top of page
  • White Facebook Icon
  • White Twitter Icon
MFI Logo 2023.png

About.

"'We have to innovate or die' sounds like a great rallying cry until you wake up and realize you just committed the organization to fostering a creative culture. Many seasoned corporate leaders don't know how to do that. We can help."                  - Tony Vengrove, Principal

Since 2012, Miles Finch Innovation has helped our clients solve challenging problems with innovative solutions. We're small and nimble and can engage on strategy, marketing, branding and innovation projects. Our experience covers many categories including food, craft spirits, tobacco, automotive, technology, health insurance, and nonprofits--in sizes from F200 to early-stage startups. We love to collaborate with innovation teams to uncover consumer insight, generate new product concepts and connect ideas to technologies, manufacturing capabilities and thought leaders. Using our proprietary teaching tool, the Idea Climate Equation®, we coach and mentor individuals on the principles of creative leadership so that you can learn to lead for innovation and build the creative culture you need to win in the marketplace. Client engagements include Litchfield Distillery, Permatex, iHire, Connecticut Spirits Trail, Mine Hill Distillery, ITG Brands, Revolv, Region 12 Schools, Shepaug Agriscience, Warren Library.

MFI-Logo-2023.png

We are predisposed to action.

IN•NO•VATE: VERB

​

The intersection of strategy, innovation and creativity forms the letters, "ate" -- the Latin suffix that means: to do, to make, to act upon.

​

It's a friendly reminder that innovation is not just about thinking of new things but actually doing new things.

​

That's why we prefer the word innovate.

It's a verb.

It invites action, not definition.

What's up with the name?

MILES FINCH INNOVATION WAS INSPIRED BY CHARLES DARWIN.

​

The multiple species of finches he discovered while visiting the Galapagos Islands played a key role in shaping his evolution and natural selection theory.

​

Although he had studied much about species evolution, it was his discovery of the Galapagos finches that helped him connect the dots.

​

"Miles" represents the journey he had to take in order to experience his "aha" moment.

Darwin-About-Page.png

Hello. I'm Tony Vengrove

Principle, Miles Finch Innovation

I’m obsessed with the concept of business done better--not a big fan of the status quo. It’s what drove me to become a successful executive in advertising, brand marketing, and innovation and it’s the same force that compelled me to pursue my entrepreneurial ventures. I’ve always been a deep thinker, an explorer, and a dreamer. My insatiable curiosity and constant imagining of what could be allows me to identify and solve problems before some people even recognize there are problems. It’s what I do naturally—and I love every second of it. It’s also why I’ve enjoyed decades of success delivering creative solutions to the toughest challenges facing businesses and non-profits across a diverse range of industries.

For the past 10 years, I've been skating to where I believe the innovation puck is headed: a focus on creative leadership. A true passion of mine is to mentor, speak and train about what it really takes to lead innovation. As Warren Bennis once said, "There are two ways of being creative. One can sing or dance. Or one can create the environment in which singers and dancers flourish." Using my Idea Climate Equation® and Seven C's of Creative Leadership frameworks, I help leaders and organizations learn how to walk the innovation talk and create the conditions for sparks of ideas to transform into polished diamonds.

I’m a connector and a community builder with strong values and an uplifting spirit of generosity. If you're looking for a strategic-thinking partner and a creative strategist to help you tackle the great challenges you're facing, I would love the opportunity to add unbelievable value to those challenges!

Let's Connect!
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Recent Speaking History

  • Ad Yack Podcast (American Advertising Federation): Leading for Creativity

  • TEDxShepaugValleySchool (Washington, CT): Give Ideas a Chance

  • Passage to Profit Show (WOR710 Radio): A case for Creative Leadership

  • American Manufacturing Conference (Houston, TX): Innovation and the New Manufacturing Workplace

  • Creative Problem Solving Institute Conference (Buffalo, NY): Leading for Innovation

  • University of Maine Paper Days (Orono, ME): Voice of the Consumer

  • SEEED Conference (Providence, RI): Panel Discussion on Social Innovation

  • NYBERG Television Show Interview (New Haven, CT): Advocating for CT Innovation

  • Western CT State Univ. "The Entrepreneurial Arc" (Danbury, CT): Panel Discussion on Startups

  • The Compassionate Achiever Podcast: Compassion and Innovation

  • Western CT Leadership Program (Waterbury, CT): On Economic Development

  • Western CT Leadership Program (Waterbury, CT): Marketing your nonprofit. Where to start?

  • Jeff Shore Profiles in Business Podcast: Creative Leadership & Sales

  • The Grove (New Haven, CT): A Case for Creative Leadership

  • Makery Coworking (New Milford, CT): Leading Innovation

  • Small Business Talent Podcast Interview: Tony Vengrove Shares His Startup Journey

  • Connecticut Community Foundation (Waterbury, CT): Lessons from Richmond, VA

  • Creative Change Center (Richmond, VA): The Idea Climate Equation®

  • Virginia Commonwealth University Brand Center (Richmond, VA): The Creativity Paradox

  • Sales Babble Podcast Interview: Creative Thinking When Selling

  • Sales Chalk Talk Interview: How to be a more creative, innovative leader.

  • Co-Host, The Seven C's of Creative Leadership Podcast Series with Todd Schnick

bottom of page