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Richard

Richard

Richard Spangler is a leading business development consultant and recognized change accelerator who creates actionable results. An original founder of PlazaBridge Group, he has an intense desire to help growth companies migrate through the maze of issues and to help the executive/entrepreneur accelerate into success while minimizing errors. His expertise includes product strategy and management, entrepreneurship, mergers & acquisitions. Richard has over 25 years of experience in large corporate branding beginning with product management, corporate development and acquisitions for Compaq Computer Corporation. Following Compaq, Richard was the Program Director of Wireless Strategy at IBM, where he redefined the wireless application business. He continued at IBM as the Worldwide Brand Manager overseeing the Aptiva consumer product and new licensing programs for the IBM logo. After IBM, Richard leveraged his extensive experience in web merchandising, technology and strategic management to create 6 startups including Planet Portal Inc., Square Loop Inc., Creative Leadership Adventures, Interpretis Inc. and his current non-profit, PoleFlyers. Richard holds a B.S. from Guilford College and an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Beyond the PlazaBridge doors, you can find Richard flying, golfing or playing the guitar with his band, The Headless Chickens.

Recalibrate Your Innovation to Fit User’s Requirements and Context

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“Don’t let perfection stand in the way of good [enough]” – Voltaire

Rarely have I seen an innovation that didn’t require iterative adaptation to the requirements of users. Agile product development is an imperative to anyone seeking to commercialize their innovation. While constrained resources on the one hand balance against the immediate needs of users, your response to this challenge can be the difference to early success and a missed market opportunity. Being responsive to users and mitigating your potential defensiveness to the purity of your innovation ensures enhanced value.

Determine the technical changes that are required, which are desired and which are niceties. This will guide you in development and will help sharpen the user’s requests. They will, of course, want it all; but force compromise without losing the buy decision. Don’t forget the “solution” components. These are the add-ons to your innovation that you may not have to develop but can leverage to complete your value proposition. You know you are progressing when you can predict market acceptance at the point of development milestones. This presupposes that you sold your innovation correctly: you trial closed on each and every feature enhancement or innovation adaptation. And remember a valuable maxim of entrepreneurship:

“Don’t let perfection stand in the way of good [enough]” – Voltaire

 

COMMERCIALIZATION BLOG SERIES – 10 PART SERIES
Post 9: 6 SECRETS TO SECURING YOUR INNOVATION’S FIRST CUSTOMER
POST 8:  7 CRITICAL GUIDELINES FOR PLACING YOUR INNOVATION IN NEW CONTEXTS
POST 7: 5 STRATEGIES FOR POSITIONING YOUR INNOVATION AROUND SUPER-HOT TRENDS
POST 6: 6 CRITICAL PRINCIPLES WHEN ENGAGING THOUGHT LEADERS ON YOUR INNOVATION
POST 5: GUIDING PRINCIPLES WHEN COMPARING YOUR INNOVATION AGAINST THE COMPETITION
POST 4: PUT YOURSELF IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN!- 5 KEY LESSONS IN GROWTH MARKET PLANNING
POST 3: SEEK MAXIMUM LEVERAGE (ANYWHERE)
POST 2: ASSESS INNOVATION CORE ATTRIBUTES
POST 1: EVALUATE COMPANY MATURITY

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