Great CX Requires Investing in Employee Experience Too
Unpopular opinion: "Customer obsession" as a standalone strategy is one of the most misunderstood ideas in business. And it's costing companies real growth. Before you close the tab — hear me out. I am not saying customers don't matter. Of course they do. I'm saying: obsessing over the customer while underinvesting in the people who serve them is a strategy built on sand. My research showed this clearly: 🔥 Companies with high CX scores AND high EX scores grew faster than companies with high CX scores alone. The companies that pursued customer experience as the north star, but treated their employees as a cost center, or worse, consistently underperformed on the very metric they were obsessing over. You cannot sustainably deliver extraordinary customer experiences through an exhausted, disengaged, or misaligned workforce. The employee IS the first "customer" (experience) companies should pay attention to. The best CX strategy I've ever seen doesn't start with a customer journey map. It starts with: "Would I want to work here? Would I be proud of how we treat our people?" 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿. The companies that are winning long-term have stopped treating these as separate priorities. They've realized: take care of your people, and your people take care of your customers. What are your thoughts?
China’s March Soybean Imports Slump Far Below Expectations
🇨🇳China imported 4.02 million metric tons of soybeans in March, well below expectations and the month's average (both ~6 mmt). Halfway through 2025/26, total imports were a 3-yr high BUT below the 5-yr avg on minimal US arrivals. 10+ mmt per...
China Halts Exports From Plastic Trinkets to Missile Magnets
Bessent: “China is stopping exports of various products” Products like “plastic trinkets”, or products like “the rare earth magnets we need to rebuild our missile stockpiles to continue our war v. Iran”? 🤔
People, Not Tech, Drive Project Success or Failure
Projects often fail not due to technical issues, but because of resistance to organizational change. The human element—how well teams adopt new processes—is the number one factor determining success or failure. #ProjectManagement #ChangeManagement https://t.co/FrnbMPGgJ1
Anonymous Yelp for College Coaches Sparks Controversy
Yelp for college coaches. What could go wrong? Loved this @DanielLibit story at @Sportico about a corner of the NCAA internet I had no idea existed, where people can anonymously review (and skewer) their college coaches 👇 https://t.co/VCdTZ14bkC
Half of VC‑Backed Startups Deliver No Investor Returns
“Harvard University released a study in 2012 of venture-backed firms that raised at least $1 million dollars… Fifteen hundred of the businesses failed to deliver any return to the investors.” –Smarter than a #Startup (2019) https://t.co/l2EObkfURN #smallbiz https://t.co/yj75V7id8v
Managing Managers Requires Different Rules Than Managing Teams
Going from IC to manager is hard… But becoming a manager of managers is next level. You’re no longer managing the work. You’re managing the people who manage the work. Throw your vanilla management advice out the window. Instead, focus on these...
Activists Push Discounted $SEER Offer to Force Control
Activists lob a Kevin Tang-style bid for $SEER. $2.25/share + a CVR to recieve 80% of the net proceeds from future asset sales. Cash offer comes at a discount to likely year-end net cash after WC and leases. Spread to cash...
Lagarde Vows to Stay, ECB Faces Cloudy Outlook
Lagarde says she won’t leave the ECB early with clouds on the horizon https://t.co/tF1dhc5d3h via @flacqua @jrandow https://t.co/hz1lQcvqmw
Europe's Economy Falls Beneath ECB Baseline, Says Lagarde
Lagarde says Europe’s economy has slipped below the ECB baseline https://t.co/OCRhGflvWZ via @flacqua @jrandow https://t.co/ff1kSW0T6r
AI Triggers SaaS Re‑Rating, Not Collapse – Reassess Now
A lot of software founders are understandably rattled by AI right now. The headlines are loud, buyers are asking different questions, and the criteria for what makes a fundable or sellable business has shifted in a short period of time....
AI Agent Replaces Entire Team in Minutes
I watched a founder fire his whole team. A single AI agent replaced ops, GTM, and product in 45 minutes. It's called Duet and it's the most dangerous thing I've seen this year. > Only single always-on agent that connects to 500+ tools >...
Turn One Hour Podcast Into Three Short Episodes
Another podcast hack I'm trying that seems to be working well: Instead of a 1 hour block, I will record 30m with a guest, then two 15m episodes on different topics. So we have 3 episodes versus 1. There's a market...
Building AI‑Ready Teams for Future Success
#TimTalk - Building Teams for the AI Era with Daria Rudnik https://t.co/VEKVXCzT37 via @DLAIgnite #SocialSelling #DigitalSelling #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #Strategy #Culture #Motivation #Inspiration #Success #Mindset #Entrepreneur #Business https://t.co/IsR8o8XtEA
Google to Penalize Back‑Button Hijacking Starting June 15
Google Search new spam penalty for back button hijacking kicks in June 15th https://t.co/kKEcy16MOG https://t.co/gskMbjcUoO
Fractional CMOs Deliver Long-Term Strategic Value Over Full‑Time Hires
Can a fractional CMO be long-term? Absolutely. And more companies should probably plan for that instead of apologizing for it. The reason "long-term fractional CMO" sounds strange is that the category got invented as a bridge. Something you did while...
SEC Chair Carr Signals Approval for Amazon‑Globalstar Deal
Brendan Carr is on CNBC saying he'll approve the Amazon-Globalstar deal that was announced today.
Tariffs Spur Companies to Halve Declared Export Values
Companies dodge tariffs the old-fashioned way. They cut the declared value of goods being exported in half and pay half the new tariff rate. IMPOSE A TARIFF = INVITE WORKAROUNDS. https://t.co/rl20Lgpb2O
US Inflation Peaks as Hormuz Shock
JUST IN: US PPI inflation rises to 4%, its highest since February 2023. Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz supply shock is estimated to cause oil demand to contract by 80,000 barrels per day — the largest drop since COVID. Are you...
Skip Academic Advice: 9 Counterintuitive Tips for Success
This is Steven Bartlett. At 30, he's built multiple 8-figure companies, hosts Europe's #1 business podcast, and sits on Dragons' Den. He believes 99% of entrepreneurs fail because they follow advice from professors who’ve never built anything. His 9 counterintuitive advice every entrepreneur...
Podcast Explores NBA Playoffs Streaming Shift and Masters Coverage
NEW PODCAST: @paulsen_smw, @AustinKarp and @JoshACarpenter join me to discuss Prime Video and NBC joining ESPN for the NBA playoffs, CBS’s Masters coverage and the Russini-Vrabel story. TO LISTEN: https://t.co/ldSOoKDIvD
AI Redefines Executive Roles and Future Work
I explore how #AI is reshaping senior leadership and what it means for the future of work. Learn more by tuning in live at 12 pm CT at: https://t.co/ykUbRecoZO #TPSS #IoT #sustainability #5G #cloud #edge #digitaltransformation #PeggySmedley #podcast
China's Export Growth Falters as Global Demand Slumps
China’s Export Momentum Slows Amid Iran War—Weaker global demand threatens a growth driver for Beijing @hannahmiao_ @TByGraceZhu https://t.co/vpepE1zohz https://t.co/vpepE1zohz
Money Supply Rising, Yet Far Below Past Inflation Peaks
It is tempting to become hyper-focused on oil, but don't take your eye off of money supply when assessing inflation dynamics. Though money supply growth is accelerating across the major economies, it remains materially lower than it was in previous...
Lagarde Reverses Stance: Europe Not Epicenter of Iran War Fallout
Lagarde: Europe NOT at epicenter of Iran war fallout. That's quite a turnaround from the Mar. 26 interview with The Economist, when she said: “We are facing a real shock…probably beyond what we can imagine at the moment.”
Musk: First‑principles Thinking Beats Analogy Shortcuts
Elon Musk on why it is better to reason based on first principles versus analogies https://t.co/xhhbm7cZar
Iran Conflict Eases Yuan Pressure as Banks Shed $30B
The Iran war took the heat off China's currency. After facing strong appreciation pressure from November through February, the direction of pressure changed in March -- The state banks look to have reduced their foreign assets by ~...
Design and Development Converge, Hand‑off Model Crumbles
The line between design and development is already getting blurry inside real teams, right now. When designers can move directly inside the build process, the old handoff model starts to break down fast. https://t.co/2MdXtB3usp
Canada Pauses Fuel Tax, Cutting Gas Price 10¢ per Litre
After Germany, here it comes Canada: Prime Minister Mark Carney said he will suspend a fuel excise tax until Labor Day weekend. The measure will lower gasoline prices by 10 Canadian cents per liter, and diesel by 4 Canadian cents.
Long “Ultimate Guides” Underperform Short, Focused Pages
We analyzed 815,000 query-page pairs. The "ultimate guide" strategy produces worse citation results than a focused shorter page. https://t.co/rwNXL7kLMo via @Kevin_Indig, @sejournal
Iran's Inflation ~64%, Rial up 8% Despite Claims
Startup Fortune (not Fortune magazine) claims Iran's inflation is 180% and the rial is in freefall. WRONG. I measure Iran's yearly inflation at 64%/yr. Since the war began, the rial has gained 8% vs the USD. I AM THE ONLY ACCURATE...
Separate Campaigns Prevent ROAS Inflation and Prospecting Starvation
Your Meta campaign is feeding past purchasers and starving new customers. You just can't see it in the ROAS. So we run a 3-to-4 campaign architecture. When you consolidate cold, warm, and retention into one campaign, the algorithm gravitates toward the...
Weak Dollar Fuels Stock Rallies Amid Policy Shifts
This time last year also was terrible for the US dollar and great for stocks. April 7 2025: stocks rally on Trump tariffs deadline extension. March 31-Apr 11 2026: stocks rally on war ceasefire/talks
AI Marketing Toolkit Grows: New Tools Added
The best list of #AI #marketing tools anywhere continues to expand: https://t.co/1MqMiJPCBB New tools added recently include Marey by @moonvalley, @SalesAPE_AI, @coachvox, @gradialai, @aivideocut, Cora AI, @UpsurgeCRM, @withdelphi, @UnwrapAi, and @TailwindApp.
Superblocks Adds Enterprise Guardrails to Raw AI
"Why not just use Claude?" Because raw AI + enterprise data + zero governance = a CISO’s worst nightmare. Prompts don't create audit trails or permissions. Today @superblocks wraps enterprise guardrails around AI. Insane update today from @bradmenezes et al! 🔥
IMF Slashes UK Growth Forecast, Flags Stagnation
Among the G7, the IMF’s outlook for the UK is likely to attract attention due to: • A Sharp Growth Downgrade : 2026 GDP forecast has been slashed to 0.8%, risking "stall speed." • Persistent Inflation: The hope that inflation would return...
Rank and Headings Drive AI Citations, Not Authority
The Fan-Out Effect: What Happens Between a Query and a Citation - From a research developed by @Kevin_Indig & @AirOpsHQ analyzing 16,851 queries and +353K pages across ChatGPT's full retrieval pipeline: * Retrieval rank is the #1 signal. A...
China Ramps up Export Controls Ahead of US‑China Talks
China has increased its use of export controls, underlining Beijing’s willingness to leverage its power over supply chains as Xi Jinping prepares for talks next month with US President Donald Trump. by @leahyjoseph, @cheng_leng_ & Wenjie Ding https://t.co/oGe6739GIG
IMF Renames Baseline to “Reference Forecast” Amid Uncertainty
This is the usual summary table from the IMF’s latest WEO. Notably, the Fund has swapped its usual "baseline" terminology for a “reference forecast” paired with alternative scenarios. This shift highlights today's volatile global landscape, characterized by high uncertainty and disparity,...
Only Four Questions Matter in Sales Discovery Calls
95% of the questions salespeople ask are worthless. They don't help you sell. They annoy buyers. They burn precious meeting time. If you could only ask 4 questions in a discovery call? Here they are. //thread//
Leverage One Piece of Content Across All Channels
Most teams don’t need more content. They need leverage. Turn one blog, video, or podcast into emails, LinkedIn posts, and X updates automatically. Same ideas. More surfaces. Less manual work. https://t.co/TMyyX29S08
Consultative Selling Boosts Recruiting and Team Performance
🎙️ Jim Stroud & Dr. Deepak Bhootra discuss how consultative selling can transform recruiting, strengthen candidate relationships, and build high-performing teams. Great insights for recruiters, #HR leaders & CHROs on smarter hiring and leadership. #recruiting #SalesTraining https://t.co/7nd77l0pDm
Defining SaaS: What Truly Counts for Founders
Is your product actually a SaaS? I gave the definition of SaaS more thought than I ever have before, and it turns out ChatGPT and I disagree on a few things. In this week's episode, I answer listener questions covering...
Rising SBC Costs Inflate Expenses and Trigger Layoffs
SBC is a real expense that has gotten a lot more expensive. -Lower revenue multiples = more expensive SBC -GAAP expense is misleading -SBC matters a lot less if you are growing fast and have high terminal values -Layoffs are coming because of...
IMF Warns Iran War Triggers UK's Biggest Growth, Price Shock
UK faces biggest growth and price shock from Iran war, IMF says https://t.co/OooXhvUdQo via @PhilAldrick https://t.co/8t1CXx1CDK
Amazon's $13.7B Whole Foods Tops $11.6B Globalstar Deal
Amazon's M&A history-- Globalstar would be its second-biggest deal ever I think: Whole Foods — $13.7B Globalstar — ~$11.6B announced / pending MGM — $8.45B One Medical — ~$3.9B Zoox — ~$1.3B Zappos — ~$1.2B Ring — ~$1.0–1.2B Twitch — ~$970M Kiva Systems — $775M PillPack — ~$753M
March Card Spending Rises 4.3% Amid Strong Discretionary Demand
💳BofA: "Mar total BAC card spending per HH was up 4.3% y/y. We forecast a solid 1.8% & 0.6% for ex-auto & control group retail sales. Despite higher gas prices, Mar spending was broad-based with total ex gas spending remaining...
Quick Model Shows CPI + PPI Outpacing PCE
Morning Commentary with a few #PPI takeaways & CPI+PPI = > PCE model (note this is a "quick" model with few adjustments for data weirdness that has admittedly been more common of late). https://t.co/JZ69JZIaEW
C.E.O. Council Links DEI to Declining Productivity
Advocates claim DEI helps companies outperform financially. Trumps' Council of Economic Advisers says the opposite is true. In a new study, they say starting around 2016, a rising minority share of managers correlated with lower productivity /1 https://t.co/tJW1hx8ygl
Dollar Slides Below 99, Signaling Eroding Confidence
DXY just broke below 99 — a 1.25-month low. Dollar weakness at this scale matters globally: commodities reprice, EM debt gets relief, US exporters benefit. But a structurally weaker $DXY also signals eroding confidence. That's the part worth watching. https://t.co/G2iZaPA5wz