#14 Entrepreneurial CX Leadership: A Conversation with Jeannie Walters

Welcome to CX Leadership Talks, where we delve into the world of customer experience leadership and innovation. In this episode, Nienke Bloem is joined by the dynamic entrepreneur and CEO of Experience Investigators, Jeannie Walters. Together, they explore the multifaceted world of customer experience and the why, how and what of successful CX leaders. In this episode Jeannie shares her wisdom and experiences, offering valuable insights for aspiring CX entrepreneurs - from resilience in the face of criticism to the intricacies of building and managing a CX team. The conversation also touches on the importance of staying ahead of trends in ethics, diversity, and global customer inclusivity, providing a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities in the CX landscape. So, join us as we uncover the secrets to effective CX leadership with Jeannie Walters on CX Leadership Talks! About Jeannie Walters (visit her LinkedIn profile here) Jeannie helps business leaders - from individuals to small businesses to Fortune 1000s - learn and apply customer-centric initiatives that benefit their customers, employees and bottom line. She believes CX is about the actions your team takes on a daily basis to use these tools to serve the larger organizational goals. Jeannie approaches CX strategy this way: “Let’s build the right vision, strategy and outcomes around customer experience to meet or exceed our larger company-wide goals.” Working with cross-functional leadership, she helps organizations make CX a part of their everyday culture instead of a one-off initiative that’s quickly forgotten about. Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website www.nienkebloem.com. She is a CX expert and can provide you with the guidance and support you need to succeed in CX leadership. Timestamped overview 00:00 Celebrating successful podcast, helping leaders with experience. 05:03 Organizations adapted to customer experience amid change. 08:27 Strong communication crucial for getting leadership support. 10:18 Spice up leadership, challenge, communicate, take action. 15:26 Organizations should connect activities to progress effectively. 18:13 Realizing the importance of outdoor time. 21:42 Understanding the impact and challenges of AI. 23:32 Ethics, diversity, and risk management in organizations. 30:03 Success is not a straight line. 33:20 Team includes COO, CMO, social media support. 34:25 Various arrangements with contractors, almost full-time. Team environment, sharing unique skills. 38:40 Established CXI Flight School to bridge gap. 41:43 Specialize in CX for professional success. 45:19 Morning routine: workout, meditate, journal, plan. 47:54 Listen to diverse podcasts for marketing inspiration. Jeannie’s recommendations Podcast ‘Hidden Brain’ with Shankar Vedantam Podcast ‘How I built this’ with Guy Raz The CMO Podcast with Jim Stengel And of course, Jeannie’s own podcast: Experience Action