CX Babies.
It’s an interesting name we call our CX professionals at Cowrywise. I honestly can’t remember how it started or who said it first – but it stuck. It’s cute, has a nice ring to it, and over time, it’s become part of our culture.
At the last CXCON, Razaq, (CEO) had an interesting thought: what are the chances we find the right person for us at CX CON. What if our next CX Baby was sitting right there in the audience?
Could we pull that off? Would we find the person we were looking for? How fast could we make it happen?
CXCON held on Friday, October 10.
We wanted this person to resume by October 27.
Twelve working days. From application to offer letter to first day.
Daring? Absolutely.
But we like a good challenge.
The Setup
We deliberately decided against announcing this plan before the event. We didn’t want people attending CXCON because of a job opening. We wanted them to attend because they genuinely cared about CX.
We’ve always believed the best hires come from communities that already live our values, CXCON was the perfect place to test that belief.
Then, towards the end of the event, we dropped the surprise.
A simple form. A simple question:
“Why do you think you should be the next CX Baby?”
124 applications. In 15 minutes.
We looked at each other in disbelief when we closed the form. So many entries, in so little time. The energy was electric, and slightly overwhelming. But we rolled up our sleeves anyway.
Reviewing the Profiles and What We Learned
We built our selection around two major things:
1. The Strength of the Profile
We asked for LinkedIn profiles instead of CVs. Why? Because a LinkedIn profile is easier to update and gives us a quick sense of how candidates present themselves publicly.
Here’s what surprised us: many talented CX professionals underestimate how much their LinkedIn profile matters. In a fast-moving process like this, your profile is your first impression, and sometimes your only one.
Some profiles sang. Some whispered. And some… said nothing at all.
We saw profiles with outdated roles, missing details, or content that didn’t align with the CX expertise these candidates clearly had. If you’re serious about opportunities in CX, treat your LinkedIn like your digital storefront. Keep it current. Make it count.
2. The Strength of the “Why”
We gave everyone unlimited space to make their case. No word limit. No restrictions.
And yet… Some responses were one-liners like “I believe I’m the best fit for the job.”
In a competitive environment where 124 people want the same role, your why matters. It’s your story. Your pitch. Your shot. The people who stood out didn’t just tell us they were qualified, they showed us why this role, at this company, at this moment, mattered to them.
Our recruitment team spent 9 collective hours that weekend reviewing every single application, all 124 of them.
By Monday, October 13, we’d shortlisted 7 people for interviews.
Invites went out on Tuesday, October 14.
By that Thursday and Friday, all interviews were done.
The Interview
We met some incredible people, each with unique perspectives and genuine passion for CX. But one key theme stood out during those conversations.
At CXCON, one of the big takeaways was the importance of seeing how CX connects to business growth. It’s one thing to know the customer comes first. It’s another to understand how your role directly influences the company’s bottom line.
One candidate, Sarah, made this connection crystal clear. When we asked about handling a difficult customer situation, she didn’t just talk about resolving the issue. She walked us through how that resolution prevented churn, created an opportunity for upselling, and turned a frustrated customer into a brand advocate who referred two others. She saw the ripple effect.
That kind of thinking, connecting daily CX work to measurable business outcomes, became a key differentiator.
“What struck me about Sarah during the interview was how naturally she connected empathy with impact,” one of our interviewers noted. “She understood that great CX isn’t just about making customers happy, it’s about making the business sustainable.”
The Final Decision
We were torn between two outstanding candidates. If we could, we’d have hired both. But we could only bring one onboard.
So, we did what any thoughtful team would do: a second round.
Both were impressive, both had heart, both clearly belonged in CX, but we could only choose one. The second interview helped us understand not just who could do the job, but who was the best fit for where we are right now as a team and where we’re headed.
By Wednesday, October 22, just five days before the planned start date, we hopped on a call to make it official.
We extended the offer to Sarah.
And just like that, we’d hired from CXCON in twelve days.
Three Truths That Changed How We Hire
Looking back on this wild sprint, here’s what surprised us:
1. Speed doesn’t have to mean sloppiness. We moved fast, but we didn’t skip steps. Every application got reviewed. Every shortlisted candidate got a fair interview. The tight timeline actually forced us to be more focused and intentional about what mattered most.
2. Your “why” is your differentiator. Technical skills can be taught. Processes can be learned. But clarity about why you want a specific role at a specific company? That’s what separates good candidates from great ones.
3. Community hiring works. CXCON wasn’t just an event, it was a filter. Everyone who applied had already demonstrated they cared enough about CX to spend their Friday at a conference. That shared context made the entire process richer.
What This Says About Us
For us, CXCON wasn’t just about finding talent fast, it reaffirmed that our strongest teams grow from shared curiosity and community.
We could have posted on job boards. We could have waited for the “perfect” moment. But we chose to lean into the energy of a room full of people who already understood what we valued: genuine care for customers, a hunger to learn, and the courage to connect the dots between empathy and impact.
That’s the kind of environment where CX Babies thrive.
The Full Circle Moment
If you’ve read this far, you’ve seen how it played out from our side, the sprint, the reviews, the tough decisions.
But the story wouldn’t be complete without hearing from Sarah herself. What was it like to go from conference attendee to job offer in less than two weeks? What made her take the leap? How did she approach that “why” question that started it all?
We asked her to tell it, in her own words.
Twelve days. One conference. One crazy idea that worked.
Welcome to the team, Sarah.
