Sprint Chairman Emeritus Bill Esrey On Innovation
Each month we feature Q&A with a leading voice in innovation: This month: William “Bill” Esrey, Sprint Corp.’s former CEO and current Chairman Emeritus. According to Wikipedia, he led the company as it “developed from a rural telephone company into a multi billion dollar international corporation.” Bill’s also served as the Chairman of Japan Telecom, and is now Chairman of Spectra Energy Corp. and a member of the General Mills board of directors. With all of this experience and a Harvard Business School degree under his belt, here’s perspective from Bill:
Q: From the standpoint of a Fortune 500 CEO, what’s your #1 advice for inventive people looking to achieve success in the marketplace?
Bill: My main thought is that one has to have a competitive advantage to succeed. The competitive advantage can come in many flavors or colors. However, a me-too company or product will have a tough time creating a sustainable environment. Also, most competitive advantages do not last forever, so if you have one, you should immediately be at work trying to create the next one. At Sprint, when we entered the long distance business against AT&T, who had a near monopoly, our competitive advantage was a 100% fiber optic network which gave superior quality at a cheaper price. When Sprint later entered the wireless business, it adopted a then virtually unknown digital technology called CDMA when most established competitors used analog. This offered noticeable competitive advantages.
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In this issue
- Sprint Chairman Emeritus Bill Esrey on innovation…
- Notes from ABC’s The Shark Tank
- Case study: illumi-knob™ launch lessons
- America’s top patent chief speaks
- FYI: Upcoming tradeshows for new inventions
- Invention quote of the month
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Notes From ABC’s The Shark Tank
Have you seen or heard about The Shark Tank, the ABC TV show that follows real inventors and entrepreneurs as they pitch their ideas to a panel of industry leaders (the “Sharks”) with aim to secure financing? Midway through Season 1, watchers will note several recurring outcomes and lessons including:
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Case study: Lessons From Another Launch
Every product experience is of course unique, but each also offers learning that can be leveraged by others. This month we go deep into the illumi-knob™ motion sensing door light, sharing the behind-the-scenes story and lessons from its launch.
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AbsolutelyNew is the consumer goods company that partners with inventors to launch innovative products. As a Certified Professional member of the United Inventors Association, the company also offers services including product development, marketing and licensing. www.absolutelynew.com
America’s
Top Patent Chief Speaks
David Kappos was confirmed in August as the new U.S. Patent & Trademark Office chief. In other words, he’s now The Man when it comes to patents and other intellectual property. So you might want to know what he said in his first big speech since taking office, since he shared a few tidbits of note for everyone thinking of filing for a patent anytime soon:
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FYI: Upcoming Tradeshows For New Inventions
Tradeshows are great for showcasing inventions and/or making contacts with industry leaders. The key is to plan ahead, to get the most out of each show you attend. So looking beyond this month, here’s a list of U.S. tradeshows happening in the November to February window.
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Invention Quote Of The Month
“Good thoughts are no better than good dreams, unless they be executed.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet and essayist, 1803 - 1882
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