One easy step to Innovative Thinking!

Reflecting on our Keiretsu Angel Capital Expo last month, I’m struck by the number of attendees, some never exposed to this environment, who were blown away with the quality of companies and the idea generation. Optimism and energy were triggered.

Whether you’re a tried and true angel capital investor, or you just like to dabble in the space, taking part in the angel ecosystem is akin to taking an innovation drug. Exposure to the ideas, excitement and frankly the inherent risks and potential rewards, is invigorating -- especially when you’re exposed to deal flow on a global scale and in a wide range and industries and sectors. Your mind is opened to possibilities. You build networks in distinctive areas. You think differently about your business, your challenges and your opportunities.

I’ve been involved in the financial services industry for most of my career, sometimes with local and other times with national and global roles. We all talk about innovation; it’s possibly one of the most overused words. But how do we truly build innovative thinking into our businesses?

If I were running a financial services business today, or frankly any medium to large sized business, I would want to ensure that my management team took part in the venture capitalist and angel ecosystem on a regular basis. The ecosystem needs cash in their deal flows for sure, but what it also depends on is the support, introductions and lateral thinking of other businesses. Often an entrepreneur’s idea is made 25 times more effective with an alternate perspective or a supplementary application.

Conversations lead to advancement and improvement. Conversations lead to getting products or services to the market. Be part of those conversations for your business and you’ll be in the pathway of constant innovation. It’s that easy!