David Novak, former CEO of Yum! Brands and creator of Crystal Pepsi, reflects on the critical window for consumer product launches.
Insight
Business leaders should rarely speak out publicly on political issues
“Well, first of all, very rarely. You know, my belief is that leaders should focus on running their business best they can and make that their primary accountability.”
What-if
Novak says Crystal Pepsi would still be a hit today
“I think that product would have been a huge hit and it would still be on the marketplace, but it didn't last very long.”
Insight
Leaders must publicly celebrate failed risks on important company initiatives
“Well, I think, first of all, when people are working on things that are really important to the company, and they're taking that risk, and it doesn't work out, you know, you scream from the rooftops that that's the kind of breakthrough thinking that we need, s…”
Insight
Cross-category pattern thinking drives breakthrough innovation without starting from scratch
“And I think when you can, you know, look at two seemingly different things and then say, Hey, how could it possibly unite in whatever I'm working on? I think that's when you can really come up with big ideas. It's that pattern thinking that I think really allo…”
Disclosure
Crystal Pepsi failed because its creators skipped testing out of blind love
“Just so like, let's go back to crystal Pepsi, for example, you know, we really didn't put that into enough testing. You know, we didn't give it time to really, you know, we had our blinders on, we were so in love with the idea.”
Assertion Supported
Fast food area managers overseeing five restaurants earn over $100,000 annually
“Restaurant managers, believe it or not, make Over 60,000 dollars a year. And then, you know, if you have five restaurants as an area manager, you can make over a 100,000 dollars a year.”