About This Special Episode
This episode is unlike any other in the 272-episode history of Navigating the Customer Experience. To mark 10 years of podcasting, host Yanique Grant invited her daughter Summer to turn the tables, Summer takes the microphone and interviews her mom about the journey, the lessons, and what the next decade holds. It’s personal, honest, and deeply human.
Questions Summer Asked
- Why did you start podcasting 10 years ago and what made you think it was a good idea?
- Were you scared? Did you almost not do it?
- 272 episodes is a lot. What kept you going when things got hard or felt pointless?
- Who’s your favourite guest or most memorable episode over 10 years?
- You’ve trained over 50,000 people across Jamaica, the Caribbean and Africa. Has the podcast played a role in that?
- What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew at Episode 1?
- What do you want the next 10 years of this podcast to look like?
- What do you hope I took away from watching you do this for 10 years?
Episode Highlights
Why She Started: Passion Meets Platform
Summer: Why did you start podcasting 10 years ago?
Yanique didn’t start a podcast because podcasting was trending — she started because she was genuinely passionate about customer experience and saw an emerging platform that could connect her with like-minded professionals globally, for free. The vision was simple: interview people who had been successful in the CX space across the world, raise awareness of what they were doing, and share it all on a global stage.
She credits a podcast coach from Canada with getting her off the ground — someone who had already walked the path and helped her set up the artwork, show notes, recording platforms, and publishing workflow. Without that guidance, she says, it may never have launched.
| “It was free then, and it’s still free to this day.” — Yanique Grant |
Not Fear — Preparation
Summer: Were you scared? Did you almost not do it?
Yanique’s answer surprised even Summer. She wasn’t scared — she was prepared. She invested in a coach before launching, which meant she understood the process before she pressed record. That decision to get support early made all the difference. She also reflected on how much harder it would have been without the AI tools and resources available in 2026 compared to 2016 — and how much respect she has for anyone who built something in those earlier, leaner days of the medium.
What Kept Her Going: Purpose and People
Summer: 272 episodes is a lot. What kept you going?
Two things: genuine passion for the subject matter and the people she gets to meet. Yanique is candid about the administrative weight of producing a podcast — especially after losing her internal team member who handled production. She took it on herself and has now produced the show notes for the last three to four episodes independently, leaning on tools like Mac Whisper for transcription and AI to streamline the process.
The tools have changed the game. But what has never changed is why she does it — to learn, to connect, and to bring value to anyone navigating customer experience in their organization or community.
| “AI has literally changed the game — I can literally put in exactly how I want the notes to come out.” — Yanique Grant |
The Guests Who Stayed With Her
Summer: Who’s your favourite guest or most memorable episode?
Out of 272 conversations, Yanique named a handful that have truly stayed with her:
- Matt Swain
- Joey Coleman – who appeared on the podcast twice
- Jimi Gibson
- Jason Feifer – Editor-in-Chief at Entrepreneur Magazine
- Jay Baer
- Paul Brunson – whom she met in person in Jamaica
- Rochelle Gapere – the Happiness Queen
She was quick to say that every guest and every episode has been valuable but these are the ones that still jump to mind a decade later.
Doors the Podcast Has Opened
Summer: Has the podcast played a role in your training reach across 50,000+ people?
More than people realize. The podcast has been a visibility engine that opened professional doors Yanique never anticipated:
- A podcast panel in Arlington, Washington which Summer herself attended
- A Master of Ceremonies role at a major BPO Mindshare event in Canada with 100+ attendees from around the world
- Global connections she can call or email for ideas, research, and collaboration
The through-line: the podcast built credibility, and credibility built opportunity.
The One Thing She’d Do Differently: Just Sound Like Yanique
Summer: What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew at Episode 1?
This was the most vulnerable moment of the episode. In her early episodes, Yanique tried to sound more ‘North American’ suppressing her natural Jamaican accent because she wasn’t sure listeners would accept it. A close friend from prep school gave her honest advice: be authentic. Sound like yourself.
She listened. And she never looked back.
| “Sometimes we feel like we have to put on and be somebody we’re not. But if you just talk how you would talk” – Yanique Grant “You attract who you’re meant to attract.” – Summer Henriques-Brown |
The Next 10 Years: Bigger Guests, Bigger Impact
Summer: What do you want the next 10 years to look like?
Yanique’s vision is expansive. She wants to interview the names she’s admired from afar Brené Brown, Oprah Winfrey, Simon Sinek not because they work in CX, but because the transformational work they do connects to the very core of customer experience: how you show up in every interaction, with others and with yourself.
More subscribers. More transformational guests. More hearts moved.
What Summer Sees
Summer: What do you hope I took away from watching you do this for 10 years?
Yanique answered first she hoped Summer saw focus, persistence, and belief in the work despite difficulty. Then she turned it around and asked Summer directly.
Summer’s answer was simple and from the heart: “You’re very hardworking. Every week you go into your room, hide away, make a little podcast, and publish it. You’re kind of just super bomb to be honest.”
| “You’re kind of just super bomb to be honest.” – Summer Henriques-Brown |
Key Takeaways
- Start with purpose. Passion for your subject matter is what sustains a 10-year run not hype or trends.
- Get support early. A coach or mentor at the start can make the difference between launching and never starting.
- Be yourself on mic. Authenticity isn’t a strategy, it’s the foundation. Your voice, your accent, your personality are assets.
- Consistency compounds. 272 episodes, one at a time. Show up every week and the body of work builds itself.
- The right tools change the game. AI and automation have made solo podcast production genuinely manageable.
- Credibility creates opportunity. The podcast opened speaking stages, MC roles, and global connections none of which were the original goal.
- Relationships are the real ROI. The guests, the listeners, the community those connections outlast any single episode.
- Involve the people you love. This episode is proof that the best content sometimes comes from the closest quarters.
Episode Timestamps
| Timestamp | Topic |
| 00:00 | Welcome & What This Special Episode Is About |
| 00:53 | Why Yanique Started the Podcast 10 Years Ago |
| 01:40 | Was She Scared? The Podcast Coach Who Changed Everything |
| 02:37 | What Kept Her Going Through 272 Episodes |
| 03:36 | AI Tools That Have Transformed Production |
| 04:27 | Favourite Guests: Matt Swain, Joey Coleman, Jason Feifer & More |
| 05:43 | How the Podcast Opened Global Doors – Arlington & Canada |
| 06:51 | The One Thing She’d Do Differently: Sounding Like Herself |
| 08:15 | Vision for the Next 10 Years: Brené Brown, Oprah & Beyond |
| 09:24 | What Summer Sees After 10 Years of Watching Her Mom |
| 10:30 | Yanique’s Closing Message to Listeners |
Featured Resources
Platforms & Tools Mentioned
- Mac Whisper – AI transcription tool used by Yanique for show notes
- Claude (AI) – claude.ai – used for show notes creation and production workflow
- Buzzsprout – podcast hosting and distribution platform
- CapCut – video editing tool used for intro/outro production
Guests Named in This Episode
- Matt Swain
- Joey Coleman – Author, Never Lose a Customer Again
- Jimi Gibson
- Jason Feifer – Editor-in-Chief, Entrepreneur Magazine
- Jay Baer – Customer experience & marketing expert
- Paul Brunson – Relationship expert, TV personality
- Rochelle Gapere – The Happiness Queen
Connect with Yanique & The Podcast
- X (Twitter): @NavigatingCX
- Facebook Group: Navigating the Customer Experience Community
- LinkedIn: Yanique Grant
- Website: yaniquegrant.com
- Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and yaniquegrant.com
About Navigating the Customer Experience
A globally recognized podcast hosted by Yanique Grant, featuring leaders and innovators sharing insights on leadership, business growth, customer experience, and exceptional service delivery. Publishing weekly for 10 years – 272 episodes and counting.
