When marketing in a digital world we need make the most of each moment of truth.
Moments of trust are any point at which your customer interacts with your business.
Over the past few years business has found that there are four moments of truth that matter in building a great consumer experience that promotes the sale of your products and services.
Through his book, Humancentric, Mike Saunders has presented to the world a new way of building businesses in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Hooked on Tech
This digital economy is an enigma. People and business have been grappling with its potential for years.
Whether we are trying to understand product development in a digital world or parenting in an app-crazy household – we have to admit that the digital economy is one of the most mysterious, enticing and scary economies we have ever had to navigate.
Strong online personal branding is key to getting noticed and building more influence in your career and personal life.
Your online personal brand is one of the most valuable assets you can control. No matter what you’re trying to achieve in life, your personal brand can help you achieve it.
Content plans definitely have their place in the eco-system of a social media strategy, however, for many it’s become the single essence of their online presence and this is concerning.
Content plans push us towards distribution thinking.
Innovation is the heartbeat of an organisation, helping to breathe life and longevity into what you do as well as contribute meaningfully to performance.
Whether you’re innovating on your core business model to diversify profit streams or adding new products to an existing lineup, innovation is a complex undertaking that organisations invest in and embark on.
Mike Saunders is a digital thought leader, entrepreneur, and international keynote speaker who helps organizations bridge the gap between people and technology. As CEO of DigitLab, a leading digital strategy agency, he partners with businesses to solve complex challenges in the digital economy.
He also founded the DigitLab Academy and two nonprofit initiatives supporting women in digital and young entrepreneurs. Recognized globally for his insights, Mike is the author of three books and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship as a solution to poverty. Known for his energetic and curious style, he makes complex ideas simple, actionable, and inspiring.
Mike Saunders is a globally recognized digital transformation expert and keynote speaker, known for his ability to simplify complex digital concepts and make them accessible to a broad audience. As the founder and CEO of DigitLab, one of South Africa’s leading digital strategy agencies, Mike has spent over a decade helping businesses navigate the evolving digital landscape. His expertise spans digital marketing, customer engagement, and innovation, making him a sought-after speaker for conferences and events worldwide. His presentations are both engaging and informative, empowering organizations to embrace digital transformation and enhance their customer experiences.
Based in Durban, South Africa, Mike’s influence extends across Africa and beyond, where he is celebrated as a thought leader in the field of digital strategy. His approach focuses on the intersection of technology and humanity, encouraging businesses to adopt human-centric solutions in their digital efforts.
Mike Saunders has over 15 years of experience working at the forefront of digital transformation, innovation, and marketing. As the founder and CEO of DigitLab, a leading digital strategy agency, Mike has worked with numerous high-profile clients, helping them develop and implement successful digital strategies.
In this talk, Mike Saunders emphasizes that technology is meaningless unless it improves people’s lives. He challenges businesses to rethink their digital strategies by focusing on people as the true centerpiece of innovation, not the technology itself.
Mike highlights his journey as an entrepreneur and digital strategist, having pioneered businesses and founded organizations that serve human needs in a rapidly evolving digital economy. Through his role as CEO of DigitLab and founder of the DigitLab Academy, he has worked with companies to close the gap between digital tools and real-world outcomes.
He notes that too many organizations chase trends without asking how new tools serve people. True digital transformation, he argues, requires clarity of purpose, empathy, and a relentless focus on solving human problems.
With his trademark energy and curiosity, Mike frames entrepreneurship as both a personal passion and a pathway to wider social impact, particularly in fighting poverty and enabling opportunity. His message is clear: technology without purpose fails, but when built around people, it can drive extraordinary progress.
00:15 – Technology fails unless it adds value to people’s lives
01:00 – People, not products, are the true centerpiece of innovation
02:00 – Mike’s entrepreneurial journey and role at DigitLab
03:00 – Founding DigitLab Academy and nonprofits supporting women and youth
04:30 – Digital economy challenges: solving human needs, not chasing tools
06:00 – Entrepreneurship as a solution to poverty
07:00 – Closing: purpose-driven technology as the future of innovation
In this Brave Narrative talk, Mike Saunders shares a simple but powerful framework for human-centric ideation—an approach to innovation that ensures ideas are meaningful because they are rooted in human reality.
He poses three guiding questions:
By applying these three questions, leaders and innovators can focus on solutions that align with human behavior, social interaction, and deeper motivations rather than chasing trends for their own sake. Saunders emphasizes that answering these questions consistently leads businesses toward more effective strategies, stronger customer engagement, and meaningful innovation that stands the test of time.
00:15 – Introduction: Defining human-centric ideation
00:45 – The first question: What do people need? (Maslow’s hierarchy)
01:30 – The second question: What do people want? (convenience, entertainment, efficiency)
02:15 – The third question: Where do people hang out? (physical and digital interactions)
03:00 – Applying these principles to business, cities, and online engagement
04:00 – Closing: Human-centric ideation as a pathway to meaningful innovation
In this Brave Narrative talk, Mike Saunders unpacks the psychology of loving your work, drawing from Frederick Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory. He begins with a sobering fact: only 13% of people globally do work they love. To change this, Saunders stresses the importance of understanding what drives real motivation.
He explains Herzberg’s two “buckets”:
Saunders emphasizes that too often, people expect managers or leaders to motivate them. In reality, self-motivation is key. By taking ownership of responsibility, recognizing others, celebrating small wins, and seeking opportunities for growth, individuals can create intrinsic motivation and transform their work experience.
He concludes that loving your work isn’t about finding the perfect company it’s about how you approach each day, how you motivate yourself, and how you continually grow.
00:20 – Opening: Only 13% of people love what they do
01:00 – Introduction to Herzberg’s theory: two buckets of motivation
02:00 – Hygiene bucket: pay, security, conditions, relationships
03:00 – Motivation bucket: recognition, responsibility, achievement, growth
04:30 – Self-motivation vs. expecting leadership to provide it
06:00 – Practical ways to fill your own motivation bucket
07:30 – Closing: Loving your work is about mindset and daily approach
In this introduction to his work and philosophy, Mike Saunders makes the case that technology fails unless it adds value to people’s lives. He emphasizes that people—not tools, platforms, or devices—are the true centerpiece of innovation.
As CEO of DigitLab, a digital strategy agency, Saunders has built businesses and nonprofits that focus on meeting human needs in the digital economy. He also founded the DigitLab Academy, supporting skills development, and nonprofits aimed at empowering women in digital industries and young entrepreneurs.
Recognized internationally as a speaker and the author of three books, Saunders has consistently highlighted entrepreneurship as one of the most effective solutions to poverty. His style is energetic and curious, focused on breaking down complex digital and business challenges into practical solutions.
The talk positions him as both a strategist and a catalyst, inspiring leaders to rethink technology not as an end in itself, but as a tool for human progress and meaningful impact.
00:10 – Opening: Technology fails unless it adds value to people’s lives
00:40 – People as the centerpiece of all innovation
01:15 – Introduction to Mike Saunders: entrepreneur, author, and speaker
02:00 – CEO of DigitLab: solving real business challenges through digital strategy
02:30 – Founding DigitLab Academy and nonprofits supporting women and youth
03:15 – Global recognition as a thought leader and keynote speaker
04:00 – Closing: The role of entrepreneurship in driving poverty solutions
A: Both — strategy plus rapid activation tactics.
A: Marketing, comms, and growth teams.
A: Standard AV; virtual requires stable uplink.
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The heart of Mike Saunders’ exciting new book is how to build a successful business in the Fourth Industrial Revolution while focusing on human stakeholders.
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