Thomas Koulopoulos

Why Deadlines Make or Break an Entrepreneur
Inc.
December 16, 2019

Friends and colleagues often ask me how it is that I found the time to write 13 books while building an Inc. 500 business, advising, speaking, teaching, and raising two kids. Although I'd love to provide some sort of deep and profound answer about how I'm inspired to write, how it's my passion, how I love to learn, or how my overactive brain needs to periodically purge itself, the truth isn't nearly as profound.

One Of The Most Important Lessons On Innovation For Every CEO
Inc.
September 04, 2019

When you think of today's most valuable companies the ones that come to mind are Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook. However, just 20 years ago the company that you'd have instantly thought of was GE.

A Mass Cyberattack on more that 100,000 iPhones Just Reported. Here's How To Protect Yourself.
inc
August 30, 2019

An incredibly malicious hack has potentially exposed hundreds of thousands of iPhone victims.

Google researchers recently discovered that an unknown hacker has been using 14 separate security flaws, including especially devastating zero-day vulnerabilities, in iOS to attack iPhone users. But this isn't your typical cyberattack. The cyberthreat involves malicious software that can monitor every aspect of the phone and even take control of it. This is an eye-opener since iPhones have long been thought to be relatively safe when it comes to hackers. No longer. Here's what it means and why it changes much of what we've known about cyberthreats.

According to Science, This Simple Non-Intuitive Step Is the Key to Solving Many of Your Toughest Problems
inc
August 26, 2019

If you're anything like me, or virtually any other entrepreneur, then you like to be in control. That doesn't necessarily mean that you're a control freak--although it might--but rather that you'd prefer to be calling the shots rather than following someone else's lead. I could spend the rest of this column listing the many positives and negatives of a control mindset but let's be blunt, nothing I say is going to change your need to be in control. It's just how you're wired.

Successful People Answer A Question Which Most People Are Afraid To Even Ask
Inc.
August 23, 2019

You're an introspective person. How do I know? Well, you're reading a column whose title implies that you're willing to do something that many people won't or can't do, ask tough questions about themselves. Take pride in that. Honest introspection is hard. It requires that you come up with some not so nice answers. But it's also the only way any of us grow and evolve.

This Is the One Key To Success That Nobody Teaches You
Inc.
August 19, 2019

There are uncountable books on how to succeed in business, and all of them have something to teach. From being an efficient operator to being a great innovator, it's all part of the essential chemistry that makes up every entrepreneur's journey.

181 CEOs of the Largest U.S. Corporations Just Altered the Role of Corporations for Decades to Come
Inc.
August 19, 2019

In his 1962 book Capitalism, the Nobel prize-winning economist Milton Friedman wrote, "There is one and only one social responsibility of business -- to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud."

If You Could Change The Past Would You? Here's Why That's A Definite No.
Inc.
August 15, 2019

Ok, time for some brutal honesty. Answer truthfully, how many times in the past week did you catch yourself saying something along the lines of, "If only I had done X back then, I'd be so much better off now."?

One Quote That Only A True Entrepreneur Will Agree With
Inc.
August 13, 2019

When I was in the throws of building my company Delphi Group I had the great privilege of working with one of the last century's most admired management icons, Peter Drucker. Drucker was a font of wisdom. Nearly everything the man said seemed to come from a place of profound understanding. Still there were a few things he said to me that stood out as guiding lights for my own career. One of those comes to mind every time I see the word entrepreneur--which seems to be everywhere lately--used in a way that would cause Peter to roll over in his grave.

So, You Want to Get Paid to Speak. Here's How
Inc.
June 24, 2019

There's all sorts of advice on how to be a better speaker, but advice on how to be a professional speaker is pretty dismal. Here are 8 steps for building a sustainable business as a professional speaker.

One Thing That You Can Do Right Now To Make Your Next Speech Extraordinary (No Practice Involved)
Inc.
May 31, 2019

You've heard and read all of the ways to better your public speaking, yet this one piece of advice needs no practice or prep or talent to follow and it's the easiest way to improve your speaking and calm your anxiety.

This Is The Greatest Threat Of AI, And It's Not What You Think
Inc.
May 29, 2019

Stop worrying about AI becoming your overlord. The real threat is much more obvious and interesting.

The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do To Ensure Your Success
linkedin
May 18, 2019

About 30 years ago my business partner and I were in the world headquarters of our startup -- the second bedroom of my small condo. I had just created a rift between us by investing in a $1000 laptop and a laser printer. An enormous sum of money to a fledgling, bootstrapping, credit card funded startup.

Let Go Of The Myth That Everything Happens For A Reason: Try This Instead
Inc.
April 21, 2019

Yes, I know, you want to recoil at the the headline of this column. Stick with me. The last thing I'm advocating is that life is without purpose. But, it can certainly be random and, like a child whose favorite toy has just been lost, there are times when we just want to scream, It isn't fair!"

How NASA Used an Unforgettable Image to Brilliantly Communicate a Big Message
Inc
October 24, 2018

In Arthur C. Clarke's classic Space Odyssey Sci-fi series a recurring theme is the presence of a large back monolith built by an ancient civilization. The monolith has transformational powers that alter the trajectory of humanity, starting with our ancient cave-dwelling ancestors and then following our evolution through the modern day and into the future. While the questions of who built the monolith or why it was built are never clear, it has the power to bring about radical change which alters the trajectory of humanity.

How to Turn the Death of a Dream Into the Opportunity of a Lifetime
Inc
October 10, 2018

I am about to challenge you in a way that you will resist with every fiber of your being.
In her book, "The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life that Matters," Emily Esfahani Smith talks about a young man she interviewed, Emeka Nnaka, who had been paralyzed from a semi-pro football injury. According to Smith, "Immediately after his injury, Emeka told himself a story that essentially went like this: My life was great playing football. But now, look at me. My life is basically over.

Paul Romer's Nobel Prize In Economics Marks A New Era Of Innovation Driven By Ideas
Inc
October 09, 2018

Paul Romer let his phone ring on the morning of October 8th . It was early and he wasn't expecting a call. But when he checked to see who was calling he noticed it was from Sweden. When he called back he was put on hold.
It was a minor inconvenience, since, in many ways Paul Romer has been on hold waiting for the Nobel prize for nearly three decades. On Monday October 8 Romer and William Nordhaus, an economist at Yale, were awarded the Nobel for work both had done in helping us better understand the post-industrial era economy.

Tim Berners-Lee, the Inventor of the Web, Has Launched a New Startup
Inc
October 02, 2018

For Tim Berners-Lee the past is prologue, and not a very good one at that.
Several months ago I had the chance to sit down to dinner with Tim Berners-Lee at an event we were both speaking at in Sharjah UAE. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales was also at the table. The conversation meandered, but more than once came back to the topic of what it meant to have a free and open Internet. This was before Facebook's relationship with Cambridge Analytica had surfaced and our collective dismay with the state of data privacy made the headlines and found its way to Capitol Hill.

These 3 Indicators May Be Projecting the Next Financial Collapse
Inc
September 30, 2018

According to Ray Dalio, Jeff Bezos, and the Dalai Lama, This One Thing Is the Foundation of Trust
Inc
September 28, 2018

Some time ago, I wrote an Inc. column on the topic of trust. In the last few months, that column has started to get renewed attention. I wonder sometimes why an old column will experience this sort of sudden rush of new life. However, in the current political climate, with fake news being the most popular moniker of the past three years, I'm hardly surprised. So, I wanted to revisit the topic of trust and what creates it.

The Most Important Lesson Parents Teach Successful Kids
Inc
September 26, 2018

If you're a parent I'm about to push you outside of your comfort zone.
One day your child will look at you, with disappointment, perhaps even anger, and say, "Why didn't you force me to keep (fill in the blank_________) when I was younger?" Their regret may be not having learned to play a musical instrument, or not being more involved in a particular sport, or any one of a million things that they will wish they had done more of in order to further their sense of self-worth and confidence.

The Industrial Era Is Coming To An End. Here's What's Next.
Inc
September 18, 2018

Big transitions are fascinating examples of how desperately companies try to hold onto the past; driving by using their rearview mirror. That never works. Case in point, the transition out of the industrial era.
You don't need me to tell you that we're living through an era of tremendous transition and disruption for traditional industrial era industries. Tech behemoths such as Amazon and Google have radically altered retail, publishing, and advertising. Uber has decimated cabs, Airbnb is attempting to do the same with hospitality. Amazon has recently set it's sites on healthcare.

The Simple Phrase That Will Help In Almost Every Negotiation
Inc
September 16, 2018

Thug Life
I had a high school wrestling coach who loved to throw hypothetical scenarios at us during practice. They had nothing to do with wrestling. Instead they were life lessons that he tried to impart by way of asking us to unravel difficult problems, while we were bordering on passing out from the tenth round of spin drills.
One that has stuck in my mind for the past 40 years went like this:

You find yourself in backstreet alley with three tugs who want to get into a fight. There's no way to avoid the altercation. The only way out is through them and it's inevitable that you will have to take them on. One of them is much bigger and stronger than you, and far more threatening than the other two, who both appear to be easy enough for you to deal with. The question: In order to win who do you take on first, second, and third?
Think about it for a minute. Got it? Good, read on.

Remembering 9/11: This Is What True Leadership and Courage Sound Like
Inc
September 11, 2018

Seventeen years ago today the early morning Pennsylvania countryside near Shanksville was quiet. Its 245 residents--15 fewer than it had in 1920--were unnoticed by the world, going about their business, in school, or perhaps tending to errands in a downtown that would make Mayberry RFD look cosmopolitan.

Innovate A 4-Word Master Class in Leadership From Steve Jobs
Inc
August 31, 2018

I've got a leadership challenge for you. You can do better. Read on.
If the rift in popular sentiment around political leadership tells us anything, it's that we still value leaders, especially great ones. It is human nature to want someone at the helm to whom we can entrust the hardest decisions, even if we may vehemently disagree with him or her on them.

Forget Winning the Battle Against Fake News and Fake Influence. Instead, Try This
Inc
August 31, 2018

In his book Writing on the Wall: Social Media -- The First 2,000 Years Tom Standage writes about what may well be the earliest example of social influence, dating back to 59BC, when Julius Caesar decreed that a daily summary of the Roman senate and the people's assembly be published.

This Is Why We Keep Getting AI Wrong
LinkedIn
June 17, 2018

The challenge of artificial intelligence isn't so much the technology as it is our own attitude about machines and intelligence. In doing research for my upcoming book Revealing The Invisible: How Our Hidden Behaviors Are Becoming The Most Valuable Commodity Of The 21st Century I came across the poignant story of the doomed flight of Air France 447, which teaches a great deal about the deeply rooted cultural attitudes, perhaps even arrogance, that stand in the way of AI.

How Our Hidden Behaviors Are Becoming The Most Valuable Commodity of the 21st Century
LinkedIn
May 04, 2018

Excerpted from the upcoming book Revealing The Invisible. Download a free chapter HERE
To be human is to suffer from a peculiar congenital blindness: On the precipice of any great change, we can see with terrifying clarity the familiar firm footing we stand to lose, but we fill the abyss of the unfamiliar before us with dread at the potential loss rather than jubilation over the potential gain of gladnesses and gratifications we fail to envision because we haven’t yet experienced them.[i] – Maria Popova

The One Thing You Should Never Do When You Negotiate
Inc
April 26, 2018

Negotiating can be terrifying, emotional, and frustrating. But don't let that lead you to making this one crucial mistake.

This Is The Most Valuable Commodity of the 21st
Inc
April 23, 2018

The competition to capture and understand digital behaviors is just beginning. There's a dark side to that, but we should be just as vigilant in exploiting its value.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Entrepreneurship Nobody Wants to Talk About
Inc
April 20, 2018

I often liken the entrepreneurial journey to parenting; no matter how much you study it, observe it in others, ask for advice, prepare for it, or convince yourself you're ready for it, there is simply no substitute for doing it. And as with parenting, you soon realize you can't imagine not doing it, because it's simply part of who you are.

In Just 2 Words, Jeff Bezos Sums Up What Separates Winners From Dreamers
Inc
April 19, 2018

Few figures have captured our attention the way Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has. In just under 23 years, Amazon's revenue has soared from $500,000 to $178,000,000,000, from nine employees to over 560,000, and its stock has increased 1,000 fold since its IPO. You can't argue with that sort of success. But trying to put it into a formula is somewhat ludicrous.

Financial Advice For Elon Musk That You Can Learn From
Inc
April 17, 2018

We've all heard about how important it is to live in the moment and focus on the here and now. However, nobody ever built the future by just living in the present. There are some things that demand we step well out of the comfort of the present and far into the uncertainty of the future.

This Isnt the First Time Weve Gone Driverless. The Last Was 100 Years Ago
Inc
March 30, 2018

In the aftermath of Ubers's recent fatal crash in Tempe, which involved a driverless car, there has been a great deal of speculation about the future of the driverless automobile. As is often the case, trying to see beyond the near-term fear and natural trepidation, which accompanies handing over control of life and death decisions to machines, can be exceptionally difficult. Yet, this isn't the first time we've encountered the driverless dilemma. There's another example that's nearly 100 years old.

What Do You Do With $184 Billion? Heres What Elon Musk Is Likely to Do With It
Inc
March 23, 2018

A few weeks back, I wrote about the upcoming vote of Tesla's shareholders on Elon Musk's $2.6 billion compensation package. Well, yesterday put an end to that speculation with approval of a package that would grant Musk the $2.6 billion of equity based on Tesla achieving certain market cap, revenue, and earnings metrics. Over the next 10 years, the package could end up being worth upwards of $50 billon, potentially putting him in contention for the mantle of the world's richest person.

What Ubers Fatal Accident Means for the Future of Autonomous Cars
Inc
March 21, 2018

No doubt you've heard that on Sunday, an Uber in Tempe, Arizona, operating in autonomous mode with a backup safety driver, or supervisor, in the car, killed a pedestrian.

Yes, Elon Musk Might Really Be Worth an Outrageous Salary Package of $2.6 Billion
INC
March 09, 2018

If there are contenders for tech titan poster child, Elon Musk is clearly leading the pack. Unlike almost any other CEO in recent memory, Musk embodies the spirit of innovation, vision, risk-taking, fearlessness, and unbridled ambition while also having the popular appeal of a rock star--with ambitions to play on an interplanetary stage.

And The Oscar Goes To...
INC
March 04, 2018

On days like this predictions abound. And most often those predictions come from the pundits, the ones "in the know." But what if the real power of prediction is not in the opinions and the bias of pundits but in the data?

The Bottomless Cloud: How AI, the Next Generation of the Cloud, and Abundance Thinking Will Radically Transform the Way You Do Business
Hybrid Global Publishing
January 15, 2019

Electric power and the evolution of utilities fueled the growth of industrialization and the incredible innovation of the 20th century by allowing companies to focus on what they where best at rather than the generation and management of power.

That's exactly what's happening today as an almost unimaginable abundance of data is moving into the cloud where it will fuel the revolution in artificial intelligence and machine learning. However, most people are still using an industrial age lens, built on the economics of scarcity, to view the opportunities that the cloud creates for a future of limitless data; it's the equivalent of trying to compete using waterwheels to power a modern factory.

Revealing the Invisible: How Our Hidden Behaviors Are Becoming the Most Valuable Commodity of the 21st Century
Post Hill Press
June 05, 2018

Revealing the Invisible provides a front-row seat to the mind-blowing future, where businesses of the 21st century can read consumers’ minds and make informed decisions based on their behaviors and tendencies.

The Gen Z Effect
Routledge
December 01, 2016

Cloud Surfing: A New Way to Think About Risk, Innovation, Scale & Success
Social Century
June 18, 2012

When people hear "the Cloud," they think of cloud computing, just a sliver of what the Cloud is today. The Cloud has grown: it represents the consummate disruptor to structure; a pervasive social and economic network that will soon connect and define more of the world than any other political, social, or economic organization. The Cloud is the first megatrend of the twenty-first century, one that will shape the way we will address virtually every challenge we face for at least the next 100 years. It is where we will all live, work, and play in the coming decades.

Cloud Surfing
Bibliomotion
June 01, 2012

Describes how the cloud will change business and society

The Innovation Zone: How Great Companies Re-Innovate for Amazing Success
Davies-Black Publishing
June 16, 2011

Innovation has become a mantra for organizations facing unprecedented market pressures and worldwide competition. But can it be taught or developed as a core competency? Are there rules for turning great ideas into breakthrough innovations that alter behavior and culture, change the company's customer relationship, and carve out a path to global business success? Profiling dozens of today's most innovative organizations, The Innovation Zone delivers a new playbook for creating a structured business model of innovation that focuses on process, not products, to generate sustainable value and competitive dominance.

The Innovation Zone
Nicholas Brealey
January 11, 2011

Describes the process of creating and sustaining an innovation practice

Smartsourcing: Driving Innovation and Growth Through Outsourcing
Platinum Press
February 24, 2006

Outsourcing is the most popular movement of the new global business economy. In fact, the typical executive will soon spend one-third of their budget on outsourcing! Smartsourcing is the next evolution in outsourcing. Traditional outsourcing reduces costs by moving the work to where the least expensive workers are. While that may cut costs, it simply replicates the status quo. Smartsourcing goes a step further by showing companies how to partner with service providers to not only cut costs, but also increase innovation across the full spectrum of their business. Smartsourcing is the first book on the market to be ahead of the curve on one of the most important shifts in business today.

Executive in Residence and Professor of Innovation at Bentley University
Bentley University
September 14, 2010

Bentley University announces alumni Woody Benson and Tom Koulopoulos as executives-in-residence beginning in fall 2010. In this new role each executive will teach graduate courses, mentor students, work with faculty and staff on curriculum initiatives, and serve in advisory roles. A 1980 alumnus, Woody Benson is an investor with Prism VentureWorks and a high-tech industry veteran of 30 years. A prolific thought leader in innovation, globalization and information technology, Tom Koulopoulos founded Boston-based technology management and advisory firm Delphi Group, and is a 1981 alumnus...

Former Executive Director Babson College Center for Business Innovation
Babson College Center for Business Innovation
June 01, 2007

Jun 2007 - Jun 2008

Delphi Group
Delphi Group
January 01, 2020

Providing thought leadership on business and technology trends for 30 years.

Tom Koulopoulos - Artificial Intelligence And The Power of Behavior
vimeo
December 02, 2018

TK Highlights
Vimeo
July 24, 2017

Public speaking highlights

Tom Koulopoulos on the Challenge of Predicting Behavior
Vimeo
January 09, 2017

Excerpts from Tom's Keynote about hyperconnected behavior

Short TK Keynote on Innovation and Surving the Future
YouTube
November 30, 2011

Excerpts from a full keynote by Tom Koulopoulos on the subjects of Innovation, building organizations that will survive the future, Hyperconnectivey and The Cloud

TK full keynote
YouTube
November 22, 2011

A full length video of a recent keynote TK gave on Innovation and The Cloud

Innovation Keynote - How to Survive the Future
YouTube
February 23, 2011

Tom Koulopoulos (TK) keynote excerpts from a presentation to 2000 attendees. TK talks about how we can build organizations to survive the future

TK Tom Koulopoulos Keynote on Building the Future
YouTube
February 12, 2011

TK Talks about the importance of building companies that can survive the future in his introductory remarks as part of his keynote speech to 2000 attendees at BICSI 2011 in Orlando

Tom K Keynote Intro 1 of 6
YouTube
January 08, 2011

TK's intro and opening remarks at his Keynote speech to 1000 attendees at the Technology Alliance of Georgia

The Uncertainty Principle 3of6
YouTube
January 08, 2011

Invention vs. Innovation 2 of 6
YouTube
January 08, 2011

TK Talks about the difference between Invention and Innovation at his Keynote speech to 1000 attendees at the Technology Alliance of Georgia

Build for the Unkown 4 of 6
YouTube
January 08, 2011

TK Talks about how companies and people need to build for the unknown at his Keynote speech to 1000 attendees at the Technology Alliance of Georgia

Tom Koulopoulos -TK- presents to ILTA on Innovation
YouTube
January 02, 2011

Tom Koulopoulos -TK- Innovation Keynote to 1000 attendees at the national ILTA (International Legal Technology Association in Las Vegas)

TK Media and Keynote Clips on the Economy and Tech Trends
YouTube
January 02, 2011

Tom Koulopoulos " TK" media clips and keynote excerpts on the topics of connectivity, tech trends, innovation, and employment

TK on Innovating in a Recession
YouTube
January 01, 2011

Innovating in a Recession may seem counter intuitive but it's actually a great time to innovate

TK Talks about Unemployment on WSJ Market Watch
YouTube
January 01, 2011

Unemployment is tough medicine for ailing economies - but there is a bright side. Listen as TK looks at innovation and Unemployment

TK Talks about Small Business and Innovation on Forbes
YouTube
January 01, 2011

Small Business is the engine of the economy. Listen to TK talk about what it takes to build a culture of Innovation and to be a successful Entrepreneur

TK talks about Innovation and tollerating failure on Forbes
YouTube
January 01, 2011

Every company has to innovate, but clearly some do it better than others. Listen as TK talks about how innovation can result from some basic principles, such as simplification and tolerance of failure

TK talks about the fate of the Titanic and lessons about innovation
YouTube
December 30, 2010

Tom Koulopoulos keynote excerpt from the IHAF event where he talks about how the Titanic is a great metaphor for how we deal with the future and innovation

TK talks about the future and why it's so hard to predict
YouTube
December 30, 2010

Tom Koulopoulos keynote excerpt from the IHAF event where he talks about the challenge in predicting the future.

TK talks about predicting the future
YouTube
December 29, 2010

Predicting the future is tough! Listen as Tom talks about some example of just how much the future changes us in ways we could never imagine.
Tom Koulopoulos presents to 2000 Attendees of ILTA

Tom Koulopoulos Innovation Keynote Intro 1 of 6
YouTube
December 29, 2010

Keynote Intro - part 1 of 6
Tom Koulopoulos Innovation Keynote
To 1000 members of the Technology Association of Georgia 1000 members of the Technology Association of Georgia

TK talks about the phenomenon of "re-employment"
YouTube
December 29, 2010

We are entering a new world with new rules about employment and work. Listen as Tom describes the life re-employed!
Tom Koulopoulos presents to 2000 Attendees of ILTA

Short TK Keynote on Innovation and Surving the Future
youtube
November 30, 2010

Excerpts from a full keynote by Tom Koulopoulos on the subjects of Innovation, building organizations that will survive the future, Hyperconnectivey and The Cloud

TK takes a funny look at the iPad and iPhone
YouTube
November 29, 2010

A fun look at how the iPhone and the iPad are changing as much as we are!
Tom Koulopoulos presents to 2000 Attendees of ILTA

#7 — Life Lessons from Apple’s Original Evangelist (with Guy Kawasaki)
Import from Soundcloud.com
April 16, 2019

Long-time Silicon Valley marketing guru Guy Kawasaki joins Tom to talk about his latest book, Wise Guy, and the lessons Guy has learned from his time at Apple and his many experiences over the course of a 45 year career in tech. A remarkably open an entertaining look at one of the valleys most popul

#6 — General AI is Already Here (with Chris Boos)
Import from Soundcloud.com
March 29, 2019

In this episode, we look at the global aspects of AI and the implications of generalized AI in enterprise settings. Our guest Chris Boos is an AI entrepreneur, angel investor, and advisor to the German government on the implications of digital technology.

Among other things we discuss:
- Why does

#5 — A Digital Perspective on Leadership (with James Champy)
Import from Soundcloud.com
March 19, 2019

In this episode, we cast a broad net that considers the ways in which organizational and leadership thinking has changed over the past several decades. Our guest, Jim Champy, is one of the world’s leading thinkers on these topics. His distinguished career has included one of the best-selling busin

#4 — AI in the Enterprise (with Tom Davenport)
Import from Soundcloud.com
March 04, 2019

Join Tom as he talks to Tom Davenport, Professor at Babson College, co-founder of the International Institute for Analytics, Fellow of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, and Senior Advisor to Deloitte Analytics. Tom pioneered the concept of “competing on analytics” with his best-selling

#3 — Democratizing Data (with Erin Baumgartner)
Import from Soundcloud.com
February 11, 2019

This episode of Foresight Radio looks at how technology is increasingly democratizing access to products, services, and knowledge across the globe. Our guest Erin Baumgartner is the co-founder of an innovative new food delivery service Family Dinner, she is c

#2 — Cloud Storage 2.0 (with David Friend)
Import from Soundcloud.com
February 07, 2019

In this episode of Foresight Radio long-time colleague and serial entrepreneur David Friend joins me to look at the dramatic ways in which data storage and affordability will change not only the way we do business but also make some of the greatest innovations of the 21st Century, such as AI and mac

#1 — Cloud Storage 2.0 with David Friend
Import from Soundcloud.com
February 07, 2019

In this episode of Foresight Radio long-time colleague and serial entrepreneur David Friend joins me to look at the dramatic ways in which data storage and affordability will change not only the way we do business but also make some of the greatest innovations of the 21st Century, such as AI and mac

#1 — The Evolution of AI (with Jack Crawford)
Import from Soundcloud.com
January 11, 2019

In this episode, we’re going to be talking about the evolution of AI and what has to be one of the most widely discussed topics in technology and in business today. Our guest is Jack Crawford. Jack has been in the technology space for three decades and is the founder of three technology companies.

#2 - The Evolution of AI with Jack Crawford
Import from Soundcloud.com
January 11, 2019

In this episode, we’re going to be talking about the evolution of AI and what has to be one of the most widely discussed topics in technology and in business today. Our guest is Jack Crawford. Jack has been in the technology space for three decades and is the founder of three technology companies.

Revealing The Invisible - Excerpt: The Story of Ill-fated Flight 447
SoundCloud
May 21, 2018

The challenge of artificial intelligence isn't so much the technology as this. Listen as Tom shares the story of ill-fated Air France 447 and how it can teach us about the deep cultural flaw that stands in the way of artificial intelligence.

Featured Innovation Speaker
National Speakers Bureau
January 01, 2020

Featured Innovation Speaker
Tom Koulopoulos
Author of The Invisible & The Gen Z Effect, Leading Expert on Innovation, and Globalization & IT Specialist

The Kaleidoscope has Been Shaken
Import from youtube.com
May 19, 2020

The Innovation Zone by Tom Koulopoulos
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February 13, 2020

Reimagining Healthcare Book Trailer
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January 31, 2020

TK Keynote Excerpts
Import from youtube.com
August 02, 2019

TK Travel to Hong Kong for Visa
Import from youtube.com
June 19, 2019

The Bottomless Cloud Short trailer
Vimeo
January 07, 2019

A quick look at the book The Bottomless Cloud (Book)

Artificial Intelligence And The Power of Behavior
YouTube
July 12, 2018

Clocks Vs Clouds
YouTube
June 04, 2018

Revealing The Invisible Trailer
YouTube
May 06, 2018

Revealing The Invisible: How Our Hidden Behaviors Are Becoming The Most Valuable Commodity of the 21st Century
YouTube
May 06, 2018

A quick look at the book Revealing The Invisible: How Our Hidden Behaviors Are Becoming The Most Valuable Commodity of the 21st Century, by Thomas Koulopoulos / George Achillias ORDER on AMAZON http://a.co/6qHwMmr

Seeing the Future Through The Eyes of Gen Z
YouTube
February 13, 2016

Tom Koulopoulos Talks about Gen Z
Vimeo
April 22, 2015

Generation Z will be the most influential cohort the world has ever seen. But here is the one thing most of us don't yet realize; we are ALL Gen Z if we choose to be. Watch Tom talk about Gen Z, his thoughts and observations about how they behave and how you can build a brand and a business to attract them. From his latest book, co-authored with Dan Keldsen, The Gen Z Effect.

Visting Lecturer at Boston University School of Management
Boston University School of Management
January 01, 2018

BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Questrom School of Business
Rafik B. Hariri Building
595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

So, You Want to Get Paid to Speak In-Person or Online? Here's How.
Thinkers360
April 04, 2020

I've been on the professional speaking circuit for the past 30 years. During that time I've developed an immense sense of gratitude to be fortunate enough to do what I love to do. Whatever else is going on professionally or personally, having the opportunity to regularly take to the stage whether in-person or online has provided an unwavering center of gravity in my life.

Along the way I've also learned a thing or two about what makes the professional speaking industry tick and how to build a sustainable presence on the professional speaking circuit.

Trying to distill all of that learning into a few hundred words isn't possible, but what I can do is help you to understand the cornerstones of a sustainable speaking business. Note that my emphasis is on sustainability. Landing a single professional speaking gig now and then is easy. Doing it year in year out for a few decades is something else altogether.

Fair warning at the outset, the eight points I'm about to share will be blunt and unapologetic, and I'm not going to focus on how to become a more effective speaker. I've helped many colleagues and friends navigate the speaking business. The one thing I've come to realize is that you cannot teach someone how to be authentic and engaging. I know that there are dozens of programs out there that claim to help you launch a speaking career. I've looked at them all. The vast majority focus on how to be a more effective speaker, not on the business of speaking.

I have a deep rooted dislike for programatic or formulaic get-rich-speaking approaches that promise to make you a successful speaker over the course of just a few days, weeks, or even months. That's because the foundational cornerstones of a speaking career involve things that take years and decades. Once you have these cornerstones in place you can spend a lifetime fine-tuning your stage presence and style, but that's actually the easy part.

By the way, if you google any of the purported big money speakers who run workshops or seminars on how to get paid to speak you'll come up empty handed. Nada. They're peddling the worst sort of snake oil there is, made up of hype and hope. This isn't about either, it's about hard work.

I can tell you first hand from the professional speakers I've coached--from a prominent neuroscientist, to a professional athlete and heart transplant survivor, to the drummer for one of the world's most successful rock bands--they've all put incredible time and energy into building their speaking careers. There just aren't any shortcuts in this business.

So, with that said, here are the eight cornerstones. By the way, you eventually will need to have all eight of these in place. No shortcuts, remember?

1) Before you speak, write a book.
I really don't care how compelling, engaging, or entertaining you think you are, unless you've just landed a plane on the Hudson you need a book as a calling card. Without a published book you're simply not going to be taken seriously enough to warrant anything other than Kiwanis club gigs and fees. Your book is your calling card. It's what gives you license to be listened to.

If that scared you off you're really not going to like part B of this first piece of advice; keep writing books! You need to crank out a new book every 2-3 years in order to stay relevant, keep your material fresh, and demonstrate a commitment to your topic. You can't feign knowledge and passion for a subject. If you're getting paid to speak then you'd better invest in being at the bleeding edge of whatever it is you're speaking about. Nothing does that like having to research and write a new book. Also, do yourself a really big favor and stop thinking that you'll just have it ghost written. You might as well have your ghost writer be your ghost speaker.

2) Create a great video reel.
People I advise on professional speaking almost always push back on this. Yet, it is the single most important piece of marketing collateral you have. Unless you're in the nightly news where people can see and hear you, they will have only one way to vet and compare you to other speakers--your video reel. Most aspiring speakers don't like this because it's a catch 22. How do you create a great speaking reel if you're not doing a lot of big stage speaking? I get it, but that's exactly why you need it. Not having a great speaking video reel means you're not doing much great speaking. All I can say is get creative and get it done.

Don't overproduce it with effects and images. People who are going to book you want to see you. Keep in mind that the venue your video is shot at will define the sort of venue people expect you to speak at. In other words, shoot yourself on a large stage, not a non-nondescript hotel room with low ceilings and a projector you're constantly walking in front of; you know, the kind that's best suited for shadow puppets.

3) Build solid relationships with the speakers bureaus.
There are hundreds of speakers bureaus, but only a dozen or so represent the overwhelming majority of gigs booked. By the way, speakers bureaus book well over 90% of all gigs with a net speakers fee of over $15,000. So, unless you're aspiring to less, getting to know the bureaus and having them pitch you is critical to building a serious speaking platform. Speakers bureaus build deep relationships with event organizers. But they also go back to speakers who they know will deliver results by knocking it out of the park every time. Event organizers trust their recommendations. Even if you do go direct and try to book your own gigs, you do not want to be negotiating your own fees. Nothing is more awkward or ineffective. Working with a bureau avoids that. Yes, they take a cut Yes, its worth it.

4) Once you book a gig it's gospel--there's no backing out.
In twenty years and thousands of gigs I've only once had to cancel due to a fall that immobilized me for a solid week. I've travelled to gigs while I've had pneumonia, I've postponed funerals, missed countless social obligations, even sacrificed a few relationships because of the insane schedule I keep. When an event is built around you and you have a few hundred or a few thousand people expecting you to show up, as well as an event organizer whose job depends on putting on a show with you as the main attraction, there is no way out. None. Sounds harsh, right? It is, but don't forget that you have been given the privilege of doing something so few people will have the opportunity to do. Be grateful Respect the obligation If you don't like it, don't speak.

5) Build a brand that's uniquely yours.
What are you? Why are you better able than anyone else to pull this off? What's your narrative? Pedigree? Battle wound? The biggest single challenge facing the overwhelming mass of want-to-be speakers is that they do not have a unique identity and brand. I'll give you a hint on branding, unless you've climbed the world's seven tallest peaks or just landed a few gold medals in the olympics your brand is not that of a motivational speaker. Be specific in what and who you are. You are creating a product that needs to stand out on a shelf with hundreds of others. Reinforce that brand with the speakers bureaus and your tribe regularly and relentlessly.

6) Really, really love what you do and be grateful for it.
Ok, I know this one sounds trite. It's not. In fact it's without a doubt the most important cornerstone of a sustainable speaking career. When I say love what you do I mean wake up every day in anticipation of your next gig. Treat each gig, the people who are paying for you to be there, and your audience with the respect you'd reserve for the most important people in your life. Sure you've worked hard to get to this point but lots of people have worked hard and don't get the opportunity to be paid to stand up on a stage and be listened to. Never stop being grateful for that privilege.

7) Get ready to deal with lots of rejection.
The professional speaking business is overflowing with speakers. For every gig you land there will be at least 4-8 that show an interest but who--to use the catch phrase popular in the industry--"went in another direction!" Unlike any other case where you're bidding for a job, you will rarely if ever know why you weren't chosen. It's one thing to be turned down for reasons you can address, another altogether to be told nothing. It's like playing darts with a blindfold on and only being told if you hit a bullseye or not. For all you know your darts could all be stuck in the ceiling or laying on the floor.

8) Never, ever, ever stop learning.
For me one of the most valuable aspects of being a professional speaker is that I am constantly being forced outside of my comfort zone to learn about new industries and innovations. I can't imagine being a professional speaker with out also being as fully immersed in the evolution of technology and business through my writing, research, and consulting. Constantly being exposed to new trends, innovation, and investments through my business allows me to speak with credibility and authority. So, if you think that you can just speak without simultaneously being at the cutting edge of whatever you're speaking about, well, good luck with that. Unlike Don Henley, you can't show up and just keep singing Hotel California. (Yeah, I'm envious too. That's life.)

That's it!

If any of that scares you off then maybe this just isn't your gig. Nothing at all wrong with that. It's better that you know now what sort of investment and commitment you'll be signing up for rather than bemoan the many sacrifices later. I've come across far too many people who think that they should somehow just be able to jump onto the professional speaking circuit as though they were getting in line to catch a bus.

If you're all-in despite what I've just described then make a full-throttle commitment to learn everything you can about your craft and to stay the course for the long-term. That's the irony of speaking professionally, while you're on stage for just 30-60 minutes, there's an enormous amount of effort that goes into building your brand and track record, and that takes years.

The good news--no, the great news--is that if you invest the time land this gig the personal and professional payback is enormous. There's no greater joy than being able to do something you truly love to do, to share that love with others, and to continue learning and growing through it.

Never stop being grateful for that.

How To Become (And Stay) A Thought Leader
Thinkers360
July 25, 2018

Nearly 20 years ago I had a meeting with Jim Champy, to whom, in an act of self-adulation I had sent a copy of my first book with a note saying that we had a lot in common. Jim had just published Reengineering the Corporation, one of the best-selling business books of all time.

During the meeting Jim graciously referred to us as Thought Leaders; a term I’d never heard before. I recall thinking that writing a book had somehow given me license to carry that moniker. I was only partially right.

Fast forward 20 years and 11 books later, and it seems that becoming a thought leader is the objective of every professional.

But if you are serious about doing that then you should also be aware of the most important aspect of thought leadership; embracing the perpetual pain and discipline of learning through writing.

First off, yes, I did say pain, specifically because if it’s not painful then you’re really not stretching yourself or learning. I know that most people reading this will say “But, I like to learn.” Sure, we all do. But I’d suggest that it may be closer to the truth to say we all like to “have learned.” Pretty much anything worth learning, is going to stretch and rewire your brain. It will create new neural pathways. That’s not easy and it’s not painless.

Second, I said writing. My advice to anyone who wants to carry the mantle of thought leader with integrity is to impose a discipline on yourself of writing constantly. This is not simply keeping a journal for yourself, but rather publishing. Writing something that you know will be judged by others is the best way to force yourself to truly understand what you think you know and then to expand beyond what you already know.

Personally, I write six columns of 1500-2500 words each for Inc.com every month. Every 2-3 years I write a 250-300 page book. Sure, this open doors, creates incredible visibility, and adds credibility to my brand, but its greatest value is that it forces me to explore, research, learn, and carry the mantle of TL with integrity.

The three touchpoints of digital transformation
Thinkers360
July 02, 2018

As with most labels that we use liberally, “Digital Transformation” means many things to many people – and much of that depends on where an organization is to begin with when it comes to creating, capturing, and leveraging digital assets.

However, there is one way to look at this journey that applies to any organization serious about competing in the coming decade. The simplest way to describe this is with what I call the three touch-points of digital transformation: product, service, and experience. Each of these needs to be part of an overall integrated digital system that allows an organization to work with its customer across all three touch-points seamlessly.

An excellent example of this, one that I use in my book “Revealing the Invisible”, is how Tesla responded to customers who were trying to evacuate Florida during the devastation of hurricane Irma in 2017.

Tesla used to offer its Model S with seventy-five kWh batteries that were locked by software to limit battery access just sixty kWh. This limited the effective range of the car to two hundred miles, about a thirty-to-forty-mile lower range than the seventy-five kWh option. A Model S owner trying to evacuate called Tesla to ask if they would unlock his extra fifteen kWh to provide the added range for his evacuation. Tesla not only unlocked his battery’s capacity, but also did the same for every Tesla owner whose battery was similarly limited. This is only possible with a digital ecosystem that integrates the three touchpoints into one view of the customer’s digital self, as shown in the illustration.

Can you imagine how that same scenario would play out with a traditional automobile manufacturer where the product, service, and experience touch points are orchestrated by different disconnected players, the manufacturer, the dealer’s service, and sales? What about a used car where there’s no attachment whatsoever to any of those parties? A traditional automobile manufacturer’s digital ecosystem is not only fragmented and disconnected, but it insulates the company from the customer.

The bottom line is that digital transformation means that you have a digital business ecosystem in which each touchpoint is integrated with the other two.