This weeks episode, hosted by Mike Procee, we dive into the world of corporate innovation with Shannon Phillips, co-founder of the Calgary Innovation Peer Forum. Shannon shares his journey from biomedical science to organizational behavior, and how he's helping large companies foster a culture of innovation.Tune in to learn about the power of creating a supportive community for corporate innovators, and how to empower your employees to drive meaningful change.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta. Host: Mike Procee is an entrepreneur, facilitator, innovator and problem solver. Working in the Calgary Energy Sector, Mike strives to build the innovation ecosystem and community. From his volunteer position on the Strategic Capability Network, where he founded the Calgary Innovation Peer Forum, to pursuing his DBA in Winter 2024, focused on innovation, Mike is pushing the thinking on what it means to be a corporate innovation practitioner.

Guest: Shannon Phillips with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, thinks like a scientist to better understand human behavior and decision making.

He’s your go-to for innovation management, organizational change management and organizational behavior, strategic planning, and innovation. He’s also trained in different psychology concepts, such as behavioral psychology, emotional intelligence, and personality psychology.

Shannon loves thinking outside the box and challenging others to do so. He’s people-focused and is always trying to understand why people do what they do.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• Unbounded Thinking
• Innovation Peer Forum

Show Quotes:

"Large organizations are already innovating, but what we are talking about here is how they can put a framework around their innovation to increase the speed and the efficiency of their innovation programs."

Credits... This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine Episode Music: Tony Del Degan Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

In our latest episode, Peter Beaudoin sits down with experienced entrepreneur and sales expert Craig Elias, who shares his insights on building effective sales capabilities for startups in the Alberta ecosystem. Craig emphasizes the importance of proactive, outbound sales efforts - not just relying on marketing. He advises startups to focus on the lean canvas model to clearly define their problem, competition, ideal customers, and unique value.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta. Host: Peter Beaudoin Peter manages strategy and partnerships for an innovative alliance of energy companies committed to reducing environmental impacts through collaborative R&D efforts. Peter worked for more than 20 years in Asia building and investing in a variety of businesses. His most recent role outside of Canada was with the World Wildlife Fund, where he was the Chief Executive Officer of WWF China, based in Beijing. Prior to that, Peter lived in Hong Kong for 15 years working in the technology industry.

Guest: Craig Elias is LinkedIn user number 3,956 of over a billion users and he has 10,000+ unsolicited endorsements - with over 1,000 of them for his favourite sales topic, lead generation. In both 2018 and 2019, Craig was chosen by LinkedIn as Canada's #1 B2B Sales Expert (#15 globally). Craig’s first startup went from initial launch to being funded by a Tier 1 US-based Venture Capitalist and was twice named by Dow Jones as one of the 50 most promising companies in North America in less than 24 months after launching. He is a Startup Mentor for the Alchemist Accelerator in San Francisco, on an advisory board for South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, a mentor for Techstars in Toronto and has been a National Growth Advisor for Goldman Sachs’ and Babson College’s 10,000 Small Business Program in Boston. Craig is the recipient of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics Gold Award of Excellence in Entrepreneurship and, for the last nine years, has been the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Bow Valley College in downtown Calgary, where he runs Calgary’s Innovation Rodeo and spearheads initiatives like 150 Startups, MVP Mondays, Tech Sales Tuesdays, and Founder Fridays to help people from all walks of life become first-time entrepreneurs. He has an Executive MBA from the University of Calgary, specializing in New Venture Creation and Technology Commercialization and a cross-disciplinary BA from the University of Western Ontario.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• Lean Canvas Model
• 150 Startups

Show Quotes:

"so I'm one of those hardcore sales guys. I'm like outbound, pick up the phone, call somebody, go get customers." "I think if you start getting traction, once you get past 10 customers, you've now got some data."

Credits... This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine Episode Music: Tony Del Degan Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

In this captivating episode, we follow the remarkable journey of Melvin Adekanye, who pivoted from his childhood dream of becoming a pilot to finding success as a thriving app developer. Melvin's story is a testament to the power of serendipity and perseverance, as he navigated unexpected life changes and discovered his passion for coding.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta. Host: Al Del Degan is a software developer and tech leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem. He is also a Web3 enthusiast and podcaster, sharing his knowledge and passion for emerging technologies with his audience. Al is the founder and CTO of New Idea Machine, a software company dedicated to helping new developers gain hands-on experience building real-world applications. With his commitment to giving back to the community, Al is always available to offer advice on technology and business. His passion for innovation and entrepreneurship is evident in everything he does, making him a respected leader in the tech industry.

Guest: Melvin Adekanye is a testament to the power of serendipity and perseverance. Born in Nigeria, his initial dream of becoming a pilot was redirected when his family moved to Canada. A chance encounter with a friend hacking websites sparked his interest in coding, leading him to create a YouTube channel where he shared tutorial videos and built a following of aspiring coders. This small decision profoundly impacted his life, transitioning him from a childhood dream to a successful career as a tech innovator. Melvin is now the founder of the Jam app, a platform revolutionizing networking through unique features like "Jam Bingo" that foster authentic in-person connections. With a team of marketing interns and a new developer from Brazil, Melvin is expanding Jam’s reach across Canada, emphasizing the importance of leveraging existing connections and resources. His journey highlights the significance of perseverance, creative thinking, and the impact of seemingly small decisions on achieving great accomplishments.

Show Links:

• Jam The Social App
• Melvin's YouTube Channel

Show Quotes:

"I called my mom and I was like, Jam just made it's first buck" "We thought, why don't we create a situation where people are forced to be in networking situations"

Credits... This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine Episode Music: Tony Del Degan Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan