“I think the next battlefield is the ecosystem; whoever the smart one will follow and build or learn from it.”

Steven Moy, CEO of Barbarian, joins today's episode of Be Customer Led. Barbarian is an agency that is obsessively focused on utilizing technology to eliminate friction, leveraging data to fuel new ideas, and harnessing creativity to bring new products and services to life for their customers. Its principal objective is to assist clients in transforming and disrupting their industries. Throughout the episode, Steven shares his expertise and experience with client needs, how they are growing, and how they are influencing new technology.

[01:33] Steven's Journey - Steven relates his tale, which includes numerous twists and turns, and discusses how he believes this journey has provided him with a greater perspective on his current role as CEO. 

[22:28] Customer Needs – Customer requirements change and evolve at a breakneck pace. Also, the pandemic has significantly altered and has undoubtedly accelerated that alteration. Steve discusses the important tendencies he observes in those shifts in needs. 

[30:51] Digital Convenience and Personalization – Steven provides an overview of his stance on digital convenience and customization to fulfill client needs.

[39:28] Digital Frontiers - Steven talks about the digital horizons that interest him the most.

[15:47] Steven's Inspiration – In response to the episode's final question, Steven shares where he finds inspiration.

Resources:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stevenmoy/

Website: wearebarbarian.com

Twitter: twitter.com/Steven_P_Moy

Steven Moy on Evolving Customer Needs & Future Tech

[00:00:33] Bill Staikos: Hey, everybody. Welcome back to be customer led. This is your host bill staikos. I've got a fantastic guest for us this week. Stephen Moyer is CEO of barbarian, which by the way, is one of the coolest names for a company on the planet. And we're going to, I got to ask Steven, like, where did barbarian come from?

[00:01:07] They're entrepreneurial. And the primary goal is helping their clients transform and disrupt their industries. I'm really excited to have Steven on the, on the show today because we're talking about customer needs, how they're evolving and how it's shaping new tech. Stephen, welcome to the show. I'm so fired up to have you with

[00:01:25] Steven Moy: Thank you, bill. Thank you for that.

[00:01:41] That journey and how it's led to where you are, have barbarian. And again, like thinking about like the C-suite, like any thoughts on how you think this journey has given you sort of a deeper perspective for your current role as a CEO. This

[00:02:07] So I still remember when I selecting colleges or university, what major am I? My parents, especially my father insisted I needed to be a doctor or a lawyer run those very typical Chinese power. I wanted to be a fashion designer. Then she told me you're going to be poor. And so I selected, electrical engine.

[00:02:58] So a lot of hardware design jobs and thought you guys all know, right. got, got shifted to far east or middle east and doing downtime. I started my first job as a software engineer for the state of Massachusetts. And then subsequently I joined. PI a consulting firm for, specializing in the DOD, but my specialty is back then.

[00:03:29] Bill Staikos: Nah, man, you're really getting yourself DAS holy cow.

[00:03:42] So I do it at night. I attended UMass Boston. For my massive company of size. And that was when come through surf AOL just started. So again, timing, it's very strange, right? If I do computer science right now, probably I should join, matter. And they had a one. So by that time I learned a lot about the computing theory.

[00:04:19] So I got a job and I think in 90. I got it. First job. Do we leave, become a software architect for e-commerce for Reed Elsevier, which is so professional content company, they own lacks and access, the new Yorker, you watch law and order Jack McCoy. So I feel the first credit card transaction for them 1997.

[00:05:00] And somehow I picked MBA marketing because, Isaiah, maybe I'm the lazy, I think, seven years and a jokey, but I always love to, oh, how people run business, how the whole thing works. So I attended. Boston university for my MBA night. During that time I was doing software coding and then a CPN we could have, I joined CP as a director of technology, I think late 1999.

[00:05:36] Bill Staikos: That's right. All right. So pre pre pre first big bubble in 2000, right? So,

[00:05:51] So one, one of the most, mentioned this the next time.com. If you remember the next step of the way back. makes not as much harder today to they, to be honest with a marketing pack and advertising type very much where you can just assemble them together back then you have to do a lot of customization on the platform.

[00:06:18] What are your plans and then awesome off the platform need to be, to be so they can sell it to bank of America, and I'll call put, well, sure. That was Louella site witnessing the ship initially was the all local team. And then we shifted to India. So we all, all of a sudden, like two, 300 people.

[00:06:54] Bill Staikos: Well, it was a good idea in 2000. I mean, it was just shortly thereafter.

[00:07:14] I could be a supply chain guy, and a lot of people ask me a lot. I know a lot. So 2004 until 2005. Oh CPN. I know them very well. Are green variants. calling back and out of 4,000 people, they still call me, Hey Molly, we are doing marketing now come back in within the markets. But I did. So say thing interactive the birth of sedans.

[00:07:56] Steven Moy: And the total so that we want program, they truly back then, if you swipe a card, they know who you are, how much you spend on it. So we did all the unification of the website, the booking engine, you can book like spa hotel, everything to Rashawn, and then the back end integration. We partnered with many agency, including Infosys as well.

[00:08:36] Steven Moy: All right. So I started with one client, which is a Liberty military model. They were being disrupted. We helped them to do direct to consumer that disruptors are progressive and. Yeah, then everybody's south through agents, right? You call your agent and get insurance. So we build all the director, consumer, website base.

[00:09:17] I shifted my portfolio from one client to basically every client in Massachusetts or your new England from Steve-O. All the insurance companies, sick, the travelers, high-five national Metro. And then also all the shoe company. If somehow in Massachusetts, we put them on the Yukon was five from new balance, Puma victorious.

[00:10:01] People familiar with. The number five and number six merged become Dentsu Aegis. Yep. I got to be one of the thought leader for Isobar, which is a digital Asia's, followed Dan to, they they're set up very interesting because they feel acquisition in 10 years, they bought, I think, 90 companies. So every country that's a digital agency.

[00:10:45] Once. So, working with them, define the narrative and then went to market. We have a lot of success. We, we held McDonald's, my friend was a head of digital. he, after he left even nicer, when Madonna's. Call me. Hey Steven, I need a partner. I need to build a mobile phone for $1 billion, 1 billion people.

[00:11:23] And so when I was ISO, where are they at higher call me and Hey, I know I need an innovation partner. So I, so I've made ISO by the innovation on a full coach. And of course, nothing, unfortunately, nothing launched, but the thinking was how you put a battery into a hang bag so we can charge your phone if it wasn't that prototype didn't work out.

[00:12:05] And they have 600 people. They have the biggest, Salesforce commerce shop in Europe and then buy one in China, Chile in China, Shanghai, Vietnam, and Hong Kong called BU com. They will be way labeling back off his fighter for a lot of my friends in the industry. So. In the key market. Basically my strategy was I can not compete in us.

[00:12:47] How a lot. I, I learned a lot. I fallen country or the law, different market different, but I've got Brexit hit, right? Brasa hit the market. We really start a little bit. And during that time I got a golden opportunity when, when we connected with, Bob Greenberg to founder of LGA, I, he asked me to join S so U S CTO, chief technology officer, the first.

[00:13:33] So, so the users aspect. So I joined in 2017, came back to us, have a lot of fun. Bob loved working for Bob. Like Bob, just a go go. Then all of a sudden, I never. Like to be on stage, I'll do a lot of talking, but I'm the first thing. So that's why you see a lot of press, people love to listen and I did a lot of interview podcast, but we focusing on transformation SP there wasn't really unique.

[00:14:23] for people, if they, apart of the in-house agency for Samsung for 15 years and they, they went IPO. They, if anybody study in Seoul, Korea, South Korea, Bayer WPP 1.5 billion revenue company, 90 offices, a lot of Samsung business. And they said, Hey, Steven, I need someone like you to, we ignite by burying bigger Barbera.

[00:15:12] that was like really put in on, on. And, cello acquire them 10 years during that time, 2013 for Samsung, that was no coding platform. Again, technology wasn't enough for building a immersive expensive human sized last screen format for small retail for print around the world, because how many refrigerator you can stack.

[00:15:55] God can lie as the first innovation. And I gave it to Barbera and for that innovation, because we also, and, of course facile and, they would call on me. I decided to take a chance. I want to be a CEO again. And let me see what I can do with, with a nimble organization. So I joined 2019. Of course I never planned for COVID.

[00:16:18] I created the three phase. business plan and now I'm back on track. I've got, COVID slow me down a little bit, a lot of fun, basically. I hope everybody do any Google search or anything. You will see more and more about very invigorate. The journey was I need to pivot the company from a digital marketing.

[00:16:53] And I do do not believe specially in doing the pandemic, no one should be spending 18, two years to build a website, the world changing so fast, launching a new product. Look at a startup company. You can do it in three months. I worked with. Hunter company, they talk years and in the pace of innovation and pace of culture change, it's so fast, especially with the pandemic Sr rated it.

[00:17:38] 2021 Gallop audit the business, for American express, we are the global social AOR for American express, highly competitive. I, I, I was so fortunate. They selected me because I have a lot of friends in the mix. And, one feedback is you guys have very fast that that I think is a new currency.

[00:18:21] And even with, New York and or nowhere near on the fashion designer, we launch our exclusive apparel line when American express and also the up. Within weeks, right? Launching on the last day, which was my birthday, June, they came to launch, it stole a dollar a minute. They never done anything like that before American express, right.

[00:18:58] Bill Staikos: no, no. I remember that campaign actually.

[00:19:17] Bill Staikos: They're a great company and a lot of ways, but all at a size of that organization, six weeks. Like lightning speed. Right?

[00:19:34] The, I would say the more a household brand versus the style of brand, they all have a fan teachers. And also this authentic, I am actually how household breath, right? The startups who are building a brand, the brand loyalty accurate, it takes time to build. So they all both have advantages, disadvantage.

[00:20:10] So a lot of that, so that's my, sorry. It took a little while, but I will always say I got a lot of, individual report,asked me how, technology is going to be impacting, advertise

[00:20:33] Bill Staikos: let's talk a little bit about the changing and evolving needs of consumers, right? I mean, everyone who's listening to this, you me included. We're experiencing brands and new and different ways, largely, because let's just say, I mean, the pandemic has really changed a lot.

[00:21:04] Steven Moy: want to be moving?

[00:21:23] Guess what people buy? Not toilet paper

[00:21:30] Steven Moy: tied to paper towels. No baking.

[00:21:40] Steven Moy: Yes. So I was equally shocked, but also I started cooking more. I bought an air fryer. So witnessing the, the changes in consumer behavior where you imagine people got stuck at home or stay at home.

[00:22:15] So that's how. Culturally relevant, moving, driven by that. So I always say first trend. I see social commerce here to say the convergence between communication and commerce. I mean the already happening in China, like Alibaba everyday. Like for years now, And we were not ready us because we have a different cultural, acceptance.

[00:23:04] So all you see, so social commerce is a permanent shift. Meaning when I see it, I want to buy. And so you see a lot of ecosystem planning changes for. Or how you leverage partner platform in the first touchpoint, Instagram and tech top. Don't forget. Two years ago, three years ago, there was no tech talk now tech top over there's overly.

[00:23:45] Like we see a lot of more microservices or how you can integrate even the platform partner. They saw the opening up more and more API APIs and, So that you see the new ecosystem shift that you have to be P peer that A-list do they the entry point where be digital and social first, if the target, I think second trend, I would say, and knowledge trend is very important.

[00:24:35] So this is a time not only important to get your first party customer data, food director, consumer, I truly advise surely. In addition to your ecosystem, a partner vetoed it. You need to have a direct conversation with your partner. So we see tremendous push on direct to consumer, how you launch a parlor and how you drive the traffic to your own ecosystem, or we partner ecosystem.

[00:25:31] Bill Staikos: Yeah. Because not all data is not all data is the same, not all

[00:25:54] It may be that some compliment. I would say this is a new, business R and D in that tissue. Absolutely. Totally. And then the last thing latest I will touch on every client asks me about NFT and manifest. So I told them I like simplicity. Right. But got too complicated. At the surf a little bit more simplicity.

[00:26:37] We, we like, right. We are doing this. Yeah. Right. I never would buy a gene without trying it on. So I would, through an installer to try to Jeannine is very, very choppy. So maybe I call it to them out of us, buy one pair physically and buy one pair you. And then for my avatar, So I, it's not what you placing.

[00:27:20] I think this is a very exciting time, including man. I've seen their thinking. So a lot of the time is now the most aggressive client bake or small. They all like how'd that happen? We aren't doing social digital first. So that's why we're working with a lot of my clients who use some of the new product over in the field.

[00:27:47] Bill Staikos: Right. Ah, I love the analogy, Stephen. I know. I haven't really thought about it that way, but it absolutely makes sense. I mean, you're just, you're just introducing another platform into the mix.

[00:28:19] Right. And a lot of what you were talking about that, that, that direct to consumer is really about that. It's a. That's so many companies are talking about right now, whether you're retail, financial services, auto really doesn't matter. It's a, to your point, a lot of organizations talking about what's your take on this?

[00:28:54] Yeah,

[00:29:14] That's not a close system, right? They own everything, right? They, the privacy may not be a concern, but somehow it created a digital convenient for the world. I mean, you have a preface of China now. Everything is to Alco. We checked even, even the street. Baga.

[00:29:37] Steven Moy: Yeah, we got the digital convenience. So sometime I think, I, I think we are aware that we soon will get to the pivotal pivotal point for us to, I value convenience. I don't mind sharing. Some people will never know. So I think it's a customer choice by that, but then you look at how they do it.

[00:30:17] COVID think about it. And all the recommendation is not by choice, by your choice on your clicks. And they have so many titles. I guarantee you, if you log in differently, you will see a completely

[00:30:35] Steven Moy: of course, Amazon, right.

[00:30:54] Bill Staikos: I mean, the dog's food just came up and I'm like, I actually had dog food, but dog food came up either. They're listening through Alexa and they're like, Hey, go sell bill some more talk food or, or they're figuring out

[00:31:08] And also the man. But the customer data, they have the prime. So I see a lot of brands, right. And I was to build their ecosystem a lot of time when, they have their own little data because they bill for now, for this time, the capital investment is so high and they bought a lot of ecosystem like Amazon reefer, retail outlet, and, take top Instagram.

[00:31:50] Talk about how the great partnership with the big guys, all the social platforms, but also creating their own. How do using new digital product service that attract the customer back to your own ecosystem? Capture the customer data. So I always say, first of all, I, soon as a scout will come very soon, but I think for us first battlefield ecosystem and get your customer data.

[00:32:25] Bill Staikos: Roku. I'm thinking about, the glass company, the eyeglass come, the new eyeglass company to compete with Warby

[00:32:58] I just don't want to watch podcasts TV. So I see a new ignition about to Omni channel member. At one point, you go second screen, your watch online, all coming back. So again but not, that's a one touch point again. I think the company, any branch you're focusing on your understand the new customer journey, including manifests.

[00:33:41] You're gonna roll back and all our digital enabled type. Easy family, including us, whoever can figure out deep orchestrated the best customer experience. I think there will be a moment of shift new household brand. We defined, right. because it's convenient. And then, using you can, if you get the right data and then you can connect.

[00:34:26] Matter of us doing one to one targeting like minority, we put talking personal eye in the man of verse to your avatar. Oh,

[00:34:50] And I was like, this is going to be the death of the persona, right? Like how many designers use personas to design, right? Like that's going to be all gone. It's going to absolutely be one-to-one journey, orchestration, journey development, and that personalization at scale. Like, no one's going to design for the persona.

[00:35:41] So I do agree maybe some, archetype or whatever. so to your point, that whole discipline will be, we need to, we fundamentally change another yellow university. Well, I think, yeah, we got a recent at which to me, they have special I'm sure many university has that they have now they call it Yukon economic, behavior, human behavior, how you modify or learn from human behavior.

[00:36:29] Bill Staikos: Even when you think about the new sort of digital frontier, a couple of years out, what are you most excited? I mean, you're at the you're you're thinking about this stuff all the time, but like what, what are you like? I can't wait for this to be a really a Equitas.

[00:36:44] Let's talk about the Omni verse, right? I think the first way. And then the future. I would say a lot of art that we are a team member hologram. We would never leave the physical world. Like, that whole, whole dimension. And, and I also, I can not wait to see how the giants, the tech giant integrate the gaming path.

[00:37:10] The teenager, the first touch non-tech toddler, Instagram fortnight, right. They meet friends there. Right? That's a new social society, so-so system. So I cannot wait. Surely, multi-dimensional like interface. I, we, we like kinda like blade runner and a little bit and kind of add that is I think that given, because sometime with Kolfage we focusing on also not only technological impact to human behavior, but also mental wellness.

[00:38:04] How about thinking about it? This is my thinking. How about I have my own auntie to author cake me now become the new universal ID I can cut in and out digital, online and manifest. Think about the new CRM. True. The sing goats truth, or I can throw one. Right? So I think that's a new way of, that's how I would believe Brian, we start issuing their own token.

[00:38:46] And that's the whole beautiful thing about blockchain, right? So I think that's a new loyalty personalization with app right. Application or NFT, and then we can truly do universal ID. And then I think that's the, that's the new goal or that big, I can go to this li just carrying my digital token bracelet.

[00:39:27] I think that could be interesting. Right? All of a sudden you think about, you don't have to do right here. You can have all your COVID. I I'm fully vaccinated. You sound like you're pulling up my car every time. So I think that's exciting. I think that that exciting. Think about health care too. How many people?

[00:40:00] right. Solve a lot of problems. That was so that, that one thing I will say the second, second, territory, you don't mind me saying that I choose. We see more and more, to implementation of the,truly talking about diversity inclusion and you call it the equality. I was so sad and doing DIA pandemic learning, 40% of us population and roughly 40% in the, in the world.

[00:40:49] Steven Moy: Right. So I see a lot of opportunity, the more progressive brand could help. I truly believe DA's a new standard for any innovation. You have to do it right. And the caution is not more, more than tokenization. You really have to have sheriff always right. Different religion, different race, different belief, different backgrounds that you can design new products and services for all people.

[00:41:36] We encourage our line of leading brands if they can do to digital innovation and transformation, not, she should focus on the teacher, a native give given, right. That's your bread and butter. Right. But how about the underprivileged? Not digital native? My biggest one, we find digital native with, oh, you can afford a thousand dollars.

[00:42:11] Bill Staikos: Love that Stephen, this has been a really inspirational show.

[00:42:19] Steven Moy: Fortunately, I have a few people where they inspire me. I've guys first, my parents a lot longer with me, but I truly believe I have a philosophy. You have to sometime maybe a little harsh, but you have to destroy the old and to create a new, I still remember they dropped everything.

[00:42:57] Do you want to make a snap change or even post posting on transformations to move forward? Right. So that's the first thing. I, I really, enjoy working for Bob, Bob Greenberg, the founder. RGA told me, Steven, we never done. I said, well, you mean, Steven? I'm always building 80% company. We never none. So we fashioned when I heard it right, because being a CEO, I been two times a year or five years, six years already.

[00:43:44] Bill Staikos: always be learning, always be tinker and always be sort of testing and learning, evolving, right.

[00:43:51] Steven Moy: That, that really, really struck, deep. So that's, I, that's how I did time at Barbara and I were truly listening more. You shouldn't no, you go your people no more. Yeah, you never done. So I'm always trying new things and the good news is you're in a small agency then I, I'm busy or I can try new thing.

[00:44:29] They have limited budget, but they move faster. I think that's a joy. Become a partner. Really created a future faster for them. Doesn't matter what budget and what brand you have. I, I enjoy that. I enjoy that. Very

[00:44:47] I've been laughing, a ton, learning a ton. Just really thank you very much for the gift of. And coming on. It's great to meet you. Good to see you again. And, hopefully I'm looking forward to seeing barbarian successes. I'll be looking out for you guys and hopefully, if I'm ever back up in New York and, you got a little spare time, I'd love to buy a beer or coffee or whatever your beverage.

[00:45:12] Bill Staikos: I loved it. Loved every minute of it. Alright, everybody. Great. Great show. Thanks for

[00:45:26] Be sure to visit us@becustomerled.com for more episodes. Leave us feedback on how we're doing or tell us what you want to hear more about until next time we're out.