Ed Bernacki and the Idea Factory
Ed Bernacki is an innovator with an international career working in various countries on a wide range of innovation projects.
Ed Bernacki has spoken at 250 conferences in 12 countries, delivered 200 innovation workshops for most of Canada’s government departments, and published several books. He has worked with many big and small companies along the way. He also worked on innovation projects for the Singapore Public Sector, New Zealand Post, various municipalities, and numerous companies in Australia, and across Canada. He moved back to Brantford in late 2019.
In Canada, he worked for KPMG before heading to New Zealand for an Executive MBA. He was the innovation writer for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. Ed is a highly published international writer and thinker on innovation. He also invented a new type of idea journal for conferences and sold 60,000 worth over $1 million.
BEING AN INNOVATIONALIST
THINK LIKE AN IDEA FACTORY: ACT LIKE AN INNOVATIONALIST
Scientist David Suzuki is an environmentalist. He says what needs to be said—that our current way of living is not sustainable. His approach provides a useful role model for being an idea factory. The world of ideas needs more people who do the same. We need people to become innovationalists, to say what needs to be said.
HOW TO ACT LIKE AN INNOVATIONALIST
- Question everything to explore ideas: Realize that some people will judge you negatively for questioning everything.
- Notice mediocrity: Be resistant to indifference, apathy and the status quo. Noticing mediocrity opens the door to opportunities for innovation.
- Encourage courageousness: It takes courage to act on new and different ideas. Develop your ideas until you have the conviction to act.
- Highlight myths: Don’t accept excuses from government, big business or even from your organization. Maintaining the status quo won’t fulfill the potential of people to create great organizations and a great society.
- Focus on ideas, not stereotypes: Politics and discussions of private sector versus public sector are meaningless distinctions to the No sector, organization or job has a monopoly on innovation.
IDEA FACTORY AREAS OF EXPERTISE
