Episode 21: Interview with Sandra Bates, author of The Social Innovation Imperative

Sandra is an innovation entrepreneur and author who has worked in innovation and marketing strategy for more than fifteen years. She has coached and led more than a hundred innovation initiatives with dozens of companies with a rich history of innovation.

Sandra has recently turned her focus to the needs of the social sector and founded The Innovation Partners, a group focused on generating social impact through innovation. Her book The Social Innovation Imperative provides social entrepreneurs with a step–by-step approach to developing breakthrough products, programs, and services to meet society’s needs.

In this interview, Sandra discusses:

  • Sandra’s framework for social innovation
  • The Plumpy’Nut story
  • The challenge of dealing with big wicked problems
  • The importance of assessing unmet needs
  • The difference between synergistic needs and conflicting needs