Episode web page: https://bit.ly/46FFJbA

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Episode summary:

In this episode of Insights Unlocked, we dive deep into the intersection of customer research, growth strategy, and fast decision-making with Asia Orangio, founder and CEO of DemandMaven. Host Lija Hogan, principal of experience research strategy at UserTesting, guides the conversation as Asia shares how product-led SaaS companies can find traction by uncovering the real problems hiding behind the data.

Key topics discussed:

The art of understanding customers: Asia’s unexpected journey from oil painting to SaaS growth consultancy, and how her artistic background sharpened her skills in reading human behavior and motivation.

Making KPIs talk: Why every important business metric can be unpacked through thoughtful customer conversations—and how to ask the right questions to get there.

Dispelling research myths: Asia challenges the common belief that customer research is slow, expensive, or overly complex. Instead, she shows how fast and focused studies can lead to high-impact decisions.

Interviewing for impact: Best practices for customer and churn interviews, including how to design research studies that align with your company’s stage and challenges.

Getting buy-in through presence: Why having founders and executives attend research interviews can be the game-changer for turning insights into action.

Prioritizing what matters: How to separate controllable vs. uncontrollable churn factors, and how to turn qualitative feedback into a roadmap of quick wins and long-term opportunities.

Quotes worth highlighting:

“Behind every KPI you want to improve, there’s a set of conversations you can have. You can make the number talk.” – Asia Orangio

“Research doesn’t have to take six months. You can get meaningful insights in two weeks—or less.” – Asia Orangio

Resources & Links:

Asia Orangio on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/asiaorangio/)

Lija Hogan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lija-hogan-894769/)

DemandMaven website (https://demandmaven.io/)

DemandMaven podcast (https://in-demand.castos.com/)

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

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