Michael Yaksich is a seasoned researcher and strategist with experience spanning over a decade. He has worked with established brands and startups to leverage customer insights in goal-setting, product development, and go-to-market strategies. Michael draws from his background in behavioral science to champion the value of customer understanding. His expertise includes segmentation, measurement design, persona and journey mapping, concept and A/B testing, customer preference, positioning, pricing, feature optimization, brand health, and messaging experience. Michael has advised executive leadership and led two high-performing teams in organizations across different industries, including automotive, AI, consumer packaged goods, digital consumer products, financial services, and quick-service restaurants. He has an educational background in Sociology from Boston College and the University of Maryland College Park. Michael's professional experience includes Vice President, Business Strategy at SKIM, Director of Customer Strategy at Cruise, Senior Manager at Cadillac, Manager of Marketing Research & Insights at Hyundai Capital America, and Senior Manager of Brand Strategy & Innovation at BrandIQ.