This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending an RV Expo in Worcester Massachusetts. I’m not looking for an RV, but am generally RV curious. I find the concept of an RV pretty interesting, and I have to say that walking about the expo revealed the range of designs that exist in the RV market. Different sizes, different features, slide outs, Fifth wheels, hitches, toy haulers, so much to take in at once given that I am a RV newbie. I also learned that RV manufacturers are always taking customer feedback and trying to improve their designs, as any good business does.

What was more surprising was that the majority of RVs made in the US come out of Indiana. In fact, turns out that Elkhart, Indiana is the RV capital of the wold. I’m originally from Michigan, and frankly had no idea that RVs happen in Indiana even though it is a neighboring state. Beyond basketball and corn in Indiana, there are also RVs. Who knew?

My guest today on Experience by Design is also from Indiana, Fort Wayne to be exact. Barry LaBov is the founder and CEO of LABOV Marketing and Communications, but he is much more than that. He also has authored over a dozen books, including his new book The Power of Differentiation, aimed at leaders looking to differentiate their brands and products by moving beyond a commodity mindset and showcase what makes them unique. This focus not only makes companies more attractive to customers, but also employees as it gives them a sense of purpose regarding the work they do.

We talk about his work with clients guiding them to differentiate and identify what makes them unique. We explore the vital aspects of connecting customer and employee experience, and why alignment in your experience design matters. He digs into the branding challenges in troubling times as companies try to navigate the social landscape. He describes the importance of qualitative data in understanding your customers and employees, and not waiting for the “perfect data” to present itself. He also describes his experiences as a musician, touring with the band Mark Urgent and how learning music is similar to his efforts as a marketing expert.

And of course we talk about RVs.

Barry LaBov: https://www.barrylabov.com/

LABOV: https://www.labov.com/

“The Power of Differentiation”: https://www.barrylabov.com/books

We are living through an unmistakably accelerated era of technological transformation. History shows that periods like this often reshape not only how organizations operate but also how individuals relate to one another and engage with the world.

Looking back, the impact of major technological shifts seems obvious. But living through them is far more complex. On any given day, headlines announce CEOs radically reorganizing around artificial intelligence and replacing roles once held by people, while other reports note that many companies have yet to realize measurable benefits from their significant AI investments.

The reality is that the long‑term implications—for business, society, and our daily lives—are still unfolding. Organizations must therefore be thoughtful and strategic, not reactive, in how they adopt and integrate AI technologies.

This week, we’re fortunate to explore these questions with Hakob Astabatsyan, founder of Synthflow.ai, an end‑to‑end Voice AI platform that aims to “redefine how enterprises connect with customers.” Our conversation goes well beyond Synthflow’s product offering to examine the evolving nature of AI itself.

We discuss the technical and philosophical challenges of building AI‑driven voice orchestration systems capable of mimicking human conversation. Hakob reflects on the current limitations of AI—particularly in handling emotional nuance—and the possibilities for AI tools to simulate empathy in certain contexts. He also explains Synthflow’s Visual Conversational Flow Builder, which enables organizations to design guided conversational paths that help customers navigate interactions more effectively and improve outcomes.

Throughout our discussion, Hakob emphasizes a central point: AI should enhance human capabilities, not replace them. While disruption is inevitable, the greater opportunity lies in elevating uniquely human skills—critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. This shift will require educational institutions to rethink what and how they teach in order to prepare students for the world emerging around us.

Hakob also looks ahead, predicting that 2026 will be a pivotal year for AI adoption, driven not by futuristic breakthroughs but by improvements in usability, accessibility, and seamless integration into everyday business operations.

Hakob Astabatsyan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hakob-astabatsyan/

Synthflow.ai: https://synthflow.ai/

I think we can still technically say we are in the midst of the new year even though we are two weeks into it. I don’t know if there is a statute of limitations on how long you can wish another person a happy new year, since also technically it is the new year until the next new year at which point this new year will become the old year.

One of the things that is meant to last throughout the new year are the changes that we want to make in our lives. While January 1st as a starting date is in many ways arbitrary as a demarcation point of transformation, it still is symbolically significant as a point where changes take place. Experience design can be about transformation, having these metamorphic experiences that make us different in some fundamental way. The new year definitely is one of those moments when transformation can take place. But if change is going to take place as the saying goes, “let it begin with me.”

One of the common resolutions is to simplify one’s life and ‘declutter’ what is causing our lives to become unmanageable or not able to navigate easily. The psychological impacts of clutter can be many, including increased stress levels, difficulty focusing, procrastination, difficulty with relationships, lower quality of life, decreased well-being, and feelings of being overwhelmed. We can accumulate and hold onto things throughout our lives, some of them material and some emotional and even relational. When we hold onto things that no longer serve us and only get into the way, they can impede our progress.

This is why it is a perfect time for today’s guest on Experience by Design. Saahil Mehta is on a mission to help people declutter. Part of this might come from his background as an engineer, creating things that are planned out and well organized. Part of it might come from his mountaineering expeditions, planning each element and only bringing what you need to accomplish your goal. All of it comes from his desire to get people in a place where they can move forward and achieve their dreams.

We talk about his book “Break Free: A Guide to Decluttering Your Life”, where he lays out his approach to helping others develop better relationships, have more time for their passions, and find a better path to move forward in their lives. Saahil describes his 7 Internal Summits Priority Framework as a tool that helps individuals prioritize the most important areas of their life. We also talk about the importance of overcoming people pleasing behavior, sharing the roots of the pattern and how we can start to prioritize more of our own needs.

Saahil also shares his own transformative experience from a 2016 retreat where he learned to embrace authenticity and discovered others' confidence in him despite his self-doubt. Together we explore authentic success versus societal expectations. We discuss the importance of prioritizing the things that matter most to us, and emphasize the need for honest self-assessment and the importance of creating space for reflecting on those things in our daily lives.

Finally, we have a link to Saahil’s Exponential Success Blueprint Webinar, which you can register for free.

Saahil Mehta: https://www.saahilmehta.com/

Saahil Mehta on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saahilmehta/

Exponential Success Blueprint Webinar: https://www.saahilmehta.com/success