Unlocking Incremental Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, with Thomas Storteboom, i2e Solutions (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 766)
On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray interviews Thomas Storteboom, founder and CEO of i2e Solutions, on the topic of fostering innovation within small and medium-sized businesses. Thomas shares insights on how he helps companies spark new ideas, foster innovation, and select the best projects to pursue through structured innovation strategies and brainstorming sessions. The discussion covers the importance of differentiating between disruptive and incremental innovation, and how businesses can leverage both for growth. Thomas emphasizes the necessity of cross-functional teams in the brainstorming process and outlines how he assists organizations, particularly manufacturers, in overcoming common innovation challenges, such as idea selection and execution.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is recorded and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Thomas Storteboom, i2e Solutions
Thomas Storteboom is the Founder of i2e Solutions, a consulting practice that helps companies grow by finding better ideas and bringing them to life. Thomas gained his innovation expertise at industry leading companies like Ford Motor Company, CHEP, and Cox Automotive. Now he is focused on sharing his knowledge broadly by helping small to midsize manufacturing companies accelerate their growth through innovation. He focuses on innovation strategy, processes, and creating a culture of innovation. Thomas also trains groups on innovation, facilitates brainstorming, and is currently writing a book on the challenges companies face when innovating.
Website | LinkedIn | Thomas Storteboom LinkedIn
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Welcome to North Fulton Business Radio
01:17 Introducing Thomas Storteboom and the Magic of Innovation
01:52 The Essence and Impact of Innovation Consulting
04:17 Disruptive vs. Incremental Innovation: A Deep Dive
08:37 Thomas Storteboom’s Journey to Innovation Expertise
10:35 Addressing Innovation Challenges in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
16:56 Unlocking Innovation Through Targeted Brainstorming
19:15 The Ideal Brainstorming Team: Composition and Characteristics
21:30 Challenges of Innovation Across Different Business Sizes
23:05 Facilitating Effective Brainstorming Sessions
24:13 Client Engagement and Success Stories
29:29 Connecting with Thomas Storteboom and Closing Remarks
Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
Casa Nuova is a proud family owned and operated restaurant, serving classic, authentic and traditional Italian cuisine and top tier hospitality since 1998.
Casa Nuova is a cook-to-order kitchen, serving traditional fare including pasta, chicken, seafood, veal and vegetarian and gluten-free options, plus daily specials. They are a farm-to-table establishment, meaning that in the summertime, they cultivate their own vegetables in their garden, steps away from the restaurant, including tomatoes, corn, peppers, zucchini, sunflowers and more!
Celebrating more than 25 years, Casa Nuova has become a true staple in the Alpharetta area, serving more than three generations of families, including friends old and new, visiting near and far from all over the metro Atlanta area and beyond.
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SPECIAL EVENT: Join everyone as Casa Nuova for their annual Casa Nuova Block Party on Sunday, April 28 from 2 PM to 5:30 PM!
Complimentary food, music, and fun for the whole familia! It’s their way of saying thank you to the amazing community that they love to serve!
Donations will benefit Purple Pansies, which is dedicated to raising funds for pancreatic cancer research and providing emergency grants to individuals and families battling the disease.
Rain or shine, we hope to see you there!
About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
With over 760 shows and having featured over 1,200 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show welcomes a wide variety of business, non-profit, and community leaders to get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, their community, and their profession. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates business by sharing positive business stories that traditional media ignore. Some media leans left. Some media leans right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is recorded and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the national bestselling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.
