Celebrating Innovation Day 2020
At Mission Field, we celebrate all things innovation. So, for Innovation Day 2020, we put together a list of 20 ways to spark innovation. These are some of our tried & true tools and approaches and we hope they help you spark your own innovation journey.
Caragh McLaughlin
Managing Director
I'm a verbal processor, so I do my best brainstorming paired with another person. That way we can bounce ideas off of each other and I can get inspired by ideas I didn't come up with myself. It's more fun and it takes a little of the pressure off.
Change of scenery... Once I'm on a roll, I can crank out ideas at my desk. But I don't usually get my creative spark sitting at my desk. I find it helpful to go to a store and wander the aisles and see what ideas that can spark. (Pro tip: make sure you bring a notebook & pen with you!)
Move! I found some research that shows that combining walking and brainstorming is an effective way to generate more ideas. Apparently the ideal pace is 3mph - so it's not too strenuous and you can still talk, but it's not a leisurely stroll either. The idea is that this allows your mind to make connections it might not otherwise make.
Take a (big) step back when necessary. Sometimes it can be easy to get caught in the trap of slight twists. When I start to feel like I'm re-writing the same idea with just slight variations, I try to go back to the top and think about what the big trends are, or what the next platform is, to break out of the rut.
When all else fails, take a shower… Don't we all have our best ideas in the shower?!
Jonathan Tofel
Founder / CEO
Find empathy for the consumer and try to live as they do, if only for a few moments. For example: think about where they grocery shop and go there; to that retailer; that specific store.... maybe it's not where you normally shop, but seeing their available options through your eyes is a starting point of understanding their decision making process.
Be enthusiastic! Maybe the innovation space is not in your personal consideration set, but reframe the moment to one in which you bring your friends and family into the fold and champion some existing products in the space. What are the pinch points you observe, what do people light up about?
Kick your assumptions to the curb. Looking at a space with fresh eyes and a touch of naivety is the best way to re-imagine what could be. Consumers are notorious experts in why they do what they do, and even questions about a simple decision can result in a 20-minute long conversation on the logic of why they behave this way - all in rational and explicit reasoning. Let the consumer voice guide you.
Know where you are going. Fuzzy front end innovation gets a lot clearer when you eye a point on the horizon and jump off the cliff towards it. Maybe it's a terrible idea in the end, but understanding a bad direction is often as helpful as identifying a good direction.
Involve others. Innovation is not a solo-sport, it's a team sport. Different perspectives from different people can re-direct you, inspire you and transform your own thinking.
Carolina Fryer
Managing Director
Take 15 to 30 min each day to "travel around the world" from your desktop. Subscribe to newsletters - go beyond industry topics or personal picks and find ones you would normally not see in your day-to-day life. Read travel sites and news around food and new places. Pick up one random magazine the next time you are flying and read about a world that is not your own. My local library has a magazine swap and when I drop off my finished magazines I pick up something I would normally not subscribe to. Recent interesting ones: Flying (aviation/glider planes), Garden & Gun (all things Southern), Road Runner (Motorcycle Touring) & MoterHome (RV & life on the road).
Talk to strangers. I know it goes against everything we learn as kids, but I simply love meeting new folks and learning about their worlds. Ask them what they love to do (work or fun) and bring out your inner researcher... dive deep into their interest, ask "why" based questions and learn what drives someone else to make the choices they do.
Attend at least one conference, trade show or large scale speaker event each year. Unplug from the day to day and listen for inspiration. There is always a nugget or two that comes from an unexpected place that can open you up to new ideas. A few I'll attend this year: Ignite Boulder, Natural Products Expo West, Boulder Start Up Week & Conference on World Affairs.
Spend time with entrepreneurs. It can be at a farmer's market, trade show or a demo booth at your local store. When I meet new food entrepreneurs I always delve into their start up story, what drove them, what are their biggest challenges. Understand their inspiration and innovation process - it's fascinating.
When brainstorming for new innovation ideas, I love to do cross category or tangential store visits to spark new ideas. I might visit a pet store, hardware store, high end design and furniture studio all when thinking about a new snack food. Walk the space thinking about how you can bring the best of their products to your concept in development.
Julie Beck
VP Retail Strategy
Write it down! Don't worry about getting your first (or second or third) draft correct. It's only you seeing it, so feel free to suspend any editing and just capture your thoughts.
Subscribe to retailer newsletters/annual reports so you know what the retailers pain points are- will insure your innovation is more bullet proof
Retailers expect the manufacturers to come to the table with a solid "reason to believe" Make sure you've quantified the market for your innovation and understand where it would go in store category
Try to understand both the heart AND the mind of the consumer and the retailer when considering your innovation
"Good Enough-Go" don't try to make it all perfect. If you have a great idea, the world will want to see it sooner vs. later