Innovate Now

October 6, 2010 Jillian Koeneman innovation, ted, tedxdetroit blog

The time to innovate is now. Not tomorrow. Not when the economy picks up. Not when you are making more money. Not when you have more time. NOW.

Your business can’t afford to put innovation on the back burner any longer. It needs to be your top priority.

Jeff DeGraff, Dean of Innovation at University of Michigan, said during his talk at TedXDetroit (a breeding ground for innovation) that the companies that will survive and thrive will be the ones who innovate NOW.

While the thought of innovation may seem a little daunting at first, I think at times we tend to put innovation up on a pedestal.

Innovation doesn’t necessarily mean you have to come up with some huge idea that will radically change the world. Innovation can come in the form of baby steps as well.

Look at innovation as challenging the status quo to bring about positive change. What can you do within your business that will not only benefit you but also others?

For example being innovative may mean that you strive to find a simpler way to do things, or develop a new process that will make your customers’ lives better. You may use digital technology like Facebook or Twitter to build better better relationships with your customers, while reducing overall marketing costs. Perhaps it’s redesigning your website to streamline your ordering and inventory process. All of these things are considered innovation.

What are you waiting for? The time to innovate is NOW. Your business and the success of our country depend on it.

Photo Credit: TedXDetroit.com