Better Experiences by Design™

On Better Experiences by Design, host Susan Quinn sits down with Toni Ardabell, Chief, Clinical Enterprise Operations at Inova, for a round of rapid-fire leadership lessons on the six things every great leader has to master: people, culture, judgment, courage, change, and self-awareness. The conversation covers servant leadership in healthcare, change management when the old playbook no longer wor...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design, Susan Quinn sits down with Brad Beauchamp, President and CEO of Carpenter Co., to talk about how the 76-year-old polyurethane foam manufacturer keeps growing through acquisitions, product innovation, and a culture built on continuous improvement. Carpenter makes the foam inside mattresses, furniture, car interiors, and airplane seats worldwide, yet...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design , Susan Quinn sits down with Greg Layton, founder of Chiefmaker, who has spent his career coaching senior executives and elite athletes into their strongest performance. Greg and Susan explore what separates leaders who merely arrive at the top from those who thrive once they get there, from managing overwhelm to building real executive presence. Gre...

The American Dream is easy to celebrate and hard to build. What does it actually take to turn a family business into a $3 billion company without losing what made it worth building? In this episode of Better Experiences by Design, host Susan Quinn sits down with Matt DeSoto, President and CEO of MITER Brands, to trace the business growth strategy behind one of North America's largest window a...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design , Susan Quinn sits down with Dr. Garrett Westlake, Executive Director of the da Vinci Center for Innovation at VCU and Google AI Faculty Fellow, to explore how AI is reshaping the competitive landscape and what it actually takes to stand out in a world where the playing field is leveling fast. Better Experiences by Design is a podcast series produced...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design, Susan Quinn sits down with Tom Martin—sales strategist, author of The Invisible Sale, and founder of the Painless Prospecting system—to explore why most business development efforts fail and what the science of persuasion reveals about getting to yes more often. Better Experiences by Design is a podcast series produced by circle S studio that highli...

Better Experiences by Design is a podcast series produced by circle S studio that highlights leaders across a variety of industries dedicated to delivering exceptional brand, employee, and client experiences. © circle S studio, 2026.

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design, Susan Quinn speaks with Tom Gayner, CEO of Markel Group, about his perspective on what actually drives long-term success. Rather than a single bold move or a series of strategic pivots, it’s a set of principles, applied consistently over time.  From learning leadership in his father’s office to helping scale a company to 22,000 people, Gayner’s appr...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design, Susan Quinn sits down with John Asbury, CEO of Atlantic Union Bank, to explore what it takes to transform a regional bank into a high-performing challenger brand in a rapidly consolidating industry. When John joined the bank in 2016, it faced a defining choice: grow with intention or be acquired. Instead of playing it safe, John and his board pursue...

In this episode, we sit down with Stephen Steers, author, consultant, and keynote speaker, for a strategic conversation about growth, storytelling, and the value that’s already inside your existing client base. Stephen breaks down how organizations can find revenue growth without chasing new leads, simply by asking better questions, reframing client conversations, and making storytelling a strateg...

Better Experiences by Design is a podcast series produced by circle S studio that highlights leaders across a variety of industries dedicated to delivering exceptional brand, employee, and client experiences. © circle S studio, 2026.

Artificial intelligence isn’t just reshaping marketing — it’s redefining how organizations learn, scale, and make smarter decisions. In this episode of Better Experiences by Design, Susan Quinn sits down with Jim Sterne, internationally recognized author, speaker, and founder of the Marketing Analytics Summit, to explore how generative AI, analytics, and human-centered strategy are converging to c...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design, keynote speaker, author, and “Innovation Architect” Carla Johnson joins us to unpack how curiosity fuels strategy—and how teams can shift from tactical comfort zones to brave, exploratory thinking. Carla shares her “Curiosity Compass” and practical pre-work you can use to disrupt default patterns, plus facilitation moves that turn “no, because…” int...

Pricing isn’t just numbers on a page—it’s psychology, strategy, and confidence. In this episode, Susan Quinn sits down with Casey Brown, engineer turned Six Sigma black belt turned pricing expert, to explore how organizations can stop leaving money on the table and start charging what their work is truly worth. Casey shares her journey from spreadsheets at GE to becoming one of the most sought-aft...

How can we make complex economic data more useful and more human ?  In this episode of Better Experiences by Design , Sonya Waddell, Vice President and Economist of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, is revolutionizing the way economic data is presented to the public. With a focus on clarity, empathy, and accessibility, Sonya offers a fresh perspective on how economic research can better serve...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design , host Susan Quinn talks with Chris Martinez, Senior Marketing Manager at KW Landscape Architects, about how his team redefined the role of marketing inside their firm and in the AEC industry at large. Chris shares how they shifted from a traditional, reactive approach to building a creative growth engine that drives business strategy, shapes client...

In this episode, Sue MacArthur of Strategic Talent Management shares how to hire for culture fit, avoid common hiring mistakes, and build high-performing, people-first teams. Better Experiences by Design is a podcast series produced by circle S studio that highlights leaders across a variety of industries dedicated to delivering exceptional brand, employee, and client experiences. © circle S studi...

In this episode, host Susan Quinn sits down with Pamela Slim , an award-winning author, speaker, and business strategist whose work has guided thousands of entrepreneurs in turning their expertise into scalable business models.  Pamela challenges the traditional “empire” approach to growth, where one brand dominates the spotlight, and instead offers an ecosystem model that centers your client and...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design™ , host Susan Quinn speaks with Steve Boehler, founder and partner of Mercer Island Group, about client acquisition strategies and how businesses can improve their chances of winning RFPs—not just by following the rules, but by showing up strategically, authentically, and with purpose. With decades of experience helping firms stand out in the highly...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design , we’re joined by Steve Harvill , a renowned expert in high-performance sales and leadership, to discuss his book 21 Secrets of Million Dollar Sellers . Steve dives into the habits, mindsets, and strategies of top-performing salespeople, shedding light on the critical behaviors that set them apart and how anyone can adopt them to achieve success. Fro...

In this episode of Better Experiences by Design , host Susan Quinn speaks with Bill Coppel , a veteran financial services leader and Chief Client Growth Officer at TradePMR . With over 30 years of experience navigating market shifts, technological disruption, and evolving client expectations, Bill shares what leading through change really takes—and how to stay relevant.  From the power of curiosit...

In this month's episode of Better Experiences by Design , we’re joined by Laurie Barkman , a leading expert on business transitions, also known as the Business Transition Sherpa . Laurie shares her unique insights on preparing for the inevitable transition every business owner faces— leaving the company. Whether it’s succession, exit planning, or scaling your business for a future sale, Lauri...

In this episode, host Susan Quinn sits down with Steven Robertson, author of Aliens Among Us , to dive deep into the unique characteristics of Gen Z and how leaders can connect with and retain this powerful generation in the workforce. Steven explores how the “perfect storm” of technology, world news, social media, and shifting leadership styles has created a generation that is fundamentally wired...

Welcome to a special episode of Better Experiences by Design ! In this episode, we revisit some of the most impactful moments from the past year, featuring seven remarkable leaders across various industries. Together, these thought leaders share invaluable insights into key themes like understanding your audience, building a strong company culture, mastering effective communication, achieving pers...

In this inspiring episode, host Susan Quinn sits down with Jeff Salzenstein , a former professional tennis player turned executive coach. Jeff shares his journey from the tennis courts to the boardroom, revealing how his concept of the “Zone of Excellence” — which integrates the mind, body, and soul — can help individuals and organizations perform at their highest levels. From overcoming limiting...