What It Means: A Forrester Podcast
Each week, the What It Means podcast invites Forrester analysts to discuss the latest trends and challenges to help business and technology leaders make bold decisions and become truly customer-obsessed. Topics range from tech-driven innovation and CX design to B2B buying trends and marketing planning. Listen now and subscribe to get a new episode each week. Got a comment or question? Email our team at podcast@forrester.com.

Latest Episodes
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The Why And How Of Co-Innovation
In an era of digital sameness and disruption, leaders need to look beyond their own four walls to innovate. In this episode, Vice Presidents Matt Guarini and Ted Schadler discuss the benefits and logistics of co-innovation.
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The Rising Cost Of Ransomware
What’s driving the increase in ransomware attacks, and what can security leaders do to protect their organizations? Analysts Allie Mellen and Steve Turner provide insight in this episode.
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Why Investing In Employee Wellness Is No Longer Optional
Employee wellness became a top priority during the pandemic. But will it remain one? VP, Principal Analyst James McQuivey and Analyst Jonathan Roberts discuss the role of employee wellness in the future of work.
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A CFO Within Marketing? For Mastercard, The Move Paid Off
As the pressure to prove marketing’s ROI intensifies, marketing leaders should work to build a strong alliance with their finance counterparts. Mastercard’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Raja Rajamannar went one step further, hiring a CFO to serve within marketing. He explains the benefits of this unconventional approach on this week’s What It Means.
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Causes And Cures For Toxic Culture In The Security Org
There’s a culture crisis in the IT security field that could be putting firms at risk. Learn about the causes and cures of a toxic security culture from Principal Analyst Jinan Budge in this episode of What It Means.
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The “Wild West” Era Of Digital Advertising Is Ending
The third-party cookie is riding off into the sunset, ending the Wild West era of digital advertising. What comes next? The answer is complicated, but the opportunities are many, explain VP, Principal Analyst Joanna O’Connell and Principal Analyst Tina Moffett in this week’s What It Means.
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Innovative AND Sustainable? Akamai Says “Yes”
Are innovation and sustainability mutually exclusive? Not for tech firm Akamai. Get an inside look at Akamai’s strategies for driving innovation while meeting ambitious sustainability goals.
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Nestlé’s Tech-Driven Innovation At Work
Struggling to embed technology-driven innovation into your organization? Nestlé’s chief innovation technology officer reveals the food and beverage giant’s secrets to innovation success.
Podcast
Risk, Reward, And Trust In The B2B Sphere
Given the high-stakes nature of many B2B purchases, trust with buyers is key. At a time when trust is in decline, how can B2B companies accomplish this? VP and Group Director Isabel Montesdeoca and Principal Analyst Ian Bruce explain on What It Means.
Podcast
Trust Is Up For Grabs — What’s Your Plan?
Through a confluence of crises, public trust is shifting across the globe. In this episode, Senior Analysts Anjali Lai and Enza Iannopollo discuss the impact of those shifts and the importance of developing a trust strategy in your organization.
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To Succeed In B2B Sales, Talent Alone Won’t Cut It
The days of relying on superstar sales reps to land huge, quarter-saving deals are over. Winning and retaining today’s buyers takes a systematic, broader-based approach to selling. Vice President and Senior Research Director Phil Harrell explains what this approach entails on this week’s podcast episode.
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The Pandemic’s Lasting Impact On Employee Engagement
The pandemic highlighted the value of effective employee engagement. But what now? VP, Principal Analyst Thomas Husson and Principal Analyst David Johnson discuss the future of employee engagement.
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What It Takes To Create Audience-Centric B2B Content
Every marketing organization knows its content should be customer-centric. Yet many still struggle to deliver on this aim. On this week’s What It Means episode, VP Phyllis Davidson and Principal Analyst Lisa Gately discuss how B2B marketers can get it right.
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What Is Design Debt?
What is design debt? Principal Analyst Andrew Hogan joins What It Means in advance of his talk at CX North America to discuss this hidden problem and how addressing it strengthens customer experiences.
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IT Industry Breathes A Sigh Of Relief In API Case
Will software developers have to review every API they developed in the past decade? Thankfully, no. Analysts David Mooter and Sandy Carielli explain why in this episode of What It Means.
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What Is A CX Tech Portfolio?
A customer experience (CX) technology portfolio is both a select set of tools and almost everything your organization uses. Principal Analyst TJ Keitt unravels this paradox and explains how CX professionals can best navigate the tech landscape.
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The Pandemic’s Long-Term Lessons For Retailers
As reopening slowly begins, we’re joined by VP and Principal Analyst Sucharita Kodali to explore how the pandemic has reshaped the retail industry and where retailers should focus their resources going forward.
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The Secret To Installing Creativity In Your Organization
How do you install creativity in your organization to drive growth? VP, Principal Analyst Ted Schadler and Principal Analyst Jay Pattisall provide some answers in this week’s episode.
Podcast
Will Vaccines Bring Travel Back?
The travel industry is ready for a much-needed boost. Will vaccines deliver it? Principal Analyst Tom Mouhsian walks through the many facets of this complicated issue.
Podcast
Business Resiliency Lessons Learned From COVID-19
What resiliency lessons can businesses learn from the pandemic? In this episode, VP Amy DeMartine and Senior Analyst Alla Valente review some of the best examples.