Geelong Cats Build Strategy to Move Beyond Gaming Revenue

The Challenge: Redefining Revenue Models in a Changing Sporting Landscape

As Australian sport moves into a new era- marked by declining cultural acceptance of gambling - clubs are being called to step up as role models within their communities. For the Geelong Cats, stepping away from gaming was a bold, values-led decision. But it came with a challenge: how to replace a significant revenue stream with more ethical, community-focused, and user-centric alternatives?

Our Approach: Building Innovation Capability from Within

To tackle this challenge, G2 Innovation partnered with the Geelong Cats to deliver two intensive, hands-on training workshops. These sessions introduced the team to the core principles of strategic thinking and design thinking, with immediate application to their real-world business dilemma.

Through a blend of theory and practice, the Cats’ team identified emerging member needs, explored new opportunities, and tested potential solutions—all with a clear focus on their community and values.

“G2 have exposed the Cats to a new way of thinking. G2’s approach to innovation has enabled us to elevate the voice of our members and supporters as we develop and execute our strategies.”
— Jonathan Lee, Strategy and Insights Manager

The Impact: From Insight to Action

The workshops didn’t just provide new knowledge, they delivered tangible capability uplift. Participants gained practical skills in:

• Empathy mapping and user experience mapping

• Rapid ideation and creativity techniques

• Innovation portfolio management

• Low-fidelity prototyping, experimentation, and testing

• Strategic project prioritisation

By the end of the program, the Cats’ team had the confidence and tools to:

• Conduct user research and uncover genuine member needs

• Rapidly generate and refine ideas aligned with community values

• Prototype and test with agility and minimal investment

• Prioritise initiatives using strategic business criteria

• Keep their members at the centre, always

A Strategic Shift for Long-Term Impact

This engagement marked a strategic turning point for the Geelong Cats, enabling them to move from a traditional revenue mindset to one focused on innovation, sustainability, and community connection. With their newfound skills, the team is equipped to lead change - on and off the field.

“G2 have exposed the Cats to a new way of thinking. G2’s approach to innovation has enabled us to elevate the voice of our members and supporters as we develop and execute our strategies.”

— Jonathan Lee, Strategy and Insights Manager

Building entrepreneurial capability in Geelong SME's

THE CHALLENGE…

To develop innovative mindsets and skill-sets in business owners and employees within the Greater Geelong region.

What we did…

G2 Innovation designed and delivered a 12 month innovation training program called ‘Destination Entrepreneur’ for over 38 businesses, with over 80 participants. The program featured monthly interactive workshops for the 80 participants, interim coaching, an online learning portal and business mentoring. Course topics included Design Thinking, Strategic Thinking, Developing a Culture of Innovation, Crowdsourcing and Funding, and PItching for Influence.

What was achieved…

The growth and development of the participants on this program was phenomenal. One business went on to launch a new seven-figure-earning service for customers, one partnered with a global fashion chain and another went from sole trader to a 7 person Digital Marketing Agency with a national client base within 24 months.

G2 Innovation won Best Blended Learning Solution at the National Training Excellence Awards in 2018, were finalists for Learning Impact Program of the Year at the ILP Awards.

Backwell IXL - Developing Innovative Ways of Working

THE CHALLENGE…

“We thought we understood innovation,” he says. “We thought we knew how to examine opportunities in the market and assess whether they were worth pursuing. I know now just how wrong we were”

— Bernard Brussow, CEO

With a history of more than 150 years of operation, Backwell IXL hit a major hurdle when closures to the Australian automotive sector hit and supply chains were broken.

The automotive industry had been the backbone of production for many years and with that off the table, the company were looking at losing the majority of our business. The implications were dire and the jobs of 150 workers at the Geelong site were on the line. They needed to find new ways of working and new revenue streams, quickly.

WHAT WE DID…

G2 Innovation designed a bespoke 12 month innovation capability program for a team of Innovation Ambassadors in the business. Through training and coaching we developed the teams capability in Design Thinking, Strategic Thinking and Future Thinking. We supported them to develop an innovation portfolio of Now, Next and Future market offerings.

To the team we asked ‘What if’ you examine opportunities from a user perspective? What if you explore macro and micro trends to better understand what your industry will be doing in 3, 5, 10 years, so that you are ahead of our competitors? ‘What if’ you look outside of your usual revenue models into retail and other industries? ‘What if’ you accept failure as procedural and start enjoying experimentation?

WHAT WAS ACHIEVED…

As a result of this program, Backwell IXL diversified into retail with new products developed for Harvey Norman, they partnered with an top university in an innovative research project, pushed into distributed manufacturing and after only 12 months their order book moved from dire to blossoming. This program was a Finalist for Best Leadership Development Program at the Australian Institute of Training and Development Awards.

“We are now getting new results from new ways, have a better engaged workforce and a new-found optimism. As a leader of this company, I couldn’t be more impressed.”

— Bernard Brussow, CEO