The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has emerged as a focal point of federal agency reductions in early 2025, following the launch of the new administration’s DOGE initiative. As political and media scrutiny of the Bureau intensified, public engagement with the agency also surged.
On a recent morning at Denver’s airport, I witnessed the hidden switch that drives customer loyalty. I spotted one of my favorite servers on the train looking worn out and quiet – a stark contrast to her usual upbeat self. I gave her space and headed to my go-to restaurant (one that we locals actually arrive early to visit). As I took my first sips of coffee, I saw that same server now laughing with teammates as they prepped for the day. In minutes, she’d completely transformed. Whether through smart training or personal grit, she’d tapped into that hard-to-measure skill that turns first-time visitors into regulars.
Change means opportunity. In the customer ecosystem, changes create new needs – needs that can be uncovered, and once uncovered are probably not being covered by anyone else… yet. When demand for consumer goods is shrinking, it means consumers are also re-evaluating which goods help them economize. When employers are risk averse about taking on new staff, it means they’ll also seek more fractional and contract roles to get their critical work done.
JP Snow emphasizes that businesses must prioritize customer creation as the primary goal to drive growth, retention, and success. He highlights that aligning all operations around meeting customers’ unmet needs fosters organic alignment, empowers judgment, and generates sustainable growth. Businesses should integrate this focus into their organizational design, objectives, and metrics.
