Innovation Lessons Learned From A Life-Long Cheese Obsession

I have a confession to make, and it has absolutely nothing to do with profit margins, quarterly projections, or the latest shifts in the global market. It is about something much simpler, yet infinitely more satisfying. I love cheese. I have always loved cheese. In fact, if I sit down and really count them up, I have sampled at least twenty-two distinct varieties in my lifetime, ranging from the sharpest cheddars to the most delicate bries. It sounds like a trivial fact, perhaps something you’d share as an icebreaker at a workshop, but lately, I have been thinking about how this personal passion actually mirrors the way we approach our work here at inEvidence.

As we move toward our next major platform evolution-aiming for a significant milestone in January 2026-I find myself reflecting on the ingredients that make a business truly resonate. Just the other day, amidst the technical rigmarole of testing video functionalities and checking system architectures, I paused to look out at a glorious winter scene. It reminded me of Christmas, of Stilton, and of gathering around a fondue pot. It got me thinking: how do we translate that feeling of warmth, connection, and “rightness” into the cold world of code and strategy?

Finding the Umami in Your Strategy

When you bite into a truly exceptional piece of cheese, you aren’t just tasting milk and cultures. You are experiencing something complex. During a recent internal chat, I found myself asking, “Why is cheese so nice?” It sounds silly, but the answer often comes down to umami-that savory, deep flavor that lingers. In business, particularly in the technology sector, we are often guilty of focusing strictly on the features. We list the specs. We talk about speed. We talk about the “what.” but we frequently forget the “umami.”

The “umami” in business is the human-centric element. It is the part of your service or platform that feels intuitive and satisfying to the community using it. When we build our solutions, are we just assembling code, or are we creating an experience that leaves a positive, lasting impression? We need to look beyond the binary of “does it work?” to the more nuanced “how does it feel?” This is where true innovation happens. It isn’t just about making things faster; it is about making them richer.

I believe that whether you are crafting a wheel of Stilton or architecting a global digital platform, the differentiator is rarely the raw materials. Everyone has access to the same milk; everyone has access to the same coding languages. The difference lies in the craft, the patience, and the specific intent to create something that delights. We focus heavily on cost as a key benefit-not just in terms of saving money, but in the economy of effort. If we can reduce the “cost” of friction for our users, we add value that is hard to quantify but impossible to ignore.

The differentiator is rarely the raw materials. The difference lies in the craft, the patience, and the specific intent to create something that delights.

The Rigor Behind the Scenes

Of course, passion alone doesn’t keep the servers running or the data secure. There is a necessary, often unglamorous side to leadership that involves getting your hands dirty with the mechanics. Recently, I spent time recording video simply to check that the “mux and assembly” were working correctly. It’s a technical term-muxing involves combining different data signals-but the principle applies broadly to how we lead.

To ensure our platform is ready for that January 2026 vision, we have to test the plumbing. We have to ensure that when a team member records a video or shares an idea, the technology carrying that message is invisible. The user shouldn’t have to think about the assembly; they should only care about the communication. This is where integrity meets innovation. We cannot promise a secure, seamless experience if we aren’t willing to rigorously test the foundations ourselves.

There is a vulnerability in this process. When I record those test videos, I am not the CEO giving a keynote; I am a troubleshooter hoping the system holds up. It reminds me that no matter how visionary our mission statement is, it relies on thousands of small, functional victories. We build trust not by promising perfection, but by obsessively checking the details to ensure safety and reliability. If the “mux” fails, the message is lost. If we fail to listen to the small technical hiccups, we lose the right to serve our global community.

We build trust not by promising perfection, but by obsessively checking the details to ensure safety and reliability.

Creating a Community Around the Pot

Let’s go back to that image of the fondue pot. It is one of my favorite culinary metaphors because it is inherently communal. You cannot eat fondue alone-or at least, it is a much sadder experience if you do. It requires participation. It centers the conversation. This is exactly how I view our role in the technology space. We are not building tools for isolation; we are building platforms for connection. Our goal is to empower people everywhere to share their ideas, much like sharing a meal.

As we look toward the future, specifically our targets for 2026, my hope is that we continue to foster this sense of global citizenship. We want our technology to be the centerpiece around which collaboration happens. Whether our community members are in London, Tokyo, or New York, the platform should feel like a shared space-secure, approachable, and optimistic. We want to enable growth and creativity, ensuring that the “cost” of entry is low and the return on connection is high.

It is easy to get lost in the jargon of our industry. We talk about ecosystems and stacks and integrations. But at the end of the day, if we aren’t bringing people together-if we aren’t creating that “glorious winter scene” where people feel safe and connected-then we have missed the point. We must remain human-centric in an increasingly automated world.

We are not building tools for isolation; we are building platforms for connection. Our goal is to empower people everywhere to share their ideas.

So, the next time you are deep in the weeds of a project, stressing over the budget or the timeline, take a step back. Ask yourself where the “umami” is. Ask yourself if the foundation is solid. And maybe, just maybe, treat yourself to a really good piece of cheese. It might just give you the perspective you need to build something that truly matters.