Truisms are dangerous. It is true to say that ideas count for nought.
It is also true to say a bad idea executed very well is costly. Plans, milestones, and KPIs, can all lock in trajectories doomed to fail. So, what can we do about it?
The Good Ideas Factory is where the art of creativity meets the science of innovation.
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“Innovation and creativity is part science, part art. It takes discipline and benefits from process, but values tangents and detours more than linear progress”
Everyone from a startup founder to global conglomerate, needs “a good idea”. Why?
Because excellent execution of a bad idea can be disastrous, whether it be a big change of direction, or just the next incremental shift that locks you deeper into a pathway that doesn’t make sense.
Good ideas are underpinned by good thinking, so that execution can fly unhinged.
About me, and the good ideas factory:
Hi, I’m Tosh Szatow, part economist, part engineer, part social scientist. The detailed “about me” is here.
I have been working at the edge of sustainable energy and sustainability innovation since 2006. I know a new idea, challenging an old one, or just figuring out what to do next can feel a bit like this - a jump into the blue.
As you jump, a rush of adrenaline will surge. Your mind will race, spawning thoughts too late to do anything about:
Is the water deep enough, like I checked?
Will the cold take my breath away?
What will I find below the surface?
But before your mind can make sense of the rush, the water envelops you, you begin to swim, and begin to sense the strange new world.
What does this mean, exactly?
Good question and I am glad you asked :)
The “jump into the blue” metaphor is a bit like how I see new ideas, or good thinking that underpins them. More often than not, you just have to leap into the unknown to discover and learn.
In a business context, it is often cheaper, faster, and lower risk to leap into the unknown, than to analyse from a distance. Why? Because analysis is fraught with complexity and decision biases that get in the way of learning.
Like planting a tree, the best time to prove your most important assumptions wrong, and the best way to prove assumptions wrong is to trial them in the real world.
Still scrolling? Ok then.
The proof of the innovation pudding is in the eating, so here are ideas I am chewing on
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Cybertracks
The act of “making tracks” in a cybertruck. Just being suitably cryptic for now - but I have to confess I have become quite infatuated with Tesla’s Cybertuck, and think this is arguably the most interesting automative platform ever built. More to come.
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Can we dig it?
Australia needs a sovereign wealth fund for battery metal mining. So, “can we dig it?” Yes we can! I have been chipping away at what is fundamentally a social campaign, but we need some more high profile voices to get behind it. Will you be one?
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Boompower
This has been my 5 year focus - a SaaS platform for distributed energy solutions. Cut energy consulting costs by 70%, emissions by 100% and capital cost of solar, storage and energy efficiency by 20%. In short, make clean energy easy with BOOMPower.
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Bodyguide
I’ve been mentoring and building a mutual support relationship with Founder Matt Green. We strive to be 1) better people 2) better business builders 3) better investors of time and money roughly in that order. Check out bodyguide - its been a game changer for me
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Clarkefield
An ambitious subdivision and township proposed for Clarkefield, aiming to be carbon neutral on the subdivision infrastructure, while creating a platform for carbon neutral living for residents. I am Sustainability Director at APD Developments who are behind the project
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wood4good
Working with the team at wood4good to refine its financial model, test key constraints on growth, and find partners to scale past 60,000ha of regenerative forestry assets. Because “regen forests” are the lowest risk, highest impact path to store carbon, restore biodiversity and substitute hard to abate emission sources.
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Citrusbythesea
Citrusbythesea is a small scale experiment in land use economics, regenerative economy and how the human experience is affected by time in nature, with a focus on enhancing innovation and sustainability practices. Come and stay sometime, and see what it is all about
Good Ideas Factory Services:
Initial consult: $250 = can I help solve your problem(s) ?
half day discovery workshop including preperation: $3,500 = get clarity on what your problem(s) is/are?
hypothesis generation: $5,000+ = good ideas that can be tested and refined systematically
3 night discovery and/or ideas (solutions) retreat: $8,500 all inclusive - food and accomodation hosted in Bermagui on the NSW South Coast (see https://www.citrusbythesea.com/offsite) = deepen understanding of problem and probable solution(s) with pathways to solution mapped.
All other services priced to suit (Contact form below)