Helping companies discover growth opportunities through new products, new markets, and new customers.

1. What We Do
STAGES OF INNOVATION helps companies manage
STInnovation
Stimulating Innovative Thinking
the product lifecycle. Our suite of services ensures
your product portfolio stays abreast of the market,
ahead of competitors and instep with customers.
Our expertise is in providing the right mix of
innovation, process, intelligence and research to FUTURE CAST
Representing the future, today
make better product decisions today and in the
future.
We integrate deep specialized expertise in market
research, competitive intelligence, customer- ActionIntell
centric product development, and innovation to Market Intelligence Services
help you achieve differentiation, relevance, and
LEADING… MENTORING… breakthrough strategies for your product.
DOING…
Our history of enabling sustainable growth for our
clients is based on over 25 years of experience
We support our clients at every stage of working with startups to some of the largest and
their growth best-known companies. We help our clients:
 We are leaders helping our clients  Accelerate revenue and profit
 Increase customer retention Stages of Innovation
implement the necessary processes.  Grow market share
 We are mentors, working with our  Uncover new products and identify new
THE
FREEDOM
clients and their staffs to develop the markets TO GROW
strategies and plans for sustainable  Manage a profitable growth portfolio
growth.  Monitor the competition Marshaling your resources to grow
 We are doers, making sure the work
gets done right and on time. SOI’s approach is to collaborate with your people
ensuring growth is imbedded into the culture and in
everything, they do. We help companies find where
to make their money, make more of it faster, and
sustain its growth longer. Infrastructure
OP T KS
866-614-9761 main
info@stagesofinnovation.com
www.stagesofinnovation.com STAGES OF INNOVATION LLC
…it starts with an idea
Stages of Innovation through our diverse professional team and strategic partnerships provides an end-to-
end solution for all your new product needs.

2. STInnovation
Stimulating Innovative Thinking
STInnovation is a structured way of using innovation to
solve problems
We believe that in today’s complex environment there
are multiple inputs and variables and past results
affecting your business. Dealing with them individually
only partially alleviates the problem.
We are concerned with how these things interact.
“Success is more likely to result from the systematic pursuit of Contrary to common beliefs that we need to isolate and
opportunities than from a flash of genius…” dive deeper, we expand the view to take into account
Peter F. Drucker larger numbers of interactions as an issue to be studied.
The Discipline of Innovation, HBR 1985
The answer is STInnovation; a new framework for
innovative thinking.
 Complex Problems
 Recurring Problems
 Problems with many external or
environmental variables
 Problems that are non-obvious
Customer Facing Internal Stakeholders & Ops
360° - Every Opinion Counts
Competitors STInnovation Vendors
Customers Consumers

3. A modern business has FUTURE CAST
Representing the future, today
many roads that it can take
to achieve sustainable
growth. The more paths The future depends on what you do today
that are chosen the more Mahatma Gandhi
resources are spread thin;
the more chance of failure.
• Level setting (The State of the
In 4 sessions, Stages of Pre-Session Business)
Innovation’s Future Cast
methodology enables • Developing Big Messages and
Session 1 the Strategy Narrative
senior leaders to envision a
future worth driving
forward that stays abreast Session 2 • Telling your Story
of external trends, ahead
of competitors, and
anticipates customer Session 3 • Designing the Road Map
needs.
Session 4 • Developing the Action Plan

4. ActionIntell
Market Intelligence Services
Competitive Market Customer Growth Scenario
Intelligence Advisory Intelligence Planning Planning
ActionIntell provides strategic insights on any company, any customer,
and any industry in a structured timely manner. The list of our services
include:
Competitive Intelligence & Monitoring
ActionIntell is the intelligence & market research  Achieving a strategic advantage by gaining foreknowledge of your
practice of Stages of Innovation LLC. Since 1996, competitor’s plans is the key to successful strategy development. Our
our clients have relied on us to help them primary intelligence and monitoring services transforms raw data into
understand the changing landscape of the markets actionable strategies.
they operate in. We analyze the market factors Market Research & Advisory
that influence the way the market develops. Our  We provide market analysis to assist with operational and strategic
comprehensive set of services can provide new decision making. We provide pre- and post- commercial due diligence
insights into your current industry or help you research.
identify opportunities in new markets. Customer Intelligence
 Having the right intelligence at the right time helps managers be more
Our commercial due diligence practice helps you responsive to identify opportunities, develop winning market entry
get the valuation right and validate the target’s strategies or grow an account through Win / Loss analysis.
business model. Growth Planning & Strategy
 Our proprietary processes reduce uncertainty, accelerate the decision
Our leadership team and research partners set us making process and give your organization the freedom to grow.
apart and make us who we are. We bring a wealth Scenario Planning & War Gaming
of industry specific and functional knowledge to  At its best data is two dimensional. War games and scenario planning
every assignment to provide actionable results. brings the data to life to help you play through and anticipate
competitor moves and industry changes.

5. SOI’s tools provide a thorough review
of the product at every stage.
Market Feasibility - We identify a need
or a problem in the marketplace that we
believe you can provide a solution for.
We navigate complex market structures
in a way that you can deliver a strong
value proposition.
Business Feasibility - Our financial
analysis helps determines where you will
make money, how you are going to make
money, and what it will take to build and
launch any product. We thoroughly We help our clients develop and execute growth strategies that are driven by
identify the risks associated with the a superior understanding of profitable demand
product and provide contingencies.
Technology Feasibility - The SOI PD Our approach is to understand the marketplace and the unmet needs first. Once
process builds on the principles of speed assessed, we can create the proper business model. At this stage, our model
and quality to determine the WHAT, the Define takes into account the needed product requirements, target markets, and
HOW, and the HOW MUCH. We write the necessary positioning in order to fulfill against the unmet need and maximize a
products’ value proposition.
product specs for your development
group to build.
To properly address the opportunity, the right blueprint needs to be created. Here
we put our vast experience to work. This begins with establishing the products
Messaging / Positioning - Once
positioning is established, the solution
Design attributes. This stage includes concept development (for new products) or the
integration of attributes and features that deliver best positioning with
needs to be communicated with leverageable market benefits.
maximum impact. In this stage, SOI will
lead the creation of all collateral /
support material, sales training and Once positioning is established, the solution needs to be communicated with
channel development elements. Communicate maximum impact. In this stage, SOI will lead the creation of all collateral / support
material, sales training and channel development elements.
Go-to-Market - Whether you roll out in a
limited trial or full scale we provide the At SOI, we make it happen. When launching a new or repositioned product, be it
blueprint for success. The SOI NPD in a pilot / beta stage, we provide the blueprint for success. Our expertise extends
process reduces uncertainty by ensuring through manufacturing integration through all levels of operations (order to cash,
that the proper resources can be Launch customer acquisition, sell through). This is where the “rubber hits the road”. We’ve
dedicated. been there and know what it takes. SOI helps navigate these roads successfully
to meet the unmet market needs and drive profitable growth.

6. Stages of Innovation
THE
FREEDOM
TO GROW
Marshaling your resources to grow
•Uncertain about the structure of your industry, latest trends
Marshaling your Market Strategy that impact your growth or which markets to pursue?
resources to grow Competitive •Uncertain about the moves your competitors are making?
Distinction
Businesses thrive in uncertainty and
need to be able to make the right
Sales Optimization •Uncertain about where your next sale is going to come from?
decisions quickly. A decision is right if
it yields a success rate far greater than
•Uncertain how to create efficiencies with key sales,
chance. To keep pace with the velocity Process Alignment marketing, and strategy processes?
of change and to increase the
probability of success, Stages of Product Portfolio •Uncertain about which products will win and which ones to
Innovation has developed a process to Management sunset or stop?
reduce uncertainty, accelerate decision
•Uncertain how to pull it all togetyher and drive innovation to
making and give your organization the Growth Planning find solutions for growth?
freedom to grow.

7. LOCAL MARKET INSIGHTS
Increase your customer
base and profits by
Investment in your
leveraging local
local market insights
market customer
discovery is an
insights
investment in your
• Local Market Insights
revenue increase!
– Target Market Analysis
– Competitive Analysis
• Product Insights
– Product Positioning • Market Insights to identify growth areas
• Customer Insights • Measurement system of product/service offerings
• Positioning of product offerings that deliver against market needs
– Customer Profiling
• Establishment/reinforcement of [local market] leadership position via increased
– Prospect Development
share of market
• Increased customer share of “wallet”
• Improved overall customer satisfaction (demonstrated by repurchase intention,
up-sell and referrals)
• Improved marketing and sales programs that stimulate customer purchase

8. Infrastructure
OPTKS, pronounced optics, provides
the core ingredients to change the
behavior and allow your company to
focus on successfully bringing new
OP T KS
The Right Behavior For Success
products and services to market.
SOI works with your team to
establish the three key ingredients
required for success:
Oversight • New product development projects require the discipline
and the oversight to move a project through the process.
MANAGEMENT – A structure must be • Companies need to establish and follow a methodical
established to provide the basis for
Oversight and the right set of
Processes approach in order to bring a new products to market faster
and at less cost.
Processes to be followed.
• The methods used need to be easily understood and
INFRASTRUCTURE – A strong
foundation needs to be built that
Techniques repeatable. Expectations and key deliverables need to be
well defined and must add value to the overall project.
supports the ideals and culture of
the company.
PEOPLE – You need more than smart Knowledge • Making sure you have the right people working on the
project ensures success.
people. They must have the
experiences and wisdom to know
how to apply it.
Skills • When it is all said and done the people need to have the
skills to execute. Poor execution is the biggest idea killer.

9. Our industry expertise spans across many diverse verticals

10. ActionIntell
SOI is a customer-centric market research
based, innovation and new products
management consulting firm.
We believe that:
Market Intelligence Services  Customers will tell you what they
need, how to satisfy those needs and
if they are willing to pay to satisfy
them.
 No matter how large you may think
the market is it is rarely all available
and accessible due to many other
factors that may not be in your
control.
THE SOI DIFFERENCE
 The key to a successful launch is how
you segment the market.
 Not every product feature needs to be
developed and launched in the first
DIFFERNCEDIFFERENCE. release. Road maps need to be
developed and maintained.
 Costs may be prohibitive in the early
STAGES OF INNOVATION HAS A PROVEN RECORD OF stages but uncertainty can be reduced
with proper segmentation, a defined
HELPING BUSINESSES LAUNCH NEW PRODUCTS go to market strategy, and a
developed channel strategy.
“SOI was a valuable resource who helped the “We have asked SOI to conduct a number of
Catalyst360 leadership team identify new business investigations and analyses. While all have been
 Getting the channel right can be more
development opportunities. Their innovation process in the field of education, they have been diverse important than getting the feature set
and creative thinking helped drive our initiatives in both the topics and methods. SOI have perfect.
forward. I recommend SOI for this type of work.” developed creative, real-world solutions to tricky  Customers find you in many different
Robert Wentling, VP, Strategic Business business intelligence problems. They are frank
ways and a multi-channel message and
Development at The Hartford about what can and can't be accomplished, and
will push us when they think our thinking is too
strategy needs to be developed.
“SOI did a significant amount of market research for us limited. Good business practices, willing to
and helped develop the foundation for our strategic provide good value for a fair price and adapt to
plan. SOI has extensive marketing experience, expertise changing priorities.”
and insight. They are extremely hard working and very Sam Kingsley, Executive Director, Customer SOI helps and supports companies who do
dedicated to their clients. I highly recommend SOI for and Market Intelligence at The College Board not have the skills or resources available
anyone looking for detailed market analysis and support in-house to bring new products to market.
in strategic plan development”
Steven Graves, VP, Sales & Marketing at Acumentrics