Episode web page: http://bit.ly/472L2m0

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What do magicians and marketers have in common? A lot more than you think. In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Nathan Isaacs chats with Jimi Gibson, Vice President of Brand Communication at Thrive Agency, to explore how lessons from the stage can radically transform how brands communicate and connect with customers.

Jimi, a former professional magician turned messaging strategist, shares how the principles of illusion, empathy, and storytelling apply directly to customer experience design. Drawing from decades of experience—both on stage and in the boardroom—Jimi introduces his “magic script” framework, which walks brands through three emotional cues: connection, curiosity, and conversion.

You’ll hear how brands can shift from “me-first” messaging to customer-centered narratives that actually resonate. Jimi also discusses why clarity beats cleverness, how to test messaging in the wild, and the powerful impact of customer feedback on creative strategy. From landing page makeovers to understanding the psychology of engagement, this episode is packed with insights you can act on right away.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why great marketing is more like great theater than you’d think

How the “magic script” uses brain chemistry to build deeper customer connection

Why empathy, clarity, and insight should be the foundation of all messaging

The power of message testing—before you go live

Real-world examples of emotional storytelling in action

Resources & Links:

Jimi Gibson on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimi-gibson/

Thrive Agency https://thriveagency.com/

Storynomics by Robert McKee

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4kYTrdD

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Got a question? Want to recommend a guest? Or do you want to tell me how the show can be better? 

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In this episode, we sit down with UX veteran and startup advisor Oksana Kovalchuk to explore the common pitfalls early-stage founders make when building digital products and how to avoid them. Drawing on two decades of design, development, and mentoring experience, Oksana shares why user experience must be prioritized from day one, and how building a product for your users, not yourself, is the key to startup survival.

What you’ll learn:

Why "you are not your user" is still the Golden Rule. Founders often build products based on their own logic and preferences. Oksana explains why that leads to UX failure, especially when designing for different demographics.

The “more ideas than money” principle. Discover how Oksana helps startup teams focus their limited budgets on what matters most: getting the MVP right and learning from real users quickly.

Fail fast, learn fast. Learn how iteration, feedback loops, and competitor reviews play a central role in UX design at the startup level.

When UX is ignored, disaster follows. Hear a jaw-dropping real-world example of a fintech app with a 98% onboarding drop-off; all caused by a single UX decision.

Measuring UX success. Explore metrics like time-to-value, drop-off rates, and support ticket trends that reveal how your product is really performing.

Resources & Links:

Oksana Kovalchuk on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oksanakovalchuk/

ANODA https://www.anoda.mobi/

Mike McDowell on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmcdowell1/

Mike’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mikedropvideos

Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4eZNwDS

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Got a question? Want to recommend a guest? Or do you want to tell me how the show can be better? 

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What does it take to consistently deliver exceptional customer experiences? In this episode of Insights Unlocked, guest Mark Slatin—CX thought leader, educator, and host of The Delighted Customer podcast—shares how trust acts as the foundation for business transformation. Drawing on his Trusted Guide Framework, Mark explores how to operationalize customer experience, earn executive buy-in, and create lasting customer loyalty through empathy, listening, and collaboration.

You’ll learn:

Why every customer has an experience—whether or not you design for it

The dangers of the “hero trap” in leadership and how to overcome it

How to build a culture of trust within your team and organization

Ways to get executive buy-in using stakeholder-centric storytelling

Why empathy is the game-changer in closing the customer experience gap

The role of AI in enhancing—but not replacing—human-centric CX strategies

Resources & Links:

Becoming a Trusted Guide™ (On Demand Course via CXPA) - https://www.pathlms.com/cxpa/courses/105144

The Trusted Guide Roadmap™ (Live Master Class) - https://www.empoweredcx.com/

The Delighted Customers Podcast - https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Mark Slatin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin) 

Bobby Meixner on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmeixner/)

Nathan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/3U80YeU

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In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Devora Rogers, Chief Strategy Officer at Alter Agents and co-author of Influencing Shopper Decisions, joins us to challenge outdated assumptions about how people shop. Devora shares her unconventional journey from storytelling to strategy and offers a fresh lens on consumer behavior, loyalty, and the importance of continuous human insights.

Drawing on decades of experience helping top brands like Google and Snapchat, Devora explains why fewer than 5% of shoppers follow a linear path to purchase and why loyalty is no longer a given. She introduces a behavioral segmentation model—including loyalists, defectors, ambivalents, and impulse buyers—and explores how brands can tailor experiences for each type. Plus, we unpack the problem with “brand narcissism” in research and why brands must prioritize relevance over vanity metrics.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why shoppers often start from scratch with every buying decision—and what that means for loyalty programs

The four shopper mindsets and how to design experiences for each

How real-time insights and tools like video feedback are transforming market research

Why most brand trackers fail to deliver meaningful insight

The power of storytelling in research and decision-making

Where AI fits in—and where human feedback still reigns supreme

Resources & Links:

Alter Agents (https://alteragents.com/)

Devora Rogers on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/devorarogers/)

Bobby Meixner on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmeixner/)

Nathan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4lcY2tG

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Got a question? Want to recommend a guest? Or do you want to tell me how the show can be better? 

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What does it take to make marketing truly meaningful? In this episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Steven Sakach, co-founder of AI CMO and CEO of Zero Company, to explore how businesses can create deeper emotional connections by putting empathy and purpose at the heart of their marketing. With decades of experience spanning journalism, digital media, and consciousness studies, Steven shares insights on the evolution of conscious capitalism, the role of AI in marketing with intention, and how brands can avoid the pitfalls of performative messaging.

Discover how companies like Patagonia and Dove have created enduring emotional impact, and learn how to articulate your own organization’s higher purpose to guide authentic, customer-first campaigns. Whether you're part of a lean marketing team or leading a larger brand, this episode offers actionable strategies to align your marketing with what truly matters.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why empathy and purpose are becoming essential pillars of effective marketing

How AI can help small teams scale emotionally intelligent campaigns

The concept of “building love into scalable systems” and why it matters

Lessons from brands that got it right—and those that got it wrong

How to discover and articulate your business’s authentic higher purpose

Resources & Links:

Steven on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-sakach-3181aa28b/)

Zero Company (https://www.zerocompany.com/)

aiCMO (https://aicmo.io/home_

Bliss Business podcast (https://www.theblisspodcast.com/)

Nathan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4lhHPCW

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Got a question? Want to recommend a guest? Or do you want to tell me how the show can be better? 

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In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Rand Fishkin, co-founder of SparkToro and marketing industry icon, joins hosts Mike McDowell and Nathan Isaacs to unpack one of the most disruptive shifts in digital marketing today: the death of attribution.

Rand explains how platforms like Google, Facebook, and Reddit are cutting off referral data and turning into "walled gardens," effectively ending marketers' ability to track where traffic and conversions truly originate. This change calls for a radical new playbook—one that trades attribution modeling for brand lift, and prioritizes native content that meets audiences where they are.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why attribution modeling no longer works—and what to focus on instead

The rise of zero-click marketing and how to succeed with it

How brands can build influence in a closed-platform world

The role of audience intelligence tools like SparkToro in top-of-funnel strategy

Why empathy and behavior observation are more powerful than ever for product and marketing decisions

How customer insights led to SparkToro’s recent product relaunch—and a major growth rebound

Resources & Links:

SparkToro: https://sparktoro.com/

Rand on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randfishkin/

Snackbar Studio: https://snackbarstudio.com/

Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmcdowell1/

Mike’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mikedropvideos

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4l51qH3

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Got a question? Want to recommend a guest? Or do you want to tell me how the show can be better? 

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In this episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Dheerja Kaur, Vice President of Product Management at Robinhood, for a deep dive into how thoughtful design, strategic innovation, and customer obsession can transform industries—especially one as complex and regulated as finance.

Dheerja brings insights from her journey across major brands like ESPN and The Skimm, sharing how those experiences shaped her unique approach to building products that are not only functional and beautiful but also deeply human.

Designing for obsessive user bases: How Dheerja’s work with passionate communities—from sports fans to finance enthusiasts—has underscored the value of user loyalty and brand ethos.

Democratizing finance through design: A look at how Robinhood lowered economic barriers and emphasized intuitive user experiences to make investing more accessible to everyone.

Embracing complexity without sacrificing clarity: Dheerja discusses how her team balances regulatory requirements with elegant product design that promotes user education and confidence.

Coaching with ‘Spidey sense’: Learn how she develops product intuition in her teams without micromanaging, and how recognizing subtle signals can lead to better outcomes.

A culture of experimentation: Why Robinhood encourages teams to pursue bold ideas—even at the risk of failure—and how this fuels long-term growth and innovation.

Harnessing real-time insights: Discover how customer feedback from support, surveys, and experimentation informs Robinhood’s product strategy and user experience.

AI and the future of product design: Dheerja shares Robinhood’s early experiments with AI, including the new Cortex product, and how first-principles thinking guides their approach.

Championing inclusive leadership: Dheerja reflects on her own experience navigating imposter syndrome and why she prioritizes supporting women and underrepresented groups in tech.

Dheerja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dheerja/

Robinhood website: https://robinhood.com/

Dheerja’s website: https://www.dheerja.com/

Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmeixner

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/43Gxevp

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Got a question? Want to recommend a guest? Or do you want to tell me how the show can be better? 

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In this episode of Insights Unlocked, hosts Nathan Isaacs and Bobby Meixner welcome customer experience (CX) leader Tabitha Dunn to discuss the intersection of empathy, artificial intelligence, and change management in building truly customer-centric organizations. Drawing on her executive experience leading CX and digital transformation at global brands, Tabitha shares actionable insights for business leaders navigating innovation and AI implementation—without losing sight of the human element.

Listeners will learn why beginning with an "empathy tour" is essential, how to avoid common pitfalls in transformation initiatives, and why governance and usability must be balanced in any AI strategy. Plus, she shares how CX leaders can broaden their influence by becoming fluent in cross-functional collaboration, change management, and business impact storytelling.

Topics Covered:

The Empathy Tour: Why leaders must deeply understand employee and customer perspectives before initiating change.

AI with Purpose: How to evaluate AI technologies through the lens of real human needs—not hype.

Governance Meets Usability: Balancing privacy, personalization, and user experience in AI-driven systems.

Cross-Functional Buy-In: Tips for engaging finance, IT, and product teams in CX-driven transformation efforts.

Skills for Modern CX Leaders: Why CX professionals should add sales training, change management, and project management to their toolkit.

Avoiding Common Missteps: The three most frequent reasons transformation initiatives fail—and how to prevent them.

Tabitha to the Rescue: How Tabitha steps in to course-correct projects that are stalling or misaligned.

Resources & Links:

Tabitha on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tabithadunn

Stage 2 Capital (https://www.stage2.capital

Bobby on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmeixner

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4kw3gQJ

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In this episode of Insights Unlocked, we dive into the rapidly evolving intersection of UX design and artificial intelligence with Greg Nudelman, UX architect at Sumo Logic and author of UX for AI. Hosted by Sean Treiser, this conversation explores why conventional UX tools and mindsets are no longer sufficient in an AI-driven world—and what design leaders can do to keep pace.

Greg challenges the status quo, likening traditional UI workflows to rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, especially as AI becomes the centerpiece of digital experiences. He introduces the concept of “iceberg UX,” where visual design is only the surface, and the real value lies in content, data, and AI interactions beneath. He advocates for retiring “lorem ipsum” and instead prioritizing real, meaningful output that aligns with user context and workflows.

Key topics include:

Greg also previews his AI UX bootcamp and shares insights from his viral content experiments, underscoring how AI is reshaping not just products but also how we market and communicate.

Whether you’re a product designer, UX strategist, or CX leader, this episode will challenge you to rethink your role in a world where machines are increasingly not just tools—but collaborators.

Episode links:

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4dDbMuy

Lisa shares insights from her 20+ years in scenario planning and design, reflecting on the transformative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it highlighted the critical need for imagination, empathy, and long-term thinking in leadership. She discusses the value of futures thinking in education and business, emphasizing how anticipatory leadership, scenario planning, and rapid prototyping can help organizations build resilience and stay ahead of disruption.

Whether you're leading a team, crafting customer experiences, or shaping strategic decisions, this episode will inspire you to stretch your thinking, foster creativity, and embrace your role as a designer of the future.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why the pandemic marked a turning point in how leaders perceive uncertainty

How imagination is an underdeveloped but essential leadership skill

Practical tools like futures wheels and scenario planning to anticipate change

The role of design and prototyping in shaping strategic foresight

How to nurture a culture that values long-term thinking and experimentation

Why attention is the new currency in the battle for meaningful innovation

Resources & Links:

Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakaysolomon/

Jason Giles on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaygiles/

Leading like a Futurist course on LinkedIn Learning https://www.linkedin.com/learning/leading-like-a-futurist/you-are-a-futurist

Harvard Business Review: 5 Pandemic-Era Lessons on Leading Through Change https://hbr.org/2025/03/5-pandemic-era-lessons-on-leading-through-drastic-change?ab=HP-hero-latest-1

Stanford d.school profile: https://dschool.stanford.edu/directory/lisa-kay-solomon

Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast