MASTER’S PUBDigital du Nord: How Minnesota Leads Digital Innovation

@CRAIGPLADSONStrategist & Educator

Digital River

Colle+ McVoy

General Mills

GoKart Labs

Gustavus B.A. ‘00

UST M.B.A. ‘10

U of M Adjunct ’16 -‘17

WE STARTED INVENTING SUPER COMPUTERS IN THE 1950’S

“THE EXPLORERS OF YESTERDAY CAN GUIDE US INTO THE FUTURE.”

We’re home to 17 Fortune 500 companies.

We’ve raised $1B in venture capital funding

the past two years.

Sources: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Star Tribune

Sources: Kauffman Foundation, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, TechCrunch

Our 5-year survival rate of new businesses is 50%.

Sources: Kauffman Foundation, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, EverywhereOnce.com

89.3% of the business funded by our Angel Tax Credit have succeeded.

Sources: Kauffman Foundation, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Star Tribune

We rank among the top five states in new

patents per capita.

Source: MPRNews.com

We are home to some of the world’s

best inventions.

Source: LinkedIn

We have 5,123 people with ‘digital innovation’ in their LinkedIn profile.

Source: Tech.MN, GoKart Labs

We’ve created 560 digital startups.

Source: Brandwatch

We tweeted about digital innovation and marketing

10,000 times in 2016.

:happy: :puzzled:

DIGITAL INNOVATION HAPPENING IN THE TWIN CITIES

DIGITAL INNOVATION HAPPENING IN THE TWIN CITIES

The Big Know KidizenBest Buy

GoKart Labs invented a content marketing startup that’s raised $4 in venture funding and is changing the way brands

think about engaging with their audiences.

THE LEARNING ECONOMY IS REAL

Everyone remembers their favorite teacher.

This is mine

memorable and influential.

TRANSFORMING THE ROLE OF BRAND IN CULTURE

WHO WE’RE WORKING WITH

Everyone loves their favorite teacher. The Big Know helps brands be that teacher.

Powering better marketing through branded education

79%PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS

3,000+DISCUSSIONS PER COURSE

Inspiring deep engagement through community &

discussion

35%OF TIME IS SPENT WITH LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Going beyond passive consumption with strategic

learning exercises

Good relationships take time. The Big Know gets you that time.

56 minAVG. ENGAGEMENT TIME PER LEARNER

FREE PASSES: GKL 100OFF

DIGITAL INNOVATION HAPPENING IN THE TWIN CITIES

The Big Know KidizenBest Buy

“We didn’t die. Check.

Source: Star Tribune, BestBuy.com

In my turnaround manual, which I have, you don't start with strategy.

You start with improving what you have. Then you work on strategy later, and that's where we are.

Source: Star Tribune, BestBuy.com

“

Source: Star Tribune, BestBuy.com

1. Improving the customer experience 2. Energizing employees 3. Deepening relationships with vendors 4. Increasing ROI through cutting costs 5. Growing sales

Source: Star Tribune

1. Made peace with Richard Shulze 2. Reined the store’s global footprint 3. Cut $1 billion in costs 4. Set up mini-shops within stores 5. Overhauled the supply chain

ONLY 1% OF VISITORS ACTUALLY BOUGHT SOMETHINGNOVEMBER 2012

ONLINE SALES FROM 7% TO 13% OF U.S. REVENUE2012 - 2016

PRICE MATCH STORE PICKUP

2012 2016

$10

$40

NYSE: BBY

DIGITAL INNOVATION HAPPENING IN THE TWIN CITIES

The Big Know KidizenBest Buy

We failed many more times from that point three years ago to now. I believe that women, especially

mothers, are really good at failing because we endure.

We’re built for picking ourselves back up, analyzing our failure, learning from it, and carrying on. If something doesn’t work the first ten times, we

continue to seek creative solutions.

“

DIGITAL INNOVATION HAPPENING IN THE TWIN CITIES

The Big Know KidizenBest Buy

MAKING DIGITAL INNOVATION HAPPEN

Get Started

Bet The Garden, Not The Farm

Less Planning, More Making

Act On Complacency

Embrace Design Thinking

Find Your Side Hustle

THANK YOUDigital du Nord: How Minnesota Leads Digital Innovation

craigpladson.com

craigpladson

craig.pladson@gmail.com