901-754-9404
My List0

We've now made it easier for you to research and save your favorite keynotes speakers. Click on the + sign to add a speaker to your Speaker List and email your favorites to colleagues and friends.

News Detail - Josh Linkner

Fender (the guitar people) used these rules to innovate; you can too

Josh Linkner, Innovation Keynote Speaker
Monday, February 11, 2019

Since Leo Fender started making guitars back in 1946, the Fender name has become synonymous with musical innovation. The iconic brand has outfitted countless music legends with their precious axes, and has set the standard with instantly recognizable inventions including the Stratocaster, Telecaster, and Jazzmaster.

Today, Fender is the largest guitar manufacturer in the world. So why change? “If it ain’t broke, don’t fit it,” the saying goes. Luckily, the most innovative organizations disregard such pedestrian advice.

On Jan. 22, the company broke the mold again with the release of its new Acoustasonic Telecaster. The new instrument — best described as a mash-up of an electric and an acoustic guitar — is profoundly different than anything the world has seen. I recently interviewed Fender’s executive in charge of the launch, Billy Martinez.

“This was a three-year journey, taking cues from artists, to fundamentally reimagine the guitar,” Martinez told me.

Musicians had a number of frustrations: They loved the feel of their electric, but it sounded pretty weak unplugged. They wanted the warmth of their acoustic, which didn’t preform as well plugged in.

Martinez and his team set out to create a single instrument that was easy to play and could meet the broad needs of musicians wanting to toggle between electric and acoustic sounds. Was it possible to have a single guitar replace the need of 10?

With the firm belief that Fender’s innovation didn’t end decades ago, Martinez started with a blank sheet of paper. The Acoustasonic, which was the result of thousands of hours of design and refinement, is poised to shake up the large and competitive guitar industry.

As a musician myself, I was fascinated. But as an innovator, I was enthralled. Examining the launch, it looks like the wizards at Fender followed these important rules of groundbreaking innovation:

1. Start with the ideal state and work backward.
Instead of tweaking their existing lineup, Fender had the guts to start fresh. They imagined the ideal instrument, and then figured out how to build it.

2. Break free from restrictive beliefs.
The design team ran into dozens of “it can’t be done” roadblocks, but they didn’t let prevailing wisdom dissuade their mission of crafting a profoundly better instrument.

3. Discover the intersection of beauty and performance.
Lazy designers settle for either-or results. Instead. the Acousasonic is an 'and.' not an 'or'.

4. Design for humans.
The new instrument had to be comfortable to hold and easy to play. Martinez tells me, “We worked hard to ensure you don’t need an engineering degree to figure it out. It had to be super user-friendly, or it was back to the drawing board.”

5. Refine until it hurts.
The first versions of anything are rarely the ones that make history. Whether you’re developing a new guitar, drug therapy, or business plan, the creativity must sustain far past the initial idea. It’s those painful, endless hours of refinement that create true enduring value.

We’ll have to see if the Acoustasonic will achieve the legendary status of its Fender siblings, but the company’s innovative and courageous departure from the past stacks the odds in their favor.

These same five rules can apply to your own business, as you fight for competitive advantage and sustainable success. Your instrument may be a laptop, a medical lab, or a saxophone. Regardless of your chosen medium, it’s time to create artistry by embracing the principles of groundbreaking innovation.

Rock on.

Source : Detroit Free Press

Share this Article

Testimonials

Everyone on the ESB team has been great to work with for our events. Looking forward to keep working with ESB!

Plexus Worldwide

We had a positive experience with ESB. Matt Meyer is a great communicator and easy to get a hold of. His helped us through the process to mak..

BNSF

ESB was patient, thorough, and responsive during the planning process. Thank you for making this such a great experience for us!

ConnectWise

ESB supported our needs and the needs of our speaker throughout the entire process. I highly recommend working with ESB to find your next spe..

DogWatch

"It's always a pleasure to work with ESB. Very professional and personable staff. Thanks!"

Testimonial | Texas Society of Architects

"Excellent! Thank you for being a true partner to our organization and its development."

HCA Healthcare

"They are the only speakers bureau I will even consider using!"

Testimonial | Youth Villages

A wonderful bureau to work with! Big ups to everyone who helped make our event a success. Fingers crossed we get the chance to collaborate fo..

MDRT | Testimonial

"As always, you are the best most responsive speaker bureau I've ever worked with!"

Image Media

Angela Schelp was a great partner in finding the right kick-off speaker for our conference. This was my first conference identifying the keyn..

CubeSmart
Need Suggestions? Have Questions?

Need Suggestions? Have Questions?

Call to discuss how we can you help find the right speaker(s) for your organization.

© 2024 Executive Speakers Bureau. All Rights Reserved.

Design and Developed by eBiz Solutions

Get Ideas in 1 hour or less

Executive Speakers Bureau consistently receives praises about our speed and efficiency. From the beginning of your event planning, our extensive online speaker database and resourceful staff allow us to quickly equip you with the best speaker for your event.

Need a last minute speaker? No worries. Our speed and efficiency help us give you ideas for speakers in one hour or less.

Please fill in information below