Living in the San Francisco Bay Area puts us in the front row of the future. A key perk of working at the intersection of business, design, and technology for customer value is the opportunity to spot new ventures, prototypes, and trends in local coffee shops or out in the wild—oftentimes, well before they go mainstream.
Take smart glasses, for instance. I vividly remember the first time I spotted someone wearing Google Glass in 2013 on University Avenue in Palo Alto. My reaction wasn't judgment; it was a double-take. Glass, huh? At the time, it felt bold, intrusive, and unfinished. In hindsight, that was clearly the "Halloween costume" phase of wearable innovation and go-to-market strategy.
Thirteen years later, the industry shifted from a Silicon Valley novelty to global success stories. As John Phillips, a Creatorbase® Founding 500 member and a veteran of wearables for Quest Global, explores in his Insights story, this journey wasn't an accident. It was a twelve-year growth exercise.
DO more, earlier
In 2013, many in the industry thought that if technology was impressive enough, people would wear it. That wasn't enough; all technology with a user interface needs to be human-centered and relatable. Today, I believe successful people should embrace an idea we call Durable Ownership™ (DO): knowing what you can own at a specific point in time for needed value creation, and knowing which partners and systems you need to co-create with responsibly to amplify your impact for outcomes that matter.
Meta made a bet on smart glasses, but they didn’t go it alone. They partnered with EssilorLuxottica. The teams knew that while Meta owned the AI and digital presence, Luxottica controlled the brands, optical expertise, retail footprint, and consumer trust. They didn't just co-create a device; they contributed to a valuable ecosystem.
Google’s recent $150 million partnership with Warby Parker illustrates a similar approach: comfort and style are not "finishing touches." They are the necessary engineering for human-centered experiences and revenue growth.
The Co-creators Way™
The smart glasses evolution is an example of the Co-creators Way in action. Innovation is rarely a solo act. It requires connecting with trusted partners (co-creators) who bring specific assets and talents to the mix—whether that’s fashion, retail distribution, or user comfort. When you see something unusual in your workflow or the market, don't react by dismissing the idea or taking a critical stance. Instead, ask yourself:
Who are the trusted co-creators I need to connect with to refine and scale this in meaningful ways?
What is the "comfort/style" equivalent in my industry?
How can I learn by doing with others to create Big-C impact for growth, rather than waiting for the idea or market to mature?
Why will my newfound knowledge inform investment decisions for personal and professional assets?
The future isn't something that happens to you. It's something observed, analyzed, and co-created through action with other domain experts and enabling technologies. Watch this ~ 3-minute excerpt of John Phillips, recorded from a June 2026 Meet & Greet hosted by Creatorbase, sharing about his role at Quest Global and take on the wearables space.
More about John Phillips
John leads business strategy for AI-enabled wearable technologies at Quest Global, where he works with engineering teams building the next generation of smart glasses, wrist devices, and the platforms that support them. His career has tracked the evolution of wearable and immersive technology from its earliest consumer applications.
He developed ecommerce and payment application concepts for Google Glass in 2013, built and deployed Meta Quest VR experiences for medical device sales demonstrations, and forged technology partnerships between Quest Global and AWS, Google, Nvidia, and Microsoft. He is a hands-on practitioner with a persistent curiosity about what happens when technology meets everyday life, and he writes about wearables with over a decade learning, sometimes the hard way, what it takes to help people feel comfortable wearing and using the things we co-create.
Help us help you and others
How are you co-creating the future in your domain? Share your stories and perspectives with us. We want to hear what you’re observing on the front lines of innovation.
