Faces of Innovation: Interview with Natasha Chetiyawardana, Creative Partner and Founder @ Bow & Arrow
Faces of Innovation is a series of interviews with leaders and influencers from across our network. Each week, we ask them a few quick-fire questions to learn about their experiences, opinions and predictions on the Innovation industry.
This week, we are featuring Natasha Chetiyawardana, Creative Partner and Founder of white space digital innovation firm Bow & Arrow.
Bow & Arrow identify and create new digital products, services and ventures that fulfil unmet customer needs and deliver diversified revenue streams. Working with clients including BMW MINI, Google, Boots, American Express and Wall Street Journal, Bow & Arrow focus on high-impact innovation that lands in market. Delivered by a digitally-native, impact-obsessed team combining commercial, strategy, product, creative and design skillsets, B&A start-up teams work as one from brief to launch.
Question three...
TESTING THE TEMPERATURE OF TODAY
What does the current state of change mean for the innovation consulting industry? And, who will succeed and who will fail?
In any recession (we started in one) the instinct in most industries (unless you’re in food delivery or exercise) is to hunker down, reduce all spending, especially on things that don’t seem to be urgent to putting out the fire in front of you. And most people are resistant to change and evolution. BUT this current state is an unprecedented situation and putting your head in the sand is a quick way to become obsolete. The challenges lie in growth for a company – the products or services that they had may not be the ones that will serve them in the new future. Which means – and I guess I would say this - companies crucially will need to think about what the new products or services are that will be the ones that move them forwards. The companies that fail will be the ones that are playing catch up e.g. ones that haven’t sorted their digital presence and the ones that win will be the ones that innovate here.
This is the moment when companies can, will and need to reinvent themselves, and what they do.
New technologies plus the sudden mandate to be in a digital world enables it. And people are demanding it – they will be searching for meaning, something better, something new and something good is what will win out. Not just the same old shit. This time is a gift, and companies like ours will seek out the clients that truly want to drive change.
I am also very passionate about culture and looking after your people – and I’ve said this to you guys before – I think the losers will be organisations that haven’t cared about culture or seen it as one of the most important things you can do in a business. The world is now global, and employees are starting to realise that they can work wherever they want and that the golden handcuffs of free lunches and gyms onsite aren't going to be enough in the future. So you have to do something interesting and meaningful in both cases – what you do both for your customers and your employees, has to be something meaningful and resonant so that they have a reason to stay with you. All bets are off now.
You have to have purpose and people at the heart of what you do, even if it’s tech that’s fuelling the growth.
Join us tomorrow for question four where we discuss the impact of acquisition ... hearing Natasha's thoughts on the shifting landscape plus hearing about Bow & Arrow's journey having recently joined forces with Accenture.
Can't wait... check out the full piece and soundcloud audio here