For the past 2 weeks I’ve travelled the world, connecting with brilliant entrepreneurs in Bengaluru, Helsinki, Paris, and London. Coming from Silicon Valley, it’s been a mind-opening trip – absorbing cultural differences & spotting common themes.
Innovation is everywhere – but how it’s practiced varies widely. Here’s what I learned from this amazing trip.
‘Celebrating Failure’ is not a universally accepted practice.

Cultural norms are powerful – and hard to shake loose. Consider an entrepreneur in Bengaluru – a place where the power goes out several times a day and poverty is starkly visible. The idea of celebrating failure in that context feels … Read the rest

Yesterday, my 9-year-old got home from school, slung off her backpack, and got together with her friends to put the finishing touches on a beautiful, modern fantasy hotel with expansive jade-colored tile floors, inviting wooden booths scattered throughout the lobby, and an under-water themed restaurant with a seasonal menu in the back. She and her friends spent hours crafting the hotel and restaurant to match their vision. And when they were done, they invited their neighbors to drop by and enjoy their handiwork.
All was going well until a new customer came in, looked around, and started breaking things — so they … Read the rest

In the past few years, the science of happiness – AKA Positive Psychology – has gained momentum and credibility. The Greater Good center at UC Berkeley now offers a free EdX MOOC class to teach everyone – everywhere – the basics. And fast-growing services like Happify are translating well-established research findings into a convenient, personalized digital package that’s making inroads into traditional healthcare settings (disclosure: I’m an advisor to Happify).
This article summarizes some of these recent trends, and lays out a powerful, neuroplasticity-based argument for gratitude, appreciation and learning from mistakes as the key to a longer, healthier, happier … Read the rest

Recently, I wrote about a client’s breakthrough product design moment – which happened after she’d collected early customer feedback and was working hard on her Core Loop. Well, today it happened again – on a different project. And once again, I was reminded of how powerful Game Thinking can be, when applied with passion and purpose.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been working with “CeeBee” on a mentoring system for disadvantaged colleage students who need specialized support and stronger social connections to stay in school. This brilliant woman has developed a big, powerful, compelling vision – backed up by … Read the rest