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Fitness Career Mastery Podcast: Group Fitness | Personal Training | Studio & Gym Business
What if your potential clients aren't lazy, unmotivated, or inconsistent—what if your brand just isn't making them feel like they belong? In this episode, we challenge one of the fitness industry's most toxic assumptions and reveal why people aren't saying yes to your studio (even when your workouts are amazing). We'll share real stories, client examples, and a practical breakdown of how to build emotionally intelligent experiences that convert. You'll learn: – Why “just show up” messaging is doing more harm than good – The difference between selling and converting – How small acts of hospitality lead to long-term loyalty – What your brand might be missing if your classes aren't full 1. Ready to attract more aligned clients and build a brand people feel connected to? Book a free North Star Strategy Session and let's map it out together: https://www.fitcarma.com/northstar/ 2. Want to dig deeper into this right away? Get access to our free mini-training: “Why Your Classes Aren't Selling Out (& What To Do About It)” Get it here → https://minicourse.fitcarma.com/
In this episode of the Experience Strategy Podcast, hosts Aransas Savas, Dave Norton, and Joe Pine discuss the evolution of the podcast, introduce new co-hosts, and explore the concept of experiential retail through the lens of Scheels, a successful retail store. You might have seen in The Washington Post that Scheels is conquering middle America. During a downturn and with tariffs on the way, how will people shop at retailers like Scheels. They emphasize the importance of community, trust, and contextual design in creating meaningful experiences for customers. The episode wraps up with key takeaways for strategists looking to enhance their experience strategies. Takeaways The podcast has an additional co-host! Joe Pine The Washington Post did a great article about marketing experience retailer, Scheels. Scheels is a successful example of experiential retail. Experiential retail can drive sales for surrounding stores. Community involvement builds trust with customers. Charging for experiences can turn marketing into a profit center. Design experiences with the customer's context in mind. Companies that reinvest in communities earn sustainable trust. The importance of creating third places for community gathering. Experience strategies should focus on customer systems. Engaging in local experience excursions can provide valuable insights. This episode brought to you by The Experience Strategy Collaboratives. Enter to win a free one-person membership in the Collaboratives —a $35,000 value! Chapters 00:00 Welcome Back to Experience Strategy Podcast 03:22 Introducing the New Format and Co-Hosts 05:24 Exploring the Scheels Experience 11:01 The Importance of Context in Experience Design 18:06 Building Trust Through Community Engagement 21:11 Wrap-Up and Key Takeaways
Aujourd'hui, je reçois, Quentin Brière-Bordier, Head of Design chez CDiscount, du documentaire expérimental à la structuration d'équipes design au sein de grandes organisations tech, le parcours de Quentin est tout sauf classique. Dans cet épisode passionnant, il revient sur ses débuts dans le cinéma, ses années d'apprentissage autodidacte du design, et comment il a progressivement pris des rôles de leadership.On parle de :• Comment un projet de refonte de site pour des joueurs de poker l'a fait basculer dans le digital• Sa vision du design comme partenaire stratégique au sein des organisations• L'évolution et la structuration de son équipe (passée de 10 à 35 designers !)• La manière dont il pense les recrutements, entre soft skills, portfolios et fit d'équipe• La mise en place d'un modèle mixte entre équipes plateformes et équipes distribuées• L'importance de faire émerger une vision et une mission collective, “de la première intuition aux derniers pixels”Vous avez laissé votre manteau au vestiaire… Bienvenue dans le club !
Transcripts available at diceexploder.comHere near the end of Dice Exploder's larp series, I wanted to have on Caro Murphy (Galactic Starcruiser) to talk about experience design, and specifically how to think about curating all those parts of an experience bigger and larger than most of us at home will ever have access to. How do you design the set a game is played on? How do you design something for hundreds if not thousands of participants?And Caro delivered so much more: we get into bleed and empathy and how Caro sees games as an inherently educational medium. Let's get into it!Ad LinksVesta Mandate by Story Games ChicagoSign up for the Spectacula pre-release newsletter from Jeremy MelloulFurther readingMeghan Gardner at Guard Up AdventuresClub DrosselmeyerCaro on Imaginary Worlds and then AgainGalactic Starcruiser on WikipediaSocialsCaro's websiteSam on Bluesky and itchThe Dice Exploder blog is at diceexploder.comOur logo was designed by sporgory, our ad music is Lilypads by Travis Tessmer, and our theme song is Sunset Bridge by Purely Grey.Join the Dice Exploder Discord to talk about the show!Dice Exploder on Patreon
In this episode of Zero to CEO, I speak with experience designer Geoff Thatcher about how AI is transforming storytelling and the future of immersive experiences. Geoff shares how tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Grok are already changing how experience designers create, but the real revolution is just beginning. We dive into the new GAME ON! AI Experience at the College Football Hall of Fame, which puts guests directly into the story as players, coaches, and fans across 775 college football teams. Geoff explains how AI allows experiences to become more personal, interactive, and human, unlocking levels of immersion never before possible and shaping the next era of storytelling in theme parks, museums, and beyond.
In an era where technology seamlessly integrates into every aspect of our lives, the intersection of healthcare and technology has given rise to innovative solutions that are transforming how we manage and interact with our health. Highmark's Digital Front Door is a prime example of such innovation, and it's reshaping the way millions access health services. * Jonathan Kersting, of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, welcomes Stacey Byers, Senior Vice President of Experience Design at Highmark to delve into the groundbreaking work being done to revolutionize healthcare access through Highmark's Digital Front Door app. Imagine an app that acts as a personalized health companion, one that simplifies scheduling appointments, unearths hidden benefits, and provides secure data handling. Byers details how Highmark's Digital Front Door does just that, merging healthcare with cutting-edge technology to create a comprehensive health ecosystem. This innovation connects members to mental health services, virtual care solutions, wellness programs, and personalized recommendations, all within a seamless digital interface. By emphasizing user-centric design, Highmark has managed to onboard 1.2 million users within just a year. This rapid adoption highlights the pressing need for simplicity in healthcare access and underscores the app's ability to cater to a diverse user base, from tech-savvy professionals to seniors needing extra support. Byers reveals the challenges of modernizing healthcare experiences, which often involve different apps, login credentials, and fragmented experiences. By leveraging their living health strategy initiated in 2020, Highmark decided to create a comprehensive digital solution that combines these disparate elements under a single digital front door. Highmark aims to streamline experiences, from discovering medical benefits to accessing virtual care, reducing administrative headaches, and empowering users to take control of their health journey. It's about making healthcare less burdensome and more accessible, enabling members to focus on wellness rather than paperwork.
Jason Bloomfield didn't learn change in an MBA program—he learned it through real life. As a teenager, he became the de facto head of household. Now, as Global Head of People Change and Experience Design at Ericsson, he leads transformation across 180 countries. In this episode, Jason shares how active listening, design thinking, and human-first systems have helped him move organizations from dysfunction to alignment. From M&A integrations to HR tech failures, from -83 NPS scores to user-designed wins, his work proves one thing: change only sticks when it's built with—not for—the people it's meant to serve. For Gen Xers who've lived through chaos and are now leading through it, this episode is a blueprint in action.>>From Family Collapse to First Acquisition“I was the only one with income. So I had to figure it out.”Jason opens up about his early years, navigating a broken home while building stability from scratch—and how that experience shaped his instincts in business.>>Career by Constraint“They asked if I'd move to 1 Madison Avenue. I said yes—and just kept saying yes.”From wiring cables to managing a global acquisition across 13 countries, Jason shares how constraints—and curiosity—turned into growth and global opportunity.>>Change Starts with Listening“Active listening sends a signal: you care.”Jason breaks down why empathy is not a soft skill—it's the hardest one. Especially when leading transformation across 100,000 employees and 180 countries.>>Turning a -83 NPS into a Shared Win“The tool was hated. But people started feeling heard.”He recounts how a globally despised HR tool became usable—through co-creation, honesty, and building feedback loops that actually changed things.>>From Paper to Trust“They didn't hate digital. They didn't trust institutions.”Jason explains how assumptions kill adoption—and how design thinking and diverse input helped his teams shift deeply entrenched behaviors.______________________Connect with us:Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Jason Bloomfield --Chief Change Officer--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligencefor Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.12 Million+ All-Time Downloads.Reaching 80+ Countries Daily.Global Top 3% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>140,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.
Welcome back from our mid-season break! In today's pod, I chat with Jennifer Andrews, who leads the Experience Design team in Digitas' New York office. We chat about web1, her personal origin story, Japanese culture, her work in the Accessibility Center of Excellence and AI's impact on design.And afterwards I highlight recent episodes and share how you can support A76.Recent free episodes:030: The path to a carbon neutral A76 with Matt Saip029: Personalized micro-interaction fails with Noel ChildsRecent Patreon episodes:NoelAI Series One / Two / ThreeKeep designing. Keep growing. And keep making a positive impact.~NoelA76 was created by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey NettletonOur outro was read by Kari Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comand connect with us on Bluesky
Anthony Owosekun ist Sozialunternehmer, Erlebnispädagoge und Gründer von EMPOCA – dem ersten Outdoor-Programm Europas, das gezielt Schwarze Kinder und Jugendliche in ihrer Verbindung zur Natur stärkt. Seine Vision: Eine gerechtere Welt, in der alle jungen Menschen Natur erleben, Nachhaltigkeit mitgestalten und Selbstwirksamkeit erfahren. Mit EMPOCA entwickelt er transformative Bildungsprogramme an der Schnittstelle von Umweltgerechtigkeit, Empowerment und diskriminierungskritischer Pädagogik. Seine Arbeit fördert Zukunftskompetenzen wie Resilienz, kritisches Denken und Gemeinschaftssinn – dort, wo junge Menschen sich sicher, gesehen und gehört fühlen. Sein unternehmerisches Wirken versteht er als Beitrag zu einem systemischen Wandel: tiefgreifend, strukturell und langfristig wirksam. Es geht um nachhaltige Veränderungen in Bildungszugängen, Umweltverständnis und gesellschaftlichem Miteinander hin zu einer inklusiven, gerechten Zukunft.. Er studierte Soziale Arbeit an der Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin, absolvierte eine berufsbegleitende Weiterbildung zum Erlebnispädagogen und gründete 2019 EMPOCA. Praxiserfahrung sammelte er zuvor als Lehrkraft (2018–2019) und Schulsozialarbeiter (2020–2024) an Berliner Schulen. Als gefragter Speaker bringt er auf Konferenzen und in Unternehmen Impulse zu Future Skills, Nachhaltigkeit sowie Klima- und Bildungsgerechtigkeit ein.
Agentic AI isn't coming — it's here and already changing everything.Irina Gutman, Global Leader of AI Professional Services at Salesforce, breaks down what agentic AI really is and why it's a huge leap beyond predictive and generative AI. We get into why your first AI agent should be boring (and repeatable), and why building the tech is easy compared to rewiring your people, processes, and leadership models.Irina shares why businesses need strong guardrails, real operating models, and why AI adoption without organizational readiness is a recipe for disaster. We also talk about the skills humans actually need to stay relevant, how to spot hidden risks, and why the future belongs to companies who rethink their structure — not just their tools. Key Moments: 00:00: Irina Gutman Explains Salesforce's AI Agents03:03: Predictive, Generative, and Agentic AI — What's the Difference?05:20: How Agentic AI Thinks and Acts08:32: Chatbots vs. AI Agents: Why It Matters14:22: The 5 Building Blocks of an AI Agent18:13: Organizational Readiness: New Skills, New Roles22:26: The Right Way to Start with AI Agents26:27: Future-Proof Your AI Strategy29:53: Rethinking the Operating Model for AI32:45: Upskilling is Non-Negotiable35:14: Vendors Can Help You Be AI-Ready36:25: Rethinking Change Management for Agentic AI42:38: What's Next: Multi-Agent Collaboration48:09: Building AI Responsibly: Guardrails and Risk51:39: Real-World AI: A Standout Customer Experience –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
It's YOUR time to #EdUpIn this episode, recorded LIVE from Ellucian LIVE 2025 in Orlando, Florida,YOUR guest is Digi Edwards, Vice President, Business Development, Strata Information Group (SIG)YOU cohost is Lacey Gerard, Director of Experience Design, EllucianYOUR host is Dr. Chris Moloney, Principal Strategic Specialist, EllucianHow does SIG support educational institutions without selling products?What does winning Ellucian's Partner of the Year 2024 mean for SIG?How does optimization & modernization impact student experience & enrollment?Why is change management critical when implementing new technologies?How should institutions approach AI implementation thoughtfully?Topics include:Navigating 35 years of technological evolution in higher educationUnderstanding Software as a Service (SaaS) as a subscription modelAddressing fears about AI replacing jobs through proper communicationIdentifying if institutions are "using, abusing, or refusing" their softwareSupporting institutions through comprehensive understanding of technological landscapesListen in to #EdUpDo YOU want to accelerate YOUR professional development?Do YOU want to get exclusive early access to ad-free episodes, extended episodes, bonus episodes, original content, invites to special events, & more?Then BECOME AN #EdUp PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TODAY - $19.99/month or $199.99/year (Save 17%)!Want YOUR org to cover costs? Email: EdUp@edupexperience.comThank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp!Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - Elvin Freytes & Dr. Joe Sallustio● Join YOUR EdUp community at The EdUp Experience!We make education YOUR business!
It's YOUR time to #EdUpIn this episode, recorded LIVE from Ellucian LIVE 2025 in Orlando, Florida,YOUR guests are Lacey Gerard, Director of Experience Design, & Bill Blackford VP of Global Talent Management, EllucianYOUR host is Dr. Chris Moloney, Principal Strategic Specialist, EllucianHow is the JMU-Ellucian internship program reimagining workforce development?Why is student career readiness critical for successful transitions to employment?How are ethicist & storyteller roles transforming software development teams?What role does AI play in developing innovative administrative tools?How is the program accelerating student skill development and professional growth?Topics include:Bridging the gap between college & the workforceTransforming classroom learning into practical experienceCreating a cohort-based internship modelDeveloping both technical & soft skillsAI-powered skill gap analysis toolsLearn more from this crew at #elive25 this Monday April 7, 2025 at 4:30pmET at their track session: “From the Classroom to the Boardroom"Listen in to #EdUpDo YOU want to accelerate YOUR professional development?Do YOU want to get exclusive early access to ad-free episodes, extended episodes, bonus episodes, original content, invites to special events, & more?Then BECOME AN #EdUp PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TODAY - $19.99/month or $199.99/year (Save 17%)!Want YOUR org to cover costs? Email: EdUp@edupexperience.comThank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp!Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - Elvin Freytes & Dr. Joe Sallustio● Join YOUR EdUp community at The EdUp Experience!We make education YOUR business!
In this month's podcast, Helen is joined by Jeremy Todd, Head of Research & Insight at Air New Zealand, Trish Roberts, Experience Management Director, and Tom Magill, Associate Director of Ipsos New Zealand.This episode celebrates the success of the Air New Zealand CX programme, delivered by Ipsos with Medallia. At the 2024 Research Association Awards NZ, our exceptional Ipsos team won the 'Most Effective Agency' award among 10 nominations, winning in 7 awards. Alongside Air New Zealand, we jointly received the Gold Award. Tune in to learn about the award and discover the insights from our experience of how the teams collaborated to deliver an impactful CX programme. Air New Zealand, one of the nation's most loved brands, identified Customer Experience as the Number 1 driver of Corporate Reputation. The challenges brought on by COVID-19 grounded airlines, and when the world began to reopen, customer expectations rebounded to pre-COVID levels, while the airline was still rebuilding. Performance scores were not meeting the anticipated standards. The Ipsos team was commissioned to "look under the hood" of the programme at the wealth of data collected, to pinpoint exactly where the business needs to invest to meet and exceed expectations, ensuring the maintenance of their loyal customer base. Our Global data science and analytics team modelled the data to identify the key drivers of the experience and developed a simulator to demonstrate the Return on CX Investment (ROCXI) if changes were implemented. This shifted the research from a retrospective view to a forward-focused, fact-based programme that identified where Experience Design investments were required. Tune in to discover how the team designed an award-winning programme which tuned into stakeholders' needs to reorient the business around the customer once again.#ipsos #airnewzealand #cx #medallia #researchassociationNZ
Aujourd'hui, je reçois Thibaut Dupré, Head of UX chez Dataiku. Il partage son parcours entre Air France, Thales, Molotov et Dataiku, et nous plonge dans les coulisses d'un design data-driven, au cœur d'une entreprise tech spécialisée en intelligence artificielle.Thibaut revient sur :– La structuration d'une équipe produit/design mêlant juniors, seniors et researchers– Le mentorat, l'apprentissage continu, et la montée en compétence sur le terrain– Les défis du design dans la data : complexité produit, utilisateurs techniques, IA générative– Le développement d'outils internes mêlant LLM, RAG, analyse de sentiment & user researchIl partage aussi sa vision du rôle du designer aujourd'hui, entre stratégie produit, collaboration interdisciplinaire et recherche qualitative.✨ Un épisode dense, généreux, et ultra pertinent pour tous les designers confrontés à des environnements techniques et scalables.Vous avez laissé votre manteau au vestiaire… Bienvenue dans le club !
Send us a textJoin us for a new episode featuring Suman Siva, the CEO of Marco Experiences, as he shares his inspiring journey from consultant to entrepreneur in the dynamic world of experience design with Kaleem Clarkson and guest co-host Jeff Frick! With a robust background that includes his tenure at Bain & Company and significant investment experience with SoftBank, Suman's unique blend of consulting, investing, and passion for consumer experiences has shaped his approach to building meaningful connections in the workplace.We dive deep into Suman's transition to entrepreneurship, sparked by his early experiences with startups like Scoop Technologies. His enthusiasm for technology and direct-to-consumer ventures set the stage for the creation of Marco, a platform dedicated to organizing retreats and offsites that foster genuine employee connections.Initially launched as a consumer-focused experience marketplace, Marco had to pivot to virtual events as businesses sought ways to connect remote teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. As restrictions were lifted, Marco shifted back to in-person events, where Suman emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for employee connection. With 80% of companies now operating in a hybrid model, he believes that intentional in-person interactions are crucial for building trust and camaraderie among remote teams.The significance of intentionality in designing impactful offsite experiences does not go under the table! Drawing from research conducted by industry experts like Brian Elliott and insights from the Future Forum, Suman shares with us how brief quarterly in-person interactions can significantly enhance productivity and employee engagement.As remote work continues to shape workplace dynamics, the ongoing challenges of loneliness and collaboration faced by remote employees stay present: 60% of remote workers experience connection issues!Discover more about the vital role of experience design in enhancing employee connection, the concept of a "social connection strategy," and building community within organizations. Suman's insights challenge traditional notions of workplace relationships, advocating for a community-centered approach that promotes respect and collaboration while acknowledging the diverse tapestry of individuals within the workforce.Tune in to gain valuable perspectives on how to foster genuine connections in today's remote and hybrid work environment and learn how thoughtful experience design can transform your organization's culture and performance. Whether you're a leader seeking to enhance your team's dynamics or an employee striving for deeper connections at work, it's time to put on your headphones and equip yourself with the insights and strategies needed to thrive in the modern workplace!Learn more about Suman:Suman's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suman-siva-64b0712b/Marco Experiences' Webpage: https://www.marcoexperiences.com/ More about us: Remotely One's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/remotelyone Remotely One's Webpage: https://www.remotelyone.com/
For additional resources for #eventprofs visit www.productionvaluematters.com In this episode of Production Value Matters, host Matthew Byrne interviews Wendy Porter, founder and chief events officer at Wendy Porter Events. Wendy shares her journey from corporate event management to founding her own agency, discusses her advocacy work with the Live Events Coalition, and offers insights on creating memorable experiences through detailed planning. She also addresses current challenges and future trends in the events industry.
Experience Imagination: A Themed Entertainment Podcast by Falcon's Creative Group
Season 8 of Experience Imagination is here, and our first episode focuses on the importance of diversity when designing successful themed experiences. Join Audrey as she leads the conversation with influential women in the themed entertainment industry and what they've learned through their careers. It's an honor to welcome special guest Jenefer Brown, EVP and Head of Global Products & Experiences at Lionsgate, whom we had the pleasure of working with when The Hunger Games was brought to life at MOTIONGATE Dubai. Also joining is our EVP of Marketing and Branding, Toni Caracciolo, who brings over 30 years of experience in the themed entertainment space. ABOUT THIS PODCAST: "Experience Imagination" is a Themed Entertainment Podcast presented by Falcon's Creative Group, a design studio and media house that works to create immersive experiences around the world. Learn more about us at falconscreativegroup.com FOLLOW FALCON'S ON SOCIAL: Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/falconscreativegroup/ Instagram: instagram.com/falconscg/ Facebook: facebook.com/falconscreativegroup/ X: x.com/falconscg The views expressed by our guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.
I always feel a bit bad complaining about getting older, because getting older is not a privilege afforded to everyone. At the same time, getting older does present certain challenges. I was able to get a glimpse into aging the other day when I went to get my eyes examined. Turns out that the middle of the day at the eye doctor is peak time for those who are, shall we say, of a demographic much more advanced than I. It definitely was a glimpse into a future that I am steadily approaching, and makes me reflect on what it will be like to be older then. There are so many things that have increased accessibility for those who are older, designs that make life more manageable and easier to negotiate. At the same time, a lot of challenges remain, especially in a society in which technological change is fast enough to make even the most savvy feel left behind. So, clearly there is a lot of work to be done. And that is why we welcome our guest today on Experience by Design. Sheng-Hung Lee is a Doctoral student at MIT. There he is involved in the AgeLab, where they have the aim “to improve the quality of life of older people and those who care for them.” Sheng-Hung has been involved in a wide range of service design initiatives, and has a list of awards and recognitions to prove it. He also has worked at companies like Ideo as well as Continuum, and is part of organizations such as the World Design Organization and the Industrial Designers Society of America. We talked about a range of topics related to designing, systems, and aging. He talks about what brought him to the field of design out of his background in engineering. Sheng-Hung describes how we have to move from the idea of designer as hero, and work more collaboratively to address complex challenges. Part of that is the need to go beyond siloed thinking and integrate ideas from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. And we talk about the need to move beyond focusing on tangible stuff as a primary motivation, and have the space to explore, learn, and synthesize.Sheng-Hung Lee Website: https://shenghunglee.comMIT AgeLab: https://agelab.mit.edu/
Navigating the Power Core: A Strategic Approach to Customer Experience Join us as we dive deep into the world of customer experience with Shelly Chandler, a seasoned CX strategist with 25 years of experience across B2B and B2C industries. In this eye-opening episode, Shelly shares her journey from banking to diverse sectors, offering unique perspectives on leading CX transformation from within the product realm. Discover why aligning with your organization's "Power Core" is crucial for CX success, and learn how to navigate C-suite expectations by connecting CX initiatives to business objectives. Shelly also addresses common pitfalls in the CX profession and provides invaluable advice for practitioners looking to make a lasting impact. Shelly answers these questions: What is considered "product" in different industries, and why is it important? How has the role of customer experience within organizations changed in recent years, particularly in relation to the "Power Core"? What advice does Shelly give to CX professionals when starting in a new role or trying to drive change? Whether you're a CX novice or a seasoned professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you elevate your CX game and drive meaningful change in your organization. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry's most versatile experts! Meet Shelly Shelly Chandler is a senior customer experience strategist and leader delivering proven results that increase revenue, reduce costs and solidify customer loyalty. In the specialized profession of Customer Experience that that spans all organizational functions, her career as a customer catalyst has helped companies to drive action within organizations that are ready for customer growth. Shelly especially enjoys transforming blue-sky visions into tangible, executable programs, creating strategic change with others to enhance customer experience. Shelly has worked in many different industries, adding strategic value and broad understanding of the CX profession over the past 25 years. Key verticals include B2B and B2C, Hospitality, Retail, Automotive, Transportation, Manufacturing, SaaS, and Financial Services, with brands such as PNC Bank, Wells Fargo, Moen, Penske, Walmart, Forsta, and American Tire. Specialized Skills: CX Strategy, Insights Development and Metrics, Customer Journey Mapping/Orchestration, and Experience Design are Shelly's areas of expertise, along with public speaking, coaching and volunteering. https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelly-chandler-cxleader/ shelly@evolvecxconsulting.com 704-995-7939
For additional resources for #eventprofs visit www.productionvaluematters.com In this episode of Production Value Matters, host Matthew Byrne interviews Yvonne McNair, an Emmy-nominated event producer and Chief Experience Officer at Captivate Productions. Yvonne discusses the element of surprise and delight, creative marketing approaches, and her experiences working with high-profile artists like Prince. She offers practical insights on balancing creative vision with budget constraints while creating memorable experiences.
Experience Imagination: A Themed Entertainment Podcast by Falcon's Creative Group
Change isn't just a business buzzword—it's a way of life. Jason Bloomfield, Global Head of Change and Experience Design at Ericsson, has spent over 20 years navigating the twists and turns of M&A, corporate transformations, and direct-to-consumer strategies. But his most valuable lessons didn't come from boardrooms—they came from life itself. From childhood challenges to corporate shake-ups, Jason shares how resilience, adaptability, and a little bit of humor can turn even the toughest transitions into opportunities.Key Highlights of Our Interview:0:36—It's All About Giving Back4:02—From Upper Middle Class to Crash Course in Adulting: Why Unwanted Life Experiences Can Be Your Best Teachers“I was in the middle of high school, where focus on study really needs to ramp up. Instead, I was learning home economics by necessity and dealing with my parents' rapidly deteriorating relationship.”14:04—Building Resilient Relationships: Navigating Anxiety and Fear During Mergers & Acquisitions17:26—Being human: How is it possible to scale empathy to 100,000 people across 180 countries?24:44—Navigating Company Pride: When Heritage Turns into Hurdles“It's quite a thing to come into a company that has 140, 150 years behind it. Pride can at times obscure a line of sight on the way forward.”31:11—Asking the Right Questions: The Surprising Reasons Retirees Didn't Want to Go Paperless“We thought retirees were less digitally comfortable, but it turns out it was a trust issue—without something physical, they feared companies might alter their records behind the scenes.______________________Connect with us:Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Jason Bloomfield______________________--**Chief Change Officer**--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs,Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts.6 Million+ All-Time Downloads.Reaching 80+ Countries Daily.Global Top 3% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.
In Part 4 of our mini-series, 'How to Shape a Legacy' we wrap up the season with a story about legacy at work. In Part 1 we started to define legacy, in Part 2 we talk what it means for business, in Part 3 we discuss legacy in culture....in Part 4, we're taking a look at the creative legacy BRC enjoys. In this episode, our host, Maya Guice, talks to BRC Founder, Bob Rogers, about what he thinks defines legacy and how he thinks about his own legacy. Author, speaker, filmmaker, inventor, magician, mentor, entreprenuer, thought leader....Bob understands that legacy is inheritanace. It's like they say in the musical Hamilton: Legacy is planting seeds in a garden you'll never get to see. To learn more about Bob, visit: www.bobrogers.com To learn more about BRC: www.brcweb.com Special thanks to the sponsors of this miniseries, The World Experience Organization, a global institution dedicated to promoting the experience economy, improving the quality of experiences, and enhancing the opportunities for experiential creators worldwide. Learn more: www.worldxo.org
ABOUT NATALIA OLSZEWSKA:NATALIA'S LINKEDIN PAGE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-olszewska/COMPANY WEBSITE: improntaspace.com EMAIL: gardener.natalia@gmail.comNATALIA'S BIO:Natalia is a versatile professional with a foundation in medicine and neuroscience, dedicated to applying neuroscientific principles to architectural design. She adeptly connects these two realms, striving to improve our built environment by making it more human-centered and conducive to well-being. Furthermore, Natalia is an accomplished researcher and practitioner in the field of neuroscience applied to architecture, specializing in evidence-based and neuroscience-informed design. She garnered invaluable experience during her tenure at Hume, a pioneering architectural and urban planning firm founded by Itai Palti, where she led the 'Human Metrics Lab.' Natalia lent her expertise to design projects for prestigious clients such as Arup, Skanska, HKS Architects, EDGE, the Association of Children's Museums, the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child, Google, as well as numerous individual clients.Her interdisciplinary approach transcends boundaries, allowing her to craft built environments that foster individual well-being across various dimensions - social, psychological, and cognitive. Natalia's co-founding role at IMPRONTA, a consultancy specializing in health and well-being design, underscores her commitment to leveraging neuroscience and applied sciences in architecture. Since 2020, she has also been contributing to the NAAD (Neuroscience Applied to Architecture) course at IUAV University in Venice.Natalia's educational journey is characterized by a distinctive blend of backgrounds, encompassing medicine from Jagiellonian University and Tor Vergata, neuroscience from UCL, ENS, Sorbonne, and neuroscience applied to architectural design from Università IUAV.SHOW INTRO:Welcome to the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast.EPISODE 76… and my conversation with Natalia Olszewska. On the podacast our dynamic dialogues based on our acronym DATA - design, architecture, technology, and the arts crosses over disciplines but maintains a common thread of people who are passionate about the world we live in and human's influence on it, the ways we craft the built environment to maximize human experience, increasing our understanding of human behavior and searching for the New Possible. The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is presented by VMSD Magazine part of the Smartwork Media family of brands.VMSD brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. The IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing the discourse forward on what makes retailing relevant. You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com.Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience. SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.orgOn this episode I connect with Natalia Olszewska is a versatile professional with a foundation in medicine and neuroscience, dedicated to applying neuroscientific principles to architectural design. We'll get to all of that in a moment but first though, a few thoughts… * * *For a while now I have had a fascination with the connection between buildings and brains. While I loved psychology, and studied it before getting into architecture school, it occurred to me in the middle of the 20-teens that buildings, or the environments we design and build, have a direct effect on our psychology. There are places in which we feel good or bad or uneasy or exhilarated, or a sense of awe or agitation. There are places where we feel calm, and others that make me feel ill at ease. And all of those feelings have a body sense to them as well. Heart rises or decreases. I sweat more or less. My chest feels tight or relaxed. Cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and other neurochemicals and hormones are released and coursing through my body as I experience places. And many of these hormones and neurochemicals being released into my blood stream I have little control over. My brain-body reacts to environmental stimuli and biochemistry does its thing.Buildings may make me feel certain way, induce certain emotions, that we may think are just about your thoughts, brain activity, but at the core, our body too is in a relationship with conditions in the environment.We feel architecture with our bodies, we don't just intellectually experience them in our heads. The experience of buildings, and our emotional reactions to them, is as much a ‘bottom-up process' - our body's sensory processes taking in stimuli from the environment - as a ‘top-down' process – our brains processing that sensory information and making decisions about who we should behave in response to them.Our bodies and brains are in continual dialogue with the world around us. In fact, through a process of neuro plasticity, our brains are wired partly in response to our experiences. Yes we are hard wired through our millions of years of evolution to have what we consider innate responses to the environment and then there are those neuronal connections that area direct result of experiences in the here and now. As you listen to this podcast, your brain is creating new wiring shaping the neural pathways that allow for learning and behaviors.And as we repeatedly experience something, those pathways are reinforced facilitating understanding. Those pathways recognize patterns in our experiences, and they are codified so that when we experience them again our brains are not continually trying to decipher every element anew. If it weren't for our brain's ability of recognize patterns and anomalies in them, we would live a life of extreme ground hog day and would likely be immobilized with the processing necessary to analyze every element we encounter every moment of every day. Over millions of years some of these patterns have become deeply ingrained in our neurobiology. They are part of our brain structures that allow us to react instinctually. You might say that some of them operate ‘below the radar' of our conscious awareness. But because they are not front row center in our awareness doesn't mean that they don't have an influence of our mindbody state.Colors, lighting, materials, geometries, visual patterns and spatial arrangements, to name of few, have an effect on us. We might not necessarily pay attention to these elements of our environment as we move through it, but they have an effect on us. We may not consciously feel the influence of these things, but the effects are there, nevertheless. Acute angles, loud sounds, bright fluorescent lights, certain colors and texture patterns, repetitive and banal patterns, things devoid of detail and out of scale with our human body all have an effect on our sense of well-being. University of Waterloo cognitive neuroscientist Colin Ellard has worked for more than three decades in the application of psychology and neuroscience to architectural and urban design. His work illustrates the impact of ‘boring buildings' on how we feel and our sense health and well-being. We humans, it turns out, function and feel better in environments of physical and visual intricacy. We seek our variety and complexity, layered environments that pique our curiosity and sense of intrigue. And yet…far too many of our built environments at simply banal.Ellard says the - “The holy grail in urban design is to produce some kind of novelty or change every few seconds,” “Otherwise, we become cognitively disengaged.”Imagine for a moment what is happening inside our mind-bodies when we live 8 + hours in a sea of detail-less white cubicles under a blanked of fluorescent lights. We might think this is an efficient office space, but we are creating brain numbing environments and at the same time asking people to reach optimal performance in the workplace. We may wish hotels guests a good night sleep on a heavenly bed and then we fill the room with light that completely counteracts the production of melatonin telling our brain that it is still daytime and to stay alert.And… we have built city block after city block of repetitive, banality. Efficient to build, very economical yes, but a boredom inducer for the brain.Now this doesn't mean that every environment needs to be a rollercoaster for the senses nor be pristine and bucolic. In fact, some environments are better because they are well…messier. Charles Montgomery, author of Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design suggest that successful design is about “shaping emotional infrastructure.” Montgomery argues that some of the happier blocks in New York are “kind of ugly and messy.” The energy of New York can be both energizing and exhausting.It would be perhaps unfair to heap the responsibility for inhabitants' psychological and physical well-being entirely on buildings but given that we now spend the overwhelming proportion of our days enclosed in them, it stands to reason that they have a clear effect on how we feel. For whatever it's worth, Aarhus, Denmark is the world's happiest city, according to the London-based Institute for Quality of Life's 2024 Happy City Index. The Institute for the Quality of Life identified five categories it believes have the most direct impact on happiness, including citizens, governance, economy, mobility and environment.Based on these factors, Aarhus, Denmark, achieved the highest score, particularly excelling in governance and the environment. I think Copenhagen also held the title at some point I believe due to its building stock being human scale, detailed and varied engendering intrigue and visual delight.And this is where this episode's guest Natalia Olszewska comes into the story.Natalia went to medical school but always had a fascination with architecture. When on a trip to the Venice Biennale it clicked for her that she could combine both of these interests considering that neuroscience could be linked to how buildings make us feel.The rest as they say is history…Natalia adeptly connects these two realms, striving to improve our built environment by making it more human-centered and conducive to well-being. Natalia is an accomplished researcher and practitioner in the field of neuroscience applied to architecture, specializing in evidence-based and neuroscience-informed design.Her interdisciplinary approach transcends boundaries, allowing her to craft built environments that foster individual well-being across various dimensions - social, psychological, and cognitive. Natalia's co-founding role at IMPRONTA, a consultancy specializing in health and well-being design, underscores her commitment to leveraging neuroscience and applied sciences in architecture. Since 2020, she has also been contributing to the NAAD (Neuroscience Applied to Architecture) course at IUAV University in Venice a city that is most definitely not boring… * * *ABOUT DAVID KEPRON:LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/david-kepron-9a1582bWebsites: https://www.davidkepron.com (personal website)vmsd.com/taxonomy/term/8645 (Blog)Email: david.kepron@NXTLVLexperiencedesign.comPersonal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkepron/NXTLVL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtlvl_experience_design/Bio:David Kepron is a multifaceted creative professional with a deep curiosity to understand ‘why', ‘what's now' and ‘what's next'. He brings together his background as an architect, artist, educator, author, podcast host and builder to the making of meaningful and empathically-focused, community-centric customer connections at brand experience places around the globe. David is a former VP - Global Design Strategies at Marriott International. While at Marriott, his focus was on the creation of compelling customer experiences within Marriott's “Premium Distinctive” segment which included: Westin, Renaissance, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels and Gaylord hotels. In 2020 Kepron founded NXTLVL Experience Design, a strategy and design consultancy, where he combines his multidisciplinary approach to the creation of relevant brand engagements with his passion for social and cultural anthropology, neuroscience and emerging digital technologies. As a frequently requested international speaker at corporate events and international conferences focusing on CX, digital transformation, retail, hospitality, emerging technology, David shares his expertise on subjects ranging from consumer behaviors and trends, brain science and buying behavior, store design and visual merchandising, hotel design and strategy as well as creativity and innovation. In his talks, David shares visionary ideas on how brand strategy, brain science and emerging technologies are changing guest expectations about relationships they want to have with brands and how companies can remain relevant in a digitally enabled marketplace. David currently shares his experience and insight on various industry boards including: VMSD magazine's Editorial Advisory Board, the Interactive Customer Experience Association, Sign Research Foundation's Program Committee as well as the Center For Retail Transformation at George Mason University.He has held teaching positions at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.), the Department of Architecture & Interior Design of Drexel University in Philadelphia, the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising (L.I.M.) in New York, the International Academy of Merchandising and Design in Montreal and he served as the Director of the Visual Merchandising Department at LaSalle International Fashion School (L.I.F.S.) in Singapore. In 2014 Kepron published his first book titled: “Retail (r)Evolution: Why Creating Right-Brain Stores Will Shape the Future of Shopping in a Digitally Driven World” and he is currently working on his second book to be published soon. David also writes a popular blog called “Brain Food” which is published monthly on vmsd.com. The next level experience design podcast is presented by VMSD magazine and Smartwork Media. It is hosted and executive produced by David Kepron. Our original music and audio production by Kano Sound. The content of this podcast is copywrite to David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design. Any publication or rebroadcast of the content is prohibited without the expressed written consent of David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design.Make sure to tune in for more NXTLVL “Dialogues on DATA: Design Architecture Technology and the Arts” wherever you find your favorite podcasts and make sure to visit vmsd.com and look for the tab for the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast there too. The next level experience design podcast is presented by VMSD magazine and Smartwork Media. It is hosted and executive produced by David Kepron. Our original music and audio production by Kano Sound. The content of this podcast is copywrite to David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design. Any publication or rebroadcast of the content is prohibited without the expressed written consent of David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design.Make sure to tune in for more NXTLVL “Dialogues on DATA: Design Architecture Technology and the Arts” wherever you find your favorite podcasts and make sure to visit vmsd.com and look for the tab for the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast there too.
"If you have a dream, it you can't just kind of follow it and expect it to happen. You have to chase it aggressively." Notable Moments 00:46 Collaboration between creative visionaries and operational experts creates a magical experience. 05:33 Guests seek unique experiences and heartwarming stories. 06:37 Imagineers need curiosity, collaboration, teamwork, and business acumen. 10:38 Imagineering offers diverse creative opportunities across 115 disciplines. 13:18 Unexpected delights and special gestures enhance the experience. 17:43 Embracingo new opportunities as an author and speaker. Bob Weis, former President of Walt Disney Imagineering, knows a thing or two about blending creativity and operations to create everyday magic. He joins to talk about transforming dreams into reality through teamwork, storytelling, and surpassing guest expectations. Read the blog for more about blending operations and experience design to create everyday magic. Connect with Bob Weis www.bobweis.com Order the book – Dream Chasing Resources The Cockerell Academy About Lee Cockerell Mainstreet Leader Jody Maberry Travel Guidance Magical Vacation Planners are my preferred travel advisors. Reach out to have them help plan your next vacation. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.
In this episode of AI, Government, and the Future, host Max Romanik is joined by Geoff Thatcher, Founder & Chief Creative Officer at Creative Principals and author of The CEO's Time Machine, to explore how AI is transforming experience design and storytelling in government and public spaces. They discuss practical approaches to integrating AI that prioritize meaningful connections over technological novelty, while examining the challenges and opportunities in creating personalized, scalable experiences.
For additional resources for #eventprofs visit www.productionvaluematters.com In this episode of Production Value Matters, Matthew interviews Jeremy Youett, Head of Proprietary Events at Atlassian. Jeremy shares valuable insights on balancing creativity with budgetary constraints, selecting strategic partnerships, and measuring event success through both business impact and audience engagement metrics.
We had the pleasure of being invited to the podcast zone at the Empple Employer Branding Festival. And we sat down with Steve Usher, co-founder of Wonder and host of The Experience Designers podcast. Steve shares his passion for transforming everyday processes into extraordinary experiences that benefit both businesses and their people. And it's at the very core of employer brand. Because when you get your employee experience right, you have a truly authentic employer brand. Discover how organisations can create more engaging, memorable experiences for both customers and employees, packed with practical examples and inspiring insights. Get more episodes direct to your inbox here: www.employercontent.marketing
Did you know that you are hard-wired to experience different spaces and design in your own way? On today's podcast, Richard Fleming shares how designing to the five senses provides the ultimate design experience, and how to design spaces for productivity, comfort and inspiration. BACK STORY Richard Fleming is a neuro-architect, innovator, and entrepreneur for 20+ years creating transformative, people-centric environments that engage all the human senses. He is committed to creating user experiences (UX) that challenge traditional paradigms and lead to innovation and positive human approach. He designed over 10K built projects for international powerhouse brands such as the Walt Disney Company, Apple, Starbucks, Ferrari, the City of London, UCLA, and real estate developer the Irvine Company. Richard is an awarding winning innovator and, as Principal Architect for Walt Disney Co, received the prestigious Spirit of Disney Award, recognizing his outstanding business contributions to the company's innovations, values, and culture. Richard co-founded Ryzzz, a wearable/portable device that uses AI to gamify cognition/neuroscience and circadian rhythms, earning him recognition as one of the Top 8 Tech Stars and advisory member of IntelliTwin, a healthcare and information technology product recognized as a Top 5 Finalist in the Innovations in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AiMed) International Conference. He is a member of the Salk Institute: Cognitive Sciences, the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture. Richard is also an author, keynote speaker, and frequent media commentator, working on his new book exploring the intersections of architecture and neuroscience. Richard's boundless enthusiasm and talent for science and design innovation hones his experience working in diverse cultural hubs such as California, London, Milan, and Paris. Website: richardflemingarchitect.com Instagram: @fleming.neuroarchitect LinkedIn: Richard T. Fleming, Neuro Architect SUBSCRIBE TO ICONIC HOUR If you enjoyed today's podcast, I'd be so appreciative if you'd take two minutes to subscribe, rate and review ICONIC HOUR. It makes a huge difference for our growth. Thanks so much! ICONIC LIFE MAGAZINE Stay in touch with ICONIC LIFE magazine. We invite you to join our digital VIP list and SUBSCRIBE! JOIN OUR ICONIC COMMUNITY Website: iconiclife.com Instagram: @iconiclifemag Facebook: Iconic Life YouTube: ICONIC LIFE FOLLOW RENEE DEE Instagram: @iconicreneedee LinkedIn: Renee Dee Thanks for being a part of our community to Live Beautifully.
Being creative ain't easy. There is something about putting yourself into your work that can be hugely rewarding, but also massively exhausting. Doing something without putting your heart and soul into it can come with its own drawbacks, but at the end of the day the results of your work are not tied directly into how you see yourself. For people who consider themselves to be creative and work in creative roles, the sense of burnout can be real. At the same time, creative work can be invigorating and rewarding in the right context, giving the right leadership, and working for the right clients.This is what Mack Garrison was trying to create when he founded Dash Studio, where they make videos that matter. Dash is a ‘high-end animation and motion design studio that believes in the power of creativity and community.' This is one of the lessons that he learned in the 9 plus years that Dash has been doing business. A big part of their success comes from community: communities of creatives, communities of partners, communities of supporters, and frankly communities of communities. In fact, you could say that creativity either comes from, or at least is enhanced, by community. As part of their effort to create community, they have their annual Dash Bash event, June 11-13, 2025. If you are interested in motion design, or just interested in meeting some great people in Raleigh, NC, check it out. Great speakers, workshops, and social events. Dash Studio - https://www.dashstudio.net/Dash Bash - https://www.dashbash.net/Mack Garrison LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackgarrison/
I never expected the term “branding” or “brand” to be part of my lexicon, but here we are in 2025 where it seems that “branding yourself” and “what is your brand” are common concepts to discuss. Trying to figure out which version of me will “land” or resonate with not just my “audience”, but anyone. Iconic brands are something that seem to last forever in our minds. What are some of the iconic brands? Apple. Coca-Cola. IBM. Lego. McDonalds. Doesn't mean that we even like or use these products. But we for sure recognize those brands. Another one of those iconic brands is Harley-Davidson. You might not ride a motorcycle, but you know what Harley-Davidson is and what it represents. But it is not as if Harley-Davidson has been one brand throughout its existence. It has gone through some different iterations of what it is, and how it is seen. But within all of those changes has been a constant of what it was trying to represent. To explore the brand known as Harley Davidson, we welcome Ken Schmidt to the ExD Studio. Ken originally wanted to be in advertising, but ended up in public and investor relations. His journey in the profession saw him end up as director of communications for Harley-Davidson, where he was involved in the company's turnaround.Part of that turnaround involved changing the perception of Harley-Davidson, while also keeping the perception of Harley-Davidson. Harley has been around since 1903. It was doing exclusive production for the military in World War II. When some of those soldiers returned, they wanted to still ride motorcycles. And some of those soldiers had a bit of a hard time re-integrating into polite society. Thus we get groups known as outlaw motorcycle clubs, and movies that imprinted that connection in people's minds.Now Harley-Davidson is the motorcycle of a very diverse customer base. You can't characterize the “Harley rider” other than a person who like comfort, aesthetics, reliability, and yes even noise as part of their riding experience. We cover a lot of ground in this chat, including voice of the customer, inclusive design, branding and identity, the psychology of choice, and the challenges of changing how you are seen while trying to keep who you are. We also talk about his book “Make some noise: The unconventional road to dominance.”I will also add that this conversation was before Harley-Davidson publicly announced it would rollback “DEI initiatives,” including partnering with pride festivals and connections with diversity-related groups. In terms of how it relates to my conversation with Ken, this last paragraph from Harley is definitely relevant: "We believe having both a broad employee and customer base is good for business and that ultimately everybody should experience the joy of riding a Harley-Davidson. We remain committed to listening to all members of our community as we continue on our journey together as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world."Ken Schmidt: https://kenspeaks.com/Ken Schmidt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-schmidt-5b08115/"Make Some Noise" book Link
Get ready for a conversation that goes beyond boardrooms! Jason Bloomfield, Global Head of Change and Experience Design at Ericsson, brings over 20 years of experience from roles at M&G PLC, Prudential Financial, and MetLife. From navigating M&A integrations to reshaping direct-to-consumer strategies, he's seen it all in organizational transformation. In this episode, Jason shares deeply personal moments—like how his parents' separation shaped his resilience—and how he transforms challenges into opportunities. Whether you're facing change at work or in life, Jason's insights will resonate and inspire. Key Highlights of Our Interview: 0:36—It's All About Giving Back 4:02—From Upper Middle Class to Crash Course in Adulting: Why Unwanted Life Experiences Can Be Your Best Teachers “I was in the middle of high school, where focus on study really needs to ramp up. Instead, I was learning home economics by necessity and dealing with my parents' rapidly deteriorating relationship.” 14:04—Building Resilient Relationships: Navigating Anxiety and Fear During Mergers & Acquisitions 17:26—Being human: How is it possible to scale empathy to 100,000 people across 180 countries? 24:44—Navigating Company Pride: When Heritage Turns into Hurdles “It's quite a thing to come into a company that has 140, 150 years behind it. Pride can at times obscure a line of sight on the way forward.” 31:11—Asking the Right Questions: The Surprising Reasons Retirees Didn't Want to Go Paperless “We thought retirees were less digitally comfortable, but it turns out it was a trust issue—without something physical, they feared companies might alter their records behind the scenes. Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Jason Bloomfield ______________________ Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 2.5% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI 3.5 Million+ Downloads 80+ Countries
As we've discussed a lot on this show, a story is many things at once. But a story does not exist without a storyteller. Today's episode is about the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves, that in turn, define who we are. How we show up in the world has a big influence on whether the world hears us. And if they can't hear us, how could we possibly make them care? Put differently, the stories we tell ourselves have a direct influence on the ideas that live in the world. Each of us, every day, in our own way, tell the world if we matter, and together, we shape a collective narrative of what matters. What would happen if we did that more consciously? Samara Bay believes that how we share our vision matters as much as what it is. She's actively redefining what power and authority sound like, teaching people how to use their voice to move their audience & change the world. In addition to coaching television & film actors, she's prepped clients for Broadway & LA theater, UN speeches, televised award show presentations, academic talks, tech pitches, and political ads. She also runs trainings and delivers keynotes across industries including for Women @Google, MAC Cosmetics, SXSW, Telemundo, Warner Brothers Discovery, Princeton University, Compass, and Emerge America. She's a professor of practice at USC's Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. Samara is also the author of a fantastic book and podcast by the same name, Permission to Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting With You. It's a #1 bestseller in Women & Business and Public Speaking and the perfect holiday gift! In this episode, our host, Maya Guice, sits down with Samara Bay to explore how traditional perceptions of authoritative voices influence our communication, the ways our voice stories shape the narratives we share, her personal journey writing Permission to Speak, and practical tools we can all use to cultivate a voice that feels both authentic and powerful. Ultimately, this episode is meant to be a holiday gift to you—an audience of amazing, creative, intelligent people. If the sound of your voice is the only thing holding you back, we hope this episode causes you to share your story in 2025. For more information about Samara, connect with her: https://bit.ly/3OT3zHf To purchase Permission to Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting With You, visit: https://bit.ly/4g8SIES For more information about BRC Imagination Arts, visit: www.brcweb.com
Experience Imagination: A Themed Entertainment Podcast by Falcon's Creative Group
One of the ways that I describe experience design, and more specifically for the purposes of this episode customer experience, is by asking people to imagine the worst customer experience that they have had. And unfortunately for all of us, there are a lot of them.It is probably easy to remember the bad experiences. But what about our best experiences. The times that we felt cared for, appreciated, thought of, where someone did something that made us feel valued.The job of the experience design and CX profession is, in part, to make the positive experiences common and make the negative experiences exceedingly rare. There is a lesson in Buddhism "that life is inherently full of suffering and that it's impossible to live without it.” But even though life is full of suffering, that doesn't mean that our customer experiences have to be. To talk us through these points, we welcome Valerie Peck to the Experience by Design studios. For those in customer experience, Valerie Peck is a well known thought leader. And for sure Valerie has some thoughts about the state of CX and whether companies really care about customers despite their vocal assurances. We talk about creating experiences versus pushing products, and how being solely about profit can lead to cutting experiential corners. We discuss whether companies really want to have a relationship with their customers, or just perhaps a passing acquaintance. When companies give customers surveys, do they really want to know what customers think? Or is a survey the best way of doing nothing? Valerie has thoughts on CX consulting and the challenge of working with clients that don't get it, and frankly don't want to. We explore companies like Southwest and Boeing who “got it”, only to lose it in the pursuit of profit at the expense of experience rather than because of it. Finally, Valerie describes applied customer intelligence, the upcoming CX reckoning, why companies should be more like minor league baseball, and how she helps companies stop abusing their customers so that they come back Valerie Peck LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-peck-4b143/
One of the most challenging jobs is to change a culture that achieved success with legacy thinking. It all starts with trust, especially if you are a CX leader. Stuart Gilchriest is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) who has worked in CX for 10+ years across multiple industries . After starting his career in the hospitality industry in his native England, he transitioned into Customer Experience roles in the travel industry and became a respected voice on VOC program management, CX Strategy and Experience Design. He is most proud of helping Hertz achieve their only JD Power Customer Satisfaction wins in the past 20 years, in 2019 and 2020. Stuart shares some practical applications in this episode including: Community Support: Stuart emphasizes the importance of reaching out to communities for support when facing challenges. The Forgetting Curve: Stuart discusses the "forgetting curve" by Ebbinghaus and the importance of reinforcing information through repetition. How can this concept be applied effectively within an organization to improve stakeholder engagement and information retention? The Role of Repetition in CX: How do you ensure that key information and messages are consistently reinforced with your stakeholders to foster deeper relationships and ensure effective communication? Change Management and ADKAR: The episode touches on change management models like ADKAR. Building Trust: Stuart speaks about building and maintaining trust through practices like listening tours and the "emotional bank account" concept. CX Roadmap: Stuart emphasizes the importance of a CX roadmap that addresses both short-term and long-term goals while aligning with stakeholder metrics. This episode is packed with gems Meet Stuart: Stuart Gilchriest, a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) has worked in CX for 10+ years across multiple industries including hospitality, education, travel, vehicle rental (Hertz), and HR technology (UKG). He is currently Director of Sales Experience at Mercury Insurance, a mid-sized P+C insurance carrier based in Los Angeles, CA. He is passionate about the CX discipline and helping turn customer and agent insights into financial and operational success for Mercury. After starting his career in the hospitality industry in his native England, he transitioned into Customer Experience roles in the travel industry and became a respected voice on VOC program management, CX Strategy and Experience Design. He is most proud of helping Hertz achieve their only JD Power Customer Satisfaction wins in the past 20 years, in 2019 and 2020. Stuart holds a BA in Economics from the University of Nottingham in the UK, an MBA from Hult International Business School in Boston, MA, and a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) designation. He currently lives in Naples, FL with his wife Mayra, son Nicolas (21), daughter Mariana (5) and dog Chewy. He is a sport fanatic and has watched live sports on 5 continents (and counting), is an avid traveler (Colombia is a favorite destination), and is currently working on perfecting his homemade Indian curry recipes (the spicier the better!).
One of the most challenging jobs is to change a culture that achieved success with legacy thinking. It all starts with trust, especially if you are a CX leader. Stuart Gilchriest is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) who has worked in CX for 10+ years across multiple industries . After starting his career in the hospitality industry in his native England, he transitioned into Customer Experience roles in the travel industry and became a respected voice on VOC program management, CX Strategy and Experience Design. He is most proud of helping Hertz achieve their only JD Power Customer Satisfaction wins in the past 20 years, in 2019 and 2020. Stuart shares some practical applications in this episode including: Community Support: Stuart emphasizes the importance of reaching out to communities for support when facing challenges. The Forgetting Curve: Stuart discusses the "forgetting curve" by Ebbinghaus and the importance of reinforcing information through repetition. How can this concept be applied effectively within an organization to improve stakeholder engagement and information retention? The Role of Repetition in CX: How do you ensure that key information and messages are consistently reinforced with your stakeholders to foster deeper relationships and ensure effective communication? Change Management and ADKAR: The episode touches on change management models like ADKAR. Building Trust: Stuart speaks about building and maintaining trust through practices like listening tours and the "emotional bank account" concept. CX Roadmap: Stuart emphasizes the importance of a CX roadmap that addresses both short-term and long-term goals while aligning with stakeholder metrics. This episode is packed with gems Meet Stuart: Stuart Gilchriest, a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) has worked in CX for 10+ years across multiple industries including hospitality, education, travel, vehicle rental (Hertz), and HR technology (UKG). He is currently Director of Sales Experience at Mercury Insurance, a mid-sized P+C insurance carrier based in Los Angeles, CA. He is passionate about the CX discipline and helping turn customer and agent insights into financial and operational success for Mercury. After starting his career in the hospitality industry in his native England, he transitioned into Customer Experience roles in the travel industry and became a respected voice on VOC program management, CX Strategy and Experience Design. He is most proud of helping Hertz achieve their only JD Power Customer Satisfaction wins in the past 20 years, in 2019 and 2020. Stuart holds a BA in Economics from the University of Nottingham in the UK, an MBA from Hult International Business School in Boston, MA, and a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) designation. He currently lives in Naples, FL with his wife Mayra, son Nicolas (21), daughter Mariana (5) and dog Chewy. He is a sport fanatic and has watched live sports on 5 continents (and counting), is an avid traveler (Colombia is a favorite destination), and is currently working on perfecting his homemade Indian curry recipes (the spicier the better!).
Design Thinking is all the buzz when it comes to designing our products (or more appropriately, the solutions we discover to solve real problems). But does it stop there?Our guest on the episode makes a very convincing case for what he calls Experience Thinking.On this episode, Matt and Moshe met with Tedde van Gelderen, President of Akendi, a premier UX agency specializing in creating holistic, end-to-end experiences that enhance their clients' products and delight users. Tedde authored the book “Experience Thinking: Creating Connected Experiences”, in which he explains the importance of going beyond just product design or service design, and focusing on the holistic approach of experience design.In his own words, “Experience Thinking" starts with the holistic experience customers and users have with an organisation over time, then guides the enabling technologies and content to create intentional experiences. Experience Thinking should become deeply rooted in an organisation's creation processes.”Join us as we explore with Tedde:His background in psychology, and how it led him to design experiences, and to found his own UX consultancyWhere do products fit in in the holistic approach of experiences Where do we start with experience design? The role of Design Thinking in the context of Experience ThinkingThe missing process for service designersThe 4 areas of Experience Design: Brand Design, Product Design, Content Design and Service DesignThe importance of Brand Design on both product and service, and how some organizations ignore itWho should own the Experience Design (hint: it might be the Product people)Designing the experience that the users will be part of and not just the GTMWhere we can learn and get inspiration for experiences, and how do apply it to the experiences we need to designThe state of the industry and the adoption Experience Design/ThinkingHow can Product Managers start applying Experience Thinking within their organization and stakeholders And much much more…You can connect with Tedde at:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teddevg/ Akendi: https://www.akendi.com Purchase the book: connect with Tedde directly for detailsYou can find the podcast's page, and connect with Matt and Moshe on Linkedin:Product for Product Podcast - linkedin.com/company/product-for-product-podcastMatt Green - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgreenproduct/Moshe Mikanovsky - linkedin.com/in/mikanovsky/ Note: any views mentioned in the podcast are the sole views of our hosts and guests, and do not represent the products mentioned in any way.Please leave us a review and feedback ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In this episode of the AlchemistX Innovators Inside Podcast, Ian Bergman welcomes Joseph Banh, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Avida, to discuss the art and science of creating meaningful experiences through innovation. With a background that spans from artist to museum planner to corporate strategist, Joseph shares how his journey has shaped his unique perspective on blending storytelling, sensory design, and technology to connect with people on a deeper level. The conversation explores how organizations can redefine innovation by focusing on human-centered design, ethical collaboration, and the emotional impact of their work. Joseph highlights the power of balancing bold leadership with community-driven insights and offers a glimpse into his groundbreaking project, "Portal to the Arctic," an immersive installation that brought the story of climate change to life through stunning visuals and evocative soundscapes. This episode is a masterclass in bridging creativity, strategy, and empathy to craft experiences that resonate and inspire. Whether you're an innovator, designer, or leader, Joseph's insights will leave you rethinking what's possible in the spaces where humans and technology meet. For more episodes and resources, visit https://www.alchemistaccelerator.com/podcasts.
In part III of our mini-series, 'How to Shape a Legacy' we're leaning into legacy as it applies to community and more broadly, culture. In part I we started to define legacy, in part II we talk what it means for business, and in part III we're leaning into how people—one by one, bit by bit—feed the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. How do these stories shape our collective identity and how do each of us contribute to these narratives in meaningful ways? In this episode, our host, Maya Guice, talks to BRC Vice President of Creative and Story, Matthew Solari. A creative director with an impressive portfolio spanning museums and cultural institutions, Matt brings a unique perspective on storytelling and its role in shaping cultural legacy. But this isn't just about his work—it's personal. Matt shares how his family has influenced the legacy of one community in Long Island, offering a heartfelt glimpse into the power of family, tradition, and shared stories. To learn more about Matt, visit: https://bit.ly/3ORg4Si To learn more about BRC: www.brcweb.com Special thanks to the sponsors of this miniseries, The World Experience Organization, a global institution dedicated to promoting the experience economy, improving the quality of experiences, and enhancing the opportunities for experiential creators worldwide. Learn more: www.worldxo.org
Experience Imagination: A Themed Entertainment Podcast by Falcon's Creative Group
Lights, camera, action!
When Aarron was in college studying painting and drawing, he had an absolute certainty about the path my career would take. He was going to move to New York, make it big as an artist, and never look back. And Eli, as an undergrad in product design, wasn't sure what a career in his field even looked like. The skillset wasn't clearly defined yet. The outdoor product companies he was eyeing wanted me to conform to a neat little box: “Are you an industrial designer, or a mechanical engineer?” He wasn't sure how he fit in. Did our careers unfold as we expected? Absolutely not. Life and careers rarely go according to plan. There's so much beyond our control. But, despite the unexpected twists, there are lessons that can guide us in the right direction. And that's what we're here to explore today in this special live episode of Design Better, recorded right here at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Today, we'll be speaking with four design leaders who took a winding path but all found their way to significant work. Bios Kate Aronowitz is a design executive who has built her career empowering teams at some of Silicon Valley's most iconic companies. In addition to her role leading GV's operations team, Kate coaches GV portfolio companies on cross-functional design processes, scale, product development, and management strategy. Kate has built world-class design teams at eBay, LinkedIn, Facebook (now Meta), and Wealthfront. She joined the first user experience team at eBay before taking her experience to LinkedIn, where she started the user research team. As Facebook's first design executive, Kate grew the organization from 20 to 200, establishing multidisciplinary design teams in front-end engineering, user research, content strategy, and communication design. Steve Johnson, VP of Design at Netflix, leads a diverse, multidisciplinary, Emmy-award-winning Experience Design organization. His team's commitment to discovery, product innovation, brand development, and personalization has set the standard for streaming media platforms across the world. Prior to Netflix, Steve also led design teams at LinkedIn and Adobe. Jaime Lopez, Chief Design and Marketing Officer at Flatiron Health, Jaime Lopez is the Chief Design & Marketing Officer at Flatiron Health. She has over 15 years of startup product, design and marketing experience with a passion for creative problem solving and building and mentoring teams. In her role at Flatiron Health, Jaime uses her background to create and deliver high-quality experiences to oversee the company's entire marketing and design suite. Kat Holmes is EVP and Chief Design Officer at Salesforce where she's driving the future of AI, Data, and CRM experiences. As the author of the best-selling book Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design, Holmes works with multidisciplinary teams to set a foundation for why designing with excluded communities drives better solutions for everyone. Her work has been featured by NPR, BBC, Fast Company, Forbes, The Economist, and many more. Visiting the links below is one of the best ways to support our show: Wix Studio: With Wix Studio, agencies and enterprises can create, develop and manage exceptional web projects with hyper efficiency. And if you're worried about the learning curve eating into time you don't have, don't be. Wix Studio is intuitive by design, so your entire team can hit the ground running. For your next project, check out wixstudio.com. Wine Access: We love wine, but often feel overwhelmed by the options out there. But we recently joined Wine Access who not only ship to your door some of the world's most inspiring wines, they also educate subscribers with full color information cards that accompany each bottle. You should totally join The Waitlist Wine Club. Just visit wineaccess.com/waitlist and use Promo Code: DESIGNBETTER for $25 off your first shipment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Experience Imagination: A Themed Entertainment Podcast by Falcon's Creative Group
We have another theme park titan in the house! Bob Weis, former President of Walt Disney Imagineering joins us for our all-new podcast episode—out now! Give a listen to "Behind the Curtain with Bob Weis" for an insightful chat between him and our CEO Cecil D. Magpuri. ABOUT THIS PODCAST: "Experience Imagination" is a Themed Entertainment Podcast presented by Falcon's Creative Group, a design studio and media house that works to create immersive experiences around the world. Learn more about us at falconscreativegroup.com FOLLOW FALCON'S ON SOCIAL: Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/falconscreativegroup/ Instagram: instagram.com/falconscg/ Facebook: facebook.com/falconscreativegroup/ X: x.com/falconscg The views expressed by our guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.
To start off the new year we sat down with Frans van Vuure , a Director at UNStudio and Benjamin Davey, a researcher and consultant for the UNS Futures team. In this episode they discuss this missing layer of cognitive experience design in architecture projects, and future applications of this research - enjoy! Host. Lucie Pressl Filmed and Edited. Thomas Jones Produced. Thomas Jones and Alexis Traussi Follow us on: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/unstudio/ Instagram - @unstudio_architecture Facebook - facebook.com/UNStudioArchitecture/ Twitter - @UNStudio_Arch
Burning Man is the ultimate expression of radical, creative trust. As 80,000 people from all over the world gather in the Nevada Desert, they join together on a blank canvas to co-create a utopia of art, community, culture and human spirit - leaving no trace that the event ever happened.In this sprawling temporary city of interactive installations, music, dance and expression, how do you grant creative freedom with the trust that everyone will keep the cultural essence of Burning Man alive?Rob Blakemore, the regional contact for the UK tells us all in this fascinating conversation! With collaboration, emergence and participation at the heart of this enigmatic event - facilitators, get ready to be inspired.Notes:The 10 principles of Burning Man that defined its ethosWhat facilitators can learn about the event's experience designHow Burning Man embraces a culture of participation, radical enablement and experimentationHow to foster trust in people while giving them the freedom to exploring new ideasThe concept of non-transactional, non-judgemental giftingDon't miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Rob Blakemore:LinkedIn Burning Man Mind BlownSupport the show**Click here to navigate through all episodes via this interactive podcast map.**Are you inspired by our podcast guests and crave a taste of masterfully facilitated workshops? Join the NeverDoneBefore Facilitation Festival. **If you enjoy the show, consider a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.
Today on our show, we're talking about the creative process at a time of synthetic data and AI-powered simulations. To do this, we're joined by Jason Severs, Head of Design for frog on the East Coast in North America. Jason is a self-identified ‘skeptical optimist' when it comes to engaging with new tech, which is an approach he brings into all aspects of his life, from his work with teams at frog, to his own art practice, as well as to the many IoT devices in his home currently in various states of connectivity.Brought to you by frog, a global creative consultancy. frog is part of Capgemini Invent. (https://www.frog.co) Read Jason's article 'Convergent Design in the Age of AI' (https://www.frog.co/designmind/convergent-design-in-the-age-of-ai)Download the new frog report 'Chief Challenges 07: Your Consumer Responsibility' (https://fro.gd/3JSdvOK) Download the frog report 'Convergent Transformation' (https://go.frog.co/en/en/convergent-business-transformation)Host/Writer: Elizabeth Wood, Editorial Director, frog Research & Story Support: Camilla Brown, Editorial Manager, frog Audio Production: Richard Canham, Lizard Media (https://www.lizardmedia.co.uk)
In Part II of our mini-series 'How to Shape a Legacy', we focus on legacy as it applies to businesses and brands. In this episode, Maya talks to BRC Chief Creative Officer, Christian Lachel, about the closest thing a brand can have to having a soul: a set of values, that lend to a series of decisions, actions, and events that become the lessons we impart, and hopefully, the stories that we tell when we feel like shedding light. In part 1, Senior Writer, Rich Procter, unpacks legacy as many things: a gift, a call to action, a glimmer of hope, a path…But in the end, a great legacy teaches us that life is not about being rewarded for good behavior; it's about doing the right thing, despite one's personal gain. And all of that is possible, even for things as seemingly mechanical as corporations. Christian is no stranger to the concept of legacy. He's worked on many corporate archive teams for brands like Ford, Coca-Cola, Caterpillar, and Johnnie Walker, helping the best of them define the best in themselves. Whether you're an iconic brand that has an archive or a brand new company that's dreaming of one, a legacy is possible! But as Christian and Maya discuss, no matter who you are, your legacy is only as good as the people responsible for passing it on. To learn more about Christian, visit: https://bit.ly/3HAMyfE To learn more about BRC: www.brcweb.com Special thanks to the sponsors of this miniseries, The World Experience Organization, a global institution dedicated to promoting the experience economy, improving the quality of experiences, and enhancing the opportunities for experiential creators worldwide. Learn more: www.worldxo.org
ABOUT RON THURSTON:LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rthurston/Websites:Retail Pride book: https://www.amazon.com/Retail-Pride-Celebrating-Accidental-Career/dp/1544515928OSSY: https://www.useossy.comRetail In America podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-in-america/id1618323713 Ron Thurston's Bio:Ron Thurston's life mission is to celebrate, elevate, and empower the people and spirit of the retail industry.With over three decades of leading retail stores and operations for top American brands like Gap, West Elm, Apple, Tory Burch, Bonobos, and Saint Laurent, Ron has honed an extensive skill set in retail strategy, management, and innovation.In January 2024, Ron co-founded OSSY, a forward-thinking retail recruiting agency. This venture is dedicated to addressing the biggest hiring and recruiting challenges in retail, reinforcing Ron's unwavering commitment to the industry.As the best-selling author of RETAIL PRIDE, Ron inspires retail professionals to embrace their unique career paths. He also hosted the RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast and tour, journeying across the nation in an Airstream trailer during 2022/2023 to uncover and highlight the remarkable stories and individuals in retail.Ron also serves on the Advisory Boards of several rapidly growing retail tech companies, including Ometria, Butterfly, and YOOBIC, lending his expertise to drive their success.SHOW INTRO:Welcome to the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast.EPISODE 71… and my conversation with Ron Thurston, retail veteran, best-selling author, podcast host and man on a mission to celebrate, elevate, and empower the people and spirit of the retail industry.On the podacast our dynamic dialogues based on our acronym DATA - design, architecture, technology, and the arts crosses over disciplines but maintains a common thread of people who are passionate about the world we live in and human's influence on it, the ways we craft the built environment to maximize human experience, increasing our understanding of human behavior and searching for the New Possible. The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is presented by VMSD Magazine part of the Smartwork Media family of brands.VMSD brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. The IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing the discourse forward on what makes retailing relevant. You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com.Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience. SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.orgIn this 70th episode I talk with Samar Younes is a Beirut-born hybrid artist, futurist, and creative catalyst whose work embodies a transcultural approach. Ron Thurston has spent years opening stores for major internationally recognized brands and knows a thing or two about a career in retail. In our talk we dig into the shifting the mindset of retail being an accidental career to one of choice, about with you should be proud. We'll get to all that in a moment but first though, a few thoughts… * * * Throughout my career in the retail design world I have often heard this statement “I never planned to be in retail”.And it's often said with some slight lilt of apology, that in a way somehow as an architect it was somehow not taken quite as seriously as the design of public buildings or housing or other things that architects with a capital “A” do.What's more, when I entered into the retail design world, quite by serendipity I might add, I came into the design of stores by way of visual merchandising. I was the resident architect of a small 4 personn design and visual merchandising consulting firm on 36th street just east of Park.Working with a couple of seasoned pros, I learned that visual merchandisers were often regarded simply as window trimmers and I don't think quite got the respect that they were due for the power they had in shaping the retail experience for customers. Often seen as the silent seller, visual merchandising was a key component to how the customer journey unfolded in a shopping experience. Mannequins and other displays in the store added that extra flavor to the store as a stage set in which the merchandise was the principal actor.Architecture wasn't unimportant, but it wasn't the be all and end all of the in-store experience. You could have terrific architecture but if you couldn't get your assortment planning right department layouts an in store messaging you were likely not to perform quite as well.It was through my first employer and mentor Joe Weishar of New Vision Studios in New York that I began to really understand the power of visual merchandising in the store designers toolboxand that it couldn't be simply left to be an afterthought but had to be integral to the initial strategic design thinking of how a store would be laid out. Where those special moments of surprise and delight would occur often had little to do with architecture but a lot to do with theatrics, art, marketing, graphics – in short, storytelling.Going back to that comment a moment ago about serendipity finding me and putting me firmly in the world of retail design, it does very much align with the often heard message that “I didn't plan to be in retail.” It is in fact true, that one now is an architecture I had no awareness and probably no interest in designing stores for a living.But, that said, I actually had no shame about being in retail.Retail combined all the things that I loved:stage set design, industrial design architecture, marketing, consumer behavior, trend analysis, fashion and advertising - all of these disciplines came together in the experience that a brand or retailer would provide for their customers.The fact of the matter is, that the exchange of goods and services otherwise know as ‘retail,' is one of the key cornerstones of cultures around the world. Exchange has always been tied with ideas and that makes it extremely powerful. And, these ideas change over time influenced by the comings and goings of merchants and trends and technologies. It seems to me, and this comes from someone who was educated trained and licensed as an architect, that retail locations are probably more frequented by the general population than are the major civic buildings that would have been typically called “architecture” in the past.Think about it, when was the last time that you went to a post office, a library, an Opera House, a government building, a church, synagogue, or mosque or a courthouse?When did you last walk the campus of a university or visit a museum?And I am sure that there are some of you who will say well I did all of those yesterday but I'd also hazard a guess that they would be in the minority.now, when was the last time you went to a store a shopping mall a department store or used your phone to buy something from Amazon or some other online company?The point here is that shopping is so deeply ingrained in our everyday lives that it's inextricably tied to how we come to understand the world around us. Shopping places therefore are important and even though many people who work in the retail space find their way there as a transition between the end of one semester and the beginning of another.Students or younger members of our society are not the only people who find meaningful work in retail and who ultimately end up building their entire careers around working for retailer or brand or some company in the design and construction industry who's connected to designing and building stores.And somehow our society has often placed a judgment on what type of retail you might likely be engaged in. I have often heard the position that price point of product is somehow equated to pride in a sales associate's work or price of products being a precursor to better service but this should not be the case. Experiences in retail stores should not be better if the products it sells are expensive. Service should be excellent across the product price spectrum of retail experiences.In fact we've all probably had experiences where being in high priced stores did not render necessarily better service.The point is that you need to strip away what you sell and deliver high levels of experience regardless of the product or the service that you're providing to your customers.Providing great service often has to do with how people connect to others and the level of emotional intelligence that sales associates bring to their job every day. Which also suggests that the way we train sales associates in customer interaction protocols might likely be less about the rubric of sequential steps on how to connect – first you do this, say that, then do this, and say that – but might likely be more effective if you train on why we all need emotionally resonant, empathic connection – how empathy is built into our collective DNA.And this is where my guest, Ron Thurston comes into the story.Ron suggests that empathy, curiosity and focus translate into every job in retail. He believes that we need to teach human connection rather than sales training. I would bet that most of us can spot the ‘sales pitch' a mile away. We could almost speak the script because we have been exposed to it too many times.Ron Thurston's life mission is to celebrate, elevate, and empower the people and spirit of the retail industry.Core to his philosophy is to stop referring to your career in retail as “accidental” because you diminish you own power. Its ok to say “I choose to be the best sales associate, leader or stock person and I am proud of my role in the world of retail.”With over three decades of leading retail stores and operations for top American brands like Gap, West Elm, Apple, Tory Burch, Bonobos, and Saint Laurent, Ron has honed an extensive skill set in retail strategy, management, and innovation.In January 2024, Ron co-founded OSSY, a forward-thinking retail recruiting agency. This venture is dedicated to addressing the biggest hiring and recruiting challenges in retail, reinforcing Ron's unwavering commitment to the industry.As the best-selling author of RETAIL PRIDE, Ron inspires retail professionals to embrace their unique career paths. He also hosted the RETAIL IN AMERICA podcast and tour, journeying across the nation in an Airstream trailer during 2022/2023 to uncover and highlight the remarkable stories and individuals in retail.I was happy to catch up with Ron Thurston after his key note presentation at the SHOP Marketplace event and sit down for a great talk… * * *ABOUT DAVID KEPRON:LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/david-kepron-9a1582bWebsites: https://www.davidkepron.com (personal website)vmsd.com/taxonomy/term/8645 (Blog)Email: david.kepron@NXTLVLexperiencedesign.comTwitter: DavidKepronPersonal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkepron/NXTLVL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtlvl_experience_design/Bio:David Kepron is a multifaceted creative professional with a deep curiosity to understand ‘why', ‘what's now' and ‘what's next'. He brings together his background as an architect, artist, educator, author, podcast host and builder to the making of meaningful and empathically-focused, community-centric customer connections at brand experience places around the globe. David is a former VP - Global Design Strategies at Marriott International. While at Marriott, his focus was on the creation of compelling customer experiences within Marriott's “Premium Distinctive” segment which included: Westin, Renaissance, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels and Gaylord hotels. In 2020 Kepron founded NXTLVL Experience Design, a strategy and design consultancy, where he combines his multidisciplinary approach to the creation of relevant brand engagements with his passion for social and cultural anthropology, neuroscience and emerging digital technologies. As a frequently requested international speaker at corporate events and international conferences focusing on CX, digital transformation, retail, hospitality, emerging technology, David shares his expertise on subjects ranging from consumer behaviors and trends, brain science and buying behavior, store design and visual merchandising, hotel design and strategy as well as creativity and innovation. In his talks, David shares visionary ideas on how brand strategy, brain science and emerging technologies are changing guest expectations about relationships they want to have with brands and how companies can remain relevant in a digitally enabled marketplace. David currently shares his experience and insight on various industry boards including: VMSD magazine's Editorial Advisory Board, the Interactive Customer Experience Association, Sign Research Foundation's Program Committee as well as the Center For Retail Transformation at George Mason University.He has held teaching positions at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.), the Department of Architecture & Interior Design of Drexel University in Philadelphia, the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising (L.I.M.) in New York, the International Academy of Merchandising and Design in Montreal and he served as the Director of the Visual Merchandising Department at LaSalle International Fashion School (L.I.F.S.) in Singapore. In 2014 Kepron published his first book titled: “Retail (r)Evolution: Why Creating Right-Brain Stores Will Shape the Future of Shopping in a Digitally Driven World” and he is currently working on his second book to be published soon. David also writes a popular blog called “Brain Food” which is published monthly on vmsd.com. The next level experience design podcast is presented by VMSD magazine and Smartwork Media. It is hosted and executive produced by David Kepron. Our original music and audio production by Kano Sound. The content of this podcast is copywrite to David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design. Any publication or rebroadcast of the content is prohibited without the expressed written consent of David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design.Make sure to tune in for more NXTLVL “Dialogues on DATA: Design Architecture Technology and the Arts” wherever you find your favorite podcasts and make sure to visit vmsd.com and look for the tab for the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast there too.
This isn't just a corporate chat! I'm joined by Jason Bloomfield, Global Head of Change and Experience Design at Ericsson. With 20+ years of experience across companies like M&G PLC, Prudential Financial, and MetLife, Jason's been in the trenches of M&A integration, direct-to-consumer strategies, and organizational transformation. Jason opens up about some real-life disruptions—like how his parents' separation shaped his resilience and how he's learned to turn big challenges into meaningful change. Whether you're dealing with personal or professional transformation, Jason's stories will hit home and keep you hooked. Episode Breakdown: 0:36—It's All About Giving Back 4:02—From Upper Middle Class to Crash Course in Adulting: Why Unwanted Life Experiences Can Be Your Best Teachers “I was in the middle of high school, where focus on study really needs to ramp up. Instead, I was learning home economics by necessity and dealing with my parents' rapidly deteriorating relationship.” 14:04—Building Resilient Relationships: Navigating Anxiety and Fear During Mergers & Acquisitions 17:26—Being a human: how can it be possible to scale empathy 100,000 people in 180 countries? 24:44—Navigating Company Pride: When Heritage Turns into Hurdles “It's quite a thing to come into a company that has 140, 150 years behind it. Pride can at times obscure a line of sight on the way forward.” 31:11—Asking the Right Questions: The Surprising Reasons Retirees Didn't Want to Go Paperless “We thought retirees were less digitally comfortable, but it turns out it was a trust issue—without something physical, they feared companies might alter their records behind the scenes. Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Jason Bloomfield Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1.2 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries
Experience Imagination: A Themed Entertainment Podcast by Falcon's Creative Group
Uncover the emotional psychology that makes attractions so thrilling and captivating in our all-new podcast episode.
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