Why does corporate innovation fail so often — even with talented teams and strong ideas? In this episode of The Innovation Show with Aidan McCullen, intrapreneur and innovation veteran Chuck House returns to explain why innovation dies when projects, programs, and strategy aren't clearly connected — and why executives often misjudge innovation timelines because they're optimizing established businesses.

Chuck breaks down the 4 intrapreneur traits (curiosity, perspective, resilience, and comfort with data) and the overlooked career skill that makes or breaks intrapreneurs: managing down AND managing up. Learn how to build team trust, navigate organizational politics, make "invisible work" visible, and persuade decision-makers to keep the right bets alive.

He also challenges traditional project review approaches (IRR, cost/schedule targets, early sales projections) and introduces his practical alignment tool: the Return Map — a living, cross-functional view that integrates investment, revenue, and profit over time, assigns accountability across functions, and forces iterative re-forecasting as reality changes (slips, market windows, manufacturing costs, and sales forecasts).

In this episode

• Why innovation feels like "snakes and ladders" inside large organisations

• Steve Jobs as a blueprint: iPod → iTunes → iPhone as a strategic cycle

• Managing up: credibility, trust, and navigating corporate politics

• Why HQ metrics can kill risky projects too early

• Brunnergrams vs strategy: what engineering tracking misses

• How Return Maps improve alignment, accountability, and forecasting

• Teaser: a future conversation with Kodak digital camera inventor Steve Sasson

Sponsor: Kyndryl

This week's guest is David Rogers, Columbia Business School professor and author of Digital Transformation Playbook.

We discuss digital transformation strategy, AI in business, disruptive innovation, platform business models, network effects, and leadership in the age of AI.

If you're navigating digital transformation or AI strategy, this episode is essential listening.

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:35 Meet the Digital Transformation Expert

01:38 Impact of the Digital Transformation Playbook

05:40 Evolution of Digital Transformation

07:24 The Role of AI in Digital Transformation

09:21 Frameworks and Theories of Disruption

09:38 The Story of Encyclopedia Britannica

16:59 Understanding Business Disruption

24:44 Disruptive Business Model Map

33:12 Understanding Network Effects

34:41 Same Side vs. Cross Side Network Effects

38:01 The Challenge of Competition in Platform Businesses

42:21 The Importance of Platform Business Models

46:13 Four Types of Platform Businesses

49:19 Platform Business Model Map

54:28 Value Train Analysis

01:02:22 The Evolution of Digital Transformation

Find David:

https://davidrogers.digital/about/

In this episode, we explore the strategic brilliance of Taylor Swift with Kevin Evers, author of There's Nothing Like This. From genre-shifting reinventions to billion-dollar tours, Taylor's evolution isn't just musical—it's a masterclass in brand, resilience, and audience engagement.

🎯 We cover:

The pivot from country to global pop dominance

How Taylor handled public backlash & the Kanye/Kardashian controversy

Her savvy response to the streaming revolution

Ownership battles over her masters and how it reshaped the industry

Building the Eras Tour as a pinnacle of fan-first strategy

What businesses can learn from Taylor's "anti-fragile" mindset

Whether you're a fan, a founder, or fascinated by the music business, this is a powerful look at how strategy meets stardom.

🔗 Learn more about Kevin's book: nothinglikethisbook.com

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