Brave Business Triumphsa //NKST podcast

AI is everywhere right now — tools, pilots, prompts, experiments, and plenty of pressure to prove the business is “doing AI.” But AI activity should never be confused with AI readiness.In the first miniseries episode of The Reality of AI Readiness, Doug Longenecker and Jamie Jurgaitis break down the important differences between organizations looking active with AI and being genuinely prepared to create value with it. They discuss why leadership teams may be rewarding the wrong behaviors, how AI experimentation can become fragmented without clear business priorities, and why trusted data, governance, workflow clarity, human judgment, and meaningful measurement matter before companies scale AI across the business.Because the real question about AI adoption and integration is how is AI making the business stronger.Episode takeaway: AI activity is easy to start. AI readiness is harder to fake.

This episode is about what business leaders can learn from airport systems thinking, because airports are planned, designed and built on more than just vibes. They demand alignment, reliability, and decisions that hold up in the real world. Join the conversation with guest Mark Mosko, Buildings Aviation Market Leader from Woolpert and host Doug Longenecker as they talk about what it takes to get millions of people through tight security with zero tolerance for failure. Every day… oh yea, also on time while construction is happening all around you.

Join our conversation about eliminating fragmentation that causes strategy to lose integrity the moment it hits execution. It shows up when: 1.) Strategy isn’t translating 2.) Brand isn’t connecting 3.) AI investments are floundering. 4.) Customer + employee experiences aren’t consistent. 5.) Executive visibility isn’t aligned. These are the cracks in the system you can actually feel (and see) in real-time: handoffs break, priorities drift, and progress slows even when everyone’s busy.

Join our conversation about navigating your business and your brand through opportunities found in turmoil and uncertainty. Because, in the midst of a massive paradigm shift when the world keeps spinning faster and faster, you need to find stability in constant motion. Another great panel discussion with subject matter experts in Data, AI, Business Ops Strategy, Exec Thought Leadership and Brand positioning: Jamie Jurgaitis, Hugh Seaton, Brian Zaslow and Mark Gerrone.

Join our conversation with the //NKST Dynamic Performance Network (DPN). In this episode, we share specific examples of how Data & AI, Customer Experience, Employee Experience, Brand Strategy, Credibility & Creative, and Executive Thought Leadership can work together to make more effective connections between strategy, execution and positive outcomes. Thanks to Jeff Kurek, Jamie Jurgaitis, Marc Gerrone, Brian Zaslow and Patricia O'Connell.

Join the AI for business conversation with Amazon #1 best selling author, Joe Hudicka and Host, Doug Longenecker. In this episode they focus on the big ideas from Joe's new book, The AI Ecosystems Revolution: Transforming the Global Supply Chain through Real-Time Collaboration. A #1 Best Seller in Distribution & Warehouse Management (Kindle Store and Books), and #1 Best Seller in Business Technology Innovation. Themes from the book included in our chat are: what are the realities compared to the hype of AI for business, the importance of starting small with critical pilot programs and making software in an AI ecosystem that actually puts people first instead of only cutting costs. Plus, how a younger workforce can be the catalyst for change.

Join our AI conversation with guest Hugh Seaton, the CEO at thelink.ai and host Doug Longenecker. This episode is the second in our 3-part series that runs the gamut of ai-related topics - from deep fakes, hallucinations, unintended consequences of over reliance on ai to organization's biggest challenges in prioritizing and implementing ai solutions that amplify human brilliance.

Join the conversation with special guest Priyank Kapadia, SVP Data + AI at Bounteous. This episode if the first of a three part series where host, Doug Longenecker explores what's new, what's now and what's next when it comes to artificial intelligence. There's hype vs reality, fear vs adoption and efficiency vs effectiveness

What do you want to know about Streaming TV and OTT? Join the conversation with special guest Craig Santucci, Team Velocity and hosts, Doug Longenecker and Tara Baumgarten. From current trends with AI (spoiler alert: it's all about the data), to attributions, to the differences between B2B/B2C utilization and just about everything in between. Bonus content: Learn more about Doug's mobile screen time and metrics.

Join our Super Bowl conversation with the //NKST Consult Team as our guest. as we take on topics focused on one of the biggest championship sporting events in the world. And no, it's not the World Cup. The team shares their expertise and experience as it relates to marketing and buying TVs, favorite commercials from the big event, how to leverage data to maximize impact, finding relevant adjacent media opportunities to the big game, and customer experience readiness in the hospitality arena. #fearless #domore

Join our CMO Outlook 2025 conversation with the CMO of Plante Moran, Marten van Pelt. We cover a range of things to look forward to as well as watchout for, like: the evolution and impact of artificial intelligence, personalization, automation, the development of strong, focused teams and the need for ongoing training to upskill and grow.

Join our CMO Outlook 2025 conversation with the Chief Marketing Officer of the New Jersey Society of CPAs, Don Meyer. As a membership organization, it's interesting to discover similar marketing challenges as B2B and B2C companies, as well as, understand the different dynamics and expectations between customers and members of an organization.

Join our conversation with Gary Kurtis and Brian Zaslow, the co-owners of Seal the Deal Sales Coaching as we get into proven sales techniques and approaches. From how to properly prep for a sales call with a new prospect, to learning processes that can save you time and be more effective. Spoiler Alert: finding ways to build trust and develop strong relationships is high on their list of how to cultivate and convert with a higher winning percentage.

Here we go, with a special panel discussion with a team of experts about the many challenges that business and brands face. Our conversation covers CEX, AI, Data Strategy and Analytics, PR/Thought Leadership, 360Marketing, Business/Brand Strategy and Creative Content.

Here we go, with guest Gail Towns and host Douglas Longenecker as they focus their conversation on the many challenges of higher education in relation to attracting and retaining students as well as faculty and professors. Over the years a lot of things have changed, but differentiating your trade school, college or university is still vitally important for long-term success - perhaps now more than ever.

Here we go, with special guest Alarice Lonergan of IBM and co-hosts, Doug Longenecker and Tara Baumgarten as they talk about the finer points of scaling CX/EX programs, the long-term valuation of CX needed for organizations to make it a strategic and competitive advantage. They also discuss the important work of the Woman's Bond Club, of which Alarice is the Co-President.

Here we go, with guest Max Zug of MAKE/FILMS and host Doug Longenecker as they get into the finer points of creating, managing and deploying branded video content. A completely candid conversation about the marketing conversion funnel and how AI is forcing change as well as introducing new opportunities.

Here we go with guest Marcus Rosenau and host, Doug Longenecker as they explore how the term "architectural integrity" goes beyond the actual structure to include the consistency of the design idea itself and how that should hold up over time too. To reach that level of integrity, the team at SSP Architects help their clients get there with continual collaboration from initial discussions, design ideation, final construction and every phase in between.

Here we go with Christian Heckman of ENB and host Doug Longenecker as they discuss the finer points of great Customer Service and how that mindset cant translate to a broader, company-wide Customer Experience Strategy

Here we go with Jamie Jurgaitis and host, Doug Longenecker as they talk about making better informed decisions that are based on facts as well as your gut. Plus, the importance of making sure your organization has a well-defined and well-structured strategy in place, to collect, protect and utilize data in ways that make your customers feel safe and your employees smart.

Here we go with Ash Ahmad and Host, Doug Longenecker engaging in a thoughtful conversation about all things content. How much content is too much content? How do you define quality content? What's the impact of new technology like AI on content creation and distribution? What's the best way to implement an integrated content strategy? What's it take to "win" in the long-tail of a content strategy? Good thing we kept it light ;-)

Here we go with Jeff Kurek and Host, Doug Longenecker talking about how creatives and creativity need to engage, experience and experiment with emerging technologies as part of the creative process. Platforms and apps like AR/VR, the Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence are all out in the open an on the table for this conversation. 

The one where Doug and Tara get real about the power of PR, Public Relations and Strategic Communications to help organizations and thought leaders leverage media for business and professional growth.

The one where Brian and Doug focus their conversations on the importance of being able to transform from various stages of one's career. Brian successfully navigated changes from advertising agency executive, to marketing executive, to multi-store franchisee entrepreneur, to strategic consultant and adjunct professor at Temple University. Nowadays, you've got to be ready for anything in a career.   

The one where Lindsay and Doug have a real conversation about the continuous struggle for gender equality in the workplace, and how the investors (members) of The Power of Professional Women advance their mission to develop the next generation of women leaders through education, mentorship and purposeful connections.

The one where Tom, Patricia, Tara and Doug continue their conversation about the importance of an organization's Customer Experience strategy in a Customer-in-Control world. What smart, growth-minded leaders know is that memorable CX is not an accident or an afterthought. To delight customers - to woo, wow and win them over - you must purposefully design empathetic experiences that deliver on your brand promise in ways that customers not just see but feel. That's why they've developed a powerful workshop experience to get companies and their brands headed in the right direction.

The one where Don and Doug talk about the challenges many financial institutions and community banks face as they try and move beyond Covid-19. Not too surprisingly, those challenges are still focused on transformation: Upgrading technology, upskilling talent, customer experience strategy, data strategy, as well as the impacts of cryptocurrency and blockchain.

The one where Judy and Doug kick-off a 4-part series starting with Marketing Planning for 2022. Your planning process for marketing and sales should be a proactive model that ensures discipline, flexibility and growth. You can continue to wing it, or you can take the time and really bring it.

The one where Joe and Doug begin to scratch the surface of the many challenges that the banking industry now faces. Regardless of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, financial institutions were looking uphill at issues of finding tech-savvy talent, data strategies, branch strategies, evolving customer preferences and new digital/online competitors that are free of geographic boundaries. And you think your industry has it rough...

The one where Alex and Doug take time to reminisce about life in advertising agencies, but more importantly, they share new professional challenges and experiences that can be more rewarding when the work directly impacts peoples' lives. 

The one where Everett and Candace demonstrate humble excellence while sharing a wealth of expertise on topics like #KnowledgeManagement, #DiversityEquityAndInclusion, and what it's like to be an #entrepreneur with your spouse. #Grovider #GroviderOnline.com

The one where Marten and Doug check-in after 20 years to catch up on changes in advertising, marketing as well as the impact of technology and data to deliver meaningful, customer-centric experiences in a customer-in-control world.

The one where Ryan and Doug talk about the "salesperson" stigma, how new technologies can help improve sales conversions and the importance of human connections in an ever-increasing digital world.

The one where Michelle and Doug reconnect after their time starting out at LevLane Advertising and talk about 1.) how versatility of experience is an asset in today's rapidly changing business environment, 2.) the changing expectations of consumers through the Covid-19 crisis, 3.) evolving technologies and 4.) how to maintain a human touch in today's digital and customer-in-control world. 

The one where Diane and Doug chat it up about the dynamic changes within the Real Estate buyer and seller journeys, the impact of technology to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic and how Weichert is poised to adapt to the coming changes.

The one where Matt stops by to chat with Doug about the importance of creating both meaningful experiences for customers and engaging environments for employees.

The one where Liz, Ed and Doug have an informal chat about a range of topics including what Customer-in-Control means to them, how to keep your data strategy balanced with a human nature and why sometimes your biggest competitor can be you - and your internal status quo mindset. 

The one where Doug and Jennifer talk about Officially Bionic as a purpose-driven organization and the importance of creating digital communities to share and celebrate unique experiences and perspectives.

The one where Hugh drops some knowledge on Doug about how Virtual Reality and other emerging technologies can give businesses and brands a competitive advantage while providing more control for customers.

The one where Craig speaks with Doug about the value of Ephrata National Bank's long-term view of developing customer and business relationships, how to integrate emerging technology that is meaningful and the constant issue of data security.

The one where Rafael and Doug discuss building and transforming new business models by applying lean and agile methodologies adapted to each type of business model and team’s maturity levels.  

The one where Liz and Doug talk about the direction of our Customer-In-Control world and the implications for businesses and brands.

The one where Doug connects with Ed to discuss the impact of a Customer-In-Control world on B2B businesses and brands.