Angela and Emmanuel Williams continue their podcast season on technology with an episode exploring how business innovation strategy is for life, not just for startups. In this conversation, they explore why companies at every stage need to keep learning, adapting, and improving. They also welcome special guest Jacob Soter from SwimSmart, whose life-saving innovation shows how simple ideas can help prevent drownings.

Listen to the episode here: Innovation is for Life, Not Just for Startups.

Innovation Solves Problems

This episode is a must-listen if you need fresh motivation to explore new ideas or a gentle push to keep innovating after the startup stage. Angela puts it simply: ‘Innovation doesn’t have to be flashy. A lot of times it’s simply taking what already works and making it better.’ For example, it might mean improving a process, modernizing a service, or solving a customer problem in a smarter way.

Angela also makes an important distinction between creativity and innovation: ‘Creativity is the idea. Innovation is when that idea actually becomes something useful.’ That is what makes this episode so valuable for entrepreneurs. It brings innovation back to what your business is really about: solving problems that matter. Moreover, you’re doing something meaningful and living with purpose.

Nurture Your Creative Side

After the startup stage, it’s easy to slip into maintenance mode. You are busy running the business, serving customers, managing staff, and putting out fires. But that is exactly why creativity still matters.

 As Emmanuel says, ‘I think one of the biggest misconceptions in business is that after the startup phase, you think that you got everything figured out.’ But that mindset can stop you from seeing opportunities in front of you.

However, that’s precisely when you need to nurture your creative side. A big part of being an entrepreneur is living with purpose. Here are a few ways to keep that feeling alive:

• Remind yourself of the problem you originally solved, and ask how you can make this solution even better for your customers.
• Make time to step away from your desk to explore new ideas and problem-solving. Creative moments often happen when you’re walking, traveling or exercising.
• Listen to customer feedback. Innovation often comes from solving pain points and frustrations.

Business Innovation Strategy Past the Startup Phase

Angela also explains how customers’ expectations change, technology advances, and the economy shifts.  ‘What we worked for or what worked well for us five years ago, in our case, 25 years ago, might not work the same way today.’ 

This is why innovation after the startup phase is not about reinventing everything. It’s about staying sharp. It’s about asking better questions: What is slowing us down? What do customers need now? How can we improve?

The Williamses share how that questioning mindset is key to the success of DetailXPerts, their mobile cleaning company. Better systems, smarter tools, improved training, and updated communication all count as innovation when they help the business run more smoothly and serve customers better. ‘We got some wonderful projects that we’re working on, utilizing our steam cleaning technology,’ shares Emmanuel. Listen to the episode for more details.

Be Determined to Find the Solution

Jacob Soter shares his thoughts on the topic. Jacob is the founder and Managing Director of SwimSmart Technology LLC in Marquette, Michigan. He created a smart beach safety station that helps prevent drownings by giving people real-time warnings about dangerous water conditions. 

His idea grew from a simple observation. While attending a conference as a college student, he noticed experts debating beach flag systems and wondered why the warning system could not work more like a traffic light. That fresh perspective helped spark the idea that would become SwimSmart.

‘It really was a simple little improvement,’ says Jacob. ‘And I guess just nobody else had the determination or stubbornness to do it. So that’s kind of where I found myself today.’

This is exactly why the episode is worth hearing. Jacob’s story is a reminder that innovation often starts with curiosity, determination, and the willingness to look at an old problem in a new way.

Support and Community Help Keep Innovation Alive

Jacob is very open when he talks about what it takes to turn an idea into reality. He discusses crowdfunding, family support, mentors, and the role the community played in helping him build the business.

 ‘It takes a village to start a business,’ he says. He explains how local support, trusted connections, and conversations with the right people helped move his company forward. He also shares a line that many entrepreneurs will appreciate: one conversation with the right person can save you a year of headaches.

He’s also very candid about how lonely entrepreneurship can feel and the importance of the mentor and mentee relationship. ‘One of the things that helped me get through some tough times was just talking to other entrepreneurs, talking to our mentors, people who can sit you down and say, hey, this isn’t that big of a deal.’

Improving Year After Year

Another highlight of the episode is Jacob’s secret on how to keep improving and innovating year after year.  He also shares the importance of looking after yourself. He explains, ‘Taking an hour to walk every day has really given me that time to shut my brain off from all of the noise.’ And that pause is not time wasted, it’s part of the creative process. Moreover, taking a step back is key to preventing entrepreneurship burnout. 

His words are a timely reminder that you do not have to work nonstop to be a successful entrepreneur. Constant pressure does not always produce better ideas. ‘Unplug from work. Unplug from stress. Taking a step back is where some of my best ideas come from because I’m in a new world where I can focus on one thing,’ says Jacob.

Of course, innovation rarely follows a perfect path. Every entrepreneur faces challenges while testing new ideas, refining systems, and growing a business. Learning from those experiences is part of the journey. For more practical tips, see how to bounce back from failure and turn setbacks into lessons.

Conclusion

To sum up, this episode of More Details, Please is an honest reminder that innovation is not a one-off idea from the early days of startup life. It is an ongoing habit of improving, listening, learning and testing. And Jacob’s story shows what can happen when you develop a simple idea with determination, community support, and a commitment to solving a problem.

The conversation also explores the realities of entrepreneurship, including loneliness, setbacks, resilience, and the importance of staying curious as your business grows. Whether you’re building a startup or leading an established company, the message is clear: with the right business innovation strategy, that mindset that helps your business stay relevant and continue making a difference.

Watch the Full Podcast Episode

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode

If you are looking for inspiration to keep innovating and creating, listen to the full episode of More Details, Please with Angela and Emmanuel Williams, and their guest Jacob Soter. Their conversation reveals why innovation is not just for startups, it’s for life.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to More Details, Please on Spotify and YouTube so you never miss an episode.