#AuthorInterview with @UtssavGupta #Book Rebound : How to Bounce Back and Disrupt Your Market with Strategic Innovation

About the Author

Utssav Gupta is an Innovation Catalyst and founder of Black Swan Lab, where he focuses on distinct industry problems and their vision, to find an alternative approach models through innovation. He is an architect by education and is CEO/ partner at Creators Architects.

Utssav’s ideas and strategic approach has created break throughs for many entrepreneurs by saving them money, opening up new niches and creating opportunities for them. In architecture, he introduced Inventive Architecture framework that created a string of projects with unconventional design approach, that are now regarded as one of their kinds, are impactful and have changed status quo.

He has studied Architecture from Delhi and London with honors and has been an entrepreneur since. Coming from a family of architects, he was exposed to the profession at a very young age and saw various facets, contrasts and contradictions that influenced him in his quest. Over the years, Utssav has researched, studied and analyzed businesses, products and services from many verticals for their strategies, USPs and market dynamics in the context of innovation. This completely transformed his idea of what innovation can do and why businesses are stuck.

He is a strong advocate for disruption by design and believes in building out of the box solutions through mindful analytical approach.

Qn 1: Can you tell us more about your book What is it about?

The book talks about Strategic Innovations and how can entrepreneurs use it to bounce back. Statistically, innovation is a highly used concept and a keyword. Surveys indicate that more than 80% of the global executives find it very important for companies, however, less than 10% are happy about their performances. There is a big gap between what is understood about innovation by an average person, and what it is really about.

Part of this is due to the fact that there is no formal training given to us at essential education levels and thus only market perceptions are what creates the innovation constructs. The book lays down some basic steps, dismantles prevailing myths and clarifies distinctions in a manner that is simple and easy to understand. It talks about various concepts using examples, key elements of what I believe in innovation is about and do on the further explain how to go about it.

In this book, I also narrate my companies journey. How market pressures and changing dynamics got us in a corner and how using innovations as a bedrock we could turn things around, to go ahead a delivery some very successful projects what were disruptive in their own right. Architecture that is most commonly regarded as a visual field or functionally driven one, how can using the lease of innovation theories lead to something new, that feels and performs very differently.

Qn 2: Who do you think would be interested in this book, is it directed at any particular market?

This book is for the ones who want to change the status quo, who believe that a way other than the conventional is possible, who like to look at the world in a different manner. Whether, their companies have already got a proof of concept and are in the sustaining phase, or it’s an established company looking for regaining their edge, Innovation works differently for different outcomes. We encourage every entrepreneur to challenge the prevailing roadmap and question ‘WHY’. Being mindful of what we are doing and whether it’s actually solving the real problem is the first step towards innovation.

Qn 3: Out of all the books in the world, and all the authors, which are your favourite and why?

I am what you can call a quest oriented reader. Research and question drive me to pick up my reads. So it all depends on the subject. But a few reads that have made an immense difference to my perspective is ‘Art of thinking clearly’ by Rolf Dobeli for the kind of distinctions is provides to understand behaviour patterns. It has helped me sharpen my teachings by identifying psychological traps my programme participants would often fall into. Combined that with ‘Brain Rules’ by John Medina, and ‘The Power of Neuroplasticity’ by Shad Helmstetter has really helped in the development side of my works.

Another book that made a huge influence in my works was ‘Competition against Luck’ by Late Prof Clayton Christensen, whom I got my self to deeply admire and began to follow his works. He was like a secrete guru to me.

‘The Storyteller’s Secret’ by Carmine Gallo was another great influence over my articulation and explanation of the concepts.

Other books that I refer from time to time are “Blue Ocean Strategy’, ‘one thing’, ‘subscribed’, ‘pricing strategy’ and other personal and business development genre.

Qn 4: What guidance would you offer to someone new, or trying to enhance their writing?

Writing is not just an act of motor muscles, its an act of imagination. It’s about expression and voice. What I learned about writing during putting together this book is

1. Find your passion: its the passion that would motivate to keep going, be a common thread, and creates a sense of macro environment for your writings.
2. Choose a voice: You need to find the one that brings maxing expression being authentic. Its the authenticity that brings the reader the confidence in you.
3. Research on the subject: does not mean that you need to go intense, but knowing the subject well in important.
4. Talk to your readers: Unless the piece of works demands different styles, talking directly to your readers from time to time helps maintain the connection.
5. Create Curiosity: We are dealing with humans, a little curiosity building brings positive emotion to your writings.

Qn 5: Where can our readers find out more about you, do you have a website, or a way to be contacted?

Readers are more than welcome to write to me through www.utssavgupta.com or www.creatorsarchitects.com