C&C Pod - Jamie Anderson, President of User Testing

This week Bill and I are joined by Jamie Anderson, President of UserTesting, to mix up a legendary Scottish cocktail - the Bobby Burns - and talk about the importance of customer feedback, testing, and balancing qualitative and quantitative customer input. We also touch on Jamie’s unique career journey from engineer into sales, then into marketing, sales leadership to today as President at UserTesting.

Jamie has an impressive, and unique background - including his time as a rock musician fronting Scottish band Big Wednesday before moving into software - with stops at Siebel, SAP, Marketo, Xcactly, and now UserTesting - the market leader in usability and a solution provider uniquely able understand human reactions to digital experiences at scale.

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jamie for many years, including working closely together at SAP. It was great to reconnect and have him on the show.

So please pour yourself something to sip along with us and enjoy the conversation.

Cheers!

Episode Chapters:

* Intros and exploring the Bobby Burns cocktail

* Hey Kai, understanding UserTesting

* The value of customer feedback

* Leveraging AI at User Testing

* Democratizing research and insights

* Journey to leadership: A personal evolution

* Comparing GTM across global software markets

* The impact of AI on sales and marketing

* Scotland's tech scene: Talent and opportunities

* The musician's journey: Lessons in resilience and connection

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This week’s cocktail - the Bobby Burns

The Bobby Burns cocktail is a sophisticated classic that pays homage to Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. This elegant mix of Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, and Bénédictine is a close cousin to the Rob Roy but with a unique herbal twist. Its origins trace back to early 20th-century cocktail culture, appearing in various forms in classic bartending guides like The Savoy Cocktail Book. The drink is a perfect example of how Scotch, often seen as a sipper, can be transformed into a well-balanced cocktail with depth and complexity.

Much like the Rob Roy, which is essentially a Scotch-based Manhattan, the Bobby Burns follows a similar formula but substitutes a portion of the vermouth’s sweetness with Bénédictine, a French herbal liqueur. This small addition brings a layered, botanical quality that distinguishes it from its better-known counterpart. Some early versions of the cocktail even called for absinthe or Drambuie instead, but Bénédictine ultimately became the defining element of the drink. It adds a nuanced, honeyed herbal character that plays beautifully with the smoky, rich notes of the blended Scotch.

Bénédictine itself is an intriguing ingredient, steeped in mystery and history. First created in the 19th century, it’s made from a blend of 27 herbs and spices, giving it a complex, slightly medicinal yet sweet and aromatic profile. When mixed into the Bobby Burns, it rounds out the cocktail with a velvety texture and a hint of spice, making it a perfect sipper for cooler evenings. Whether enjoyed as a toast to poetry or simply as a refined alternative to the Rob Roy, the Bobby Burns is a timeless choice for lovers of Scotch-based cocktails.

Cheers!

Bobby Burns Cocktail Spec (Serves one)

Absinthe, to rinse

1 oz (~30ml) - Blended Scotch whisky (Johnny Walker Black Label is a good choice)

1 oz (~30ml) - Sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica recommended)

.5 oz (~15ml) - Bénédictine

Garnish - Lemon peel

The process:

Add the scotch, vermouth and Benedictine to a mixing glass, add ice to cover, and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Twist a lemon peel over the glass to release its oils and then drop it into the drink and enjoy!

Please share! There is plenty of room for others at the cocktail party! Thank you!

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Be well, be safe, and here is to good business! Cheers! - Brian & Bill

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