AI is getting blamed for layoffs it may not actually be causing. So what happens when fear moves faster than the technology?

Victoria Pelletier joins Alyssa Nolte to challenge the idea that companies are already replacing huge parts of their workforce with AI. Her take: many leaders are using AI as cover for cuts they needed to make anyway. The bigger risk may be what that story does to trust inside a company.

Alyssa and Victoria talk about what AI can really do today, why companies need better AI governance, and how leaders can help employees prepare for the changes ahead. They also explore why human skills like creativity, empathy, problem-solving, and relationship building may become even more valuable as AI improves.

If you are trying to figure out what AI means for your job, your team, or your customers, this conversation offers a much more useful answer than "AI is coming for everyone." It is about rethinking how humans and AI work together...and how leaders can build trust while doing it.

3 Key Takeaways

1. AI may not be the real reason behind many layoffs. Victoria argues that most companies are not using AI at enough scale to explain major workforce cuts. In many cases, AI may simply be the easier story to tell.
2. AI adoption requires more than buying a tool. Companies need clear guardrails, data governance, employee training, and honest communication about how AI will change people's work.
3. Human skills may become even more valuable. Creativity, empathy, problem-solving, relationships, and good judgment are harder to automate. Learning AI matters, but so does getting better at the things humans do best.

People and Resources Mentioned

• Victoria Pelletier victoria-peltier.com
• Leadership Transition Guide by Victoria Pelletier
• Influence Unleashed by Victoria Pelletier
• Influence Activated by Victoria Pelletier
• Mo Gawdat Former Chief Business Officer of Google X and guest on The Diary of a CEO
• Scott Galloway
• World Economic Forum skills research

Follow Alyssa Nolte

• alyssanolte.substack.com
• linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte

What if your customer success metrics are measuring the wrong thing? Jacquelyn Goldberg believes NPS and strong relationships are not enough. If customers cannot see real business value, even customers who love you may still leave.

Alyssa Nolte and Jacquelyn Goldberg rethink what customer success should look like when budgets are tight, AI is changing how work gets done, and leaders expect clear results. They talk about moving past "do they like us?" and toward a harder question: Are we helping the customer achieve something that matters to their business?

Jacquelyn also shares how Unframe approaches AI transformation by starting small, solving a real problem, and earning user adoption before trying to change an entire company. Alyssa and Jacquelyn explore why critical thinking, experimentation, and the ability to adapt may become some of the most valuable skills in the AI era.

Why listen?

If you work in customer success, sales, SaaS, AI, or business transformation, this conversation will make you question some common ways companies measure success. You will also hear a practical way to think about AI adoption without starting with a massive transformation project.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Customer success needs to measure business value. NPS and strong relationships matter, but they do not prove that your product is helping a customer reach their goals.
2. AI transformation works better when you start with one real problem. Instead of trying to change everything at once, solve one useful problem, prove the value, and build from there.
3. Critical thinking matters even more with AI. AI can help people work faster, but humans still need to question the answers, test ideas, and know when the technology is wrong.

People & Resources Mentioned

Jacquelyn Goldberg Unframe: unframe.ai LinkedIn: Search Jacquelyn Goldberg

Louis Gersh Founder and mentor mentioned by Jacquelyn

Also mentioned: Harvard Business Review ChatGPT Gemini Wikipedia

Alyssa Nolte Substack: alyssanolte.substack.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte

Getting customers is hard. Keeping them is even harder.

Alyssa Nolte sits down with Shawn Boehme to rethink one of the biggest mistakes businesses make. Most companies think they have a sales problem, a marketing problem, or a customer success problem. Shawn argues they actually have a communication problem. If your customer journey feels disconnected, this conversation will help you see why.

From the first marketing message to onboarding and long-term customer success, every interaction shapes trust. Alyssa and Shawn explore how small communication gaps between teams turn into broken promises for customers. They also discuss why leadership has to own the customer experience across every department, not just within individual teams.

Key Takeaways

• Every customer touchpoint is a promise. Each interaction either builds trust or breaks it.
• Sales, marketing, and customer success must work together. Silos create a confusing customer experience.
• Great customer relationships start with clear communication, realistic expectations, and consistent follow through.

If you're looking to improve customer experience, customer communication, team alignment, or customer retention, this episode will give you practical ideas you can apply right away.

People and resources mentioned:

• PanTerra Networks
• Mike Brooks (Mr. Inside Sales)

Alyssa Nolte

• Substack: http://alyssanolte.substack.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte

Alyssa Nolte and Cameron Magee talk referrals. One phone call beat millions in ad spend. Here's the case for why that's worth your next 30 minutes.

Cameron Magee's company spent multiple seven figures on sales and marketing over the last few years. One referral from a friend beat all of it. If you're pouring money into ads and lead gen but ignoring the people who already trust you, this episode will make you rethink your whole approach.

Cameron Magee runs an event production and AV company that now does work for the White House. Alyssa Nolte has built 100% of her consulting business on referrals. Together they dig into why one warm introduction can outperform years of outbound spend, and why most business owners are too shy or too proud to ask for referrals the right way.

Here's why this one is worth your time. If you've ever wondered whether your marketing budget is actually working, or if you've been too nervous to ask a happy client for an introduction, this conversation will change how you think about growth.

Three key takeaways:

1. Referrals beat ad spend. Cameron's biggest account in years came from one phone call, not from any campaign. Real trust moves faster than any funnel.
2. You have to be worth referring. Alyssa and Cameron agree that great service is what earns the referral in the first place. Show up, do the work, and be easy to trust.
3. Don't be too small to ask. Alyssa's first big client came from a friend who dialed the phone for her because she was too scared to make the call herself. Sometimes you have to push past that fear to get the opportunity.

People and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dan Sullivan, author of Who Not How, 10x Is Easier Than 2x, and The Gap and The Gain
• Strategic Coach
• Caitlin Hutchison
• Cameron Magee's company website: avod3.com
• Follow Cameron Magee on LinkedIn
• Follow Alyssa Nolte on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte
• Read more from Alyssa Nolte on Substack: alyssanolte.substack.com

Your wallet is your vote. Are you actually using it?

Most people complain about bad customer experiences and then go right back to the same companies. Rick Denton says that's the real problem. Alyssa Nolte and Rick Denton dig into why customers have more power than they think and why they refuse to use it.

If you work in GTM, lead a CX team, or just wonder why companies keep getting away with bad service, this one is for you.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Complaining without changing your behavior sends the wrong signal. Companies read your continued spending as approval, even when you're unhappy.
2. Loyalty programs trained us to stay. Then companies slowly eroded the rewards. Now customers are waking up and rethinking what loyalty is even worth.
3. The best CX investment is understanding what your customer would actually pay for. Not what feels good. What they value enough to open their wallet for.

People and Resources Mentioned

• Two Guys on a Plane Podcast with Rich and his husband, both flight attendants
• The Loud Quiet: Empty Nest Living Podcast with Rick Denton and his wife Clancy
• The Loud Quiet (book) by Rick and Clancy Denton, released early 2026
• theloudquiet.com
• Rick Denton on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rickdenton
• Alyssa Nolte on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte
• Alyssa Likes to Talk on Substack: alyssanolte.substack.com

Are you sitting on a decision right now? Waiting for the perfect moment? Nathalie Dorémieux says that moment is not coming, and the problem will still be there tomorrow.

Alyssa Nolte and Nathalie Dorémieux get into what it actually looks like to stop overthinking and start moving. Nathalie is a membership site strategist who helps entrepreneurs build and launch memberships with real momentum. This conversation is for you if you have a great idea but keep stalling. It is not for you if you think success comes from having the perfect plan before you start.

Why should you listen? Because most GTM leaders and entrepreneurs are not failing because of bad ideas. They are failing because they are waiting too long to test them.

Key Takeaways:

1. Action is a skill you build. Being in motion consistently is the fastest way to learn what works and what does not. You do not need to have it all figured out first.
2. You are not supposed to do everything. Knowing where you operate best and getting help for the rest is not a weakness. It is how you actually move faster.
3. Your number has to excite you. When you set a goal for a launch or experiment, pick a number that feels motivating, not one that looks good on paper. If you are not excited, your audience will not be either.

Nathalie walks through a real experiment she is running, showing exactly how to validate an idea with your existing audience before you build a thing. No ad spend. No big launch. Just a simple interest list and a few emails. It is a rethink of how we decide what to build and for whom.

Resources and People Mentioned:

• Nathalie Dorémieux: themembershiplab.com/alyssa
• Fabienne Fredrickson / Boldheart: boldheart.com
• Kolbe Assessment: kolbe.com
• StrengthsFinder (now CliftonStrengths): gallup.com/cliftonstrengths
• Alyssa Nolte on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte
• Alyssa Nolte on Substack: alyssanolte.substack.com

Your marketing strategy isn't broken. Your workflow is.

If growth feels stuck, most people reach for a new strategy. Beth Trejo says that's the wrong move and she has 14 years of running a social media agency to back it up.

Alyssa Nolte and Beth Trejo dig into why "strategy" has become a catch-all excuse for workflow and ownership failures and what to fix first.

Why listen? If you lead a marketing team, own a business, or keep wondering why your strategy isn't working, this episode will reframe the problem entirely. The answer is probably not what you think.

3 Key Takeaways:

1. Clear ownership is step one. If nobody knows who owns what and what "done" looks like...no strategy will save you.
2. Operational strength isn't optional. The brands that do the most, test the most, and grow the most are operationally excellent. Not just strategically clever.
3. Give it time. Three to four months is the minimum before pulling the plug on a campaign. Changing too fast creates brand whiplash - not results.

People and Resources Mentioned:

• Beth Trejo — CEO of Chatterkick | chatterkick.com | LinkedIn: Beth Trejo
• Will at SEER Interactive — Chief Innovation Officer, recommended follow for AI and marketing insights | LinkedIn: search Will at SEER Interactive
• Alyssa Nolte — alyssanolte.substack.com | linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte

AI will not fix a broken process.

Sawsan Hamawandy joins Alyssa Nolte to rethink how companies build better buyer experiences before they rush into AI. Too many teams want the shiny new tool, but their lead forms, demo process, sales handoffs, and follow-up steps are already full of friction.

Sawsan makes the case for getting the basics right first. If your process is hard for people to follow, AI will not magically make it better. It may just help you break things faster.

Alyssa and Sawsan talk about what today’s buyers expect, why form fills are higher intent than many teams realize, and how small points of friction can cost you real pipeline. They also dig into why clear beats clever, how AI can support better customer experiences, and why teams need to stop asking buyers for information they could easily find themselves.

If you care about B2B marketing, sales process, customer experience, AI strategy, or pipeline conversion, this conversation will make you look at your buyer journey differently.

Key takeaways:

1. Fix the process before you add AI AI works best when the process is clear. If your team cannot explain the steps, your AI tools will not save you.
2. Remove friction from the buyer journey Long forms, extra emails, required phone numbers, and slow follow-up can turn strong leads away before they ever talk to sales.
3. Treat buyer data like currency Every field you ask for has a cost. If the value exchange does not feel fair, people will leave.

People and resources mentioned:

• Neil Patel
• Laura Costa
• Sam Dunning
• Breaking B2B
• Alyssa’s Substack: alyssanolte.substack.com
• Alyssa on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte

Most people think the best referral is a direct introduction. Joel Miller thinks that might be the worst kind.

What if the strongest leads come from people who discovered you on their own, trusted you before they ever reached out, and showed up already knowing your story? Joel joins Alyssa Nolte to rethink the future of customer relationships and explore why building an audience may be more valuable than chasing referrals.

If you create content, run a business, sell services, or want more opportunities to find you, this conversation will challenge how you think about trust, visibility, and growth.

Alyssa and Joel discuss:

• Why direct referrals often fail to convert
• How "soft referrals" create stronger buyer trust
• The power of blogging, podcasting, and sharing ideas in public
• Why your first content should be imperfect
• How AI can help amplify your voice without replacing it

Key Takeaways

1. The best referrals often happen without you in the room. People trust recommendations more when they feel they discovered you themselves.
2. Building in public creates opportunities. You do not need a revolutionary idea. Sharing your thinking consistently helps people get to know, trust, and remember you.
3. Followership matters more than leadership. The people who attract attention are often the ones willing to lean into their strengths and share what makes them different.

Resources Mentioned

• Marcus Buckingham - Nine Lies About Work
• Seth Godin - Purple Cow
• Connect with Joel Miller - TheSkyFloor.com

Connect with Alyssa Nolte

• alyssanolte.substack.com
• linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte

The Growth Signal is rethinking the future of customer relationships through conversations with entrepreneurs, marketers, sales leaders, and business builders.

Most businesses are fighting the wrong battle. They cut prices, offer discounts, and race to the bottom hoping to win more customers. But what if the better strategy is to stop competing on price altogether? Alyssa Nolte sits down with John Dwyer to explore a simple idea that has helped businesses generate more leads, increase conversions, and stand out in crowded markets: give buyers a reason to choose you that has nothing to do with price.

John shares why he believes most companies are leaving money on the table by focusing on discounts instead of incentives. From McDonald's Happy Meal toys to vacation giveaways and lead generation contests, he explains how businesses can create offers that grab attention, build demand, and protect their margins. If you're tired of lowering prices to win business, this conversation will make you rethink the future of customer relationships.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Stop competing on price: The moment you lower your price, a competitor can lower theirs too. Strong incentives are often harder to copy and create more perceived value.
2. The best bonus isn't more of what you sell: John argues that incentives work best when they are valuable to the buyer but separate from your core product or service.
3. Contests can attract highly qualified leads: People enter contests for things they actually want. That makes contests a powerful way to identify prospects who are already interested in buying.

Resources and People Mentioned

• John Dwyer
• The Institute of Wow
• theinstituteofwow.com
• Vacations Incentive
• vacationsincentive.com
• Seth Godin
• Purple Cow
• Jerry Seinfeld
• Richard Branson

Want more conversations about customer behavior, growth, and rethinking how people buy?

• alyssanolte.substack.com
• linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte