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Uncomfortable truths, hidden dynamics, and the messy underbelly of corporate life—welcome to Corporate Underpants, the podcast that pulls back the curtain on the challenges holding back great teams and ideas. Whether you’re a product manager, designer, or leader, this series is your guide to navigating office politics, aligning stakeholders, and tackling the organizational hurdles that stand between you and making a real impact.
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This is the place for UX Consultants to gather, share stories, and learn more from one another. I’m Kyle Soucy, your host and a long-time Independent UX Research Consultant. Whenever I catch up with other consultants, I always learn something new. So, I decided to create a space to do just that and I'm inviting you to join me. Most of my amazing guests are fellow UX consultants, but there will also be special appearances from clients and other people that I think we can learn a great deal fr ...
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S1E8 Bruce McCarthy on Alignment and Why Sometimes You Have To Let It Break
54:33
54:33
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Ever felt like the goals are fuzzy, the execs are fighting, and your roadmap is just a wish list? You're not alone. In this episode of Corporate Underpants Live, I talk with Bruce McCarthy, co-author of Aligned, about what really derails progress in product, UX, and leadership—and how to build alignment even when it feels impossible. We cover: 💥 Wh…
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S1E7 AUDIO Mike Neff on Puzzle Perspective and Decoding Leadership Behavior
53:19
53:19
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What if the real reason your product failed wasn’t the team or the timeline—but that you were solving the wrong puzzle entirely?In this episode, I talk with Mike Neff, a seasoned product design leader, about what happened when he joined a company headed for IPO—and discovered that everything he thought he knew about success, alignment, and leadersh…
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S1E7 VIDEO Mike Neff on Puzzle Perspective, Leadership Blind Spots, and Asking the Right Questions
53:19
53:19
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What if the real reason your product failed wasn’t the team or the timeline—but that you were solving the wrong puzzle entirely?In this episode, I talk with Mike Neff, a seasoned product design leader, about what happened when he joined a company headed for IPO—and discovered that everything he thought he knew about success, alignment, and leadersh…
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Christine Perfetti - Blending UX Consulting with a Mission-Driven Passion Project
1:17:24
1:17:24
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In this episode of The UX Consulting Lounge, host Kyle Soucy reconnects with long-time friend and UX veteran Christine Perfetti for a deeply honest and inspiring conversation about career reinvention, self-worth, and the power of authentic connection. After decades of success in the UX world—most recently through her consultancy, Perfetti Media—Chr…
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S1E6 AUDIO Melissa Appel on the Magical Powers of Alignment
55:14
55:14
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I quiz Melissa Appel, the co-author of 'Aligned,' on the intricacies of corporate misalignment and its impact on developing and launching successful digital products. We discuss the importance of stakeholder alignment, how to tackle internal politics, and various strategies to address misalignments effectively. Melissa shares insights from her work…
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S1E6 VIDEO Melissa Appel on the Magical Powers of Alignment
55:14
55:14
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55:14
I quiz Melissa Appel, the co-author of 'Aligned,' on the intricacies of corporate misalignment and its impact on developing and launching successful digital products. We discuss the importance of stakeholder alignment, how to tackle internal politics, and various strategies to address misalignments effectively. Melissa shares insights from her work…
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S1E5 VIDEO: A Lively Debate About Things We (Mostly) Agree On with Jared Spool
52:14
52:14
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Oh. My. God. You guys. Jared Spool is on Corporate Underpants. 🎉 In this episode, I sit down with the Jared Spool to talk about UX, product, and—of course—the corporate messes that make our jobs way harder than they need to be. We kick things off by diving into the early, wild days of UX (back when “user experience” wasn’t even a thing), and Jared …
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S1E5 AUDIO: A Lively Debate About Things We (Mostly) Agree On with Jared Spool
52:14
52:14
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52:14
Oh. My. God. You guys. Jared Spool is on Corporate Underpants. 🎉 In this episode, I sit down with the Jared Spool to talk about UX, product, and—of course—the corporate messes that make our jobs way harder than they need to be. We kick things off by diving into the early, wild days of UX (back when “user experience” wasn’t even a thing), and Jared …
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S1E4 Part 2 AUDIO: Alignment in Higher Ed: A Tale of Two Projects
59:53
59:53
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59:53
In this episode of Corporate Underpants, I sit down with Adam to dig into the messy world of early-stage alignment in higher ed and non-tech-first organizations. Spoiler: It’s nothing like working at a tech company. Adam shares war stories from two major web strategy projects—one that went off the rails thanks to (surprise, surprise) misalignment, …
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S1E4 Part 2 VIDEO Alignment in Higher Ed: A Tale of Two Projects with Adam Staffa
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59:53
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59:53
In this episode of Corporate Underpants, I sit down with Adam to dig into the messy world of early-stage alignment in higher ed and non-tech-first organizations. Spoiler: It’s nothing like working at a tech company. Adam shares war stories from two major web strategy projects—one that went off the rails thanks to (surprise, surprise) misalignment, …
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S1E4 Part 1 AUDIO Navigating the Complexities of Digital Projects in Non-Tech Orgs with Adam Staffa
40:17
40:17
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This is a great 2-parter, people. The first part is all about how uniquely challenging Higher Ed and other non-tech-first orgs for website strategist and product people. Adam shares his experiences working in higher education and other sectors, where unique and complex Governance structures, diverse stakeholder groups, and entrenched institutional …
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S1E4 Part 1 VIDEO Navigating the Complexities of Digital Projects in Non-Tech Orgs with Adam Staffa
40:17
40:17
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40:17
This is a great 2-parter, people. The first part is all about how uniquely challenging Higher Ed and other non-tech-first orgs for website strategist and product people. Adam shares his experiences working in higher education and other sectors, where unique and complex Governance structures, diverse stakeholder groups, and entrenched institutional …
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Lisa Bragg - The Art of Purposeful Self-Promotion: Being a Signal Through the Noise
57:59
57:59
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In this engaging episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with Lisa Bragg, an expert in strategic self-promotion and the author of "Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion." Together, they explore the nuanced art of self-promotion that doesn't just add to the noise but acts as a clear sign…
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In this episode of the UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy speaks with Tamara Adlin, owner of Adlin, Inc., a consultancy specializing in helping early-stage startups and larger companies with product alignment and redesigns. They discuss her impressive career journey and her profound impact on the field of UX consulting. Tamara shares her experi…
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S1E3: A True Story of UX Democratization Gone Wrong (and a Solution!)
49:48
49:48
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In this episode of Corporate Underpants, host Tamara Adlin delves into the complex relationship between politics and product success with guest Jillian Hudson, a seasoned UX researcher and strategist. Through Jillian’s story, we learn about the unexpected challenges she faced when hired for a role that didn't match the initial promise, working unde…
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S1E2: A True Story of One Sentence That Killed A Project
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54:48
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Jeff Verona recounts the chaos caused by hidden misalignments and untested assumptions that ultimately derailed an initiative to streamline loan officer workflows. Woven into Jeff's tale are seven actionable "gems" that can help you spot and fix the kind of problems that left his team reeling.By Tamara Adlin
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S1E1: Are you ready to stop complaining about your org? With guest Scott Berkun
58:20
58:20
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58:20
Are your Corporate Underpants showing? In this first episode of Corporate Underpants, we dive into the messy realities of workplace politics and uncover what it really takes to gain influence and grow as a product manager or designer.Learn from Scott’s journey as he reflects on the cultural biases that shape UX and product teams, why rigor isn’t al…
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Erika Hall and Mike Monteiro - Consulting with Backbone: Authenticity, Humanity, and the Value of Hard Truths
1:03:42
1:03:42
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In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with two legendary figures in the UX and design consulting world: Erika Hall and Mike Monteiro, co-founders of Mule Design. Known for their honesty, wit, and willingness to challenge the status quo, Erika and Mike bring decades of experience—and a few well-placed truth bombs—to…
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Lynne Polischuik & Justin Davis - Navigating the Evolution of UX Consulting: Adapting to Industry Shifts
1:18:40
1:18:40
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In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy welcomes Lynne Polischuik and Justin Davis, two seasoned UX consultants, to discuss the evolving landscape of UX consulting. From the challenges of today’s market to the exciting opportunities presented by AI and emerging work models, this episode dives deep into the current state of UX …
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Elizabeth Creighton - Scaling Your UX Consultancy: Newsletters, Courses, and Deliverables
1:05:56
1:05:56
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In this episode of the UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with Elizabeth Creighton, the owner of Brazen, a consultancy that offers UX research and training services. Elizabeth shares great tips about scaling your UX consultancy through newsletters, online courses, and investing in deliverables. Plus, they discuss the emotional journey…
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Becca Kennedy - From Academia to UX Consulting
1:10:30
1:10:30
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In this episode of the UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with Becca Kennedy, the owner of Kennason, a UX consultancy that combines design research and content design services. With over 15 years in the industry and nearly a decade of running her own consultancy, Becca shares her insights and experiences in the world of UX consulting.…
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Karen McGrane - Embracing Adaptability in UX Consulting
1:08:52
1:08:52
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In this episode, host Kyle Soucy is joined by Karen McGrane, a renowned UX consultant, to dive deep into the intricacies of UX consulting, running a consulting business, and adapting to industry changes. Karen shares her extensive experience, from starting and running multiple consulting firms to managing business downturns and shifting industry no…
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Introduction: An Interview with Your Host, Kyle Soucy
40:34
40:34
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In this special introductory episode, we get to know Kyle, the host of our UX Consultant Podcast. Celebrating her 20th year in business as an independent UX research consultant, Kyle shares her journey, the motivations behind starting this podcast, and what listeners can expect in future episodes. Joined by her children, Roger and Gabriel, Kyle ans…
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Trailer: Welcome to the UX Consultants Lounge
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Links and Resources: Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn. Learn more about Kyle's UX Research consultancy, Usable Interface. Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories. Don't want to miss an episode? Be sure to s…
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