A firsthand story of bringing digital disruption to a hundred-year-old industry – and what it really takes to turn a bold idea into a global business.
“Innovation isn’t just technology. It’s the ability to see what others can’t – and the courage to make it real.”
In 2009, we co-founded a startup that introduced digital innovation into a conservative industry that had been doing things the same way for a century. The resistance was fierce: “It won’t work.” “It’s too expensive.” “Why fix what isn’t broken?”
That’s where I learned that real innovation isn’t just about technology. It’s about the courage to challenge assumptions everyone else has stopped questioning.
This talk traces the full journey of building a hardware-meets-software company that developed digital machines for the packaging industry – from the first idea through fundraising, product development, international market entry, and building a global sales and distribution network. The wins, the pivots, and everything in between.
What You’ll Walk Away With
- From idea to market – How to turn a problem you’ve identified into a solution people are ready to pay for
- Innovating in a conservative market – How to introduce disruptive technology into a place that says “we’ve always done it this way”
- Raising capital – How to convince investors to believe in something that doesn’t exist yet
- Building a team – Why your people are the company, and the product is just the output
- Pivot & learn – How we changed direction after discovering our initial market wasn’t the right fit
- From prototype to real product – The journey from spare parts and duct tape to a machine competing on the world stage
- Listening to customers – Why the customer always knows more than you about what they actually need
Who This Talk Is For
Founders at the beginning of their journey, executives inside organizations looking for a spark of innovation, and anyone who wants to understand what it truly takes to build a real business from an idea – with all the challenges, failures, and breakthroughs that come with it.
Format & Duration
60–90 minutes, including open Q&A. A blend of personal storytelling, practical insights, and real dialogue with the audience. Just an honest conversation about what building something real actually takes.
Interested in bringing this talk to your organization, event, or community? Contact us.
