The Experience Strategy Podcast

Customer needs and expectations are constantly evolving. What can recent trends in customer expectations and context tell you about what's coming next? How can these inform your experience roadmap and prepare your business for what's next? Our goal is to provide data-driven trends for Experience Strategists that will help you with planning by identifying the major customer and cultural trends that should be informing your roadmaps and thinking for customer journeys, channels, and personas. Listen to our latest episode to hear the top trends influencing experience strategy and how they can move your company forward. Then, visit us at https://www.stonemantel.co/trendsreport to download our full report. What you'll learn: The top 6 meta trends influencing experience strategy in 2023 The research methodologies used to create the first-ever Experience Strategy Trends Report The cultural forces contributing to the experience strategy trends Examples of companies that are struggling or embracing trends Powerful ways to harness these trends for your business

In this episode you'll meet Jake Kahana, the co-founder of Caveday, a company helping you improve your relationship to work. Their global community has participated in over 50,000 hours of deep work "In The Cave." Learn how Jake and his co-founders started with a specific job to be done and then wrapped an experience around it to create a game-changing solution, how they use internal and external research to contextualize and inform their experience, and how they've adapted their product to current conditions. Be forewarned, you're going to ask yourself while listening if the way you're working is working. If not, Jake has some ideas for you. Key Takeaways Benefits of working in a flow state: generating more creative and novel ideas, faster learning, clearer communication, and higher quality work. Employee and Customer Experience Strategists need to focus on Modes (a mindset and a set of behaviors that people get into temporarily) No one taught us how to work so when we're doing work that feels really hard or really challenging, our brains want to bring in dopamine. It's like when we're having an awkward silence and we want to fill it with something comfortable we take our phones out. Top lesson learned: Identify an unmet need and then listen to your customers to find out if you're meeting it. Keep exploring Deep Work: Rules For Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. Flow Research Collective by Steven Kotler and Huberman Lab in Stanford by Andrew Huberman. Parkinson's Law: the old adage that work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion. The term was first coined by Cyril Northcote Parkinson; The Economist talks about the essay he wrote for them here.

The Washington Post recently shared evidence that US employees have gotten dramatically less productive. The Wall Street Journal reported that companies like Ford are giving severance packages to underproductive employees. And pretty much every media outlet has told us that employees are "quiet quitting" in astounding numbers. Today we are joined by Corinne Murray, an employee experience thought leader who has worked at companies like WeWork, American Express, RXR, Gensler, and CBRE. We look at what's really driving our collective malaise, the influence and lasting impact of distributed and hybrid workforces, and how companies can create authentic and lasting employee engagement. Spoiler alert: they use the same strategies companies use to create lasting customer engagement. You don't want to miss this episode! Key takeaways: "Your people are your workplace" -Corinne Murray Engagement isn't about where we work, but how we work. The most successful employee experience strategies are powered by employee purpose. Instead of one size fits all, over-corrections that revert to familiar and comfortable formats, they talk to employees about what matters to them, and design balanced strategies to support those. Most companies are too focused on bringing employees back into the workplace rather than understanding what works best for the type of work the employee is doing. Check out this framework from Gartner for an example: https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/4-modes-of-collaboration-are-key-to-success-in-hybrid-work The best way to keep employees engaged and productive is to create policies that help them feel like the way they work is time well spent.

As we continue our exploration of Modes: the behaviors and mindsets people adopt to accomplish a goal, today we will reflect on prayer mode with Agapi Stassinopoulos the bestselling author of Wake Up to the Joy of You and Unbinding the Heart: A Dose of Greek Wisdom, Generosity, and Unconditional Love and most recently Speaking with Spirit 52 Prayers to Guide, Inspire, and Uplift You. If you're in the business of creating meaningful or transformative experiences, reflection is essential to your value proposition. History, and our research, have shown that people respond to having a higher purpose. Agapi shares the mindsets, behaviors and blocks that can stand in the way or create powerful impact. Be prepared for some delicious Greek wisdom. Key Takeaways Prayer is a technique that is found in many spiritual disciplines and serves to help people develop a higher purpose Understanding reflection and prayer mode can help us create more meaningful experiences Companies have more permission than they often think to support the spiritual wellbeing of individuals. To help people create routines, companies can reduce the expectation of special context, settings and props. By simplifying, you can overcome perceived barriers.

In this episode, we explore the difference between moments and modes with Justin Kirby and how they intersect with design, marketing, innovation, sustainability and technology. Tune in to discover how modes can trigger greater customer empathy and understanding about your jobs to be done. You'll also hear how this leads to greater self-awareness for customers, companies, and company culture- and how that can create more impact for your bottom line. Key takeaways For people who design for moments, thinking in terms of modes can be a powerful paradigm shift Modes fit into the design thinking tradition because they build empathy Companies can support customer purpose through modes Empowering employees to identify their optimal work modes, can improve cross-functional empathy and effectiveness

Today we dive into Turnaround mode with Lisa Gable, former US Ambassador, UN Delegate, and the bestselling author of Turnaround: How to Change Course When Things Are Going South. Lisa has turned around businesses, teams, nonprofits, political campaigns, and government projects, finding solutions to the hairiest problems. Since experience strategies must create economic value, losing sight of the Job to be Done is one of the costliest strategic errors a company can make. In this episode, Lisa teaches experience strategists how to find focus, listen to stakeholders, and lead from the heart and head in order to bring value for both companies and their customers. KEY TAKEAWAYS Companies can get off-track and when they do they need people like Lisa Gable to help them create a new map for getting where they want to go Turnaround mode has two parts: solving for the economic crisis and building the new opportunity To address the crisis, companies need to take a hard look at legacy investments that may be meaningful, but don't create value. To build a new opportunity, leaders need to move forward with speed, agility and heart. Steps for managing an experience strategy turnaround Assess your channels and experiences to figure out what you no longer need Determine the Job to be Done to figure out what's most important Move forward courageously, while being cognizant of the power of communication

In this episode of the Experience Strategy podcast we go deep into the lived experience of Play mode with our friend, Michelle Lee, Managing Director of IDEO's Play Lab. Tap into Michelle's vast knowledge of the experience of play to understand the mindsets and behaviors associated with this mode, and how we, as experience strategists, can tap into the power of play. Learn: Why play matters for consumers, employees, and brands The mindsets and behaviors that define play Ways to measure the ROI of Play Ideas for building Play into any experience BIO As Managing Director of IDEO's Play Lab, Michelle Lee leads an integrated research, design, and development team bringing engaging, interactive and playful experiences to market. Her Design for Play team builds upon 30+ years in toy invention, leveraging the principles of play to connect with people at a deeper emotional level that captivates, delights, and empowers. Beyond specializing in toys and kids, Michelle is passionate about using play to address difficult challenges and create meaningful change across industries, including driving responsible digital design, inspiring underrepresented students to pursue careers in STEM, and supporting organizations in adopting practices in line with a circular economy.

Today we are joined by Matt Maher, a Futurist specializing in augmented and virtual realities, web3, the metaverse, artificial intelligence, the internet of things (IoT), and voice technology. Hybrid experiences are now table stakes, whether you're in healthcare, wellness, events, or banking. In this episode, Matt will help us look not just at the future of fashion and other physical goods, but also at the future of our industry as a whole. If you are responsible for building innovative and future-proof customer experiences, listen in and get your channel strategy ready for what's next. Key Takeaways The differences between augmented and virtual reality, Web 3, and the metaverse Examples of ways companies are employing new technologies How consumers are embracing virtual technologies The future of fashion Near term and longer-term ways to integrate new technology based on customer readiness How to accomplish your Jobs to Be Done with Web 3.0 (and even Web 2.5) What digital context looks like in the near future BIO Matt Maher, a Futurist specializing in augmented and virtual realities, web3, the metaverse, artificial intelligence, the internet of things (IoT), and voice technology. Hybrid experiences are now table stakes, whether you're in healthcare, wellness, events, or banking. In this episode, Matt will help us look not just at the future of fashion and other physical goods, but also at the future of our industry as a whole. If you are responsible for building innovative and future-proof customer experiences, listen in and get your channel strategy ready for what's next. Matt Maher Twitter

Today we are joined by Zibby Owens, an author, podcaster, publisher, CEO, and mother of four. Zibby recently published her memoir: Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature and her first children's book Princess Charming. As part of our ongoing Modes series, Zibby helps us understand what it's like to be a multi-hyphenate jetting from one mode to another, and the tools, behaviors and mindsets that help her thrive. If you're an experience strategist creating products for high performing multi-mode customers, listen now! IN THIS EPISODE: [3:20] Zibby provides a brief overview of her new memoir. [7:55] How Zibby switches between modes of creating energy and restoring her energy. [14:20] What helps Zibby to overcome and grow from many extraordinary challenges she has gone through in her life? [20:35] What helps Zibby sustain her high-performance energy? [26:00] Dave and Aransas share key recommendations for companies that are creating products for high performers and mode-shifters, including the importance of focusing on relaxation alongside peak performance. [31:30] Companies need to acknowledge the mode the consumers are in to help deepen the experience and understanding of a product. KEY TAKEAWAYS In Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, Zibby identifies her superpowers and demonstrates how helping people understand their strengths can empower customers and foster lasting relationships Zibby recognizes that she switches between modes. She's aware of why she's moving from one to the next, and how it serves her goals. She's the type of customer that high performing brands would like to win over. Zibby feels balanced when she's performing at a high level with times for recovery and restoration in between. Companies who only focus on high performance miss an opportunity to create long-term engagement. Almost every person switches modes regularly, especially if they have a career, family, a home, and personal passions. Companies can do a better job of making all customers aware of the modes they get into. BIO Zibby Owens is an author, podcaster, publisher, CEO, and mother of four. Zibby is the founder of Zibby Owens Media, a privately-held media company designed to help busy people live their best lives by connecting to books and each other. The three divisions include Zibby Books, a publishing house for fiction and memoir, Zcast, a podcast network powered by Acast including Zibby's award-winning podcast Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books, and Moms Don't Have Time To, a new content and community site including Zibby's Virtual Book Club, events, and the former Moms Don't Have Time to Write. She is a regular columnist for Good Morning America and a frequent guest on morning news shows recommending books. Editor of two anthologies (Moms Don't Have Time to Have Kids and Moms Don't Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology), a children's book Princess Charming, and now a memoir Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, Zibby loves to write. She regularly pens personal essays, starting with her first one in Seventeen magazine in 1992. Zibby lives in New York with her husband, Kyle Owens of Morning Moon Productions, and her four children. Follow her on Instagram @zibbyowens.

Jamie Norwood, named to Inc.'s Top 100 Female Founders and Forbes 1000, is the co-founder of Stix, a fast-growing startup in healthcare challenged by how to serve extremely distinct customer needs. In this episode we look at how Modes can create confident shoppers, a sense of community, and continuity across shopper journeys. Tune in and discover how you can apply these frameworks to businesses of any size or category. IN THIS EPISODE: [1:20] Intro to Jamie Norwood and her company Stix. [4:38] Personalization and individualization for customers. [7:52] What questions should a company ask to get started with modes? [13:05] How to support different customers and their different needs - breaking the products into "mode" categories. [16:03] What are ways to engrain it in an experience beyond obvious customer touchpoints? [22:00] What are other ways to better personalize on a standard Shopify site? [28:12] What it looks like to shop on Instagram using modes. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Companies should focus on six to eight of their most basic modes. The focus should be on positive and negative modes and tell the story of how the company can be there for the customer as they evolve. Dashboards allow for more customer control. They allow the customer to be in charge of their journey, and products aren't pushed on them that they do not need or want. Modes are situational. They are a mindset and set of behaviors that the customer is in; they want to get further into the mode or out of the mode, so showing them how to do so with your site is important to allow them to feel safe to make their purchase/that this is the right purchase for them for the mode they are in. LINKS MENTIONED: Stix Website Stix Instagram Stix Facebook Stix TikTok Stix Twitter RealTalk BIO: Jamie Norwood, named to Inc.'s Top 100 Female Founders and Forbes 1000, is Stix's co-founder, leading brand & experience. Jamie co-founded Stix in 2019, a health brand that empowers women to make confident decisions, starting with reproductive and vaginal health products. Before starting her own company, Jamie was on the founding team of Hungry Harvest, where she built and scaled the customer experience and product departments. Jamie received her BA from Tulane University and is a Venture for America alumna.