Good conflict and the Lost Art of the Kate Girl is the latest drop of the Struggle Bus pod featuring Christopher Bousquet of Litmus7 recorded live at the Joyce over a terrible beer. Chris dropped a truth bomb that every marketer needs to hear: Your cohort analysis is lying to you. I also learned he loves Chicken Parmigiana, family and can smell his childhood meals still.
When I first met Chris in April 2025, he was in Dublin part of a buyer and leadership team from North American retail over sharing thoughts with Irish tech and Saas owners and Irish brands too. Thanks Enterprise Ireland USA The discussion was flagging a bit and he (and Finn) jumped in to help the “little guys” build momentum. A small piece of empathy and simple questioning to bring things to life. Then, he was the first to meet for a beer. Simple things, human things.
Our discussion was broad reaching and spoke to a few topics.
1. Empathy as a Professional Asset
Chris argues that empathy isn’t just a “soft skill” but a foundational element of successful business. He traces his own empathetic nature back to personal loss, which forced him to seek out and build deep connections. This human-first approach allows him to offer genuine value, even when “American buyers” or corporate standards might lean toward cold efficiency.
2. Participation in Culture vs. Cohort Analysis
A major critique of modern marketing: Chris believes brands have lost the “lost art” of truly knowing their customers.
3. The Value of Friction: Friction acts as a stress test for product demand. If a customer is willing to “struggle-click” a broken add-to-cart button 20 times, you know you have a product people truly want.
4. “Good Conflict” and Relationships : Chris champions the idea of “good conflict”. He worries that today’s “camp-based” mentality prevents progress because people find disagreement offensive rather than collaborative.
5. The Changing of the Guard The “Agency/SI” model is shifting. As veteran leaders move into board roles, a new generation of remote-first, internationally-minded leaders (like /Archive Digital) is taking over.
The world of commerce is no longer US-led; it’s a global road trip, and we’re all in the same car. The question is: Do you actually know the people you’re driving with?
Check out the full episode for a deep dive into empathy, agency life, and why the “Kate Girl” still matters.
#Ecommerce #DigitalTransformation #EmpathyInBusiness #StruggleBus #RetailStrategy #NRF26
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