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The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX
#848: CRMC Keynote Speaker Paul Epstein on building deep connections for greater customer loyalty
What if your brand’s success wasn't dependent on a winning product or favorable market conditions, but on your ability to connect with customers on a human level, one story at a time?
Agility requires moving beyond a reliance on market trends or product performance as the primary drivers of success. It demands a deeper, more resilient connection with customers, built on understanding their individual needs and stories.
Today, we're going to talk about building a playbook for customer loyalty that isn't dependent on market wins or a perfect product. We’ll explore the idea that every customer has a unique story, and that shifting from broad, impersonal campaigns to a strategy of deep, individual connection is the key to creating not just customers, but lifelong fans.
To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Paul Epstein, CEO & Founder at Win Monday and keynote speaker at CRMC, taking place June 1-3 in Frisco, Texas.
About Paul Epstein
PAUL EPSTEIN is a former NFL, NBA, and Super Bowl chief sales officer, celebrated for creating the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy and Leadership University, now two-time bestselling author and award-winning speaker named one of SUCCESS magazine’s top thought leaders that get results. When not on stage, Paul is the Founder & CEO of WIN MONDAY™, a leading habit-building company that drives high-performance, momentum, and growth for championship cultures across the globe.
Paul Epstein on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulepsteinspeaks/
Resources
Win Monday: https://paulepsteinspeaks.com/
This episode is brought to by CRMC. Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://www.thecrmc.com
Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74
We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658
Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
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871. Asana CMO Prachi Gore on realizing AI's true potential for marketing operations
30:59||Season 8, Ep. 871What if the biggest risk of AI in marketing isn't about job replacement, but about creating more fragmented, siloed work?Agility requires more than just adopting new tools; it demands a fundamental rethinking of how teams collaborate and orchestrate work. When a technology like AI promises to accelerate individual tasks, true agility means ensuring that acceleration translates into collective momentum, not organizational friction.Today, we're going to talk about moving beyond the hype of AI experimentation and into the reality of its operational impact on marketing teams. We’ll explore what happens when AI graduates from being a personal productivity tool to becoming an integrated part of a team’s workflow, and how that shift changes everything from campaign execution to the very structure of marketing itself.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Prachi Gore, CMO at Asana. About Prachi Gore Prachi Gore is the Chief Marketing Officer at Asana, where she leads the company's global marketing strategy and brand development. Prachi brings extensive experience scaling product-led B2B organizations, having previously served as SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Checkr, where she built the company's demand engine, elevated its brand, and launched its product-led growth business. Prior to Checkr, Prachi led Marketing at SmartRecruiters, guiding the company's evolution from an SMB-focused product to a leading enterprise talent acquisition suite. This diverse background across consumer, SMB, and enterprise markets gives her deep expertise in demand generation, brand strategy, and AI-enabled go-to-market innovation. Prachi is passionate about creating marketing that combines human creativity with rigorous, data-driven execution, and is committed to helping teams work more effectively and tell clearer stories. Prachi Gore on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prachigore/ ---------- Resources ---------- Asana: asana.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fDon't miss We Make Future - the International Festival of Innovation in AI, Tech, and Digital Marketing, June 24-26 in Bologna. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/c80991afff416bb2The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
870. Vasion Chief Strategy Officer JD Carter on Building a responsive brand
27:22||Season 8, Ep. 870To keep up in a changing market, are you building a responsive brand, or are you constantly playing catch-up?Agility requires more than just quick reactions; it demands a proactive understanding of evolving customer needs and emerging technologies. It also means building adaptable processes and systems that can flex with market demands.Today, we're going to talk about navigating the complexities of modern business strategy in a world of constant disruption. Specifically, we'll explore how Chief Strategy Officers can balance long-term vision with the need for near-term execution, particularly in the face of external pressures like economic shifts, competitive dynamics, and the transformative power of technologies like AI.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome JD Carter, Chief Strategy Officer at Vasion. JD, welcome to the show! About JD Carter JD Carter is the Chief Strategy Officer at Vasion. JD joined Vasion in 2013 as employee number five. A self-described “jack of all trades” executive, he has served during his tenure as the company’s VP of sales, CMO, and chief experience officer. In his current role, he helps develop the company’s strategy and works with his executive peers to drive performance across the organization. JD also oversees Vasion’s mergers and acquisitions function and plays an active role in defining the culture and values by which the company operates. JD Carter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdcarter/ ---------- Resources ---------- Vasion: https://www.vasion.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fEnjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
869. Mintegral's Phoena Pang on the new playbook for performance marketing
23:15||Season 8, Ep. 869Is the relentless pursuit of measurable ROAS fundamentally at odds with building long-term customer trust in a privacy-first world?Agility requires marketers to move beyond legacy attribution models and embrace a more dynamic approach to measurement and monetization. This is especially true in the rapidly evolving mobile ecosystem, where the rules of engagement are constantly being rewritten.Today, we're going to talk about the new playbook for performance marketing in the mobile app ecosystem. We'll explore how to drive growth and measure return on ad spend in an environment defined by signal loss, look at the innovative ad formats that are capturing user attention, and discuss the role of AI in balancing automation with creative effectiveness.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Phoena Pang, Vice President of Sales and Global Partnerships at Mintegral. About Phoena Pang Phoena Pang is the Vice President of Sales and Global Partnerships at Mintegral, a leading global mobile advertising platform. Based in the US, Phoena brings deep expertise in mobile advertising, strategic partnerships, and business development to drive Mintegral’s go-to-market growth and operational excellence across global markets. Phoena has held senior roles at top-tier technology companies including Google, Moloco, Vungle, and Chartboost. At Moloco, she led product go-to-market strategy and partnerships for mobile performance marketing. During her time at Google, she served as Global Product Lead and Strategic Partner Lead, where she spearheaded global gaming ads solutions and scaled high-impact partnerships worldwide. At Mintegral, Phoena focuses on optimizing operational performance and cultivating strong, strategic partnerships with advertisers and publishers, reinforcing Mintegral’s leadership in programmatic mobile advertising solutions. Phoena Pang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phpang/ ---------- Resources ---------- Mintegral: https://www.mintegral.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fDon't miss We Make Future - the International Festival of Innovation in AI, Tech, and Digital Marketing, June 24-26 in Bologna. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/c80991afff416bb2The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
868. Sitecore CMO Michelle BB on 25 years of marketing technology evolution plus what lies ahead
33:48||Season 8, Ep. 868Twenty-five years ago, the goal was to build a website as a digital "single source of truth." In an era of AI agents and hyper-personalized realities, is the very concept of a single, universal brand "truth" now an obstacle to creating a truly relevant customer experience?Agility requires not just adopting new channels and technologies, but fundamentally rethinking the role of content and data in a constantly shifting landscape. It's the ability to move from managing a static digital property to orchestrating a fluid, dynamic relationship with your audience.Today, we're going to talk about the 25-year evolution of digital experience, from the early days of enterprise content management to today's complex ecosystem of AI-driven, composable platforms. We’ll explore how seismic shifts—from the introduction of the iPhone to the rise of agentic AI—have not just changed the tools we use, but have fundamentally redefined the relationship between brands and their customers.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, CMO at Sitecore, a company that is turning 25 this year and has managed to maintain its leadership in the space through many changes and a few curveballs. About Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek (BB) is the Chief Marketing Officer at Sitecore, where she leads a global team of marketers who are redefining what’s possible in modern marketing. Together, they’re putting the power of generative and agentic AI to work – creating digital experiences that connect people and possibilities across the globe. Michelle is a trailblazer in bringing AI into marketing. At IBM, she served first as Global Head of B2B Marketing at the Weather Company, and then as CMO of IBM Watson, the company’s pioneering AI platform. There, she served as the steward of the Watson brand, helping the world understand how AI can transform both work and life. Since then, she’s become a Fellow at the Marketing Academy, a founding member of CMO Huddles, and has held CMO roles at both Skillsoft and IDC. At IDC, Michelle reimagined marketing as a strategic growth engine, launching a bold new brand identity, spearheading the company’s first GenAI initiatives, and aligning brand, demand, and strategy to drive global impact. Michelle is a frequent speaker on marketing leadership, AI, and purpose-led growth. A lifelong learner, she’s also a runner, rescue dog mom, and dark roast devotee. Her best ideas rarely arrive in a meeting, but often hit mid-stride or mid-walk. Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebb/ ---------- Resources ---------- Sitecore: sitecore.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fDon't miss We Make Future - the International Festival of Innovation in AI, Tech, and Digital Marketing, June 24-26 in Bologna. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/c80991afff416bb2The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
867. Intuit Mailchimp's Head of Email Product discusses removing friction from martech
23:37||Season 8, Ep. 867What's the hidden tax your organization pays every time a creative asset moves from a design tool to a marketing platform, and how can you shorten the time to gain important insights about how your campaigns perform?Agility requires more than just speed. It demands that we eliminate the friction between our systems and processes so teams can move from concept to customer with minimal translation errors and maximum impact. It also means that we need to find the best ways to understand campaign performance without requiring everyone in marketing to be a data scientist.We're going to discuss:- the persistent gap between creative design and marketing execution- the value that AI-based capabilities can add to the understanding of analytics and performanceTo help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Ose Amiegheme, Head of Email Product at Intuit Mailchimp. About Ose Amiegheme Ose Amiegheme is a product leader building the future of creation and growth tools.Today, he leads product for Intuit Mailchimp’s Email and omnichannel campaigns creation experiences, shaping how small businesses create content, launch campaigns, and grow across channels.Previously, he led advertising products at TikTok supporting multi-billion-dollar revenue businesses and helped launch products spanning GenAI creative tooling, campaign optimization, and advertiser control systems.Before TikTok, Ose spent four years at Adobe helping build Adobe Express, where he worked across editor experiences, AI-assisted creation, and products used by millions of creators globally. His career has followed a consistent theme of building products that empower creators and marketers to tell their story in a way that feels genuine but also standout.Outside of work, Ose is a huge soccer fan and he is excited for the upcoming soccer World Cup. Ose Amiegheme on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ose-amiegheme/ / https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyejones/ ---------- Resources ---------- Intuit Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/ The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fDon't miss We Make Future - the International Festival of Innovation in AI, Tech, and Digital Marketing, June 24-26 in Bologna. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/c80991afff416bb2The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
866. Lean Startup author Eric Ries on building a brand for the long term
39:39||Season 8, Ep. 866In an era of relentless pressure for quarterly growth, is it even possible for a large brand to stay true to its core mission, or is compromising a brand’s values just an inevitable part of achieving scale?Agility requires more than just reacting quickly to market changes. It requires a resilient, long-term mission that acts as a north star, ensuring that every pivot and experiment builds enduring value, not just short-term gains.Today, we're going to talk about the tension that every marketing leader feels: the conflict between the relentless demand for measurable, short-term results and the need to build a brand with a durable, long-term mission. We’ll explore how the very systems designed to measure success can sometimes corrupt a company's purpose, and how a new definition of value can create a strategic advantage that outlasts fleeting market trends.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Eric Ries, Author of The Lean Startup, and the new book, Incorruptible. About Eric Ries Over the last two decades, Eric Ries’s ideas about continuous innovation, long-term thinking, governance, and market reform have reshaped company building and management practices. He is the creator of the Lean Startup method, and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup; The Leader’s Guide; and The Startup Way. As a founder, he has put his own ideas into practice with The Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE); Answer.AI, an AI R&D lab; the Lean Startup Co, which teaches and supports the implementation of Lean Startup; Virgil, a legal services startup; and IMVU, where the ideas that became the Lean Startup method were forged. On his podcast, The Eric Ries Show, he talks to guests including world-class technologists, thought leaders, and executives working to build profitable companies for the long-term benefit of society. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and three children. Eric Ries on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eries/ ---------- Resources ---------- The Lean Startup: https://www.leanstartup.co The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 Get Incorruptible by Eric Ries: https://amzn.to/4dERCRyDrive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fDon't miss We Make Future - the International Festival of Innovation in AI, Tech, and Digital Marketing, June 24-26 in Bologna. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/c80991afff416bb2The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
861. RGP Chief Strategy & Experience Officer Jennifer Jones on the human experience of digital transformation
26:39||Season 8, Ep. 861What if the biggest obstacle to delivering a world-class customer experience isn't your technology or your strategy, but the very way your teams are structured and enabled to work? Agility requires creating an internal environment that can fluidly adapt to—and even anticipate—the needs of the external customer. Today, we're going to talk about: the often-overlooked foundation of successful business transformation: the human experience. We’ll explore: Why the employee experience isn't just an HR initiative but a direct driver of customer outcomes How designing systems around the way people actually think—not just how we’re organized on a chart—is critical. The practical application of a human-centered lens to business processes Why so many large-scale changes fail when they don't properly connect the dots between people, processes, and technology. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Jennifer Jones, Chief Strategy & Experience Officer at RGP. About Jennifer Jones Jennifer Jones is Chief Strategy & Experience Officer at RGP, a global professional services firm, where she leads enterprise strategy and experience end-to-end—aligning go-to-market, customer and employee experience, and operating models to accelerate growth and retention. She is responsible for translating strategy into execution across the business, partnering across sales, delivery, finance, technology, HR, and talent to remove friction, strengthen adoption, and drive measurable outcomes. Jennifer also leads global marketing and communications, shaping RGP’s market voice, positioning, and demand generation engine. Previously, she served as Chief Marketing Officer, where she unified the company’s brand, go-to-market strategy, and growth programs to support its evolution into a differentiated, execution-focused consulting firm. With more than 28 years of experience, Jennifer is known for closing the gap between vision and execution. She has led large-scale transformations across brand, customer and employee experience, service design, and AI-enabled operating models—helping Fortune 500 organizations modernize in ways that drive adoption, unlock value, and deliver sustained impact. Her work is grounded in human-centered design, ensuring transformation is not only strategic, but people-focused, actionable and enduring. Jennifer Jones on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifergardnerjones/ --------Resources-------- RGP: https://rgp.com/ The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658 Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873f Don't miss We Make Future - the International Festival of Innovation in AI, Tech, and Digital Marketing, June 24-26 in Bologna. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/c80991afff416bb2 The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
860. Resident Expert: Bill Staikos on the CX landscape in 2026
27:18||Season 8, Ep. 860As a leader, you often spend so much time on the strategies and tactics that keep your brand growing that it’s difficult to keep up with what’s going on in the background with the platforms and the companies behind them. That’s why I’m always glad to talk with our guest today, who is both focused on the business of CX as well as the business behind CX and the SaaS platforms driving so many customer experiences. I’m excited to talk again with our Resident Expert on the CX and MarTech platform landscape. We talked right at the beginning of 2026 as a look back at last year. Now that we’ve had a quarter behind us in 2026, it’s time to talk about how this year is shaping up and what we can expect in the months ahead. To help me discuss these topics, I'd like to welcome, Bill Staikos, Founder at Be Customer Led. About Bill Staikos Bill Staikos is a senior customer experience executive with over 20 years of leadership across financial services, consulting, and technology. He has held senior roles at American Express, Freddie Mac, JP Morgan, and BNY Mellon, where he led global initiatives to transform client and employee experiences. A former SVP at Medallia, Bill helped organizations turn insights into measurable outcomes. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice and one of the Top 50 Global CX Influencers, Bill is also the founder of the Be Customer-Led podcast and is now preparing to launch The Multimodal Experience. Known for his pragmatic, impact-driven approach, Bill advises leading brands, including Apple, Bank of America, Marriott, and T-Mobile, on connecting customer experience to business growth. Bill Staikos on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billstaikos/ Resources Be Customer Led: https://becustomerled.com/ The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658 Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873f Don't miss We Make Future - the International Festival of Innovation in AI, Tech, and Digital Marketing, June 24-26 in Bologna. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/c80991afff416bb2 The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
859. University of Phoenix Chief Strategy Officer Ruth Veloria on higher education and the workforce of the future
29:30||Season 8, Ep. 859With the half-life of professional skills shrinking every year, is the traditional model of corporate learning and development fundamentally broken, and what role should employers play in the new era of continuous education? Agility requires a workforce that can adapt and acquire new skills as quickly as the market changes. This means the old models of education and professional development must be re-engineered for a world that demands continuous learning integrated with professional life. Today, we're going to talk about the evolution of higher education, specifically how online programs are being redesigned from the ground up to meet the complex needs of working adults. We'll explore how concepts we often discuss in customer experience—like personalization and flexibility—are being applied to learning to help professionals advance their careers without putting the rest of their lives on hold. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Ruth Veloria, Chief Strategy and Customer Officer at University of Phoenix. About Ruth Veloria Ruth Veloria is Chief Strategy and Customer Officer at the University of Phoenix, where she leads strategic vision, customer experience innovation, and the use of student data to support progress, graduation, and career success. She joined the University in 2009 and has held roles including chief customer officer and executive dean of the Business School, with prior strategy experience at Booz Allen, BCG, and Charles Schwab. Veloria holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from New College at the University of Oxford and a master’s in management from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. Ruth Veloria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthveloria/ Resources University of Phoenix: https://www.phoenix.edu/ The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873f Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company