Women's Talents in Innovation – Alfia Ilicheva & Maria Potoroczyn

"We recognize that women add fundamentally different and unique and a very powerful contribution to creating new ideas, new products, new services."   Alfia Ilicheva on Electric Ladies podcast If you think only the "ah-ha" ideas become successful businesses (or nonprofits), then Alfia Ilicheva and Maria Potoroczyn want to talk to you.  They believe it's a deliberative process that anyone, especially women, can do.    Listen to Alfia and Maria, Cofounders of Women in Innovation, a nascent educational nonprofit based in New York City, talk about how they are leveraging their years in innovation consulting with large firms – and their contacts – to help women learn and succeed with the processes they have found successful. You'll hear: ·       Why innovation is not "magic" – but a set of choices and processes that lead to specific goals and ROI (returns on investment – whatever ROI is to you). ·       Specific tips and strategies for making innovation work – from building a team, to brainstorming ideas, to culling them down, to executing on the ones chosen. "Significant opportunities don't just magically appear out of thin air; "you're strategically, mindfully creating these opportunities," Alfia said. ·       What they believe are the unique gifts and challenges that women bring to the innovators' table. ·       How they have grown their community with very low expenses and an all volunteer staff. ·       Plus,, career advice, including how they are each raising small children at the same time! "Our goal is to close the gender gap in business and thought leadership in the innovation industry…" Alfia Ilicheva on Green Connections Radio You'll also like these episodes (though all our guests talk about innovation!): ·       Maria Freire, CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), on creative business models for innovation. ·       Mary Snapp, President of Microsoft Philanthropies and Corporate VP of Microsoft, on focused and serendipitous innovation. ·       Laura Liswood, Secretary-General of the Council of Women World Leaders, on the importance of the "dominant" culture in innovation (especially for women). ·       Ellen Williams, Former Director of ARPA-E, the prestigious innovation arm of the Dept. of Energy, on energy innovation. Thanks for subscribing on iTunes or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Also, join our Facebook Page  and share your insights! Join our mailing list to stay up to date on the top podcasts and special offers! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson