Best Michael Berk Podcasts (2025)

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Knowledge Sharing, Culture and the Future of Cloud + AI (E.21) 44:36

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9h ago44:36

44:36

Passion for the product, not compensation, is what keeps the best engineers engaged. In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben sit down with Aleksandr Patrushev, Head of DevRel at Nebius, to explore the evolving role of Developer Relations and the culture that sustains technical talent. From modernizing hardware in data centers to weighing t…

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The Culture of Play: Gary Ware 59:46

1h ago59:46

59:46

Gary Ware is a creative yet strategic Play Consultant that was brought here to make your life even better than it already is. By day, Gary helps companies and professionals level up their skills, and by night he is an improv comedian. In between all of Gary’s passions, his most desirous one is helping people become the best versions of themselves t…

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Episode 75 | Flushing Out CX Secrets With Ren Fuller-Wasserman Of Tushy 41:05

3h ago41:05

41:05

This week, I went live at Subs Summit with my girl Ren Fuller-Wasserman, Senior Director of CX at Tushy, the brand that made bidets cool (and fun to talk about). We cover startup grit, customer obsession, and why CX is never just about support tickets. Ren gets real about: Her unlikely path into CX, starting in a call center and turning it into a c…

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Solution Accelerators: Balancing Production Software and Durability in AI Development (E.20) 50:20

8d ago50:20

50:20

Behind every robust AI system is a solution accelerator that makes complex development smarter. In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben dive into the role of solution accelerators in bridging the gap between production-ready software and simpler resources like blogs or cookbooks. They discuss frameworks vs. tools, the challenges of maintai…

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Data Annotation to Auto-Optimization: How Agents and Human Oversight Shape AI's Future (E.19) 50:17

14d ago50:17

50:17

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben explore the evolution of prompt engineering and the rise of auto-optimization in AI. We discuss how agents can execute tasks autonomously, why human oversight remains essential and how defining success criteria shapes model performance. Tune in to Episode 19 for a wide-ranging conversation about: • W…

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Automating Intelligence: Data Collection, Human Feedback and the Future of Context-Augmented Agents (E.18) 1:08:02

21d ago1:08:02

1:08:02

In this episode of Free Form AI, we sit down with Tomu Hirata (Databricks), whose journey from medicine to software engineering offers a unique lens on building AI systems. From automating construction machinery to optimizing job postings at Indeed, Tomu has worked at the edge of AI data collection and model design. Tune in to Episode 18 for a wide…

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Episode 74 | Why B2B and DTC Both Need a CX Reality Check with Michael Bair of Bair Consulting 55:59

12d ago55:59

55:59

This week, I sat down with my good friend Michael Bair, founder of Bair Consulting, to unpack what really separates good CX in B2B from the DTC playbook, and why both worlds have a lot to learn from each other. We cover B2B SaaS, enterprise customer success, DTC retention, and why too many brands still treat CX like an afterthought. Michael gets re…

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Episode 73 | Why CX Is More Human Than Ever With Mackenzie Lukas Of Hormbles Chormbles 48:10

25d ago48:10

48:10

This week, I sat down with my mentee, Mackenzie Lukas, to talk about what it really means to put people first in customer experience. 💬✨ We get into her unexpected career pivot from commercial real estate to CX, what she’s learned as Sr. Director of Customer & People Experience at Hormbles Chormbles 🍫, and why empathy will always beat efficiency 💛.…

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Problem Solving Under Pressure: Lessons in Fundamentals, Failure, and Finding the Fix (E.17) 56:33

28d ago56:33

56:33

In this episode of Free Form AI, we go behind the scenes with co-host Ben Wilson to explore how his early experiences in the Navy shaped his approach to engineering, risk, and creativity. From high-stakes problem solving to the importance of failure-friendly environments, Ben and Michael unpack what it takes to build resilient systems and resilient…

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The Culture of Narrative with Michael Margolis 1:20:49

1M ago1:20:49

1:20:49

Michael Margolis the CEO of Storied, Inc – #1 narrative expert in tech Works with C-suite and VP leaders that need to get their story straight Clients include product execs at Meta, Google, Shopify, Uber, Salesforce $13B+ in investments thru executive buy-in and influence at scale 500+ keynotes and talks for Microsoft, Visa, Moody’s, SXSW, TEDx Aut…

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Beyond Benchmarks: How GPT-5 and OSS Are Redefining AI Evaluation (E.16) 31:13

1M ago31:13

31:13

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben unpack the GPT-5 release, with a focus on what really matters: fewer hallucinations, smarter reasoning and why traditional benchmarks may no longer cut it. Tune in as we explore open-source OSS, agentic systems and the growing challenge of evaluating models that might already be outsmarting us.…

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Episode 72 | How Tommy John Built A Customer-Obsessed CX Team with Max Wallace and Kara Randle 41:15

27d ago41:15

41:15

This week on Above the Fold, I sat down with Max Wallace, Director of CX at Tommy John, and Kara Randle, CX manager, to talk about what it really takes to scale a customer experience team without losing the human touch. We get into career pivots, building long-term team culture, and why “first response time” is not the CX metric you should be obses…

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Episode 71 | How Berk Bahceci Turned Storytelling Into Heraclea’s Retention Strategy 41:20

1M ago41:20

41:20

This week, I sat down with Berk Bahceci, founder of Heraclea, to talk about what it actually looks like to build a product-led brand from scratch, without cutting corners. We talk about what it means to invest early (like, before a single sale), why he built a full production facility in Turkey instead of outsourcing, and how customer feedback led …

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Libraries, Law and LLMs: How Unconventional Paths Are Shaping the Future of AI (E.15) 1:06:23

1M ago1:06:23

1:06:23

In this episode of Free Form AI, we sit down with Lara Rachidi and Maria Zervou, two AI professionals whose paths defy the traditional tech blueprint. Lara began her career in law and economics before pivoting into data science. Maria started at the British Library, digitizing manuscripts and unlocking forgotten datasets. Today, they’re building Ge…

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GenAI, Agency and Infrastructure: What’s Actually Holding Back the AI Frontier (E.14) 1:02:10

2M ago1:02:10

1:02:10

In this episode of Free Form AI, we sit down with Puneet Jain, Senior Applied AI Engineer at Databricks, to explore what’s really holding back GenAI from reaching production at scale, and why infrastructure, not intelligence, might be the missing piece. From toy clustering algorithms to national-scale LLMs in healthcare, we unpack how secure data a…

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Episode 70 | The Digital Dress Code with Lisa Nielsen of Victoria Beckham 41:54

2M ago41:54

41:54

This week, I sat down with Lisa Nielsen, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Victoria Beckham, to talk about what brand building looks like behind the scenes at a luxury fashion house and why customer experience is more than a post-purchase email. We get into the real impact of handwritten notes (yes, real ink and paper), how to bring humanity into…

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Episode 69 | The Retail Reality Check with Liz Ahern of Brand 555 59:59

2M ago59:59

59:59

This week, I sat down with Liz Ahern, former CMO of Chamberlain Coffee and current Founder of Brand 555 Marketing to talk about what actually drives brand longevity in a world full of creator launches and fast-moving CPG hype. We talk about why most brands lose sight of their customer, what “community” actually means (hint: it’s not just comments),…

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From Career Pivots to AI Innovation: Lessons in Building Better Systems (E.13) 56:49

2M ago56:49

56:49

In this episode of Free Form AI, we sit down with Mary Moore-Simmons, VP of Engineering at Kibo (formerly GitHub), to explore how career pivots, leadership, and AI are reshaping engineering. From drying Kona coffee beans with radiant heat to leading complex orgs at GitHub, Mary shares how curiosity, efficiency, and a bias for action can accelerate …

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The Culture of Ai with Ion Valiskakis 1:17:08

2M ago1:17:08

1:17:08

Today’s guest is Ion Valaskakis — an executive coach, AI strategist, and expert in helping people thrive at the intersection of technology, neuroscience, and human performance. He’s the founder of Prometheus Strategic Advisors and writes the popular IoNTELLIGENCE newsletter, where he shares practical ways to upgrade your brain and master AI in toda…

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Episode 68 | Post-Purchase Strategy & CX Signals with Larry Thoma 53:13

2M ago53:13

53:13

This week on After Hours x Above the Fold, I sat down with CX specialist and Midwest dad extraordinaire, Larry Thoma. We got into what great CX looks like after the checkout page, how brands can use returns to build trust (not just process refunds), and why “dishwasher safe” is not a real instruction. Larry’s worked with brands like Yeti, Caraway, …

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How AI Assistants Are Changing Coding (E.12) 37:39

2M ago37:39

37:39

In this episode of Free Form AI, we explore how AI coding assistants are reshaping the development workflow. From spotting bugs that slip past human review to writing context-aware tests and reviewing entire PRs, these tools are changing how engineers build software. We break down the “secret sauce” behind how they scan a repo with targeted search …

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Episode 67 | What Attentive Gets Right About Actually Knowing Your Customer With Keri McGhee 34:59

2M ago34:59

34:59

✨ In this episode of Above the Fold, I sat down with Keri McGee, CMO of Attentive and a cx-to-marketing powerhouse, to talk about why good customer experience isn’t enough anymore—and what today’s best brands are doing to actually stand out. 📱💡 📊 The real reason 97% of brand messaging still looks like 2013 📦 How brands like UGG and OLLY are making …

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LATAM Engineers vs. Offshore Norms: Gino Ferrand on Hiring Right (E.11) 43:04

2M ago43:04

43:04

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael sits down with Gino Ferrand, CEO of Tecla, to explore how traditional tech hiring misses the mark, especially when it comes to LATAM engineering talent. We break down flawed “rockstar” hiring, AI-proofing your interview process and what successful onboarding actually looks like in a distributed, GenAI-driven…

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10 - Case Study: AI Video Recommender 51:25

3M ago51:25

51:25

In this episode, Michael and Ben discuss the intricacies of building a video clipping service and recommendation engine. They explore the challenges of defining interesting clips, the importance of feature requirements, and the cold start problem when launching without user data. The conversation delves into tagging and metadata extraction, hierarc…

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Episode 66 | How Jim Lee of Crunch Labs Turns Curiosity Into Connection And Retention 46:25

3M ago46:25

46:25

This week, I sat down with the brilliant (and brilliantly humble) Jim Lee—President of Crunch Labs—to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that doesn’t just go viral, but sticks. We cover creator-led growth, product design that drives retention, the future of STEM education, and why customer experience starts way before someone hits “bu…

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9 - AI Career Leveling 58:35

3M ago58:35

58:35

In this episode, Michael Berk and Ben Wilson discuss the various levels of a data science career, from internships to senior leadership roles. They explore the expectations, responsibilities, and best practices for each level, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, continuous learning, and maintaining a positive team culture. The conversation…

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Episode 65 | Retention Lessons From U Beauty’s AJ Patel And Sticky Digital’s Nikki Tooman You Need to Steal 45:51

3M ago45:51

45:51

This week, I sat down with two of the sharpest minds in the retention and CX space to talk about what really drives long-term loyalty—especially in the skincare and wellness world. We get into subscriptions, lifecycle marketing, cancelation logic, and why the prettiest packaging in the world won’t save you from bad UX. AJ shares how U Beauty builds…

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Episode 64 | The Real Tea On Building A CPG Brand In 2025 With Nate Rosen 1:06:35

3M ago1:06:35

1:06:35

This week on After Hours, I caught up with Nate Rosen—founder of Express Checkout and snack industry insider—to talk about what’s really going on in CPG right now. We get into what’s changing with funding, why retail isn’t a guaranteed win, and what makes or breaks a brand in today’s market. Nate shares honest takes on hydration hype, TikTok Shop c…

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Episode 63 | The Keyboard Cover That Went Viral And The Founders Behind Tippy Type 55:08

3M ago55:08

55:08

This week, I sat down with two of my favorite entrepreneurial baddies, Sara and Chloe of Tippy Type—a product built for nail girlies and typers everywhere. We talked about how they turned a scrappy prototype into a viral business, why they skipped paid ads entirely, and how listening to their community (and yes, even the trolls) shaped every produc…

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Episode 62 | What Girlfriend Collective Gets Right About CX With Nichelle Mesa 57:10

4M ago57:10

57:10

This week, I sat down with Nichelle Mesa, CX Manager at Girlfriend Collective, to talk about what it really looks like to build a small but powerful customer experience team that’s got more heart than headcount. We cover what makes Girlfriend’s CX team so effective (spoiler: it’s not macros or AI), why empathy still matters, and how being in the qu…

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8 - Microservices with Mark Fussell 59:34

4M ago59:34

59:34

In this episode, Michael and Ben speak with Mark Fussell, CEO of Diagrid, about Dapr, a runtime for building distributed applications. Mark shares insights on the challenges of microservices development, the importance of durable workflows, and the actor model. The conversation also touches on API design, the future of AI in software engineering, a…

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Episode 61 | Reid Litman Of Ogilvy On Gen Z Marketing, Trust, And The Evolution Of Creator Brands 59:20

4M ago59:20

59:20

This week, I sat down with my friend Reid Litman, Global Consulting Director at Ogilvy, to talk about what it actually means to build trust with Gen Z—and why most brands are doing it wrong. We cover creator-led brands, the evolution of retail strategy, loyalty programs that don’t suck, and why “authenticity” has officially lost all meaning. Reid s…

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Episode 60 | What Most DTC Brands Get Wrong In 2025 With Patrick Johnson 1:02:47

4M ago1:02:47

1:02:47

This week on After Hours x Above the Fold, I’m joined by my longtime internet friend and professional complainer, Patrick Johnson—engineer, brand builder, and one of the most brutally honest voices in ecomm. We cover everything from smarter subscription strategies to the death of originality in AI-built websites. Patrick shares what he’s seeing beh…

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Episode 59 | How Nestig Turns CX Into A Brand Advantage With Lauren Schorr 49:33

4M ago49:33

49:33

This week, I sat down with Lauren Schorr, director of CX at Nestig, to talk about what it actually looks like to build customer experience into the foundation of a brand—not just as a function, but as a mindset. We dig into why Nestig made CX its very first hire (yes, really), how they’ve scaled without outsourcing, and the difference between answe…

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7 - What are the best AI Software Packages 1:03:48

5M ago1:03:48

1:03:48

In this episode, Michael and Ben explore the world of open source projects in AI, focusing on MLflow and its various flavors. They discuss popular machine learning libraries like Scikit-learn, SparkML, and tree-based algorithms such as XGBoost and LightGBM. The conversation also delves into time series forecasting techniques and the rapidly evolvin…

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Episode 58 | How Kate Zaman Is Helping Build The Future Of Luxury E-Commerce At ReserveBar 50:00

5M ago50:00

50:00

This week, I sat down with Kate Zaman, Senior VP of Partnerships and Marketing at ReserveBar, to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that doesn’t just survive but thrives, especially in a world where consumers expect more than just a pretty label. We get into career growth, partnerships, luxury e-commerce, why personalization matters m…

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6 - When Should You Bail 42:34

5M ago42:34

42:34

In this episode, Michael and Ben discuss the challenges of decision-making in software engineering, particularly focusing on the sunk cost fallacy, emotional attachment to work, and the importance of prototyping. They explore how to recognize when to pivot or bail on a project, the complexities of ROI calculations, and how to effectively communicat…

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Episode 57 | From High Fashion to High-Converting Partnerships with Dillon Duchesne 41:58

5M ago41:58

41:58

This week on After Hours x Above the Fold, I sat down with my girl Dillon Duchesne, senior partnerships lead at Yotpo and co-founder of Midcoast, to talk about what actually makes a partnership work (hint: it’s not just a logo swap and a handshake). We get into Dillon’s wild career path—from 11 years as a runway model to crushing tech sales—and how…

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Episode 56 | The Secret Behind Building Brands with CX Data featuring Lindsay Kolinsky 52:12

5M ago52:12

52:12

This week on Above The Fold, I sat down with my girl Lindsay Kolinsky, Director of Marketing at Okendo, to talk about what most brands are doing wrong when it comes to understanding their customers. We get into why reviews are just the beginning, how to use micro-surveys the right way, and why personalization should feel like a vibe—not a tactic. P…

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Episode 55 | Bootstrapped, Product-Led, and Built to Last with Adam Simone 42:08

5M ago42:08

42:08

This week on Above The Fold, I’m in NYC catching up with my new friend and fellow startup nerd, Adam Simone—co-founder of Leaf Shave and Smoosh. We get into what it really means to build product-first brands and why having strong opinions might actually be a founder’s best tool. We talk about his mechanical engineering background and how it led to …

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5 - How to Lead Engineers with Ben Johnson 58:44

6M ago58:44

58:44

In this episode, Michael Berk and Ben Johnson discuss the essential traits of effective engineering leadership, the importance of customer-centric software development, and the challenges of integrating AI into business processes. They emphasize the need for clear communication, trust, and vulnerability in leadership, as well as the potential risks…

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Why Authenticity Beats Algorithms: The New Rules of Digital Marketing - ML 185 55:37

6M ago55:37

55:37

In this episode, we dive deep into the evolving landscape of digital marketing and brand storytelling. We explore how the intersection of authenticity, community, and technology is reshaping how brands connect with people—and why it's no longer just about the product, but about the experience. We talk about how we've shifted our focus from performa…

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Episode 54 | Brewing the Future of Coffee: Inside Cometeer’s Brand & CX Strategy With Olivia Laskowski 50:06

6M ago50:06

50:06

This week, I sat down with Olivia Laskowski, This week, I sat down with Olivia Laskowski, aka Liv—Brand and Partnerships Manager at Cometeer and certified coffee nerd—to talk about what it actually means to build a brand with substance (and caffeine). We got into the frozen coffee magic that makes Cometeer different, why brand teams should be in th…

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4 - How to Transfer Projects 42:06

6M ago42:06

42:06

In this episode, Michael Berk and Ben discuss the intricacies of transferring code, project ownership, and knowledge within teams, particularly in the context of machine learning and software engineering. They explore the importance of documentation, bridging skill gaps, and ensuring effective knowledge transfer to maintain and extend codebases. Th…

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Episode 53 | Modern Soda, Rewritten: United Sodas’ Brand & CX Strategy with Kate Reeder 40:52

6M ago40:52

40:52

This week, I sat down with Kate Reeder, COO and Head of Brand at United Sodas, to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that stands out in a crowded market. Spoiler: it’s more than just cool packaging. We get into the magic of minimalism, why startups make you wear every hat possible (yes, even HR), and how United Sodas accidentally beca…

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3 - How to be a Tech Lead (TL) 1:04:32

6M ago1:04:32

1:04:32

In this episode, Michael Berk and Ben Wilson discuss their experiences at Databricks, focusing on project management, team dynamics, and the importance of product alignment. They explore the challenges of onboarding new team members, the significance of effective communication with stakeholders, and the balance between upskilling and meeting projec…

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Episode 52 | How to Build a Brand People Actually Love with Jessica Rose Garcia of OneSkin 40:51

6M ago40:51

40:51

✨ In this episode of Above the Fold, I sit down with Jessica Rose Garcia—aka J-Rose—Head of CX at OneSkin, to talk about what really makes customers stick around. Spoiler: It’s not just fast email responses. We dive deep into: 💡 How J-Rose went from working at Gold’s Gym to leading CX at some of the biggest brands in DTC 📈 Why most brands completel…

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2 - How to Make Knowledge Useful 1:01:35

6M ago1:01:35

1:01:35

In this episode, Michael and Ben Wilson discuss the concept of knowledge acquisition, focusing on how to effectively acquire knowledge for practical action rather than for its own sake. They explore the value of note-taking, the role of curiosity in learning, and the importance of hands-on experience in making knowledge intuitive. The conversation …

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Episode 51 | E-Commerce Marketing Tactics with Ali Rose VanOverbeke 58:16

6M ago58:16

58:16

This week, we sat down with Ali Rose VanOverbeke to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that people actually care about—beyond just running ads and chasing conversions. We get into creative direction, brand loyalty, and why e-commerce is starting to feel like one big copy-paste formula. Ali’s seen it all—from designing for billion-doll…

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Episode 50 | Jaxxon's Approach To Building A CX Team That Drives Brand Loyalty 46:14

6M ago46:14

46:14

This week, I sat down with Caela Castillo, Director of CX at Jaxxon, to talk about what it really takes to build a CX team that customers actually want to engage with. We’re chatting all things hiring for personality over process, using AI without making your brand sound like a robot, and why CX should always have a seat at the strategy table. Cael…