The CXO Coaching List: 2026’s 17 Most Sought After CX Mentors
Leading customer experience in 2026 isn’t just about vision—it’s about getting better, faster, with the right guidance. If you’re a CXO or senior CX leader, you’re likely juggling scale, alignment, and real results for your customers and your team. That’s where CX mentors and coaches come in. The right mentor can help you pressure-test ideas, build stronger teams, and avoid hard-earned mistakes.
In this article, I’m sharing my list of the best CX coaches and mentors—experts I’ve researched independently and followed closely. My goal is to help you find people worth your time, whether you’re seeking practical coaching, career perspective, or fresh thinking to support your own professional development and the growth of your CX organization.
17 Best CX Coaches and Mentors in 2026
Jeannie Walters
Jeannie Walters is the Founder and CEO of Experience Investigators and a CCXP and CSP with 20+ years in customer experience. She advises and trains leaders on CX governance, journey mapping, and
…Jeannie Walters is the Founder and CEO of Experience Investigators and a CCXP and CSP with 20+ years in customer experience. She advises and trains leaders on CX governance, journey mapping, and cross-functional alignment, and she teaches LinkedIn Learning courses and hosts the Experience Action podcast. If you lead CX, you’ll value her focus on turning strategy into daily actions that tie customer experience to business outcomes. Companies like Verizon and PayPal have engaged her, and her style suits teams that want clear steps, shared ownership, and consistent execution.
“Customer experience doesn’t live in one department. It happens across marketing, operations, support, product, leadership. Every team touches the customer journey.”
Myra Golden
You know Myra Golden as a customer service and de-escalation trainer and keynote speaker, and the founder of Myra Golden Seminars with 20+ years working with Fortune 500 teams. Her 3R De-escalation
…You know Myra Golden as a customer service and de-escalation trainer and keynote speaker, and the founder of Myra Golden Seminars with 20+ years working with Fortune 500 teams. Her 3R De-escalation Method (Regulate, Redirect, Resolve) applies psychology to help your team bring high‑emotion conversations to a confident close without escalation; clients include Walmart, McDonald’s, and NFL guest experience teams. If you lead CX, you’ll like her practical, memorable tools, her focus on composure and call control, and her habit of tailoring sessions to your operation. Earlier, she led Consumer Affairs at Thrifty Car Rental and was named a Top 100 Rising Star by Travel Agent Magazine.
“Most people don’t struggle with difficult customers. They struggle with what to do when it escalates.”
Annette Franz
Annette Franz is the founder and CEO of CX Journey Inc., with 30 years in customer experience and a focus on culture, employee experience, and the link to business results. She teaches
…Annette Franz is the founder and CEO of CX Journey Inc., with 30 years in customer experience and a focus on culture, employee experience, and the link to business results. She teaches a “Golden Thread” approach that ties strategy to behavior and believes great customer experience starts with employees and a values-led culture. If you’re seeking a mentor for your work, her books—Customer Understanding, Built to Win, and Employee Understanding—offer practical playbooks you can apply. You’ll get clear guidance to fix culture first so your CX efforts stick.
“Pressure doesn’t test your people. It tests your system.”
Jeanne Bliss
Jeanne Bliss is a customer experience advisor and five-time Chief Customer Officer (Lands’ End, Coldwell Banker, Allstate, Microsoft, Mazda) with 35+ years helping leaders build customer-driven companies. She co-founded the Customer Experience
…Jeanne Bliss is a customer experience advisor and five-time Chief Customer Officer (Lands’ End, Coldwell Banker, Allstate, Microsoft, Mazda) with 35+ years helping leaders build customer-driven companies. She co-founded the Customer Experience Professionals Association, created a five-competency framework used by 20,000+ leaders, and wrote Chief Customer Officer 2.0 and Would You Do That To Your Mother?. If you lead CX, you’ll value her focus on earning the right to growth through trust, humanity, and leadership accountability. As a CX mentor, she works directly with senior teams to unite silos and keep customers’ lives at the center of your work.
“Beware the shiny objects! Yes, "AI" should be a key tool in your toolbox. But make it a tool and not its own strategy.”
Ian Golding
Ian Golding is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt who’s run an independent CX consultancy since 2012. He’s spent 20+ years in business improvement and
…Ian Golding is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt who’s run an independent CX consultancy since 2012. He’s spent 20+ years in business improvement and mentors CX leaders across automotive, financial services, logistics, utilities, pharma, retail, manufacturing, education, and technology. He’s published 300+ CX articles and delivers global keynotes, giving you ideas grounded in real practice for your work. He’s a founding member of the CXPA, served on its inaugural board, and was the first person authorized by the CXPA to teach the CCXP. He offers mentoring and training that’s especially useful if you’re aiming for a CCXP accreditation.
“In my opinion, experiences are all about ‘human to human interaction’. Technology should not be seen as a way of eliminating that interaction, but as a way of better enabling it.”
Ken Hughes
Ken Hughes is a consumer behavior and customer experience expert, known as the “King of Customer Experience” and an international keynote speaker. He runs CX workshops that focus on customer centricity and
…Ken Hughes is a consumer behavior and customer experience expert, known as the “King of Customer Experience” and an international keynote speaker. He runs CX workshops that focus on customer centricity and the link between customer and employee experience; his customer experience masterclass is a 6-hour session centered on values, emotion, and modern consumer connection. He authored Taylormaking and was voted best keynote speaker at Google HQ; his talks span The Blue Dot Consumer and AI, data, and disruption. If you want a CX mentor who’ll push you to move from transactions to relationships, his approach will support your work.
“In a world drowning in content, experience is the differentiator.”
Adam Toporek
You’ll get practical CX guidance from Adam Toporek, a customer experience keynote speaker, trainer, and third‑generation entrepreneur with experience in retail, wholesale, franchising, and small business. He’s the author of Be Your
…You’ll get practical CX guidance from Adam Toporek, a customer experience keynote speaker, trainer, and third‑generation entrepreneur with experience in retail, wholesale, franchising, and small business. He’s the author of Be Your Customer’s Hero, co‑hosts the Crack the Customer Code podcast (100k+ downloads), and holds credentials including Net Promoter Certified Associate, ATD Credentialed Master Trainer, and an MBA. Adam’s Hero‑Class approach centers on human moments and real‑world constraints, which helps you coach frontline teams and leaders in your work. If you want a CX mentor who turns concepts into usable plays, you’ll find his work useful.
“AI is accomplishing great things in customer experience, but the industry is also moving very fast. I hope more companies balance "being first" with "doing good" as they develop their AI capabilities.”
Scott McKain
Scott McKain is a customer experience and distinction expert, Hall of Fame keynote speaker, and bestselling author who teaches leaders how to create the Ultimate Customer Experience and stand out with purpose.
…Scott McKain is a customer experience and distinction expert, Hall of Fame keynote speaker, and bestselling author who teaches leaders how to create the Ultimate Customer Experience and stand out with purpose. He’s authored four #1 business bestsellers, serves as Corporate Educator in Residence at High Point University, and has delivered 2,000+ presentations in 36 countries; he also received the 2024 NSA Cavett Award. If you lead CX, you’ll value his clear stance that emotional connection and memorable interactions beat a one-time sale, and that clarity and standards drive consistency. As a mentor, he’ll push you to make distinctive choices your team can execute and your customers feel.
“One of the most destructive phrases in business is “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” Leaders often mistake stability for relevance, and why waiting until something is visibly broken means your customers may already be gone.”
Lynn Hunsaker
Lynn Hunsaker is a Certified Customer Experience Professional at ClearAction Continuum who focuses on embedding CX criteria in everyday decisions across functions. She led company-wide CX value growth for 14 years. She
…Lynn Hunsaker is a Certified Customer Experience Professional at ClearAction Continuum who focuses on embedding CX criteria in everyday decisions across functions. She led company-wide CX value growth for 14 years. She has taught 25 university courses, was the first CXPA‑recognized provider for an online certification course, and pioneered benchmarks in marketing operations and global B2B CX. If you want guidance to engage every product line and account team and fix “pebbles in customers’ shoes,” her templates and e‑consulting give you practical ways to apply that in your work.
“Everyone assumes they’re doing wonderful work. Yet customers are the ultimate judge: is it right for them?”
Micah Solomon
Micah Solomon is a customer experience consultant and Chief Customer Experience Architect at Four Aces Inc., with nearly two decades working across hospitality, retail, tech, healthcare, and more. He’s a five-time bestselling
…Micah Solomon is a customer experience consultant and Chief Customer Experience Architect at Four Aces Inc., with nearly two decades working across hospitality, retail, tech, healthcare, and more. He’s a five-time bestselling author and a senior contributor to Forbes (700+ articles), and he’s advised clients like The Ritz-Carlton, Walmart, Microsoft, Audi, and Merck. His style is hands-on and practical—he builds service cultures, designs training, and teaches five-star service, service recovery, and “unreasonable hospitality” you can put to work with your teams. If you’re looking for a CX mentor who offers clear playbooks and direct coaching, you’ll get grounded guidance for your work.
““Is it true that the customer’s always right?” No, the customer’s not always right. But you want to make them feel like they are.”
Shep Hyken
Shep Hyken is a customer service and customer experience expert, Hall of Fame speaker (CSP, CPAE), and Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations. He brings 30+ years in CX, is a New
…Shep Hyken is a customer service and customer experience expert, Hall of Fame speaker (CSP, CPAE), and Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations. He brings 30+ years in CX, is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of eight books, has worked with 1,200+ organizations (including Disney and FedEx), and has written 3,000+ articles. If you want a cx mentor, he’ll push you to focus on loyalty—make customers come back—and to remember customers compare you to every experience they have, not just your competitors.
“Most customers won’t tell you when something’s wrong. They’ll just leave.”
Joseph A. Michelli
You’ll find Joseph A. Michelli, Ph.D., useful to your work if you value practical CX grounded in human psychology and day-to-day operations. He’s a psychologist, author, and consultant with 30+ years advising
…You’ll find Joseph A. Michelli, Ph.D., useful to your work if you value practical CX grounded in human psychology and day-to-day operations. He’s a psychologist, author, and consultant with 30+ years advising leaders at brands like Starbucks, The Ritz-Carlton, Mercedes‑Benz, Zappos, and UCLA Health, and he’s a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek #1 bestselling author of 14 books. His “All Business Is Personal” philosophy pairs emotional intelligence with operational discipline and simple service behaviors you can coach and scale with your team. If you want a mentor who blends research, field-tested playbooks, and clear language, he’s worth following.
“We are witnessing the transition from "AI as a tool" to "AI as a teammate."”
Chip R. Bell
As a CX mentor, Chip R. Bell helps leaders like you grow customer loyalty through service innovation; he’s advised many Fortune 100 companies and pioneered customer journey mapping in the 1980s. Global
…As a CX mentor, Chip R. Bell helps leaders like you grow customer loyalty through service innovation; he’s advised many Fortune 100 companies and pioneered customer journey mapping in the 1980s. Global Gurus ranks him among the top 12 CX keynote speakers for 11 straight years (2025), and Inside Your Customer’s Imagination won a 2021 Axiom Business Book Award. He’s written 700+ columns and best‑selling books, including The 9½ Principles of Innovative Service, Wired and Dangerous, and Sprinkles. His stance: don’t pile on extras; create “value‑unique” experiences your customers can’t get elsewhere.
“Great mentors view learning as a mutual treasure hunt. Since learning is a door opened only from the inside, a partnering approach achieves greater learner retention and ensures high performance application.”
Jeff Toister
Jeff Toister is a speaker, author, and trainer who helps leaders build service cultures and customer-focused teams. He’s the bestselling author of four customer service books, and over five million learners have
…Jeff Toister is a speaker, author, and trainer who helps leaders build service cultures and customer-focused teams. He’s the bestselling author of four customer service books, and over five million learners have taken his LinkedIn Learning courses—his Customer Service Foundations course is the most-watched in its category. If you want a mentor who favors interactive work and practical takeaways, you’ll appreciate his step-by-step approach and his weekly Customer Service Tip of the Week, which Global Gurus ranks among the top customer experience development programs. He founded Toister Performance Solutions in 2005.
“Customer service has a human problem. Automation is taking over, while the people who remain act like robots. Bring more human to service...”
Dennis Snow
Dennis Snow is a customer service expert and CEO of Snow & Associates who spent 20 years with Walt Disney World, starting in 1979 and moving from attractions operator into leadership roles.
…Dennis Snow is a customer service expert and CEO of Snow & Associates who spent 20 years with Walt Disney World, starting in 1979 and moving from attractions operator into leadership roles. He launched a Disney Institute consulting division that worked with companies like ExxonMobil, AT&T, and Coca‑Cola; it became the Institute’s fastest‑growing venture with repeat business near 100%, and his leadership performance later ranked in the top 3% of Disney’s leadership team. Today he speaks, trains, and consults on defining the ideal customer experience, leadership development, and employee engagement, and he’s the author of Unleashing Excellence and Lessons From the Mouse. If you lead CX, you’ll value his practical, Disney‑tested approach to building “walk‑through‑fire” customer loyalty and developing leaders who support your work.
“The expensive truth: You're not just competing for customers. You're competing for advocates.”
John R. DiJulius III
John R. DiJulius III is President and Chief Revolution Officer of The DiJulius Group and a best-selling author of six books on customer and employee experience. He’s worked with brands like The
…John R. DiJulius III is President and Chief Revolution Officer of The DiJulius Group and a best-selling author of six books on customer and employee experience. He’s worked with brands like The Ritz-Carlton, Lexus, and Starbucks, and built his own companies, including John Robert’s Spa and the nonprofit Believe in Dreams. If you lead CX, you’ll value his X-Commandment methodology and his belief that customer experience is a core competitive advantage. He also hosts the Customer Service Revolution podcast, where he shares practical ways you and your team can make service habits stick.
“Make a list of everything you would do if you found out you only had 6 months to live. Now do them.”
Claire Boscq
Claire Boscq is a keynote speaker and customer experience advisor, ranked the No. 1 Woman Customer Experience Global Guru, with 30+ years in the field. She blends heart-led CX with BizShui, applying
…Claire Boscq is a keynote speaker and customer experience advisor, ranked the No. 1 Woman Customer Experience Global Guru, with 30+ years in the field. She blends heart-led CX with BizShui, applying Feng Shui principles to modern operations to improve customer advocacy and employee engagement. If you want a mentor who’ll push you to consider how energy, space, and behaviors shape your service, her approach is practical and easy to apply in your work. She’s also the author of two best-selling books and shares lessons on her Shine on CX Show.
“What if real business transformation doesn’t start with systems or spreadsheets…but with energy? Energy in your people. Energy in your places. Energy in your purpose.”
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