Two Beats Ahead What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation

Discover what the musical mind has to teach us about innovation in this fascinating book, featuring interviews with Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, T Bone Burnett, Gloria Estefan, Imogen Heap, and many more. 
 
Musicians may just hold the keys to innovation in business. They don’t think like we do, and in the creative process, they don’t act like we do. It’s no coincidence that some of the world’s most respected creators are also entrepreneurs.
 
In Two Beats Ahead, Panos A. Panay, senior vice president for strategy at Berklee College of Music, and R. Michael Hendrix, global design director at IDEO, interview some of the nation’s top musicians and business leaders about how they approach innovation differently. They speak with hit maker Desmond Child about the importance of demoing and with industry legend Jimmy Iovine about listening and knowing your audience. Readers will learn the secrets of collaboration from Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams, about “daring to suck” from Justin Timberlake, about the power of reinvention from Gloria Estefan, and the importance of experimentation from Imogen Heap and Radiohead. And they’ll learn the value of finding and producing talent with T Bone Burnett and Hank Shocklee, cofounder of Public Enemy.
 
A window into these brilliant mindsets, this book equips any entrepreneur or innovative thinker with tools they can put into practice to thrive in an evolving world.

Panos A. Panay is the Senior Vice President for Global Strategy and Innovation at Berklee College of Music, and the founder of the Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship (BerkleeICE). He is also the founder of Sonicbids, a leading platform for bands to book gigs and market themselves online, as well as co-founder of the Open Music Initiative. He has spearheaded multi-disciplinary collaborations between Berklee and MIT; the design firm IDEO; and Brown University. Panay has been named to Fast Company's "Fast 50" list, IncMagazine's "Inc 500," and named as one of Boston Globe's "Game Changers" among other awards and honors. He has spoken about the future of the music industry on programs such as CNBC's Squawk Box, at events such as the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland and has delivered keynote addresses at events and universities around the world.
R. Michael Hendrix is a Partner and the Global Design Director at design and innovation consultancy IDEO, where he has worked on everything from home goods to homeland security. His illustrious 25+ year career has made him a sought after speaker; he has delivered design keynotes at Fast Company, WIRED, SXSW, AIGA, FUSE, HOW, and Design Management Institute among others, plus music keynotes at SXSW Music, Sonar Plus and Moogfest. He also is a an Assistant Professor of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music and a regular guest lecturer for professional societies and universities across the globe.