Innovators on Tap

02/11/2020

A lot of people talk about the need for change, but too few people actually do something about it.   In today’s episode we talk with Dwayne Killings and Justin Gainey, best known as assistant coaches for the Marquette men’s basketball team, but who decided this summer to use their

17/06/2020

This week on episode 6 of season 2, we explore how disorganized environments often inspire creativity, the power of getting your hands dirty, and why making it personal is an incredibly effective motivational tool. Check it out below. 👇

Welcome to Season 2 of Innovators on Tap! This season will explore many of the concepts outlined in Chuck’s new book The Innovator’s Spirit. For episode 6, we explore how disorganized environments often inspire creativity,  the power of getting your hands dirty, and why maki

23/04/2020

In this time of crisis we focus on finding opportunities.

When you hear the word crisis - what comes to mind? It might be fear, uncertainty, frustration or possibly even some anger.  But what about - opportunity? It might seem counterintuitive, but it’s not. A crisis is actually a great time for change, as it forces you and others to reevaluat

07/04/2020

Kenton Lee saw a problem: Children living in poverty were in desperate need of footwear. So, he invented the Shoe That Grows.

The shoe can expand 5 sizes and lasts years, so families can avoid constant replacement of old shoes that don’t fit anymore. Because International 💡 👇

How many people have been taught their whole lives to trust the experts? My guess is that it’s probably all of us. And while experts can be helpful in a lot of situations - there can often get in the way of innovation. You’re probably thinking how’s that possible? They know everything. 

26/03/2020

Two highly competitive brothers, leading different companies in the same industry. Throw in some patent litigation and you get some interesting family dynamics. Tune in to this week’s episode with Chuck Swoboda and his brother Mark 💡👇

During my career at Cree, we had the opportunity to help start the LED lighting revolution that obsoleted the incandescent lightbulb and fundamentally changed how people use light. And when most people think of the lightning revolution - they think of the Cree LED lightbulb which was introduced in

05/03/2020

So happy to have you both on the podcast!

Although many people may think that gaining consensus is a great thing - it doesn’t work for innovation.  In fact, the best ideas are usually the ones that make people uncomfortable.   When there are too many people at the table, it’s easy to get a lot of nice words but n

27/02/2020

When you think of , most people think technology. But innovation extends to all industries - including social change. Chuck Swoboda sits down with Keith Stanley and Rana Altenburg to discuss Near West Side Partners, Inc. and their own career journeys 💡👇

Although many people may think that gaining consensus is a great thing - it doesn’t work for innovation.  In fact, the best ideas are usually the ones that make people uncomfortable.   When there are too many people at the table, it’s easy to get a lot of nice words but n

25/02/2020

Join us this Thursday at Milwaukee Brewing Company
for a conversation between host Chuck Swoboda & Chris . They’ll talk about their respective podcasts -Innovators On Tap & Manufacturing Happy Hour - advice for young professionals, innovation mindset, & more. RSVP (free!)

Come out for an evening of craft beverages, networking, and a special live recording between the only 2 beer-fueled technology podcasts!

21/02/2020

“I think when you boil it all down, it’s about leadership...it’s a journey driven ultimately by leadership” - Ryan Rist, Director of Innovation at American Family Insurance, on the importance of leadership in guiding innovation.

What’s the first industry that comes to mind when you hear the word innovation? What’s the second industry that comes to mind?  How about the third? My guess is that the insurance industry did not make your top three.  But I think you may change your mind after you listen to today

17/02/2020

Our new episode explores the Boston based startup Voatz with Co-Founder Nimit Sawhney and Director of Product Hilary Braseth.

Voatz is on a mission to make voting safer and more accessible 🗳💡👇

Since the United States was founded more than 200 years ago, a lot has changed. We have gone from horses to gasoline-powered cars, and now to electric vehicles. The phonograph has come and gone, as have 8 tracks, cassettes and even CDs.  We have seen the advent of the internet, social media

07/02/2020

Two Marquette University alumni sharing their insights on personal and business philosophies - what’s not to love? Hear Chuck Swoboda sit down with Rajesh Vashist, CEO of SiTime Corp., on the latest episode of Innovators on Tap 👇💡

Most us realize that inside all the great electronic devices, from the mobile phone in your pocket to the tablet on your desk, are a bunch of semiconductor chips that we really don’t understand.  You’ve may have heard about Intel and the microprocessor thanks to all their advertising, But

05/02/2020

Catch up on last weeks episode, just in time for a new one tomorrow! “I think there is a correlation between small teams and actually important products in the world” Hear discuss the importance of small teams, and much more, on the latest episode of 👇💡

We all know the saying “Everyone loves a winner.” It’s a notion that applies to sports and business. When things are going great for a team or a company, everyone wants to be a part of it.  When I was running Cree and we were being praised for our breakthrough products, everyone wanted to

31/01/2020

“You have to continue to evolve or you start to die on the vine” Christine Specht, CEO of Cousins Subs, shares her thoughts on the innovation mindset and how to keep your brand relevant amidst changing consumer tastes. Listen below 💡👇

So you’re walking down the street and realize that you’re hungry.   There are so many options, how do you decide. For me these days, I generally ask myself what is a healthy option.   While this is a practical way to think about food, I sometimes find myself craving something spec

21/01/2020

" doesn’t just apply to electricity, computing, or other technical solutions. It applies to all aspects of our lives." Host Chuck Swoboda vis Forbes

The innovation that the United States is best known for the world around would not have been possible without George Washington's leadership.

15/01/2020

“How do I take jobs that are beyond my capabilities. I call it the Butterfly Test. If you have huge butterflies, go for it.” Tom Werner, CEO of SunPower & Marquette University Alumn, shares this and other great lessons from his career on our latest episode. Listen below 👇

There are few industries that are more complex than the energy industry. The field intermingles government policy, free market principles, national security, climate change, and the desire for energy independence. When I was growing up, we didn’t give it much thought until the energy crisis of the

09/01/2020

“As a leader, they have to want to follow you. You can’t just by your position say this is how it’s going to be” Hear this leadership advice from Dick Leinenkugel of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. and more from 11 other guests on our Start Leading, Stop Managing episode 💡👇

Happy New Year and welcome to the first episode of Innovators on Tap for 2020! In the spirit of the new year, we decided to create a special episode where we take the best insights from the show so far, and help you apply them to become a better leader in the year ahead. While many of us make some

07/01/2020

Check out our host Chuck Swoboda's "12 Ideas to Start Leading" on Marquette University's Medium page. A list of ideas from our first set of episodes! Which one speaks to you?

Marquette’s Innovator-in-Residence on how to stop managing

23/12/2019

“You can really learn from the smartest and dumbest people you’ve ever met. You just need to be clever enough to understand which is which” - Larry Miller on the importance of always listening & learning on the latest episode of 👇

I was taking a walk recently in my neighborhood enjoying a sunny afternoon and streaming music through my iPhone when the Bruce Springsteen song, Born in the USA came on. It brought back my high school days and listening to the song many times on my Sony Walkman.   Now I know this

11/12/2019

New Episode: Chuck Swoboda sits down with Dick Leinenkugel, President & Chief Beer Merchant of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., to discuss leadership by wandering around, the origin story of Summer Shandy, and the benefits of setting “big, hairy, audacious goals”. Recorded live at Marquette University. Listen below 💡👇

How Can You Lead by Wandering Around? How many family businesses can you think of that have spanned 5 generations? My guess is, not many. Because they are few and far between. And how often do you think a family business sells to a large global company, and the family stays on and keeps running

06/12/2019

Thank you for having our host Chuck Swoboda!

When Chuck Swoboda was hired at electronics manufacturer Cree in 1993, household light bulbs came mostly in two flavors: incandescent and fluorescent. The company had just gone public and generated just over $6 million in annual revenue.   But the product that would grow the company into a $1.6 bil...

04/12/2019

We loved having Anne Zizzo in our podcast this week! Go listen now to hear her amazing story.

Can crisis be viewed as opportunity? Imagine you are 29 years old and have just landed your dream job as the Marketing Director for a major newspaper, when catastrophe strikes.  One of your parents has been diagnosed with cancer and you need to leave your job to take care of your family.

27/11/2019

New Episode: What’s it like taking a company from startup to over a billion dollars? We hear about this journey and more from 4 of the founders of on this special live episode 🎙👇

Learn about the journey from a startup to a billion dollar company with the founders of Cree: Neal Hunter, John Edmond, John Palmour, and Calvin Carter as they are interviewed by Chuck Swoboda, former CEO of Cree.

20/11/2019

NEW EPISODE: We sit down with
Rachael Meleney of NC R!oT and Jon Bohlmann of NC State University to discuss fostering the ’s mindset, the future of accelerators & innovation classes, and using behavioral research to guide entrepreneurs 💡👇

The entrepreneurial ecosystem has changed a lot since I joined Cree in 1993.  We now have university programs dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship... and local business incubators and accelerators to help startups succeed. When they started Cree, you were pretty much on your own to

15/11/2019

“I like to pair my failures with learnings. The most significant failures lead to the most significant learnings” - Nadiyah Johnson

Hear from Nadiyah and two other young innovators on the latest episode recorded live at the Marquette 707 Hub 👇

The Benefits of Being Young in Innovation “I think it’s a big advantage because I’m very naïve…I don’t let the limitations of reality and experience get me down” Who do you think said this? Was it a young Steve Jobs when he was inventing the Macintosh or maybe it was Elon Musk when he s...

06/11/2019

06/11/2019

NEW EPISODE: We sit down with the founder and CEO of
Lonerider Sumit Vohra and discuss breaking free from the rigidity of the board room, how to maximize mentor-ship, and balancing people & profits. 🎙👇

In 1989, I started home brewing - before the craft beer movement had really gained momentum.  I thought this was a great way to save money. The first batches were pretty good but it didn’t always go as planned.  Especially when the beer over-carbonated and exploded in the closet.

26/10/2019

“You can take a high energy person who has a good heart...if they have that energy and that spark in their eye, you can take that so many places in the company...you can direct that” - Neal Hunter, co-founder of Cree, on what he looks for in a colleague👇

“Serial entrepreneur” has become as big of a buzzword as innovation over the past decade. More and more people are self identifying as “serial entrepreneurs” – and I heard one recently define that as someone who is still looking for their first success.  That sounds to me more like a ...

21/10/2019

Have you gotten your ticket yet? Free food! Free drinks! And great conversation! Join us!

Innovators on Tap is a podcast powered by Marquette University’s Innovation Alley and hosted by Chuck Swoboda, Former CEO and Chairman of Cree, Marquette University’s Innovator-in-Residence, and author who is driven by the belief that innovation is about people, not process. We welcome you to a ...

20/10/2019

It’s the last day for our giveaway! Don’t miss out on prizes from Marquette University, John Zeratsky, Trek Bicycle and more!

Innovators on Tap Inaugural Giveaway by Innvators on Tap. Hosted by KingSumo Giveaways

16/10/2019

NEW EPISODE: Listen to John Burke, president of
Trek Bicycle, and his son Richie Burke, founder of GoGeddit Marketing & Media, discuss their family dynamic, following in the footsteps of Dick Burke, fostering innovative work environments, & more 💡👇
https://www.innovatorsontap.com/podcast/seeing-something-bigger-than-the-barn-w-john-amp-richie-burke

09/10/2019

Listen now: Understanding Trauma w/ Michael Lovell . Marquette University's President Michael Lovell discusses and his efforts to take on trauma in Milwaukee through a very community based solution called SWIM. Check it out the conversation on the podcast!

Trauma is one of the biggest issues facing communities across the country. We hear more and more each day about efforts to heal trauma and help prevent it in future generations.  As I learned first-hand, mental health is often overlooked and not considered a real health issue. &am

07/10/2019

Have you signed up for the giveaway? We are celebrating the launch of and giving away some amazing items related to the podcast. You can win prizes from Trek Bicycle, John Zeratsky, Marquette Men's Basketball, Marquette University, our host Chuck Swoboda & more. Sign up now! Its as simple as a few clicks!

Innovators on Tap Inaugural Giveaway by Innvators on Tap. Hosted by KingSumo Giveaways

04/10/2019

We can not wait to share this podcast and all the insights!

04/10/2019

Thank you to the Marquette 707 Hub for hosting us for a live taping of our podcast! What an insightful conversation we had with 3 young brilliant and entertaining !

02/10/2019

You’re not going to want to miss this! Thanks TEDxMarquetteU for getting the word out!