Meet John Wensveen | Chief Innovation Officer, Nova Southeastern University and Executive Director, Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Wensveen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur. I have been fortunate throughout my career to have started a number of businesses primarily focused on the aviation sector. In my early years, I recognized that one learns from failure but only if you acknowledge mistakes. My mind is constantly working always looking for new challenges that can be solved with creative strategies. It is the innovative mindset that keeps me ticking and in my current role as Chief Innovation Officer at Nova Southeastern University and Executive Director of the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation, I get to apply entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, strategy, creativity, and innovation every day. I have a unique role leading creation of a new business enterprise that will have local, regional, national, and international impact. When I was presented the opportunity to design and build an innovation center, I recognized the possibilities were endless and the vision to do something that has never been done before was real. I dreamed of creating the world’s first “theme park” for entrepreneurs that reversed the Founder’s Journey from birth of an idea through successful exit or global expansion. Imagine a 54,000 sq. ft. purpose-built facility housed with all the infrastructure and services to support the entrepreneur at the ideate, incubate, accelerate, and post-accelerate stages. Imagine a giant collision station that forces entrepreneurs to collide with academia, industry, government, funders, professional networks, and wraparound service providers. Imagine a forward thinking model defined as Innovation Center 2.0. Imagine a model that could be franchised to countries around the world and linked as a single hub network bringing economic prosperity to all. This is the reason I do what I do.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In my current role, no two days are the same and there is no such thing as a 9-5 desk job. I love organized chaos because it brings excitement and joy. I wake up each day energized about what life is going to throw at me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. There are many things that make me proud and perhaps the greatest joy is helping others have positive impact on their lives. I have reached a point in my career where there are opportunities to mentor others and I take great interest working with younger generations to assist creating pathways of opportunity. There are many lessons that I have learned on my own journey supported by stories of adventure. Any time I can tell some of these stories to others, I take advantage of the opportunity hoping to have a positive impact on people’s lives and increase their personal chances of success. My professional journey was not easy and it never will be. I have faced many personal and professional obstacles along the way and as I get older, I set the bar even higher. I look forward and not backward believing the future is already here and I ask myself, what am I going to do about it now? In terms of one important lesson I have learned along the way, I firmly believe you must surround yourself with likeminded people who are positive and passionate as those vibes lift you and the ability to dream big and achieve such dreams. What should the world know about me? Give me a challenge and I will find a solution that will lead to success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My wife and I lived fulltime in the Florida Keys and unfortunately sold our property a couple of years ago. We were located in the Lower Keys on a little island that joins the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Whenever we had friends visit from out of town, we liked to spend time in Miami where we also had a property in Brickell. The Four Seasons Brickell for Sunday brunch is the best experience in South Florida and memorable for all. However, don’t plan to do anything for the remainder of the day after such a feast. We also liked to show guests Coral Gables and visit some of our favorite restaurants like Le Bouchon Du Grove. This is an amazing little French bistro and I highly recommend it. We also enjoy visiting Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden and walk the pathways lined with exotic plants, trees, and flowers from all over the world. Once we conquer Miami, we enjoyed taking our guests on the 90 mile drive to Key West. When visitors experience the Lower Keys for the first time, memories are created forever more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I was 3 years old, a life event created a pathway for my future and it was that experience that set me up on the Founder’s Journey which continues to this day. Along the journey, there were more naysayers than supporters and looking back, this is what motivated me to prove the world wrong. I have always viewed walls as opportunities instead of challenges and no matter what, I will figure out a solution to make things work with successful outcomes. One of the most influential people in my life was a gentleman named Dr. Larry McCann who was a professor during my undergraduate degree. Dr. McCann saw something in me that others did not and he created pathways for me to explore and apply creativity. He motivated my inner self and numerous life decisions I have made included Dr. McCann’s influence. Unfortunately, Dr. McCann passed away and I had the opportunity to honor him later in his life by presenting a national award for this impact on the urban planning profession. I will never forget how surprised he was when I showed up at this prestigious event to be the one who got to present this lifetime achievement award. While we were at the dinner table at this event, he turned to me and said, “John, once I was your teacher. Today, you are mine and I am so proud of everything you have accomplished in your life.” I get tears in my eyes, every time I think of this special evening which was the last time I saw my mentor.

Website: johnwensveen.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwensveen

Twitter: @JohnGWensveen

Other: TEDx Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/john_wensveen_innovation_center_2_0