Disillusionment and discontent was alive and well before the rise of smartphones and AI. The 2003 Sofia Coppola film, Lost in Translation, is an exploration of experience. The unexpected friendship between Bill Murray’s Bob and Scarlett Johansson’s Charlotte is accidental, but it’s rooted in shared experiences that will only ever happen once.

The demand for analog, human experiences may rise again, says Kento Morita. As AI-created “slop” increasingly seeps into our culture, those wishing for high fidelity experiences will seek them out, not from a screen, but from a stage.

• The Rise of AI in Entertainment• The Value of Authenticity in a Digital Age• The Importance of Live Experiences• Navigating the World of Performance and Failure• The Intersection of Sports and Performance• Lessons from Crafting a Joke Every Day for a YearConnect with Kento on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentmorita/

KENTO YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@kentonyc

Instagram – kento.nyc

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://www.facebook.com/bigredhorseband/

The 1948 Ford Deluxe that Kenickie worked all summer for was a car in the academic sense – it had 4 wheels and an engine. But with a little imagination, effort, and teamwork, it could become something special – a car so fast it could be compared to greased lightnin’. In the 1978 film adaptation of Grease, this car wouldn’t just get fixed, it would become something magical.

The typical model of customer service is well known but when Todd Unger joined the American Medical Association as their CXO, he realized that customer service wasn’t fueling growth. To do that, he’d have to use a little imagination, effort, and teamwork to create a CX department that was special – one that could meet the needs of modern customers who speed through the buying process in just seconds.

• The Tornado Funnel: Redefining Customer Journeys• Customer Segmentation: Understanding Your Audience• The Nod: Emotional Insights in Marketing• The Importance of a Smooth Checkout Experience• Reducing Friction in Customer Experience• The Role of Technology in Customer Experience• Empowering Customer Service Teams• The Leadership Role in Customer Experience• Personal Insights and Future AspirationsConnect with Todd on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddunger1/

The 10-Second Customer Journey – https://www.toddunger.com/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://www.facebook.com/bigredhorseband/

Unless you’re a huge fan, you’ve probably never heard of Prince Rakeem. As a solo artist, despite his enormous talent, he flamed out. But when Robert Diggs, aka Prince Rakeem, aka Bobby Digital, aka the Scientist, aka RZA assembled a team in 1992, it would be the beginning of an empire. The now-iconic C.R.E.A.M. was the second single from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), released in January 1994. It was RZA who realized that on his own, he would never find the success that Wu-Tang could find as a collective. It was his vision, but he needed help to make it a reality.

A vision can only get you so far. This is a difficult lesson for many founders, but an important one. Whether it’s a lack of skills or a lack of bandwidth, or both, there are moments when even the savviest founders need help to scale their business. Lisa Guzman is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections between brands and their customers and she’s got some advice for startups this week on Next in Queue. We discuss:

• The Startup Journey: Founders and Their Challenges• Self-Awareness in Founding: Recognizing Strengths and Weaknesses• The DIY Culture: When to Seek Help• Tools and Resources: The Importance of Proper Support• Fractional Leadership: A Smart Solution for Startups• The Financial Perspective: What's in it for Founders?• Cultural Reflections: From New York to New OrleansConnect with Lisa on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-guzman-bb81b653/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://www.facebook.com/bigredhorseband/