product.