DesignRush Podcast

AI is changing customer support faster than most companies are prepared for. In 2026, the real challenge is not just automation or job loss. It is how AI is reshaping attrition, hiring, retention, and the human skills support teams now need to succeed. In this episode of the DesignRush Podcast, host Kia Johnson sits down with Funmi Mide Ajala, Head of Customer Support & Digital Operations at Hugo, to explore what the AI age means for customer support talent and why so many companies are still thinking about support roles the wrong way. Funmi explains why lower ticket volume does not always mean less pressure, how automation is leaving human teams with more complex and emotionally demanding work, and why that shift is forcing companies to rethink how they hire, train, and support their people. She also discusses the new skills that matter most in customer support today, why curiosity, judgment, creativity, and AI fluency are becoming essential, and how leaders should approach this transition with more empathy, clearer standards, and stronger systems for growth. You will learn: • Why AI is changing attrition and burnout in customer support • How automation is reshaping hiring and retention • Which human skills matter more in the AI age • Why training and onboarding need to evolve • How companies can help support teams grow through change

Discover more marketing insights and top agencies at https://www.designrush.com/Your ads may be getting clicks. But your website could still be killing conversions.In this episode of the DesignRush Podcast, Jeff Finkelstein, Founder & CEO of Customer Paradigm, explains why reliable technology consistently beats flashy marketing when it comes to real business growth.Many brands invest heavily in PPC, paid media, and digital campaigns to drive traffic. But if the website experience is slow, confusing, or poorly built, that traffic turns into wasted budget. Jeff breaks down why ads only win attention, while websites, infrastructure, and customer experience are what actually turn interest into revenue.Jeff also explains how poor site performance increases bounce rates, weakens trust, and can even make future advertising more expensive. He shares why so many businesses become trapped in paid traffic while neglecting the technical and organic foundations that support long term growth.The conversation also explores how sudden spikes in traffic can overwhelm websites, operations, and customer support, turning successful campaigns into broken customer experiences. Looking ahead, Jeff shares why AI will reshape how businesses are discovered online and why brands must start building digital experiences that work for both people and intelligent systems.You will learn:Why ads grab attention but websites close the saleHow poor user experience wastes PPC and marketing budgetsWhy technical performance impacts conversion rates and ad costsHow weak infrastructure can hurt growth during traffic surgesWhy organic traffic and content reduce dependence on paid mediaHow AI is changing search, discovery, and digital customer journeysSubscribe for weekly conversations on digital marketing, business growth, AI strategy, branding, and performance-driven leadership.#DigitalMarketing #WebsiteOptimization #PPCAdvertising #ConversionRateOptimization #AIMarketing #BusinessGrowth #DesignRushPodcast🎯 Video Chapters0:00 - Introduction0:22 - What First Pulled Jeff Into Tech3:34 - When Website Experience Matters More Than Ads5:50 - Why Ads Alone Do Not Convert8:04 - Are Companies Wasting Marketing Money on Broken Sites?11:17 - Can More Traffic Crash a Business?14:42 - The Most Expensive Tech Mistakes Brands Make16:25 - Do Big Ad Budgets Hide Bigger Problems?17:35 - The PPC Trap and Why Organic Traffic Still Matters20:03 - In the Future, Will Better Ads or Better Websites Win?21:07 - How AI Will Reshape Marketing and Search23:25 - The Real Job of a Modern Marketer24:16 - Final Takeaways

Onboarding decides whether a global team succeeds or stalls.  Most teams rush into tasks, reuse old playbooks, and hope it works. Lydia Hickman from Hugo explains what actually happens in the first ten days and why these early moves determine long term results. In this episode, we unpack the signals of a strong team, how to earn trust from day one, and why early alignment matters more than visible speed. You will learn: • Why questions are the strongest indicator of a high performing team  • How to build trust and credibility from day one  • Why copying old onboarding processes usually fails  • The role AI plays in moving teams into higher value work  • How to create culture and collaboration across remote teams  • The real advantage of African talent in complex workflows  • Why early calibration prevents months of rework  • How Hugo earns the right to lead with global clients 🔔 Subscribe for weekly interviews with leaders in global operations, AI transformation, and modern delivery strategy. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube. #Hugo #LydiaHickman #DesignRushPodcast #GlobalTeams #Onboarding #OperationsLeadership #AIworkflows #RemoteWork #AfricaTech #BPO #DigitalTransformation #TeamPerformance 

Four powerhouse voices. One essential conversation.In this special highlight edition, we bring together four global leaders redefining how businesses scale through AI, storytelling, wealth strategy, and next-generation design. From PepsiCo’s worldwide brand refresh to predictive marketing systems and billionaire-level equity frameworks, these insights are shaping 2025.Featured Leaders• Carl Gerhards, PepsiCo — Scaling authenticity across 200+ global markets• Tom Butler, Lenovo — Why AI PCs are the future of enterprise productivity• Emmy Sobieski, MegaWealth — Building wealth through strategy, risk, and equity• Alex Banks, The Signal — Predictive AI tools top brands rely on to stay aheadWhat You’ll Learn• How global design systems create cultural impact• Why hybrid AI is transforming speed and security• Frameworks for building long-term equity and wealth• How predictive AI is reshaping modern marketingIf you’re a founder, agency leader, or strategist, this episode is your 2025 playbook.Full episodes available on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify.For guest inquiries: [email protected] DesignRushWebsite: designrush.comInstagram: @designrushmagLinkedIn: /designrushDesignRush is a global B2B marketplace connecting businesses with top agencies through expert rankings, awards, industry insights, and vetted recommendations.

Nvidia’s Power Play: Key FindingsNvidia is the first publicly traded company to breach a $4T market capand the most valuable company on Earth.Its stock has surged ~1,350% since October 2022, outperforming the S&P 500 by ~16 percentage points in 2025 alone.The tech giant built the infrastructure powering major AI products, from ChatGPT to autonomous systems.On Wednesday, Nvidia’s stock rose just enough to send its market cap over the $4 trillion mark.Nvidia has now become the first publicly traded company to ever hit this milestone, according to CNBC.At its intraday peak, the tech giant even vaulted above Apple and Microsoft to become the world’s most valuable company, a stunning breakthrough that caps an extraordinary run.

McDonald's McPizza Fail Takeaways:Kitchen Slowdown: McPizza disrupted the flow by taking over 10 minutes to prepare, which went against the fast service people expect from McDonald’s.Product mismatch: Tasted “bland” and “forgettable,” akin to mass‑market frozen pizza, according to reviews.Brand dilution: Customers expected speed, value, and consistency. Introducing high price ($6–$9) and long wait broke trust.In 1989, McDonald’s decided to take on pizza, with the idea of getting more families in the door during dinner hours.At the time, McDonald’s held 40% of the $48 billion burger market but wanted a slice of the fast-growing pizza business.With pizza sales climbing 10% annually, the company set its sights on turning dinner into its next big win.By the early '90s, the McPizza was served in over 500 U.S. branches, aiming to compete with the big pizza chains.But by the late ’90s, it was quietly dropped.Today, only the world's biggest McDonald’s, the one in Orlando, still serves it, more as a novelty than a revival.

Liquid Death's Veo 3-Made Ad Takeaways:AI tools like Veo 3 enable polished spec ads at studio-grade quality, without agency backing.The Liquid Death spec ad reflects a broader creative wave: fan‑made ads that go viral risk muddying brand identity, as creators take control.Fan-made AI ads give brands free reach and cultural momentumwithout the overhead of production, tapping into creator energy that feels authentic and native to digital platforms.Brands like Kalshi are already embracing AI ad production. Its $2K NBA Finals spot reached 20M+ impressions, signaling a cost structure and speed shift.Last week, a one-minute commercial for Liquid Death surfaced online.It was bold, fast, and visually layered. But it didn’t come from the brand.It was produced by writing-directing duo Noam Sharon and Tal Rosenthal of Too Short For Modeling and creative director Amir Ariely, using Google's video generator, Veo 3.There was no partnership, no budget, and no direction from Liquid Death.It was simply a creative experiment and a show of admiration for the brand.