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Brian Gladden

CEO at Strategy & Innovation Institute LLC

Rocklin, United States

I am a business coach for mid-large companies on strategy creation, strategy execution, innovation, business model design, and vision. I help companies get to market faster, and with reduced risk, by helping them identify, validate, and build solutions to customers' biggest problems! I guide corporations on how to exploit core competencies while exploring new opportunities. I coach firms on how to design a culture employees want and that enables innovation to thrive. I consult executive teams on how to design and innovate their business model so they don't become obsolete! Execute on the goals and objectives of your company by learning how to design and deploy OKRs (objective and key results).

I have a doctorate in Strategy & Innovation. I am a certified coach for Strategyzer and LeanStack. I am an expert in Blue Ocean Strategy and OKRs. I am the EIR for the Sacramento State University Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. I also lead two CFO peer advisory groups for REF.

My research is the first to: quantitatively prove that regulations can create new markets, introduce the concept of Artificial Demand, compare business models in new markets created by regulation, and note unique behaviors by business models in new markets created by regulation.

Extensive experience in Start-Up and Fortune 50 companies with 30 years of experience. I have worked for American, Canadian, Swiss, German, and Japanese firms.

Available For: Consulting, Speaking
Travels From: Sacramento, CA
Speaking Topics: Business model refresh, corporate innovation, strategy creation & execution, Blue Ocean Strategy, Playing To Win

Speaking Fee $1 (In-Person), $1 (Virtual)

Brian Gladden Points
Academic 0
Author 20
Influencer 65
Speaker 3
Entrepreneur 0
Total 88

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Featured Videos

Blue Ocean Strategy
August 14, 2025
Business Model Refresh
August 14, 2025
Corporate Innovation
August 14, 2025

Featured Topics

Blue Ocean Strategy

Dr. Brian Gladden discusses Blue Ocean Strategy and how you can use its framework and tools to find new markets and create a leap in value for your customers - and non-customers!

Create new markets and new revenue streams. Blue Ocean Strategy is a business approach focused on creating new, uncontested market spaces (“blue oceans”) rather than competing in overcrowded industries (“red oceans”). It emphasizes delivering unique value through innovation, making the competition irrelevant by unlocking new demand. Companies achieve this by simultaneously pursuing differentiation and low cost, breaking the traditional trade-off between value and cost.

Business Model Refresh

A business model defines how your company creates, delivers, and captures value. But the
reality is that the average business model only lasts about five years

Learn how to refresh and innovate your current business model to stay ahead of the competition and create continuous competitive advantages.

Corporate Innovation

Learn how to develop corporate innovation capabilities that are sustainable and scalable. This involves leadership understanding and communicating where the company is headed, a mindset of looking for new opportunities, and the organizational structure and resources to enable new innovative ideas to be examined.
All organizations must exploit current markets while exploring new opportunities for growth. If you don't innovate you will become obsolete!

Company Information

Company Type: Individual
Minimum Project Size: $1,000+
Average Hourly Rate: $200-$300
Number of Employees: 1-10
Company Founded Date: 2025
Last Media Interview: 07/01/2024

Areas of Expertise

Business Strategy 30.66
Change Management
Coaching
Design Thinking
Entrepreneurship 30.63
Innovation 30.84
Leadership 30.06
Lean Startup
Management
Open Innovation
Sales
Startups

Industry Experience

Automotive
Chemicals
Engineering & Construction
Federal & Public Sector
Financial Services & Banking
Healthcare
High Tech & Electronics
Manufacturing
Oil & Gas
Pharmaceuticals
Professional Services
Telecommunications

Publications & Experience

11 Article/Blogs
Leveraging Government Regulation to Capitalize on New Market Opportunity
Strategy & Innovation Institute
May 22, 2024
From those first days when a business opens its doors—or, probably more apt these days, goes ‘live’—the struggle to survive is all-encompassing. Doing things better, cheaper, and faster is at the center of every decision the business owner makes…and with good reason. Grabbing market share is increasingly difficult as technology blows down barriers and opens completely new universes of consumer choice. Like the running of the bulls, the doors open, and the bulls start throwing all their weight into each other just trying to stay upright and hopefully even get ahead of the pack. Think of how much easier it would be for the bull (but maybe not the runner) if he just…turned.

See publication

Tags: Innovation, GovTech

How Start-Ups Can Use OKRs To Boost Business
Strategy & Innovation Institute
April 24, 2023
Establishing objectives and key results (OKRs) is a great way to create targets that everyone can work towards, and allows managers and business owners to easily track their progress. So, how should start-ups use OKRs to get their businesses running?

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Tags: Innovation

How You Can Beat A First Mover
Strategy & Innovation Institute
April 18, 2023
The concept of the first mover can often be held up as the single biggest thing in innovation. To have started off something genuinely new is to gain plenty of plaudits and, if it is a popular idea, to enjoy a complete monopoly on a totally new market for a product or service nobody else offers.

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Tags: Innovation

When Your Whole Business Model May Need A Refresh
Import from wordpress feed
April 10, 2023
Many a company starts out well but finds it loses its way over time. Does this mean you need to go back to basics, or undergo a business model refresh?
The post When Your Whole Business Model May Need A Refresh appeared first on Strategy & Innovation Institute.
The post When Your Whole Business

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

The Art Of Creating A New Market
Import from wordpress feed
March 27, 2023
Devising a product to serve an existing market can be hard because you will be up against existing players. But new market creation is a whole new ball game.
The post The Art Of Creating A New Market appeared first on Strategy & Innovation Institute.
The post The Art Of Creating A New Market ap

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

What Leanstack Coaching Can Do For Your Enterprise
Import from wordpress feed
March 24, 2023
If you are starting a new business, you may have heard a lot of terminology and be left wondering what it all means, as well as what might be the best way for you to get going. Among all the terminology, ranging from unique selling propositions to buyer funnels, you may have also heard of […]

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

Could The Tesla Value Proposition Work For Your Firm?
Import from wordpress feed
February 25, 2023
If you want to make your enterprise more innovative to meet its future challenges, you cannot do it off the cuff or in a piecemeal way. What you need is a detailed corporate innovation strategy.
The post Could The Tesla Value Proposition Work For Your Firm? appeared first on Strategy & Innovat

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

Taking Corporate Innovation To The Next Level
Import from wordpress feed
February 15, 2023
If you want to make your enterprise more innovative to meet its future challenges, you cannot do it off the cuff or in a piecemeal way. What you need is a detailed corporate innovation strategy.
The post Taking Corporate Innovation To The Next Level appeared first on Strategy & Innovation Inst

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

Make Your Value Proposition Unique
Import from wordpress feed
January 28, 2023
When it comes to your value proposition, innovation has a crucial role, in creating something new and truly unique that enables you to provide your customers with something the rest don’t.
The post Make Your Value Proposition Unique appeared first on Strategy & Innovation Institute.
The post M

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

What Makes A Good Business Model?
Import from wordpress feed
January 14, 2023
Having a solid, successful business model is essential to ensure you are heading in the right direction and building your business in the most productive way. Whether you are starting something new or trying to refresh an old venture, having the right framework to build from is of vital importance.?

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

Inspiring Business Leaders to Innovate Solutions for Real Problems
CXOOutlook.com
November 15, 2022
Article on how Si2 is helping executive teams get to market faster and with reduced risk by helping them identify, validate, and build solutions to customers’ biggest problems! “Our vision at SI2 is to inspire business leaders to be innovative so that they can create new solutions for real problems,” The article discusses creating a culture of innovation and how firms can develop innovation capabilities. It also examines the customers' changing needs and how we must adapt to them.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Innovation, Leadership

3 Author Newsletters
When There Are No Early Adopters: Competing in Regulatory “Must-Do” Markets
Linkedin
October 06, 2025
Most executives are taught that every market begins with innovators and early adopters, those customers most eager to solve unmet needs and wants. But what happens when customers have no choice?

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

Business-Model Face-Off in “Must-Do” Markets
Linkedin
September 26, 2025
In markets created by regulation—where customers are legally required to purchase a service—the business model optimized to meet the minimum mandated outcome tends to outperform diversified, full-service alternatives. Using California’s Smog Check program, we find that focused Test-Only stations generate roughly 3.3× the revenue per location compared with Test-and-Repair shops, with no meaningful price difference between the models. The driver is operating design—eligibility, throughput, and first-time pass probability—not discounts or add-ons.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

Regulations Can Create Blue Oceans: A Playbook for Leaders
Linkedin
September 18, 2025
Most executives treat regulation as a cost to be minimized. That mindset misses a repeatable growth opportunity: certain “must-do” rules don’t just shift share—they manufacture demand and, in doing so, create investable, defensible markets. California’s Smog Check program offers a clear example of a regulatory-born market where demand is compelled rather than organic.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

1 Media Interview
Helping Mid-Sized Businesses Grow, Innovate, & Execute So Your Company Thrives.
Sacramento Business Journal
May 14, 2023
A brief spotlight on Si2 and the services it offers to local companies.
The Strategy & Innovation Institute (SI2) is a management consulting firm that helps medium-sized businesses design a “where-to-play” and “how-to-win” strategy. In business today, competitive advantages are temporary, and industries are rapidly changing. Businesses must identify opportunities and pursue promising growth directions. The long-term success of your organization’s strategy depends on your ability to develop new ideas. Just doing a little bit better than last year will not get you to the significant growth most company’s desire. Our coaches will help you identify marketplace problems, develop customer-focused solutions, reduce risk, and grow your business.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Innovation, Leadership

1 Podcast
Brian Gladden on Critical Mass Radio
Si2 Strategy Innovation Institute
September 12, 2022
Join Brian Gladden from the Strategy and Innovation Institute, as he discusses Blue Ocean Strategy, on this episode of Critical Mass Radio brought to you by Orange County Radio

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Tags: Innovation

1 Video
Brian Gladden on Critical Mass Radio
Youtube
September 12, 2022

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Tags: Business Strategy, Emerging Technology, Innovation

1 Webinar
Global Strategy Summit
LinkedIn and FruiStrategy
June 02, 2025
Welcome to the Global Strategy Summit – Edition 4, a premier two-day conference bringing together strategy leaders, industry experts, and transformation professionals from across the globe. Held on 11th and 12th July, this year’s summit is themed around "Strategy in Action – From Insight to Impact." The agenda is designed to take a deep dive into the full strategy lifecycle—from robust analysis and formulation to seamless execution and agile refresh. With a strong emphasis on real-time industry examples, technology integration, and organizational alignment, the summit offers actionable in-sights into how leading organizations translate strategic intent into measurable outcomes. Join us for a dynamic exchange of ideas, practical frameworks, and proven methodologies that are reshaping how businesses design and deliver winning strategies in an ever-evolving world.

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Emerging Technology, Innovation

Radar

Blog

Opportunities

1 Business Consulting
Business Model Refresh

Location: Virtual    Fees: $250 per hour

Service Type: Service Offered

A business model refresh involves updating a company's core strategies for creating, delivering, and capturing value to remain competitive and adapt to changing market conditions. This process can involve reimagining how a company operates, rather than just making incremental improvements, and can lead to new revenue streams, improved customer experiences, and the development of new products or services.

This service will provide you with actionable insights to refresh your business model and drive sustainable growth for years to come. If you don’t innovate, you will become obsolete! Join us to future-proof your business and stay ahead of the competition!

Respond to this opportunity

Events

4 Physical Events
Business Model Refresh

Location: Roseville, CA    Date : February 25, 2026 - February 25, 2026     Organizer: Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce

Update “Where You Play” & “How You Win” so you don’t become irrelevant!
Is your business struggling to keep up with new competitors?
Are you concerned about stagnant growth in a traditional industry?
Worried about external challenges like economic uncertainty, evolving
markets, or even another recession?

If so, it's time to "Refresh Your Business Model" to remain competitive and future-proof
your business. A business model defines how your company creates, delivers, and
captures value. But the reality is that the average business model only lasts about five
years. In fact, 52% of Fortune 500 companies have disappeared in the past 15 years
because they failed to innovate and adapt their business models to evolving market
conditions.

In this interactive workshop, you will:
Learn how to assess and evolve your current business model
Gain tools to monitor and adapt your business strategy in real time
Understand the key elements of business model innovation
Explore strategies for balancing growth and exploration for long-term success

See Event

Lean Startup Bootcamp

Location: Sacramento State University. Sacramento, CA    Date : December 05, 2025 - December 06, 2025     Organizer: Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Join us for the Lean Startup Bootcamp and learn how to turn your idea into reality as well as how you can pitch your business or nonprofit to raise capital.

​In this two-day bootcamp, we will cover the foundational tools and mindsets you will need to get your idea off the ground in the leanest fashion. Some of the tools and mindsets we will cover are the Lean Canvas, Value Proposition Canvas, Design Thinking and Testing Business Ideas.

​In addition to learning and making your idea a reality you will meet other passionate individuals and find a community of problem solvers just like you.

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Lean Startup Bootcamp

Location: Sacramento State University. Sacramento, CA    Date : June 13, 2025 - June 14, 2025     Organizer: Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or early-stage founder looking to turn your idea into a viable venture?

Join us at the Lean Startup Bootcamp hosted by the Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Sacramento State. This hands-on, two-day experience will walk you through the essentials of customer discovery, value proposition design, and business model validation using the proven Lean Startup methodology.

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Placer Valley Business Summit 2025

Location: Roseville, CA    Date : April 16, 2025 - April 16, 2025     Organizer: Advanced Business Roundtable

Premier regional event is designed to educate and connect business owners, entrepreneurs, business grads, and managers in and around Placer County.
Learn from skilled leaders, gain insights on new regulations, marketing techniques, business strategies, regional economics, and more.
How do businesses take advantage of regulations in these new areas? What business model is best to use for this condition? Do regulatory markets act the same as traditional markets? Dr. Brian Gladden has uncovered new findings from his research that will answer these questions and enable executives to create competitive advantages and grow their companies. This presentation will help you learn how to take advantage of these unique characteristics, which far outpace traditional business models.

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3 Online Events
Regulatory Blue Oceans: How New Rules Create New Markets

Location: Sacramento State University. Sacramento, CA    Date : October 08, 2025 - October 08, 2025     Organizer: Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Discover how government regulations can create your next big market opportunity.

​While many entrepreneurs chase trends and compete in saturated spaces, savvy innovators look to where markets are being created—often by regulation. In this webinar, Dr. Brian Gladden, Entrepreneur in Residence at the Carlsen Center and founder of the Strategy & Innovation Institute, will explore how new laws and compliance mandates generate what he calls artificial demand—demand not born from consumer preference, but from necessity.

​In this session, you’ll learn:

​How to identify regulations that generate business opportunities

​Why some business models win in compliance-driven markets

​What “regulatory blue oceans” are and how to navigate them

​A real-world case study from the $500M+ California Smog Check market

Whether you're a startup founder, innovator, policy analyst, or investor, this session will shift your thinking about where new markets come from—and how to be first to capture value

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Vision to Action: Building Your OGSM Strategic Framework

Location: Sacramento State University. Sacramento, CA    Date : August 27, 2025 - August 27, 2025     Organizer: Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

The Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship is excited to partner with Bizaline for an interactive, one-hour virtual workshop designed to help you build a clear and actionable strategic plan using the OGSM framework (Objectives, Goals, Strategies, Measures).

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Global Strategy Summit

Location: India and online    Date : July 10, 2025 - July 12, 2025     Organizer: fruiStrategy and Shaik Abdul Khadar, CEO

Welcome to the Global Strategy Summit – Edition 4, a premier two-day conference bringing together strategy leaders, industry experts, and transformation professionals from across the globe. Held on 11th and 12th July, this year’s summit is themed around "Strategy in Action – From Insight to Impact." The agenda is designed to take a deep dive into the full strategy lifecycle—from robust analysis and formulation to seamless execution and agile refresh. With a strong emphasis on real-time industry examples, technology integration, and organizational alignment, the summit offers actionable in-sights into how leading organizations translate strategic intent into measurable outcomes. Join us for a dynamic exchange of ideas, practical frameworks, and proven methodologies that are reshaping how businesses design and deliver winning strategies in an ever-evolving world.

See Event

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