231. Creating a Culture of Innovation in Your Agency, with Jacob Beckley
Nov 8, 2023
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Jacob Beckley, EVP of Technology, Product, and Innovation at Fusion 92, discusses the importance of cultivating a culture of innovation in agencies. Topics include thinking broadly about innovation, the value of diverse thinking, scaling team participation, taking calculated risks, and monetizing innovation practices.
Innovation goes beyond technology and trendy solutions; it's about solving the right problem and finding breakthrough solutions.
Fostering a culture of innovation throughout the agency, not limited to specific teams, leads to diverse perspectives and generates breakthrough ideas.
Deep dives
The Role of Innovation in Agency Work
Innovation in agency work goes beyond technology and trendy solutions. It's about solving the right problem and finding breakthrough solutions. By approaching challenges with fresh eyes and a limitless mindset, agencies can excel in solving the unsolvable. However, the term 'innovation' has become diluted and is often misunderstood. True innovation is about identifying the real problem and understanding its influences. It's about breaking down the problem matrix and finding the solution that will put clients ahead of their competition.
Building a Culture of Innovation
Fostering a culture of innovation is essential for agency success. It starts with hiring curious individuals and encouraging their initiative and passion. Curiosity can be trained, but it's important to find people who naturally possess this trait. A culture of innovation should be instilled throughout the entire agency, not limited to a specific team or department. Curiosity leads to diverse perspectives, which is crucial for generating breakthrough ideas. Innovation is a combination of seemingly invisible dots, where diverse experiences and perspectives are connected to create something new.
Systematizing Innovation in an Agency
A culture of innovation should be supported by mechanisms and systems within the agency. It is more than just having a dedicated innovation team or department. It requires distilling the belief in innovation across the entire organization. Implementation involves creating mechanisms, procedures, and processes that encourage innovation and enable success. Curiosity and perspective are the foundations for innovative thinking, and the agency should reward and recognize these qualities. The agency should also focus on solving the hardest problems first and have a staged gate process to quickly identify and disprove bad ideas.
Innovation as an Opportunity for Agencies
Agencies can monetize their innovative thinking by offering their expertise in helping clients with innovation initiatives. This includes running innovation experiments, setting up innovation labs, and providing methodology and principles for managing innovation internally. By fostering a culture of innovation and offering innovative solutions, agencies can differentiate themselves and create strong client relationships. It is important to focus on the problem, embrace a culture of innovation, and believe in the value it brings to both the agency and its clients.
Today we’re joined by Jacob Beckley, the Executive Vice President of Technology, Product, and Innovation at Fusion92. He discusses how innovation is often misunderstood and how it can be applied in various ways to solve problems for agencies and clients. The emphasis of today’s conversation is on the importance of cultivating a culture of innovation and sharing insights on integrating and implementing innovation to drive agency growth.
What you will learn in this episode:
How to think broadly about innovation.
What dilutes innovation in agencies.
The value of diverse thinking in agency businesses.
How to scale team participation when innovating in your business.
The importance of taking calculated risks in order to innovate.
How to monetize innovation practices.
Bio
Jacob Beckley is EVP of Innovation, Technology & Product at Fusion92. Jake oversees product development and innovation for the firm, leading research and building of unique technology-based solutions for clients.
The seasoned innovator has conceptualized and developed multiple patented solutions and technologies, and he has become a global leader in blockchain technology, using decentralized finance to revolutionize charitable fundraising and international healthcare.
His expertise includes merging high technology with sales and marketing in dynamic enterprise and retail environments that solve real business challenges and develop new growth opportunities.