Everyone has ideas. What separates ideation from impact is action, community-building, and creating value. Ideas represent possibilities for alternate futures. Ideation stirs hope and forms pathways to change. But, the idea is just one part of transformation and innovation. It takes a village as they say. And the village must not only believe in the idea, but also believe in mission, the purpose, and the value they’ll experience as a result. In an era of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine…
Culture 2.0: Why a Digital Culture is a Competitive Advantage
Ah, the days when we could travel for to conferences. I’d like to share one fond memory with you because this topic is only more relevant in a post-pandemic world. I was invited to give a keynote presentation at Social Business Forum X in Milan. The theme of the presentation was the importance of building a digital culture to compete in an era of “digital Darwinism.” At the center of it, is not technology, it’s a renewed human-centered approach to employee…
The Future of Brand is Shaped by the Experiences Customers and Employees Have and Share
Have you ever read a review of a restaurant before making reservations? Have you ever read a review of product before making a purchase? Have you ever read a review of a company before deciding to take a job? Have you ever watched Youtube videos or asked your network aka hive mind for input regarding any of the above. Of course you have. You’re a normal personal living in an incredibly connected world where information, maybe too much of it,…
X: The Experience When Business Meets Design – GetAbstract Summary
Digital customer experience has never been more important. The pandemic accelerated e-commerce, AI and automation, and digital transformation by 10 years. What most businesses still aren’t prepared for however, is how to think beyond digital tools and platforms to design intuitive digital experiences that inspire human engagement in every touch point across the CX journey. That’s what X: The Experience When Business Meets Design set out to do. It was designed to help “imagineers” image a unified customer journey that…
Experience Innovation: Evolving from Customer Experience to the Customer’s Experience
In 2017, I spent time with jrni to discuss the rising opportunity of true CX…not digital…not analog…just real world CX based on how everyday connected people were making decisions in their journey. I never shared the article. But, it’s time that I do. It’s more important now, I believe, than it was then. CX, customers experience, neigh, the customer’s experience is everything now…because it’s theirs. It’s an opportunity to deliver an experience that becomes an unforgettable, incredible memory. A memory…
Multi-tasking is not a superpower, it’s a weakness – without mastery, digital distractions are causing more harm than good
It’s 2021, the second year in a row that SXSW is not being held live in Austin. During the last, live SXSW, I launched my latest, and first personal book on individual empowerment to overcome our social dilemma. Algorithms have certainly earned their wages lately as it’s time for the virtual edition of SXSW 2021 and I’m flooded, thankfully, with memories of 2019. During the craziness of the Lifescale launch at SXSW 2019 in Austin Texas, I met the international…
Speaking To and Through People You Hope to Inspire: Analog-to-Digital Street Flyers That Hit Different
This is the week of SXSW 2021. Even though it’s a virtual event this year, it is still a special community bound by the spirit of entrepreneurship, creativity, ideation, friendship, and tacos (+ BBQ, queso, pedicabs, and late nights!) Since this is a very special week, I wanted to share a story with you that I don’t think I’ve ever talked about. Every year, going back to, 2007 I think, JESS3 and I would legally (on plastic coverings) post creative…
A Virtual Ode to SXSW 2021 and Celebrating Its 2022 Comeback
This time each year, I, and tens of thousands of others, would make the journey to Austin for the annual SXSW festival. On Thursday, I would organize the “Twas the Night Before” (formally “The Calm Before the Storm” party. On Friday morning, Stephanie Agresta and I (aka The Techset) would officially open the Techset lounge, which would stay open until the following Tuesday. On Friday, the official SXSW/Techset kickoff party would start the night. On Sunday, Daylight Savings would kick…
Introducing #IgniteMoments: Customers Experience So Much Darkness in Their Journey, Optimize Digital Customer Experiences to Deliver the Light
Today’s customer journey is built upon decades of legacy infrastructure. Even with modernization, the relationship between digital and physical touch points are often disjointed, transactional, and in many cases, they just feel outdated. When I was asked to keynote DEEPCRAWL Live and share my ideas for a new future in marketing and search, I jumped at the opportunity. I had so much to share. In particular, I was anxious to preview the “Ignite Moment,” the moment that immediately follows micro-moments and…
Ten Digital Years Ahead: What Does the World Look Like on the Other Side of AI and Quantum Computing?
While in Mumbai to keynote the NASSCOM Technology and Leadership forum, I had a chance to sit down with Suresh Venkat. What an incredible conversation! We explored the role Quantum computing will play in our world. We also discussed technology’s evolving impact on business, markets, and society. I hope you find our discussion helpful! If you’re interested in my presentation on quantum computing, it’s available here. Thank you!
The light bulb wasn’t the result of better 
