Josh Linkner is a New York Times bestselling author, and an innovation expert who harnesses creativity as a professional jazz guitarist, serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist and local civic change agent recognized by Business Insider as “one of 14 people “changing the face of Detroit.” He founded and led five tech companies, including e-Prize, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million. As the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners Josh has helped get over 100 tech startups off the ground. He has been a columnist for the Detroit Free Press, Inc. magazine and Forbes and has written for Fast Company and Harvard Business Review. He is the author of three previous books including the New York Times bestseller Disciplined Dreaming, which was #4 on the New York Times bestseller list. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. He has delivered over 1000 keynotes to companies and organizations across sectors, including ABC, Heineken, American Express, Mercedes Benz, and the U.S. State Department. Josh lives in his hometown of Detroit with his wife and children.
About Big Little Breakthroughs: How Small, Everyday Innovations Drive Oversized Results
According to the World Economic Forum’s latest “Future of Jobs” report, creativity is one of the most sought-after skills needed across industries and job roles. But is creativity really a skill that anyone can learn? Can we all be innovators?
In Big Little Breakthroughs, bestselling author and creativity expert Josh Linkner reveals a proven strategy anyone can use to unlock their creative potential. You don’t have to be a genius—you just need the right tools to hatch your own breakthrough.
The foundation of Linkner’s proven approach is the daily practice of cultivating creativity. Instead of waiting for a flash of genius to strike at any moment, the most effective innovators develop habits that foster imagination, innovative thinking, and creativity.
Readers will learn:
• Popular myths about creativity and what the research actually shows about our creative capacity;
• How a 5% “Creativity Upgrade” can drive meaningful results in our careers and communities;
• The basic components of a successful idea and how to use them to spark our own;
• Why we should ditch pervasive cliches like “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” to revamp old mindsets;
• Techniques and activities that exercise our creative muscles;
• Stories of everyday people who achieved huge success by unleashing their creative potential.
These insights are drawn from Linkner’s decades of experience as a five-time tech founder and venture capitalist, the latest research on human creativity, and interviews with inspiring innovators who built their success from small creative acts.
The pressure to generate big ideas can feel paralyzing when the bar seems to be set at Elon-Musk-sized IPOs and life-saving vaccines. But when we face looming societal challenges and a rapidly changing world, no idea is too small to make a difference. With vibrant examples and time-tested techniques, Big Little Breakthroughs will transform everyday people into everyday innovators.
