Art Fry loved to sing in his church choir. Every Wednesday night he’d be at choir practice in preparation for the hymns on the approaching Sunday. But one thing frustrated Fry. He’d mark the hymns with bits of paper that would fall out of the hymnal. He’d then find these bits of paper on the floor at home, or at church in the choir loft. He wished he had something that would mark pages without damaging them.
Dr. Spencer Silver was a busy research scientist with 3M. He served in the adhesive department and made an astonishing discovery. Silver discovered an adhesive that would bond to surfaces lightly without damaging them. These “microspheres” kept their stickiness even when removed repeatedly.
Art Fry, who sang in the choir, was also a scientist at 3M and attended a seminar offered by Silver. The topic? The sticky microspheres. While listening, Fry’s brain went into overdrive.
Silver and Fry began working together to develop a product that would solve Fry’s problem with “bookmarks” in a hymnal and a method to take quick notes. They created these small square notes that could stick to surfaces. They initially called them “Press ‘n Peel.”
They eventually landed on the name “Post-it® Notes.” Why yellow? To quote their own history,
“…Yellow color was chosen by happenstance – a lab next door only had scrap yellow paper on hand.”
The Post-it® Notes were an instant hit. Today, you’ll find them in 150 countries. Innovation opened the door to a new industry.
Let’s consider some key takeaways that can help us as we think about innovation.
Fry had a problem with paper falling on the floor. He wanted something that could mark the hymns but not damage the hymnal. Don’t ignore what’s frustrating you. It could lead to a new idea.
Seems simple, right? Don’t just sit around thinking about the issue. Fry happened to attend a lecture by Silver. That coincidence led to new ideas.
For us, go read a Presidential biography and study how leaders approached problems. You’ll discover books and blogs by other leaders and how they overcame hurdles. Listen to a podcast or a TED Talk and you might be inspired to approach your situation from a new perspective.
Fry and Silver worked together to bring the product to life. Each of us is stronger when we work with others. Listening to others forces us to consider other paths to success.
None of us is as smart as all of us.
Whether you’re testing a new approach in the hospitality space or trying to secure an endcap at Target for a product you’ve developed, if the idea just stays an idea, it is of no use to anyone.
Take it to market.
Does it improve the guest experience? Are customers buying it? How are people responding?
That’s the power of innovation.
As we face new challenges within the hospitality industry, we must lean heavily on innovation because what got us here will not get us to where we want to go.
Innovation is the key.
Creating Unparalleled Experiences,
Chris Adams
Ellis Adams Group is always updating our blogs with the latest and greatest, view more below.
Whether you’re developing a new hospitality concept, refining an existing brand, or expanding into new markets, our team is ready to collaborate and create custom solutions to fit your project.
