Yext Talks

This week, we’re thrilled to be joined by Sridhar Ramaswamy, co-founder and CEO of privacy-focused search engine Neeva — and the former leader of Google’s $115 billion advertising division. Drawing on a lifetime of tech experience — particularly his 15 year tenure at Google — Ramaswamy dives deep on the evolution of the search ecosystem, why he felt compelled to launch Neeva, and what the future of (ad-free?) search really looks like.

This week, we’re joined by Ruby Au, Head of North America at Ecosia, the search engine that plants trees with its ad revenue. In this episode, Au explains Ecosia’s environmentally-focused mission, dives into the troubled relationship between search and privacy, and predicts what the search landscape will be like in 5 years.

This week, we’re joined by Zac Pappis, VP of Insights at DuckDuckGo — and the second employee to join the company back in 2012. In this episode, Pappis details DuckDuckGo’s origins, explains why we’re seeing a proliferation of search interfaces today, and makes his case for why privacy-focused upstart search engines stand a fighting chance.

This week, we’re joined by Steven Levy, Editor at Large at Wired and author of top technology books including “In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives” and the iconic “Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution.” In a wide-ranging episode, Levy discusses controversial aspects of Google's growth, dives into the intersection of search and ethics, and makes some bold predictions for the future of search.

In this debut episode, our host Christian Ward, Chief Data Officer at Yext, introduces Yext Talks: Search Wars — a season that will dive into everything from the “AI-ification” of search to the complex intersection of search and privacy — and gives a sneak peek into the guest lineup.

As CEO at human performance company Exos and a member of the board of directors at Strava, Sarah Robb O’Hagan has a pretty impressive resume in the fitness world.

In this episode, she draws on her present roles — as well as her background at Flywheel and Equinox — to deliver great insights on the evolution of at-home workouts post-COVID, fitness for the future, and lots more.

As Chief Marketing Officer at Crypto.com, Steve Kalifowitz has a front row seat to the crypto boom — and a unique ability to explain and evangelize the space to both experts and newcomers. In this episode, Kalifowitz shares his thoughts on the crypo bull run, goes deep on NFTs, and much more.

As the Founder and CEO Nearby, a platform aimed at empowering local businesses and helping them reach more customers, tech entrepreneur April Underwood has unique insight into the profound challenges — and opportunities — facing local biz today.

But what does the “future of local” look like following the destabilizing year that was 2020? What technologies will be necessary for businesses of all stripes to embrace a “digital-best” mentality? In this episode, which sees Underwood drawing on her local expertise as well as her background as Chief Product Officer at Slack, you’ll hear about the future of empowering local businesses, tips for a successful digital transformation, predictions on the future of remote work, and more.

As Head of Inclusive Marketing at Microsoft, for the past three years, MJ DePalma has had a front row seat to profound shifts in the landscape of diverse & inclusive marketing. In this episode, DePalma is joined by colleague Kelli Kemery, Lead Market Researcher at Microsoft, as they share their thoughts on the evolution of inclusive marketing, the difference between “inclusive” ads and including viewers, and the future of designing for audiences with disabilities.

As a 2018 inductee to the Marketing Hall of Fame, author, speaker, and tech founder Seth Godin knows a thing or two about the marketing landscape.

In this episode, Godin talks about marketing to the “smallest viable audience,” shares his thoughts (and advice!) on crucial mistakes marketers make, and issues some surprising predictions for the future.