Episode Summary

Georgie Healy speaks with Michelle Gilmore, co-founder of Juno, an AI-driven interviewer built to deeply understand customers without bias. Michelle, a seasoned behavioural researcher, reveals the overlooked importance of thorough customer research, sharing why so many founders avoid it despite its immense value. She explains how Juno overcomes human biases in traditional surveys, enabling businesses of all sizes to access honest, real-time insights previously reserved for companies with large budgets.

Michelle outlines her rigorous approach to building an AI product, rooted in experimentation, continuous validation, and a willingness to venture into uncertainty. She also discusses the challenges and paradoxes of scaling an AI startup, including navigating abundance and staying mission-focused.

Throughout the conversation, Michelle offers candid reflections on her entrepreneurial journey, the reality of running a venture-backed AI company, and why success hinges on deeply understanding human behaviour. She also touches on Juno's thoughtful personality design, balancing neutrality with empathy to capture truthful customer experiences.

Time Stamps

01:10 – Introducing Michelle Gilmore and the vision behind Juno

02:19 – Why so many founders fear talking directly to customers

05:00 – When should founders start customer research? (Hint: it's immediately)

07:24 – What does a behavioural research expert actually do?

09:18 – How AI helps overcome human bias in surveys and interviews

13:42 – The hidden dangers of relying on biased data (Michelle shares a shocking story)

16:35 – You've gathered customer data. What's next?

21:07 – How Juno's personality was thoughtfully designed

25:59 – Can AI models really detect human emotions during customer interviews?

34:05 – The hardest part of building an AI product that no one talks about

38:23 – Navigating the tough choices: are there companies Juno wouldn’t work with?

40:35 – Michelle’s view on uncertainty and why founders should embrace it

47:01 – What really keeps a venture-backed founder awake at night

Resources

Michelle's email - michelle@heyjuno.co

Michelle's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejoygilmore/

Juno – AI-led customer interviews for unbiased insights (https://www.heyjuno.co)

Neo – Michelle's previous channel-agnostic design agency

✨ Connect with Georgie Healy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginahealy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgina_healy/

Twitter: https://x.com/georgina__healy?lang=en

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