

Builders Wanted
Twilio
Builders Wanted features candid conversations with the leaders and industry pioneers who are reimagining customer engagement, driving transformation, and fostering innovation with transformative technologies. Step inside the minds of the builders reshaping how businesses connect, engage, and grow.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 23, 2025 • 1min
Introducing: Builders Wanted
After three seasons of insightful discussions, deep dives into data and marketing wisdom, we're saying goodbye to Good Data, Better Marketing. In its place rises something bigger, bolder, and better.Introducing Builders Wanted, the podcast for trendsetters. The ones who break, build, and rebuild. The architects of digital experiences, seamless communication, and next gen strategies. A builder is not a job title – it's a mindset. Whether you're engineering the future of AI, rethinking customer engagement, or launching something that's never been done before. This podcast is for you.This season, we go beyond trends and into the trenches, talking to the visionaries, risk takers, and pioneers who are shaping the business world. No fluff, no buzzwords, just the real stories of breakthroughs, pivots, and game changing innovation, one episode at a time.Hit subscribe and let's get to work, builders. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 20, 2025 • 38min
Building a Category with AI Wearables with Chris Villarreal, Global Director of Marketing for Wearables at Meta
This episode features an interview with Chris Villarreal, Global Director of Marketing for Wearables at Meta. Chris and his team build and scale programs to drive consumer education, desire, and adoption of immersive devices. Previously, he was the Head of Brand for Meta Financial Technologies, leading brand management, integrated marketing, and the Creative Studio. He has also held roles at Goldman Sachs, American Express, and Equinox.In this episode, Kailey sits down with Chris to discuss insights on category creation, the significance of solving real consumer problems, and how Meta is leveraging multimodal AI to enhance everyday life with their Ray-Ban Meta Glasses.-------------------Key Takeaways:Wearable technology has evolved significantly with integrated AI for real-time language translation, improved audio and camera quality, and practical daily utilities.Creating and promoting a new product category involves raising awareness through high-profile events, leveraging authentic communication via creators, and ensuring marketing messages are consistent across all channels.Creating a successful product category requires solving real customer problems and creating delightful user experiences.-------------------“ What we're trying to do is create more and more value throughout the day for you to be wearing this wearable all the time. It goes from something that you use for a specific use case, like taking a picture or sharing your point of view or listening to something, to something you want to wear all the time, because you're actually finding utility.” – Chris Villarreal-------------------Episode Timestamps:*(02:14) - Chris’s career journey*(04:09) - Trends influencing wearable technology today*(06:20) - What differentiates Ray-Ban Meta Glasses from other wearable technology*(13:02) - Safety and privacy guardrails around Meta’s Glasses *(20:11) - How Chris defines ‘good data’*(35:01) - Chris’s recommendations for those creating a new product category-------------------Links:Connect with Chris on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today’s digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It’s necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 6, 2025 • 35min
How Real-Time Data Drives Unparalleled Customer Loyalty with John O’Melia, Chief Customer Officer at Contentsquare
This episode features an interview with John O’Melia, Chief Customer Officer at Contentsquare, where his team works to ensure all customers harness the full power of Contentsquare’s technology and drive significant business value. Previously, he was the CEO of Seal Software (acquired by Docusign in 2020) and held leadership roles in Customer Success and Sales at Dell EMC.In this episode, Kailey and John discuss the challenges of balancing business decisions with customer-centric values, evolving customer expectations, and the importance of real-time data in enhancing digital customer experiences.-------------------Key Takeaways:By using advanced data capture and analysis tools, businesses can identify and respond to issues promptly, optimizing digital interactions and ensuring customer satisfaction.Businesses need technology guardrails in place to ensure that personalization efforts do not cross into territory that customers might find invasive or uncomfortable.Companies must continuously innovate and refine their digital strategies to meet and exceed customer expectations.-------------------“ If you get enticed to go to an application to go buy this thing and you're going to get a 30% discount code, if that code doesn't work, you're not necessarily going to spend the next five minutes trying to figure out how to make it work. You have a one-shot deal on many of these situations. Your ability to spot that you've got a problem with that code or that checkout page and be able to deal with it is the difference between having a great Black Friday or having a so-so Black Friday.” – John O’Melia-------------------Episode Timestamps:*(02:27) - John’s career journey*(06:45) - Trends impacting customer experience*(12:37) - How Contentsquare is using AI to improve experiences*(24:39) - How John defines ‘good data’*(27:13) - Real-time monitoring use cases*(33:08) - John’s recommendations for upleveling digital strategies-------------------Links:Connect with John on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today’s digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It’s necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan 23, 2025 • 46min
Unlocking Agility: Composable Solutions, Flexible Stacks & Hybrid Architectures with Dom Selvon, Global CTO at Apply Digital
This episode features an interview with Dom Selvon, Global Chief Technology Officer at Apply Digital. Dom is a technology leader with 25 years of experience in the cloud-native and MACH communities. At Apply Digital, he is committed to employing technology for commerce and content, helping businesses succeed. Dom currently serves as a member of the MACH Alliance Executive Board, where he advocates for cloud adoption and agile methodologies.In this episode, Kailey sits down with Dom to discuss leveraging modern technology to create seamless customer experiences, the benefits of a hybrid architecture in digital transformation, and the ethical and sustainability challenges of AI.-------------------Key Takeaways:Effective digital transformations necessitate changes in communication, processes, and workflows within an organization.The modern enterprise architecture leans towards composable and flexible systems that prioritize interoperability.Human oversight remains essential to ensure AI complements rather than compromises business integrity and customer experiences.-------------------“ With a digital transformation, particularly a digital transformation to a more composable, flexible stack, the real meat of the work is the change that's actually going to happen to the business. It's a change that's going to happen to the communication within the business. How people talk to each other to get things done is going to change. That is something businesses don't accept, understand, believe, or are willing to take on.” – Dom Selvon-------------------Episode Timestamps:*(02:39) - Dom’s career journey*(07:10) - Trends impacting digital transformation*(24:54) - Practical applications of AI in business*(32:49) - Challenges in building great customer experiences*(43:56) - Dom’s recommendations for upleveling digital strategies-------------------Links:Connect with Dom on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today’s digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It’s necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan 9, 2025 • 40min
The Intersection of AI, Trust, and Consumer Experience in Financial Services with Tarun Dadoo, VP of Products & Delivery at Discover
In this discussion, Tarun Dadoo, a VP at Discover Financial Services, dives into the nuances of balancing privacy and personalized experiences in banking. He explores the innovative approach of composable Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) for efficient data management. The conversation also highlights the crucial role of data governance in building consumer trust, especially in light of evolving regulations. Through addressing specific consumer behaviors, Tarun underlines how effective data strategies can boost satisfaction and loyalty in financial services.

Dec 19, 2024 • 42min
The Omnichannel Challenge: Balancing AI and Data Privacy with Jennifer Peters, Director of DTC, MarTech & Digital Compliance at OLLY
This episode features an interview with Jennifer Peters, Director of DTC, Martech, and Digital Compliance at OLLY. Here, she drives their direct-to-consumer business growth and champions the fusion of technology and marketing for top-notch digital experiences. Jennifer is a passionate CPG expert with extensive experience spanning marketing, tech, and business development in eCommerce.In this episode, Kailey and Jennifer discuss the challenges of integrating AI in regulated environments, the implications of new legislation on data privacy, and leveraging omnichannel strategies effectively.-------------------Key Takeaways:By understanding and mapping out journeys across various channels, brands can design better experiences that cater to consumers’ evolving preferences.AI tools are used strategically to optimize consumer interactions and predict behaviors, helping to improve engagement and retention without infringing on data privacy regulations.The integration of data from multiple channels remains a challenge, but it's crucial for creating seamless consumer experiences.-------------------“Anyone in retail and eCommerce right now feels that weight of we've got to get the customer to convert for the first time. We have to think about cost of acquisition. We have to think about it from an advertising perspective. We have to think about it from a discounting perspective and, ultimately, long-term, what is this customer going to be worth to us? What is this customer's LTV? Maybe guessing what that might be for two years. We were guessing before and now you don't have to guess.” – Jennifer Peters-------------------Episode Timestamps:*(02:36) - Jennifer’s career journey*(07:32) - Trends impacting consumer experience in DTC and eCommerce*(12:59) - AI in regulated environments*(19:11) - Omnichannel strategies and digital channels*(30:57) - How Jennifer defines good data *(38:12) - Jennifer’s recommendations for upleveling consumer experience journeys-------------------Links:Connect with Jennifer on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today’s digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It’s necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec 5, 2024 • 48min
Navigating the Data Forest: Building Conviction in a Digital Age with Lena Waters & Eric Weber, Grammarly
This episode features an interview with Grammarly’s Chief Marketing Officer, Lena Waters, and Eric Weber, Head of Data. Lena leads marketing strategy, focusing on delivering the brand promise to customers, driving demand for products, and growing revenue to scale the company. Eric leads teams of data scientists and software engineers who are responsible for improving how to measure and iterate on the product to create the best communication assistant. In this episode, Kailey, Lena, and Eric discuss their collaborative approach to aligning business and customer priorities, the implications of a cookieless world on marketing attribution, and the balance of data insights and human judgment to drive meaningful customer experiences.-------------------Key Takeaways:Leaders should have a clear understanding and conviction about their business goals and use data to test and refine their hypotheses, instead of relying solely on data to dictate actions.The key to navigating a cookieless world is to focus on fundamental marketing principles and broader customer understanding, rather than obsessing over the loss of precise individual data.Creating a culture where leaders and team members feel empowered to make informed decisions ensures that teams leverage data effectively to drive meaningful business outcomes.-------------------“I think as leaders, we have to think about that decision-making environment that we're creating for our teams so that they do have the right resources, but we're not overloading them with false expectations of we have to try everything. We would drown. We're looking for, I think, clarity. We're not necessarily looking for everything.” – Lena Waters“You're going to have to have conviction and a hypothesis and a belief about what is true, and you should still use data to try to refute that or gather evidence against it. But, you're going to have many fewer situations where the data's going to be like, ‘Here's the path forward.’ Guess what? That's not going to happen. I think the more that we embrace that, we're going to be more successful in one or two years when a lot of this visibility is actually gone.” – Eric Weber-------------------Episode Timestamps:*(03:14) - How data and marketing work together at Grammarly*(05:30) - Trends impacting customer experience*(22:45) - How Grammarly is measuring effectiveness in a cookieless world*(29:13) - How marketers can address the overreliance on data and dashboards*(36:34) - How Grammarly is using AI*(43:32) - Lena and Eric’s advice for upleveling marketing and data strategies-------------------Links:Connect with Lena on LinkedInConnect with Eric on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today’s digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It’s necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 14, 2024 • 41min
How Next-Gen Commerce Experiences Simplify Shopping with Robert Gash, Chief Consumer Commerce Officer at Hearst Magazines
This episode features an interview with Robert Gash, Chief Consumer Commerce Officer at Hearst. Robert is a software and product development executive with extensive experience leading software development, product strategy, research, and design. Prior to joining Hearst, he served as VP of Engineering at Nurx and Symphony Commerce, and as the VP of Operations Technology at Grove Collaborative. In this episode, Kailey and Robert discuss strategies for making purchasing decisions easier for consumers, reducing informational friction, and how AI is redefining consumer experiences.-------------------Key Takeaways:Incremental improvements with AI can help to provide context and personalized recommendations to consumers.Recording as much contextual data as possible enables deeper insights and helps create a flexible and adaptive data strategy that can respond to evolving consumer needs.Marketers have to earn and maintain consumer trust by offering valuable and reliable guidance through transparent practices.-------------------“Everybody knows in commerce, the easier it is to purchase something, the higher your conversion rates typically are. But, that works mid funnel too. Going from moment of inspiration into lower funnel research and doing that as seamlessly as possible with fewer open tabs and fewer searches, maybe in the middle, is a key way we can play a real role in making that journey easier and faster for folks.” – Robert Gash-------------------Episode Timestamps:*(02:23) - Robert’s career journey*(07:36) - Trends impacting consumer experience*(13:37) - Hearst’s shoppable media model*(22:04) - AI in commerce*(32:16) - How Robert defines good data *(38:34) - Robert’s advice for his younger self-------------------Links:Connect with Robert on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today’s digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It’s necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oct 31, 2024 • 44min
The Future of Contact Centers: Blending AI and Human Touch with Alex Levin, Co-founder & CEO of Regal.AI
In a fascinating discussion, Alex Levin, Co-founder and CEO of Regal.AI, dives into the future of contact centers by emphasizing the blend of AI and human interaction. He highlights the importance of creating personalized customer experiences, noting that human touch remains vital even in a digital-first world. Alex warns that up to 90% of contact center roles may shift to AI over the next decade. He also advocates for cross-functional collaboration to meet evolving market demands, ensuring organizations foster a customer-centric culture.

Oct 3, 2024 • 38min
Better Customer Engagement Starts with Better Messaging with Des Cahill, CMO at Tipalti
This episode features an interview with Des Cahill, Chief Marketing Officer at Tipalti. Des has served as CMO at multiple startups, such as Ensighten, Samepage and BridgeSpan, while also having successful experiences at companies like Apple and HP. Most recently, he drove global product marketing strategy for Oracle's Advertising & Customer Experience as Group Vice President.In this episode, Kailey and Des discuss the importance of foundational experiences and adapting to different company environments, crafting a solid messaging framework, and the evolving role of content marketing in the age of generative AI.-------------------Key Takeaways:A well-defined messaging framework is foundational, informing content across various channels such as websites, marketing collateral, sales pitches, and internal communications. Organizations can effectively tailor their communications and improve customer engagement through a phased approach to personalized marketing. Starting with a strong foundational messaging framework and then expanding it to specific personas and behaviors.Training AI tools like Grammarly to maintain brand tone and partnering with specialized AI vendors to leverage data in impactful ways can improve efficiency and ensure company communications remain aligned with brand messaging.-------------------“A lot of people think customer experience is about delighting the customer and I disagree. I think most of us, in our day-to-day lives, what we're trying to achieve is we're trying to get the information we want and we're trying to move on to the next thing. If you're marketing correctly, you've captured that signal, you've given them a message and you can always follow up with a nurture.” – Des Cahill-------------------Episode Timestamps:*(02:35) - Des’s career journey*(06:21) - Trends impacting customer experience*(12:02) - Personalization strategies*(22:24) - How Tipalti is building practical AI strategies*(35:04) - Des’s recommendations for upleveling customer experience strategies-------------------Links:Connect with Des on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today’s digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It’s necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.