Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Were Blockbuster, Kodak, and Xerox really blind to disruption?
Or is the story more complex than the headlines suggest?
In this episode, Aidan McCullen is joined by innovation experts Greg Satell and Paul Nunes to bust the biggest myths around corporate failure.
Together, they dissect the misunderstood downfalls of Blockbuster, Kodak, and Xerox, revealing why these companies didn’t fail due to ignorance—but often despite foresight.
📌 What You’ll Learn:
The real reasons Kodak wasn’t “killed by digital”
How Xerox PARC birthed innovations others capitalized on
Why Blockbuster wasn’t simply crushed by Netflix
The role of strategic misalignment, incentive structures, and resource allocation in failed transformation
What leaders must understand about organizational inertia and innovation timing
💡 Perfect for business leaders, strategists, and innovation professionals who want to move beyond the clichés and understand what truly drives long-term success—or failure.
🔗 Listen on your favorite podcast platform or visit: theinnovationshow.io
00:00 Welcome to the Innovation Show
01:55 The Innovator's Dilemma: A Classic Quote
02:05 Introducing the Guests: Greg Satel and Paul Nula
02:43 The Myth of Learning from Failures
03:07 Greg's Experience with Misaligned Case Studies
05:07 Paul's Perspective on Research and Interviews
05:17 The Complexity of Decision-Making in Organizations
15:30 The Blockbuster vs. Netflix Case Study
21:44 The Role of Leadership and Context in Business Decisions
43:45 Milking the Cash Cow: Challenges and Strategies
45:21 Blockbuster's Rapid DVD by Mail Transition
46:30 Adobe's Cloud Shift and Kodak's Digital Dilemma
48:42 Kodak's Struggle with Digital Photography
54:43 Fuji's Diversification Success
58:29 Intel's Missed Opportunities and Target Fixation
01:06:40 Xerox's Innovation and the Birth of the Laser Printer
01:20:44 Lessons from Xerox and Pixar's Origins
01:24:26 Empowering Emerging Leaders and Final Thoughts
⸻
🧠 Featuring:
Greg Satell (Cascades, Mapping Innovation)
Paul Nunes (Jumping The S-Curve, Big Bang Disruption, Pivot To The Future, Mass Affluence)
Host: Aidan McCullen (Undisruptable)
Find Greg:
gregsatell.com
Find Paul:
linkedin.com/in/paul-nunes-5351773
#InnovationShow #Kodak #Blockbuster #Xerox #GregSatell #PaulNunes #BusinessFailure #DisruptionMyth #CorporateStrategy #OrganizationalChange #DigitalTransformation #InnovationLeadership #AidanMcCullen #StrategicForesight #InnovationMyths
Were Blockbuster, Kodak, and Xerox really blind to disruption?
Or is the story more complex than the headlines suggest?
In this episode, Aidan McCullen is joined by innovation experts Greg Satell and Paul Nunes to bust the biggest myths around corporate failure.
Together, they dissect the misunderstood downfalls of Blockbuster, Kodak, and Xerox, revealing why these companies didn’t fail due to ignorance—but often despite foresight.
📌 What You’ll Learn:
The real reasons Kodak wasn’t “killed by digital”
How Xerox PARC birthed innovations others capitalized on
Why Blockbuster wasn’t simply crushed by Netflix
The role of strategic misalignment, incentive structures, and resource allocation in failed transformation
What leaders must understand about organizational inertia and innovation timing
💡 Perfect for business leaders, strategists, and innovation professionals who want to move beyond the clichés and understand what truly drives long-term success—or failure.
🔗 Listen on your favorite podcast platform or visit: theinnovationshow.io
00:00 Welcome to the Innovation Show
01:55 The Innovator's Dilemma: A Classic Quote
02:05 Introducing the Guests: Greg Satel and Paul Nula
02:43 The Myth of Learning from Failures
03:07 Greg's Experience with Misaligned Case Studies
05:07 Paul's Perspective on Research and Interviews
05:17 The Complexity of Decision-Making in Organizations
15:30 The Blockbuster vs. Netflix Case Study
21:44 The Role of Leadership and Context in Business Decisions
43:45 Milking the Cash Cow: Challenges and Strategies
45:21 Blockbuster's Rapid DVD by Mail Transition
46:30 Adobe's Cloud Shift and Kodak's Digital Dilemma
48:42 Kodak's Struggle with Digital Photography
54:43 Fuji's Diversification Success
58:29 Intel's Missed Opportunities and Target Fixation
01:06:40 Xerox's Innovation and the Birth of the Laser Printer
01:20:44 Lessons from Xerox and Pixar's Origins
01:24:26 Empowering Emerging Leaders and Final Thoughts
⸻
🧠 Featuring:
Greg Satell (Cascades, Mapping Innovation)
Paul Nunes (Jumping The S-Curve, Big Bang Disruption, Pivot To The Future, Mass Affluence)
Host: Aidan McCullen (Undisruptable)
Find Greg:
gregsatell.com
Find Paul:
linkedin.com/in/paul-nunes-5351773
#InnovationShow #Kodak #Blockbuster #Xerox #GregSatell #PaulNunes #BusinessFailure #DisruptionMyth #CorporateStrategy #OrganizationalChange #DigitalTransformation #InnovationLeadership #AidanMcCullen #StrategicForesight #InnovationMyths
