Jim Carroll- Futurist, Trends & Innovation Keynote Speaker

Here’s a quick little list that I used in the summary of a recent client keynote. Enjoy!

• move forward: adopt the mindset that you aren’t going to fix the problems of he future by doing what you’ve done in the past.
• be realistic : stop looking for home runs: set goals that can be met
• step up your game : is your risk culture inappropriate for a fast paced economy?
• don’t copycat: What works for Apple won’t necessarily work for everyone!
• don’t cut your losses: convert your losses
• look around: see the world through a different lens
• make play: turn boredom into creativity
• challenge habit: where are your assumptions wrong?
• jump and shout: celebrate small wins
• always accelerate: avoid the stall points

Last but not least, avoid “momentum failure“: when the momentum that is necessary to innovate is clear, but nothing happens because a decision cannot be made.

Lots of news going on around the world with government, scandals, ethics, and this and that.

Sometimes it strikes close to those you know. It’s staggering to watch the media storm that is today’s news as it unfolds in real time.

So let me tell you a story that involves my good friend, Pamela Wallin.

Twenty years ago, I caught the edge of the Internet explosion, and wrote a few books (actually, about 30) that made their way to the #1 bestseller list in my home country, Canada. Before I knew it, I was in the whirlwind that was media at the time : TV, newspaper, radio interviews, book tours. It’s a time I would much sooner forget. It was pretty bizarre. I don’t do much anymore, since much of it just seemed to be so shallow. (If you look hard enough, you can find a lot of it, such as the time Peter Mansbridge interviewed me in January 2000 for an hour about the future of the Internet — it’s in the CBC archives.)

Along the way, I was interviewed many times by someone who always struck me as someone who was just plain nice. Class. Sincere. Honestly interested in the topic at hand. A real journalist. Someone who didn’t just read the show notes and make shit up. Someone who really got into the story.

That person was Pamela Wallin.

I think I was on her Pamela Wallin Live show at least 5 times during the dot.com era. We covered fascinating topics; the politics of the Internet. The emergence of Mp3 technology and the impact on the music industry. The future of government in an era of global communication. How the world might change when everyone was connected. I have a lot of the show at home on a computer somewhere, and should digitize them one day and put them up. Most of what we spoke about came true. The Arab spring. The surveillance society. The upheaval and change in the global entertainment industry.

Here’s the thing. Somewhere during this time, I realized that Pamela didn’t know that she hadn’t registered the Canadian version of her domain name. She had owned pamelawallin.com, but no one thought to tell her that she should own the Canadian version, pamelawallin.ca.

So I told her I would register it on her behalf. I would take care of it. Make sure that no one used it for a nefarious, slanderous intent. Friends do that type of thing.

And so for about 10 years, each year, my wife and I would pay the bill to renew the domain name, and send her and her office an email. We all lived well in the knowledge that her good name was protected.

Eventually, we transferred all the details of ownership of her domain over to her office. I was always happy I did this. (And I did it for a few other high profile people too. Friends do this…)

Today, my friend Pamela Wallin is under attack. It seems to be a very complicated affair. But I’m with Pamela on this.

When you live a life in the public spotlight, you live a complicated life. I sent her an email the other day and said “there will be better days.”

I’m pretty happy I guarded the Canadian version of her domain name for a decade or more. And I would imagine that there are a lot more of her friends out there who have done things through the years to help her manage a complicated life. With no nefarious intent. With no dastardly scandalous thoughts in mind.

Simply because friends look out for other friends.

So I’m with Pamela on this, and I think all the other folks who know her for who she is should also stand up and say so.

This coming Wednesday, I’ll be in Philadelphia, where I will be speaking at UBM Canon’s Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Expo and Conference on the theme, “What Do World Class Innovators Do That Others Don’t Do?”

This will be a wonderfully fun keynote. It will touch on many of the different topics I have been speaking about lately: intelligent, inter-connected packaging, smart medical packaging that monitors whether patients are properly taking their medicine, and the emergence of intelligent medical device connectivity.

There’s a common belief in the US among average folk that US manufacturing is still in a state of decline. Nothing could be further from the truth; there is a massive renaissance in thinking underway, with new design methodologies, rapid prototyping, fast implementation of new manufacturing methodologies, the concept of 3D printing which has gone from ‘science fiction’ to readily available implementation in just a short period of time.

In the world of manufacturing, the future belongs to those who are fast. This should be a great event!

Here’s the press release which has done out far and wide announcing my participation.

SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — UBM Canon’s Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Expo and Conference returns to Philadelphia June 18-20, 2013, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.  With nearly 1,200 exhibiting companies, this event co-locates six tradeshows, along with seminars, industry speakers, industry awards and product teardowns to provide the most comprehensive manufacturing event for visitors and exhibitors on the Atlantic seaboard.

The expositions include the 30^th annual MD&M East (Medical Design & Manufacturing East), EastPack (packaging), PLASTEC East (plastics), ATX East (Automation Technology Expo East), Atlantic Design & Manufacturing and Pharmapack North America (pharmaceutical packaging & drug delivery).

Get ready for interactive packaging! The illustration on this bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin was produced in electroluminescent ink, and a battery is hidden in the bottom of the packaging. When you pick it up off the shelf, a hidden mechanical switch triggers the electric current. This runs through different paths at different times to create the visual effect, which lasts for 18 seconds before stopping until its activated again.

Pennsylvania is a centrally located hub for U.S. manufacturing, with more than 14,500 establishments, employing 560,000 workers. Manufacturer visitors can see a wide range of product and service offerings under one roof. They will see innovative ideas and meet suppliers with cutting-edge manufacturing technology such as 3D printing, track-and-trace medical packaging.

The event provides extensive educational programming that is highly relevant and timely to manufacturers.
Keynote: Jim Carroll, Futurist: What Do World Class Innovators Do That Others Don’t Do?

A sampling of free education sessions includes:
A future pill to swallow – Prescribing iPhone apps instead of medicine
Aligned Partnerships: A Better Way to Design and Develop
Considerations in Selecting a System Integrator
Product teardowns include the iPad mini versus the Nexus 7 tablet.

Paid seminars and workshops include topics such as Lean Manufacturing, Robotics, Motion Control, Manufacturing Plant Security, Medical Design & Prototyping, Regulatory, Risk Control and Validation, Wireless Medical Devices, Implantable Medical Devices, Augmented Reality Packaging.

I was invited in to talk to senior group of scientists, mission directors and senior executives to speak of future trends and innovation.

It was an extraordinary day with an extraordinary group of people. I’ll blog more about it later.

But it was  a thrill to drive in from the main security checkpoint and see this!

I am honoured that on Monday, I will be able to share some of my insight with the folks at NASA’s Goddard Space Center.

This is the first picture of Earth taken from a planet beyond the moon, taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, one hour before sunrise on the 63rd Martian day, or sol, of its mission. (March 8, 2004).

10 years ago, I wrote a blog post about “10 things that my kids think are from the olden days.” It’s still a great read — grab it here.

Bullet number 10 on that list? This is what I wrote at that time:

My kids will never know a sky without the Space Station.

Ever since they can remember, they’ve gone into our backyard at dusk on clear evenings, watching for the International Space Station and various satellites. They know that mommy and daddy will tell them precisely where to look, at what time, and in what direction the station or satellite will be traversing overhead.

That’s because they’ve grown up with a Web site called Heavens-Above, which will tell you the exact details, for any particular point on earth, where you can easily observe such orbiting wonders.

To them, this is a normal and expected part of life—to me, it is fascinating that a system has evolved that lets me discover such magic.

When my kids were 3 and 5 years old, I would take them out in the backyard, and using the data from the Heavens-Above.com Web site, would teach them how to spot the ISS, the Hubble, various Russian rocket boosters, communication satellites — and Iridium Flares!

All kinds of marvels, built and launched from the wonder that is the human mind.

Extraordinary stuff. Extraordinary times. Extraordinary innovation.

By the way, read this post.

It’s quite true. Some people have a very narrow view of the world, and never achieve too much. Innovators have a wide open mind, and change the world in new and continuous ways.

These kids aspire to greatness – they’re innovators!

Consider the differences.

1. Some people see a trend and see a threat. Innovators see the same trend, and see an opportunity.
2. Some people tend to focus on past failures with sadness or disgust. Innovators look at the same failures and analyze them to figure out what to do better next time.
3. Some people hear an oddball idea, and say, “that’s the dumbest thing I ever heard.” Innovators hear the same idea, and think “what a great idea!“
4. Some people seek solace from others in order to avoid controversy. Innovators seek out groups of people to grab, share and get feedback on new ideas
5. Some people wish that everything around them would just stay the same. Innovators are eager to change everything they can.
6. Some people think that progress is great, and that’s gone on way too long. Innovators thrive on the opportunity and challenge what tomorrow brings.
7. Some people tend to hang out in peer groups that mimic their behaviour. Innovators bounce around among different peer groups, seeking the innovation oxygen that different opinions bring to the world.
8. Some people would react, “it won’t work,” when confronted with a new and radical idea. Innovators immediately set out to figure out to make the oddball idea a home run hit.
9. Some people prefer to study an issue to death until they can make a decision. Innovators look at the same issue, and say, “let’s do it now!”
10. Some people like to keep their world perspective small. Innovators thrive in a massive world of constant, never-ending swirling ideas

Just saying.

Here’s a video clip from my opening keynote for ERA Connect 2013. In the audience were a thousand or so real estate brokers and agents — I’m working to encourage them to think as to how quickly their industry might change, by framing what might happen in the not too distant future with the cars that we drive.

I recently spent some time with Present, a leading Canadian IT firm, in  sharing my insight in a keynote and workshop with a group of key senior executives, focused on innovation.

The video highlight reel is here — it was a great event! The press release that Present put out after can be found below.

MONTREAL, May 23, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ – Present, an established firm of IT innovation experts was delighted to provide its customers and partners in Montreal and Toronto with an opportunity to hear from Jim Carroll, a recognized Canadian thought leader and authority on important business and IT trends.

Speaking to an audience of senior IT and business executives, the focus of Jim’s talk was to examine: What world class innovators do that others don’t. Jim challenged the audience to think differently about how innovation is approached “World class innovators recognize big trends are emerging quickly,” he said. “They embrace new ideas and ways of doing things and they don’t say, ‘that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard’.”

Carroll also emphasized how world class innovators get in on new emerging markets faster – and how they constantly think of the next thing to create revenue. Another key take-away was how world class innovators will shift entire industries. For example, the medical field used to focus on treating you when you were sick, now it’s changing to knowing when you will be sick, and addressing it.

For information about how Present can help your business become more innovative and profitable please visit present.ca/it-innovation.

About Present
In business for 22 years, Present is an established firm of IT experts with a unique and highly skilled team. Present believes innovation is a core driver of growth and their goal is to assist their clients in developing and implementing strategies and tactics to spur growth and profits. They provide solutions based on IBM hardware and software, Apple in the business solutions as well as Cloud solutions.

I have a very odd job.

Officially, my title is that I’m a ‘futurist, trends & innovation expert.” I must be pretty good at it, judging by my client list.

And it’s always difficult to describe to some people what it is I do for a living.

Most often, I explain, “well, I go out and talk to large groups of hungover people.” To a degree, that’s what I’m doing quite often when I’m keynoting events in Las Vegas, Palm Springs or New Orleans.

Officially, my title is that I’m a ‘futurist, trends & innovation expert.” I must be pretty good at it, judging by my client list. I spend a lot doing extensive original research for my clients, and pull together presentations and workshops that helps align them to fast paced future trends.

But its’ fascinating that when I meet many people for the very first time who have a bit of an idea of what I do (“he’s a speaker”), they always ask “are you a motivational speaker?” This is happening quite a bit with the local golf club I just joined, where every round has me golfing with someone new.

The question quite possibly could drive me nuts, because  I think “motivational speakers” like Tony Robbins and others who encourage people to walk across fire to discover their ‘internal strength’ are just a bunch of crackpots!

That said, I finally give up, and will admit that I am a motivational speaker, and I’m pretty darn good at it.

Here’s why:

• in many of my keynotes or private corporate leadership events, I cover a lot of very unique trends that will provide both opportunity and challenge in the future
• when I tie those trends into opportunities for innovation, I’m implicitly encouraging people to position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities that exist, rather than coiling away in fear from the potential threats
• I usually close every talk with my 10 Great Words, which many people have said provides them with a powerful motivation to adapt quickly to the future — a future that is unfolding around them faster than ever before.

So, sure, I’m a motivational speaker. Through the years, I’ve had thousands of folks contact me, Tweet, post to Facebook, or in the best possible compliment — book me for their own event. Some of these folks tell me I’ve changed their view of the world in a very major way : such as this comment which came after I spoke to over 3,000 people in Salt Lake City at the National Recreation and Parks Association annual conference:

Dear Jim,

I just wanted to let you know that in my 20 years of attending the NRPA Congress, no one has captivated me more than your keynote address. And, all during the week, when we talked about the Keynote, everyone agreed!

In fact, I presented a seminar “Creating the Wow—New Marketing Trends for Everyone”, and mentioned a few of your insightful comments. It was amazing to see how everyone was captivated with your session. In fact, it is the only time I can remember, that people were upset that we were running late and you had to wrap up your talk rather quickly.

In addition, Vendors raved about you pressing attendees to visit the trade show, talk to peers, and see how technology is changing our profession. It was quite a Home Run!

We have a saying in our department, the 2008 NRPA Gold Medal Winner (Class II—100,001 to 250,000), which is, “Engage. Inspire. Change a Life Today!” I wanted to leave you with this… YOU Engaged. YOU Inspired. YOU changed lives that day! Thanks again for sharing your keen insight and talents with all of us!

Respectfully,

Rick Herold

Director of Parks and Recreation

City of Grand Prairie, Texas

www.GrandFunGP.com

So yes, I’m motivational.

There’s a quote I use to close many of my keynotes. “Some people see a trend and see a threat. Real innovators see the same trend, and see an opportunity.”

You want to be the latter type of person. And if somehow through the years I’ve inspired you to think that way, then I’m doing my job as a motivator!

Here’s a great clip to get you start.

35 minutes of hilarity, looking back at time on the unique voyage that Baby Boomers had with mainframes, computers that always screwed up, and more! This was a really fun keynote, in that it was based on a book I wrote in 1996, but which I got to deliver to 2,000 in Orlando, May 2013. It was a huge amount of fun on stage — I had the audience just cracking up!

Back in April, I was the closing keynote speaker for the annual Delta Dental of Missouri FutureFocus 2013 event.

It’s an event put together for HR executives, benefits managers and other executives responsible for managing their corporate health plans.

Delta Dental has put together a great highlight reel which you can watch here. It’s kind of cool how they weaved my trends issues, and innovation challenges, throughout the video.

Many of my keynotes and leadership meetings in dozens of industries and corporate events involve a good, hard look at serious future trends. It’s a lot of work, takes a lot of research, but is a hugely rewarding “job.”

And then, every once in a while, something completely different comes along. So it was with a major US financial company that was holding the 30th anniversary of their key customer meeting. And since they’re somewhat in the IT business, they wanted a keynote that looked back in time, rather than looking forward. Something fun, engaging, and which would help folks have a good laugh at the unique experiences baby boomers have been through over the last 30 years. As it turns out, they found me, through one of the speakers bureaus that represents me.

The results was a rollicking, hilarious 45 minute keynote based on lots of my material from one of by books from the 1990′s: Surviving the Information Age, but a lot more material that I’ve developed and have used on stage over this 20 year career as a speaker.

Here’s a great clip — where I’m talking about how quickly our world is changing, as things that are a part of our lives have become things from the “olden days” — and it has happened before our very eyes.

So there I am on another flight – a long trip, with 5 1/2 hours from Toronto to San Francisco, a two hour layover, and then a 1 1/2 hr flight into Palm Springs, where I have a keynote today, Tuesday morning.

It’s a bad thing when your power cord dies at 35,000 feet!

After takeoff, I get set to get to work, and take out my Mac and power wire. I plug in the wire. No power. I assume that maybe my seat power hasn’t been turned on, so I ask the flight attendant. I’m told it is on.

I then look at the small wire that connects from the ‘power brick’ to the Mac, and at the ‘brick’ it is completely frayed. I give it a tiny tug, and it comes right off.

Obviously, I have a problem. You can’t easily source a new wire at 36,000 feet!

But maybe you can. When I first go to the airport, I went to the airline lounge. Opposite from me was a young lady using a Mac.

And moments after my awful discovery on the plane, she went up to the front lavatory!

My mind sprang into action, so when she went back to her seat, I took one of my books (“The Future Belongs to Those Who Are Fast”,) asked if she was going beyond San Francisco, and if not, would I be able to buy her power cord for $100.

She agreed!

Saved!

She needed to use it throughout the flight, she said, but would give it to me near the end. And she did. So I got to Palm Springs, have power, and go on stage in about 1/2 hr.

I won’t mention the young lady by name, but she works for Facebook as an account manager in Toronto, and she is my new hero.

Some months back, the folks at DeVry University interviewed me as part of a series of articles they were doing to focus on the new careers of tomorrow.

The future of long-distance trucking might look more like these “road trains,” as Carroll calls them. These are autonomous vehicles that can navigate long distances without direct operation, with a team of skilled technicians operating them from afar

Their article arrived online today; you can read the original article here, or below.

Fueling America’s Future: New Energy Solutions, New Careers

As U.S. energy independence looms on the horizon, Americans need to start rethinking and transitioning our own energy usage.

Big changes are afoot for U.S. energy. And when energy changes, we all change with it.

American manufacturing, transportation, and technological infrastructures are all deeply affected by, and entangled with, how smartly we produce and consume energy.

According to the International Energy Association, we’re entering an energy renaissance: Its 2012 World Energy Report concludes that the United States will become self-sustaining, in terms of net energy produced, by 2035.[1] Part of that will mean an emergence of new career opportunities for people in the energy sector.

When we try to imagine what U.S. energy may look like in 2035, Jim Carroll, a futurist and energy expert, points to a few clues from very real energy trends emerging right now, changes which include new ways of transporting goods around the country, and new ways in which we think about energy infrastructure and workforces.

Whether we’re talking about renewable or natural energy, efficiency of use is approaching faster because of the acceleration of science, says Carroll, whose many books on innovation include “The Future Belongs to Those Who Are Fast.”

“Scientific knowledge happens and emerges faster than ever before because all of these scientists are plugged together,” he says. “Which means the new scientific discoveries in all these fields are faster, which again leads to higher levels of production in renewables, natural gas and oils.”

On the Road

The American long haul trucking industry has been dependent on traditional and diesel gasoline for decades. But not for much longer, according to Carroll.

“Energy companies are working to retrofit long-distance trucks for natural gas,” Carroll says. But that might be just an interim step toward a brand new paradigm for this industry. Carroll says that technologists are already asking questions like: “How do we use robotics, radar and GPS to link together seven or 10 trucks in a unit that can self drive down the road in a way that is energy efficient?”

The future of long-distance trucking might look more like these “road trains,” as Carroll calls them. These are autonomous vehicles that can navigate long distances without direct operation, with a team of skilled technicians operating them from afar.

A change like this requires us to think about reskilling the American workforce. Truck-driving jobs could potentially disappear, but the need for skilled technicians is growing considerably.

These emerging jobs will be in the management of what Jim Carroll calls “highly sophisticated highway control infrastructure systems,” which will arise from the need to redesign highways for smarter fueled vehicles with better efficiency.

And with smarter infrastructure for highways, there will be greater opportunities for innovating how personal cars are fueled. Many analysts have decried that the electric car is dead, but perhaps it just needs to be rethought. According to Carroll, the renewable battery model, which could take up to eight hours to charge, is outdated.

“Instead, let’s build a battery station that you drive your car into,” Carroll says. “A hydraulic arm reaches in and opens the underneath of your car, takes your battery and places in a brand new fresh one. Thirty seconds and you’re completely refueled and ready to go.”

Reshaping American Infrastructure

The same development is already occurring in many American industries: Think about how manufacturing jobs have shifted from assembly lines to technologically advanced robotics. Or how advanced oil drilling methodologies—hydraulic fracturing or horizontal drilling—have increased domestic oil production due to the efficiency of the processes. These process shifts require rethinking whole infrastructures, and with that, a need for a workforce with new skills.

These are major shifts, but small changes in energy consumption can also showcase how Americans are rethinking their energy consumption. Carroll mentions the Nest Learning Thermostat—a smart thermostat that adjusts the temperature in your house depending on whether you’re home, the time of day, and the outside weather.

A smart thermostat would just be part of the future of smart and energy-efficient homes, where frozen smoke—an expensive but very efficient form of matter—could be used in home insulation. Or, in a concept by the New York architects Cook + Fox, the walls of the home may be biomorphic—practically lizard-like—and able to better absorb sunlight and retain energy depending on the weather.

But, again, the future of energy depends as much on such refinements as bigger innovations that are already being conceived. Some analysts predict that homes will be equipped with hydrogen fuel cells that will create low-emission electricity via a chemical process that combines hydrogen and oxygen.

While there are many different views on when the United States may achieve energy independence, the prevailing opinion is that it will happen—and soon. But independence depends not only from producing more and consuming less energy: The next round of American energy innovation is also linked to scientific and technological advances as well as perhaps the most important feature—a highly skilled workforce.

The RVCF – Retail Value Chain Federation — represents a membership of some of the largest and most sophisticated retailers in the world. Organizations such as Wal-Mart, Neiman Marcus, Costco, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Saks Ffth Avenue.

And so I’m thrilled to announce their announcement that I’ll be the opening keynote for their upcoming annual conference — speaking the rapid trends that are rapidly reshaping every aspect of the world of retail.

The conference will be held in November in Scottsdale, Arizona.

I am sure there will be an opportunity to golf!

Here’s the press release.

RVCF Announces Keynote Jim Carroll for the Upcoming 2013 Annual Fall Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona

“The future belongs to those who are fast!” by Jim Carroll, Futurist, Trends & Innovation Expert. In the world of retail in 2013 and beyond, we will be seeing the more rapid emergence of new ways of doing business, and it’s leading us to a time in which companies have to instantly be able to copy any move by their competition – or risk falling behind.

South Plainfield, NJ (PRWEB) April 18, 2013

In the world of retail in 2013 and beyond, we will be seeing the more rapid emergence of new ways of doing business, and it’s leading us to a time in which companies have to instantly be able to copy any move by their competition – or risk falling behind.

For example, think about what is going on in retail, with one major trend defining the future: the Apple Store checkout process, which involves the elimination of the cash register. Apple has such an impact on retail design and consumer behavior today that many other retailers are now scrambling to duplicate the process, trying to link themselves to the cool Apple cachet.

That’s the new reality in the world of business — pacesetters today can swiftly and suddenly change the pace and structure of an industry, and other competitors have to scramble to keep up. Consider this scenario, which recently unfolded: Amazon announces a same day delivery in some major centers. Google and Walmart almost immediately jump on board. And in just a short time, retailers in every major city are going to have be able to play the same game!

Then there is in-store promotion. We’re entering the era of constant video bombardment in the retail space. How fast is the trend towards constant interaction evolving? Consider the comments by Ron Boire, the new Chief Marketing Officer for Sears in the US (and former chief executive of Brookstone Inc.): “My focus will really be on creating more and better theater in the stores”.

We are going to see a linking of this ‘in-store theater’ with our mobile devices and our social networking relationships. Our Facebook app for a store brand (or the fact we’ve ‘liked’ the brand) will know we’re in the store, causing a customized commercial to run, offering us a personalized product promotion with a hefty discount. This type of scenario will be here faster than you think.

Fast format change, instant business model implementation and rapid-fire strategic moves. That’s the new reality for retail business, and it’s the innovators who will adapt. Join RVCF as international futurist, innovation and trends expert Jim Carroll challenges us about a world in which the future belongs to those who are fast. Jim’s clients include The GAP, the Walt Disney Corporation, ESPN, Johnson & Johnson, the PGA of America, and many, many more.

The RVCF 2013 Annual Fall Conference will take place at the Westin Kierland in Scottsdale, AZ from Sunday, November 3 through Wednesday, November 6. For more information and to register, please visit us on the web athttp://bit.ly/RVCF2013Fall.

About Jim Carroll

Jim Carroll, Futurist, Trends and Innovation Expert.
Jim Carroll is one of the world’s leading futurists, trends & innovation experts. And it’s his inspirational, transformative thinking that will help you discover opportunity in an era of high-velocity change. And in his most recent keynotes and leadership sessions, he has been helping his clients meet the challenges of the economic contraction by focusing on innovation, and by aligning their strategy to fast-paced future trends.

He speaks on a wide variety of topics, including technology, business model change, innovation, and global challenges and growth.

He is the author of several books, including “The Future Belongs To Those Who Are Fast”, “Ready, Set, Done: How to Innovate When Faster is the New Fast” and “What I Learned from Frogs in Texas: Saving Your Skin with Forward Thinking Innovation.”

About Retail Value Chain Federation.

Driving Continuous Innovation, Collaboration and Perfect Execution
RVCF promotes best practices, trading partner alignment, collaboration, and technology solutions to streamline operations, lower costs and speed goods to market throughout the retail value chain. For more information, visit http://www.rvcf.com.

Media Contact:

Sheri Kurdakul
media(at)rvcf(dot)com
646-442-3701

I had the honor of being a keynote speaker for the recent Canadian Automotive Dealers Association Summit 2013, sharing the agenda with the legendary Bob Lutz, former Vice Chairman of GM, and Steve Rattner (Obama’s “Car Czar” and the main architect of the 2009 North American auto industry restructuring).

Think forward to how quickly technology and automobiles are going to evolve, particularly with autonomous driving technology. Who will win at this race? Google or Ford? Apple or GM?

It’s a fascinating time for the auto industry — in many regions of the world, signs of significant recovery abound, sales are up, and happy days are here again!

On the other hand, there’s still the rest of the future to contend with.

And that was the focus on my keynote. There’s certainly a lot that’s happening, and some pretty big changes. For auto dealers, it will be their ability to innovate in the context of these trends that will define their future success.

So what did I concentrate on? I framed my keynote around 4 major trends, which I called:

• transformation
• acceleration
• interaction
• generations

Let’s take a look.

1. Transformation

The most significant change to the auto industry is already well underway, and is easily summarized by one of the slides from my deck:

Quite simply, the pace, control and speed of innovation is shifting from auto companies in Detroit (and elsewhere) to the technology companies of Silicon Valley. This was the focus an article run in an industry publication before my talk, Detroit isn’t keep pace with innovation, says futurist Jim Carroll.

“Shifting customer expectations are driving part of that change as drivers will now expect their vehicles to be as advanced, easy to use and even as “replaceable” as their smartphones and tablet devices that are so central to their lives.

He says dealers need to ensure their staff is ready to adapt to the change. “A car you sell today might be out of date two years from now,” he says. “How do you keep your salesforce and service force up to date with that speed of change?”

“Some people see a trend and see a threat. Real innovative people see the same trend and they see opportunity. That’s what dealers need to ensure they do when they think about this very fast paced future,” says Carroll.

Mobile will also forever change the retail experience and dealers will need to adjust to provide better customer experiences. “I will talk about the changes going on in retail,” says Carroll. “Mobile is the big story.”

He says social media and mobile shopping is having a huge impact on purchasing decisions. “There is a lot of technology that is coming that will link to mobile.” These new technologies will forever change the customer interaction with retailers. “It’s happening very, very quickly,” says Carroll.

In my keynote, I played into this theme. To start out, I asked the audience how many people in the audience used all the features of their new “Smart TV’s.” Very few hands went up.

Why? Because many people are coming to the conclusion that most smart TV’s are actually pretty dumb! What we’ve seen in the last several years, with most so-called smart TV’s, is a situation in which television manufacturers, who have never been really part of the Silicon Valley technology and design culture, suddenly began throwing all kinds of features onto televisions, such as Facebook, Twitter, Netflix.

The result is, if you pardon the expression, a real barf-bag of clumsy screen navigation, confusing remotes, ill-designed apps, and, well, just a bit of a major FAIL.

Smart TV’s? No one uses smart TV’s because they’re dumb. And that seems to be a message that is resonating on the Internet; such as this article recently featured on Wired.

“People aren’t using their internet-connected smart TVs for anything beyond, well, watching TV. It turns out, nobody wants to tweet from their TV. Or read books. Or do whatever it is people do on LinkedIn. Worse, more than 40 percent of the people who buy a connected TV aren’t even using it for its ostensible primary purpose: getting online video onto the biggest screen in your home. “

Contrast the Smart TV experience to the Apple TV. The latter has a crisp design, clean, simple and intuitive interface. Quite simply, it just works.

Now think about the new car that you might own. It’s got a new, cool GPS navigation system. Perhaps an interface to your iPhone. Some entertainment options. And most likely, it’s probably clunky as heck. Slow. Cumbersome to use. Just difficult to navigate. Noted the New York Times in an article in June 2012: “‘See, you spin this knob here, which moves you through these selections up here. Then you press down on the knob to select something, but don’t forget about the other menus under this button…”

And that where we are in the auto industry today: we have a lot of car companies working to try to figure out how to make technology work. And the fact is, in a world in which the future belongs to those who are fast, they are having a difficult time doing so. They don’t get great, clean design. And they have horrifically long development lead times: PCMagazine observed that “a 2012 car could have a system originally designed in 2006 and put into production in 2008 when that model first hit the streets.”

Maybe what is happening is that car companies are making the same mistakes that TV companies made. They’re making a lot of cars with a lot of cool technology that few people will use, because, well, the interface and design sucks!

Contrast any auto company and their dashboard experience to that of Tesla Motors, the “Silicon Valley” car company! This is a technology company that is figuring out how to make cars, a completely different paradigm. And most people would conclude that they’ve nailed the part of in-car design. The reviews of the in-car dash, with it’s crisp 17″ screen, show a passion and delight within the customer base. It’s like the Mac or OS/X design for automobiles!

Tesla isn’t a car company. It’s a tech company, headquartered in a hive of innovation that helped lure the sharp minds who conceptualized the car from an outsider’s perspective……If Tesla is a technology company, the evidence starts with the car’s innovative infotainment system. The 17-inch touch screen controls nearly everything — including navigation, stereo, climate control and driving settings. As clear and touch-sensitive as an Apple iPad, the huge screen can easily accommodate multiple functions at once.
Although Tesla’s future remains uncertain, its Model S delivers on the firm’s grand ambitions, 9 February 2013, Los Angeles Times

Think forward to how quickly technology and automobiles are going to evolve, particularly with autonomous driving technology. Who will win at this race? Google or Ford? Apple or GM?

I think my answer is probably pretty clear!

2. Acceleration

The second trend I spoke too was the fact that the problem above was coming about because the auto industry was now finding itself subject to the dramatic change that is wrought by Silicon Valley when it starts to take over the rate of innovation in an industry. This is a topic I frequently cover — take a look at my post, “Silicon Valley Innovation Set to Dominate Every Industry.”

Consider the auto industry just over 5 to 6 ago:

• cars were starting to arrive with built-in GPS!
• a multi-disc CD changer was a REALLY COOL accessory!
• auto companies were putting “MP3 plugs” into cars!
• Bill Gates announced Ford Sync at the Detroit Auto Show!

Now consider what could be really big in the auto industry just five years from now; I suggested that the pace of innovation is such that we could see:

• autonomous vehicles everywhere
• a SIRI button in every car
• augmented reality screens with heads up display in most cars
• glasses-free 3D dashboards
• interactive in-car billboards (i.e. a store interacts with you via your social network relationship, and alerts you there’s one nearby. You simply say, “take me there!”)
• open-platforms for extensibility and customization of the in-board dash!

Of course, many people in the room probably sat back and reacted “that’s the dumbest thing I ever heard!” — which I pointed out, observing that this is one of the key attitudes that holds people back from trying to pursue new ideas!

I suspect we are going to see a tremendous amount of technologiical innovation occuring in the automobile space in the next five years, and most people will simply be floored by the velocity of what occurs.

3. Interaction

The third trend I spoke on was the change that would quickly come to automotive dealers, around the theme of the ‘future of retail.’ I’ve done quite a bit in this space; most recnetly, for example, I spoke at a senior leadership meeting with senior executives of The GAP, the global fashion/clothing brand.

There’s a key quote I found that I think summarizes the reality facing us: ”The next five years will bring more change to retail than the last 100 years” (from Cyriac Roeding, the CEO of Shopkick, a location- based shopping app available at Macy’s, Target and other top retailers)

There is much happening here — I’ve recently been speaking at a variety of retail conferences — and will summarize that into a different post.

4. Generations

The fourth topic on the list? As automobiles become more technologically advanced, there is an increasing amount of generational discomfort with some dealers, particularly with some who are struggling to deal with all this change!

The UK Birmingham Post, reporting on a Ford dealership training session, noted  that “….35% of sales staff had little confidence in their own ability to demonstrate hi-tech in-car equipment such as Bluetooth devices and voice control systems”

That’s a pretty staggering observation if true!  And that is happening in the context in which more young people are visiting the same dealers, and participating in the practive of “showrooming.” In an article from the Dow Jones News Service  Dealers Take Notice as More People Use Phones to Buy Cars9 February 2013,, it was said that 

• “...more than a third used their mobile phone to help research pricing and other factors while on dealer lots. That’s compared to 19% for other age categories.”

And so clearly, we have a really unique generational dynamic happening in auto-showrooms!

—–

Put it all together, and it is clear that the automotive industry, and the dealers who support it, are in a particularly unique period of time that involves a lot of change, transition and tranformation!

In the home office here, we’re faced with a dismal spring, as an ice storm, wind and rain continue today!

So we need some excitement around here to dispel the gloom of a winter that just won’t go away!

So — let’s move some books!

For just $25, we’ll send you all 3 copies of my most recent books : The Future Belongs to Those Who are Fast, What I Learned From Frogs in Texas, and Ready, Set, Done: How to Innovate When Faster is the New Fast!

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If I am a typical customer of Apple, then maybe its better days really are over.

I began my voyage into becoming a hard core Mac fan in 2007 with a MacBook Pro. I quickly became an addict.

And right now, I’ve got it all. On my desk, I’ve got a Mac Pro tower with a 27″  Cinema Display. An IPad 2 and an iPhone 5.

On my “obsolete shelf” sits an iPhone 4 and a 3. And I’ve got the latest Mac Pro.

My wife and sons each have a MacBook Pro, an iPad, and an iPhone.

We each have or have had an iPod and a Nano …. of course, replaced by the iPhone.

And we’ve got, between our home and ski chalet, 3 Apple TV generation 1′s and 2 Apple TV generations 2.

My home and chalet are each networked via an Airport network hub.

I use Keynote, Pages, and Numbers.

We’ve all got the latest software.

I use iTunes Match.

Oh, and there’s a Mac Mini on my desk too.

The thing is, there’s really nothing I need to buy from Apple anymore. I’ve got it all.

The more their customers become like me, the more they stagnate in terms of growth.

I’m a huge Apple fan. But I don’t even find it exciting to go into the Apple store anymore. I’ve got it all!

So what comes next? I’m really not sure!

Late last year, KOA (Kampgrounds of America) brought me in to keynote the annual franchisee conference in Orlando, Florida.

There’s a lot of change in the world of camping, and KOA is in the midst of a re -branding exercise. They liked me because I promised, as part of my preparation, to do a lot of original research on a wide variety of trends impacting the ‘outdoor hospitality’ industry. And I did!

Here’s a little gem on why there’s a decrease in the amount of camping that you people do. Kind of fun to watch!

Was it a good talk?

The feedback has just come in, and the clients comments are just absolutely thrilling:

“Jim Carroll’s session with our franchisees was extremely timely and exactly what we were looking for.  Based on where we are in our system and the changes and innovations we are implementing, we could not have selected a better speaker.   One of the things that made Jim’s message so powerful for our franchisees was the amazing detail and customization Jim included in his session.  We’ve gotten a great reaction from our franchisees and I’d highly recommend Jim to any franchisee system looking for a message of change and innovation delivered with a lot of great energy and humor.  He was great!” Mike Booth, Assistant VP, Franchising, KOA Franchise Services

and

“Jim Carroll was fantastic!  He was funny, well organized, and communicative.  The effort and detail he put into finding out about our industry and our franchise system made it possible for him to connect immediately with our franchisees.  He was by far the easiest speaker we have ever worked with and anticipated our needs every step of the way.  I’d recommend Jim to anyone looking for a futurist who delivers an outstanding presentation – in both relevant content and a dynamic and fun delivery style.  We loved him!” Jenny McCullough, Director of Training and Events,KOA Franchise Services

I think the thing which really makes me stand out in the market is the effort, research and customization I put into my keynotes. You can read about this: I wrote a blog post some time back, “What Goes Into Building a Great Keynote?”

I’m doing a lot of interviews these days around the future of agriculture. Maybe that’s because I’m doing a lot of keynotes in this field (pardon the pun), but also because a lot of searches for trends in agriculture hit my site.

“Plants might someday be able to analyze themselves, through genetic coding or embedded computer chips, he says. Do your plants need a nitrogen boost or a drink of water? They’ll send alerts directly to your computer.”

Here’s the latest, from AgWeb / The Farm Journal Technology publication. You can find the original article here.

What will agriculture look like in 2043?
by Ben Potter, Farm Journal Technology, April 2013

Driverless tractors! Weed-zapping robots! Data-transmitting crops! Forecasting what farms will be like 30 years from now might seem an exercise in science fiction, but imagine how alien today’s farms might appear to someone from the early 1980s. Imagine pulling a farmer aside from that era and trying to explain telematics or precision ag technology. Imagine explaining what your smartphone can do.

Making a multi-decade forecast is a challenge, admits David Nicholson, head of research and development at Bayer CropScience.

“I always say we can look 10 years into the future because that’s how long research and development projects take,” he says. “We know what’s going to happen because it’s in our labs and our pipelines today.”

Anything beyond that window is trickier, says Nicholsen, who foresees a more localized precision ag experience.

“It will be precise,” he explains. “That seed in that bit of the field is working well. That same seed in that other bit of the field isn’t. Why? What’s different? We will have the tools to do plant-by-plant analysis.”

Noted futurist Jim Carroll takes the idea a step further. Plants might someday be able to analyze themselves, through genetic coding or embedded computer chips, he says. Do your plants need a nitrogen boost or a drink of water? They’ll send alerts directly to your computer.

“It’s not farfetched to think of intelligent plants with connectivity,” Carroll says. In fact, connectivity is a concept that will drive agricultural advancements as the next generation moves in.

“The farmer of 2043 is five today,” Carroll says. “He or she has never known a world without mobile devices and mass connectivity.”

Another driving force comes down to mathematics, says Ron Restum, vice president of North America sales with Koch Agronomic Services.

The generally accepted equation is a world population of 9 billion people by the year 2050 with a dwindling amount of available arable land. Therefore, Restum says farmers must produce more bushels per acre, or the numbers won’t pencil out.

Technology Driven. ”Progress will have to be tech-driven,” Restum says. “We have to continue to be on the forefront of R&D.” Some technologies that sound far-flung should be staples before 2043, but technology and human concerns must be balanced before a product can be integrated.

The autonomous tractor is a prime example. Several companies have developed prototypes. John Deere has been working on driverless tractors for 5 to 10 years, according to Bob Dyar, a product manager with the company’s Intelligent Solutions Group.

“The real hurdles aren’t technological ones—they’re social ones,” Dyar says. How comfortable would you feel driving down the highway and seeing a driverless car alongside, he asks. A similar comfort level for driverless tractors will take time to develop, he says.

“It’s quite easy to make a tractor autonomous where it can drive itself,” Dyar says. “The challenge is making it perceptive, so you trust it not to hit a tree or the family dog.”

If farming goes “robotic,” will a farmer’s role fundamentally change? The farmer becomes the general, and the office serves as the command center where the troops (remote-controlled tractors, robots armed with lasers that identify and zap weeds and insects) are sent into battle each day.

What the farm of the future will look like is anybody’s guess, says Craig Ratajczyk, Illinois Soybean Association chief executive officer. “Significant changes are inevitable,” he says. “Thirty years from now, farming won’t look anything like it does today.”