As the Founder of Maverick Minds, I started the business from scratch, taking on financial risks and making decisions with a vision as an entrepreneur. I also need to innovate and improve my systems while managing various constraints as an intrapreneur.
A house is also a good metaphor. The entrepreneur purchases the land, designs the house, and constructs it, determining the number of rooms, style, and other key factors. The intrapreneur then moves into the house and begins renovating, possibly knocking down walls, repurposing spaces, improving the plumbing, and adding new features to the existing structure.
Recently, I had the pleasure of working with an energetic and thoughtful group from the Junior Chamber of Commerce. As always, my approach wasn’t just about delivering a presentation, it was about creating an interactive and engaging experience where participants could explore ideas and apply them in real-time.
Our focus? Intrapreneurship – the art of innovating within a business. For some in the room, this was a completely new concept. But by the end, it had become something tangible and applicable.
We explored a practical framework for innovation, looking at the different types:
- Incremental improvements
- Architectural adjustments to structure or process
- Disruptive changes that reshape the market
- Radical ideas that redefine what’s possible
To open our thinking, we used images to prompt conversation about what intrapreneurship looks and feels like. Visual tools helped surface fresh perspectives and challenge assumptions.
I also shared my GIFTS framework as a guide to working through real-world business challenges:
- Gaps/Opportunities – where’s the need?
- Ideas – what’s possible?
- First Steps – where can you start?
- Traits – what intrapreneurial and leadership qualities matter?
- Support – who and what can help?
We applied intrapreneurship to several scenarios, encouraging participants to think practically about innovation in their own work contexts – whether they run a business or work within one.
The feedback? Many said they’d never encountered the term intrapreneurship before and found the frameworks and conversation highly relevant. It gave them language and tools to rethink how they contribute to innovation from within their organisations.
Intrapreneurship isn’t just for big companies or innovation departments. It’s a mindset anyone can adopt to make a difference where they are.
If you’re curious about how to bring this kind of thinking into your team or organisation, let’s have a chat..