3 minute read
BRINGING JOY AND PROFIT AS A PRODUCT INNOVATION COACH
BY OLIVIA RATTEN
Growing up in a family business that manufactures pet food, I experienced firsthand the relentless demands of being ‘on the tools’ every day, constantly solving problems and striving to stay ahead in a competitive market. Sleepless nights spent worrying about sales, product strategies, and the next steps were a regular occurrence. This reality is something many small and medium-sized business owners still face today.
I’m Olivia, founder of The Outside Leader and a product innovation coach. My passion is helping businesses like yours move beyond these daily struggles to unlock growth, creativity and ease. This passion was born from my experience and the realisation that structured collaboration can transform business outcomes.
MY JOURNEY TO DESIGN THINKING
In our family business, we were always busy managing day-to-day operations. Like many small and medium-sized businesses, we didn’t often have the time or space to think strategically or innovate. Opportunities to improve processes or products were frequently overlooked because we lacked the tools to act on them.
My turning point came when I discovered design thinking. It taught me how to blend creativity with practical business outcomes. By learning to collaborate and apply structured frameworks, I realised that teams could solve problems more efficiently, enjoy the process and produce better results. This is where my mission as a coach was born. I help businesses implement these tools and frameworks to achieve both joy and profit.
THE CHALLENGE MANY BUSINESSES FACE
For consumer-packaged goods businesses, staying competitive is harder than ever. You might sense shifts in the market or notice changing customer needs, but the daily grind leaves little room for exploring those opportunities. Many business leaders feel stuck in a cycle of working harder without seeing better results.
Does this sound familiar?
The problem is not a lack of ideas, but a lack of resources, time and the right approach to turn those ideas into reality. This is where the power of innovation through collaboration can be transformative.
THE POWER OF COLLABORATION
I’ve learned that structured collaboration is the key to unlocking a team’s potential. You create a dynamic cycle of innovation by bringing your team together to design, experiment and make decisions. This process isn’t about relying on external experts, but tapping into the wealth of knowledge already within your team.
Creative collaboration allows your team to quickly test and refine ideas, leading to faster and more successful outcomes. It fosters joy and engagement as everyone becomes part of the innovation process rather than feeling weighed down by the daily grind. This shift from ‘working harder’ to ‘working smarter’ is where breakthroughs happen.
WHY I DO THIS WORK
My mission is to help family businesses and SMEs unlock their full potential through innovation. From personal experience, I know that innovation isn’t just for big corporations. With the right approach, any business can foster creativity, growth and competitiveness.
By implementing structured collaboration techniques, you can turn what you already know into actionable strategies that drive growth and profitability. The result? Better products, faster outcomes and a more engaged, aligned and joyful team. When your team is thriving, your business will too.
AN INVITATION
If this resonates with you, I invite you to join my free workshop. This is your opportunity to experience firsthand how structured collaboration can bring ease, flow and momentum to your business. Together, we’ll explore how to unlock your team’s full potential and build a more innovative, joyful future.
