Podcast
The Customer Wins
Hosted by Richard Walker · EN
This is The Customer Wins podcast where business leaders discuss their secrets and techniques for helping their customers succeed and in turn grow their company.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Transforming Cloud Marketplace Sales With AI With Trunal Bhanse
Jun 100:32:13Tap to summarizeTrunal Bhanse is the CEO of Clazar, a platform that helps software companies sell and grow revenue through cloud marketplaces like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. He previously held engineering leadership roles at Confluent, Airbnb, LinkedIn, and Yahoo, where he specialized in marketplaces, billing systems, and product growth. At Confluent, Trunal led teams focused on cloud marketplaces and monetization infrastructure, which inspired the creation of Clazar. Today, he helps SaaS companies simplify cloud marketplace operations, accelerate go-to-market execution, and improve customer experience. In this episode… Selling software through cloud marketplaces can create unexpected operational and technical challenges for growing SaaS companies. Many businesses struggle not only with getting listed on platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, but also with turning those listings into scalable revenue channels while maintaining strong customer experiences. How can companies simplify marketplace operations while staying customer-focused in an increasingly AI-driven world? Trunal Bhanse, an expert in cloud marketplaces, SaaS growth, and customer experience design, shares practical insights for building scalable go-to-market systems and customer-first company cultures. Drawing from his experience at major technology companies, he explains the importance of educating customers, creating operational efficiency, and obsessing over user experience at every stage of the customer journey. Trunal also discusses how leaders can use AI to improve efficiency without losing the human connection that builds trust and long-term customer relationships. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Trunal Bhanse, CEO of Clazar, about scaling SaaS growth through cloud marketplaces and customer experience. Trunal discusses lessons learned from Airbnb's company culture, the balance between AI automation and human interaction, and how AI will reshape the future of software businesses and entrepreneurship.
Transcribe →[Emerging Tech] Human Stories Triumph Over AI With Dan Lievens
May 2500:35:48Tap to summarizeDan Lievens is the Founder and CEO of Share One, a platform that helps businesses capture authentic customer stories through scalable video testimonials. He is a serial entrepreneur who has founded more than a dozen companies across technology, marketing, and other industries. With decades of experience, Dan focuses on helping businesses build trust, increase conversions, and grow through real customer experiences rather than traditional marketing. He is also known for his work in trust-based or testimonial-driven marketing, emphasizing human connection in an AI-driven world. In this episode… Businesses are drowning in AI-generated content, making it harder than ever to stand out and build trust with customers. Traditional marketing methods are losing effectiveness as audiences grow skeptical of polished messaging and fake reviews. In a world where anyone can create content at scale, how can companies differentiate themselves and prove real value? Dan Lievens, a marketing innovator focused on authentic storytelling and customer experience, explains that the answer lies in capturing genuine human experiences. He emphasizes using video testimonials to showcase real customer transformations, prioritizing human-to-human interviews over automation. Dan also highlights structuring content for AI discoverability, such as adding FAQs and clear answers, while focusing on what AI cannot replicate — real stories. Additionally, he shares how strategically leveraging AI tools can streamline operations, reduce costs, and enable rapid innovation without sacrificing authenticity. In this episode of The Customer Wins podcast, Richard Walker interviews Dan Lievens, Founder and CEO of Share One, about building trust through authentic customer storytelling in an AI-driven world. Dan discusses AI's impact on marketing, scalable video testimonials, and rapid software development, along with insights on customer loyalty, human connection, and future digital experiences.
Transcribe →[Emerging Tech] How AI Copilots Are Transforming Wealth Management With Jagdeesh Prakasam
May 1800:38:37Tap to summarizeJagdeesh Prakasam is the Founder and CEO of Qdeck, an AI-powered fintech platform that helps financial advisors automate workflows, analyze data, and deliver personalized client insights. He leads the company's vision and operations, building technology that modernizes how wealth managers serve clients and make investment decisions. Jagdeesh has a background in quantitative finance and previously served as CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer at a hedge fund before launching Qdeck. Through Qdeck, he focuses on combining AI with financial expertise to improve client communication, efficiency, and outcomes in wealth management. In this episode… Financial advisors are overwhelmed by fragmented tools, manual workflows, and rising client expectations for fast, personalized communication. Many struggle to keep up with client inquiries, leading to poor engagement and even lost business. With client retention increasingly tied to responsiveness and experience, how can advisors scale communication and deliver better outcomes without adding more complexity? Jagdeesh Prakasam, an expert in AI-driven financial technology and workflow automation, explains how advisors can shift from traditional software models to outcome-focused solutions. He emphasizes layering intelligent systems on top of existing tools rather than replacing them, enabling faster adoption and less disruption. Jagdeesh highlights the use of AI agents to handle routine client inquiries, reduce email volume, and provide real-time, personalized responses. By implementing clear guardrails, audit trails, and human checkpoints, advisors can safely automate workflows while improving efficiency, accuracy, and client satisfaction. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Jagdeesh Prakasam, Founder and CEO of Qdeck, about using AI to transform wealth management workflows and client experience. Jagdeesh discusses outcome-based pricing models, reducing client churn through better communication, and building trust with AI guardrails and transparency.
Transcribe →[Emerging Tech] How To Transform Enterprise Data Into Insights With Suvrat Bansal
May 1100:40:07Tap to summarizeSuvrat Bansal is the Founder and CEO of Clarista, a platform that connects fragmented enterprise data and delivers real-time, AI-powered insights for faster decision-making. He is a seasoned data leader with over 25 years of experience transforming data into business growth across global financial institutions. Before founding Clarista, Suvrat held senior roles, including Chief Data Officer at UBS, as well as leadership positions at Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley. He is known for building scalable data strategies and pioneering approaches that simplify complex data environments into actionable intelligence. In this episode… Organizations struggle to make sense of fragmented data spread across multiple systems, slowing decision-making and increasing operational costs. Traditional approaches rely on copying and restructuring data, which creates inefficiencies and risks around accuracy and security. With the rapid rise of AI, many leaders are left wondering, how can they unlock real-time insights without adding more complexity? Suvrat Bansal, a data and AI expert with decades of experience in global financial institutions, explains that the key is to rethink how data is accessed and used rather than how it is stored. He emphasizes a data-first mindset, where organizations connect and process data in real time instead of duplicating it across systems. Suvrat highlights the value of simplifying data access through business-friendly structures, automating workflows with AI, and aligning innovation with enterprise constraints like security and compliance. He also advises leaders to focus on outcomes and user experience, while gradually introducing change at a pace organizations can realistically adopt. In this episode of The Customer Wins podcast, Richard Walker interviews Suvrat Bansal, Founder and CEO of Clarista, about transforming enterprise data with AI. Suvrat discusses real-time data processing, eliminating data duplication, and balancing innovation with compliance.
Transcribe →[Emerging Tech] Reimagining CRM With AI for Advisors With Thomas Clawson
Nov 17Tap to summarizeThomas Clawson is the Co-founder of Slant, a next-generation AI-powered CRM built to help financial advisors streamline workflows and deepen client relationships. He co-launched the platform to replace traditional CRM systems by integrating AI agents that manage meetings, follow-ups, and client interactions. Under his leadership, Slant has raised $3.3 million in seed funding and scaled to serve over a thousand advisors. Prior to this venture, Thomas held leadership roles in marketing and demand generation at tech unicorns, including Whatnot and Podium. In this episode… Financial advisors face growing pressure to deliver personalized service while managing an ever-expanding workload. Traditional CRMs, however, often add complexity instead of reducing it — creating more manual tasks and slowing growth. With AI transforming the way professionals work, how can financial advisors adopt technology that actually simplifies their day-to-day operations while improving client outcomes? Thomas Clawson, an expert in advisor technology and automation, shares how embracing AI-first design principles can completely redefine the CRM experience. He emphasizes simplifying workflows, reducing manual data entry, and allowing advisors to focus on people instead of processes. Thomas discusses how chat-based interfaces and AI-powered insights can make managing client relationships seamless. By building adaptable systems that learn from user behavior, Thomas highlights how advisors can serve more clients efficiently while maintaining a personal touch. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Thomas Clawson, Co-founder of Slant, about reimagining CRM for financial advisors through AI and automation. Thomas also discusses the need for simplicity in advisor technology, the rise of chat-driven user interfaces, and how his team built a secure CRM in just six months.
Transcribe →Scaling Communities and Operations Excellence for RIAs With Shaun Kapusinski
Aug 19, 2024Tap to summarizeShaun Kapusinski is the Founder of HIFON, a premier community for RIA operations professionals, and the Senior Director of Technology at Sequoia Financial Group. With two decades of experience, he started HIFON as a modest study group and grew it into a thriving network of nearly 300 members. Shaun is also the co-author of The Financial Advisor M&A Guidebook, a trusted resource for technology integration. He is an innovator driven by providing valuable connections and education to elevate the RIA industry, always ensuring that customers win through enhanced operational practices. In this episode… Beyond the successful facade of RIA firms lies a complex operational world, ensuring a seamless experience beyond just financial advice. But who are the people mastering this realm, and what secrets do they hold? Shaun Kapusinski, the genius behind the operational powerhouse known as HIFON, dives deep into the world of RIA operations. He shares his journey from starting a modest study group to founding a community that now nears 300 members while also penning a comprehensive guidebook on M&A best practices. Shaun discusses the benefits of peer networking, the art of scaling niche-focused communities, and how he navigates the dynamics of subgroup formation. He also touches on the unexpected opportunities from his leadership, such as authoring a highly regarded industry book. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Shaun Kapusinski, Founder of HIFON, about creating a thriving RIA community. Shaun discusses HIFON and the value of networking in the RIA industry, the key to successfully managing an ever-expanding mastermind group, and the surprising benefits of open dialogue between industry peers.
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