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People ask “What’s your favorite innovation?” thinking I’ll mention exciting ideas like NextMind's mind reader or Uber’s flying cars — or maybe an emerging technology like crypto, AI, autonomous.Honestly, it’s not a technology, it’s people. And history is rife with examples of real-life innovators who loved breaking paradigms. Case in point — 56 years ago, two innovators met on stage: Mr. Ed Sullivan and the Beatles.Ed's show brought Americans together every Sunday night for more than two decades(!) allowing rule-breaking innovators like Elvis, the Stones and Carol Burnett to enter our consciousness. Was Ed Sullivan the cool, handsome host that charmed everyone with his wit? Hardly. But that’s not a prerequisite for innovation. What he had was an eye for talent, organizational aptitude, a finger on the pulse of the country — and the willingness to experiment.Then there were the Beatles who paved the way for the real break out of rock and roll. The list of their innovations is well known — dance-rock, backwards guitar solos, pudding drums, long-form music videos, album covers, rooftop performances, the list goes on. But, like Mr. Sullivan, maybe most importantly, the willingness, the courage to experiment. Sound like a theme for innovators? I think so.
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