Account Management Secrets Episode 49: Serve, Retain, Sell: How Account Management Builds Revenue Leaders
Aug 8, 2025
In this discussion, Mike Rapp, Chief Revenue Officer at IntelePeer, shares insights from his journey in account management. He emphasizes the importance of owning client relationships for driving revenue. Mike explains the strategic advantage of understanding customer experiences and outlines the mantra "Serve, Retain, Sell" as a guide for account managers. He also highlights the vital distinction between customer retention and acquisition, stressing the need for building trust before upselling. Overall, Mike offers actionable advice for cultivating impactful client relationships.
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From Project Manager To Revenue Leader
- Mike Rapp moved from project management into account management after proving delivery tied directly to revenue.
- That shift set a path that eventually led him to run revenue as CRO.
Scaling From 100 To 2,500 Accounts
- Mike Rapp scaled his scope dramatically, going from roughly 100 accounts to about 2,500.
- That scale forced account management to become strategically critical for revenue retention and growth.
Retention Is The SaaS Lifeblood
- Mike Rapp frames retention as cheaper and more important than acquisition for SaaS health.
- High churn forces firms to sell far more just to maintain headline growth.