How They Did It: Seven Intrapreneur Success Stories

by Georgia Flight

Embarking on a new product or service should be easy with the resources of an established company at your disposal, right? Not necessarily. If you’re launching a start-up within a bigger company, you’ll have a host of issues to overcome — whether you’re an underling with a product innovation or a manager who’s signed on to pilot something new. Can you convince management and customers that the idea is not only great but doable, scalable, and profitable? Can you draft an ambitious plan that isn’t overloaded with risk? Will you be an effective manager? Read on to find out how intrapreneurs at Kodak, Toyota, Yahoo, and other big companies pursued bold ideas that advanced their companies — and themselves.

Kodak
Intrapreneur: Cheryl Pohlman, worldwide product and marketing communications director for inkjet systems
Venture: Inkjet printer division
Lessons Learned: Successful ideas leverage the company’s strengths; the best ones fill a real customer need.

Toyota
Intraprenuer: Jeri Yoshizu, Scion sales and promotion manager
Venture: Scion17, Internet radio station
Lessons Learned: If you hit a corporate roadblock, ask yourself: Will an altered plan garner equally good results?

Yahoo
Intrapreneur: Scott Gatz, former senior director of advanced products
Venture: Sponsored search engine
Lessons Learned: Just because you had the idea doesn’t mean you’ll be put in charge — and that may be best for you and your brainchild.

Wal-Mart
Intrapreneur: Alicia Ledlie, senior director for health business development
Venture: In-store health clinics
Lessons Learned: Just because you didn’t come up with the idea, doesn’t mean you can’t lead the project; those who interact directly with customers are often best at feature development.

Caribou Coffee
Intrapreneur: Kathy Hollenhorst, senior vice president of marketing
Venture: Customer loyalty program
Lessons Learned: When approval is stalled, keep refining your idea and make it better.

iRobot
Intrapreneur: Jim Lynch, senior electrical engineer
Venture: The Looj, gutter-cleaning robot
Lessons Learned: Never underestimate the power of a well-earned reputation; enlist mentors when you need to learn new skills like management.

Gateway
Intrapreneur: Gary Elsasser, senior vice president of products
Venture: Gateway One, a streamlined desktop computer
Lessons Learned: Don’t lean too hard on past means of production when creating a totally new project.

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Source: BNET