Find out how a waffle inspired a billion-dollar business

by Roger Firestien | Mar 23, 2022

Spoiler alert: You may be wearing a pair!

What do you do when you run out of ideas and you need a breakthrough?

In one of my new online courses To create breakthroughs, make connections you will learn a simple technique that you can apply to ANY problem whenever you get stuck.

You will never be at a loss for new ideas again.

Check out the full lineup of courses on OpenSesame, or watch a sample 3-minute video.

Over the last year videographer, Dan Richardson and I have produced a nine-part series on innovation that is now on the OpenSesame eLearning platform.

In each short course, we use real-life examples from business, medicine, education, agriculture, product development, and nature. These lessons are sophisticated enough for the “C” suite yet practical enough for front-line workers.

Each lesson includes a 5-to-7-minute video and an “Extend Your Learning” component to help you innovate on demand.

Take a look at this 3-minute clip and find out how a waffle inspired a billion-dollar business.

Watch the 3-minute video

Check out the 9-part video course

About Dr. Roger Firestien

Dr. Roger Firestien has presented programs on innovation to over 600 organizations around the world including Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, universities, associations, hospitals, and religious institutions.

Roger has written seven books and hundreds of articles on the creative process. His books include Why didn’t I think of that? and Create in a Flash. His latest book, Solve the REAL problem is available as an audiobook on Amazon.

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Get in Touch

(716) 631-3564 | [email protected]

Books by Roger Firestien

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Why Didn’t I Think of That?

A short story shedding an eye-opening light on our classic approaches to work and problem solving.

Learn More

Create in a Flash

A book for leaders who know that to grow their organizations, they need to generate ideas and solutions on demand.

Learn More

Solve the Real Problem

Redefining the problem saved thousands of heart attack victims, and saved the airlines over a billion dollars. Learn the simple approach for yourself.

Learn More

Watch my TedX Talk

In my new TEDx talk, I share the go-to method I use to unlock ideas when inspiration runs dry.

How Roger Can Help:

Keynotes by Roger Firestien

Unleash the power of your creativity

You want everyone in our organization to know how to turn on their creativity at will instead of just waiting for new ideas to “happen.”

Roger’s interactive and inspiring keynote addresses will do exactly that.

Learn more about Roger's keynotes

Breakthrough Labs

Discover the real problems facing your organization and then generate hundreds of ideas for solving those problems with the Breakthrough Lab.

Breakthrough Labs

On-Demand Videos

You and your team are now only a click away from Dr. Firestien’s help to find the solution to any challenge with his nine-part video series on the OpenSesame Learning platform. Watch a trailer and learn more.

View a Sample Video

Scraps of Steel, Sparks of Genius: Why Every Kid Needs a Junk Pile

Old junk can ignite young minds. Discover why giving kids space to tinker with scraps fuels innovation, problem-solving, and lifelong creative skills.

What Family History Teaches Us About Passing Down a Problem-Solving Mindset

Roger Firestien shares a moving reflection on memory, family, and the hidden symbolism of a simple doorknob in his ancestral farmhouse—revealing unexpected lessons in creativity, transitions, and life’s turning points.

Why AI Can’t Fall in Love—And Why It Matters for Creativity

AI may enhance creativity, but can it truly understand, imagine, or feel? Dr. Roger Firestien explores why AI isn’t intelligent in the human sense—and why that matters for innovation.

Living in a 100-Year-Old Farmhouse Taught Me the One Thing About Innovation Textbooks Miss

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to live in the house where your father was born? Or to walk through the barns where your family raised cattle and sheep? Or to venture into the machine shed, smell the familiar scent of dust and oil, and remember what it...

How to Get Your Team Out of a Creative Slump and Back to Generating Revenue

Embrace the pause, trust that the creative renewal is happening beneath the surface, and know that your new beginning is on the horizon

Got a Creative Slump? It may not be what you think it is.

Last month I found myself in a creative slump. I released my latest book Solve The REAL Problem almost a year ago and I delivered several very productive Breakthrough Labs earlier this year. My priority now was marketing the book and the labs. Honestly, I didn’t find...

What is Divergent Thinking?

Divergent thinking is a way of thinking used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. Learn more about divergent thinking and how it applies to the creative process.

Brainstorming Versus Creative Problem-Solving

Creative Problem-Solving is NOT Brainstorming It's a common misconception that brainstorming and Creative Problem-Solving (CPS) are the same. They are not. While brainstorming is a technique for generating ideas, CPS is a comprehensive process for solving problems.A...

Overcome Your Creative Blocks with Seven Creative “Blockbusters”

Creative blocks are a common hurdle for anyone engaged in a creative endeavor, from writing and painting to problem-solving and innovation. There are times when ideas seem to dry up, and inspiration is nowhere to be found. While traditional advice often focuses on...

You’re Probably Solving the Wrong Problem — Here’s How to Find the Real One

Discover the Secret to Effective Problem-Solving! Think you know the root of your problems? Think again! In my exclusive guest article on thoughtleadersllc.com, I reveal why what we think is the problem is often just a symptom. Learn how to redefine challenges and ask...

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Find out how a waffle inspired a billion-dollar business