In this episode, Clare and Katie discuss the emotional and professional realities of building a CX consultancy without the safety net of corporate structure. Katie shares how personal challenges, including a marriage breakdown and significant loss, shaped her approach to leadership, resilience, and customer experience.

The discussion explores why empathy, trust, authentic leadership and human connection remain essential in modern CX strategy – especially as AI and automation continue to reshape the industry. Katie also explains the philosophy behind CXism and why customer experience should be embedded into organisational culture rather than treated as a tactical function.

In this episode of WiCX Talk Trends, Clare Muscutt sits down with Sierra Modro, Sr. Director of Software Engineering at ujet.cx, to explore one of the biggest tensions in customer experience today: are we using AI to fix customer experience, or just speeding up what’s already broken?

They unpack why today’s CX challenges are deeply architectural, and what it takes to move beyond “shiny” AI solutions to a more holistic, human-centred approach that reduces friction for agents, improves customer outcomes, and delivers meaningful business value.

In this special edition of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, celebrating the 2025 Inspiring Women in CX Awards Winners, Clare Muscutt sits down with Judy Bloch,  VP, Industry Executive Advisor and our Women in CX Tech Award Winner.

In this insightful conversation, Judy shares how her background in industrial engineering shaped her structured, results-driven approach to customer experience. From early process improvement work to becoming a global CX advisor, Judy reveals how she connects CX initiatives directly to commercial outcomes – helping organisations prove the value of experience-led transformation.

In this special edition of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, celebrating the 2025 Inspiring Women in CX Awards Winners, Clare Muscutt sits down with Shannon Knowlton, Voice of the Customer Manager and this year’s Innovation Award winner.

In this uplifting conversation, Shannon reveals the innovation that earned her this year’s award: a bespoke GenAI Copilot agent she built from the ground up to revolutionise VOC workflows, enhance the depth and reliability of customer insights, and strengthen strategic collaboration.

In this episode of WiCX Talks Trends, Clare Muscutt speaks with Jennifer Buffaloe, Senior Director of Customer Success at CallMiner, about what it really means to prepare our organisations for an AI-enabled future of work.

Clare and Jen discuss the skills, culture, leadership behaviours and practical steps required to help teams work confidently with AI — and how to build trust, readiness and adoption in a way that empowers people rather than replaces them.

In this special edition of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, celebrating the 2025 Inspiring Women in CX Awards Winners, Clare Muscutt is joined by Stine Marsal, CEO & Founder of InklusioNordic and Experience Management Consultant, and our Inclusion Award winner! 

With unwavering commitment and fierce passion, Stine has devoted her career to breaking down barriers for marginalised people in customer and employee experience. Drawing on her own lived experience and the voices of those too often overlooked, she is a true advocate for designing inclusive journeys that work for everyone.

In this powerful episode of Inspiring Women in CX, Clare Muscutt is joined by Kerry Sudale, a leading CX and Contact Centre recruiter and passionate advocate for inclusive, people-first hiring.

With the market more competitive than ever, Kerry shares her expert insights on why so many talented CX leaders are currently on the open market—and what it really takes to stand out and secure the right role.

In this episode of Inspiring Women in CX, Clare Muscutt speaks with Obi Santos, a passionate CX leader and cross-functional change agent, about one of the biggest challenges facing customer experience professionals today: silos.

Obi shares her perspective on why, despite all the talk about alignment and collaboration, silos still persist—and what it really takes to overcome them.

In this intimate and inspiring episode, Clare reconnects with Freya Finnerty—Agile Product Leader, CX professional, queer woman, and proud solo mum to baby Fox.

Freya opens up about choosing solo motherhood, navigating IVF as a gay woman, and how her background in agile product management unexpectedly prepared her for the emotional complexity and unpredictability of the journey.

“They have to start acting like leaders before they actually get the title or get the position. They have to take the opportunities. They have to be curious, agile, flexible.”

In episode #806 of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, Clare is joined by Managing Partner Michelle Ansell for a refreshing and honest conversation about the winding road of career progression, the realities of leadership and what it really takes to thrive in a competitive landscape.

“You don't have to be somebody's manager or even their mentor to sponsor them, to campaign on their behalf. If you see women in your company or minorities or any underrepresented group that you know is not getting the type of recognition that they deserve.”

In episode #003 of the WiCX Talk Trends podcast, Clare is joined by Anne Dawson, seasoned leader and Sr. Manager, Employee Development & Training at CallMiner, for an insightful conversation on the power of mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership in the workplace.

“There is actually a growing issue called presenteeism. It's when people are showing up at work, but they're either unwell, or they're burnt out, or they are just not able to do their best work. There was a recent survey which was conducted, it's a government survey. And it's shown that presenteeism…has cost UK businesses 25 billion pounds since 2018.”

In episode #805 of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, Clare is joined by CEO and Founder Clare White for an insightful and energising conversation about building human-centred organisations through culture, leadership and employee empowerment.

“I think my piece of advice would be to take a real honest, hard look at…either yourself or your business. If you are communicating that you want to be a customer-centric company or organisation, then take a real honest hard look at, are we actually that?”

In episode #804 of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, Clare is joined by CX Consultant Joanna Carr for a candid and insightful discussion on customer experience strategy, the pitfalls of “CX-washing”, and the reality of delivering on brand promises. 

“Imposter syndrome normally shows up when you're exposing yourself in a way that you haven't exposed yourself before. And what it's telling you is…'Hey, you're uncomfortable, maybe you need to practice a bit more of this’.” 

In episode #803 of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, Clare is joined by Executive and Leadership Coach Natalia Cerezo Martin for an honest and empowering conversation about imposter syndrome, emotional intelligence, and building confidence as a CX professional. 

“With all the will in the world, you cannot change the organisational strategy. It's not up to you to decide. Even if you are fortunate enough to be on the board, you are a contributor to a decision that other people will have a say on. So contribute effectively.”

In episode #802 of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, Clare is joined by Founder and CEO Olga Potaptseva for a thought-provoking conversation on aligning customer-centricity with organisational strategy to drive impactful change.

“I wanted to leave to almost grow. I was part of the furniture… I didn’t like the feeling of being that. I wanted to have the confidence to step out of the shadows… and believe more in myself.”

In episode #801 of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, Clare is joined by Chief Operating Officer Katie Costello for a heartfelt discussion on navigating career transitions, facing redundancy, and turning uncertainty into a powerful opportunity for growth

“The biggest challenge I think the CX industry has got is the fact that it’s become an industry.”

Joined by John Sills, Managing Partner at The Foundation, in episode #709 of the Inspiring Women in CX podcast, we explore the alarming disparity between the booming CX technology market and actual improvements in the experience felt by customers.

Joined by Danita Belcher, VP of Sales, Worldwide Contact Center at RingCentral, in episode #001 of the ‘WiCX Talk Trends’ podcast, we delve into the results of RingCentral’s recent study on customer service experiences, explore the potential upside of AI-enhanced customer service, and foreground some of the challenges associated with integrating AI into customer service operations.

Joined by Leonie Williams, Co-Founder of Customer Service Solutions Group, in episode #708, we explore the role of culture in delivering excellent service and experiences.

Having worked for global hotel chains Hilton and Intercontinental before joining the Institute of Customer Service, Leonie states that “If you get the EX and the CX right, the business results follow.”

But for businesses that don’t have this customer service culture already embedded throughout, is it really possible to drive this mindset shift?

Does the othering of women and minorities contribute to imposter syndrome?

Following our epic International Women’s Day event in London and expanding on the panel discussion that took place, in episode #707, we talk to Ewa Davenport, Senior Client Success Director at Kantar about systemic bias, how often there isn’t malice involved, and using our own power to educate others, call out inappropriate behaviours, and stand up for those less privileged than our selves.

Are you ready for the rise of the machine customer? With Gartner predicting that by 2027, 50% of us will be using AI personal assistants in our daily lives, they could be here much sooner than anticipated.

Joined by Sirte Pihlaja, CEO of Shirute, listen to episode #706 now as we explore what machine customers are, how they’re set to impact the future of CX and EX, and as CX leaders, what we should be thinking about now to ensure we’re equipped for their arrival.

With fewer barriers today, why aren’t we making the inroads that we should be? That’s the question raised by Maria McCann, Co-Founder of Neos Wave, in episode #705.

Citing the stagnant transformation failure rate, a lack of reduction in cost to serve, and declining customer satisfaction, Maria explains why she believes that industrial-sized CX frameworks are to blame.

If empathy isn’t the answer, what is? Joined by Andreena Leeanne, a Lived Experience Speaker and the Author of the poetry book ‘Charred’, in episode #704, she and Clare explore the concept of intersectionality and its importance when creating spaces for others to show up as their full, authentic selves, discuss whether it’s truly possible to empathise with someone whose lived experience is different to that of our own and foreground why “not seeing” race, colour, and gender isn’t enough if we’re to create a kinder, more inclusive world for everyone.

Joined by Global CX Specialist, Ian Golding, in episode #703, he and Clare discuss the need for support and collaboration in an industry that often leaves us feeling isolated, foreground the importance of recognising our own privilege, and address the scepticism surrounding the need for women’s communities in 2024.

With some “cheeky” questions for former CEO of the CXPA, Diane Magers, in episode #702, Clare and Diane debate the metrification of CX and how it’s become synonymous with a score, the mindset, skills and capabilities we need as CX leaders to succeed not just today but in the next generation, and how we can create clear business value in the here and now, ensuring, that like marketing and sales, our jobs are safe.

In episode #701, Sandra Thompson details all about her “highly sensory” employee experience workshop and how, through a game of bean roulette, she served up a stark reminder to us all about the taste we leave in customers/employees’ mouths.

As well as highlighting the importance of psychological safety and the significant impact that our actions have on others, Sandra shares her thoughts on the current state of CX, her predictions for 2024 and explains why brushing up on our business acumen is key if we’re to influence the agenda.

“All complex problems are solvable when you really understand the flow of value to the person being designed for […] it makes the complexity start to fall away quite quickly because you’ve got something to anchor in that is very real.”

“All of us are people, and if on a personal level, we don't follow principles or values of health and well-being, it’s very difficult to build a corporate culture of well-being in our companies. So, I believe that personal and organisational are very much related.”