What Nate Valentin Learned About Building a Culture That Embraces Discomfort

Why you should watch it ☝️

Nate Valentin is VP of Innovation at Adams Corp, a 65-year-old, third-generation family business that straddles two very different worlds: industrial hardware distribution and cutting-edge automation. Sitting at the intersection of IT, marketing, and engineering, Nate has had to build trust, overhaul internal systems, and create new products while also acting as an innovation partner for Adams’ manufacturing clients.

In this conversation, Nate shares how his team identifies opportunities on factory floors, develops homegrown solutions like Datapulse, and balances the constant tension between what is technically possible and what actually creates value. He explains how Adams bakes innovation into its culture through core values like “learn, do, teach” and “raise the bar,” and why building comfort with uncertainty is non-negotiable if you want to solve problems no one has solved before.

If you are trying to drive innovation inside an established organization, or figure out how to turn customer pain points into marketable products, this episode is packed with lessons you can use immediately.

Still not sold? Here’s a teaser…

Where to find Nate Valentin 👇

Find Nate on Linkedin

I want to talk to you, Innovators!

Here’s what we covered in Sunday’s newsletter edition

Hyperphysical Experiences are Changing Retail

When we think innovation, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest technologies. But, (as I discussed with Alex Fleisher) innovation ≠ technology. Perhaps nothing exemplifies this disconnect more than hyperphysical retail experiences.

This week we profile an activation by Hermès called Mystery at the Grooms’ to demonstrate that innovation doesn’t have to take place in the digital world. It doesn’t have to reimagine business models or disrupt your current operational practices.

Sometimes the best innovation is the least scalable experience.

Here’s what you’ll find:

  • This Week’s Article: How immersive storytelling is becoming a core innovation tool in luxury retail…

  • Share This: What is the impact of hyperphysical retail on buyer experience?

Catch our most recent podcast episodes here:

Have you seen our Resource Library?

Here’s what you’ll find:

  • The Disruption Canvas

  • The Innovate, Disrupt, or Die GPT

  • The New Venture Assessment GPT

  • Whitepaper: Beyond Buzzwords: Driving Tangible and Repeatable Innovation in Business

  • Whitepaper: Beyond the "Big 4": How Technology Drives Sports from Niche to Notable

  • Whitepaper: An Executive's Guide to Internal Process Innovation

  • Business Model Template for SaaS and Services Businesses

  • Innovation Premium Estimator Model

Refer 3 friends to Innovate, Disrupt, or Die and you can earn a month of free access to either of our unique, highly trained custom GPTs.

All you have to do is share your link: https://www.innovatedisruptordie.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

So far, you’ve made 0 referrals. You’ll earn an awesome gift after 3 more referrals.