Making the Fan

Our guest today is Jesse Schwarz, who set an NBA Top Shot record earlier this year, paying $208k for a replay of a LeBron James dunk. If that makes no sense to you, don't worry, we've got you covered in this episode. Today's episode is a little out of the ordinary, where we dive deep into non-fungible tokens (NFTs). NFTs have been all the rage in 2021, but if you still don't understand them, Jesse and I try to break it down in this episode. It's not your standard explanation of NFTs, as we try to unpack how you and your sports & entertainment organization can use NFTs to drive more revenue and deeper engage your fans. Connect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

Today’s guest has been one of my favorite follows on Twitter over the past year, Zoe Scaman. Zoe runs her own strategy studio in the UK, called Bodacious.At Bodcacious, one of Zoe’s bigger projects she’s working on right now is with Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks, and Mark Cuban Experiments, or MCX for short. We’ll dive into this a ton in this episode. Before Bodacious, Zoe was the Global Head of Strategy for the Ridley Scott Creative Group. If you look at her career, you’ll see she’s dabbled in so many different areas, working for international brands, as well as agencies of all sizes. That’s given her a really wide range of things she’s interested in, and she has an uncanny ability to connect insights from one industry into another. This makes us love her, obviously, because that’s what we focus so much of our time on in this show. For today, we’re really going to be diving deep into Fandom. And no it should be no surprise, that much of how fandom is changing today is based on the evolution of the creator economy. If you’re not familiar with the creator economy, have no fear, we do some definition setting in the episode.Show Notes:7:32     Fandom vs. fans with an affinity9:51     FazeClan and the birth of amateur content creation14:00  Breaking down fandom levels with Marvel Cinematic Universe19:17  The strategies for developing content for various audiences23:13  The NBA exemplifying cultural crossovers25:40  Examining the adjacent cultural genres to sports30:05  Takeaways from MCX and the NBA34:55  Monetizing experimentation in your organization38:30  Reaching the Gen Z audience42:56  Building a content creation team44:56  Creating content for niche audiences48:40  Lessons learned from Ocean Spray53:03  NFTs and the impact on collectiblesWhere to Reach Zoe:Twitter: @zoescamanSubscribe to Zoe's Email NewsletterArticles: From Frameworks to FlywheelsFaze Clan, Fandom and the New Brand FlywheelFaZe Clan - Website |  Twitter | Instagram | YouTubeBleacher Report’s Game of ZonesAdjacent Content - @LeagueFits | Connect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

Our guest today is Shep Hyken, a customer service and experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations.  Shep works with companies and organizations that want to build loyal relationships with their customers and employees. His articles have been read in hundreds of publications, and he is the author of "Amaze Every Customer Every Time," "Moments of Magic," "The Loyal Customer," "The Cult of the Customer" and "The Amazement Revolution." Shep, KG, and David cover everything from designing an organization's purpose to how customer service has changed for the future due to the pandemic.-------Show Notes:(07:53) Learning customer service at age 12(11:02) “Without customers, you don’t have a business”(15:25) Marketing creates repeat customers; loyalty is a connection(18:49) Crafting genuine and transparent mission statements (21:46) Purpose statements in practice - lessons from the Ritz-Carlton and Disney(26:05) Creating mission statements that clearly articulate your values(29:51) Shep’s Six Simple Steps to Create a Customer Service Culture(31:52) Unpacking Step #3: Train It(37:16) The shortest customer service speech in the world(39:13) “I’ll Be Back - How to Get Customers to Come Back Again and Again” - Shep’s next book(43:55) Looking outside your industry for inspiration(45:15) Customer service is not a department, it’s a philosophy(47:23) Rapid Fire Questions-------Additional Notes:Purchase Shep’s BooksI’ll Be Back: How to Get Customers to Come Back Again and AgainThe Convenience RevolutionAmaze Every Customer Every TimeThe Amazement RevolutionThe Cult of the CustomerMoments of MagicThe Loyal CustomerBe Amazing or Go HomeShep’s Book Recommendations:The Effortless Experience by Matt DixonThe Experience Economy by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. GilmoreHow to Connect with Shep:https://hyken.com/ Shep’s Customer Service newsletterShep TV on YouTube-------Today’s epiConnect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

Our guest today is with Disney Parks & Resorts legend, Lee Cockerell.  In this episode, we focus on leadership, customer service, and time management,Lee Cockerell retired as the Executive Vice President of Operations for the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, a position he held for ten years. His responsibilities encompassed a diverse mix of operations, which included 20 resort hotels with over 24,000 Guest rooms, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 5 golf courses, a shopping village & nighttime entertainment complex (Downtown Disney, now Disney Springs), the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the ancillary operations support functions. Leadership Lessons from Disney Legend Lee Cockerell1:02 The legendary Main Street windows and the story behind Lee’s window 5:35 The Main Street Diary - Lee’s consistent communication strategy with all Walt Disney World® cast members9:13 The 8-minute podcast 12:15 Disney’s Chain of Excellence & how you get results17:39 Talent is the name of the game 22:39 The behaviors and characteristics of successful leaders at Disney24:05 The leadership test and building complementary teams28:14 Lee’s Legacy - Disney Great Leader Strategies & Creating Magic 30:50 From what to how - implementing Disney Great Leader Strategies35:39 Leading through external pressures on the organization40:33 Lee’s top three leadership strategies 43:00 Balancing and managing your time45:50 Deciding what to delegate48:29 Rapid fire round------ADDITIONAL NOTESLee’s Book RecommendationsThe Effective Executive by Peter DruckerThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveyGood to Great by Jim CollinsHaving Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila HeenLearn from LeeConnect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

Join David and KG as they chat with guest Simon T. Bailey,  a motivational speaker, author, and life coach. Simon's content revolves around purpose, leadership, and inspiration. David and KG get into Simon's experiences through these lenses and how it ties into customer service. Show Notes:(5:26)  Making Organizations Sizzle: The Power of Leadership, Culture, and Consistency(6:52)  Culture is not the Mission and Vision statement on the website; it’s what lives in the head and hearts of those doing the work (8:35)  How leaders can instill culture and care into an organization(9:45)  Marrying top leaders’ goals with the goals of customer-facing employees(12:21) From performance reviews to career investment discussions - Demonstrating genuine care for teams(15:31) Eliminate the employee survey; Create pulse surveys instead(19:31) Be the SPARK in your organization(24:37) Infusing the SPARK in your organization - Identify a champion and chase consistency(25:14) It’s not Kool-Aid, it’s Culture - Lessons learned from the Ritz-Carlton(33:17) Say Yes, Now What’s the Question? Simon’s Journey from Days Inn to the Ritz-Carlton(36:15) Adapting SPARK principles vs. adopting SPARK principles - build your own purpose(41:21) Facts Tell, Stories Sell (44:38) Leading in the remote era - embrace gratitude and the at-home life(47:31) Corporations don’t have ideas, people do.  Tap into the brilliance in your organization.Additional Notes:Connect with Simon T. Bailey and invite him to speak at your organizationhttps://www.instagram.com/simontbailey/ https://www.facebook.com/BrilliantSimonT https://twitter.com/simontbailey https://www.linkedin.com/in/simontbailey/ Simon’s Books:Success is an Inside JobRelease Your BrillianceShift Your BrillianceReleasing Leadership Brilliance Brilliant Living: 31 Insights to Creating an Awesome LifeConnect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

In today's episode, David sits down with guest Jeremy Parker, Co-Founder and CEO at Swag.com.  With the attitude of learning as you go and reinventing your space, Jeremy discusses his journey in founding Swag.com and the ideas and concepts behind customer pain points. (4:41)Defining “Swag”(5:50)Jeremy’s journey from film major to Swag.com(9:11)The challenges of the licensing landscape in college athletics(11:44)How could we reinvent the collegiate licensing business?(14:35)Just get it out the door - launch the product and learn(17:17)Differentiating the product buying experience(23:15)Prioritizing feature upgrades based on customer feedback(25:00)Removing barriers from the check-out process(27:44)Behind the domain “Swag.com”(31:50)Swag.com’s pandemic pivot - the focus on distribution(34:58)Where is the promotional industry going?(41:23)Quality over quantity - make products that resonate rather than walking billboards(47:39)You never know until you try(50:47)Giving customers confidence in the e-Commerce buying processAdditional References:Tees and Tats and Mark CubanChatbots mentionedIntercomHubspotSatisfiLabsConnect with Jeremy:https://swag.com/Email: jeremy@swag.comLinkedIn: Jeremy ParkerConnect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

On today's episode, David and KG are joined by guest Elisa Padilla, former Senior Vice President, Creative Strategy & Partnership Marketing for Roc Nation, and former Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Miami Marlins. Elisa, David, and KG talk about customer-centric marketing and how the way you lead and the perspectives you shift allow you to achieve it more successfully.  Show Notes:(06:52) Infusing the Jay-Z “Star” mentality from “Street to Seat”(10:51) Walking the walk over and over again - creating sensory experiences in Barclays Center(14:28) Refining the customer journey experience for personas and current trends (16:55) Apple’s obsession with details(21:53) Changing perspectives to change processes (24:06) The 360 degree approach to the customer experience(28:20) Reflecting the town culture in the game day experience(29:40) The hybrid model of engagement - evoking emotion to drive action(33:38) Leveraging digital revenue streams and expanding the fandom(39:11) Monetizing the storyline - lessons learned from Trapital and Drake(41:00) Takeaways from Roc Nation Unified(43:55) Flipping the narrative - “KickItByEP“(52:05) The Disney Influence on Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment(53:50) Elisa’s Friday Leaders Walk(59:20) Lead with empathy and compassionAdditional Resources:Dan Runcie - Drake’s Best YearKickItByEPElisa’s favorite episode - KickItByEP with Katrina PalancaWhere to Reach the Guest:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisa-padilla/Twitter - https://twitter.com/eprican?s=20Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kickitbyep/?hl=enConnect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

Our favorite clips from our Top 5 most popular episodes.Today, we're celebrating hitting our 50th episode! We couldn't have done this without all of you and we can't thank you all enough. To celebrate, we're taking a look back at our top 5 most listened to episodes. Counting down from #5, we'll listen back on great moments from each episode on the list. Hope you all enjoy! Show Notes: (02:15) #5 - Access vs ownership applied to season tickets; Bringing subscriptions to sports(11:40) #4 - Servant leadership and prioritizing your time(22:57) #3 - How Disney and Carnival Cruise Line used customer journey maps to improve their businesses.(34:51) #2 - Empowering and equipping your employees to make decisions and take action(44:00) #1 - Leading with experience first and using the question "what if" to innovateConnect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

In today's episode, Steph Smith, Head of Trends.co at the Hustle and Founder of Integral Labs, joins the show.  Steph and David discuss the ideas and insights of how to build a more effective team in both a remote work or hybrid environment. Show Notes:(6:54) The bell curve of giving and taking - amplifying giving in remote work(10:54) How to encourage giving behavior(15:50) What benefits can organizations now offer to entice the best talent?(18:05) Applying the “First Principles” to your business and employee experience(21:34) The new wave of benefits to offer employees(25:05) Replacing the water cooler - how to generate the personal and professional relationships in a virtual setting(27:27) Replicating an office environment with co-working spaces(30:54) Defining success - the importance of metrics-driven assessments(32:50) Algorithms to live by and the Nash equilibrium(35:50) Game theory & working backward from the ideal outcome (40:07) Personal user manuals - learn about your people upfront  (49:24) Being versatile in a leadership role(47:53) Trends in remote work - what’s next?(52:05) What’s coming? - The Biotech boomFor more information on topics referenced during the show:EngageMint's "71-Tips to Navigate a Virtual Work Culture" Ebook Get $100 off Trends with our referral code:  First-principles thinkingGame theory Give and Take by Adam GrantAlgorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom GriffithsSteph Smith’s Personal User ManualWhere to reach the guest:Steph's LinkedIn Steph's personal Website Steph's Twitter  @stephsmithioConnect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

In today's episode, KG and David chat with Adam Polansky, the Group Director of Innovation at Octagon, a one of the world's biggest sports marketing agencies.  They discuss how we can use technology to innovate and ultimately create better experiences for fans and employees.Show Notes:(3:55) What is Octagon? How does the Innovation team fit within the organization structure?(5:40) What is innovation? How does Octagon define it?(7:20) The meaning of fandom and sharing that with Octagon’s clients(10:25) Creating the spiritual home for fans (13:20) Capitalizing on the intersection of sports and technology(16:20) Octagon in Action - Bringing the Home Depot’s College Game Day sponsorship to life during the 2020 football season(18:40) Behind the scenes - Octagon’s brainstorming sessions(23:45) Lifestyle Marketing - from inception to rollout(28:28) The “non-sexy” side of problem solving(32:45) How might we create something new with virtual capabilities? (39:50) If we repurpose something from the past, is that innovative?(42:15) Zoe Scaman’s “The Rollout” - Capitalizing on an existing event for a virtual experience(44:20) The innovation waiting to be brought to life(46:25) Selling the pitch - getting companies to push the boundaries(51:34) The art of interactive storytelling(55:44) The top technologies driving innovationReferenced During the Show:Dallas Mavericks' "Rollup" Ghostbusters Experience at Madame TussaudsMSCHFChartr.coWhere to Reach Adam:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aspolanskyTwitter: a_polanskhttps://www.octagon.com/Connect with Host, David Millay:Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay