I feel like every time I talk with Cara Goodwin, VP and Head of Web and eCommerce at Toast, Inc., her team has grown and improved by leaps and bounds.
Hear how she does it on the latest episode of the C-Suite Blueprint.
Join us as we discuss:
● Using data and testing to ensure a seamless customer experience
● Creating an organization-wide “culture of data”
● Leverage machine learning for more precise testing
● Balancing a high risk profile with a steady growth mindset
Data-driven, Cara shares her secrets for building passionate teams and an unshakable framework for organic growth.
Timestamps:
Introduction & Cara’s Background (00:00:00)
Host introduces Cara Goodwin, her roles at Toast and LogMeIn, and sets up the conversation.
Building High-Performing Teams (00:00:25)
Cara discusses her approach to team building and the qualities she looks for in team members.
Data, Testing, and Informing Roadmaps (00:00:59)
The importance of data, A/B testing, and user research in shaping digital experiences and roadmaps.
Data-Driven Decision Making & Context (00:02:12)
Cara explains why data needs context and how understanding user intent is critical.
Foundational User Needs in SaaS (00:03:11)
Discussion on the basic things users look for in SaaS products, like reliability and security.
Ensuring Seamless User Experiences (00:04:16)
How to maintain consistency and seamlessness between marketing, web, and e-commerce flows.
Prioritizing High-Impact Areas (00:05:24)
Focusing on high-traffic, high-impact pages and journeys rather than granular consistency.
Culture of Data in Teams (00:06:17)
What a “culture of data” means in practice and how it’s implemented in Kara’s teams.
Prioritization Frameworks & Impact (00:06:47)
Using data as part of prioritization frameworks to focus on meaningful initiatives.
Machine Learning in E-commerce (00:07:47)
Exploring the promise and current limitations of machine learning for discovering high-impact opportunities.
Beyond A/B Testing: Context & Acceleration (00:08:24)
The need for context beyond A/B testing and the future potential of real-time experience changes.
Organizational & Technical Challenges in Testing (00:09:48)
Barriers to advanced testing like multivariate, including tech debt and organizational silos.
Accelerating Results with Strong Hypotheses (00:10:34)
How having a clear hypothesis and context before testing accelerates results.
Web and E-comm as a Unified Journey (00:11:31)
The importance of treating web and e-commerce as a single, holistic user journey.
Building Highly Performing Teams (00:12:55)
Cara’s approach to hiring, fostering growth mindsets, and building collaborative, value-driven teams.
Team Values & Communication (00:14:00)
The role of core team values, direct communication, and transparency in team effectiveness.
Balancing Growth and Fundamentals (00:16:29)
How to balance risk-taking, innovation, and maintaining foundational stability in teams.
Layering Growth, Innovation, and Tech Roadmaps (00:17:23)
Managing multiple layers of growth, innovation, and technical priorities through structured prioritization.
Growth as Building New Foundations (00:19:24)
Viewing growth as a process of building new, stable foundations rather than unchecked expansion.
Navigating Software Vendor Hype (00:20:18)
How Kara evaluates software vendors, focusing on reliability, scale, and alignment with business needs.
Adopting New Tools for Growth (00:21:24)
Interest in emerging tools for user testing and journey diagnostics to drive business growth.
Career Evolution & Leadership Lessons (00:23:09)
Cara reflects on her career growth, learning to delegate, empower teams, and value team well-being.
Importance of Team Connection (00:23:57)
The shift toward connecting with teams on a human level, especially in remote work.
Playbooks, Change, and Innovation (00:24:38)
The value and limitations of playbooks in a rapidly changing environment; need for continual adaptation.
Frameworks That Endure (00:26:19)
Core frameworks like prioritization and context remain relevant despite evolving tools and strategies.
Hype and Nonsense in Digital Experiences (00:26:40)
Cara’s perspective on digital transformation, the enduring need for human touch, and skepticism toward overhyped trends.
Best Advice Received (00:28:53)
Cara shares the best advice she’s received: not being too hard on herself and embracing failure as part of growth.
Closing & Reflections (00:29:59)
Host and Cara reflect on mindfulness, team impact, and wrap up the conversation.
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