2026 – The Year of Patent Strategies – Steve Sponseller
Tech Leader Talk
On this episode of the Tech Leader Talk podcast, I’m declaring 2026 as The Year of Patent Strategies. I’ve been helping tech companies build robust patent strategies for almost 30 years. My top priority for 2026 is to help more tech companies create or strengthen their patent strategies. An important benefit of building a strong patent strategy is peace of mind. This peace of mind comes from knowing that you have identified every invention developed by your team and took steps to protect the most valuable inventions. You have peace of mind knowing that you...
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How Tech Leaders Can Balance IQ, EQ, and Experiential Intelligence – Soren Kaplan
Tech Leader Talk
You have probably heard about IQ and EQ. But have you heard about Experiential Intelligence? That’s what I’m discussing today with my guest, Soren Kaplan – who wrote the book on Experiential Intelligence – literally! His book is titled: Experiential Intelligence – Harness the Power of Experience for Personal and Business Breakthroughs. Soren has been named one of the world’s top management experts. He has advised and led professional development programs for thousands of executives around the world, including Disney, NBCUniversal, Medtronic, Philips, and...
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How to Avoid Innovation Failure – Tony Ulwick
Tech Leader Talk
Do you want to learn how to avoid innovation failure? Today I’m talking with Tony Ulwick, who has spent his career clarifying the complex world of innovation. Tony believes that innovation isn’t just about creating new ideas – the heart of innovation is uncovering and addressing unmet customer needs. Tony shares that true innovation isn’t just about fresh ideas. If you want a winning product, Tony explains that you must start by uncovering what people actually want, not just what you think is cool. That shift changes everything. During our conversation, Tony shares insights...
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Trademark Strategies for Tech Companies – J.J. Lee
Tech Leader Talk
Have you ever thought about how to protect your company name, logo, or slogan – and when you should do that? On this episode, my guest is J.J. Lee, and he will answer those questions. J.J. Lee is an experienced Trademark Attorney and the Founder of Trademark Lawyer Law Firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. J.J. and his team have successfully registered over 7000 trademarks for their clients. During our conversation, J.J. shares insights regarding his experience helping companies protect their brands using trademarks. He discusses when to consider filing a trademark application...
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Enhancing Innovation and Collaboration with Personality Poker – Stephen Shapiro
Tech Leader Talk
This is a Fun episode – we’re talking about playing poker. But not the kind of poker you’re familiar with. Today, I’m talking with Stephen Shapiro. Stephen is a leading keynote speaker, author, and advisor on innovation. He has two decades of practical innovation experience, including working at Accenture, where he created and led a 20,000 person innovation practice. Stephen and I are talking about poker today. But this poker game is different – it can improve your company and your individual team members. Stephen will be discussing Personality Poker,...
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Innovating and Accelerating Tech Startups – Tzahi (Zack) Weisfeld
Tech Leader Talk
Are you looking for ways to accelerate and innovate your tech startup? Then you’re in the right place because that’s what I’m discussing today with Zack Weisfeld, who is the Chairman of Ignite DeepTech. Ignite DeepTech accelerates deep-tech innovation by giving founders the knowledge and resources they need to turn groundbreaking ideas into extraordinary companies. Zack has more than 25 years of experience as an executive and a serial entrepreneur. Zack shares his experience in helping startups with funding, mentoring, and C-level executive support. His experience...
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A Critical 1st Step When Building Your Patent Strategy – Steve Sponseller
Tech Leader Talk
In this solo episode, I talk about the importance of training your team to identify every invention created in your organization. Invention identification is critical because you can’t evaluate and protect an invention if you don’t first identify it. Identifying every invention is more complicated than simply asking, “What have you invented lately?” Listen to this episode so you understand how to implement this critical 1st step in building your robust patent strategy. Today on the Tech Leader Talk podcast: - Why many people fail to identify inventions - Discovering hidden inventions...
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A “Digital Wingman” to Manage Risk and Empower Teams – John Hernandez
Tech Leader Talk
Podcast Partner I want to thank the New Mexico Tech Council () for being the Podcast Partner for this episode. The NM Tech Council was established with the vision of propelling New Mexico into a brighter future, and serves as a catalyst for collaboration, education, and networking among businesses, entrepreneurs, researchers, and tech enthusiasts. The organization plays a pivotal role in uniting the diverse tech community in New Mexico and helps these stakeholders come together to collaborate and build synergistic relationships. This Episode Have you ever thought about whether your...
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Flexible Leadership Skills for Today’s Technology Leaders – Kevin Eikenberry
Tech Leader Talk
Do you want to become a more flexible leader in today’s ever-changing world? You’re in luck because that’s what my guest, Kevin Eikenberry, is discussing today. Kevin specializes in empowering organizations, leaders, and individuals to fulfill their leadership potential. Kevin’s latest book, Flexible Leadership, provides leaders with a new perspective and a new set of skills centered around flexibility. During our discussion, Kevin explains how technology leaders can become more flexible and why that flexibility is important in today’s rapidly changing business...
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From Amazon to Big Bets: Navigating Change and Complexity in Tech – John Rossman
Tech Leader Talk
On this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with John Rossman. John is a thought leader on digital and innovation strategies. He is the author of four books on leadership and business innovation including the best seller The Amazon Way and Big Bet Leadership. John is also a keynote speaker on leadership for innovation and transformation. John is a former Amazon executive who was a leader in launching and scaling the Amazon Marketplace business. He has also served as the senior technology advisor at the Gates Foundation and senior innovation advisor at T-Mobile. During our...
info_outlineOn this episode of the Tech Leader Talk podcast, I’m declaring 2026 as The Year of Patent Strategies. I’ve been helping tech companies build robust patent strategies for almost 30 years. My top priority for 2026 is to help more tech companies create or strengthen their patent strategies.
An important benefit of building a strong patent strategy is peace of mind. This peace of mind comes from knowing that you have identified every invention developed by your team and took steps to protect the most valuable inventions. You have peace of mind knowing that you have secured your competitive advantage, increased the company’s valuation, and positioned the company as an industry leader.
To help companies get started, I have created a one-page summary of my 7-Step system for building a robust patent strategy. I would be happy to send you a copy of this document. Just email me or send me a message via LinkedIn (see links below).
Contact me via email: Steve@SteveSponseller.com OR see my contact information on my website, which is: https://SteveSponseller.com
Link to my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesponseller
Link to Nov. 20, 2025 episode describing Step 1: https://www.podpage.com/tech-leader-talk-1/a-critical-1st-step-when-building-your-patent-strategy-steve-sponseller/
You can also contact me to schedule a complimentary call to answer your questions about building your own Patent Strategy.
I hope this was helpful. Wishing you a happy Year of Patent Strategies!