Great experiences don’t happen by accident. They’re designed. In this episode of The Parallel Entrepreneur – Innovation Series, Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson sit down with Suzi Earhart, CCXP, a Customer Experience and Organizational Change executive who believes better experiences begin with intentional design, empathy, and mutual understanding — and end in measurable business results. Suzi started her career in computer science before realizing something foundational: technology alone doesn’t create great outcomes. People, process, and technology must work together. And if they aren’t aligned around the customer, trust quietly erodes. This conversation goes beyond surface-level CX talk. We explore how leaders unintentionally design from the inside out, how unconscious bias limits true “outside-in” thinking, and why deciding between human, assisted, or self-service interactions is one of the most strategic trust decisions a company makes. In this episode, we discuss:- Why incentives today are tied to identity and belonging- The challenge of truly thinking “outside-in”- How culture and bias distort customer-centered design- The difference between human, assisted, and automated experiences- Why innovation requires structured change management- Assessing whether employees are truly set up to deliver quality- How aligned CX creates both financial and relational wealth At just over 12 minutes, this episode delivers practical insight for founders, operators, and leaders responsible for shaping experience at scale. About the Guest Suzi Earhart, CCXP is a Customer Experience and Organizational Change executive based in Denver, Colorado. She is passionate about improving experiences through intentional design, empathy, and mutual understanding — outcomes she believes must ultimately be proven in business results. Beginning her career in Computer Science, Suzi quickly recognized that sustainable innovation requires alignment across people, process, and technology. Her work focuses on helping organizations think like their customers, challenge unconscious bias, and intentionally decide when to use human, assisted, or self-service models. She holds certifications in change management and has led initiatives including:- Strategic and technology roadmaps- Journey mapping and Voice of the Customer systems- Service delivery redesign- Organizational change management programs- Governance system creation- Employee capability and “do-ability” assessments Throughout her career, she has remained committed to servant leadership and mentoring — helping others reach their full potential while building systems that deepen trust and results. Connect with Suzi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzi-earhart-ccxp-220663/ About the Hosts Mark A. ClevelandManaging Director at Kensington Park Capital, entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur Networkhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/macleveland/ Johnny AndersonNashville tech leader, GNTC board member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center, and host of The Impodsters™https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyonbrand/ Links & Resources 👉 Learn more about the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center (EIC):https://www.wcs.edu/secondary/entrepreneurship-innovation-center-eic 👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network:https://www.parallelentrepreneur.com/#about-me 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders building aligned systems across business, education, and community. 👍 If this episode resonated, leave a comment or share it with someone shaping the future of leadership. Chapters:00:00:00 Incentives, Identity & Brand Association00:00:49 Episode Introduction00:01:41 Suzi’s Background: Tech, People & CX00:02:00 Why Innovation Demands Change00:04:01 Brand as Identity & Belonging00:05:01 The Full Customer Ecosystem00:06:00 Designing Platforms Customers Struggle With00:07:00 Fitting Into the Fabric of Customers’ Lives00:09:00 “Our Customers Don’t Understand”00:10:01 Perspective, Bias & Trust Decisions00:12:01 Innovation as Intentional Design
