The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström® | What CMOs Need to Know About Marketing Technology, AI & CX

By The Agile BrandBusiness Marketing

The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström® | What CMOs Need to Know About Marketing Technology, AI & CX episodes

January 07 #794: LiveRamp CMO Jessica Shapiro on building brand trust while automating at scale
With AI poised to generate nearly infinite content, personalization, and experiences, is the single most important thing marketers should be focused on actually something that can’t be automated at all?

Agility requires not just adopting new technologies, but knowing when and how to double down on timeless human principles. It’s about integrating the power of AI without losing the soul of the brand.

Today, we're going to talk about the unexpected paradox of the AI revolution. As artificial intelligence becomes more capable of creating, personalizing, and automating customer interactions at scale, the most critical differentiator for a business isn't a better algorithm, but a stronger, more trusted brand. We’ll explore why brand is becoming the essential human edge in an increasingly automated world, and how leaders can harness AI not to replace their brand, but to amplify it.

To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Jessica Shapiro, Chief Marketing Officer at LiveRamp.
About Jessica Shapiro

Jessica Shapiro is Chief Marketing Officer at LiveRamp (NYSE: RAMP), where she leads global marketing strategy and execution. With deep experience guiding companies through critical growth inflection points, she is known for building brands, shaping categories, and aligning marketing with business strategy.
Over the past two decades, Jessica has held senior marketing leadership roles at Microsoft, Starbucks, and SAP—helping established brands navigate change, scale new offerings, and grow in competitive markets. Her expertise spans brand development, go-to-market strategy, communications, and demand generation. Jessica holds a BA from Brown University and an MBA from the University of Washington.,Yes,This will be completed shortly

Jessica Shapiro on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamshapiro/

Resources

LiveRamp: https://liveramp.com/

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/
Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://www.thecrmc.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 min
January 05 #793: PAN Communications CMO Mark Nardone on 2026 predictions and staying ahead of GEO
What if the foundation of your digital strategy, your corporate website, is becoming less important than the conversations happening about your brand in places you don't control?

Agility requires a fundamental shift in mindset, moving beyond just broadcasting your message on owned channels to actively shaping the narrative across an entire ecosystem you don't fully control.

Today, we're going to talk about how generative AI is creating a new layer between your brand and your customers, changing how they discover information and what they trust. We'll explore the surprising new balance of power between owned media and earned media, and what it means for your PR, content, and SEO strategies moving forward.

To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Mark Nardone, CMO at PAN.

About Mark Nardone

Mark has been a driving force at PAN since its inception. As part of the executive team, Mark oversees operations and leads strategic growth initiatives across business development and marketing.
Mark’s acumen sparked PAN’s positioning as a brand-to-demand agency forged in PR. With more B2B brands seeking a modern, energetic, agile partner to connect the dots between brand awareness, demand acquisition, and growth, Mark saw an opportunity for PAN to meet those needs on a global scale through integrated, data-driven marketing and PR grounded in real-world impact.
Passionate about all things AI and CX, Mark is active in Harvard’s Office of Technology Department Expert-in-Residence (XIR) program and the thought leadership realm. You can find his insights on the DMNews Podcast, Heinz Marketing Radio, PR News, Agile Brand, and Evan Kirstel LinkedIn Live. When he’s not discussing the latest marketing and PR trends, Mark enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife and two kids.

Mark Nardone on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-nardone-807560/

Resources

PAN: https://www.pancommunications.com

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/
Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://www.thecrmc.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 min
January 02 #792: Replay: Increasing speed to insights with Sid Banerjee, Medallia
As the year wraps up, we are replaying some of our favorite conversations from 2025, including this one!
What could your CX teams do to strategically move your brand forward if they weren’t tethered to dashboards?

Agility requires CX teams to move beyond reactive reporting and embrace proactive insight delivery. In an era where insights are instantly available through conversational AI, the strategic role of CX is about to shift—big time.
Today we’re going to talk about how AI is reshaping customer experience by freeing CX teams from dashboards, static reports, and manual data analysis—and allowing them to lead strategically with real-time intelligence.
About Sid Banerjee

Sid currently serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at Medallia. He has nearly 30 years of experience building companies and solutions focused on customer experience, business intelligence, and AI-powered technologies. He was the Founder, CEO, Chairman, and Chief Strategy Officer at Clarabridge, and most recently served as Chief XM Strategy Officer at Qualtrics. He has held leadership roles at MicroStrategy, Claraview, Ernst & Young, and Sprint. He holds a BS/MS in Electrical Engineering from MIT.

Sid Banerjee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidbanerjeewdc/

Resources

Medallia: https://www.medallia.com

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
28 min
December 31, 2025 #791: Replay: Lovesac CEO Shawn D. Nelson on building a resilient brand in an uncertain world
As the year wraps up, we are replaying some of our favorite conversations from 2025, including this one!
What if bankruptcy, a global financial crisis, and other hurdles along the way aren’t the end of your brand, but instead a way to help you define what it truly is?
Agility requires a willingness to experiment and adapt, not just in your technology stack, but also in your organizational structure and the very culture of your company. It also demands a deep understanding of your customer and a commitment to delivering personalized experiences.
Today, we're going to talk about building a resilient brand in the face of uncertainty, balancing the need for both efficiency and innovation, and the critical role of company culture in achieving long-term success. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Shawn D. Nelson, CEO at Lovesac.

About Shawn D. Nelson

Shawn D. Nelson is the author of Let Me Save You 25 Years: Mistakes, Miracles, and Lessons from the Lovesac Story. He is the founder and CEO of the Lovesac Company, which designs, manufactures, and sells such furniture as modular couches and bean bag chairs. Nelson holds a BA in Mandarin Chinese from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in Strategic Design and Management from Parsons, The New School for Design in New York City, where he later became an instructor.

Shawn D. Nelson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawndnelson/

Resources

Lovesac: https://www.lovesac.com

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 min
December 29, 2025 #790: Replay: Building stronger customer relationships using AI with Noah Zamansky, Stitch Fix
As the year wraps up, we are replaying some of our favorite conversations from 2025, including this one!
AI can create immersive, human-centric experiences that not only drive sales but also foster enduring brand relationships in a rapidly evolving market.
Today we’re going to talk about how AI-driven personalization allows retailers to move beyond generic experiences, crafting unique interactions that resonate with individual preferences and behaviors, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
I’m thrilled to be joined by Noah Zamansky, Vice President of Product, Tech and Design, Client Experience at Stitch Fix here at eTail Boston.

About Noah Zamansky

Noah Zamansky is VP of Product, Client Experience at Stitch Fix He was previously with eBay where he was the Senior Director of Product Management for Fashion & Vertical Experiences. Noah is a seasoned leader who has shaped product vision, strategy and experience as well as helped launch new lines of business. He is a strong collaborator with an ability to bring stakeholders and perspectives together to create the best result.

Noah Zamansky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nzamansky/

Resources

Stitch Fix: https://www.stitchfix.com

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 min
December 26, 2025 #789: Replay: What happens to your KPIs when both CLV and Customer Acquisition Costs rise? With Jamie Domenici, Klaviyo
As the year wraps up, we are replaying some of our favorite conversations from 2025, including this one!
Customer lifetime value is a critical KPI, but with customer acquisition costs rapidly rising, what can brands do to successfully build long-term value for the business?
Agility requires seeing past vanity metrics to the durable value hidden in customer relationships. When customer acquisition costs climb and privacy affects easy targeting, only nimble brands—those that align teams, data, and KPIs around lifetime value—stay ahead.
All of this (and a few more things) are discussed in the recently-released Klaviyo B2C Report. To discuss it, I’d like to welcome Jamie Domenici, CMO at Klaviyo.

About Jamie Domenici

Jamie is Chief Marketing Officer at Klaviyo, the only CRM built for consumer brands. She has served as the Chief Marketing Officer since August 2023. With more than 20 years of experience in SaaS Marketing, Jamie has become a pioneer in SMB Marketing and a champion for small businesses. Prior to Klaviyo, Jamie served as the CMO of GoTo, a provider of SaaS and cloud- based remote work tools for collaboration and IT management, and before that, she held various marketing leadership positions at Salesforce for over ten years. Jamie holds a B.A. in International Relations from California State University, Chico. Jamie lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two daughters.

Jamie Domenici on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdomenici/

Resources

Klaviyo: https://www.klaviyo.com

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
23 min
December 24, 2025 #788: Year-end review with Greg Kihlström, The Agile Brand
In this episode I’m going to do something a little different. As we wind down for the year, we’re going to be running some of our favorites from 2025 until the new year begins.
Let’s take a look back at some of the overall themes discussed and point out a few highlights for me. I won’t be able to highlight everything of course but I found 5 themes really interesting. And, I won’t lie - I had a little help from AI in doing this. But that’s also kind of the point. We have all been using AI to do things to make our work easier, and I thought that poring through 150+ episodes recorded over 12 months is a perfect thing to have AI help me with.
About Greg Kihlström

Greg Kihlström is a best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur, and serves as an advisor and consultant to top companies on marketing technology, marketing operations, and digital transformation initiatives. He has worked with some of the world’s top brands, including Adidas, Coca-Cola, FedEx, HP, Marriott, Nationwide Insurance, Victoria’s Secret, and Toyota.
He is a multiple-time Co-Founder and C-level leader, leading his digital experience agency to be acquired in 2017, successfully exited an HR technology platform provider he co-founded in 2020, and led a SaaS startup to be acquired by a leading edge computing company in 2021. He currently advises and sits on the Board of a marketing technology startup.
In addition to his experience as an entrepreneur and leader, he earned his MBA, is currently a doctoral candidate for a DBA in Business Intelligence, and teaches several courses and workshops as a member of the School of Marketing Faculty at the Association of National Advertisers. He has served on the Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business Marketing Mentorship Advisory Board, the University of Richmond’s CX Advisory Board, and was the founding Chair of the American Advertising Federation’s National Innovation Committee. Greg is Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certified, is an Agile Certified Coach (ICP-ACC), and holds a certification in Business Agility (ICP-BAF).

Greg Kihlström on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom

Resources

The Agile Brand Podcast: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
14 min
December 22, 2025 #787: Tray.ai's Stephen Stouffer on AI adoption and why marketers should care about the integration layer
Why are so many companies spending billions on AI, only to see their most ambitious projects stall out before they ever impact the customer experience?

Agility requires more than just a fast-moving marketing team. It requires the foundational ability to connect disparate systems and data sources, allowing new technologies like AI to be implemented and scaled, not just piloted.
Today, we're going to talk about the single biggest, and often overlooked, blocker to enterprise AI adoption: the integration layer. While everyone is focused on the models and the applications, the legacy infrastructure underneath is preventing companies from moving beyond small-scale experiments.

We'll explore why a modern, integration-first approach is no longer a 'nice-to-have' for IT, but a strategic imperative for any brand that wants to turn AI hype into a real competitive advantage.

To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Stephen Stouffer, Director of Automation Solutions at Tray.ai.
About Stephen Stouffer

Stephen Stouffer is Director of Automation Solutions at Tray.ai, bringing over a decade of experience in markops, revops, and digital transformation. Starting his career as a web developer, Stephen has grown through various marketing technology roles, both in-house and in-agency, and he’s particularly known for his work in marketing automation and AI implementation.,Yes,This will be completed shortly

Stephen Stouffer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenstouffer/

Resources

Tray.ai: tray.ai

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 min
December 19, 2025 #786: Thrad CEO Andrea Tortella on advertising in your conversational AI
What if the most valuable part of your next conversation with an AI wasn't the answer it gave, but the ad it served?

Agility requires more than just adopting new platforms; it demands a complete re-imagination of how brands provide value within them. It challenges us to move from interruption to integration, ensuring our presence is not only seen but welcomed.

Today, we're going to talk about a potentially significant shift in digital marketing: the collision of conversational AI and advertising. As large language models become the new interface for information and interaction, brands are facing a critical question—how do you participate in that conversation authentically and effectively, without destroying the user experience? We’ll explore how to navigate this new frontier not as intruders, but as valuable contributors.

To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Andrea Tortella, CEO at Thrad.
About Andrea Tortella

Andrea Tortella on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-tortella

Resources

Thrad: https://www.thrad.ai/

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/

Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agile
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
30 min
December 17, 2025 #785: Avaya CTO David Funck on building persistent memory of the customer with AI
What if every AI interaction with a customer built upon the last, instead of starting from scratch every single time, or at least having it feel that way?

Agility requires not just reacting quickly to customer needs, but learning continuously from every interaction to anticipate the next one. This means our technology, especially our AI, can't operate with amnesia; it must have a persistent, shared memory.

Today, we're going to talk about breaking down the silos between our AI systems. We'll explore a concept that promises to give our AI a persistent memory, allowing different models and platforms to share context and build a truly continuous, intelligent customer experience.

To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, David Funck, Chief Technology Officer at Avaya.

About David Funck

David Funck is the Chief Technology Officer at Avaya, bringing more than 30 years of experience in enterprise communications, cloud transformation, and contact center innovation. David has held senior technology leadership roles at Edify, Aspect Software, and Alvaria, where he served as CTO and led the transition of legacy platforms to modern, cloud-based architectures.
Before becoming CTO at Avaya, David served as the company’s Chief Architect, where he was responsible for advancing Avaya’s technology strategy and leading the Innovation Incubator and AI/ML initiatives. David joined Avaya through the acquisition of Edify, where he was CTO and played a key role in developing AI-native contact center solutions.
David’s expertise spans full-stack architecture, multi-cloud deployments across leading hyperscalers, and leading global development teams to deliver enterprise-scale solutions. He is known for driving high-impact product innovation, closing strategic customer contracts, and guiding companies through complex technical transformations.,

David Funck on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-funck

Resources

Avaya : https://www.avaya.com

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/

Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 min

About The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström® | What CMOs Need to Know About Marketing Technology, AI & CX

From the publisher's feed

Marketing technology, AI, and customer experience, explained by the people building it. Three times a week, Greg Kihlström interviews CMOs, product leaders, and martech executives from platform…