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In this episode of Navigating the Customer Experience, we talk with Justin Baer, an entrepreneur passionate about blending comfort and style into professional wear. Justin shares his journey from a tech-focused entrepreneur to founding Collars & Co., known for their innovative Dress Collar Polo — the perfect hybrid of dress shirt style with polo shirt comfort.

Originally a side project launched during the pandemic, Justin’s brand has grown exponentially, boasting over 300 SKUs, a 20,000 sq ft warehouse, and 20+ employees. Featured on Shark Tank, The Wall Street Journal, and Men’s Health, Collars & Co. is more than just apparel — it’s a community dedicated to excellence, integrity, and creativity.

Highlights Include:

• Entrepreneurial Journey: Justin always had a knack for business, growing up in a family where Wall Street Journals replaced Sports Illustrated. After years in tech and software, the discomfort of daily dress shirts in NYC inspired him to create a new kind of apparel.
• The Launch Story: Using a Shopify store, DIY photoshoots, and a TikTok video filmed by his daughter, Justin’s first shirts sold out almost immediately — proof of demand for stylish comfort.
• Customer Experience Focus: Transitioning from B2B to direct-to-consumer, Justin emphasizes constant learning, using data-driven A/B testing to refine online shopping experiences. They prioritize customer support, treating every customer "like a celebrity."
• Key Skills Sharpened:
  • Video editing and social media marketing (vital for brand building),
  • Accounting and financial acumen (essential for growth),
  • Customer service excellence (building a brand voice and culture internally and externally).
• Essential Tools: Shopify and Triple Whale (for e-commerce attribution) are vital to their daily operations.
• Book Recommendations: The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes, highlighting the power of letting data sell for you.
• Customer Perspective: As a shopper himself, Justin values social proof, return policies, and responsive support — factors Collars & Co. strives to excel at.
• Expanding the Line: While Collars & Co. began with menswear, a women’s collection is underway, recognizing the significant demand and opportunity in women's fashion.
• What’s Next: Justin is excited about launching a performance dress shirt line in partnership with Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team, offering high-tech, cool-to-the-touch fabrics for modern professionals.
• Mindset on Challenges: Justin embraces adversity, viewing problems as opportunities to improve — a philosophy that has fueled Collars & Co.’s rapid success.

Find Justin Online:

• Website: www.collarsandco.com
• LinkedIn: Justin Baer
• Instagram/TikTok: @collarsandcoclothing

Closing Thought:
Justin’s story is a reminder that true innovation often comes from solving personal problems — with grit, creativity, and a commitment to excellence. Whether you’re looking for entrepreneurial insights, fashion industry tips, or inspiration to chase your own ideas, this conversation offers invaluable lessons.

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In today’s episode of Navigating the Customer Experience with Eitan Koter. Eitan Koter, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Vimmi, has a rich background in the tech sector, particularly in video commerce, digital marketing, and social commerce. With over two decades of experience, including managing a public company and leading startups, Koter has established himself as a thought leader in the industry. His company, Vimmi, is a video commerce SaaS platform that has been operational for 11 years, focusing on immersive shopping experiences through video.

Eitan's Journey

Koter's career began in the tech sector, specifically in video compression technology. His extensive experience spans various sectors like eCommerce and media. He emphasizes the evolution of video marketing and commerce, noting the significant shift towards immersive experiences that enhance online shopping. Vimmi's unique approach integrates video and augmented reality to create interactive purchasing experiences, moving beyond traditional static product pages.

About Vimmi

Vimmi initially catered to large content providers and enterprises looking to launch video services similar to Netflix. The company serves a B2B2C model, where they provide solutions for enterprises that ultimately serve consumers. Koter highlights the growing trend of live shopping, inspired by practices in China, where brands engage audiences through live streams that incorporate direct purchasing options. This interactive format fosters emotional connections with consumers and enhances brand loyalty.

Recommended Skills and Tools for Video Commerce

Koter advises newcomers to focus on short-form videos (around 30 seconds), starting with a compelling hook rather than a sales pitch. He suggests creating content that addresses customer pain points and building personal connections through storytelling. The structure of these videos should include:

1. Hook: Capture attention with a question or intriguing statement.
2. Connection: Share personal stories or experiences related to the topic.
3. Showcase: Provide visual evidence of success or transformation.
4. Insight: End with a powerful takeaway for viewers.

Koter emphasizes authenticity and consistency in content creation, recommending that brands post regularly to build community engagement.

Importance of Social Commerce

Koter asserts that social commerce is crucial for future brand success. It enables brands to connect directly with consumers through engaging content across multiple platforms. The integration of shoppable videos allows for seamless transactions during live events or short-form content, enhancing the shopping experience.

Conclusion

Eitan Koter's insights into video commerce highlight its transformative potential in eCommerce. By leveraging immersive experiences and social engagement, brands can foster deeper connections with their audiences while driving sales. His expertise serves as a guide for businesses seeking to navigate the evolving landscape of digital marketing and commerce effectively.

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In today's episode of Navigating the Customer Experience with Josh Seiden. Josh’s insights emphasize that customer-centricity is a journey requiring both leadership and employees to adopt new ways of thinking and working. By focusing on customer needs and empowering teams through OKRs, organizations can create greater value and drive meaningful change.

Josh’s Journey

Josh began his career in Silicon Valley during the pre-internet days, working in technology. Fascinated by what makes great products and services, he spent many years as a designer and later a product manager. Today, he helps teams collaborate more effectively, fostering customer-centric approaches to deliver exceptional value to the world.

About Josh’s New Book: Who Does What By How Much? A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs

Josh’s book is inspired by his passion for integrating a customer-focused perspective into product and service development. He emphasizes that while creating good products is challenging, it’s essential to keep the customer at the core of decision-making. His book introduces OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), a goal-setting framework that helps organizations align their objectives with customer needs.

OKRs prompt teams to define clear objectives—what they want to achieve—and measurable key results based on customer outcomes. For example, the Cleveland Clinic uses OKRs with objectives like "Be the best place in the world to receive healthcare" and key results such as reducing serious safety events. This approach ensures customer-centric thinking while empowering teams to solve problems creatively.

Overcoming Challenges with OKRs

A common pain point in organizations is micromanagement, where leaders dictate tasks rather than allowing teams to leverage their expertise. OKRs address this by shifting leadership’s focus from controlling tasks to setting strategic goals and creating an environment where employees can solve problems independently. This requires mutual trust and encourages employees to think critically about delivering customer value.

However, resistance to change is a hurdle. Employees may feel overwhelmed by new processes. Josh emphasizes the importance of leadership in clearly articulating why OKRs are being adopted, addressing organizational pain points, and explaining how OKRs will benefit both the company and individual employees. This alignment fosters motivation and helps overcome resistance.

Aligning OKRs with Employee Needs

Josh highlights the need to connect OKRs to the employees’ sense of purpose. Everyone within an organization has customers—whether they’re external consumers or internal stakeholders. For example, an HR professional’s customers might be employees seeking benefits or managers hiring talent. By adopting a customer-centric mindset, employees at all levels can see how their roles contribute to organizational success, making them more engaged and motivated.

Key Behaviors for Customer-Centric Organizations

To become truly customer-centric, organizations must:

1. Understand Customers Deeply: Organizations should invest in customer discovery, understanding who their customers are, their motivations, and what challenges they face.
2. Prioritize Value Creation Over Sales: Beyond generating revenue, focus on how customers use products and whether those products are delivering real value.
3. Foster a Problem-Solving Culture: Empower employees to solve problems rather than prescribing solutions.
4. Enhance Communication and Transparency: Ensure alignment and clarity in how OKRs connect to customer and employee goals.

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In this episode, we dive deep into the insights of Laura Richard, a Principal at Level5 Strategy and a leader committed to enhancing customer experiences. With a background in health sciences, Laura transitioned into management consulting, driven by her curiosity and passion for problem-solving. Over her 15-plus-year career, she has worked across various sectors, including public, private, and not-for-profit, focusing on building effective strategies that yield tangible results for her clients.

Laura emphasizes the importance of understanding customer motivations, which she identifies as a mix of rational benefits and emotional responses. She believes that successful businesses must grasp these motivators to craft compelling customer promises and enhance their customer journeys. By identifying critical touchpoints—moments of truth in customer interactions—she helps organizations differentiate themselves and create impactful experiences.

Navigating Customer Experiences

When asked about navigating customer experiences, Laura discusses the necessity of addressing both rational and emotional aspects of customer interactions. She points out that different customer segments require unique approaches, and emphasizes active listening as a universal skill for frontline teams. Demonstrating empathy and understanding is crucial in resolving customer pain points effectively.

The Role of Personalization

Personalization is another key topic. Laura highlights its growing importance in creating customer-centric organizations, where customers feel valued and understood. However, she warns against overextending resources in an attempt to personalize too much, advocating for a balanced approach that aligns with an organization's maturity and capabilities.

Future Trends to Watch

Looking ahead, Laura identifies two critical trends for organizations to focus on in the next 6 to 12 months. First, she stresses the need for businesses to deeply understand customer journeys, pinpointing pain points and identifying suitable solutions before adopting new technologies. Second, she emphasizes the importance of connecting customer experience improvements to business outcomes, urging customer experience professionals to work closely with finance teams to demonstrate the value of their initiatives.

Essential Tools and Resources

When it comes to tools, Laura shares her reliance on TheyDo, a journey mapping and management tool that enables her team to visualize customer interactions and prioritize improvements effectively.

Influential Reads

Laura also reflects on the impact of Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why, which underscores the significance of purpose in driving engagement and motivation within organizations. This concept has influenced how she advises clients on articulating their core missions.

Current Excitement

Currently, Laura is excited about the repositioning of Level5 Strategy. The firm aims to communicate its focus on creating data-driven strategies that stick, aligning closely with client feedback and needs.

Connecting with Laura

Listeners can connect with Laura on LinkedIn and through the Level5 Strategy website, where they can explore more about their customer experience offerings.

Inspiration During Challenges

To wrap up the episode, Laura shares her mantra during tough times: “Just keep moving forward.” This simple yet powerful reminder encourages incremental progress and continuous value creation.

This conversation with Laura Richard offers valuable insights into enhancing customer experiences, the importance of personalization, and strategies for organizational growth. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how to drive impactful change in your busin

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In today's digital landscape, the exponential growth of data presents unique challenges and opportunities for organizations. Keith Goode, a leader in human capital management and business intelligence, emphasizes the significance of leveraging data to enhance decision-making around an organization’s most valuable asset: its people. As a member of ZeroedIn Technologies, Keith is dedicated to turning HR and business data into actionable workforce intelligence.

Keith's Journey

With a background in information management systems, Keith combines technical expertise with deep knowledge of HR practices, including benefits, payroll, and core HR functions. His experience allows him to create comprehensive reporting solutions that empower organizations to make informed decisions using historical data.

About ZeroedIn Technologies

Founded by a visionary who Keith has collaborated with since the early 90s, ZeroedIn aims to address the issue of siloed HR solutions. These systems often offer a wealth of data but lack the insights needed for effective workforce management. ZeroedIn integrates data from various HR functions—such as learning, benefits, and payroll—into a unified platform that provides a single point of truth regarding employee interactions and performance.

Success Stories

Keith highlights several success stories from his work with clients. For instance, in organizations with outdoor workers, ZeroedIn correlated core HR information with weather data. This analysis helped clients understand how environmental factors affected performance and efficiency.

In the retail sector, ZeroedIn assisted clients in correlating employee performance data with sales figures. This integration enabled store managers to identify top performers and allocate coaching resources effectively, thereby enhancing overall sales output.

Trends for 2025: Merging Human and Data Intelligence

As organizations move toward 2025, Keith identifies two key trends: collective listening and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Collective listening involves combining quantitative data from various systems with qualitative insights gathered from employee surveys and communications. This approach provides a comprehensive view of organizational health.

In the realm of AI, Keith discusses the potential of machine learning and large language models. These technologies can analyze historical data, generate predictions, and even interpret complex datasets in user-friendly formats. For example, managers can leverage AI to gain insights from dashboards, enabling them to understand trends and identify actionable strategies without needing advanced technical skills.

The Role of Critical Thinking

A key question arises: as AI becomes more integrated into decision-making, will critical thinking diminish? Keith addresses this concern by encouraging a balanced approach. He believes AI should enhance human capabilities rather than replace them. By using AI-generated insights as a starting point, professionals can apply their expertise and intuition to delve deeper into the data, ultimately leading to more informed and innovative decisions.

Conclusion

Keith Goode’s insights reveal the immense potential of data in transforming HR practices. Through platforms like ZeroedIn, organizations can harness their data to make better, faster decisions that positively impact their workforce. As technology evolves, the fusion of human insight and data intelligence will be crucial in navigating the future of work.

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In this solo episode of "Navigating the Customer Experience," host Yanique Grant reflects on her podcasting journey and offers encouragement to those considering starting their own. With 245 episodes under her belt and a recent transition to video podcasting, Yanique shares insights on overcoming fears and embracing new challenges.

Yanique begins by discussing her mission through her company, Professional Training & Occupational Services, which aims to create a more caring world. Inspired by the cartoon "Care Bears," she emphasizes that customer experience is a vital part of life and encourages listeners to view their interactions as opportunities to serve others.

As she dives into her podcasting experience, Yanique reveals her initial apprehensions about switching to video format. However, through research and conversations with fellow podcasters, she has begun to embrace this new medium, finding it a rewarding way to connect and share knowledge.

She believes that customer experience is not just a professional focus but a lifestyle that requires commitment and passion. Yanique encourages those feeling timid about starting a podcast or business to take action, reminding them that success comes from trying, even in the face of fear and anxiety. She acknowledges that even successful individuals face challenges, but overcoming these obstacles can lead to personal growth.

Yanique also emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge and skills. With numerous platforms available today, everyone has the opportunity to showcase their unique talents—whether it’s baking, crafting, or any other skill. She reassures listeners that they possess unique value that cannot be replicated, and encourages them to embrace their individuality.

Continuing her message of empowerment, Yanique highlights the vast resources available online for learning and growth. She believes that anyone can learn new skills with a little effort and encourages listeners to leverage online platforms to their advantage.

In closing, Yanique expresses her gratitude for the support of her audience, inviting them to share feedback and suggestions for future episodes. She hopes that listeners find the same passion in their pursuits as she does in teaching customer service. By surrounding themselves with positive influences and focusing on their goals, Yanique believes that anyone can achieve their dreams.

Tune in to this inspiring episode for valuable insights on embracing your journey, whether in podcasting, business, or personal growth!

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Andrew Carothers is a Senior Customer Experience Leader and a CCXP who has significantly shaped the field of customer experience (CX). His career began in public relations, where he worked both in agencies and in-house. He transitioned into the technology sector at Autodesk and even worked for the Electric Vehicle Association of America before the concept of electric vehicles became popular.

Over the years, Andrew expanded his expertise beyond public relations into various marketing communications roles. His pivotal move came when he joined Cisco Systems, where he transitioned from marketing to the newly established customer experience function. At that time, Cisco primarily sold hardware with long sales cycles and minimal customer interaction. However, the company's shift towards a recurring revenue model and the rise of software as a service (SaaS) transformed customer engagement.

As part of a small team at Cisco tasked with redefining customer interactions, Andrew gained extensive experience in digital CX, voice of the customer initiatives, and journey mapping. This journey laid the foundation for his later successes in customer experience, where he has won multiple international awards and contributed to thought leadership in the field.

Evolving Customer Expectations

Andrew identifies two major trends currently shaping customer expectations:

1. Consistency Across Experiences: Customers now expect seamless and consistent interactions across all channels. This shift has been heavily influenced by leading companies like Amazon and Apple, which have set high standards for user experience. The ease of searching for, purchasing, and returning products has raised customer expectations across all industries, including B2B environments.
2. Digital-First Interactions: The demand for digital experiences has surged, particularly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers now expect to engage with companies through digital channels first, regardless of their size. This expectation includes easy access to information and services, marking a significant change in customer interaction dynamics.

The Importance of Self-Service

Research indicates that up to 80% of customers seek information independently before contacting a company. This trend highlights the necessity for robust self-service options. Companies should invest in knowledge bases that feature diverse content formats—text, video, infographics—to cater to different customer learning preferences. By enabling customers to resolve issues on their own, organizations can enhance overall satisfaction and engagement.

Harnessing Data for Enhanced CX

As Andrew looks ahead to 2025, he emphasizes the critical role of data in shaping customer experience strategies. He advocates for organizations, regardless of size, to consolidate data from various sources to create a holistic view of customer interactions. Understanding customer needs through predictive analytics will be essential for delivering personalized and effective experiences.

In conclusion, Andrew Carothers’ journey reflects the evolution of customer experience driven by changing expectations, the rise of digital engagement, and the strategic importance of data. His insights and experiences position him as a leader in the field, guiding organizations toward more customer-centric practices and enhanced satisfaction.

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In this episode of Navigating the Customer Experience, host Yanique Grant interviews Rusty Rueff, a seasoned leader with a diverse career in entertainment, talent management, and philanthropy. Rusty shares insights from his journey, which includes significant roles at PepsiCo and Electronic Arts (EA), where he was instrumental in global human resources and talent management.

Rusty discusses the core concepts from his latest book, The Faith Code, emphasizing the importance of building a life platform based on enduring values and relationships rather than transient interests. He highlights the need for balance among mind, body, and spirit to achieve personal fulfillment and professional success.

The conversation also explores the relationship between personal wellness and delivering exceptional customer experiences, with both Rusty and Yanique stressing the significance of self-care. Rusty shares his mantra: "Fearlessly be yourself," underscoring authenticity as a key element of effective leadership.

Additionally, Rusty addresses the impact of technology on society and encourages embracing innovations like generative AI to enhance productivity. He expresses excitement about future projects, including recording an audiobook version of The Faith Code and engaging in new ventures that foster meaningful connections among people.

This episode is rich with practical advice and reflections on navigating life with purpose and intention, making it a valuable listen for anyone looking to improve their customer experience skills or integrate holistic wellness into their daily routine.