Kevin Popović

Sharpshooter
DISC Type : DC

Columnist at San Diego Business Journal

Del Mar, California, United States

Overview

Kevin Popović, known as The Idea Guy®, is an innovation strategist, author, and TEDx speaker specializing in combining human insight with artificial intelligence (HI x AI). With a Doctor of Education, he authors a weekly column for the San Diego Business Journal. People often describe him as an engaging, insightful, and strategic advisor.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Kevin has embraced the Southern California lifestyle, now based in the San Diego area. Before his extensive career in innovation and marketing, he spent over a decade working as a professional DJ, showcasing a long-standing passion for engaging audiences and media.

Unique fact: He designed proprietary frameworks called the "Innovation Funnel" and the "Creative Confidence Assessment" to help organizations turn ideas into action.

Personality Overview

ROI Driven

Fast But Analytical

Thorough Evaluator

They like to act fast and expect others to do the same.  They like to be in a position where they can control the conversation and terms. More than the product, they care about the effectiveness of the product.

Topics They Care About

HI × AI Innovation
His professional brand is built on combining Human Insight (HI) with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve complex business problems and drive innovation.
Creative Problem-Solving
He leads workshops on "AI-Powered Problem Statements" and authors a column that applies creative frameworks to solve real-world business challenges for leaders.
Entrepreneurial Growth
As a co-founder of My Lil Startup and a coach for international entrepreneurs, he is passionate about developing new business concepts and identifying market opportunities.

Media Appearances

The Idea Guy®: Kevin Popović Joins Ricky Mathews. Featured in YouTube

See Now

Work History

6-2025
Columnist at San Diego Business Journal
1-2010
Director of Innovation at The Idea Guy®
4-2023
Director of Innovation at LoanWorks™
1-2024
Co-Founder / Director of Innovation at My Lil Startup
9-2022 - 11-2024
Academic Program Management Officer at UCSD Design Lab

Education

8-2025 - 8-2028
Doctor of Education - EdD from National University
2004 - 2009
Ed. D. Candidate from Duquesne University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 16 Location : Del Mar, California, United States Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Columnist at San Diego Business Journal
URL has been copied!

Insights For Selling To Kevin

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Objectively showcase the impact that your product creates
  • Refer to testimonials from well-known industry leaders
  • Help them weigh the risks by sharing objective proof points without becoming too analytical

DONT's

  • Do not hesitate from asking counter questions, just avoid challenging their authority
  • Do not back off when challenged, respond with a confident, objective answer instead
  • Avoid being too verbose

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kevin is

  • Conviction around the impact matters the most to them, followed by a sense of achievement and ROI.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kevin

  • If they are not convinced, they will say no without any hesitation.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kevin move?

  • They can take decisions very fast if you manage to convince them.
  • Can Kevin take some risk or not?

  • The risks don’t matter much to them.

You And Kevin

Personality Compatibility


More Profiles

Discover additional public profiles from our index.

Search more profiles

Looking for someone else? Search here for anyone.

Or visit Humantic AI to know more.