Despite the easy headlines about consumer apps, tech startups, and special departments or incubators set up to do innovative things, the real innovations occur when established companies draw on what makes them unique (history, skills, customers) and dare to change processes, challenge expectations, and take risks in their operations.

Innovation isn’t a thing that stands on its own or has inherent value, but rather evidences the willingness to throw out even the most cherished practices, and risk transforming them into new, better, faster, more meaningful routines. It may involve tech, nor not...but it certainly involves people, processes, and the messy reality of inventing the future.

I've written 250 or so such stories at Forbes over the past half decade. Prior to that, I wrote about brands and marketing for Advertising Age, and brands & technology for Information Week.