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Speaking From Experience by Cortico-X
Speaking From Experience by Cortico-X episodes
- S3E3 · How SCAN Turns Member Obsession Into Strategy with Martin Esquivel & Trish Cox
What happens when a healthcare organization puts members at the center of every decision while staying disciplined about financial sustainability?
On Speaking From Experience, host Sujay Saha speaks with Martin Esquivel, Chief Product Officer, and Trish Cox, Chief Experience Officer, at SCAN Health Plan, about turning member obsession into a strategic advantage. They explore how Trish and Martin balance member advocacy with the discipline of running a sustainable business, and how that tension shapes the way SCAN embeds Voice of the Customer insights into daily decisions.
Trish shares lessons from turning around a broken customer relationship earlier in her career, and how she's applying that discipline at SCAN today. While Martin explains how not-for-profit governance can enable longer-term innovation. They also discuss SCAN’s groundbreaking Costco partnership and how unconventional, mission-aligned collaborations can expand access and redefine healthcare value.
What You Will Learn:- How to transform NPS through disciplined Voice-of-Customer programs
- Why "member obsession" demands operational structure, not just rhetoric
- Why not-for-profit governance gives SCAN room to innovate
- Strategic partnership as experience differentiation
- Navigating the tension between advocacy and business sustainability
Trish Cox is the Chief Experience Officer and leads SCAN Health Plan’s consumer experience and insights, member service delivery, and digital engagement all focused on improving customer acquisition, retention, and the overall customer experience. With more than three decades of experience across healthcare and financial services, she has built her career around using data, consumer insights, and voice-of-the-customer programs to turn feedback into action and create better experiences across digital, phone, and in-person channels. Prior to SCAN, Trish held leadership roles at Charles Schwab, WellCare Health Plans, and Anthem.
Martin Esquivel is the Chief Product Officer at SCAN Health Plan, and leads the strategy, design, and management of SCAN’s Medicare Advantage products, with a focus on creating sustainable products that deliver meaningful value for older adults. He oversees benefit strategy, market analysis, and regulatory alignment, working across SCAN to develop products that improve health outcomes and the member experience. Before joining SCAN, Martin held several healthcare leadership roles, including Vice President of Medicare Product Management and Strategic Initiatives at Elevance Health, formerly Anthem.
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so30 min - S3E2 · Why Human Connection Is a Growth Engine in Modern Banking with Eric FeldsteinWhat if human-centricity wasn't a marketing initiative, but your most defensible competitive advantage?
In this episode of Speaking From Experience, host Sujay Saha sits down with Eric Feldstein, SEVP and Head of Retail and Business Banking at M&T Bank, to explore why human connection remains one of the strongest competitive advantages in an increasingly digital world. Eric shares how M&T has built a relationship-driven culture across thousands of employees and branches, turning human-centric leadership into measurable business results.
Eric explains how strengthening community relationships and following leadership principles rooted in trust has helped build a work culture that drives sustainable growth. The conversation explores how inclusive leadership creates business value, and why leaders must stay close to the people they serve.
What You Will Learn:- How to embed human-centricity into P&L accountability
- The "Three-Legged Stool" principle for sustainable competitive advantage
- How to lead through crisis by pushing decisions to those closest to the work
- The listening-post strategy that separates performance leaders from operators.
- How inclusive leadership becomes an operational advantage, not just a values statement
Eric Feldstein is the Head of Retail and Business Banking, and Senior Executive Vice President at M&T Bank, where he has spent nearly 25 years building a human-centric operating model that has earned the institution 186 Coalition Greenwich Awards since 2011, not for technology, but for the quality of client relationships. With a background spanning corporate law at Skadden and strategy consulting at Diamond Management Consulting, Feldstein brings an analytical lens to deeply relational banking, fundamentally challenging the industry's shift toward digital-first models. He is the co-founder of M&T's Hispanic Employee Group and a vocal advocate for embedding human-centricity into P&L leadership rather than isolating it within experience functions.
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so40 min - S3E1 · Turning Customers Into Fans at Scale with Dane Mathews of Taco BellWhat if the secret to unstoppable growth wasn't better technology, but better fandom?
In this episode of Speaking From Experience, host Sujay Saha sits down with Dane Mathews, Global Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Taco Bell, to explore how brands create defensible growth by turning customers into passionate fans. Dane shares how Taco Bell operationalizes fan-led experience activism across thousands of locations, balancing technology, AI, and human connection to create memorable moments that competitors can’t easily replicate.
From loyalty programs and frontline empowerment to experimentation and scalable innovation, the conversation reveals why meaningful experiences and not just seamless transactions drive sustainable business growth and stronger cultural relevance in today’s competitive retail and hospitality landscape.
What You Will Learn:- How to reframe "customers" as "fans" to create a defensible competitive advantage
- The Framework for Fan-Led Experience Activism
- Why AI's true value lies in empowering employees, not replacing human connection
- How to operationalize "listen, experiment, learn, and scale" as your core capability
- The "Meaningful Moments" Operating Model for turning loyalty transactions into authentic memories
- How to balance brand protection with fan-led innovation
Dane Mathews is the Global Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Taco Bell, and a commercially driven growth leader focused on scaling consumer and multi-unit businesses by connecting AI-enabled transformation directly to revenue, loyalty, and long-term enterprise value. His work sits at the intersection of commerce, culture, and technology, and uses AI to enhance personalization, loyalty, pricing, operations, and customer engagement at scale. Dane believes fandom is a powerful growth engine, helping brands turn participation into loyalty and lasting cultural relevance. He has led large organizations through transformation by aligning innovation, operational discipline, and measurable business performance.
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so27 min - Leading with Humanity in a Digital World
In this episode of Speaking from Experience, we sit down with Todd Shimizu, Vice President of Global Customer Lifecycle Marketing at Cisco, to explore what it means to lead with humanity in a digital-first world. Todd shares lessons from building Cisco’s digital strategy, transforming cisco.com into a growth engine, and fostering customer-centric change across one of the world’s largest tech companies. From the power of simplicity and storytelling to balancing AI-driven scale with human connection, this conversation is a masterclass in turning complexity into clarity — and leading with empathy at every step.
51 min - S2E28 · Unlocking Growth Through Customer Experience with Todd Unger of AMA
Welcome to Speaking From Experience with Len Devanna. In this episode, we are joined by Todd Unger, Chief Experience Officer at the American Medical Association and author of The 10-Second Customer Journey. Todd discusses how his team was named best CX team of the year and shares his insights on CX as an orchestration layer that drives growth through seamless integration of marketing, product, and service. We explore how building a customer-centric culture, breaking silos, and using modern tools like AI can transform organizations and improve patient care.
Todd emphasizes that CX is fundamentally about growth—unlocking wins through understanding audiences, streamlining processes, and fostering collaboration. He offers practical advice on designing for speed in today’s digital landscape, the importance of empathy, and continuous testing to improve experiences. His approach shows that customer experience is a key growth engine across industries, from healthcare to insurance.
Tune in for Todd’s insights on modernizing CX, organizational change, and measuring friction to deliver shared wins. Watch the full episode on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WG6w6HXSNg
#Podcast #SpeakingFromExperience #CustomerExperience #CX #Growth #Leadership #Innovation
00:00 Introduction to Customer Experience Leadership
02:53 Todd Unger's Journey to CXO
05:40 Defining Customer Experience
08:54 The Integration of Marketing, Product, Commerce, and Service
11:48 Breaking Down Silos for Growth
14:59 The Tornado Funnel: Speed in Customer Experience
17:38 Measuring Customer Friction and Experience
20:30 The Role of Customer Experience at AMA
23:51 Building a Customer-Centric Culture
26:44 The Evolution of the AMA's CX Team
29:37 Modernizing CX in a Legacy Institution
32:49 Empathy in Customer Experience
35:43 Final Insights and Fast Five
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so47 min - S2E27 · Significance of Storytelling in CX and EX with Perry Philipp, CDO Of Entain
In this episode of Speaking From Experience, hosted by Len Devanna. Perry Philipp, Chief Data Officer of Entain, chats with Len about how data, AI, and trust drive one of the world’s largest gaming brands. Perry shares insights on leading data initiatives in a highly regulated, 24/7 global environment—where player safety and responsible play are key. He discusses how his team supports regulatory compliance, customer experience, and the importance of building a data foundation that enables personalized, trustworthy experiences that foster loyalty.
Perry emphasizes the power of storytelling and data literacy across functions to gain buy-in and create a culture of trust. He highlights initiatives like the Data Academy, which upskills colleagues at all levels, and offers practical advice on navigating complex data landscapes, avoiding pitfalls like data debt, and balancing ambition with real business value. His leadership philosophy centers on humility, collaboration, and empowering teams to deliver impactful results at scale.
Tune in to explore how organizations can leverage human-centered design and responsible data practices to innovate while maintaining trust. Perry’s insights on leadership, culture, and data strategy offer valuable lessons for any industry aiming to turn data into a strategic asset. Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/xdKM_TQzB18
#Podcast #SpeakingFromExperience #DataLeadership #AI #CustomerTrust #ExperienceDesign #ResponsibleInnovation #Transformation #Leadership #DataAcademy
00:00 Introduction to Speaking From Experience
00:55 Understanding Entain and Its Global Impact
01:49 Data's Role in a Regulated Environment
02:48 Technology and Employee Engagement in Data
04:58 Enabling Excellence Through Data
06:46 The Evolving Role of the Chief Data Officer
09:32 The Data Academy: Educating for Success
11:51 Customer Experience and Data Integration
13:49 Building Trust in Data-Driven Experiences
16:15 The Importance of Trust in Data Quality
17:42 Data Excellence and Industry Standards
21:17 Navigating Data Analysis Paralysis
23:30 Starting with Value in Data Strategy
25:54 Balancing Ambition with Business Value
27:45 Designing Trusted Data-Driven Experiences
30:04 The Never-Ending Journey of Data Trust
31:23 Breaking Down Silos for Better Collaboration
32:52 The Power of Storytelling in Data
36:08 Global Leadership and Building Trust
39:51 People-First Leadership in Data
42:16 Key Themes in Leadership and Data
42:44 Fast Five: Quick Insights from Perry
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so50 min - S2E26 · AI: The New Frontier in Digital Experiences with Nicolas Rodet
Welcome to Speaking From Experience, hosted by Len Devana, where we explore the stories and insights behind great experiences. In this latest episode, I sit down with Nicolas Rodet, a trailblazer in digital transformation with nearly three decades of leadership at some of the most innovative organizations worldwide. Nicolas shares a compelling perspective on how the landscape of digital transformation has evolved—from early experiments to today’s breakthrough with AI and personalization finally making the dream of seamless, tailored customer experiences a reality.
We discuss how the focus has shifted from long, costly projects to rapid, agile execution, and why we’re now finally arriving at the destination many of us have been chasing for years. Nicolas emphasizes that AI and data are powerful tools, but they must be harnessed with a human-centered approach—crafting stories, designing interactions, and building trust that truly connect. He highlights the importance of prototyping, storytelling, and strategic content in driving impactful digital initiatives.
Tune in to discover how organizations can responsibly leverage emerging technologies to stay ahead in an ever-changing world. Nicolas also shares his thoughts on the environmental impact of digital innovation and the importance of balancing progress with responsibility. Don’t miss this insightful conversation—watch the full episode on YouTube here.
Join us as we explore the ongoing journey of digital transformation and the future of experience and trust in a digital age. https://youtu.be/sOIvfLKWNcM
#Podcast #SpeakingFromExperience #DigitalTransformation #AI #CustomerExperience #Innovation #Leadership #FutureOfWork #HumanCenteredDesign
00:00 Introduction to Digital Transformation
00:58 The Evolution of Digital Transformation
04:14 The Role of AI in Digital Transformation
07:04 Agility and Prototyping in Digital Initiatives
10:12 Navigating Change and Employee Engagement
12:43 The Changing Landscape of Identity
16:14 AI's Impact on Consumer Behavior
20:51 Security and User Experience
23:33 The Future of Digital Experiences
28:48 AI: Opportunities and Challenges
34:19 The Importance of Storytelling in Transformation
37:33 Building Relationships for Success
50:22 Closing Thoughts on Digital and Environmental Responsibility
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so50 min - S2E25 · Design, AI, & EVs: Breaking Down the Next Era of Automotive Experience with Derek Jenkins of Lucid Motors
Join Len Devanna, Founder of Cortico-X, on the latest episode of Speaking From Experience as I sit down with visionary automotive designer Derek Jenkins. Derek has led the creation of iconic vehicles for brands like Mazda, Audi, Volkswagen, and now Lucid Motors, where he's redefining the future of sustainable mobility. In this episode, Derek shares the inspiring stories behind his most personal projects, from the legendary MX-5 Miata to the innovative Lucid Air and Gravity. We explore how design balances aesthetics, function, and emotion, all while navigating the complexities of brand evolution and groundbreaking technology. Don't miss this deep dive into how design and experience shape the future of mobility—watch the full episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/UOSvD3sdq_M
Together with Len, Derek also delves into how the automotive industry is rapidly transforming with cutting-edge tools like VR and AI, emphasizing that technology should serve as a creative catalyst rather than a homogenizer. He discusses the importance of maintaining brand authenticity while pushing the boundaries of innovation, especially in electric vehicles where aerodynamics, materials, and user experience are more interconnected than ever. Whether it's designing a car that feels as good as it looks or reimagining the customer journey in a direct-to-consumer world, Derek's insights highlight the artistry and precision required to create vehicles that truly resonate. For these stories and more, tune in on YouTube and stay inspired!
#AutomotiveDesign #LucidMotors #ElectricVehicles #Innovation #ExperienceLedDesign #BrandEvolution #DesignThinking #FutureOfMobility #SustainableDesign
00:00 Introduction to Automotive Design and Derek Jenkins
07:38 Balancing Aesthetics and Functionality in Automotive Design
14:36 Designing for Brand Evolution and Authenticity
16:58 Creating the Lucid Air: A Clean Slate
23:27 The Launch of Lucid Gravity: Redefining SUVs
26:19 Reimagining the Automotive Buying Experience
34:23 The Role of Technology in Modern Design
41:26 Reflections on Iconic Designs: The Mazda MX-5 Miata
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so53 min - S2E24 · Automation Vs Emotion: Can AI Scale Human Experience? With Jeff Marks and Sujay Saha
Discover the transformative insights from industry leaders on how people-centric strategies drive sustainable growth and innovation. In this episode of Speaking From Experience, Len Devanna sits down with Jeff Marks, COO at Munich Re Specialty Insurance, to explore how cross-industry experience shapes leadership and how organizations can embed human-centered design into their transformation journeys. Jeff emphasizes that at the core of every successful business are the people—whether in operations, customer experience, or leadership—and that fostering a culture of continuous improvement and servant leadership is key to navigating change effectively.
For a deeper dive into these compelling conversations, check out the full episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/hOh5okECDOA
Throughout the episode, Sujay Saha, President and Founder of Cortico-X, and Jeff, highlight the importance of leveraging technology, particularly AI, to enhance customer and employee experiences. Jeff discusses how emerging technologies like generative AI can automate routine tasks, freeing up teams to focus on higher-value work, while also emphasizing that empathy remains a uniquely human trait crucial for meaningful interactions. They delve into the pitfalls organizations often face when rushing into tech solutions without properly defining the problem or engaging stakeholders, underscoring the need for thoughtful change management and aligned leadership. To stay inspired and informed, watch the full episode on YouTube and join the conversation about shaping the future of work and customer engagement.
#Leadership #DigitalTransformation #PeopleFirst #CustomerExperience #AI #Innovation #ChangeManagement #SustainableGrowth #HumanCenteredDesign
00:00 Introduction to Experience-Led Transformation
01:12 Jeff Marx's Unique Professional Journey
04:29 The Importance of People in Business
08:55 Purpose and Profit: A Sustainable Business Model
10:40 Understanding Munich Re's Specialty Insurance
12:33 Enabling Excellence: Operational Philosophy
17:11 Servant Leadership in Action
20:01 Operational Excellence and Customer Satisfaction
24:08 Retention Strategies for Customers and Employees
27:30 Emerging Technologies Impacting Customer Experience
31:37 The Role of Empathy in AI and Customer Experience
38:17 Common Pitfalls in Technology-Driven Customer Experience
42:22 Creating a Culture of Innovation and Change
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so48 min - S2E23 · Authenticity VS. Automation: The Content Dilemma with Marc Sirkin
On this episode of Speaking from Experience, host Len Devanna, sits down with Marc Sirkin, CEO of Third Door Media, a company recently acquired by Semrush. Marc shares his incredible journey through the waves of digital transformation, from the early internet days to the AI-powered marketing landscape of today. With decades of leadership in strategy, innovation, and enterprise transformation, Marc brings a rare depth of insight into how brands must evolve to meet the accelerating demands of a rapidly changing world.
In a conversation filled with energy and honesty, Len and Marc discuss the profound impact of AI on customer experience, content strategy, and digital marketing. They unpack how discovery and audience building are being reshaped, what marketers must do to stay ahead, and why human-machine collaboration could define the next era of innovation. Marc also shares a powerful piece of advice for rising leaders: in a world of constant disruption, perseverance and curiosity are the keys to carving your own path.🎥 Watch the full episode of Speaking from Experience featuring host Len Devanna and guest Marc Sirkin here: https://youtu.be/Ac1V9j5p3uQ
#SpeakingFromExperiencePodcast #LenDevanna #MarcSirkin #ThirdDoorMedia #CorticoX #CustomerExperience #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #AIInnovation #MarketingStrategy #CXStrategy #BusinessInnovation #ExperienceMatters #FutureOfWork
Speaking From Experience is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so45 min
About Speaking From Experience by Cortico-X
From the publisher's feed
Speaking from Experience is Cortico-X’s signature leadership podcast, featuring candid, insight-driven conversations with executives who are redefining how organizations innovate and lead through transformation.
The series is focused on leadership, innovation, and experience orchestration. Each conversation explores how forward-thinking leaders are aligning human, business, and artificial intelligence to shape the future of their industries.