Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta

In this Greatest Hits episode of Getting to Aha!, host Darshan Mehta talks with Joe Lazer, Head of Marketing at A.Team. Joe shares his pivotal "aha!" moment and highlights the critical role of storytelling in marketing. He emphasizes the need to connect with audiences genuinely, especially as attention spans shorten.

Joe leads marketing at A.Team, the first team network connecting top product builders with leading companies. A contributor to Fast Company, he covers tech industry trends and authored Storytelling Edge: How to Transform Your Business, Stop Screaming Into the Void, and Make People Love You (2018). Before joining A.Team, Joe served as Vice President of Marketing at Contently, where he directed editorial strategy, overseeing publications like The Content Strategist, The Freelancer, and Contently Quarterly, their print magazine.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 Storytelling without emotion means it isn’t a good story. A genuine sense of rising tension and conflict is the key to great storytelling. Joe cites the latest Apple advertisement as an example - it’s intense, and the viewers are on the edge of their seats. It’s what gets an audience to engage with a brand’s story and watch anything a brand posts for more than the first two seconds. Humans love stories with conflict and tension, so if you’re creating an advertisement or a marketing campaign, try to keep that in mind.

👉 There is a lot of content out there, and the entire concept of tension at its core has changed. Viewers have become accustomed to quick cuts within storytelling to keep their minds addicted and engaged. It’s rare to find any mainstream content nowadays that really takes its time and lets the audience sit in a certain feeling; they’re constantly fighting for attention. Joe even talks about how it’s a massive issue in children’s content, how there’s an algorithmically addictive content machine that’s constantly competing for children’s brains. It’s slightly worrying, and it's only getting worse with TikTok and other social media platforms.

👉 The first three seconds of your content - especially short-form content - is the key to engaging your audience. You need to keep them interested, so if you have conflict or tension, people present in the video, and some sort of action, you’re on the right track. You just need to ensure the rest of the footage engages them. Start asking yourself what you could be doing differently and what storytelling techniques you could use to your advantage. Never be afraid to experiment.

👉 Reach is essential for your marketing content, but does it resonate with your audience? There’s no use trying to reach thousands of people if the content you’re trying to get them with is not very good at the end of the day. All people want is to feel something; as a marketer, you owe it to the audience and yourself to provide that.

Listen now!
Fame Host - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
Youtube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

Connect with the Host and Guest Here:
Darshan Mehta on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch Website: iresearch.com
Joe Lazer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-lazer-lazauskas-8b442026/
A.Team Website: https://www.a.team/

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

In this episode of Getting to Aha!, Darshan Mehta connects with Stephen Phillips, Founder and CEO of Zappi, an agile consumer insight platform. Join them as they explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on market research. Stephen shares his journey from the early 1990s to leading innovative consumer insights solutions, emphasizing the critical role of AI in interpreting emotional context and enhancing decision-making.

Discover the common pitfalls in understanding insights, the importance of structured data, and how AI can balance creativity with market relevance. Stephen also introduces his book, “The Consumer Insights Revolution,” co-authored with industry leaders, which serves as a playbook for brands looking to digitize their insights. Tune in to gain valuable insights into the future of market research and the collaboration between human creativity and AI!

Stephen Phillips is the Founder of Zappi and Chair of the MRS Sustainability Council. As a pioneer in the insights industry, Zappi empowers creators globally by leveraging data and AI to enhance market research capabilities. Stephen has dedicated significant time to developing AI-first models that extract valuable insights from research data while advocating for sustainable practices in the insights field. With experience spanning four continents, he specializes in international research and is a published expert in Behavioral Economics. Stephen's accolades include the ESOMAR Best Paper and MRS Conference’s Best New Thinking awards. His upcoming book, The Consumer Insights Revolution, co-authored with industry leaders, aims to redefine market research for consumer-centric organizations.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉  Stephen reflects on his early career in market research, detailing how his experiences in Asia and New York influenced his understanding of consumer insights.

👉  Stephen explains consumer insights and emphasizes their role in guiding actionable business decisions rather than causing analysis paralysis.

👉  The discussion covers frequent pitfalls organizations face, including conflating data with insights and resisting changes in methodologies.

👉  Stephen introduces the transformative role of AI in market research, highlighting its ability to interpret emotional context and automate various processes.

👉  Stephen elaborates on the complexities of aligning various data systems to create adequate datasets for AI applications in market research.

👉 The conversation emphasizes the necessity of human involvement in AI-driven insights, particularly in understanding brand context and ensuring relevancy

👉 Stephen shares his optimistic view on the future of AI in market research, addressing the challenges of human collaboration with AI to maximize outcomes.

Listen Now!
Fame Host - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/48t2yi5
YouTube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

And connect with the host and guests here:
Darshan Mehta on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch website - https://iresearch.com
Stephen Phillips on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-phillips-2121ab/
Zappi Website: https://www.zappi.io/web/

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

In this Greatest Hits episode of Getting to Aha!, Darshan Mehta revisits his conversation with  Nikhil Jain, Co-Founder of Mealawe, to discuss three integral lessons learned during his entrepreneurial journey, the long-term benefits of curiosity, and the lengthy yet worthwhile process of finding new chefs and kitchens.

Nikhil Jain is the Co-Founder of Mealawe, a food delivery service that’s transforming the industry with fresh, delicious homemade meals. He also serves as Vice President of Rotaract and is the Founder of VIBRANCY. His previous roles include Channel Partner at Exampil Solutions, Founder of Sparkles Valley, and Marketing & Public Relations Specialist at PICT Entrepreneurship Development Cell.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 Nikhil was profoundly impacted by the phrase, "The goal is to die with memories, not dreams." He aims not just to dream but to turn those dreams into lasting memories through action.

👉 His entrepreneurial journey has been filled with challenges, and the first lesson he learned was the importance of caution—never to trust anyone fully. It's crucial to be prepared legally and ethically for setbacks, ensuring that agreements and contracts are always signed as a safeguard for all parties involved.

👉 The second lesson emphasizes the need for thorough documentation. Keeping detailed records of plans and essential documents is vital; without them, clarity—the cornerstone of entrepreneurial success—can be lost.

👉 The third and most crucial lesson is the need for consistency and passion. Staying motivated and genuinely caring about your goals is essential, or you risk regretting your decisions as a business owner.

👉 Nikhil highlights curiosity as a significant asset in his career. It enabled him to discover how to make Mealawe a viable business and identify the market gap for his offerings.

👉 He notes that finding chefs for Mealawe is a lengthy process, as they must ensure all kitchens meet hygiene and safety standards. While time-consuming, these steps are essential to making the business a reality.

Listen now!
Fame Host - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
Youtube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

Connect with the Host and Guest Here:
Darshan Mehta on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch Website: iresearch.com
Nikhil Jain on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhiljain13

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

In this episode of Getting to Aha!, Darshan Mehta is joined by Benjamin Moróne, founder of Zabota. Join them as they discuss building a local brand, how to hire for success, and AI’s potential role in recruitment.

Benjamin Moróne is the founder of Zabota, a recruitment firm that connects businesses with pre-vetted, English-speaking talent from Eastern Europe and Latin America, helping them find the right fit while reducing costs. Zabota have matched over eighty American companies with exceptional talent from EE and LATAM, and have a high success rate, with 49 out of 50 placements being successful on the first try.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 Discussing the challenges he faced when first entering the Eastern European and Latin American markets, Benjamin explains that, initially, building a local brand and gaining credibility was a challenge. However, they overcame it by establishing a presence in the areas they sourced talent from and building relationships.

👉 In terms of customer insights, Benjamin describes how they have a casual relationship with their clients and often ask for feedback through text messages or during client interviews. By maintaining close communication with clients, they are able to continuously improve their onboarding process and ensure client satisfaction.

👉 When asked about the key traits he looks for in candidates, Benjamin emphasizes the importance of candidates asking questions during interviews. He believes that candidates who ask thoughtful questions about growth opportunities and success indicators are more likely to be committed and dedicated to their roles. Benjamin also emphasizes the importance of companies crafting precise, well thought-out job descriptions that allow Benjamin and his team to accurately match talent to the role.

👉 Regarding the future of Zabota, Benjamin sees opportunities in developing tools to streamline the recruitment process and eliminate barriers to remote work. He wants to make the process seamless and easy for clients, eliminating any hesitations they may have about employing remote workers. In terms of AI, Benjamin mentions that they use it for meeting summaries and skill tests. However, he expresses reservations about using AI for matching candidates to roles, as he believes it is challenging to capture all the necessary details and nuances of a role and company culture.

Listen Now!
Fame Host - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
YouTube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

And connect with the host and guests here:
Darshan Mehta on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch website - https://iresearch.com
Benjamin Moróne on Linkedin - www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-moróne-454009112
Zabota website - https://www.zabota.io

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

Welcome to this Greatest Hits episode of Getting to Aha! Let’s relive Darshan’s conversation with Dan Fleetwood, President of Research and Insights at QuestionPro. Join them as Dan Fleetwood shares key moments from his career journey, offering insights into optimizing online survey responses and the role of online communities in market research. They explore how COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of online surveys and discuss the growing influence of atomic research. Dan provides expert advice on improving survey presentation and shares his vision for the future of online qualitative research.

As the President of Research and Insights at QuestionPro, Dan brings over 15 years of market research experience and a passion for how software empowers businesses to gather feedback and generate actionable insights. His tech career began early, recognizing the industry's rapid growth. Before joining QuestionPro, Dan was the Project Management Director at Pacific Market Research, leveraging technology platforms to enhance research efforts and drive better decision-making.

Key Takeaways

👉 Atomic Research Value - Atomic research creates a structured corporate taxonomy for managing user insights.

👉Insight Accessibility - Atomic research stores information for easy future access and long-term insights.

👉 Optimal Survey Length - A 10-12 minute survey is ideal; longer surveys need incentives and transparency.

👉 Atomic Research Implementation - Steps: Locate all qualitative data, allocate resources, and create ongoing processes.

👉  Survey Creator's Perspective - Ensure you'd be willing to take the survey you send out.

👉  Interactive Survey Design - Make surveys engaging with smiley rankings, thumbs-ups, images, videos, and progress bars.

👉 Avoid Respondent Fatigue - Surveys over 12 minutes lead to participant drop-off.

👉 Avoid Overcomplication - Don't overwhelm respondents with complex logic or difficult paths in your survey.

👉 Online Community Insights - Use online communities for quick, real-time market feedback and adjustments.

👉 Data CRM Question - "Most companies have CRMs for customers, but what about for their  data?"

👉 Video Engagement - Incorporating videos can boost future online survey engagement.

👉 Heatmap Analysis - Interactive questions and heatmaps offer clear insights into respondent preferences.

Listen now!
Fame Host - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
Youtube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

Connect with the Host and Guest Here:
Darshan Mehta on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch Website: iresearch.com
Dan Fleetwood on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danfleetwood
QuestionPro Website: questionpro.com/

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

In this episode of @Getting to Aha!, @Darshan Mehta is joined by @Gitesh Dubal, Founder and CEO of Nova Spark Ventures. They explore the significance of curiosity in fostering meaningful conversations, the challenges of extracting actionable insights from data, and the critical need for understanding the patient journey in healthcare marketing. Gitesh emphasizes the role of automation tools in simplifying data accessibility for decision-makers and advocates for a patient-centric approach that leverages insights from patient organizations.

With extensive experience in healthcare marketing and innovation, Gitesh is currently working with Nova Spark Ventures, where he helps bring new therapies to market and drives growth for emerging companies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 Gitesh emphasizes the importance of experiential learning in sales. Transitioning from marketing to sales, he learned firsthand how physicians perceive products and make decisions about patient care. This experience taught him that the answers are not merely found in corporate headquarters but through genuine interactions in the field. By understanding the physician's perspective and collecting data on patient experiences, he was able to triangulate insights that informed better strategies. This insight illustrates that hands-on experience and active listening are crucial for developing effective sales strategies in healthcare.

👉 In his approach to hiring and leadership, Gitesh looks for traits such as hunger, intellectual curiosity, and positivity. He believes that successful salespeople are often those who ask insightful questions, listen attentively, and engage in collaborative problem-solving. Gitesh also shares that assessing candidates involves open-ended questions that reveal their values and accomplishments, especially those that require teamwork and overcoming challenges. By fostering a culture of positivity and encouraging open communication, he creates an environment where insights can flourish, ultimately leading to greater success for both the team and the organization.

👉 Gitesh emphasizes the role of genuine curiosity in fostering meaningful conversations. He argues that allowing discussions to veer off their prescribed agenda can lead to unexpected insights and deeper understanding. This openness is crucial in settings where complex problems need to be addressed. By creating space for tangential dialogues, leaders can uncover issues and opportunities that may not surface within rigid structures. Gitesh shares how breaking away from strict agendas in leadership meetings at his previous company allowed team members to explore significant challenges, enabling them to generate innovative solutions collaboratively. This approach promotes a culture of inquiry and adaptability, essential for navigating the complexities of today’s business landscape.

Listen Now!
bCast - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
YouTube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

And connect with the host and guests here:
Darshan Mehta on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch website - https://iresearch.com
Gitesh Dubal on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/giteshdubal/
Nova Spark Ventures website - https://nova-spark.com/

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

In this Greatest Hits episode of Getting to Aha!, host Darshan Mehta is joined by Gil Eyal, the Head of Marketing and Innovation at Silverstein Properties. Their conversation delves into Gil’s transformative “aha!” moments, contrasting influencer marketing with celebrity endorsements, avoiding common pitfalls in celebrity endorsements, and highlighting the importance of storytelling in effective marketing. They also discuss diversification in digital marketing, the critical nature of conversions in marketing metrics, the longevity and scalability of various marketing channels, and the evolving role of AI in the marketing landscape.

Gil Eyal has been recognized as one of the 30 most influential figures in influencer marketing. In his role at Silverstein Properties, he drives marketing innovation while supporting start-ups through Stardust Ventures, which focuses on consumer-oriented technology companies. Gil has a notable history in the crypto space and was the president and founder of HYPR, a leader in data-driven influencer marketing automation solutions, which was sold in 2020 to Julius Works. Under Gil's leadership, HYPR earned several accolades, including the 2019 Best Content Marketing Tech Platform award. He has reshaped how many leading agencies and brands approach influencer marketing, leveraging data, analytics, and demographic insights akin to traditional digital marketing methods. Throughout his career, Gil has collaborated with A-list personalities in music, film, and sports, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Zendaya.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 Pursue Passion: Prioritize passion and happiness over societal norms when making career choices. Success is not a linear path; it’s about maximizing opportunities.

👉 Unconventional Approach: Embrace a bold approach and view perceived weaknesses as strengths; create content that differentiates itself.

👉 Evolving Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing has shifted significantly; adapt to changes in social media algorithms and focus on the effectiveness of live streams and smaller influencers.

👉 Strategic Celebrity Endorsements: Ensure that celebrity endorsements are both strategic and authentic, prioritizing values and narrative alignment over sheer follower count.

👉 Avoid Mismatches: Mismatched endorsements can breed skepticism; choose celebrities who authentically align with the brand’s values.

👉 The Power of Storytelling: Successful marketing campaigns are rooted in storytelling, crucial for shaping consumer perceptions and engagement. Authenticity in storytelling is key.

👉 Continuous Testing: Maintain a mindset of ongoing testing and optimization; be willing to experiment, learn from failures, and adapt strategies accordingly.

👉 Influencer Impact: Understand that influencer marketing isn't just about numbers; genuine impact is measured by resonance rather than reach.

👉 Focus on Conversions: Shift your focus from clicks and views to conversions—the ultimate metric for marketing success lies in turning users into loyal customers.

👉 AI’s Transformative Future: AI is poised to revolutionize marketing through precise measurement, tailored activations with micro-influencers, and automating tasks ranging from content creation to optimization.

Listen now!
bCast - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
Youtube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

Connect with the Host and Guest Here:
Darshan Mehta on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch Website: iresearch.com
Gil Eyal on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gileyal
Silverstein Properties Website: http://www.silversteinproperties.com

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

In this episode of Getting to Aha!, Darshan Mehta is joined by @Marc Kerachsky, CMO of AMC Health. Marc has over 32 years of experience in healthcare. Join them as they discuss the power of storytelling in organizations and how it can build trust, improve communication, and foster empathy within teams. Marc shares his journey and aha moments, emphasizing the importance of including people in stories. They also explore the role of humor and culture in organizations and discuss the future of human connections. This insightful conversation provides valuable insights for anyone interested in enhancing teamwork and finding meaning in the workplace.

Marc Kerachsky has diverse work experience, primarily in marketing and leadership roles. He is currently the Chief Marketing Officer at AMC Health and a Co-Founder of VitalConex. Before that, he worked as a Writer, Blogger, Musician, and Stand-Up Comedian at MarcKayeToday. Marc also held various roles at Philips, including Content and engagement Leader and senior director of Global Marketing. He has also worked at GE Ventures and GE Corporate, where he served as Global Director for healthy imagination initiatives.

Marc started his career at GE Healthcare as a Global Product Leader and Marketing Director positions. Marc began their professional journey at RadPharm as the Marketing & Business Development Director. Marc Kerachsky has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing from the Fox School of Business at Temple University.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 Marc emphasizes the importance of storytelling, noting that platforms like The Moth have highlighted the power of personal stories. People connect deeply when they see themselves in others' narratives, which applies across various contexts, from marketing to elections. However, storytelling can be a double-edged sword, as it can be used to inspire or manipulate. He stresses the need to understand both the storyteller's intent and the audience's reception.

👉 Marc discusses the origin of VitalConex, born from an "aha moment" shared with a colleague at a Fortune 500 company. After significant customer engagement and internal communication efforts, they realized the disconnect stemmed from a lack of trust. VitalConex addresses this by fostering psychological safety and ensemble-based teamwork. They run workshops for changing organizations, using improvisation techniques to enhance creativity, confidence, and collaboration, creating a culture that supports effective problem-solving and innovation.

👉 Marc outlines VitalConex’s three-step process: Compose, Connect, and Cultivate. The first step, Compose, emphasizes building trust and psychological safety within teams, allowing individuals to express themselves openly. The second step, Connect, focuses on linking unrelated ideas through exercises like joke mapping, enhancing creativity and communication. Listening is key, and introverts, often better listeners, excel in this. The final step, Cultivate, ensures that the methods learned are sustainable, fostering an environment where trust and creativity continue to thrive even after the workshops end, embedding these practices into the organization.

Listen Now!

bCast - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
YouTube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

And connect with the host and guests here:

Darshan Mehta on Linkedin
iResearch Website
Marc S Kerachsky on LinkedIn
AMC Health Website
VitalConex Website

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

In this Greatest Hits episode of Getting to Aha!, Darshan talks with John Zogby, Senior Partner at John Zogby Strategies, a marketing and political consulting firm offering opinion research services. John has served as an election analyst for networks like ABC Australia, BBC, CBC, and NBC News.

Together, they explore how John became involved in polling and opinion research, the role of online surveys in predicting voter turnout, and the value of yes-no polling questions. They also cover qualitative research methods like focus groups and interviews, the evolution of the American dream post-COVID, and corporate social responsibility. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation packed with insights!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 In the last century, polling has come to be known as a scientific way of gathering public opinion. In the broadest sense, polling is the act of seeking public opinion. No matter who is in charge, it matters what people think. There are a multitude of ways to retrieve this information, but one of the best ways is to get ahold of people from all sorts of occupations and backgrounds and simply ask them what they’re thinking. 

👉 When John began his venture into polling, almost everyone had a landline phone; however, as time went on, technology evolved and grew into something completely different. Fewer people stay home nowadays, fewer people have landlines, and ignoring phone calls has become the standard among most people. This was why John put time and research into online polling, so that he could reach those people.

👉 Polling can offer fascinating insights into the political and demographic landscape of an area. It can tell them a lot about who is voting, where these people are in their lives, where they will be in the future, and how they got there; it helps them find out if there is a meaning behind a vote or if it’s random. It’s for this reason, polling is widely considered to be a science.

👉 In his book “The Transformation of the American Dream,” John identified that boomers are questioning if there is more to life than materialistic success, while Millennials are looking for ways to live authentically in order to feel fulfilled. This trend has been referred to as "secular spiritualism". Additionally, Gen Z and millennials are increasingly demanding corporate social responsibility from employers, as well as time to work in their communities or contribute to those suffering.

👉 In his new manuscript, John explains that it is a study of his work and projects that really worked - those aha! moments. It wasn’t just polling, it was also going into schools, finding the root of people’s problems, and figuring out a way to solve them.

👉 One of the biggest mistakes pollers can make is relying extensively on random probability sampling, which in election polling can leave skewed results - for example, too many democrats and not a lot of republicans, or vice versa, meaning the polls lack a sense of reality. 

👉 John says that anything can happen when it comes to elections, and predictions can change as time goes on. He says that if there were an election today, the Republican party would most likely win control of the house of representatives. This is due to the conspiracy of the “stolen election” and the Democrats’ sanctimonious and didactic attitude. But, the more the Republican party pursues this tactic of spin and scrutiny, the less chance they have of getting the next ten percent they need to win elections.

👉 Polling is important; however, John describes it as “small data”. It will never replace people talking to each other and finding out what’s important. A robot can read your bank transactions and your data, but humans can look into the heart.

Listen now!
bCast - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
Youtube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

Episode Resources
John Zogby Strategies
John Zogby LinkedIn
Madden School of Business
The Transformation of the American Dream

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form

In this episode of Getting to Aha!, Darshan Mehta is joined by Rick Denton, Managing Principal at EX4CX. Join them as they discuss how businesses can improve customer experience by leveraging feedback and data, the importance of combining process improvement with a customer-centric approach, and the alignment of customer experience (CX) efforts with business objectives.

Rick Denton is the Managing Principal at EX4CX, a company that specializes in CX and VOC voice of the customer programs. He has extensive experience in CX and VOC, with over two decades of experience in the field. Before working at EX4CX, Rick served in leadership roles with Bose, Capital One and several other industry champions. He also hosts a podcast called CX Passport, where he discusses customer experience and related topics.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 Rick discusses the importance of balancing process efficiency and customer experience. He explains that focusing solely on internal efficiency can lead to a poor customer experience, while prioritizing customer experience without considering operational efficiency can be unsustainable. Rick cites an example from when he worked at a bank, where the goal was to make the appraisal process faster and more efficient, which not only benefited the company by increasing the volume of appraisals and business but also significantly improved the customer experience.

👉 Rick defines insights as the extraction of meaningful information from customer feedback that allows businesses to take tangible actions or make informed choices for the future. He argues that companies today should prioritize delivering great experiences to customers. While product quality and price are important factors, he believes that the overall experience can be a key differentiator, especially when product parity exists.

👉 Rick highlights three common missteps companies make in CX design. The first is thinking they are listening to the customer when they are not, relying too heavily on surveys and neglecting other channels of customer feedback. The second misstep is overlooking the importance of actionable insights derived from customer feedback. And the third misstep is failing to align CX efforts with business objectives and tangible results.

Listen Now!

bCast - https://bit.ly/3ACsRBz
Apple - https://apple.co/3gsuA31
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3B0lVy6
YouTube - https://bit.ly/3KYAHtd
RSS -  https://bit.ly/3AFrUs6

And connect with the host and guests here:

Darshan Mehta on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta
iResearch website - https://iresearch.com
Rick Denton on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenton
EX4CX website - https://www.ex4cx.com

Getting to Aha! with Darshan Mehta is hand crafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Luca Popovac, Senior Executive, Abhilasha Sinha of Open Secret, Laura Beavin-Yates, Stephen Griffiths of Level 2, Kristin Luck or ScaleHouse, Melina Palmer of The Brainy Business, Nicolas Zeisler of We’re Doing CX Wrong and How To Get It Right, Pricilla McKinney of Little Bird Marketing, Brooke Sellas of B Squared Marketing and Joseph Michelli of The Michelli Experience.

Check out the 3 most downloaded episodes: 

• Changing the Direction of Customer Experience with Luka Popovac, a Senior Customer Experience Executive
• Innovation, Curiosity, and Being Human with Abhilasha Sinha, Chief Growth Officer at Open Secret
• [Greatest Hits ] Emotions & Consumer Behavior with Laura Beavin-Yates
  
  

If you are interested in joining Getting to Aha! as a guest, please complete this form