Tony Ulwick
Founder & CEO, Strategyn, Inc.
Locale: Aspen, Colorado
Biography: Tony Ulwick is a thought leader, author, and a long-time practitioner in the field of innovation. A former IBMer, he founded Strategyn, Inc. in 1991. Strategyn serves as a holding company for Strategyn Consulting, Strategyn Institute, Strategyn Ventures, and Strategyn Enterprise Solutions – all innovation-advancing businesses.
Tony’s major achievement is the invention of Outcome-Driven Innovation®, a patented process built around the theory that people buy products to get jobs done. This strategy and innovation process links value creation activities to customer-defined metrics – a truly revolutionary concept in the field. His methodology has been adopted as a best practice by dozens of the world’s leading firms, including Microsoft Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, and Colgate-Palmolive.
His articles on strategy and innovation include the Harvard Business Review’s “Turn Customer Input into Innovation” and “The Customer-Centered Innovation Map,” as well as the Sloan Management Review article “Giving Customers a Fair Hearing.” He is also the author of the best-selling book What Customers Want.
Tony believes that major improvements in the innovation process can lead to dramatic gains in productivity while ensuring the creation of customer value. For companies serious about turning their innovation efforts into a proactive, continuous business process, he recently created Strategyn’s Program for Innovation. It is being implemented in companies such as Ingersoll Rand.
Major Frustration: Comfort with the status quo. The process of innovation hasn’t been innovated for years. It seems ironic.
Personal: My 14-year-old son lives with me; I’m a single dad. I enjoy hiking, biking, running and skiing. I have to do these things so I can enjoy my other favorite pastime – socializing over a long dinner.
Last Great Book I Read: My book, What Customers Want. Of course.
Childhood Job: As a kid, I worked at McCoy Stadium – the home of the Pawtucket Red Sox. I am still a dedicated Red Sox fan.