#410 How to Scale Innovation: Lessons from Amazon, Visa, and Howdo with West Stringfellow

The CTO Show with Mehmet Gonullu

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we’re thrilled to have West Stringfellow, a product and technology visionary with an impressive track record of launching zero-to-one innovations at companies like Amazon and PayPal, leading transformations at Fortune 500 companies such as Visa and Target, and accelerating startups with Techstars. Currently the Founder and CEO of Howdo, West joins us to share valuable insights on innovation strategies, data-driven decision-making, and building effective teams that fuel growth and transformation.

West’s journey began in 1997, navigating the early days of tech from server closets to becoming a product manager at Amazon. During his tenure, he played pivotal roles in launching Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Amazon Prime Video, which laid the groundwork for today’s digital streaming landscape. From there, he moved into innovation leadership roles at Visa and PayPal, ultimately founding his own startup that was acquired by Target, where he became Vice President of Innovation. Through these experiences, West honed a unique approach to problem-solving, emphasizing the importance of first principles, robust data utilization, and a growth mindset.

During our conversation, West explores the dynamic balance between data and intuition, especially within the context of fast-evolving technologies like AI and machine learning. He shares frameworks for making data-driven decisions, managing complex innovation teams, and scaling products that resonate deeply with customers. West also discusses the critical role of customer empathy and understanding as a foundation for achieving product-market fit—a message crucial for startups aiming to stand out in today’s crowded tech landscape.

We dive into how startups and established companies alike can harness emerging technologies, the importance of process and data readiness in implementing AI, and how executives can foster an innovation-driven culture. West explains why understanding your customers at a granular level is essential for long-term success and provides actionable insights on building teams composed of resilient, problem-solving individuals who can adapt and thrive in challenging environments.

About West:

West led Fortune 500s — Amazon, PayPal, Target, Visa — and startups through product launches and transformations with new technology for 20+ years.

In 2015, Target bought West's patented marketplace platform, powered by AI.

West believes in leadership excellences and was selected as "top 1%" executive by the CEOs of Target, PayPal, and Visa. He was promoted annually at Amazon.

He's consistently led large teams (1k+) and budgets ($40M+) and has been awarded 5 patents for technology innovation.

Now, he is Founder and CEO at HowDo where he help entrepreneurs and executives accelerate their growth in the era of AI.

https://howdo.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/weststringfellow/

01:12 Wes Stringfellow's Career Journey

02:43 Insights on Innovation and AI

06:26 Balancing Data-Driven Decisions and Intuition

09:42 Frameworks for Presenting to Executives

13:16 Mindset for Innovation and Growth

16:19 Implementing AI Strategies

21:03 Emerging Technologies and Business Transformation

27:15 Data Utilization at Amazon vs. Visa

29:16 Pioneering Digital Video at Amazon

30:40 The Birth of AWS

33:41 Building Effective Teams

36:21 Applying First Principles Across Industries

42:48 Advice for Startups in a Competitive Market

47:54 Final Thoughts and Contact Information