An exciting theme I talk about in ‘Slingshot’ is that start-up companies can circumvent the traditional practices of incumbent market leaders via the ‘innovation shortcut’ – smart, new combinations of already existing components.   Here is an example with full-society impact from Africa, based on the combination of personal mobile phones and a network of small retail shops.

Dr. Seuss was a big inspiration for both my book ‘Slingshot’ as well as my recent TEDx talk in Verona.  His timeless stories captivate and unleash the imagination of children and adults alike.  And to appreciate just how timeless his stories really are, consider the following newsflash.

On March 1st I took part in the TEDx Verona conference, which was a really lively and fun event, with a great line-up of speakers.  The conference drew a sold-out audience of 800 attendees, and was the 4th most popular topic on Italian social media.  I was pleased to be the first English speaking presenter in the event’s history.  Stay tuned for the video of my presentation, whose title was ‘Beyond the Wall of Our Imagination’.

How do you re-energize long-standing, successful brands to stay relevant?

Cow Parade is one of the case studies featured in my book Slingshot.  It is the world’s premier public art event series, and a wonderful example of the Slingshot principles in action.  And now, the cows are taking over California.