A podcast about customer experience. Because everyone wins when we focus on what matters.
Walk the Walk is a podcast for leaders doing the hard work to run a values-based organization from the top down, and side to side.
This week, Andi and Jon speak with Jake Sorofman about how customer experience aligns throughout the entire company - from employee experience to sales through delivery.
Jake Sorofman is Chief Marketing Officer of Visier. Previously, Jake was president of MetaCX, an early stage SaaS company transforming CRM and customer success with a platform for defining and measuring value in stakeholder relationships; CMO of Pendo, the leading product analytics and digital adoption platform; and chief of research at Gartner, where he advised and published on CMO and customer experience topics. His writing has appeared in dozens of publications, including Forbes, Inc., and Harvard Business Review. He holds a BA in English and Political Science from University of New Hampshire, an MBA from Bentley, an MA in Liberal Studies from University of North Carolina Asheville, and a USCG 50 Ton Master Captain’s License.
3 Oct 2023
S2E5: Bret Starr // How to Fix Everything in Sales & Marketing
Bret Starr joins us this week in a fascinating talk about how and why marketing needs to change - and how better customer experience across the board is the answer.
Grab Bret's book on Amazon: A Humble Guide To Fixing Everything In Brand, Marketing, And Sales
Bret is founder and CEO of The Starr Conspiracy, an experience agency that has served thousands of tech companies around the world since 1999. Bret has dedicated his entire career to developing abundant employee, customer and shareholder experiences. He is an author, speaker and executive, but spends most of his time in the lab researching and creating experience models to help make the human-first value chain a broad reality.
26 Sept 2023
S2E4: Matthew Oliphant // How to Actually Listen to Your Customers
This week, UX researcher Matthew Oliphant joins Jon and Andi to talk about how better understanding can lead to better UX.
Matthew is the Head of Design and Research at Studio VO. He is an experienced design and research leader who has improved dozens of products and services in multiple industries, such as Healthcare, Financial Services, and Education.
He cares deeply about empowering humans to live with less suffering and more dignity—and does his best to make sure technology supports that goal rather than its usual hindrance. He loves coffee, motorcycles, and long walks off short piers.
22 Aug 2023
S2E3: Great CX is Based on Data & Discipline
Designing a business (product or service!) based on assumptions of what your customers like or dislike can be a huge misstep. Jon and Andi talk in this episode about how to ask great questions of your clients or customers, how to get to the heart of the problems they face, and how to prioritize those problems.
3 Aug 2023
S2E2: The Sales & CX Overlap
Far too many organizations overlook the importance of CX in their sales process -- and it shows. We talk a bit about brands that get it right, and how, as well as some missteps that put us off from the gate.
7 Jul 2023
S2E1: The New Customer
In this episode, we're talking about The New Customer, a report published last month discussing seven ways customers have "significantly changed" since the pandemic hit.
Link to the report: https://thenewcustomer.com/
14 Jun 2023
S2: Introducing Jon Jones, and Season 2
Welcome back to season 2 of Walk the Walk: where we continue to talk to leaders running values-based businesses. Season 2 will feature a new cohost, Jon Jones, CEO of Anthroware, and focus on the role of CX in aligning with your values - both internally and externally.
Every interaction with a brand is an opportunity to make an impression - whether it’s on purpose or accidental. Great customer experience can improve all aspects of your business by intentionally fostering trust with every customer, in every interaction, every time.
Want to win more deals? Customer experience.
Higher profitability? Customer experience.
Improved team culture? You guessed it - CX is vital here too.
8 Sept 2020
S1E10: Michelle Royal on Unleashing and Learning Innovation
The thing most innovative companies have in common is a deep understanding of their customer's needs. Michelle Royal knows; she's been helping companies unleash their innovative potential for nearly 20 years through her consultancy, Royal Innovation Design Group (RIDG).
In this episode, Michelle and Andi talk about how to stay innovative during crisis, harnessing the potential to innovate within even the most inflexible of organizations, and how all organizations can enable innovation on the inside.
31 Aug 2020
S1E9: Colin McIntosh on Building Value and Giving Back
Colin is the CEO and founder at Sheets & Giggles, a start-up that makes eco-friendly (and ultra comfy) bedding out of eucalyptus trees. Colin knew he wanted to found a business that could make an impact on his community and the earth, and he did it.
Colin talks to Andi about the balance between building a startup (and making investors happy) and the desire to give back to his community.
24 Aug 2020
S1E8: Roger Germann on Guiding Principles and Pivoting in a Pandemic
As President & Chief Executive Officer of The Florida Aquarium, Roger Germann's leadership has been instrumental in guiding this Tampa attraction through some very difficult times.
In this episode, Roger and Andi talk about the importance of guiding principles, managing expectations, and always keeping your margins in mind. After all, in the world of mission-driven organizations, more margin means more mission.
15 Jun 2020
S1E7: Erik Smith on Listening, Learning, and How to Talk About Race
There is power in listening. It can broaden perspectives and be a fundamental step towards understanding and atonement. Erik Smith knows; he owns a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) consultancy and he's been helping organizations understand their role in systemic racism for most of his career.
Conversations about race can no longer be considered taboo or tiptoed around in America. They must be had and addressed, head-on. In this episode, listen as Andi asks some vulnerable and maybe embarrassing questions to help us all learn what we can be doing, now, to address system racism in our organizations and personal relationships.
1 Jun 2020
S1E6: Janet Craig and Barbra Anderson on Sustainability, Profitability and Culture
Whether you're a solo-preneur or a Fortune 10 company, your clients and customers want you to take a stand – and to really live the stand you take.
For better or worse, the pandemic has "opened the kimono" and shown the true colors of companies and leaders who truly do or do not walk the walk.
Barbra Anderson and Janet Craig have seen the good, bad and ugly, as their clients abandon or enforce their CSR programs throughout. The two are on a mission to create a better world, one responsible company at a time. Their company, Destination Better, provides uncomplicated tools to create more socially and environmentally responsible companies.
25 May 2020
S1E5: Nancy Lyons on Alignment, Ownership and Working Like a Boss
As leaders, we are expected to guide behavior according to the values of the companies at which we work. But what about employees? How can they find empowerment and autonomy within the ethos of the organizations at which they work?
Nancy Lyons (https://www.nancylyons.com/) is the CEO at Clockwork, a digital consultancy, and the author of "Work Like a Boss, A Kick in the Pants Guide to Finding and Using Your Power at Work." In this episode, Nancy and Andi discuss finding values alignment between employees and clients, offering autonomy and support to leaders looking to flex their leadership ability, and how to challenge and empower your employees.
18 May 2020
S1E4: Jeremy Stayton on Becoming a B-corp, Burning Man and How to Hire Right
Becoming a B-corp is a long, daunting process - so why bother? For Jeremy Stayton, a CEO interested in doing good in the world, it makes perfect sense. With a hope to attract clients and employees who share those values, the B-corp is a badge that triggers immediate recognition.
In this episode, Jeremy and Andi talk about how Burning Man and the Mankind Project led to a sort of epiphany of values, and the importance of alignment – even across a fully-remote team scattered around the world.
11 May 2020
S1E3: Jennifer Dary on Becoming a Manager and Firing People with Grace
Firing people is hard, especially when you have a small, close-knit team. But it's an absolutely essential part of running a successful business. Learning to let people go with grace and kindness is a skill that Jen Dary teaches people to do well.
In this episode, Jen talks to Andi about the struggles of becoming a manager, leading with values, and how to fire people with kindness.
5 May 2020
S1E2: Susan Scherer on Weed, Ice Cream, and Cancer Treatment
Susan Scherer is a decorated oncology nurse and entrepreneur who takes patients' rights very seriously. Her company, Heavenly Hash Creamery, produces high-fat, high-protein ice cream used for cancer patients. The twist? The ice cream also includes CBD, because cancer patients need it.
Susan talks with Andi about the tough choices she's has to make to launch a non-traditional product into a very traditional industry, and how her oath as a nurse guided those decisions.
4 May 2020
S1E1: Dr. Jen Hall on values & resilience
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a lot of opportunities for leaders to really stand up and make an impact in either positive or not so positive ways. Dr. Jennifer Hall, an executive coach, leadership trainer and assessment author, talks to Andi about how leaders can use their core values to help guide their behavior during this uncertain time.
Dr. Hall talks about value polarities; how to identify and label values that are authentic and realistic, and how leaders can use the "ring" method to learn how to share emotions and information.
30 Apr 2020
This is Walk the Walk.
Andi Graham has spent the past 15 years building a successful nationally-recognized marketing agency built on integrity, transparency, and strong core values. In this podcast, Andi will talk to entrepreneurs and experts about what it takes to run a true values-based organization, the difficult decisions necessary, and how to use those values to find and grow your business.
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