Fail Faster

Amy Reyes is currently serving as the Director of User Experience at Light & Wonder, where she leads a global, cross-functional team in creating user interfaces and systems for the online gaming industry. With a strategic mindset, strong leadership skills, and a passion for usability,

Amy has successfully implemented user-centered design strategies across diverse industries, including gaming, hospitality, and travel. Her dedication to exceptional customer experiences, coupled with her ability to cultivate a winning team culture, has earned her high regard as a respected leader within her organization.

Rajeev Tiwari is an Entrepreneur and a Software Engineering Leader. He is a co-founder of Talentnook Inc and drives the company's Product and Engineering wings the organization. He is an engineer by nature and product is what he lives and breathes for. He has been working in the IT industry for over 22 years. Along with his gig at Talentnook, he works with Salesforce with expertise in CI/CD operations.

Andy Goodman is a pioneer of the User Experience and Service Design industry and a well-known thought leader in the design space with many writing credits and appearances at SXSW, Interaction, and TED. After an early career in interactive TV and Games, Andy shifted focus to the agency world. He joined Fjord in London in 2008 and within 18 months he had founded the Madrid studio, rapidly becoming the most in-demand agency in Spain. In 2014, he moved again to New York and took over the US operation overseeing the build of four new studios. He has since brought his talents to BCG Digital Ventures, frog, and most recently, as VP of User Experience at Early Warning Services, the makers of Zelle.

Join Juan Carlos, VP of Product at Intercare Therapy in the Fail Faster podcast as he explores the transformative power of change and the pursuit of meaningful work. From his experiences as a filmmaker to his current role as a product leader, Juan Carlos shares personal stories, insights, and lessons learned along the way. Discover how embracing new perspectives, connecting with nature, and taking risks can lead to personal and professional growth. Each episode dives deep into the intersection of creativity, leadership, and social impact, inspiring listeners to navigate their own paths and become agents of change.

Join us on the Fail Faster Podcast as we dive into the experiences and insights of Eric Erway, a seasoned product experience leader at cart.com. In this episode, Eric shares his background and path to his current role, discussing his journey through various companies and the evolution of user experience over the years. Discover how Eric's passion for human-centered design and agile methodologies drives his approach to creating seamless commerce experiences. Gain valuable insights into the challenges faced in integrating diverse products and the importance of user research in shaping successful customer journeys. Tune in to explore the intersection of old and new in the world of design and learn from Eric's stories of successes, hiccups, and the unique advantages that make cart.com stand out in the market.

Kerin Smollen, Corporate Vice President of Design Thinking and Strategy at New York Life Ventures shares her journey of over 22 years in design thinking and how it has shaped her career. Kérin leads with an open mindset of approaching a problem space with one question: How Might We? This brings the user perspective into the design process. Kérin leads with this user perspective as a driving force as she transformed the design culture at ESPN, orchestrated the World Cup experience, and is now leading cultural change and collaboration at New York Life. Learn about the importance of empathy, celebrating learning, and breaking down silos in building innovative and user-centric solutions. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in driving design thinking as a culture within organizations.

Chris Wright, is a multifaceted individual with a passion for effective communication and public relations. Fueling his commitment to lifelong learning, he is currently expanding his knowledge and skills in business leadership at Governors State University. With a career spanning 13 years in product, Chris has notably spent around 4 years at IQVIA, contributing through data analytics and research. His expertise in recruitment, eConsent, eCOA, and decentralized clinical trials flourished during their last ~2 years at Science 37, where they focused on various essential aspects of clinical trials. Beyond their professional interests, Chris is a dedicated father to three wonderful children. In his free time, Chris enthusiastically assists his wife in owning and managing the area's best dance studio, watching Movies and TV shows and playing video games professionally.

Bhavini is a seasoned Tech Executive (CTO/VP) with over 25 years experience driving Business and Customer outcomes. She has led team transformations through different growth stages across public companies (like Microsoft) and startups (like Cruise, Headspace etc) , spanning different industries like autonomous vehicles, healthcare, wellness, enterprise, consumer social. Bhavini loves using human-centered design with streamlined automation to create experiences that improve people's lives. Additionally, she enjoys giving back to the community, advising C-level executives, mentoring at Techstars, First Round, Plato, and has also founded a group of Women Technology Executives in Los Angeles to support and foster this group while playing an active role in the LA CTO Forum. When she's not working, she loves the outdoors and enjoys boogie boarding with her husband and twins.

Crystal Woodard is an accomplished Director of Enterprise UX Design & Research at Lumen Technologies, leading a global, multi-disciplinary team of product designers and UX researchers. Using her robust user experience design and research background, Crystal is helping Lumen deliver valuable experiences supporting buying and management tasks for telecom and technology products and services. Crystal has established and implemented design and research best practices within several organizations. At Lumen, she developed a career ladder framework that supports the growth and development of her team members, resulting in multiple promotions for existing teammates. She also established a research practice that provides valuable insights and conducted numerous tactical and strategic research studies. Crystal led her team in introducing a fully digital buying experience for telecom professionals, resulting in improved user satisfaction, reduced task completion time, and increased lead generation for Sales. In addition to her professional achievements, Crystal has a range of interests and hobbies. She enjoys traveling, binge-watching series on Netflix, being a dog mom to her Shepsky, redecorating her house, going on random weekend road trips, trying new restaurants with friends, and keeping up with her favorite blogs.

Francis Phan is a product design leader, creative technologist, and music producer in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has a diverse background in media, advertising, eCommerce, and music technology and is focused on building products that leverage AI to inspire and empower creators. He is Head of Product Design and Research at Splice, a music creation platform and marketplace. Before joining Splice, Francis was Yahoo's Director of Product Design for Ad Innovation, where he owned product design for Native Advertising across Yahoo's Owned and Operated properties. Francis is passionate about grooming the next generation of product designers. He is a founding industry adviser to his grad school alma mater Rutgers University Innovation Design Entrepreneurship Academy (IDEA), which provides students with practical product and design thinking training. At Yahoo, Francis served as a lead, mentor, and HBCU recruiter for the Design Associate Program.