255: Reimagining the Voice of the Customer: How Hark is Humanizing Customer Communication with Fran Brzyski

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In this episode of Navigating the Customer Experience, we sit down with Fran Brzyski, CEO and Co-Founder of Hark, the leader in video and audio-driven customer feedback. With over a decade of experience in CX and Voice of Customer roles spanning startups to Fortune 50s, Fran brings a wealth of insight into transforming how brands listen and respond to customers in the modern age.

Fran’s journey to entrepreneurship wasn’t linear. He began in finance at a major bank but quickly realized the corporate world wasn’t for him. Driven by a desire to innovate and execute quickly, he pivoted into the startup world, embracing the highs and lows along the way. After working across sectors including biotech, risk and compliance, and e-commerce, he found his calling in software — drawn by the rapid feedback loops and opportunity for fast-paced innovation. Inspired by his supportive wife and parents, Fran took a leap of faith, second-mortgaged his home, and founded Hark.

So, what is Hark? Fran explains that Hark was born from a realization that customer communication was evolving rapidly. While people freely share stories on social media, brand interactions remained stuck in outdated forms and text-based surveys. Hark changes that by enabling customers to share feedback via audio, video, screen share, and text — creating a multimodal, emotionally rich experience that makes people feel truly heard.

Hark not only captures more meaningful customer stories, but also analyzes them to extract trends and insights across departments. The platform facilitates faster feedback loops and deeper cross-functional collaboration — turning traditional customer feedback into an engaging, action-driven experience that transforms how teams operate.

Fran shares powerful use cases where Hark has driven real change. In one example, a beauty brand identified a pump issue that was initially thought to be a product defect. Through Hark’s insights, they discovered it was actually a fulfillment problem — saving time, money, and improving the customer experience. Another eyewear company revamped its NPS strategy, using Hark to elevate promoters into champions, fostering brand loyalty in ways they’d never seen before.

When asked about tools he can't live without, Fran points to ChatGPT, noting its versatility in helping him brainstorm, optimize operations, and make strategic decisions — effectively serving as his go-to AI business partner.

Books that have influenced him? "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz stands out for helping him tune into what truly drives personal happiness and freedom, a mindset he carries into both life and leadership.

What’s Fran excited about right now? Both professionally and personally, a lot. He’s energized by the accelerating pace of AI innovation, especially how it’s reshaping product development and testing. Personally, raising three young kids under six keeps him grounded and present, giving him fresh perspective every day.

On staying motivated, Fran emphasizes self-awareness, structure, and support. He prioritizes sleep, exercise, and quality time with his family. He also works with a coach and practices meditation to stay mentally clear and present — knowing that founder life is a marathon, not a sprint.

His favorite quote? One from his mom: “This isn’t a dress rehearsal, this life.” It’s a reminder to be bold, stay grounded, and live intentionally — a philosophy he carries with him into every business decision.

Connect with Fran:

• Fran Brzyski on LinkedIn
• Hark on LinkedIn

Tune in to learn how Fran is disrupting customer feedback