full

full
Published on:

2nd Sep 2026

Episode 13 with William Reed

In this special episode of The Frontline Innovation Podcast, William Reed, founder of Willway Labs and developer of the Frontline Innovation Approach, sits down with his developmental editor, Sarah Welch, to discuss his new book, The Last Mile of Innovation.

They explore a central idea behind the book: innovation does not end when a solution is created or sold. It ends when the problem is actually solved for the person experiencing it. William explains why the “last mile” is often where innovation breaks down—through poor fit, weak adoption, ineffective selling, or solutions that never deliver their intended value.

The conversation also covers why William chose fiction to tell this story, the journey of protagonist Jacob, the growing importance of human-centered innovation in an AI-driven world, and how the Frontline Innovation framework can help organizations move from ideas to real-world impact.

You’ll also hear what’s next for William’s People-Centric Innovation book series and his work building a community of problem solvers focused on dismantling real human problems.

Topics include:

• The Last Mile of Innovation

• Frontline Innovation

• Human-centered innovation

• Problem solving and root causes

• Product adoption and value realization

• Innovation strategy

• AI and the human experience

• Marketing, sales, and customer adoption

• Product management and customer experience

If you work in innovation, product management, marketing, sales, UX, customer experience, or leadership, this episode offers a practical perspective on what it really takes to turn a solution into meaningful value.

Order your copy of the book today on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0j6jmywh

Link to full episode: https://youtu.be/Th_9Q_ub2LE

Subscribe to the Frontline Innovation Podcast — The Voice of Problem Solvers.

#Frontline #Innovation #LastMileOfInnovation #InnovationStrategy #ProblemSolving #HumanCenteredDesign #ValueRealization #ProductManagement #CustomerExperience #artificialintelligence

Resources:

-Order your copy of the book today on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0j6jmywh

- William on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cciewill/

- Willway Labs: willwaylabs.com

- The Frontline Innovation Podcast: https://youtube.com/@frontlineinnovation-podcast

- Full Episode: https://youtu.be/Th_9Q_ub2LE

- Take the Frontline Problem Solver Identity Profiler assessment: https://scorecard.willwaylabs.com/

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for The Frontline Innovation Podcast

About the Podcast

The Frontline Innovation Podcast
The Voice of Problem Solvers
This show explores innovation, from the frontline—where the real work of understanding human problems, dismantling complexity, and building solutions that hold up in the real world. A place where human unmet needs and problem solvers live. Solutions can come in several forms, from products to services to experiences.

Our conversations are reflective, practical, and human. There are no “right answers,” just honest exploration.

About your host

Profile picture for William D. Reed

William D. Reed

As someone who has spent decades bridging the gap between those who build solutions and the people who need them,I’ve seen firsthand why so many great ideas fail—not because they aren’t innovative, but because they never truly reach or work for the people they were meant to help.

Today, through my work at Willway Labs and my Frontline Innovation framework, I help enterprise leaders, product teams, and innovators dismantle real human problems at the frontline—where solutions are actually experienced, adopted, and trusted.
Because innovation isn’t complete when you launch… it’s complete when it works in someone’s life.

What I do is help organizations close that gap—so their ideas don’t just exist…they deliver real value.