Tame the Mobile Beast

On this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, host Tom Butta dives deep into the challenges of breaking down business silos and fostering creativity with Nick Law, Creative Chairperson at Accenture Song. Throughout their conversation, Nick and Tom explore the importance of aligning what matters to customers with what drives profitability for the business. Nick argues that “ You're not making business decisions separate from what's good for the customer, and you're also not making  customer decisions that aren't gonna be good for business.”Together, they emphasize that a unified approach not only fosters a more cohesive customer experiencem, but also strengthens the organization as a whole. Nick points out that while operating in silos is a natural step of scaling your organization, it can create costly inefficiencies and jeapordizies a collaboration that is rooted in shared vision and principles. Drawing on real-world examples from his own career, Nick reflects on how businesses can adapt to technological advancements without sacrificing empathy and creativity. Ultimately, he urges organizations to remember that technology should enhance, not replace, the nuanced human judgment that’s essential for delivering exceptional customer experiences.—Guest Quote" The hardest thing is to reverse engineer everything from your customer. Now, it doesn't mean by the way that we surrender to everything the customer wants, but don't run a business. We're always a business. But what you need to align is what's relevant for the customer with what's gonna make you money. There’s an overlap there. It's not a silo. You're not making business decisions separate from what's good for the customer, and you're also not making customer decisions that aren't gonna be good for business. So that's the trick.” – Nick Law—Time Stamps 00:53 Introducing Nick Law and the Beast of the Week01:17 Understanding business silos02:56 The importance of collaboration in creativity06:45 Designing effective collaborations12:46 The role of vision in breaking down silos18:50 Principles vs. practices in creative work23:13 Leadership and vision in organizations26:14 Customer-centric business strategies29:17 Balancing systematic and empathetic thinking38:45 The future of creativity and AI44:59 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Nick Law on LinkedInCheck out Accenture SongConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, Tom Butta is joined by Pietro Lambert, Vice President of Product Management at OneFootball, to talk about how the platform is delivering a unified fan experience to its 100M+ users.Throughout their conversation, Tom & Pietro cover the strategies OneFootball utilizes in creating a seamless and engaging fan experience across both web and mobile. Pietro highlights the evolution of the platform from a basic score app to the robust digital ecosystem it is today. Their goal? To be the one stop shop for anything a football fan needs, from merch and tickets to highlights and news stories.A key part of Pietro’s approach to staying close to OneFootball’s user base is what he calls “Breakfast Club,” his daily routine where he and the team review user feedback from real reviews. This live engagement not only helps his team quickly identify and address user issues, but also serves a more holistic purpose by truly connecting the team with their users.The discussion also touches on the importance of having a clear mission and aligning the entire organization behind it. Rather than prescribing solutions and building a “Feature Factory,” Pietro empowers his team to tackle the right problems, encouraging innovation and accountability. This approach ensures OneFootball stays ahead in delivering standout fan experiences.—Guest Quote"If you are close to the user and really understand what they want, you really create something that is meaningful for them. And they come back because you are delivering against that promise." – Pietro Lambert—Time Stamps 00:53 Meet Pietro Lambert from OneFootball01:06 OneFootball’s Goals02:02 The Beast of the Week: Disjointed Fan Experience03:13 Creating a seamless user experience04:45 Building a one-stop shop for football fans08:03 Engaging users with native experiences14:38 Driving user engagement with notifications17:30 Understanding and engaging your user base19:56 Balancing user needs and business goals21:29 Importance of a clear mission25:50 Tracking metrics and user engagement30:00 Community moderation and user interaction31:14 Empowering the product team33:43 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Pietro Lambert on LinkedInCheck out OneFootballConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, Tom Butta discusses customer confidence and present-mindedness with Shama Hyder, CEO of Zen Media. Their conversation touches on a multitude of topics including how customer expectations continually rise due to leading brands, how organizations need to balance future planning with current opportunities, and the importance of strong leadership between agencies and internal teams.Shama Hyder kicks off the conversation by sharing the exciting news of Zen Media's acquisition of Sevans PR, marking a significant expansion on the West Coast. As a seasoned agency leader, Shama highlights the importance of strong leadership and cohesive teamwork between agencies and internal teams. She advocates for creating unique, co-created experiences that resonate with clients seeking innovative solutions. With current customer expectations skyrocketing, Tom & Shama emphasize that all brands need to step it up, regardless of the industry they’re operating in. It doesn’t matter if your direct competitors are behind you because leading brands such as Apple, Amazon, and Uber are the ones setting the standards. Shama views herself as a “now-ist” and explains that organizations are too often focused on innovations years away when they should be implementing today’s technology to beat their competitors. She shares her insights on harnessing AI to streamline workflows, but only after laying a solid foundation.—Guest Quote"Customer confidence is something that in the past was given, and then you had to lose it. And now it starts almost at zero or negative, and you have to prove that you have confidence and you are trustworthy." – Shama Hyder—Time Stamps 00:46 Meet Shama Hyder and Zen Media01:19 Zen Media's recent acquisition02:30 Beast of the Week: Customer Confidence04:06 The importance of perception and experience07:37 Trust and transparency in branding13:28 The role of technology and data16:54 Balancing now and next in strategy20:06 Insights on leadership and agency collaboration25:54 The mobile consumer and future trends29:07 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Shama Hyder on LinkedInCheck out Zen MediaConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, Tom Butta is joined by Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts, a membership program that offers RVers unique places to overnight camp across the United States and Canada. Joel shares what inspired him to enter the space, what strategies he has leveraged to grow the community, and key lessons he has had on his entrepreneurial journey. Harvest Hosts was originally founded by Don and Kim Greene in 2010, and once Joel discovered the service, he saw the opportunity to supercharge a loyal customer base with user-friendly technology and expanded locations. So in 2018, he purchased Harvest Hosts and got to work. Fast forward to today, Joel and the team have grown the platform to over 9,000 unique locations with over 260,000 members. The conversation explores the keys to this continued success, including a large emphasis on consistently across platforms, which he Joel terms “web-app parity.” Through this strategy, friction and mental burden have been reduced to make booking a stay as simple as possible.  As the episode continues, Joel shares valuable lessons he’s gained throughout his entrepreneurial journey. He underscores the benefits of acquiring and scaling businesses with proven product-market fit, the necessity of strategic advertising, and the importance of building a strong team. Looking to the future, Joel outlines plans to expand Harvest Hosts' appeal without compromising its unique offerings by incorporating more community-driven features. —Guest Quote"Our users really didn't appreciate the disjointed experience. And we're always trying to make things easier, not harder. And so web-app parity was the easiest way to take the mental load off the user.” – Joel Holland—Time Stamps 00:46 Meet Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts01:39 The rise of adventuring and RV travel04:45 Harvest Hosts: unique overnight experiences10:15 Web and app parity for seamless experience13:34 Joel Holland's journey to Harvest Hosts18:08 Navigating outsider perspectives18:28 Effective survey methods19:01 In-app feedback strategies21:40 Success stories and growth22:46 Marketing and advertising insights24:39 Referral programs and influencers27:32 Lessons from a CEO31:26 Rapid fire questions—LinksConnect with Joel Holland on LinkedInCheck out Harvest HostsConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, host Tom Butta sits down with Ajay Prakash, Co-Founder and CEO of Rinse, the #1 delivery app for laundry and dry cleaning services. Founded in 2013, Rinse has been taming the laundry beast through innovative technology working hand in hand with operational excellence. Ajay shares why he set out to plant his flag in this space with his friend and Co-Founder James Joun, including how Rinse solves every pain point in the laundering process and how the type of culture they have created has led to their success. A simple concept, Rinse creates a seamless pickup and delivery service catering to busy professionals. You’ll hear Ajay credit some of the company’s success to its sophisticated technology infrastructure, which helps manage the “death by 1,000 cuts” of the traditional laundry experience. Additionally, the Rinse team has consistently removed friction from their customer experience through the combination of an advanced SMS system, a clean web experience and a powerfully simple mobile app. On the culture side of things, Ajay points out a few of the pillars the team strives to embody. His sophisticated understanding of the founder of experience offers great advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, including their decision to  scale slowly to ensure they could healthily sustain long-term operations and elevate customer experiences.—Guest Quote"As opposed to worrying about the number of customers that come through the door, worry about when they come through the door, how do you make sure they have an amazing experience?" – Ajay Prakash—Time Stamps00:28 Meet Ajay Prakash01:15 Rinse's Origin Story04:21 Creating a Seamless Customer Experience07:01 The Role of Technology in Rinse's Success10:45 Building a Strong Company Culture13:00 Strategic Growth and Operational Excellence17:11 Scaling the Business Nationwide20:02 Scaling and Supporting Cleaners with Rinse22:40 Investing in the Face of the Brand24:57 Advanced Technology28:06 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs31:44 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Ajay Prakash on LinkedInCheck out RinseConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website