The Global Xperience

“Don’t fake it ‘til you make it. Work it ‘til you make it.” 
 
We close our Global Xperience Women’s Month series with Katalina Dawson, EVP at Branding Arc and Board Member of Women of Debt Relief. 
 
Her journey reflects modern leadership - adaptive, resilient, and built on real experience. 
 
In this episode: 
• How she addressed bias early in her career and established credibility 
• A failed project that built lasting confidence 
• The role of mentorship in accelerating growth 
• How Women of Debt Relief is creating industry support networks 
 
Timestamps: 
0:00 - Introduction 
0:32 - From entertainment to executive leadership 
2:30 - Working in male-dominated environments 
3:13 - Challenging assumptions 
6:03 - Mentorship that drives growth 
9:14 - Women of Debt Relief 
11:15 - Learning through failure 
14:35 - Why “fake it ‘til you make it” doesn’t work 

“Comparison is the thief of joy. Benchmark yourself against your own goals.” 

This week, we sit down with Rebecca Howat, Chief Operating Officer at Charles Tyrwhitt, on what it looks like to grow beyond your job title, and why the next step often comes before you feel fully prepared. 

In this episode: 

• The “100% vs 60%” application insight, and what it means in real life 

• Why Rebecca took on Warehouse Operations with zero prior experience 

• How her leadership style evolved into building collective team success 

• The importance of non-negotiables, and the confidence to say “no” 

Upcoming episodes: 

Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch Part 4 next week. 

Timestamps: 

0:00 Introduction 

0:50 12-year journey: Merchandising to COO 

2:30 Moving into Warehousing 

4:47 Asking questions as a growth strategy 

6:51 The confidence gap: 100% vs 60% 

8:31 Leadership evolution 

10:04 The power of “no” 

11:27 Commercial outcomes with a people-first culture 

14:38 Advice for young women 

In Part 2 of our Global Xperience Women’s Month series, we speak with Heather Shoemaker, CEO and Founder of Language.io. 
 
Heather shares insights from more than twenty years in technology and entrepreneurship. She discusses the moment every founder eventually faces: deciding whether to remain fully independent or raise capital to accelerate growth. 
 
Her experience highlights the leadership challenges behind scaling a company while maintaining purpose, values, and personal resilience. 
 
In this episode: 
• Why Heather left corporate technology to build her own company 
• The decision between organic growth and venture capital 
• Maintaining leadership agency under pressure 
• The realities of leading a company while raising a family 
 
Subscribe to follow the full Women’s Month series. New episodes are released each week. 
 

Summary:

In this conversation, Wanda Mills shares her inspiring journey from a chat agent to a senior director, emphasizing the importance of knowledge, confidence, and mentorship in achieving career success. She reflects on her evolving leadership style, the significance of community, and her desire to empower the next generation of women in the workforce.

Key Takeaways:

• Wanda's journey began as a chat agent and evolved into senior leadership roles.
• Knowledge is a key driver of confidence and career advancement.
• Mentorship from women has been crucial in Wanda's career.
• Leadership styles can evolve significantly over time.
• Building a supportive community is essential for success.
• Wanda emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and upskilling.
• Women today face fewer barriers than in the past.
• It's important to invest time in young talent eager to learn.
• Wanda encourages young women to seek advice and be curious.
• The community around you should evolve as you grow.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Celebrating Women's Leadership
• 06:00 The Journey to Leadership
• 11:59 Evolving Leadership Styles
• 15:58 Empowering the Next Generation

Summary:

In this episode of The Global Xperience, Bryce Cressy sits down with Mikkel Andreassen, Director of Solutions & CX Advisory at Dixa, to explore the shift from ticket-based customer service to conversation-led, relationship-driven CX. Mikkel shares his journey from agent to BPO leader to software provider, and how that “other side of the fence” perspective reshaped his understanding of service technology.

The conversation dives into Dixa's philosophy of “customer friendship” — building platforms around the user, not the ticket ID — and why omnichannel context is critical to loyalty and CSAT. They unpack the architectural differences between legacy systems and user-centric design, the growing role of agentic AI in workflow orchestration, and why customer service still struggles to prove ROI compared to marketing.

Using examples like Charles Tyrwhitt, they explore what premium service at scale really requires: context, orchestration, and AI working in the engine room — not just deflecting simple queries. The episode closes with reflections on retention vs acquisition, frontline data as a strategic asset, and what it truly takes to move service from cost center to retention engine.

00:00 AI focus in the engine room: where Dixa is investing
00:22 Welcome & episode framing
01:23 Mikkel’s background: from agent to CX advisory
02:30 Switching from operator to software provider
04:20 BPO perspective & understanding tech friction
05:20 Dixa origin & “customer friendship” philosophy
07:01 Ticket ID vs user ID: architectural differences
09:33 Relationship-driven service & scaling context
11:47 The three data pillars agents need (channel, purchase, knowledge)
12:51 Omnichannel frustration & repetition killing CSAT
14:24 Retention vs acquisition: reality vs theory
16:16 Can service become a revenue center?
18:37 Unlocking product feedback & frontline data
20:38 What makes Dixa “agentic”
23:06 AI focus: workflows, insights & orchestration
23:48 Charles Tyrwhitt case & premium CX alignment
26:01 CSAT lift through contextual enablement
28:06 Rapid-fire with Mikkel (NFL, Sherlock, role model)
30:00 Innovation Lab & why Dixa needs to be experienced
31:39 Confidence in platform differentiation
32:08 Closing reflections & partnership outlook

Links:
LinkedIn (Mikkel Andreasen): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkel-andreassen-4603b74a/
Dixa: https://www.dixa.com/

Summary:

In this episode of The Global Xperience, Bryce Cressy sits down with Mikkel Andreassen, Director of Solutions & CX Advisory at Dixa, to explore the shift from ticket-based customer service to conversation-led, relationship-driven CX. Mikkel shares his journey from agent to BPO leader to software provider, and how that “other side of the fence” perspective reshaped his understanding of service technology.

The conversation dives into Dixa's philosophy of “customer friendship” — building platforms around the user, not the ticket ID — and why omnichannel context is critical to loyalty and CSAT. They unpack the architectural differences between legacy systems and user-centric design, the growing role of agentic AI in workflow orchestration, and why customer service still struggles to prove ROI compared to marketing.

Using examples like Charles Tyrwhitt, they explore what premium service at scale really requires: context, orchestration, and AI working in the engine room — not just deflecting simple queries. The episode closes with reflections on retention vs acquisition, frontline data as a strategic asset, and what it truly takes to move service from cost center to retention engine.

00:00 AI focus in the engine room: where Dixa is investing
00:22 Welcome & episode framing
01:23 Mikkel’s background: from agent to CX advisory
02:30 Switching from operator to software provider
04:20 BPO perspective & understanding tech friction
05:20 Dixa origin & “customer friendship” philosophy
07:01 Ticket ID vs user ID: architectural differences
09:33 Relationship-driven service & scaling context
11:47 The three data pillars agents need (channel, purchase, knowledge)
12:51 Omnichannel frustration & repetition killing CSAT
14:24 Retention vs acquisition: reality vs theory
16:16 Can service become a revenue center?
18:37 Unlocking product feedback & frontline data
20:38 What makes Dixa “agentic”
23:06 AI focus: workflows, insights & orchestration
23:48 Charles Tyrwhitt case & premium CX alignment
26:01 CSAT lift through contextual enablement
28:06 Rapid-fire with Mikkel (NFL, Sherlock, role model)
30:00 Innovation Lab & why Dixa needs to be experienced
31:39 Confidence in platform differentiation
32:08 Closing reflections & partnership outlook

Links:
LinkedIn (Mikkel Andreasen): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkel-andreassen-4603b74a/
Dixa: https://www.dixa.com/

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Summary:

In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Janzen, VP of Strategic Growth & Partnerships at Laivly, to get past the keynote glitter and into the messy reality of AI in the contact center. Jeff traces Laivly’s evolution from an internal BPO tech team to a standalone platform and explains why the post-GPT era flipped the script from “Do we need AI?” to “Which AI actually works?” We dig into AI-washing, how to vet vendors, and why adoption—not algorithms—is the real bottleneck. Jeff shares how Laivly’s desktop overlay (“Sidd”) avoids heavy integrations, speeds time-to-floor, and frees agents to focus on customers—lifting CSAT, FCR, and cutting handle time. We talk playbooks, leadership buy-in, training for tenure, and the danger of over-planning instead of launching and iterating. The conversation wraps with pragmatic advice on buying AI: get strategic, start small, and prioritize operationalization.

00:00 Why AI isn’t a hard sell anymore
01:13 Welcome & episode framing
02:31 Laivly origin: from BPO team to platform
05:39 The GPT moment & market shift
08:01 AI-washing and how to vet vendors
10:17 Many pilots, few wins—what’s going wrong
11:26 Implementation fears, security, and integration-light deployment
15:32 Adoption phases & top-down leadership buy-in
18:37 Do agents really benefit? Metrics and realities
22:27 Pilot results: AHT down, CSAT/FCR up; agent sentiment
23:23 “Sidd” gets personified: training anecdotes
24:15 Tuning for tenure: Sidd Studio & configurable guidance
27:03 Rapid-fire with Jeff (superpower, snacks, theme song)
29:26 What Laivly wants agents to feel
30:00 Buying AI: common mistakes (strategy vs. over-planning)
32:57 Start now, iterate: avoiding 12–18 month paralysis
34:04 Overlay advantage across mixed CRMs/CCaaS
35:58 Partnership notes & gratitude
36:04 Conclusion and key takeaways

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffjanzen/
Website: https://www.laivly.com/

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Episode Summary:

In this episode, we interview Evan Siegel, who transitioned from a 16-year career in retail banking to eGain, where he leverages AI, machine learning, and knowledge management to enhance customer experiences. Discussing the challenges of outdated tools in contact centers and how modern knowledge management systems powered by generative AI can solve these issues. Evan emphasizes the importance of a single source of truth in knowledge management and shares insights on how AI can reduce costs and improve customer service across industries. We also delve into specific strategies for financial institutions and the benefits of implementing AI-driven customer service solutions. The conversation wraps up with a look at the Virtual Financial Coach, Evan's initiative at eGain to democratize financial advice. Tune in to discover the future of customer service and how technology can transform the industry.

00:53 Meet Evan: From Banking to AI
01:37 Challenges in Contact Centers
03:26 The Role of AI in Customer Service
05:46 AI's Impact on Cost Reduction
08:08 The Future of Contact Centers
10:28 Self-Service and Customer Preferences
12:34 Migrating Knowledge Bases in Financial Institutions
16:30 Risks and Solutions in AI Implementation
20:42 The Importance of Prompt Engineering
21:16 Analytics in AI and Customer Service
23:05 Getting Started with AI in Your Company
23:19 Generative AI Hype and Realistic Expectations
24:36 Strategic Implementation of Generative AI
26:05 Buy vs. Build: Making the Right Choice
28:40 The Journey of Virtual Financial Coaching
34:06 Rapid Fire Questions with Evan
36:34 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-siegel-ab436845/
Website: https://www.egain.com/ 

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Episode Summary:

In this episode, we chat with Jon Arnold, founder of an independent tech analyst company and an expert in communications technologies, about the future of AI and its strategic impacts on the industry. Jon discusses the potential backlash against AI, the dominance of big tech players, and the importance of understanding business problems when choosing technology solutions. He also shares insights on the evolution of VoIP to unified communications (UC) and the exciting trends in UCaaS, including virtual assistants, knowledge management, and immersive collaboration. The episode wraps up with rapid-fire questions revealing Jon's personal interests and his cautious yet optimistic view on AI's role in the tech industry.

Key Highlights:

-          Jon Arnold's Journey into Technology Analysis: Jon begins by elaborating on his unconventional journey into technology analysis and emphasizes the importance of timing and building expertise in emerging technologies.

-          The Evolution of Unified Communications: The conversation covers the evolution and future trends of Unified Communications (UC), particularly the role of AI in enhancing UC's capabilities.

-          Zoom's Competitive Edge and Innovations: Jon touches on Zoom's strategic moves to compete with tech giants like Microsoft and Google, highlighting their innovative approach.

-          Choosing the Right Technology for Your Business: Jon offers advice on how businesses can navigate the crowded AI and UCaaS market, stressing the importance of focusing on problem-solving rather than just technology.

-          AI, Privacy, and Security Concerns: The discussion also delves into significant privacy and security concerns associated with AI, the necessity of regulation, and the dominance of big tech companies.

-          Rapid Fire Questions with Jon Arnold: Uncover some interesting titbits about Jon through our short segment.

-          Jon Arnold's Unpopular Opinions on AI and Big Tech: Jon shares his cautionary views about AI and its potential backlash.

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarnoldassociates/

Website: https://www.jarnoldassociates.com/

Podcast: https://www.watchthisspace.tech/

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Episode Summary:

In this episode we sit down with Declan Ivory, VP of Customer Support at Intercom, and with extensive experience in leading customer support operations, Declan shares his expertise on integrating AI into customer service to create more meaningful and efficient customer interactions.

Key Highlights:

1. AI Co-Pilot, Agent, and Analyst: Understanding the roles and impact of these AI technologies in customer support.
2. Transforming Customer Support: How AI is changing the way support teams operate and the skills required.
3. Best Practices and Thought Leadership: Collaborating with customers to define best practices in the evolving AI landscape.
4. Human-AI Collaboration: Enhancing customer interactions by combining AI efficiency with human problem-solving skills.
5. The Future of Contact Centers: Predictions on how AI will reshape contact centers, including tiered support models and capacity planning.
6. Continuous Improvement: The importance of knowledge management and content creation in maximizing AI effectiveness.
7. Intercom's AI Vision: Insights into Intercom's AI-first approach and its commitment to innovation in customer support.

Extra Links:

• Connect with Declan Ivory 
• Website: Intercom.com