FINGER FOOD FOR THOUGHT
HOW CREATIVITY IS SOLVING PROBLEMS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD
IN A TIME WHEN DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THE WAY WE LIVE, WORK AND INTERACT, FINGER FOOD LEVERAGES INNOVATIVE WAYS OF THINKING CREATIVELY TO SOLVE THE NEW CROP OF PROBLEMS BUSINESSES ARE FACING. DISRUPTION RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH CEO RYAN PETERSON TO TALK ABOUT THE AMAZING ROLE FINGER FOOD IS PLAYING IN MAJOR COMPANIES LIKE LEGO, DISNEY AND PACCAR, THEIR MESSAGE FOR THE 55 NORTH CONFERENCE AND JUST WHAT FINGER FOOD REALLY MEANS.
By CARA BEDFORD
FINGER FOOD AT 55 NORTH CONFERENCE
As a company that took its “first breaths at the start of the smartphone revolution,” Finger Food offers an important perspective on what businesses need to do to thrive and grow with burgeoning technology.
Like many exciting new companies, Finger Food is helping to spread their message at the innovative 55 North Conference. When asked exactly what he’d like companies to know, Peterson said
that the main takeaway is that “old industries can change radically, and people need to be thinking about what their strategy is for their company, not only with technology but also their workflow.” He went on to say that “…the era of digital transformation is about starting this process today and waiting puts you at risk of not remaining relevant.” It’s also about what companies are doing to “drive innovation and rethink your entire culture.”
Peterson emphasizes “the risk of not investing.” Companies get hung up on the costs of innovating while also failing to realize the value of creative solutions. “You have to be willing to invest to help manage risk.”
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD
While Finger Food works out of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, their solutions for businesses have been seen and felt around the globe. Diverse companies such as Poker Stars, Lego and Lowe’s along with mining and pipeline industries have all been bolstered, revitalized and innovated by the company’s attention to creative thinking. With such a varied portfolio, one wonders what all of these companies have in common. Peterson said, “each of these companies had complex problems that required creative problem solving and the unique intellectual property that Finger Food brings to the table.”
PROOF IN THE CASE STUDIES
When examining the relevancy and value of a solutions-driven company like Finger Food, the proof is in the results they’ve created for their extensive portfolio of clients including Activision, a company known for its impressive range of electronic games for kids, teens and adults.
The Challenge: With kids naturally gravitating towards creativity, they need games that they build, break and grow with. While Activision had success with this in console games, companion console apps were falling short in “extending creativity to mobile.” The Solution: Finger Food went beyond the idea of ‘second-screens’ by creating an integral screen experience. They created
robust opportunities for endless exploration, creativity, wonder, and reward.
The Results: Along with Activision and Toys for Bob, a platform was created that opened up a new revenue stream of customizable characters, all of which synced seamlessly to the console game. This became a vital part of the game’s success.
THE STORY BEHIND FINGER FOOD
Finally, we asked Peterson exactly where the name Finger Food came from? Was it an obscure reference? An inside joke? A clue to how we were supposed to read a treasure map to find a fortune?
The answer:yes, to all of the above. Ultimately, the name came from the company’s start during the advent of the smartphone age and the idea that people were now using their fingers to swipe and get information, basically feeding themselves information with their fingers. And, Finger Food has also helped many companies create treasure maps to success for their own clients and employees with their imaginative solutions.
Finger Food is a company that has brought together a wide range of disruptive technology, including virtual and augmented reality, machine learning and blockchain to produce solutions and
results that simply would not be possible with only one type of technology. This is part of what sets FF apart from other problem solvers that tend to latch on to one solution and attempt to apply it to every situation. Instead, Finger Food invests in the idea of creativity and building on the strength of teams and individuals to produce better results for everyone.
Finger Food is making a unique name for themselves and their clients by literally “having their fingers in everything.”
When describing how Finger Food used its innovative ways of approaching problems to find its own success, Peterson expounded on how the company leverages the talents of individuals and creates
“dedicated teams of fearless leaders” that are situated to think and solve for complex problems. “Work is about enabling people, creating freedom to use their curiosity. We find it’s about neurodiversity -right and left brain working together and taking advantage of each person’s strength.”
FUTURE OF FINGER FOOD
When asked about his reputation as a futurist, Peterson chuckles and says “yes, I believe the future is bright with what technology will let people do with their time.”
And in regard to the future of Finger Food, he says “we want to solve big problems for big companies and tackle new problems. We’re continuously being given new companies and new opportunities
and want to run with that.”
“Companies had complex problems that required creative problem solving and the unique intellectual property that Finger Food brings to the table.” – Ryan Peterson CEO and Co-Founder of Finger Food
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