What does it take to create experiences customers love, craft campaigns that captivate, and drive measurable results?
Insights Unlocked features candid conversations with the builders, creators, and innovators driving some of the world’s most impactful digital transformations. Tailored for marketing, product, UX and CX leaders, each episode delivers actionable insights to help you create customer-first strategies and stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape. Each episode is about 30 minutes long.
From optimizing product launches to leveraging AI for smarter workflows, Insights Unlocked is your go-to resource for designing experiences that resonate, drive loyalty, and achieve business results. Guests include influential leaders like Brian Solis, April Dunford, Kate Towsey, Jacob Nielsen, Teresa Torres, and Judd Antin among others, offering their expertise in CX, UX, and innovation. The podcast also highlights strategies and success stories from leading brands such as Verizon, Signet Jewelers, Figma, Microsoft, Tesco Bank, and more.
UserTesting leaders and industry experts join as guest hosts, alongside show producer Nathan Isaacs, award-winning journalist and Senior Manager of Content Production at UserTesting.
Brought to you by UserTesting, the leader in human insights and proactive customer experience strategies, Insights Unlocked empowers CMOs and marketing teams to craft experiences that drive growth, loyalty, and impact.
Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Show notes, curated clips and more at usertesting.com/podcast.
All content for Insights Unlocked is the property of UserTesting and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
What does it take to create experiences customers love, craft campaigns that captivate, and drive measurable results?
Insights Unlocked features candid conversations with the builders, creators, and innovators driving some of the world’s most impactful digital transformations. Tailored for marketing, product, UX and CX leaders, each episode delivers actionable insights to help you create customer-first strategies and stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape. Each episode is about 30 minutes long.
From optimizing product launches to leveraging AI for smarter workflows, Insights Unlocked is your go-to resource for designing experiences that resonate, drive loyalty, and achieve business results. Guests include influential leaders like Brian Solis, April Dunford, Kate Towsey, Jacob Nielsen, Teresa Torres, and Judd Antin among others, offering their expertise in CX, UX, and innovation. The podcast also highlights strategies and success stories from leading brands such as Verizon, Signet Jewelers, Figma, Microsoft, Tesco Bank, and more.
UserTesting leaders and industry experts join as guest hosts, alongside show producer Nathan Isaacs, award-winning journalist and Senior Manager of Content Production at UserTesting.
Brought to you by UserTesting, the leader in human insights and proactive customer experience strategies, Insights Unlocked empowers CMOs and marketing teams to craft experiences that drive growth, loyalty, and impact.
Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Show notes, curated clips and more at usertesting.com/podcast.
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4jpvb55
Episode description:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, I flip the mic on two of the podcast’s regular co-hosts: Lija Hogan and Amrit Bhachu, both Principals of Experience Research Strategy here at UserTesting. Together, they dive into the evolving conversations they’re having with customers as we head into 2026.
From the rise of AI to the expanding role of UX researchers, Lija and Amrit unpack what’s keeping experience teams up at night—and what’s inspiring them. They explore how researchers are experimenting with AI to optimize workflows, the importance of validating generative outputs, and the new expectations being placed on teams to demonstrate impact across the business. The episode also explores the shift toward conversational interfaces and the operational challenges of supporting research at scale.
Topics covered:
How AI is changing research and design workflows
The “garbage in, garbage out” risk with AI and how to overcome it
Why researchers must become stronger business storytellers
Building cross-functional empathy through insights
Voice, gesture, and multimodal experiences as the next UX frontier
Why research ops is critical to scaling insights across the org
Advice for validating AI-driven outputs before they go public
Whether you’re a researcher, designer, or product leader, this episode will leave you with practical ways to experiment with AI and bring more human-centered thinking into your work.
Resources & links
Lija on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lija-hogan-894769/)
Amrit on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amritsbhachu/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/3MWTjzQ
Episode description:
In this forward-looking episode of Insights Unlocked, Mike McDowell returns to the mic to share what’s ahead for UserTesting in 2026—and it’s all about speed, scale, and smarter insights. Mike and host Nathan Isaacs dive into the latest developments in AI-powered research, from automated test creation and participant feedback to enhanced report generation and seamless integrations with tools like Figma.
As always, Mike brings a ton of energy and clarity to what these innovations mean not just for researchers, but for anyone trying to get closer to their customers. Whether you're a product manager, designer, or marketer, this episode will leave you inspired by what’s possible when AI meets human insight.
Key takeaways
AI-enhanced test creation: Just type what you want to learn, and AI builds the test plan for you—making customer feedback more accessible to non-researchers than ever.
New Figma plug-in: Beta users can now launch usability tests directly from Figma, without leaving the design environment.
Automated insight generation: From smart analysis to video summaries and report creation, AI is speeding up the time from question to answer.
Smarter screener tools: AI-powered fraud detection and screener guidance ensure better participant quality and more reliable feedback.
Customer empathy at scale: Mike emphasizes the power of embedding customer videos in tools like Jira, Confluence, and Figma to build buy-in and challenge internal assumptions.
Resources & links
Mike on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmcdowell1/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode page: https://bit.ly/3KT962a
As we head into 2026, design is no longer just about aesthetics—it’s about strategy, collaboration, and customer empathy. In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Nathan Isaacs sits down with Lacey Fabrizio, Principal Solution Marketing Manager at UserTesting, to discuss the major shifts happening in the design and product space.
Lacey shares three key trends reshaping the field:
Designers are moving upstream and playing a more strategic role in defining problems—not just polishing solutions.
AI is becoming a powerful brainstorming partner, helping designers break creative patterns and explore new directions.
Teams are adopting continuous, lightweight feedback loops to stay tightly connected to customer needs and avoid designing in the dark.
Whether you're in design, product, or marketing, this conversation offers valuable insight into how to embrace these changes and design with more intention.
What you’ll learn:
How designers are gaining influence earlier in product development
Why AI is most powerful as a creative collaborator
The importance of fast, continuous user feedback to improve outcomes
How these trends are shaping a more empowered, customer-first design culture
Resources & links:
Lacey Fabrizio on LinkedIn
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn
The 2026 Experience Survival Guide: scaling human insight across every team — This on-demand webinar explores how AI and connected workflows help teams gather and act on customer feedback faster, smarter, and at scale across UX, product, design, and marketing.
How to enhance design efficiency through continuous user feedback — This guide shows how continuous user feedback helps designers move faster, make smarter decisions, and reduce rework by testing early and iterating often.
How to transform your UX design process with continuous customer feedback — an Insights Unlocked episode about building continuous customer interview programs to support the product development life cycle.
How design teams leverage user feedback in design to transform products — This blog post explains how user feedback bridges intention and real experience to elevate design outcomes and reduce costly revisions.
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/3KUDMzV
Episode description:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Amrit Bhachu sits down with Mario Callegaro, founder of Callegaro Research and a leading expert in survey methodology and AI-augmented research. Mario brings a wealth of experience from his 15 years at Google and shares practical, thoughtful guidance on how to responsibly integrate AI tools into UX, market, and survey research workflows.
From the evolving role of the researcher to the risks and potential of synthetic users, this episode unpacks what’s changing, what to be cautious of, and what skills are now essential in the age of AI.
What you’ll learn
How AI supports every phase of the research workflow: planning, execution, and activation
The role of prompt engineering in getting better insights from AI tools
Why synthetic users and synthetic data can't yet replace real human participants
What researchers are gaining—and potentially losing—by relying on AI
The current limitations of large language models in capturing nuance and variability
Practical advice on testing and validating AI tools with known datasets
Why transparency, iteration, and responsible experimentation are key
Resources & links
Mario on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcallegaro/)
Amrit on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amritsbhachu/)
Callegaro Research (https://callegaroresearch.com/)
Quantitative User Experience Association (https://www.quantuxcon.org/)
There’s an AI for that (https://theresanaiforthat.com/)
Mike on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemace/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4rA1kKW
Episode summary:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs sits down with Mike Mace, Executive Business Strategist at UserTesting, to explore a major shift already underway in the tech landscape: the rise of AI-powered conversational interfaces. Drawing from decades of industry experience, Mike warns that this is not a distant future trend—it's happening now, and it’s reshaping how companies must approach user experience, product design, and customer interaction.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why companies need to stop treating AI as just a feature and start seeing it as a transformational force
How conversational interfaces are changing the rules for software UX—much like the shift to graphical interfaces decades ago
Why today’s AI tools require testing not only for usability but also for tone, personality, and brand alignment
How emotional responses to AI-driven conversations can dramatically impact user trust and satisfaction
Simple strategies companies can use today to evaluate and improve their AI experiences
Mike also shares practical advice on how to begin adapting to this shift, including how to use tools like ChatGPT to understand user behaviors and preferences in real time.
Resources & links
Mike on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemace/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Effective AI: how to choose the right generative AI features (https://www.usertesting.com/resources/guides/how-to-choose-generative-ai-features)
Designing AI-powered shopping experiences for the next generation of commerce (https://www.usertesting.com/resources/guides/designing-ai-powered-shopping-experiences-ecommerce)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode page: https://bit.ly/44hNGCc
Episode description:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Zoom CMO Kim Storin joins host Johann Wrede for a candid conversation about the realities of leading through transformation. Kim shares why change is harder than most leaders admit and how Zoom is evolving from a company known for meetings to a full multi-product collaboration platform. She also breaks down new Zoom + Deloitte research uncovering surprising gaps in how organizations measure collaboration ROI.
From the power of curiosity and calculated risk-taking to the importance of authenticity and community in B2B marketing, Kim offers practical, human-centered guidance for anyone navigating rapid growth or organizational change.
Key topics discussed:
Why transformation is so challenging: “You can have the greatest strategy in the world, but the culture can make or break it.”
Balancing optimism and pragmatism: Kim explains why optimism inspires progress—but only works when paired with realistic planning.
Zoom’s evolution beyond meetings: From events to customer support to sales enablement, Zoom is building a more-than-meetings collaboration ecosystem.
The collaboration paradox: Workers now spend 25 hours/week on meeting-related tasks—yet companies still struggle to see true productivity and ROI.
Community as a competitive edge: Why users proudly say “I’m a Zoom user,” and how brands can build authentic connection at scale.
The 3 traits of modern marketing leaders: Curiosity, agility, and the confidence to take calculated risks.
Resources and links:
Zoom CMO Kim Storin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlystorin)
Johann Wrede on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannwrede/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: Nexthttps://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/49ucDxK
Episode summary:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, UserTesting’s VP of Design Jason Giles sits down with Tessa Forshaw and Rich Braden—co-authors of Innovation-ish and longtime instructors of design thinking at Harvard and Stanford—to explore what truly drives innovation and why most people hesitate to participate in it. Tessa and Rich break down the science behind “innovation hesitation,” share tools for unlocking creativity, and explain how empathy, rapid prototyping, and metacognition can make innovation more human—and less intimidating. Whether you’re a product leader, designer, marketer, or team facilitator, this conversation provides practical strategies to build innovation habits, uncover deeper insights, and help teams think more creatively.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why so many people experience “innovation hesitation”—and how evolutionary wiring shapes our fear of ambiguity
A practical framework for understanding innovation across a spectrum—from jump shots to moonshots
How empathy physiologically changes the way our brains process information
What separates real insights from surface-level feedback
How to use rapid prototyping to gather evidence instead of relying on opinions
Why metacognition (thinking about how you think) dramatically increases creativity and idea quality
Tools and prompts to help teams collaborate, synthesize insights, and tell better innovation stories
About the guests:
Tessa Forshaw is a cognitive scientist and co-founder of Harvard’s Next Level Lab. She teaches design thinking, innovation, and creative problem solving at Harvard and previously at Stanford. Her research explores how empathy, cognition, and metacognition shape human-centered innovation.
Rich Braden is a design strategist with a background that spans software engineering, marketing, and more than a decade of improv teaching. He teaches innovation and design thinking at Stanford and Harvard, blending creative methodologies with practical business experience.
Together, Tessa and Rich are the authors of Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World.
Resources & links:
Innovation-ish website – https://innovation-ish.com
Tessa Forshaw on LinkedIn –https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessaforshaw/
Rich Braden on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardcoxbraden/
Jason Giles on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaygiles/
Harvard Next Level Lab – https://nextlevellab.gse.harvard.edu
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/
Learn more about Insights Unlocked – https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
About the show:
Insights Unlocked is the go-to podcast for marketing, UX, product, and CX leaders. Each week, we feature candid conversations with the builders and thinkers behind today’s most impactful customer experiences. Brought to you by UserTesting.
Episode web page:
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Episode summary:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Nathan Isaacs talks with marketing powerhouse Bill Macaitis—former CMO of Slack, Zendesk, and Salesforce—about how B2B companies can scale efficiently by prioritizing customer experience, building authentic brands, and embracing new go-to-market models. Bill shares lessons from his career and dives into the importance of customer-centric cultures, long-term thinking, and the strategic use of AI in modern marketing.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why capital-efficient growth beats “growth at all costs”—and how to build it
The playbook for operationalizing customer centricity in a B2B environment
How to align teams across marketing, product, and sales with shared metrics
What most companies get wrong about attribution models
How AI can empower marketers—without replacing them
The secret to building a B2B brand people actually love (and talk about)
Tips for individual contributors to challenge legacy playbooks and advocate for change
About the guest:
Bill Macaitis is an executive advisor and board member who has led marketing at some of the most iconic names in SaaS, including Slack, Zendesk, and Salesforce. Known for his customer-first approach and bold brand vision, Bill now advises AI startups on how to build scalable, loved companies from the ground up.
Resources & Links:
Bill Macaitis on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmacaitis/)
SaaS CMO Pro website (https://www.saascmopro.com/)
SaaS CMO Pro newsletter (https://saascmopro.substack.com/)
Bill’s YouTube videos (https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSCMOPro/videos)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/49xoJWL
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Episode summary:
What does it really mean for marketing to be "effective" in today’s complex, data-rich environment? In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Sorin Patilinet—PepsiCo’s Global Marketing Insights leader and author of Marketing Effectiveness—joins UserTesting CMO Johann Wrede for a deep dive into how marketers can shift from tactical fixes to strategic, system-wide thinking.
Sorin unpacks the concept of marketing as a system, not just a set of disconnected tactics, and explains how AI and automation can enhance—not replace—human decision-making. From defining what effectiveness actually means within your organization to embracing consistency and simplifying the martech stack, this conversation is full of actionable insights for marketing leaders navigating change.
Key themes and topics:
Why marketing effectiveness must go beyond ad performance metrics
Applying engineering-based systems thinking to brand strategy
The evolving role of AI in enhancing marketing decision-making
How to define "effectiveness" for your organization—and stick to it
The power of creative effectiveness and the compounding impact of consistency
Why marketers need to focus more on understanding customers than chasing channels
Practical advice for internal stakeholder alignment and building a culture of insights
Balancing innovation with simplification in a cluttered martech world
Resources & Links:
Sorin Patilinet on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/patilinet/)
Sorin’s book Marketing Effectiveness (https://marketing-effectiveness.com/)
UserTesting’s Johann Wrede on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannwrede/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
About the show:
Insights Unlocked is the go-to podcast for marketing, UX, product, and CX leaders. Each week, we feature candid conversations with the builders and thinkers behind today’s most impactful customer experiences. Brought to you by UserTesting (https://usertesting.com/podcast)
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4qwkj8C
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Episode summary:
In this eye-opening episode of Insights Unlocked, host Mike Mace chats with Surojit Chatterjee—former Chief Product Officer at Coinbase and current founder and CEO of Ema—about the sweeping changes generative AI is bringing to the workplace.
Surojit unpacks his vision of “AI employees”—intelligent agents that can handle complex workflows, adapt to company-specific processes, and act as true collaborators rather than just tools. Drawing on his leadership at Google, Coinbase, and now Ema, he explains why organizations must stop retrofitting AI into outdated workflows and instead embrace an “AI + human” model of work.
From transforming enterprise functions like HR, finance, and customer support to challenging legacy software models, this conversation delivers sharp insights for leaders navigating the shift to AI-driven operations. Surojit also shares advice for companies just starting their AI journey, including the importance of experimentation, transparency, and reskilling teams.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why the next generation of software must adapt to the enterprise—not the other way around
How AI can eliminate mundane tasks and unlock more meaningful human work
What legacy tech companies risk if they don’t embrace a new AI-first paradigm
The role of customer empathy and rapid experimentation in building
Transformative AI products
How to lead an “AI + human” business transformation, function by function
Why trust and transparency are key to successfully integrating AI into your team
Resources & Links:
Surojit Chatterjee on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/surojitchatterjee/)
Ema website (https://www.ema.co/)
UserTesting’s Mike Mace on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemace/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
About the show:
Insights Unlocked is the go-to podcast for marketing, UX, product, and CX leaders. Each week, we feature candid conversations with the builders and thinkers behind today’s most impactful customer experiences. Brought to you by UserTesting.
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4nZFApH
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Episode summary:
How do you know when your content is hitting the mark? And once you do, how can you scale it efficiently and strategically?
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs sits down with Ross Simmonds, CEO of Foundation, a B2B content marketing agency known for its bold distribution strategies. Ross breaks down how to move beyond guesswork in content marketing by identifying real signals of content-market fit and using those insights to fuel smarter, faster content creation.
From mining Reddit threads to making your content "baby unicorns," Ross shares tactical strategies for understanding your audience, experimenting with purpose, and leveraging data to guide decision-making. He also discusses why marketers should embrace AI to scale their efforts and stay competitive—without losing the curiosity and creativity that drives meaningful engagement.
Whether you're a solo content creator or part of a larger marketing team, this episode is packed with practical advice on how to produce content that resonates, distributes well, and drives real business results.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Why content, like products, needs to have a strong fit with your audience
How to spot signals of content-market fit across platforms like Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and more
Why you need to slow down in order to move faster—and how to "be the meerkat" in your marketing strategy
Tips for running quarterly content reviews and influencing stakeholders with data
How one tweet became a foundational content pillar for Ross’s entire brand strategy
The role of curiosity and experimentation in finding new content channels before they’re saturated
How to embrace AI to boost efficiency, scale distribution, and improve as a marketer
Resources & Links:
Ross Simmonds on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds/)
Foundation (https://foundationinc.co/)
Distribution.ai (http://Distribution.ai)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
About the show:
Insights Unlocked is the go-to podcast for marketing, UX, product, and CX leaders. Each week, we feature candid conversations with the builders and thinkers behind today’s most impactful customer experiences. Brought to you by UserTesting
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/43n2Y89
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Episode summary:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs sits down with Sara Fortier—founder and CEO of Outwitly, Silicon Valley design veteran, and author of the upcoming book Design Research Mastery. Together, they explore the enduring relevance of human-centered design in an age increasingly dominated by AI tools.
Sara breaks down what human-centered design really means and why it remains essential, even as AI accelerates many aspects of product development.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why empathy and qualitative insights are irreplaceable, even with powerful AI tools at your fingertips
How to win over skeptical stakeholders by speaking their language and showing business value
What synthetic users can and can’t do in research workflows
Tips for early-career designers on staying relevant and strategic in a rapidly evolving UX landscape
How to balance AI efficiencies with the human touch in high-stakes product decisions
Sara also explains how AI can give researchers back the time to do more meaningful work—if used wisely—and the kinds of soft skills every designer should prioritize to thrive in the coming decade.
Resources & Links:
Sara on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarafortier/)
Outwitly website (https://outwitly.com/)
Outwitly Academy (https://outwitlyacademy.thinkific.com/courses/design-research-mastery)
Design Research Mastery Book - Preorders (https://a.co/d/apa6alB)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs sits down with Sangram Vajre—co-founder of Terminus and GTM Partners, bestselling author, and pioneer of the Flip My Funnel movement—to explore how customer-first thinking reshapes business growth. Sangram recounts the moment of inspiration that led to flipping the traditional sales funnel on its head and how that napkin sketch evolved into a movement that transformed B2B marketing.
Sangram also shares insights from his MOVE framework (Market, Operations, Velocity, Expansion), offering a fresh lens for diagnosing go-to-market (GTM) challenges at every stage of business growth. He dives into the rise of fractional leadership, the role of AI in driving customer insight and product innovation, and why focusing on Net Revenue Retention (NRR) may be the single best way to align teams around growth.
Whether you're in marketing, product, UX, or customer experience, this episode will challenge how you think about pipeline, growth, and what it really means to put the customer first.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
The origin story behind Flip My Funnel and how it reshaped ABM and B2B marketing
Why most marketing and sales funnels fail—and what to do instead
The MOVE framework: a diagnostic tool for GTM strategy
How Net Revenue Retention (NRR) is the ultimate measure of customer-centric growth
The rise of fractional roles and what it means for the future of work
How AI is changing the way we listen to and serve customers at scale
Resources & Links:
Sangram Vajre on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sangramvajre/)
GTM Partners (https://gtmpartners.com/)
MOVE and other books (https://sangramvajre.com)
GTM Mondays newsletter on Substack (https://gtmonday.substack.com/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/42dkHi0
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Episode summary:
In this thought-provoking episode of Insights Unlocked, host Lija Hogan sits down with Dr. John Whalen—cognitive scientist, author, and founder of Brilliant Experience—to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way teams conduct customer research. With deep expertise at the intersection of UX and cognitive science, John shares how his team has integrated AI tools like synthetic users, AI moderators, and automated analysis into their research workflows.
But rather than replacing human researchers, John makes the case for how AI can accelerate and augment our work, expand inclusivity, and even inspire better human-to-human interviews. He shares practical advice, lessons learned from hands-on experimentation, and the importance of skepticism, context, and strategic thinking when working with AI-powered tools.
Whether you're excited or apprehensive about AI, this conversation offers a grounded, insightful look at the future of UX research and how to prepare for it.
Key topics discussed:
Why human-to-human research still matters in an AI-enhanced world
The surprising effectiveness of AI-moderated interviews
How synthetic users can support ideation and stakeholder engagement
Using AI as a strategic tool for preparing, scaling, and synthesizing research
Ethical considerations and the importance of context when interpreting AI-generated insights
Future trends: continuous learning, new research workflows, and evolving team roles
Why curiosity and prompt engineering are essential skills for modern researchers
Episode Links:
John Whalen on LinkedIn (
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwhalen/)
Podcast: AI for UX (
https://bit.ly/ai-for-ux-podcast)
Course: AI for Customer Research: https://maven.com/john-whalen/ai-skills-for-research
Brilliant Experience website (
https://www.brilliantexperience.com/)
Free Synthetic User Resource: https://maven.com/p/4d211a
Book: Design for How People Think https://bit.ly/dfhpt
Lija Hogan on LinkedIn (
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lija-hogan-894769/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/46shU5A
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Episode summary:
Joe Pulizzi—bestselling author, founder of the Content Marketing Institute, and creator of the Content Inc model—joins host Nathan Isaacs to talk about redefining work, meaning, and success in the age of AI and economic uncertainty. From his transition after a successful business exit to founding The Tilt and launching Creator Economy Expo, Joe shares how content creation can unlock personal freedom and lasting impact. He discusses themes from his latest book, Burn the Playbook, and why now is the time for marketers and creators to lean into their unique edge—what he calls your “tilt.”
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why marketers have all the skills needed to become entrepreneurs
How to find and refine your “tilt” to stand out in a crowded digital space
The difference between passion and monetizable expertise
Why building an owned audience is more sustainable than relying on social platforms
How to create meaningful work that aligns with your life goals—not just your job title
Why Joe believes the best time to start is always right now
Memorable quote:
“Create before you consume. If you do that every day for 30 days, it will change your life.” — Joe Pulizzi
Resources & Links:
JoePulizzi.com (https://www.joepulizzi.com/)
Burn the Playbook (https://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/)
The Tilt newsletter (https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/)
[Creator Economy Expo (CEX)](https://www.creatoreconomyexpo.com)
This Old Marketing podcast (https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/)
Content Inc podcast
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
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
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/3K2NcZn
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Episode summary:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Joe Chernov, a seasoned B2B marketing leader and Executive in Residence at Battery Ventures, joins host Johann Wrede to unpack the modern CMO’s biggest trap—playing out of position. Joe shares the pivotal career moment that pulled him from traditional PR into the world of content marketing, and explores how today’s marketing leaders can navigate the pressure to chase pipeline at the expense of long-term brand impact.
From understanding your company's true expectations to balancing creativity with accountability, Joe offers hard-earned wisdom on what it really takes to succeed—and stay—in the CMO seat. He also dives into the role AI can play in strengthening personas, removing bias, and ultimately helping marketers become better strategic partners.
If you’re a marketing leader feeling the pressure to prove value through short-term metrics, this episode will help you rethink your role, and how to future-proof your impact.
Memorable quote: “I did my best work when I wasn’t afraid of getting fired.” – Joe Chernov
What you'll learn in this episode:
“Underpaid CROs”: Why many CMOs unknowingly mimic CROs, and how it’s limiting their influence
Pipeline vs. brand: The need to balance immediate performance metrics with long-term brand stewardship
Maslow’s hierarchy for marketers: Why predictable pipeline must come first—but can't be the end game
AI’s new role in marketing: How artificial intelligence can reshape persona development and uncover hidden customer insights
The spirit of your role: Why aligning with the reason you were hired—not just your KPIs—matters for lasting impact
The power of brand moments: A surprising sneaker story that connects influencer gifting to big revenue wins
Resources & Links:
Joe Chernov on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jchernov/)
Johann Wrede on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannwrede/)
Battery Ventures (https://www.battery.com/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/3UXulRJ
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Episode summary:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Lija Hogan sits down with Jake Burghardt, author of Stop Wasting Research and ex-Amazon and ex-Microsoft. Together, they dive into one of the most overlooked challenges in customer research: why so much valuable insight never gets used.
Jake shares his framework of preparation, motivation, and integration for reducing research waste and turning overlooked findings into meaningful product impact. He and Lija explore the cultural and operational shifts teams need to make—beyond tools and repositories—to ensure insights are visible, reusable, and embedded in decision-making.
The conversation touches on practical strategies for reusing past research, connecting insights across teams like marketing and customer success, and the opportunities and risks of AI in shaping research workflows. Jake also underscores the importance of keeping research human-centered, even as synthetic data and automation gain traction.
Whether you’re a researcher, product leader, or marketer, this episode offers actionable guidance for making the most of the knowledge your teams already have—and ensuring customer insights don’t go to waste.
Why so much customer research goes unused
Jake’s framework for reducing research waste: preparation, motivation, integration
How to make research insights more visible and reusable across an organization
Ways to bridge silos between UX, marketing, and customer success teams
The promise and pitfalls of AI in research operations
Practical steps to keep research human-centered in an AI-driven world
How leaders can run small experiments to unlock more impact from existing insights
Resources & Links:
Jake Burghardt on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeburghardt/)
Stop Wasting Research book; 15% off discount code SWR-POD will work through Dec 15, 2025, (https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/stop-wasting-research/)
Jake’s monthly newsletter (https://www.integratingresearch.com/newsletter)
Lija Hogan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lija-hogan-894769/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4fEzKXi
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Episode summary:
In this thought-provoking episode of Insights Unlocked, host Lija Hogan is joined by Tara May, CEO of Spirit Tech—a pioneering tech company where more than 90% of the staff are autistic. Together, they explore what it truly means to create inclusive workplaces, the business value of kindness, and how small, thoughtful changes can make a big difference in employee well-being and productivity.
Tara shares the inspiring origin of Aspiritech, founded to provide meaningful employment for autistic adults, and how the company scaled into a $6 million operation serving Fortune 500 clients. She introduces powerful ideas like the “ROI of kindness” and emphasizes that neurodiversity is not only already present in most workplaces but also a source of innovation when embraced thoughtfully.
Listeners will gain insights into practical strategies for fostering psychological safety, debunking myths about working with neurodivergent individuals, and how companies can start their journey toward greater neuroinclusion—often with simple, cost-free adjustments. Tara also discusses how AI, if shaped by diverse perspectives, can either reinforce biases or help break them.
Whether you're a team leader, HR professional, researcher, or product designer, this episode offers fresh perspectives on designing work environments where everyone can thrive.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Why neurodiversity is already part of your team, even if it's not talked about
The real business impact of empathy and kindness
What “the ROI of kindness” means and how it can drive innovation
Misconceptions about working with autistic professionals
Easy, low-cost accommodations that support all employees
How neurodivergent perspectives are critical in shaping inclusive AI
Actionable tips for starting or advancing your neuroinclusion efforts
Resources & Links:
Tara May on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/taranmay/)
Aspiritech website (https://aspiritech.org)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4fEzKXi
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Got a question? Want to recommend a guest? Or do you want to tell me how the show can be better?
Send me a voice message via email at podcast@usertesting.com
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Episode summary:This week on Insights Unlocked, Nathan Isaacs sits down with Gwen Hammes, co-CEO of CRO Metrics, to explore how brands can turn real customer behaviors into powerful, business-driving insights. With a career spanning top global agencies and now leading a growth experimentation firm, Gwen shares how her experience in different cultures, especially Mexico City, helped reshape her leadership style, making it more adaptable, empathetic, and outcome-focused.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Why conversion optimization is more than just a tactical fix—it’s a rich source of behavioral insight
How cultural experiences can break rigid thinking and inspire more creative, human-centered problem-solving
What symmetrical messaging is and why it’s one of the most overlooked opportunities for brands
How to use experimentation to de-risk web redesigns and new capabilities
Ways to reframe change to make it energizing for teams rather than destabilizing
How CRO Metrics is adopting AI tools, not just for efficiency but to deepen client insights
Why mentorship and community-building matter, and how Gwen is investing in the next generation of women in growth
Resources & Links:
Gwen Hammes on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwen-hammes/)
The CRO Metrics website (https://crometrics.com/)
Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast
What does it take to create experiences customers love, craft campaigns that captivate, and drive measurable results?
Insights Unlocked features candid conversations with the builders, creators, and innovators driving some of the world’s most impactful digital transformations. Tailored for marketing, product, UX and CX leaders, each episode delivers actionable insights to help you create customer-first strategies and stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape. Each episode is about 30 minutes long.
From optimizing product launches to leveraging AI for smarter workflows, Insights Unlocked is your go-to resource for designing experiences that resonate, drive loyalty, and achieve business results. Guests include influential leaders like Brian Solis, April Dunford, Kate Towsey, Jacob Nielsen, Teresa Torres, and Judd Antin among others, offering their expertise in CX, UX, and innovation. The podcast also highlights strategies and success stories from leading brands such as Verizon, Signet Jewelers, Figma, Microsoft, Tesco Bank, and more.
UserTesting leaders and industry experts join as guest hosts, alongside show producer Nathan Isaacs, award-winning journalist and Senior Manager of Content Production at UserTesting.
Brought to you by UserTesting, the leader in human insights and proactive customer experience strategies, Insights Unlocked empowers CMOs and marketing teams to craft experiences that drive growth, loyalty, and impact.
Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Show notes, curated clips and more at usertesting.com/podcast.
