David Smulders, BiTQ – InnovaBuzz 214
David Smulders, BiTQ
In this episode, I’m really excited to have as my guest, David Smulders, who is the CEO of BiTQ, a company that helps you transform business data into valuable, actionable insights. David’s mission is to help leaders build an insight-driven world through the strategic management of data, enabling smarter decision making.
In our discussion, David talked to me about:
- Selecting tools that are fit for purpose and present data in a way that it’s both meaningful and insightful to drive action
- Starting from a clear identification of customer needs and challenges
- Using the right data and the right information to make a difference
Deb Farnworth-Wood on episode 191 suggested we interview David.
Listen to the podcast to find out more.
Listen to the Podcast
Seek first to understand. @SmulCo on #InnovaBuzz podcast Click To Tweet
Show Notes from this episode with David Smulders, CEO of BiTQ
Key points and takeaways from this episode include:
- The Four Stages of Information:
- Digitalization
- Collaboration
- Analytics
- Data Eutopia
- Analytics is the divide between looking back and looking forward. You need to have a clear understanding of what your business has done to date and be able to use that information to shape what you need to do to survive this ever-changing fast-paced market.
- Be agile and flexible. You have to be willing to integrate information in such a way that, as the world progresses, you are able to adapt what you are doing and still get the outcome that you want and accommodate the changes that go along the path.
- Unless you start articulating and working it through, you will never really know what you want. It’s a process.
- It is important to follow this process before even thinking about what you need to be implementing. You need to understand your WHY first.
- Put customer service above profitability. Make sure that you understand the customers’ needs and their problems at the same level. Work on the journey together with them. Seek first to understand.
- A good customer is someone who is willing to open up to you and work with you to help you understand what their problem is.
- Using the right tool for the wrong purpose or the wrong tool for the right purpose, either way has a negative outcome.
- If you are not willing to invest in the first stages of getting all the information sorted and making sure that you get the source truth, all you are doing is presenting wrong information in a beautiful way.
- When you are being honest with what you don’t know and what you can and can’t do, it allows you to create an environment of innovation within your own personal life. And if you take that and build that into a culture within an organisation, and people are honest and open about what they can and can’t do, collaboration leads to innovation.
- We all have the ability to be innovative. It is our inability to believe that we can actually make a difference that prohibits us. Tenacity leads to innovation.
We all have the ability to be innovative. It is our inability to believe that we can actually make a difference that prohibits us. @SmulCo on #InnovaBuzz podcast Click To Tweet
The Buzz – Our Innovation Round
Here are David’s answers to the questions of our Innovation round. Listen to the interview to get the full scoop.
- #1 thing to be more innovative – Be more honest. Part of innovation is accepting and being honest with what you don’t know. Be tenacious.
- Best thing for new ideas – Hire smart people.
- Favourite tool for innovation – My Surface Book. Notepad and pen.
- Keep project / client on track – Constant communication.
- Differentiate – Be genuine.
To Be a Leader
If you don’t believe that you can make a difference in doing what you are doing, then you are doing the wrong thing. Understand your purpose.
Reach Out
You can reach out and thank David through his website and on LinkedIn.
Suggested Guest
David suggested I interview Bevan Slattery, an IT entrepreneur, and Sonia McDonald, a motivational speaker. So Bevan and Sonia, keep an eye on your inbox for an invitation from us to the InnovaBuzz podcast, courtesy of David Smulders.
Links
Cool things about David
- He holds a Masters Degree in Leading Innovation and Change from York St. John University.
- He plays golf.
- He’s a U6 Soccer Coach for the Moreton Bay Boys’ College.
If you don't believe that you can make a difference in doing what you are doing, then you are doing the wrong thing. Understand your purpose. @SmulCo on #InnovaBuzz podcast Click To Tweet