Why "Feel First" Leaders Outperform Everyone Else

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

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

What separates companies succeeding with AI from those struggling to see results? The answer isn't the AI itself-it's the data foundation underneath it. In this episode, we explore why the companies winning with AI today are the ones that spent years cleaning, structuring, and curating their data. Our guest is Mike Hutchinson, Chief Operating Officer at Teradata, bringing 35 years of customer experience expertise across three software companies. Mike breaks down the critical gap between structured and unstructured data, why vector stores and context engines are game-changers, and how real AI use cases come from solving business problems-not from hackathons. He shares examples from banking, airlines, and Teradata's own operations, including their fully autonomous account planning system. We also look ahead to 2026 and Mike's bold prediction: this will be the year companies build agents at scale - autonomous systems that monitor, decide, and act without human intervention. Chapters 00:00:00 Meet Mike Hutchinson, 35 Year CX Veteran 00:09:22 The Unstructured Data Problem 00:12:07 Marrying Structured & Unstructured Data 00:16:15 Why AI Use Cases Fail 00:19:32 Banking NPS Transformation Story 00:25:18 Security & Hallucination Concerns 00:30:32 Getting Started with Data Organization 00:37:33 Predictive Analytics & Weather Patterns Example 00:42:21 CX Skills for the Next Decade 00:48:52 The Expertise Debate in an AI World 00:56:49 2026 Prediction: The Year of Agents Watch Next: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enBE_5PQOb4 Experts of Experience is produced by the team at Mission.org.

How are customer expectations evolving when people are talking less, trusting less, and switching brands faster than ever? In this episode, we break down the four major shifts reshaping customer experience in 2026 and why traditional listening tactics are failing right when companies need them most. Our guest is Isabelle Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at the Qualtrics XM Institute and co-creator of one of the largest global CX studies in the world. With data from 20,000 consumers across 14 countries, Isabelle reveals the surprising trends leaders cannot afford to overlook and why trust has become the real driver of customer behavior. Chapters 00:00:00 Meet Isabel Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at Qualtrics XM Institute 00:04:43 The Surprising State of Customer Experience Heading Into 2026 00:10:44 Why AI-Powered Customer Service Is Failing Customers 00:15:07 How to Use AI to Enhance Rather Than Replace Human Experience 00:19:41 The Silent Customer Crisis: Why Feedback Has Dropped to All-Time Lows 00:25:03 Conversational Surveys and Predictive Models: The Future of Customer Listening 00:34:55 Why Value Alone Won't Keep Customers Loyal in 2026 00:38:18 The Trust Equation: How Economic Uncertainty Changes Customer Behavior 00:42:51 The Personalization Paradox: Consumers Want It But Don't Trust It 00:54:10 What Will Surprise Us Most About 2026: Two Wildly Different Predictions

Wondersauce CEO and Co-Founder John Sampogna breaks down what today’s customer really expects - and how brands can stand out when AI overviews and LLMs shape the journey long before anyone reaches your website. You’ll learn: How AI is rewriting customer behavior Why your website may no longer be the front door The two paths brands can take in 2026 How to design digital and in-person experiences people actually want How to stay relevant in an AI-first era (hint: it might mean LESS AI) Watch Next: https://youtu.be/rgNCaTYkXCE Chapters 00:00:00 Meet John Sampogna, Wondersauce CEO and Co-Founder 00:08:41 Why Brands Need an Outside Perspective to Stay Relevant 00:11:27 How AI Is Changing Customer Behavior 00:15:32 How to Stand Out When AI Summaries Flatten Every Brand 00:20:22 The Rise of Analog Experiences (and Why They Matter) 00:25:52 How to Choose Which AI Tools Are Worth Your Time 00:38:12 How to Prepare Your Team for an AI-Driven Future 00:43:07 The Honest Truth About “Vibe Coding” 00:45:42 The Return of Cool, Personalized Digital Experiences 00:48:02 What Personalization Will Look Like in 2026

How do brands create customers who stay for years or even decades? In this episode, we break down the model behind lifelong loyalty, emotional connection, and trust-based customer experience - the kind that drives repeat revenue, referrals, and real brand love. Our guest is John Boccuzzi, Jr., CX leader, speaker, author of The Art of Seducing Your Customers, and President of ISG Research. With 30+ years studying how companies build trust and deliver memorable customer experiences, John shares the frameworks and stories that prove: CX is not a cost center — it’s a growth engine. You’ll learn:The #1 factor that determines whether customers returnWhy customer experience is more emotional than operationalThe “Ruth Story” - how one pair of glasses changed John’s entire view on CXHow to scale empathy, trust, and personalization across big organizationsWhat brands get wrong when implementing AI in customer experienceThe future of CX and what will matter most in the next 12 months If you lead customer experience, marketing, service, brand, or product, this conversation will reshape how you think about delivering value.Watch Next: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgNCaTYkXCE&t=1864s Key Moments:0:00 Meet John Boccuzzi, Jr.3:20 What Customer Experience Really Is5:20 The “Ruth Story”: Creating Emotional Loyalty10:10 Why Having a Point of View Builds Trust15:15 Training Teams to Deliver Great CX18:55 Scaling Emotional Customer Experiences23:30 How AI Fits Into Customer Experience29:55 The Power of First Impressions33:25 How Brands Stay Relevant Today37:15 Make the Customer Journey Simple42:55 The Future of Personalization49:15 Common Misconceptions About CX50:27 A Trend to Bet On (That Isn’t AI) –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discoverability isn’t “just SEO” anymore. It’s the entire customer journey.   VML’s Chief Discoverability Officer, Heather Physioc, joins host Lacey Peace to unpack how AI search, LLM overviews, social media channels, and agentic assistants are rewriting how customers find, trust, and choose brands. We cover: the rise of zero-click results and GEO (generative engine optimization), why trust + authority beat content volume, connecting your content supply chain, and where to invest next. Practical, human-centered—and way beyond keyword stuffing. Key Moments00:00 Meet Heather Physioc, VML’s Chief Discoverability Officer7:33 What Is a Chief Discoverability Officer?10:07 Discoverability’s Role in the Modern Customer Journey13:00 The Biggest Gaps in Marketing and CX Today17:00 From 10 Blue Links to AI Overviews: The Timeline of Discoverability22:00 How AI Overviews Are Changing Search Behavior23:45 Three Shifts Defining the AI Search Revolution27:45 Is This the Death of the Website?28:40 Can We Track What People Search on LLMs?30:53 Does SEO Still Matter in an AI-First World?33:17 What Platforms Actually Matter Most Right Now37:00 Building Trust and Authority in the Age of AI Content40:30 The Content Supply Chain: Why Brands Struggle to Connect the Dots43:33 The New Metrics That Actually Matter for Discoverability45:26 Ad Buying and Sponsored Content in LLM Search48:05 The Next Challenges Every Brand Should Prepare For50:00 AI Assistants and the Rise of the AI Buyer54:25 The One Fundamental Truth About Human Search Behavior –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Internal communication is broken. Most CX and leadership teams rely on outdated methods — long slide decks, endless trainings, and metrics that don’t drive action. In this episode, Ben Phillips, founder of CX Alive!, explains how to transform the way your business communicates. Drawing on two decades in customer experience and leadership, Ben breaks down why short-form, authentic content — like internal vodcasts and micro-videos — builds clarity, connection, and alignment faster than PowerPoints or all-hands meetings ever could. We cover:✅ How to make your CX strategy relatable and actionable✅ The biggest communication gap between leadership and frontline teams✅ How to communicate effectively with Gen Z employees✅ Why podcasts and vodcasts are the future of internal engagement✅ Why NPS and CSAT are outdated metrics — and what to measure instead If you’re looking to improve employee engagement, CX performance, or team alignment, this conversation will change how you think about communication, storytelling, and measurement inside your organization. #InternalCommunication #CXLeadership #CustomerExperience #EmployeeEngagement #CXStrategy #BusinessCommunication #LeadershipDevelopment #GenZAtWork #Vodcasting #StorytellingAtWork Connect with Ben at:Cx-alive.comBen Phillips LinkedIn Key Moments: 0:00 Who is Ben Phillips and what is CX Alive!4:00 How to communicate effectively with Gen Z employees9:44 How business communication is changing12:50 How to tell better stories22:00 Why you only have 8 seconds to capture attention24:00 Why podcasts and vodcasts work so well for businesses31:00 Is NPS still relevant in 2025?34:44 What are the best metrics to track in CX?37:59 Are customer surveys still relevant?41:11 AI in CX: what’s hype vs. what’s real48:24 How to build a team that understands the “why”51:28 Three words that separate good content from great –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Description/ShownotesWhat if your company could launch its first AI agent in just two weeks? That’s exactly what Mollie Bodensteiner, SVP of Operations at Engine, accomplished — and the results are game-changing: $2M in projected annual savings, a 67% lift in sales rep productivity, and CSAT scores above 90%. Mollie shares the real story of implementing AI at scale, why ruthless prioritization matters, how to avoid the “Frankenstack” trap, and why AI should be seen as a growth enabler, not a cost-cutting exercise. Whether you’re leading a small team or scaling globally, Mollie’s practical playbook will help you cut through the noise, drive adoption, and build AI solutions that stick. Tune in to hear how Engine’s agile approach turned imagination into execution—and why trust, people, and culture are still the ultimate differentiators. Key Moments: 00:00 AI Philosophy & Common Challenges02:44 Ruthless Prioritization and AI Rollout08:04 Mollie Bodensteiner’s Background and Engine's AI Journey14:40 AI Implementation and Customer Experience Impact28:07 AI Agents in Sales and Coaching34:48 AI in Professional Training and Education38:06 Human-AI Collaboration and Adoption Challenges48:34 Ensuring AI Quality and Risk Management51:45 Choosing and Evaluating AI Tools01:00:54 Underhyped AI Applications01:03:00 Lightning Round  –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI isn’t just transforming marketing — it’s reshaping the entire customer experience.In this special crossover episode, Experts of Experience features a conversation from our sister podcast Marketing Trends, hosted by Stephanie Postles.Stephanie sits down with Amber Armstrong, CMO of Salesforce Applications, to explore how AI and LLMs are changing discoverability, customer journeys, and the future of CX. Amber shares how her team is rethinking SEO for generative search, converting 40% of LLM traffic into leads, and rolling out AI agents at scale through Salesforce’s Agentforce.If you want to understand how AI is reshaping customer expectations and how leading CMOs are adapting, this episode offers a practical playbook for the generative era. Key Moments: 00:00 How AI and LLMs Are Reshaping the Marketing Funnel03:54 Amber Armstrong’s Journey from IBM Intern to CMO at Salesforce06:35 The Expanding Role of AI in Modern Marketing Teams08:52 Inside Salesforce’s Guild System: How Amber Aligns Teams Across Four Clouds17:31 Real AI Use Cases from Amber Armstrong’s Marketing Team at Salesforce26:40 Amber Armstrong’s Playbook for Future-Proofing SEO in the Age of LLMs30:55 How Salesforce’s Website Converts 40% of LLM Traffic into Leads35:58 Building AI Agents at Scale: Lessons from Salesforce’s Agent Force Rollout37:53 The Ongoing Role of Third-Party Validation in Buyer Decision-Making39:49 Amber Armstrong on Adapting Marketing Metrics for an AI-First Future40:40 How Salesforce Aligns Content Strategy Across Business Units44:56 Amber Armstrong’s Advice for Getting Teams Comfortable with AI Tools51:24 Salesforce’s Next Big Moves: Account-Based Marketing and Cross-Cloud Growth   –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.