Start by Starting: Reflections on Innovation Management with Strategyzer

As an program director / innovation consultant at Strategyzer, I’ve had the privilege of working with organizations across the globe, spanning various industries, from food and beverage to banking, pharmaceuticals to automotive. Every client, workshop, and team presents unique challenges and opportunities, but there’s one consistent truth: innovation can feel really daunting. The ambition to reshape business models, rethink value propositions, and disrupt markets often stirs excitement but can also create hesitancy. How do you take the first step? The answer is simple: you start by starting.

After a recent workshop, one of the participants invited me for a casual coffee after the session. We talked about the struggles organisations face with implementing innovation, and how difficult it can be to be the definition of innovation ("They hired me. I have innovation in my title. I and I alone am innovation"). Typical of many companies is not the issue of coming up with initial ideas, but of what to do with them once you have them.

We delved deeper, exploring what was holding them back, and soon I found myself reflecting on my own journey and the advice I often give to clients. We talked about the paralysis that comes from overthinking and the courage it takes to leap into action despite uncertainty. I realized that this was a message not only for them but also for me. While I’ve guided many organizations through the labyrinth of innovation, sometimes the simplest advice—start by starting—is the most profound.

This coffee chat reminded me that even as consultants, we can get caught up in planning and strategizing, waiting for the perfect moment or the most refined idea. But innovation isn’t about perfection; it’s about progression. And that progression begins with action, no matter how small.

So, I took my own advice... and here we are. I'm writing my first 'article' on LinkedIn while waiting for my flight back to Denmark from the UAE, taking some time to reflect on the work I've been doing over the last year. It's the one task that seemed to keep getting rolled over to the next week's to do list, because I didn’t feel "ready."

In my work, I see first-hand that organizations thrive when they move from intention to execution. It’s not the perfect strategy that wins, but the willingness to experiment, learn, and iterate along the way. That one coffee conversation was a reminder that innovation is a mindset and a discipline. It’s about starting when things feel uncertain and trusting that clarity and progress will follow.

As I continue to work with diverse industries around the world, I carry this lesson forward—not just for my clients, but for myself. Whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or a scrappy startup, the principle remains the same: stop waiting for the perfect conditions. Start by starting.

The next time you’re stuck, unsure of the next step, grab a cup of coffee and remind yourself: the journey to innovation begins with one small action. And often, that action is simply getting started.