Today's episode features David Edelman, Harvard Business School fellow and author of Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI. David shares his career journey from consulting at BCG to leading digital transformation at Digitas, McKinsey, and Aetna. He explains why personalization is more than just a marketing tactic—it's a strategic tool to enhance customer experience and drive business growth. 

The discussion explores real-world examples from Starbucks,  Spotify and Aetna, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of AI-driven personalization. David also introduces the Personalization Index, detailing five key dimensions that separate industry leaders from laggards. Finally, he offers insights on how companies can use AI and data to improve customer engagement and financial performance. 

[01:14] David's Career Journey 

[04:33] The Importance of Personalization 

[08:36] Personalization in Customer Experience 

[14:46] Motivation Behind Writing the Book

[16:39] The Personalization Index and Its Dimensions

[23:13] Unlocking New Opportunities with Personalization

Connect with David

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/daveedelman

Website: www.edelmanadvisoryservices.com