growth minded SUPERHEROES

“People don’t like problems. They prefer solutions.” That simple truth explains why CRO, experimentation, and customer centricity are still so often misunderstood.In this end-of-season roundtable, Shiva Manjunath and Slobodan Manić look back at 2025 together with André and talk openly about what really happened beneath the hype. They discuss why AI created false confidence, why “hacks” refuse to die, why so many teams feel burned out and why focusing on humans still matters more than tools.“AI is not the problem. Blindly trusting the output is.”“If you don’t understand the problem, AI will just help you be wrong faster.”This episode is not a trend forecast, it’s a candid conversation about noise, shortcuts, resistance, and what’s actually worth doubling down on in 2026 if you care about great experiences and meaningful impact.What you’ll take away:Why CRO is still mistaken for “throwing spaghetti at the wall”How AI amplifies bad thinking when fundamentals are missingWhy experimentation fails when teams skip problem discoveryHow burnout emerges when people are blocked from doing real work with meaningful impactWhy customer centricity is ultimately about people, not outputs“What people actually want are better experiences — experimentation is just a means to an end.”

Ever felt like the one-person experimentation team, stuck in meetings all day, doing everything yourself, and barely having time to build culture? Melanie Kyrklund (Specsavers) calls that situation “a form of oppression” and then shares exactly how she broke out of it. In this episode, Melanie reveals how Specsavers shifted to a Center of Excellence model and doubled experiments from ~100 to ~200 without adding budget, not by chasing speed, but by changing ways of working and building reliable structure. You’ll hear:How to scale experimentation without sacrificing quality (idea quality + process quality OKRs) The surprisingly practical change framework she used: motivation vs. ability (and the six sources of influence) Why crystal-clear governance and “how we work together” rules can turn friction into trust If you’re trying to move from doing experiments to leading experimentation, this one is your blueprint.

What happens when one of Europe’s most seasoned UX researcher admits that his “obvious wins” sometimes flop? In this episode, Karl Gilis and André dig into the uncomfortable gap between what teams think users do and what real people actually struggle with.Karl shares surprising stories from 25+ years in the field: petrol-station websites gone wrong, A/B tests that humbled him, and insights that reshaped companies for a decade. A sharp, honest look beneath the surface of optimization and a reminder to dig deeper. Karl talks about:Why analytics can tell you what happened, but never whyHow small overlooked “zipper-open moments” destroy trustWhy unmoderated user tests miss the real goldWhat teams consistently misunderstand about customer motivationHow big insights often come from one confused customer, not big data

Ryan Lucht, Senior Technical Advocate at Datadog and Marketing Lead at Eppo, widely regarded as one of the sharpest voices in modern experimentation talks about some misconceptions of experimentaiton. Ryan’s knowledge and technical depth, contrarian thinking, and cultural pragmatism has made him a leading figure in the experimentation community.Ryan shares the origin story that hooked him into A/B testing — including the now-legendary experiment in which tripling the product price tripled revenue. From there, the conversation unfolds into an exploration of the ideas that have shaped his philosophy over the years.Why some experiments behave like “Black Swans” — rare, extreme, massively impactful outliers that reshape your business.The groundbreaking academic research showing that experiments follow a fat-tailed distribution, and why this changes everything.Why companies should radically decrease the cost of experimentation, and how Amazon and Netflix operationalized exactly that.How small and mid-sized companies can also reduce cost per experiment — even with limited traffic.The hidden cultural blockers that silently kill experimentation programs.Why win rate is the wrong metric — and what to use instead.The real story behind “spaghetti testing,” the myth of best practices, and the surprising ways teams find breakthrough ideas.Why democratizing experimentation starts with a designer who “just wants to try a button test.”How confidence intervals (not p-values) and sequential testing can make experimentation safer and more accessible for everyone.The mindset shift required to build an experimentation culture where people love being wrong.

What happens when one of the most trusted voices in experimentation sits down for a deeply honest conversation about growth, culture, learning, and unlearning?Today, Julia and André talk with Kevin Anderson, curator of Experimental Mind, creator of Experimentation Jobs, and longtime experimentation leader at ING and Vista.This is not just a conversation about A/B tests, it’s a conversation about how people, teams, and organizations learn and why experimentation is really a mindset we’re all born with.Highlights:Why “data looks back but experiments look forward” and how experimenting generates new data instead of analyzing the past.The hidden cultural blockers that stop companies from becoming experimentation-driven and how to work with (not against) them.What kids teach us about experimentation: why we lose our natural experimental mindset as adults, and how to get it back.How experimentation reduces debates & politics by transforming opinions into testable hypotheses.The power of listening tours when entering a new company culture and how to “unlearn” your previous playbook.Building an experimentation career: Kevin’s path from analytics, to product, to fractional PM, to entrepreneur.How community accelerates growth and why conferences are actually “group therapy” for experimenters.Join us live at GMS 2026 in Frankfurt on June 16th, 2026 and connect with 700+ optimizers, experimenters, and growth professionals from around the world.Find Kevins Experimental Mind Newsletter here: https://experimentalmind.com/And Experimentation Jobs: https://experimentationjobs.com/

In this episode, Julia Rumpf and André Morys sit down with Anuj Adhiya, growth leader, author of Growth Hacking for Dummies, and one of the early team members at GrowthHackers, to talk about what real growth looks like when you move beyond surface metrics.Together they explore why sustainable growth starts with customer value, not dashboards, and how companies can turn learning into their true operating system.Key Highlights:Why “growth problems” are often people problems, not process issuesThe mindset shift from marketing KPIs to shared learning goalsHow to build trust and psychological safety that fuel experimentationWhy fewer, smarter tests beat hundreds of shallow onesThe secret to aligning every team around customer valueWhat it means to treat yourself like a product and keep learningJoin us live at GMS 2026 in Frankfurt on June 16th, 2026 and connect with 700+ optimizers, experimenters, and growth professionals from around the world.If this episode inspired you, like, share, and subscribe to the GMS Podcast and help spread the mindset of learning-driven growth.

Product and Experimentation belong closer together and disciplines benefit from each other while in reality there are still many silos in peoples minds. In this episode, Stefanie Grimmling and Anastasia Shvedova explore how product teams can move from output-driven roadmaps to outcome-driven impact, and why culture beats tools when it comes to real innovation.You’ll learn:What Upsprint is and how it helps teams connect Product and CRO.Why experimentation is not just about optimization, but about building smarter products.How to escape the feature factory and reduce waste through validation and testing.Why leadership and culture are the true enablers of experimentation.How curiosity, humility, and evidence-based decisions can transform entire organizations.Don’t miss the live GMS on June 16th, 2026, the event where growth-minded professionals, experimenters, and product leaders unite to push the boundaries of digital experience and growth!Secure your tickets here: www.growthmindedsuperheroes.comIf you enjoyed this episode, like, share, and comment. Your feedback fuels future conversations and helps spread the word about the power of experimentation.

How do you build a culture of experimentation in a 150-year-old company?In this episode, Marta, Digital Experimentation Lead at A1 Telekom , shares how she turned a traditional telco into a testing powerhouse driven by curiosity, courage, and customer focus.Highlights:- Why humility is the secret ingredient of experimentation (“you’re wrong all the time”)- How Marta created a safe environment for learning and failing forward- The story behind “drops”, A1’s new way to talk about failed tests- What it takes to win buy-in from middle management- How to experiment with experimentation and what that really means- The mindset shift from KPIs to stories and people- Lessons from transforming experimentation into a company-wide movementA must-listen for anyone driving change in large organizations or building a culture of data-driven decisions.As Marta will be live on stage at GMS 2026 on June 16th in Frankfurt, make sure to meet her and secure your ticket now: www.growthmindedsuperheroes.comIf you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and share it with your team or fellow optimizers and help more people discover the power of experimentation!

In this episode of the GMS Podcast, Julia and André sit down with Michael Richter from Robinson Club (TUI) to unpack what truly drives impact: real user insights, disciplined experimentation, and the courage to learn out loud.What you’ll learn:How Michael went from “A/B will prove I’m brilliant” to being humbled in three weeks, then building a sustainable experimentation habit.Why data beats opinions and how to reframe “failure” as learning to shift company culture.The one-man-team playbook: running ~120 tests across five brands and multiple languages without burning out.The hotel-lobby insight that led to the “show the unavailable” experimentWhy customer interviews (not gut feel) should seed your best hypotheses.Confirmation bias, safety nets, and how to get skeptics on board when dev resources are tight.AI realism: designing for humans who say “I booked service, not self-service.”If you wanna learn more or exchange, connect directly to Michael on LinkedIn or meet him in person at GMS on June 16th, 2026 in Frankfurt and secure your ticket now at: www.growthmindedsuperheroes.comPlease like, share and comment this episode to make it available to even more optimizers.

In this episode of the GMS Podcast, Julia and André sit down with John Ekman to unpack what it really takes to build an experimentation engine that drives growth, beyond tools, tactics, and vanity metrics.Expect straight talk, hard-won lessons, and practical frameworks you can apply this week.What you’ll learn & key highlights:Why most “experimentation programs” stall and how to fix the cultural blockersEvidence over opinions: turning stakeholder debates into data-driven decisionsMetrics that matter: choosing impact KPIs (and ditching misleading ones)From wins to systems: scaling beyond single tests to compounding learning loopsSpeed vs. rigor: how to balance statistical confidence with product velocityHow to get buy-in when resources are tight (and when to say “not yet”)Real examples: experiments that surprised even seasoned optimizersConnect with John Ekman on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going.If this episode helped you, please like, follow, and share as it really fuels the show and helps more optimizers find it.Don’t miss out:Secure one of the last Early Bird Tickets for GMS 2026 (June 16th) now at: www.growthmindedsuperheroes.com

Manuel Brückmann is the wizard behind optmzeAI and long-time tech brain of GMS. Manuel shares how AI is transforming experimentation, helping teams overcome complexity, avoid “prompting fatigue,” and scale their optimization programs with speed and precision.From rookie pitfalls to future trends like autonomous testing, simulated A/B tests, and AI-powered stakeholder management, this conversation is packed with practical insights for growth-minded superheroes who want to stay ahead of the curve.Key Highlights of this episode:Why “shit in, shit out” still holds true in AI and how to prompt smarterThe problem of prompting fatigue and how optmzeAI makes AI accessiblePitfalls to avoid when starting with AI in CRO and experimentationHow AI can accelerate scaling from 20 to 100+ tests per yearFuture trends: simulated A/B tests, hyper-personalization, and AI as the new interfaceManuel’s personal mindset shift: asking “How can AI help me?” instead of “Can AI help me?”Want to learn more about optmzeAI? Visit https://optmze.ai/ or connect directly with Manuel on LinkedIn.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, share, and comment as it helps us make the GMS Podcast accessible to even more growth-minded SUPERHEROES.

In this episode of the GMS Podcast, André and Julia sit down with Melanie Müller, Senior Product Manager on the experimentation platform at Booking.com, scientist at heart, and upcoming GMS 2026 speaker. Together, they dive deep into what it takes to scale experimentation in one of the world’s largest travel platform where testing isn’t just a tactic, but part of the company’s DNA.What you’ll hear in this episode:How Melanie’s journey from physics labs and petri dishes led her to scaling experiments at Booking.comThe trade-off between speed, quality, and adoption in experimentation and how Booking balances itWhy stories, not dashboards, often win leadership support for experimentation programsThe role of community, peer review, and conferences in building a culture of better decisionsLessons on evolving from running single A/B tests to building experimentation platformsDon’t miss the chance to hear Melanie live on stage at GMS 2026 on June 16th in Frankfurt. Grab your ticket now at www.growthmindedsuperheroes.com and secure the best price.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, share, and comment, it helps us bring these conversations to more people who are passionate about growth, CRO, and experimentation.

In this episode of the GMS Podcast, André and Julia sit down with Morgan Brown, growth leader, co-author of Hacking Growth, and former executive at companies like Facebook, Instagram, Shopify and Dropbox.Together, we uncover 3 key lessons for experiment-driven growth and building products that people truly value.Morgan shares why curiosity beats certainty, how to change metrics to change culture, and what it really takes to solve root problems instead of chasing surface wins.What you’ll discover in this episode:Why experimentation is the most reliable path to truth in growth.How defining problems deeply unlocks better solutions.The power of changing measurements to shift company culture.Why purpose-led growth creates products people truly value.How to find your tribe of growth-minded peers and never feel stuck alone.If this episode inspired you, please leave us a review, give it a like, and share it with your network, it helps us grow and reach more superheroes like you.

Are you still unsure what to make of AI?Does it feel more like a threat than a tool?You’re not alone and this episode will change the way you think about it.In this new episode of the GMS Podcast, we take you on a playful yet deeply insightful journey into the world of AI adoption.Starting from a place of fear and overwhelm, we explore how to turn AI into an advantage without losing your human superpowers.Together we dive into:The 4 levels of AI adoption from Level 0 (fear and resistance) through the “wooden sword” stage of experimenting, all the way to the “steel sword” and beyond.How to overcome fear with curiosity and why “just try it” can be the first step toward new possibilities.Real-world use cases: how AI cut research analysis time in half without replacing the need for human insight.What AI can’t do (yet): the critical gaps where human empathy, context, and reading between the lines are irreplaceable.Why critical thinking and collaboration beat blind enthusiasm: balancing skepticism and excitement.The future of AI in organizations and how to move from scattered experiments to an integrated, mature AI practice.This conversation will give you a new perspective on how to use AI as a creative partner rather than fear it as a rival.Bonus resource: Ready to discover your own stage in the AI Hero Journey? Download the AI Hero Journey Cheat Sheet mentioned in the episode:AI Hero Journey Cheat Sheet (Miro)If this episode sparks new ideas for you, please:Give it a like on your podcast platformLeave us feedback – we love to hear from youShare it with your colleagues and network so more people can level up from AI overwhelm to AI advantage.

What does it take to build a culture where failure isn’t feared but celebrated? In this episode, we sit down with Stuart Frisby, Director of Brand & Experience Design at Deliveroo and former Head of Design at Booking.com, to explore what it really means to design for impact.From launching thousands of experiments to leading design through hypergrowth, Stuart shares hard-earned insights on experimentation, scaling teams, and the power of humility. Discover why Booking.com’s success wasn’t built on big bets but on small, fast, and frequent tests that turned data into dominance.Key Learnings from this episode:Why empathy for users and the business is the secret ingredient to impactful design.How Booking.com empowered designers to launch experiments daily, with minimal red tape.What Stuart’s most spectacular experiment failure taught him about trust, ego, and design seriousness.The culture shift needed to move from a feature factory to a growth lab.Why “experimentation isn’t sexy but success is.”Lessons from Deliveroo on designing real-world experiences during a pandemic.The difference between production design vs. innovation design and why both matter.And here’s the best part:Stuart will be live on stage at GMS 2026 on June 16th shedding even more light on his journey as a design leader at two of the world's top experimentation giants: Booking.com and Deliveroo. If you haven’t secured your ticket yet, better do it now at www.growthmindedsuperheroes.com.Whether you're a designer, product owner, growth strategist or just obsessed with experimentation you’ll walk away with frameworks, stories, and mindset shifts you won’t hear anywhere else.👉 If you enjoyed this episode, please like and share it. This helps us bring the podcast to even more growth-minded superheroes like you.

In this episode of the GMS Podcast, Julia sits down with Erin Weigel, a true pioneer in the world of product design and experimentation.Erin shares her insights on making experimentation more approachable, fun, and impactful. From her legendary GMS talk to her bestselling book Design for Impact, Erin's unique approach to design and experimentation is revolutionizing how teams tackle innovation.Key Highlights:Why experimentation doesn't need to be a "boring academic exercise"The real purpose behind Erin’s book Design for Impact and why it resonates globallyThe importance of having fun while experimenting and taking smart risksBalancing strategic tests with quick, exploratory experiments to maximize impactErin’s thoughts on the need for brave leadership in today’s business climateTools, tips, and tricks for small teams to level up their experimentation gameThe ethics of experimentation: Considering the human side of every test and the stakeholders involvedBook recommendations for the summer: including Death by Screens and Emotional TargetingTune in for a conversation filled with practical advice, humor, and Erin’s refreshing approach to driving real change through experimentation.For more insights, check out www.erindoesthings.com or connct with her on LinkedIn.If you liked this episode, please like, share and comment this podcast to make it available for more growth-minded SUPERHEROES like you.

Is your agency ready for the future or strapped into the crash test dummy headed straight for the wall?In this explosive episode, André Morys sits down with Craig Sullivan (experimentation evangelist) and Dennis van der Heijden (CEO of Convert.com) to unpack the raw, uncomfortable truths revealed in the Agency & Vendor Experimentation Ecosystem 2025 Report.Agencies are angry. Trust is broken. The era of “running tests” is dead, and the commoditization of execution work is accelerating. If you want your agency to survive and thrive you’ll need to pivot to what only humans can deliver.Craig and Dennis share unfiltered insights on:Why your profit formula will change and how to adapt before it’s too late.How AI is shifting the experimentation landscape (and what isn’t changing).Why “trust is the true currency” between vendors and agencies and why most vendors are broke.The uncomfortable truth: execution work is dying, strategic enablement is the future.How to build relevance in a changing ecosystem before your clients move on.The difference between agencies that will survive and those that will vanish.If you’re leading an experimentation agency, working on product testing, or want to future-proof your role in a rapidly evolving landscape, this episode is for you.Download the full Agency & Vendor Experimentation Ecosystem 2025 Report here:https://www.convert.com/agency-research-report/Have questions? Feel free to reach out directly to Dennis and Craig. They are always open to continuing the conversation.If you liked this episode, we appreciate every like and share to help us reach more growth-minded superheroes like you.

In this special episode, André and Julia take you behind the scenes of GMS 2025 (growth-minded SUPERHEROES), just one week after the live event on June 18th, 2025 at Alte Oper Frankfurt.They reflect on the energy, the people, the ideas, and the unforgettable moments that made this year’s summit one of the most inspiring yet. From LEGO towers and live music to powerful keynotes and goosebump moments. It's a raw, honest, and passionate recap from two people at the heart of it all.Tune in to hear:Why “purpose” and “passion” were the unofficial themes of this yearWhat made the LEGO Serious Play session such a surprise hitHow the rebranding resonated with attendees and why it mattersStandout moments from speakers like Fonz Morris, Talia Wolf, Cornelia Schnell, Lucia van den Brink, David Mannheim and many moreWhat happens after the applause: lessons that still lingerA behind-the-curtain look at curating a one-day “MBA” in experimentation, CX & growthWhat’s next for GMS 2026 and why tickets are already flyingIf you were there, relive the magic.If you missed it, this is your backstage pass.Let’s keep growing. We appreciate every like and share of this episode.Ticket sales for 2026 are now open at www.growthmindedsuperheroes.com Pencil in June 16th, 2026, at the Alte Oper Frankfurt.

What does it really take to build a thriving experimentation culture - not just in one company, but across an entire industry?In this episode of the GMS Podcast, we sit down with Kelly Wortham, founder of the Test & Learn Community (TLC), former global optimization lead at Dell, and one of the most influential voices in experimentation today.Kelly shares the story behind the birth of TLC, reveals why online and in-person connection is more crucial than ever, and unpacks the most overlooked pitfalls optimizers still fall into. From the power of asking questions to the global nuances of testing ethics, this is a conversation packed with both wisdom and warmth.Key Learnings:Why community-driven learning outpaces isolated experimentationHow one Slack thread led to a global shift in how we understand SRMThe reason job titles and AI fears are dominating testing conversations todayWhy quant + qual is the holy grail of hypothesis buildingThe magic of in-person events and how they transform professional growthHow to stay grounded and purpose-driven as an optimizerWhy “start with the customer problem” should be your new mantraWhether you're a seasoned optimizer or just getting started, Kelly's insights will challenge and inspire the way you work, connect, and grow.👉 Join the TLC community: https://testandlearn.community/👉 Follow Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellywortham/If you liked this episode, please like, review and share it!

How do you move from vague, forgettable messaging to vivid copy that actually converts? In this episode, we’re joined by Amy Harrison - copywriting strategist, speaker, and founder of Write With Influence - to talk about how great copywriting intersects with experimentation, psychology, and strategy.Amy shares her most practical tips for writing copy that resonates, stands out, and gets results - without sounding like every other “growth” company out there.What you’ll learn in this episode:How to swap empty impact statements for testable, vivid “do” statementsWhy clarity beats cleverness - and how to write like a friend, not a marketerThe “Get. See. Do.” framework that simplifies persuasive messagingWhy long copy isn’t dead (but bad copy is)How to use AI as a creative assistant - not a crutchCommon pitfalls of consensus messaging and how to stay boldWhat teams (sales, service, product) need to be involved in message creationDon’t forget:GMS 2025 is just around the corner! Save 300 € on your ticket for June 18th at the Alte Oper Frankfurt by using the code ANDRE300 at www.growthmindedsuperheroes.comIf you liked Amy's insights, dig deeper and check out her website https://writewithinfluence.com/ or her https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisonamy/https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisonamy/.If you enjoyed this episode, like, share, and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us grow - and helps more optimizers find the show!