You know you have a special guest when you're finally nervous about who is on the show. It's not often you get to speak with your heroes one-on-one, let alone the person who's work set you on a course for the next +20 years of your professional career.

When I read 'The Experience Economy' in 1999, a book Joe Pine authored with James Gilmore, I left my job at JPMorgan as a fixed income analyst to get into customer experience. I realized when I read the last page that this is what I needed to focus on for the rest of my life.

Joe Pine is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor. He is also the co-Founder of Strategic Horizons, LLP along with James Gilmore.

I had the honor and privilege to sit down with Joe and talk:

1. His 1999 book, with the re-release in 2020, and the five core adjectives around the experience: robust, cohesive, personal, dramatic, and transformative.
2. His recent article, Embracing the Employee Experience, and what he means by HR being brokers of time.
3. Whether we need separate teams focused on employee (EX) and customer experience (CX).
4. Should companies focus on EX or CX first?
5. And an article he wrote on his site, Strategic Horizons, about the importance of hybrid experiences post-COVID (something that is coming about as we speak).

I am grateful for the time with Joe and the opportunity to continue learning from someone who I hold with such incredibly high regard. Amazing episode.

Mic. Dropped.