Experts of Experience – Details, episodes & analysis

Most leaders build strategy around data and decks — and then wonder why nobody commits. Matt Marcotte has spent 34 years watching this pattern repeat across 200+ companies, from Apple to Salesforce. His conclusion: real commitment starts with emotion, not logic. In his book Built on Belief, Matt lays out a deceptively simple mental model — heart, head, hands (feel, think, do) — that explains why culture breaks at scale, why AI-perfect content repels instead of attracts, and why the companies that invest in belief outperform everyone playing the metrics game. Key takeaways: - The brain is wired to feel first, think second, act third — leaders who reverse this order get compliance, not commitment - You cannot give what you've never received: employee experience must precede customer experience - As AI commoditizes execution, belief and human connection become the true competitive advantage - The 3 C's (Clarity, Curiosity, Connection) give leaders a practical framework for aligning teams around purpose - Metrics replace purpose when companies scale without vetting for belief — and that's when culture dies Connect with Matt Marcotte: Matt’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mamarcotte/ Matt’s Book: https://a.co/d/065v7O29 Website: m2collaborative.com/ Email: matt@m2collaborative.com Expert of Experience is hosted by Lacey Peace and made by the team at Mission.org. Chapters 00:00:00 You Can't Give What You've Never Received 00:02:21 The "Rational Consumer" Myth and Becoming a Consumer Anthropologist 00:08:38 Heart, Head, Hands: Why the Order Matters 00:11:05 Why Startups Lose Belief at Scale 00:16:37 The 3 C's: Clarity, Curiosity, Connection 00:21:43 You Can't Give What You've Never Received 00:32:22 Patagonia, Starbucks, and the Power of Alignment 00:38:11 AI and the Rebellion Against Perfection 00:43:03 Outsourcing Meaning vs. Building Confidence 00:50:39 Lightning Round: Physical Spaces, Talking to Strangers, and Built on Belief Experts of Experience is a Mission.org production. To discover more shows designed to educate, inspire, and entertain, go to mission.org.

What if everything you thought you knew about customer experience was backwards? In this episode, JC Quintana—author, educator, and psychologist—reveals why most companies are approaching CX completely wrong. Instead of obsessing over touchpoints and metrics, JC argues we need to start with something much more fundamental: expectations. JC walks us through his Dialogue 7 framework, which identifies the seven critical conversations that must happen before you can even think about designing an experience. From defining value and understanding cultural influences to managing engagement levels and transparency expectations, these conversations form the foundation of every successful business relationship. We explore why employees are anxious about AI adoption (hint: it's not about the technology), why ChatGPT accidentally became the world's best communication teacher, and why saying your company is "like a family" might be doing more harm than good. If you're tired of CX strategies that look great on paper but fail in practice, this conversation will fundamentally shift how you think about customer relationships in 2026 and beyond. Chapters 00:00:00 Why Technology Vendors Broke Customer Experience 03:14 What's Really Broken: We've Lost the Human Component 10:00 Business Model First, Experience Second 16:35 Introducing the Dialogue 7 Framework 24:01 The Most Commonly Missed Expectations: Knowledge & Engagement 34:48 How to Actually Use the 7 Conversations in Practice 41:00 Why Employees Are Anxious About AI (And What to Do About It) 50:03 ChatGPT: The World's Best Communication Teacher 58:21 Lightning Round: Books, Trends, and What's Next 01:09:00 Connect with JC: Books, Resources, and Next Steps Experts of Experience is a Mission.org production. To discover more shows designed to educate, inspire, and entertain, go to mission.org.

What happens when a fast-growing company completely rethinks how it delivers customer experience — from the inside out? Lacey Peace sits down with Phil Parbury, Service Manager at TOMRA Collection Australia, to unpack one of the most seamless and high-impact digital transformations we’ve seen in CX ops.

Phil takes us behind the scenes of a tech overhaul that reduced dozens of disconnected systems to one integrated solution, boosted technician response time by 26%, and achieved a first-time fix rate of over 99% — all while keeping humans at the center of an AI-assisted workforce.

Whether you're leading a digital transformation, scaling CX operations, or just nerding out over smart logistics, this episode is packed with actionable insights — and yes, it features a very charming Aussie accent. 🇦🇺

👉 Tune in to hear how Phil’s team is future-proofing CX from the inside out.

Key Moments:

00:00 - The Power of Predictive AI in Customer Experience

01:25 - What Are Reverse Vending Machines?

05:23 - Phil’s Engineering Background & Career Path

07:38 - Scaling Pains: Early Operational Challenges at TOMRA

15:17 - Streamlining Tech: From 26 Tools to One Unified System

21:39 - How AI Optimizes Field Technician Dispatching

23:56 - Real-Time Monitoring & Keeping Machines Online

25:20 - Performance Metrics: 26% Faster Response, 99% First-Time Fix

28:11 - What’s Next: Planning for Predictive Maintenance

32:01 - Personalization, AI Agents & Changing Customer Expectations

35:45 - Training Humans to Work with AI: Empowering Support Teams

43:02 - Reddit Question: What Tools Actually Improve CX?

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Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce

 

Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. 
Learn more at mission.org

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Join us as we dive into the world of data-driven results and customer experience with Brandon Kirk of Rogers Sports & Media. We explore how data shapes advertising and in turn enhances the customer experience.

In this episode, Lauren sits down with Brandon Kirk, Vice President of Client Solutions at Rogers Sports & Media. Brandon is a sales executive with over 15 years of experience in companies such as CanWest, Time Inc., and Sports Illustrated.

We kick things off by stressing on the importance of time and data in determining business results. We discuss Rogers Sports and Media’s move to content-rich partnerships to improve customer experience. We discover how Rogers leverages a large volume of data, from wireless data to set-top boxes, crafting unique advertising segments that hit right on target.

The conversation flows into customer experience. Brandon breaks down the media landscape and the crucial role of feedback in driving excellence. We finish up by discussing the impact of tools like Salesforce and the influence of AI on predicting customer behaviors.

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube: youtube.com/@ExpertsofExperience

If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to rate our show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

 

Imagine running your business with a trusted advisor who has your success top of mind. That’s what it’s like when you have a Salesforce Success Plan. With the right plan, Salesforce is with you through every stage of your journey — from onboarding, to realizing business outcomes, to driving efficient growth.

Learn more about what’s possible on the Salesforce Success Plan website: http://sfdc.co/SalesforceCustomerSuccess

 

(00:00) Preview and Introduction

(02:28) Rogers Sports’ Influence in Canada

(05:42) New Age of Advertising & Customer Engagement  

(08:33) Modern Metric Measurement Strategies & Tools

(15:06) Leveraging Data Driven Insights for Growth

(22:51) Harnessing Tech: Salesforce, AI, and Predictive Engagements

(25:52) The Role of Collaboration in Customer Experience

(31:25) Future of Media: Streaming & The Rogers-Disney Collaboration

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Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce

 

Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. 
Learn more at mission.org

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is Experts of Experience, your new go-to podcast to learn about customer experience, customer success, and the technology that powers some of the biggest and best businesses in the world. Hosted by Lauren Wood and featuring some of the smartest business minds of the day, Experts of Experience will be your one-stop-shop for ideas, innovation, and inspiration to level up your CX.

 

Episodes drop every Wednesday. Subscribe now!

 

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Imagine running your business with a trusted advisor who has your success top of mind. That’s what it’s like when you have a Salesforce Success Plan. With the right plan, Salesforce is with you through every stage of your journey — from onboarding, to realizing business outcomes, to driving efficient growth. Learn more about what’s possible on the Salesforce success plan website.

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Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce

 

Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. 
Learn more at mission.org

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How does a 115-year-old beauty giant keep up with TikTok trends, viral moments, and AI-powered hair tech?

Chief Digital & Marketing Officer Darienne Kennedy pulls back the curtain on how L’Oréal’s Professional Products Division moves at the speed of culture. From signing pop icon Sabrina Carpenter and her stylist, to harnessing AI scalp diagnostics, to deciding which viral moments are worth jumping into—Darienne shares the brand storytelling playbook that keeps nine iconic haircare brands distinct, relevant, and trusted.

We also dive into the art of B2B loyalty, how L’Oréal supports salon professionals beyond just products, and why technology should enhance — not replace — the deeply human connection between stylist and client. Whether you’re in marketing, beauty, or just obsessed with a great brand story, you’ll come away with insights on blending heritage with innovation.

Watch the full interview to hear how L’Oréal balances risk-taking with brand integrity, the surprising celebrity moment that went viral, and the next big beauty frontier starting at the scalp.

 

Key Moments:

00:00 Inside L’Oreal’s Celebrity Partnerships and Cultural Moments

04:25 Darienne Kennedy: 25 Years Growing with L’Oreal

11:29 How L’Oreal Balances B2B and B2C Strategies

15:58 Crafting Distinct Stories for Nine Global Haircare Brands

22:40 L’Oreal’s Sustainability Push: Refills and Green Innovation

28:16 Moving at the Speed of Culture in Beauty Marketing

31:10 How L’Oreal Measures Marketing Impact

34:07 Education and Training as Brand Loyalty Drivers

41:39 AI and Smart Tools Shaping the Future of Haircare

50:46 The Next Big Trends in Hair, Health & Wellness

51:38 Lightning Round: Quick Insights from Darienne Kennedy

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Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce

 

Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. 
Learn more at mission.org

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does it take to build a brand that resonates across cultures… not just across markets?  

 

In this special dual-guest episode, Lacey Peace sits down with Nataly Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer at Zappi, and Katherine Melchior Ray, UC Berkeley lecturer and former executive at brands like Nike, Hyatt, and Louis Vuitton. Together, they co-authored the new book Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures and they’re here to share the lessons learned from decades of global brand-building.

 

Nataly and Katherine dive deep into why cultural intelligence is the most under-leveraged skill in modern CX, why brands that ignore cultural context are building in globalization debt, and how something as simple as a melon can repair — or ruin — customer trust. They explain the importance of shared values, the risks of applying the same CX metrics globally (spoiler: NPS doesn’t mean the same thing in every country), and how AI is both accelerating and complicating cross-cultural brand connection.

 

From real stories about Kit Kat’s flavor strategy in Japan to awkward CX blunders in global grocery stores, this episode is packed with tangible takeaways and perspective shifts for any business looking to scale with humanity and intention.

 

Get your copy of Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures now!  

 

https://www.amazon.com/Brand-Global-Adapt-Local-Cultures/dp/139861971X

 

Key Moments:  

 

00:00 Do Customer Service Expectations Differ Across Cultures?

06:03 Why Cultural Intelligence Is Crucial for Global Business

07:04 Co-Authors’ Nataly Kelly & Katherine Melchior Ray’s Meet cute  

15:18 Real-Life Cultural Missteps and Surprising Service Norms

24:13 Can AI Replace Cultural Insight? Why Human Context Still Matters

34:38 What’s at Stake When You Ignore Cultural Differences

38:23 Globalization Strategy: Why Flexibility Beats Uniformity

39:09 How Cultural Agility Builds Better Customer Experiences

40:34 Style Switching & Cultural Intelligence in Leadership

42:18 Kit Kat’s Local Flavors & HubSpot’s Global CX

51:01 How Tech Adoption Varies by Country (And Why It Matters)

55:12 Daily Habits That Boost Strategic Thinking & Creativity

01:00:24 How AI Is Changing Global Marketing and Customer Experience

01:15:46 Final Leadership Lessons on Trust, Culture & Global Growth

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Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce

 

Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. 
Learn more at mission.org

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2025 is the last year of human-only teams. Are you ready to lead both people and AI?

 

Usman Nasir, VP of Agentforce Acceleration at Salesforce, joins us to explore a future that's already here: digital labor working hand-in-hand with humans.  

 

Usman explains why 2025 marks the end of the human-only workforce and dives deep into how AI agents are transforming the workplace — from automating customer support to driving internal productivity. He shares practical advice on starting your agentic journey, debunks common myths, and explains why trust, data quality, and modular agent design are the pillars of successful implementation. Whether you’re leading a Fortune 500 company or bootstrapping a startup, this episode will shift how you think about work, leadership, and the AI-enabled future.

 

Key Moments:  

 

00:00 Introducing Usman Nasir, VP of Agentforce Acceleration at Salesforce

03:13 The Future of Human and Digital Labor

06:32 Salesforce's Agentforce (Chatbot vs. AI Agents)

19:41 Real-World Use Cases and Misconceptions

34:16 Exploring AI in Operations Management

37:12 Identifying AI-Ready Use Cases

41:44 Change Management for AI Adoption

45:35 Lessons from Early AI Adoption

01:04:29 Future of AI Agents and Predictions

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Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce

 

Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. 
Learn more at mission.org

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lauren Pufpaf, COO and Co-Founder of Feed Media, joins us to explore how music is far more than just background noise — it’s a potent driver of customer emotion, behavior, and loyalty. Lauren reveals how brands like American Eagle and fitness platforms are using curated music to create “sticky” digital experiences that boost engagement and conversions. The conversation dives into the neuroscience behind why music works so effectively in CX and how the right sound strategy can elevate everything from retail apps to telehealth waiting rooms. Hit play and discover how your brand might be missing out on a powerful emotional trigger.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now and learn how to tune your brand into what your customers are really feeling.

Key Moments: 

• 00:00 Music’s Role in the Digital Customer Journey
• 07:32 Inside Feed Media Group with COO Lauren Pufpaf
• 11:29 How Music Hacks the Brain: Science Meets CX
• 20:55 Music Licensing Explained (And Why It’s So Complicated)
• 24:31 From Stores to Screens: Music in Retail and E-Commerce
• 34:31 AI in Music: Smarter Curation, Deeper Connections
• 40:12 Creating a Music Strategy That Fits Your Brand
• 57:30 How Music is Transforming Healthcare Settings
• 59:10 Lightening Round: Customer Experience that Sticks

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Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce

 

Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. 
Learn more at mission.org

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do you lead organizational transformation when AI is moving faster than your roadmap can keep up?  

 

Carlie Bissler, a product leader at McKesson, breaks down what it takes to guide large enterprises through change in the age of AI. From building trust and authenticity as a leader to shifting from "change management" to "change leadership," Carlie shares pragmatic advice for preparing your teams — and yourself — for the unknown.  

 

She also gets real about fear in the workplace, the shame some still feel about using AI tools, and why the best CX transformations start on the inside. If you're navigating the messy middle of enterprise innovation, this episode is your blueprint for embracing agility, empowering your people, and staying human in an increasingly automated world.

 

Key Moments:  

 

00:00 Change Leadership, Innovation, and AI

04:46 Who is Carlie Bislser of McKesson?

06:13 The Role of Psychology in Leadership

14:20 Navigating Organizational Transformation

18:33 Embracing AI and Building Trust

29:12 The Growing Fear of AI in the Workplace

34:32 The Shift from AI as a Cost Center to an Asset

38:03 Mentorship and Community

43:13 Preparing for AI-Driven Transformation

45:43 The Human Touch in Customer Experience

50:57 Lightning Round: Quick Insights & Advice

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Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce

 

Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. 
Learn more at mission.org

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.