The Innovators Network

08/12/2025

We tell the true stories of innovation—not just the breakthroughs, but the human cost when innovation fails the people who need it most.

This is one of those stories.

In 2010, an RPG exploded a foot from Zach Paschall's head during an Afghanistan firefight. He was a Navy SEAL Chief. The blast was never documented. For six years, his body and mind deteriorated while doctors dismissed his symptoms—one even accused him of faking it.

The VA eventually confirmed significant traumatic brain injury.

His buddy Ryan fought the same invisible war. Same symptoms. Same confusion. The VA gave him standard PTSD meds that can make brain injuries catastrophically worse. Ryan took his own life in 2017. The autopsy revealed profound brain damage—caused not by enemy fire, but by training with their own weapons.

Harvard research now confirms what these men lived: cumulative blast exposure causes measurable brain damage. The evidence was there. The innovation to protect them wasn't.

Now Zach is building what should have existed all along—blast-reducing armor, AI-driven concealment, technology designed to bring warriors home whole.

His company's mission: Innovation That Saves Lives.

Phil McKinney tells the full story—from that Afghanistan compound to the company Zach is building today.

✅👉 https://open.substack.com/pub/theinnovatorsnetwork/p/bringing-them-home-they-said-his?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

A Navy SEAL's fight against the invisible wounds killing America's elite warriors.

09/10/2025

The data is undeniable: Our ability to think is collapsing.

MIT researchers found students using ChatGPT exclusively showed weaker brain connectivity. Swiss studies revealed cognitive decline in users aged 17-25. Harvard discovered students can't even define basic critical thinking concepts.

And 83% of students couldn't recall key points from their own essays.

This isn't about technology being bad. This is about survival.

In a world where algorithms curate reality and machines answer before we've finished asking, the ability to think clearly has become the most valuable skill anyone can possess.

Phil McKinney breaks down what we're losing, why this moment demands action, and what becomes possible when we reclaim our minds. This is Episode 1 of an 8-week series giving you the specific thinking tools you need—not theory, but weapons-grade skills for the real world.

Those who can think will thrive. Those who can't will be left behind.

✅👉 Read the full breakdown (video included): https://theinnovatorsnetwork.substack.com/p/were-living-through-the-greatest

Subscribe to The Innovators Network on Substack for more insights on innovation, leadership, and critical thinking. https://theinnovatorsnetwork.substack.com/subscribe

Modern life is systematically destroying the one skill that matters most. MIT, Harvard, and Swiss researchers explain what's at stake—and how to fight back.

23/09/2025

💰 Michael Dell spent $25 BILLION to escape quarterly earnings pressure.

The result? Dell’s R&D spending jumped 400%. The company transformed from declining PC manufacturer to enterprise leader. ROI by 2023: $70 billion.

Meanwhile, other companies still sacrifice long-term innovation every 90 days to hit Wall Street’s numbers.

Former HP CTO Phil McKinney witnessed this firsthand - billion-dollar projects killed in boardrooms, not because they lacked value, but because earnings calls were weeks away.

The Wall Street Journal thinks quarterly reporting isn’t the problem. Phil disagrees.

👉 Listen to why America’s innovation advantage is slipping away:
https://killerinnovations.com/the-wsj-got-quarterly-reporting-wrong/

Michael Dell and his investors spent twenty-five billion dollars to buy back Dell Technologies. But they weren't really buying a company. They were buying freedom from quarterly earnings pressure. I'm Phil McKinney, former CTO of Hewlett-Packard, and I witnessed how this pressure shaped decisions....

07/06/2025

Last weekend, my 12-year-old grandson showed me how he's using AI to enhance his small laser cutting business—not replace his own creativity, but amplify it.

Meanwhile, his 9-year-old sister immediately reaches for AI whenever she needs to design something for my 3D printer. Same family, same access to technology, completely different approaches.

It hit me: we're making parenting decisions about AI that will shape how our kids think and create for the rest of their lives. And most of us are winging it.

After 30 years of watching Fortune 100 companies make terrible technology adoption decisions, I thought I understood the stakes.

But watching my grandkids navigate AI has shown me something crucial—the difference between using technology as a tool after mastering fundamentals versus using it as a shortcut to avoid building those fundamentals in the first place.

The families getting this right aren't the ones who banned AI or embraced it blindly. They're treating it like we treated the internet in the 1990s: powerful tool, clear purposes, active oversight. Most importantly, they're teaching their kids decision-making frameworks that will matter long after today's AI tools are obsolete.

What's your family's approach to AI? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Full article and FREE assessment and tools in the comments below. 👇

09/05/2025

Recent research from the University of Toronto found that college students today show a 42% decrease in divergent thinking scores – our ability to generate multiple solutions to problems – compared to students just five years ago.

The difference? The widespread adoption of AI tools.

Creative professionals show similar patterns.

But this isn't a rant against technology. AI is here to stay, and it offers tremendous benefits.

The real issue is how our relationship with these tools is taking away critical human cognitive abilities and its impact on society.

Latest post on our Substack newsletter …

🎥 https://open.substack.com/pub/theinnovatorsnetwork/p/your-brain-on-ai-the-shocking-decline

As AI handles more thinking tasks, human creativity declines 30%. The solution? Targeted creative thinking training that strengthens neural pathways AI can't replicate.

28/11/2024

Ever notice how innovation stories are a lot like Thanksgiving recipes? Everyone's got one, they're best when shared, and sometimes the unexpected combinations turn out to be the biggest hits! 🦃✨

This Thanksgiving, we're grateful for every innovator who's let us tell their story - from garage startups to global changemakers. You've filled our newsroom with more plot twists than a holiday family dinner (and that's saying something!)

Special thanks to our amazing community of readers and listeners who prove daily that curiosity never takes a holiday. You're the ones who keep asking "What's next?" even with a full plate of turkey in front of you.

And to all the innovators out there currently explaining their latest breakthrough to confused relatives at the dinner table - we see you, we appreciate you, and yes, we'd love to hear that story! 😉

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with great ideas, better conversations, and maybe even an innovative approach to leftover turkey sandwiches!

31/10/2024

Many people have asked about my journey in building a career in Innovation.

Instead of rehashing how I did it, I invited a special guest to share his story.

Ni**od Ben-Natan, the CEO of Harmonic, shares his incredible story of how he built a model career in Innovation.

Watch the interview 👉 https://youtu.be/kVsbvu--F8E

💡 Key lessons:

- Never stop learning - tech changes fast!
- It's okay to fail - just learn from it
- Be ready to change direction when needed
- Think long-term (like, really long-term)

👉 Remember: Success isn't a straight line. Sometimes you need to:

- Try new roles
- Face tough challenges
- Keep going when things get rough
- Stay curious about everything

The best part of his advice? You don't need to be perfect. You just need to keep learning and growing.

What's your take on building a career in innovation? Share your thoughts below! 👇

Many people have asked about my journey in building a career in Innovation. Instead of rehashing how I did it, I invited a special guest to share his story. ...