This episode explores how AI data agents promise to unlock speed, autonomy, and strategic clarity that lifecycle marketing teams have been waiting for — by removing their biggest blocker: access to usable, contextual data.

Through a conversation with Ishan Rakshit (Co-founder @ Sortment), we dive into how AI is shifting from being a creative assistant to becoming a deeply integrated data teammate — helping CRM teams move from ticket requests to instant, insight-driven execution.

I honestly feel this is one of the most insightful episode of my podcast so far. Some of the key topics we discussed here:

• Why does personalization still feel broken in 2025?: A honest look at why lifecycle marketing hasn’t evolved fast enough — and what’s kept us stuck.
• How AI is changing the way CRM professionals think — not just how fast they move. What are the AI native use-cases for lifecycle marketers?: Things that weren't possible until we had this technology. AI enables teams to ask more questions, explore more strategies, and think out loud without friction.
• What can an AI data agent actually do?: Real examples: from asking vague brainstorming prompts to deploying live segments into your ESP — in minutes, not weeks.
• Why the future marketing tech stack will be built around your data warehouse — not your ESP": A must-hear for Heads of CRM and Growth Leaders thinking about the next 12–24 months of their CRM & Martech tooling.
• "How to get your team (and data team) ready for AI-first workflows": Tangible advice on change management, adoption blockers, and the mindset shifts required to truly benefit from AI tools.

You can check out Sortment here.

Cognitive biases shape how users make decisions, but how do you apply them strategically in product, CRM, and growth—without relying on gimmicks? How do you choose and prioritise which biases can help your users?

In this episode of LTV Talks, I sit down with Angele Lenglemetz, Senior Product Manager at Cleo AI, to explore the right (and wrong) ways to use cognitive biases in your work. Angele shares how she evolved from using psychological tricks as quick wins to systematically integrating behavioral science into product strategy.

We cover:
✅ How to choose the right cognitive bias for the right problem✅ Why loss aversion, anchoring, and social proof work—and when they don’t✅ How Cleo applied biases in financial behavior change (and what backfired)✅ The 3B framework for systematically applying biases to product & CRM✅ When overusing biases hurts trust and long-term retention

Whether you’re a product manager, lifecycle marketer, or growth expert, this episode will give you a clearer, more structured approach to applying behavioral science in your daily work.

In this conversation, I speak with Dr. Tim Wiegels explore the intricacies of CRM data, focusing on effective measurement strategies, common pitfalls in CRM teams, and the importance of understanding the broader business context.

Tim shares his journey from academia to data leadership, emphasizing the need for CRM teams to align their metrics with overall business goals and to avoid siloed thinking. The discussion also touches on the challenges of managing control groups and the potential overload of CRM tools, advocating for a more strategic approach to data utilization.

In this conversation, wel discuss the challenges and strategies surrounding CRM tools, customer data management, and the importance of understanding customer lifetime value. The emphasis for teams to define their strategies, leverage AI for data analysis, and focus on retention in the evolving landscape of marketing.

The discussion also highlights the significance of data literacy and the future of CRM in a data-driven world.takeaways

• Understanding ROI on CRM tools is crucial.
• Teams often focus too narrowly on their KPIs.
• A holistic view of the funnel is essential.
• Vouchers can lead to revenue loss if mismanaged.
• CRM goals should align with overall business objectives.
• Control groups need regular refreshing to remain valid.
• Data teams must communicate effectively with management.
• Incrementality and uplift modeling are key measurement strategies.
• Headspace is necessary for effective data analysis.
• Freelancing allows for more focused project work. CRM teams often rely too heavily on tools without understanding their full capabilities.
• It's crucial to segment customer data effectively to drive better marketing strategies.
• Defining a clear strategy is essential for CRM teams to succeed.
• Customer lifetime value is complex and requires a deep understanding of customer behavior.
• AI can significantly enhance data analysis and decision-making processes.
• Teams should focus on retention strategies as acquisition becomes more challenging.
• Data literacy is vital for marketing teams to manipulate and understand data effectively.
• Using AI tools can streamline processes and improve efficiency in data handling.
• Understanding the value segments of customers can help in targeted marketing efforts.
• Effective communication and collaboration between teams are key to successful CRM implementation.

Tim's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwiegels/

Tim's Podcast: https://tr.ee/DCtUqUirY_

Enjoy this conversation!

Summary

In this conversation, I interview Sundar Swaminathan, a marketing data science leader, about his journey from software development to B2C marketing analytics.

Sundar shares insights from his time at Uber, emphasizing the importance of a data-driven culture and psychological safety in fostering innovation.

We discuss the challenges of lifecycle marketing, the significance of personalization, and strategies for maximizing impact while minimizing effort. The conversation highlights the need for clear lifecycle definitions and the role of leadership in creating an environment conducive to data-driven decision-making.

In this conversation, Sundar and I delve into the intricacies of personalization in marketing, discussing its varying importance across different industries. We also explore the strategic use of discounts and promotions to enhance user engagement, emphasizing the need for A/B testing to validate marketing strategies. Sundar shares insights on overcoming barriers to experimentation, highlighting the human factors that often hinder progress. The discussion also covers the significance of strategic measurement in marketing efforts, particularly the use of health metrics to gauge business performance effectively.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Sundar Swaminathan
• 07:56 Creating Psychological Safety in Data-Driven Environments
• 13:55 Understanding Lifecycle Marketing and Its Importance
• 29:01 Maximizing Impact through Effective Personalization
• 35:03 Leveraging Discounts and Promotions for User Engagement
• 40:40 Overcoming Barriers to Experimentation
• 49:10 Strategic Measurement in Marketing
• 55:32 Understanding Health Metrics for Business Success

Keywords

B2C marketing, data science, marketing analytics, psychological safety, lifecycle marketing, personalization, Uber, data-driven culture, experimentation, marketing strategies, personalization, marketing, A/B testing, user engagement, measurement, health metrics, lifecycle marketing, discounts, experimentation, data science

Here's an experimental podcast episode, created entirely by Google's NotebookLM. When I was starting out, this playbook from Amplitude was the most helpful resource that I found, studied and applied as cleanly as possible. It's a comprehensive guide to mastering user retention, which is crucial for achieving sustainable product growth.

The playbook emphasises that retaining existing users is as important as acquiring new ones, and that focusing on retention impacts all critical business metrics. The central theme is the Retention Lifecycle Framework, which categorises users into four stages: New Users, Current Users, Resurrected Users, and Dormant Users. This framework facilitates tailored retention strategies for each user group, focusing on shifting the retention curve up by improving the new user experience and flattening the curve by nurturing long-term user engagement. The playbook outlines specific steps for analysing user behaviour in each stage, including identifying behavioral personas, and using various product analysis tools like cohort analysis, funnel analysis, stickiness analysis, and session metrics, to gain insights into user actions and drivers of retention. It emphasises the importance of experimentation and iterative improvements, providing practical examples and recommendations for implementing strategies to enhance user retention throughout the lifecycle. The playbook concludes by highlighting the importance of setting concrete retention goals, monitoring key metrics, and prioritising experiments for continuous growth.

In this conversation, Daniel Layfield, former Growth Lead at Code Academy & founder of Subscription Index shares insights on monetizing subscription businesses. He discusses his transition from JP Morgan to Code Academy and the challenges of transitioning to a subscription model.

Daniel emphasizes the importance of focusing on the fundamentals of pricing, paywalls, checkout pages, and churn tactics. He also highlights the significance of metrics and data analysis in optimizing monetization. Additionally, Daniel discusses team structures, the balance between speed and accuracy in product development, and the impact of unnecessary complexity on velocity. The conversation covers topics such as planning for success and maintenance, A/B testing and experimentation, trends and opportunities in 2024, and increasing LTV through pricing.

Takeaways

• Startups should plan for the scenario where they are successful and need to maintain their systems.
• A/B testing should be used selectively and only for complex changes or high-risk areas.
• In 2024, big companies are focusing on profitability and finding ways to generate more revenue from each account.
• There is a gap at the bottom of the market for B2B SaaS tools, creating opportunities for newer companies.
• Raising prices and removing free trials are strategies to increase LTV.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:10 Transition from JP Morgan to Code Academy

03:05 Joining Code Academy and Focus on Monetization

05:10 Challenges of Transitioning to a Subscription Model

08:45 Team Structure and Challenges in Subscription Growth

10:35 Importance of Fundamentals in Subscription Business

13:35 Churn Tactics and Payment Processing

19:49 Common Pitfalls in Subscription Monetization

24:55 Importance of Metrics and Data Analysis

26:36 Team Setups and Organization Structures

34:01 The Importance of Speed in Product Development

37:13 Balancing Speed and Accuracy

38:19 Planning for Success and Maintenance

39:13 A/B Testing and Experimentation

44:02 Trends and Opportunities in 2024

45:28 Increasing LTV through Pricing

Giulia Penna, Director of Growth at Clue, discusses the topic of reporting in CRM teams and organisations. She shares her career progression, from working in startups to becoming a freelancer before joining Clue.

Giulia highlights the importance of reporting in CRM and the challenges she faced when she joined the company. She emphasizes the need for structure, planning, and reliable reporting to measure the impact of CRM campaigns.

We also discussed the evolution of CRM and the changing expectations in reporting and attribution. In this conversation, Giulia discusses the importance of clear communication and oversharing in a team, as well as the value of repetition and making information easily accessible.

She emphasizes the need for trust in reporting and the importance of having confidence in the numbers being shared. Giulia also discusses the balance between using existing reporting tools and working with the data team to improve reporting accuracy. She highlights the need for reporting to focus on company metrics and the impact of campaigns, rather than just campaign-level metrics.

Additionally, Giulia touches on the role of a CRM manager in clear communication, recognition of team efforts, and the evolving nature of reporting with the integration of AI tools.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

In this talk, I described an onboarding case study with a health & fitness app called Lifesum. We used behavioral psychology research to create an onboarding checklist program and delivered it entirely through CRM channels.

The talk goes through the key steps in delivering and measuring such projects through understanding CRM leverage, having the right team mindset as well as staying away from some key data traps.