The Customer Wins

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.

The Customer Wins is a business podcast hosted by Richard Walker, with 192 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Richard Walker hosts The Customer Wins, a business show with 192 episodes published.

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  The Customer Wins

  [Perspective Series] The Power of Joyful Leadership With Greg De Koker

  Sep 28, 202636 min

  Greg De Koker is the Founder and Chief Joy Officer of JOY², a leadership and culture ecosystem that helps organizations use joy as a strategic advantage to build trust, connection, and performance. He is a brand and culture transformation strategist, speaker, and executive coach with decades of experience helping leaders build high-functioning, high-performing cultures. Greg is also the host of the JOY² — Live With Joy podcast and author of the upcoming book JOY² — The Hidden Power of Joy in Leadership . His work encourages leaders to create workplaces where employees thrive, and customers win intentionally. In this episode… Many organizations struggle with employee disengagement, weak workplace cultures, and a disconnect between the promises they make to customers and the experiences they actually deliver. When employees do not feel heard, valued, or safe providing feedback, those internal problems can ultimately affect customer relationships and business performance. How can leaders intentionally build a culture where employees thrive and customers win? Greg De Koker, a brand and culture transformation strategist and executive coach, recommends treating joy as a foundation for success rather than a reward that comes after hitting performance goals. He encourages leaders to gather candid feedback from employees, customers, partners, and suppliers to understand their current culture, then define where they want the organization to go and close the gap. Greg also emphasizes creating emotional safety, asking employees directly for feedback, setting clear expectations, and addressing performance issues before they damage the broader culture. In this episode of The Customer Wins , Richard Walker interviews Greg De Koker, Founder and Chief Joy Officer of JOY², about building a joyful, high-performing workplace culture. Greg discusses employee engagement, emotional safety and feedback, and aligning company culture with customer experience.

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  The Customer Wins

  [Emerging Tech] Building AI-First CRM for Advisors With Mitchell Bratina

  Sep 21, 202637 min

  Mitchell Bratina is the Founder and CEO of FinTurk, an AI-native CRM built specifically for financial advisors to automate workflows and deliver more personalized client experiences. A former wealth advisor, he previously helped manage more than 300 client relationships and over $1.1 billion in assets. Mitchell is a CFA charterholder and holds a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Iowa State University. He combines his financial advisory experience with software engineering expertise to build technology that reduces administrative work and gives advisors more time to serve clients. In this episode… Advisors are under growing pressure to deliver personalized service while managing time-consuming data entry, meeting preparation, follow-up, and disconnected technology. At the same time, clients increasingly use AI to research financial questions and expect faster, more informed responses. How can advisors use AI to become more efficient without sacrificing judgment, compliance, and meaningful client relationships? Mitchell Bratina, a financial advisor turned technology entrepreneur specializing in AI-powered advisory software, recommends using AI to support rather than replace human judgment. He explains how AI-native systems can automate routine tasks, translate natural language into deterministic workflows, and help advisors customize technology around their individual practices. Mitchell also encourages advisors to respond quickly to AI-generated client questions, uncover the underlying concerns behind those questions, and use conversations to reinforce their value as trusted teachers and advisors. In this episode of The Customer Wins , Richard Walker interviews Mitchell Bratina, Founder and CEO of FinTurk, about the future of AI-native technology for financial advisors. Mitchell discusses AI guardrails and compliance, systems design and vibe coding, and the use of AI to strengthen advisor-client relationships.

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  The Customer Wins

  [Perspective Series] How Personality Coding Helps Businesses Increase Sales With Esther Wildenberg

  Sep 14, 202640 min

  Esther Wildenberg is the Co-founder and President of Codebreaker Technologies, a global leader in personality coding technology that helps businesses improve sales, communication, and relationships. She is an accomplished consultant, coach, advisor, and speaker with more than two decades of international executive experience. By age 33, Esther had become CEO of a European consulting company, where she led more than 800 employees. She is also the author of The Undermined Soul and is passionate about empowering leaders to reach their potential and create lasting impact. In this episode… Businesses often struggle to understand why customers buy, how they prefer to communicate, and what ultimately motivates them to say yes. Traditional personality assessments may offer insights, but translating those insights into better sales conversations and stronger relationships can remain difficult. How can businesses quickly understand buying behavior and communicate with customers in ways that truly resonate? Esther Wildenberg, an expert in personality coding, buying behavior, and communication, recommends identifying customers' values and personality types to tailor sales conversations to how they naturally think and make decisions. She explains that understanding the full B.A.N.K sequence — Blueprint, Action, Nurture, and Knowledge — can help salespeople communicate, negotiate, and close more effectively. Esther also emphasizes strengthening authentic human connection, developing people skills as AI becomes more prevalent, seeking mentorship, and joining trusted communities where entrepreneurs can learn and grow together. In this episode of The Customer Wins , Richard Walker interviews Esther Wildenberg, Co-founder and President of CodeBreaker Technologies, about using personality coding to improve sales and communication. Esther discusses overcoming adversity, preserving human connection in the age of AI, and the value of mentorship and masterminds.

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  The Customer Wins

  Building Startup Success on Fundamentals With Brian Herr

  Sep 7, 202638 min

  Brian Herr is the Founder and CEO of StartingBlocks and Managing Partner at HHI Advisory Group, where he helps startups, scale-ups, and portfolio companies accelerate growth, particularly in cybersecurity and regulated industries. With over 30 years of experience, he has guided companies through successful scaling, advised organizations from scrappy startups to $1.5 billion scale-ups, and is a sought-after keynote speaker. Brian is known for a hands-on, no-nonsense approach, bringing founders, executives, and technologists together to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems, especially in underserved regions like the Midwest. In this episode… Building a technology product has never been easier, but turning that product into a sustainable business remains difficult. Entrepreneurs still need to understand their customers, create an effective customer experience, earn trust, and determine when outside capital will actually help them grow. How can founders cut through the noise and build businesses that customers genuinely value? Brian Herr, a technology and cybersecurity veteran with expertise in startup growth, customer success, and secure AI adoption, recommends getting back to fundamental business principles. He emphasizes treating the entire customer journey — including onboarding, feedback, service, and relationships — as part of the product, while actively seeking candid customer feedback and learning from mistakes. Brian also advises founders to validate ideas with paying customers, explore non-dilutive funding, and delay outside investment until they have a viable business and are ready to use capital to accelerate growth. In this episode of The Customer Wins , Richard Walker interviews Brian Herr, Founder and CEO of StartingBlocks and Managing Partner at HHI Advisory Group, about building successful startups in the AI era. Brian discusses customer feedback, raising capital, and building trust through transparency.

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  The Customer Wins

  Jonathan Merkh - How To Use a Book To Build Authority and Grow Your Business

  Sep 4, 2026—

  Jonathan Merkh is the Co-Founder, President, and CEO at Forefront Books, a hybrid publisher that helps thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts turn compelling ideas into professionally published books. With more than 30 years in publishing, he guides authors through strategy, editorial development, production, distribution, and market positioning. Jonathan previously held leadership roles at Thomas Nelson and Simon & Schuster. Across his career, he has helped publish nearly 100 New York Times bestsellers and serves on the board of the Independent Book Publishers Association. In this episode… Publishing a book can do more for an entrepreneur than generate book sales. The right book can strengthen credibility, establish expertise, attract clients, and open doors that might otherwise remain closed. So how can entrepreneurs use a book as a strategic tool for building authority and growing their business? Publishing veteran Jonathan Merkh explains that the real ROI of a business book often comes from the opportunities it creates, not the number of copies sold. Becoming an author can position entrepreneurs as trusted authorities and help prospective clients view their expertise from a new perspective. Jonathan also emphasizes the value of professional publishing, strong storytelling, and choosing the right support throughout the process. The goal is to create a high-quality book that builds credibility, extends your reach, and continues working for your business long after publication. In this episode of The Decision , Robert Hartline talks with Jonathan Merkh, Co-founder, President, and CEO of Forefront Books, about using books to build authority and business opportunities. Jonathan shares why book sales aren't the only measure of ROI, how hybrid publishing works, and what it takes to turn an idea into a professional book. He also touches on entrepreneurship, navigating difficult partnerships, and the value of community through EO.

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