Falling in Love with the Problem: When Empathy and Amelioration lead to Innovation.
On a busy Friday afternoon, in between appointments, a customer made time to talk with us. We had barely introduced ourselves to each other but knew exactly why we were meeting; she had developed some product ideas that she wanted us to proceed with. Since this was a warm introduction from a friend, we knew that our customer was extremely hard-pressed for time. Thanks to video conferencing, it was evident to see her passion for her patients and, most importantly, for the particular problem for which she had a solution. She launched into the problem, discussed it in minute detail, demonstrated the ways that it affected her patients, and gave us examples of each subset of patients—from elite athletes to retirees who drove over an hour to see her. She described the disease state, the pathophysiology, and the different global approaches to the condition. To say the least, we were chomping at the bit to hear about and see her solution. What followed was a wonderful meeting and a mutual excitement to achieve success.
As I mulled over why I was so excited about this opportunity, I realized that our customer had "fallen in love with the problem"! In doing so, she demonstrated what I have seen and experienced multiple times in my career—the passion for the problem is precisely what sets you apart; it fuels you to optimize your resources and to be the ambassador for the solution. When you know every facet of "the problem," you are deliberate about success!
Innovation isn't typically born from a eureka moment or a sudden flash of genius. Instead, the most transformative solutions emerge when innovators develop a profound, almost intimate understanding of the challenges they seek to address. These are the individuals who don't just see problems—they immerse themselves in them, studying every nuance, feeling the pain points, and developing solutions that emerge from deep empathy and comprehensive understanding.
Dr. Victoria Kisyombe: Empowering Women Through Micro-Leasing
In Tanzania, Dr. Victoria Kisyombe didn't start with a business plan—she started with a problem. Witnessing the economic marginalization of women in rural communities, she recognized that traditional lending models failed to understand the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. Her solution, SELFINA (Sero Lease and Finance Ltd.), wasn't just a financial product—it was a deeply researched approach to economic empowerment.
Kisyombe's micro-leasing model allows women to lease agricultural equipment and assets, addressing not just financial barriers but the broader systemic challenges of asset ownership. By living among the communities, she sought to help, she developed an intimate understanding of their specific needs, creating a solution that was far more nuanced than a generic microfinance approach.
Maria Pacheco: Sustainable Solutions Through Community Understanding
In Guatemala, Maria Pacheco didn't approach rural poverty as an external problem to be solved, but as a complex ecosystem requiring deep understanding. She was sixteen, working among the rural people of her country, Guatemala, and charged with the terrible task of handing mothers their own babies to bury, the tiniest victims of unforgiving poverty. In that moment, Maria’s passionate commitment to easing the plight of her people was born, along with a profound connection to Guatemala’s rich cultural past and its land. By living with indigenous communities, she developed Kiej de los Bosques (friend of the trees), an organization that creates sustainable economic opportunities by truly understanding local challenges. Its purpose is first to incubate businesses, starting them from a small seed and nurturing them into sustainable livelihoods, then to strengthen rural economic initiatives, design and develop new products, and provide access to markets. Later, Maria and her partners established the Wakami Global Value Chain with the mission of “seeing the beauty in the world now!” Its business model is to create a network of rural communities where the fashion products of local women can be sold through an international export chain.
Pacheco's approach involved extensive community dialogue, understanding local economic structures, cultural dynamics, and environmental challenges. Her solutions emerged not from top-down planning, but from a profound love for understanding the intricate challenges facing these communities.
The Philosophy of Problem-First Innovation
What distinguishes these innovators is not just their solutions, but their approach:
- Radical Empathy: They don't just observe problems; they immerse themselves in understanding them
- Holistic Perspective: They see challenges as complex systems, not isolated issues
- Patience in Understanding: They invest significant time in comprehension before attempting solutions
- Continuous Learning: Their solutions evolve as their understanding deepens
Conclusion: Love as a Problem-Solving Tool
Falling in love with a problem isn't about emotional attachment—it's about developing such a profound understanding that solutions become almost organic. These innovators remind us that the most powerful innovations emerge from those willing to listen, learn, and truly understand.
