The Strategic Value of Simple Insight Communication with Evan Williams, Founder at Perennial Mind
Jun 19, 2025•45 min•Ep. 76
Episode description
Even the smartest insight is useless if it can’t cut through, move people, or drive action. In this episode, Evan Williams, Founder at Perennial Mind and former insights leader at Uber, Mondelēz, and General Mills, breaks down what most insight teams get wrong when trying to make their work stick. Ross and Evan talk about why simplifying insights doesn’t mean watering them down, how AI can help but not replace human thinking, and why great storytelling is often more powerful than another dashboard.
We also cover:
We also cover:
- How simplification plays a crucial role in cutting through, but requires serious skill and careful thought.
- Why AI’s inability to extrapolate like a human, because of its lack of goal awareness, is a strategic risk.
- The importance of insight teams as R&D rather than validators.
- Why written communication is the most under-leveraged skill in the insights function, and the fastest path to real influence.
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