Go west young man. This idiom embodies the zeal of early North American settlers to stretch beyond the known world to discover, build and manifest a better life. In business this can also be an allegorical representation of progress towards innovation. Heading west as a strategic destination is a good start however, the notion can oversimplify how we should pursue business strategy and what the journey should encompass. Early explorers Lewis and Clark left Pittsburgh, heading due west but detoured in many directions for side quests, exploring the unknown, and navigating obstacles as they ventured beyond the Louisiana Purchase. Their indirect path reaped untold benefit because of their willingness to explore unplanned routes and allowed their strategy to be malleable. Pursuing your business objectives with absolutes as your compass can stunt innovation and diminish the effectiveness of your business development efforts. Expansion, product growth, process improvement and many other strategic business activities simply won’t thrive without well executed detours. Heading mostly west is about business discovery, assessing new risks, encountering the unknown and ultimately embracing the science and art of innovation within your business strategy. Business strategy and operations should maneuver with an entrepreneurial mindset, willing to blaze new trails as new objectives are targeted and developed. So consider heading mostly west, enjoy the trip and let us help plan the journey.