Reverse-Engineer the Standing Ovation
How intentional founders design customer journeys that actually stick.
Most founders spend a lot of time thinking about what they want customers to do: sign up, subscribe, buy the thing, refer a friend. It makes sense. Those are the actions that show up on a dashboard. But in my experience, the better question—the one that actually builds loyalty—is: What do you want your customers to feel once it’s all over?
After more than 20 years building campaigns and experiences for clients of every shape and size, I’ve seen this pattern play out again and again. The brands that win aren’t just clear on their messaging or funnel structure. They’re clear on the feeling they want to leave behind. Relief. Excitement. Confidence. Joy. When you start there, you stop building reactively and start building with intent.
I recently shared an interview with Andrew Howlett of Struck, who talked about how brands are losing their edge by playing it safe—opting for templates over ideas. He said the real magic happens when brands take creative risks that people can feel. That same principle applies here, too. Because a great product or a clever ad may catch attention, but a great experience is what people remember—and talk about.
That idea extends well beyond the design layer. A remarkable customer experience doesn’t happen by accident. It’s staged. Scripted. Engineered backward from the reaction you’re hoping to earn.
This is something recent Eggs! The Podcast guest Jason Friedman figured out long before most of us, thanks to a past life in rock tours and Broadway shows. A former lighting designer for musical acts like Rush and Broadway hits like Fiddler on the Roof, Jason built his career around creating moments that moved people. Now he helps companies do the same—designing customer journeys that turn everyday interactions into emotional, memorable, scalable experiences. If you’ve ever struggled to make your customer journey stick, this conversation is a masterclass in starting from the end.
From Backstage to Boardrooms, it’s Jason Friedman
Before Jason Friedman was helping Fortune 500 companies build immersive customer experiences, he was fine-tuning light cues for the biggies of sound and stage. A self-described AV nerd turned touring professional, Jason spent his early career behind the scenes—literally—learning how to craft moments that move people.
It was on the road that he started to notice something strange: no matter where they performed—city to city, audience to audience—people laughed, clapped, even cried in the same places, night after night. What looked spontaneous was actually the result of careful design. Scripts. Cues. Emotional arcs. And it sparked a realization: if a theater production could consistently produce that kind of reaction, maybe a business could, too!
That insight became the foundation of CXFormula, Jason’s consultancy and coaching business that has helped companies like Disney, Foot Locker, Bank of America, and Harvard reverse-engineer their customer experience—building emotional resonance into every touchpoint, from the initial impression to the follow-up email. His approach has transformed flagship stores, donor engagement campaigns, and complex service workflows by asking one deceptively simple question: What do you want your customer to say about you when it’s over?
Whether you’re running a scrappy startup or scaling into enterprise, Jason’s message is clear: customer loyalty isn’t earned by accident—it’s directed with intent.
Cue the Applause — Scripting Reactions, Not Just Results
Jason’s approach isn’t about guesswork or gimmicks—it’s about deliberately shaping how people feel throughout their interaction with your brand. Here are a few standout moments from our conversation, paired with insights you can put to work right away.
“People had the same reaction in the same spots… night after night… and it was all intentional.”
Actionable Insight: Start from the emotional outcome you want customers to have—then reverse-engineer the experience. Map the beats that will move them toward that result, just like a show director does with an audience.
“We started by asking: what do you want people to do after they see this? And they hadn’t even thought of that.”
Actionable Insight: Don’t default to flashy features or “best practices.” Begin by identifying the specific behavior or shift you want from your customers, then design each element to nudge that action forward.
“We created a lazy river for the customer—an experience that pulled them through the store effortlessly.”
Actionable Insight: Eliminate decision fatigue. Design your customer journey like a narrative: smooth, intuitive, and emotionally guided. Use environmental cues, UX flows, and content that naturally move people to the next step.
“Most companies obsess over getting strangers to say yes. The smart ones obsess over the people who already did.”
Actionable Insight: Retention is the real growth engine. Redirect resources toward onboarding, post-purchase support, and delight moments that turn customers into repeat buyers and evangelists.
“We call it the Ideal Customer Script—what do you want them to say about you after it’s over?”
Actionable Insight: Write the testimonial you want before you build the product or service. Let that imagined rave review shape your roadmap, messaging, and support experience.
“Overdelivering all the time overwhelms people. It becomes the new normal and stops feeling special.”
Actionable Insight: Don’t try to dazzle at every turn. Instead, find key moments where a thoughtful, unexpected gesture creates delight—and let the rest be simple, smooth, and on-brand.
“Your customer’s experience is how they feel after interacting with your brand. It’s their perception—whether or not it matches your intention.”
Actionable Insight: Build in mechanisms to test perception. Use surveys, interviews, and journey-mapping exercises to understand how customers interpret your experience, not just what you intended it to be.
Where Experience Becomes Strategy
Too often, customer experience is treated like the cherry on top—something nice to have once the product works and the funnel converts. But what Jason makes clear is that experience is the strategy. It’s the thing people remember, the thing they talk about, the thing that determines whether they stick around or start looking elsewhere.
For founders and leaders, the takeaway isn’t to “add more delight” or “optimize every touchpoint.” It’s to zoom out and ask a harder, more useful question: What do we want them to feel when it’s over? If you know the answer, you don’t need to guess what comes next—you just need to build your way back to it, one intentional moment at a time.
Thanks for reading,
—Ryan
Ready for more?
Catch Jason Friedman’s interview in its entirety on Eggs! The Podcast.
Don’t miss a show! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or really anywhere great podcasts are found.
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Reading list
If you're looking to dive deeper into the ideas discussed in this piece, here are some recommended books and resources that align with Kyle McDowell's principles:
The Power of Moments by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Why certain experiences stick with us—and how to create those moments on purpose. Essential reading for anyone thinking seriously about customer experience.Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service by The Disney Institute
Straight from one of Jason’s former clients, this book explores how Disney designs every interaction with intention. A behind-the-scenes look at experience as strategy.
More to explore
Jeff Amerine
Website: CXFormula
Website: radicalinc.com
Free Resource: Think Bold, Be Bold – Free Download
LinkedIn: Jason Friedman
Work with me
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Eggs! The Podcast: https://www.eggscast.com
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