Gregg Fraley

MJSI, Inc. – Innovation in Water Conservation I’m not what you call a great “do-it-yourselfer”.  In fact, I’m a Bozo when it comes to home repairs.  On occasion, I’ve nearly killed myself with power tools.  However, necessity is having a commode out on the weekend, in the countryside, with guests coming. The toilet was running water, and in trying to fix it, I broke the arm of the thing that holds up the ball thing.  Toilet now out of commission. Wife very unhappy. I went to Menards (as in “save big money at Menard’s”) in Michigan City with fear, uncertainty, and doubt. I thought maybe I could buy just the arm and the float and replace that.  I picked up

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I don’t watch The Apprentice often, although I will be from now on. (UK version) I watched last night and was astounded by the bad business practices that are rewarded — and the good ones that are not.  It’s a study in bad innovation practice watching these young candidates struggle. So much so that another show could be produced simply to show how it ought to be done! I’ve got an idea for you Sir Alan! The basic premise of the show seems to be about survival.  It makes for good entertainment, but I think Corporate Darwinism does not make for good innovation in the real world. I could write 5000 words on this, and maybe I will later, but

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In my travels within the UK I am forever seeing great pub signs. Pub names are creative and the signs tend to match. I was near Leeds going towards Wakefield when I saw this sign for the Wyke Lion pub. Wyke is a village. Okay, this isn’t a deep insight on creativity, but, creativity is everywhere if you look. Need I mention that the most basic marketing a retail shop or restaurant does is signage. It communicates a lot at a glance if you do it right. People will never say they came in because of the sign (except for nuts like me) but unconsciously it’s part of what helps them form a feeling and opinion. So — do the

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Innovation is not just for profit making companies is it? I was attending my first London Bloggers Meetup (LBM) this past Tuesday evening (April 28). Shish, was the hipster place to be, and LBM took over the basement. Kudos to organizer Andy Bargery for finding a cool spot, and, making it more relevant than just blogheads BS-ing about the vagaries of WordPress. The sponsor of the event was the breast cancer charity, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC). We should have sponsored them! Credit FTBC for a creative approach to raising awareness and funds. On the way to the meeting I had noticed some striking posters in the tube of Fergie and Jade Jagger, and at the meeting I connected the dots.

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This post is part of the Post2Post Virtual Book Tour, my Innovise Guy pardner Doug Stevenson is also reviewing the book on The Innovise Guys Blog (the post-tour tour). I do a bit of reading. I try to have one business book and one fictional book going at all times.  This last month my pair has been The Innovator’s Guide to Growth and Salmon Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children. It has proved to be a month of intense learning about innovation — and India! The Innovator’s Guide to Growth, which I am reviewing here, I predict, will become as important a book in the business world as Rushdie’s Booker Prize winning novel is in fiction. Quite simply, IG2G is the new bible for

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This is my first blog and I’ve decided to talk about the Creativity & Innovation Industry. It’s a shame that this group doesn’t have more cohesion but in my view it is indeed an “industry.” It consists of a wide range of people and companies. It encompasses everything from venture capitalists to new age aura readers. In the middle of that spectrum are qualitative researchers who provide “ideation” services, companies like What If and Ideas to Go, and a goodly number of single shingle consultants who offer some form of innovation consulting. I’ve heard of Creativity Coaches, one here in Chicago I know, Brendan Sullivan, is getting all the work he can handle. There are also the high-priced marquee types

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