Eight years ago I published a book, The Medici Effect, that examines how and why groundbreaking ideas occur at the intersection of different cultures, industries, and disciplines. The book did quite well — it has been translated into 18 languages at this point, become part of the ongoing innovation dialogue, allowed me to present ideas to executives across the world, and to build a unique consulting firm with clients on six continents. So, not surprisingly, I frequently get asked just how I did it.