Amazing things happen when we mix two concepts in a beaker, shake it up & let the molecules of one mix with the other.

Now replace ‘concepts’ with ‘passion’, ‘motivation,’  ‘academic discipline’ or ‘technique’ and you see how attractive this becomes. Trouble is, old-style education tends to push people into specialization (for good reason) and jobs used to demand that employees get hired to do one thing and one thing alone (the factory job). Adding the ampersand to your studies or your career got you into trouble.

Today that mentality is shifting, and I really like how this challenge reflects that. It’s called The Power of AND. It’s promoted by a group holding the Sustainable Brands Conference. Topics at the conference include Design & behavior Change, Corporate Responsibility & Profits etc.

The conference is in June. From the best ideas submitted, one will be picked each week, and given a free virtual conference pass. If you have an idea that’s a combination of two radical concepts –um, techniques, disciplines, passions — go for it!

Need inspiration? Consider how these evolved:

• Garbage & Rewards – RecycleBank
• Car Rental & Time Share – ZipCar