Persona development that turns insight into action
Good Intern CX Case Competition
Have you ever noticed how the biggest growth often starts where you least expect it? At our first group Persona Workshop, I clipped sprigs from three different plants and set them in water. One for each client/intern pair, we had sewn seeds of ideas. Possibilities just waiting to be rooted in substance.
At first, nothing happened to those plants. Leaves dropped. Even so, left quietly to their own devices, those roots began to form. After months of time to grow, sprigs are now plants. Strong enough for soil. Just like each brand’s slowly emerging re-emerging identity. Long before the Good CX Intern Case Competition, consumer insights needed to be surfaced so that ideas could be harvested. In many ways, that is the beauty and the beast of persona development: giving ideas the time, space, and attention to become something more. It takes patience, pause and contemplation.
What the intern case competition taught us about persona development
With innovation at its centre, this work didn’t set out to be a competition, nor was it just about solving business problems. Or collecting qualified leads. Instead, it was about building real partnerships, challenging comfort zones, and providing a safe space for transformation. By inviting three students into the heart of their businesses, our client partners catalysed change – not only for themselves, but also for the next wave of young strategic talent.
Insights do matter. As the competition unfolded, each intern participant – Chloe, Emma, and Christine – became a mirror for their client: mining for and reflecting back hidden insights, long-held assumptions, and untapped potential. Transitioning from theory to practice, they learned that persona development isn’t a box to tick; it’s a living, breathing dialogue with consumers. Who are real people. And with bigger fish to fry than buying services. In fact, the most meaningful insights often came not from big data but from the smallest, nearly-forgotten anecdotal stories: a customer’s offhand comment, a testimonial buried in an old inbox, a question no one dared to ask until now.
Student partnerships: Empathy and action within the intern case competition
This Changes Everything: Chloe Hobbs
Chloe Hobbs has been working with Remarkable Mindset on a project narrative, ‘The Twist: This Changes Everything’. From the outset, it was clear to see the strength of Chloe’s connection to the brand and her keen understanding of the ‘unmet need’. As she mapped out the customer’s journey, Chloe made behavioural science feel personal, not theoretical. Judge Jane Grainger loved Chloe’s case comp entry: “Very clear introduction to the business, statement of problem and current business stage.” Craig Manning added, “The ‘Magic Eye’ different perspective slide was a great way to engage the audience.” Chloe’s project showed that persona development is not about analysing from a distance. Instead, it’s about immersing yourself in the emotional reality of the customer and daring to ask what sits just beneath the surface.
Courageous conversations: Emma Ma
Meanwhile, Emma Ma partnered with Leecia Burford Financial Services on a new Personal Insurance campaign, which is about to air. With a natural talent for Human-Centred Design, Emma excels in storyboarding: a skill that has taken her project all the way from strategic slides into the practical world of channel strategy.
Jane observed Emma’s summary: “Good persona insights and good articulation of the problem and solution using persona profiling.” Craig agreed, adding: “Some of your later slides were especially impactful and clearly articulated.” Emma refuses to stop at the comfortable edge of insight; she’s currently working alongside her client, building a media strategy with real-world impact. It’s hard not to feel excited for what comes next.
Putting on your own oxygen mask first: Christine Chang
Next up, Christine Chang’s ‘The Fork in the Road’ project for Good to Great Parenting is about to unveil its brand vision. In addition to dissecting Kiwi parenting pain points, Christine also led the organisation of the event with steady hands and care. It’s hard to think through the eyes of a kiwi parent, but her effort to be Allocentric was evident. Analysis bridged the gap between her own family life in Taiwan and the families she aimed to understand here. “Christine’s Spider diagram was a really insightful way to talk to the key points,” the judges shared. Christine’s leadership and thoughtful analysis truly exemplify what this competition hopes to nurture.
Gratitude is at the heart of every competition
We often focus on the winners. However, meaningful learning never happens in isolation. Side by side with our interns, our client partners, Justine Lamont, Mandy Beverley, and Leecia Burford, took a leap of faith: letting new minds and voices into their businesses in full view. Above all, their openness seeded trust and created a safe container for growth. Each entrusted their intern with their hopes, their challenges, and their willingness to be seen – truly seen – by someone new.
Of course, the backbone of any real-world competition is its Judges. Craig Manning brought a wealth of product, digital, and AI wisdom. Jane Grainger supplied structure and sharp insight in equal measure. Both were unstinting in praise, honest in their feedback, and generous with their time. This is how strategy communities thrive – through partnership and constructive attention.
And from me? Days like this are what our work is all about. The people we create with are key.
Celebrating achievement: Every root matters
It’s hard not to feel that slight lump in my throat when I say how proud I am of my ‘Unicorns’. Chloe, you are a force for clarity, with a knack for loving “the brand” and unearthing what’s left unsaid. Emma, your tenacity carried your strategy into the world, making the shift from research to communication real and measurable. And Christine, your ability to actually make this event happen is quite an act of leadership and expansion.
Small buds are growing on those plants now. Each student earned a special award. The fabulous Chloe Hobbs was named the overall winner for her deep engagement with the emotional underpinnings of behaviour change. Insightful Emma Ma received the Insights to Action Award for determination and bridging thinking to doing. Finally, Christine was honoured for her event leadership and continual growth mindset.
Why the intern case competition and persona development matter for us all
You may be reading this as a business owner, a colleague, or as a future student hoping to make your mark. If so, ask yourself: when was the last time you watered an idea, waited, and watched for hidden roots? Growth that lasts comes when you allow fresh eyes to challenge you. When you invite in curiosity, patience, and the right measures of rigour and warmth.
Ultimately, good strategy isn’t transactional. Instead, it is the long process of becoming, together.
Planting for the future
In fact, every story in this intern case competition becomes a seed for the next possibility. If you want to be part of this journey, either as a business seeking strategic renewal or as a student who’s eager to learn, contribute, and grow, I invite you to join us. The work is real, the learning endless, and the results – like the strongest roots – will surprise you.
Learn more about strategic storytelling | Explore the OPEN framework
Justine Lamont | Mandy Beverley | Leecia Burford
