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Insights Unlocked — Technology
Insights Unlocked

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.

Copyright: © Copyright 2022 - 2023 UserTesting. All Rights Reserved.

Latest Episodes:

Finding the content-market fit your customers care about with Ross Simmonds Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

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

Why empathy still wins in an AI-powered world with Sara Fortier from Outwitly Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

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

Flipping the funnel starts with knowing your customers with Sangram Vajre Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

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

All the questions you had about synthetic users but were afraid to ask Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

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

Build your Plan B: How content entrepreneurship can unlock freedom and meaning Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

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

Unlocking SaaS growth with fast, focused customer research with Asia Orangio Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

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

Why brand matters and how CMOs are playing out of position Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

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

How to stop wasting research and turn customer insights into action with Jake Burghardt Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

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

Creating workplaces that work for all to thrive with Tara May Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

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

Optimize with empathy: Gwen Hammes on turning behavior into brand impact Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

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

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