The Growth Signal

What if the thing holding your business back isn’t strategy - it’s self-awareness? In this episode, Titus Jordan joins Alyssa to explore the messy middle of personal growth, branding, and building authentic customer relationships. They dive into the danger of shiny object syndrome, the power of daily discipline, and why clarity beats complexity every time. If you’ve ever struggled to align who you are with what you sell, this one’s for you.About the Guest:+Titus Jordan is a business strategist, leadership coach, and host of a podcast dedicated to unlocking real business growth. With over 25 years of experience in sales, business development, and operations, Titus helps leaders refine strategy, deepen client relationships, and drive sustainable success. His approach blends mindset, discipline, and tactical know-how - making him a trusted voice for entrepreneurs and growth-minded teams alike.Key Takeaways:You can’t build trust externally if you’re not being honest internally—authenticity starts with you.Trying to be everything to everyone dilutes your impact—clarity beats complexity.Sustainable growth is built on small, repeated choices, not random bursts of activity.Key Moments:00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:18 Guest's Origin Story01:26 Self-Awareness in Business03:46 Building Authentic Relationships05:12 Branding and Focus09:56 Workshops and Personal Development13:54 Energy Management and Productivity19:23 Influential Thought Leaders23:07 Conclusion and Contact InformationSend us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

What if your most dreaded meeting could become your most powerful? In this episode of The Growth Signal, Andrea Bumstead shares how one off-the-cuff comment turned into a viral framework that’s transforming customer success teams. We break down the "15-Minute QBR" - a radical approach that prioritizes emotional impact, renewals, and executive attention over bloated slide decks and low-value metrics.Andrea explains why traditional QBRs are broken, how to create high-impact conversations that actually get executive buy-in, and what every CS leader needs to understand about delivering value that feels valuable. Whether you’re a CSM, VP, or just sick of being monologued at - this one’s for you.About the Guest:Andrea Bumstead is a dynamic and engaging voice in customer success, known for turning real-world experience into actionable strategies. With a background leading CS teams and advising go-to-market leaders, Andrea brings high-energy insights that resonate with anyone navigating growth, renewal pressure, or stakeholder engagement. Her viral "15-Minute QBR" framework sparked a wave of conversation across LinkedIn and the broader SaaS community - challenging outdated playbooks and redefining how we deliver value in every customer conversation.Key Takeaways:Shorter is smarter – A 15-minute QBR, done right, can drive more executive engagement and renewals than a bloated hour-long session.Emotional impact > product metrics – Customers renew when they feel the value. Data alone doesn’t close the deal - stories and outcomes do.You don’t define what’s valuable – If your customer doesn’t experience it as value, it doesn’t matter how good it looks on a slide.Key Moments:00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:22 Meet Andrea: LinkedIn Fame and 15-Minute QBR01:12 The Origin of the 15-Minute QBR02:36 Implementing the 15-Minute QBR05:24 The Viral LinkedIn Post07:47 Why the 15-Minute QBR Resonates12:12 Crafting High-Impact Conversations22:37 Addressing Challenges and Solutions26:21 Leading the Charge in Customer Success28:05 Conclusion and Contact InformationSend us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

What if your most well-intentioned outreach is actually turning customers off? In this episode, Brian Hansen joins Alyssa to unpack the blind spots in post-sale relationships—and why so many Customer Success teams are stuck delivering “value” that no one asked for. They explore how to stop checking boxes and start building trust, with real talk on AI, authenticity, and the metrics that actually matter. If you’ve ever been ghosted by a customer, this one’s for you.Brian Hansen is the founder of Brian Hansen Consulting, where he helps companies tighten their post-sale revenue strategies. His work focuses on improving retention and expansion with best-fit customers while creating feedback loops that make Product, Sales, and Marketing more effective.Main Topics Covered:The OME Framework – Outcomes, Measurements, and Expectations as a practical way to track valueHuman-Centered CS in an AI World – Why automation should enable relationships, not replace themMultithreading & Metrics That Matter – How to avoid last-minute churn and truly partner with customersKey Takeaways:You don’t get to define what’s valuable—your customer doesAI should make humans better, not irrelevantThe CFO may not be in your meetings, but they’re deciding your renewalResources & Links Mentioned:Brian Hansen’s Website: brianhansenconsulting.comConnect with Brian on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bhansenconsultingSend us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

This roundtable originally aired live on Thursday, May 8th. Customer Success. Sales. RevOps. Everyone’s in the revenue pool, but no one agrees who’s swimming where. Join us for a real conversation (no slides, no fluff) about the messy overlap of post-sale ownership. What’s working? What’s broken? And where do we go from here?Connect with Alyssa on LinkedInConnect with Amber on LinkedInApply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

Customer segmentation isn’t just a spreadsheet exercise—it’s the foundation of your entire customer success strategy. In this episode, Alyssa sits down with Kristen Hayer, CEO of The Success League, to unpack what most companies get wrong about segmentation, how investor pressure is reshaping CS priorities, and why B2B needs to finally catch up to the B2C approach to customer value. From behavior-based segmentation to the untapped potential of AI, Kristen shares the mindset and methods that separate reactive CS from strategic growth engines.Kristen Hayer is the founder and CEO of The Success League, a consulting and training firm specializing in Customer Success. With over a decade of experience building and scaling CS organizations, Kristen is a leading voice on how to operationalize customer-centric strategies that drive retention, expansion, and long-term value. She’s also a co-author on an upcoming book exploring modern CS leadership.Main Topics Covered:The Problem with Revenue-Based Segmentation Why most segmentation strategies fall flat—and how behavior-based models deliver better customer experiences.The Rise of Retention-Driven CS How investor pressure is forcing a mindset shift from acquisition at all costs to proving customer value.AI as Augmented Intelligence Kristen and Alyssa explore how AI isn’t replacing CS—it’s enhancing the human work that really matters.Resources & Links Mentioned:The Success League website: https://www.thesuccessleague.ioConnect with Kristen on LinkedIn: Kristen Hayer on LinkedInKey Moments:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:31 Kristen's Origin Story03:12 The Evolution of Customer Success05:02 Building a Customer Success Program07:18 The Importance of Customer Segmentation13:06 Adapting to Changes and Challenges16:16 The Role of AI in Customer Success23:41 Connecting with Thought Leaders25:14 Conclusion and Contact InformationSend us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

If your Customer Advisory Board feels like a presentation, you’re doing it wrong. Irene Yam joins Alyssa to explain why the most effective CABs ditch the slide deck and prioritize real conversation. Drawing from 20+ years of experience leading executive programs, Irene shares what makes CABs work—from building trust to making room for off-script moments that change the game.Whether you’re mid-market or enterprise, you’ll walk away with a clearer blueprint for turning your CAB into a strategic growth lever—not a checkbox.Irene Yam is the author of How to Build a World-Class Customer Advisory Board. She’s spent over two decades designing strategic customer programs for high-growth startups and global enterprises, working with clients spending $20M+ annually. Irene’s approach emphasizes human connection, customer-led feedback, and creating spaces where strategic conversations can thrive. Key Takeaways:The best CABs feel more like jam sessions than board meetings.You don’t need enterprise dollars to get enterprise-level insights.Real feedback starts when you give customers permission to be honest—and stop trying to impress them.Key Moments:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:28 Irene's Origin Story01:44 Customer Advisory Boards vs. Focus Groups03:12 Value of Customer Advisory Boards for Mid-Market Businesses06:24 Starting a Customer Advisory Board07:44 Successful Customer Advisory Boards16:58 Virtual Customer Advisory Boards18:07 Innovative Meeting Ideas21:18 Conclusion and Contact InformationFollow Irene on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ireneyam/Send us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

When the pressure’s on, most leaders default to speed—but moving fast without thinking clearly is what gets companies stuck. In this episode of The Growth Signal, Alyssa Nolte talks with Charles Browne, a seasoned executive and leadership coach, about the overlooked cost of rushing to solutions. Drawing from decades in the Navy, nuclear ops, and national labs, Charles shares a framework for slowing down strategically, aligning your values, and empowering your team to make better calls—faster. If you're leading a growth-stage org, this is your playbook for sustainable scale.Guest Bio:Charles Browne is a leadership expert and deputy director at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he leads complex, high-risk initiatives. With a background in nuclear operations, Six Sigma, and executive coaching, he specializes in helping technical leaders become high-impact decision-makers.Main Topics Covered:Why Speed Isn’t Strategy – How defaulting to action creates shallow solutions—and what to do instead.Building a $2,000/Hour Leadership Mindset – The mental shift leaders need to stop doing $20/hour work and start building scalable systems.Authenticity at Scale – How defining your values (and sticking to them) builds trust across teams and with customers.Key Moments: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:15 Charles' Origin Story02:24 Current Roles and Responsibilities03:47 Common Leadership Blind Spots12:00 Defining Core Values and Decision Making16:32 Implementing Core Values in Business19:15 The Pitfalls of Micromanagement19:49 Defining Business Focus: Customer, Product, or Operations20:38 Southwest Airlines: A Case Study in Operational Decisions22:14 The Importance of Consistency in Leadership25:41 Aligning Personal and Company Values28:48 Serving the Customer with Integrity30:45 Identifying and Serving Your Ideal Customer33:09 Adapting to Change and Seizing Opportunities34:34 Final Thoughts and ResourcesSend us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

In this episode of The Growth Signal, we sit down with Bob Mathers—customer success coach, keynote speaker, and host of The Growth Mixtape—to explore the emotional toll of working in high-pressure CS environments. What starts with a conversation about trauma, perspective shifts, and boundary-setting quickly evolves into a deep dive on why CS professionals are hitting peak stress younger than ever, how our work habits are reinforcing the burnout cycle, and what it really takes to reclaim our energy and impact.If you’ve ever found yourself answering Slack messages at 9PM or wondering why your “relationship-driven” role feels more reactive than strategic, this episode is for you.Guest Bio:Bob Mathers is a customer success coach, keynote speaker, and podcaster with decades of experience helping CS leaders—from scrappy startups to $100M SaaS companies—build sustainable, revenue-driving customer organizations. Known for his no-BS insights and deep empathy, Bob brings clarity to one of the messiest, most misunderstood functions in SaaS.Main Topics Covered:Why CS Burnout Is Getting Worse, Not Better – And how the “always on” culture and lack of clear ownership are accelerating it.The Real Role of CS in Revenue – Why being “relationship-first” doesn’t mean avoiding the number—and why pretending it does is hurting the profession.Designing Your Calendar Around Energy, Not Urgency – Bob’s framework for mapping energy highs and lows to the right kind of work, and why it might boost your productivity 30%.Key Moments:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:15 Personal Stories of Overcoming Challenges03:37 Work-Life Balance and Boundaries07:39 Customer Success Insights17:12 Productivity and Energy Management23:37 Final Thoughts and Contact InformationSend us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

In this episode of The Growth Signal, host Alyssa Nolte welcomes Sabina Pons, CEO & Chief Customer Officer at Growth Molecules, for a real, human conversation on the evolution of customer success—and why being a trusted advisor doesn’t mean avoiding revenue.Sabina shares her unconventional journey from PR to SaaS leadership, the gut-punch of getting laid off during the 2008 recession, and how that moment sparked a career grounded in empathy, adaptability, and operational rigor. From scaling CS orgs to building a million-dollar consultancy, Sabina brings the receipts.You’ll hear:Why “Customer Success is Dead” misses the pointHow trusted advisors can own renewals without losing trustThe difference between value as a feeling vs. ROI as a calculationHow to make CS teams easy to work with (and why that’s underrated)A wild, full-circle moment that proves the power of long-tail relationshipsIf you’ve ever wrestled with the tension between advocacy and accountability, or wondered how to make CS more strategic without becoming salesy—this one’s for you.👥 Connect with Sabina: 👉 Sabina Pons on LinkedIn💡 Quote of the Episode: "Even if you don’t own the revenue number, you’re still responsible for keeping the customer." – Sabina PonsKey Moments:00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:36 Sabina Pons' Career Journey01:48 Transition to Customer Success06:41 Building a Career in B2B SaaS12:10 The Role of Customer Success Managers18:07 Human-Centric Approach in B2B21:34 Influential Figures and Personal Insights23:44 Connecting and Following Sabina PonsSend us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

In this episode of The Growth Signal, host Alyssa Nolte is joined by Alex Turkovic—customer success leader, podcast host, and the mind behind the Digital CS Maturity Model—for a hands-on conversation about how CSMs can stop running in circles and start making meaningful progress.They dig into:Why the most strategic CSMs don’t work harder—they work smarterHow templatizing repetitive tasks creates long-term leverageThe compounding power of small systems (and how to start building yours)How to think about AI as augmented intelligence—and why CSMs who treat it that way are pulling aheadWhy internal chatbots and tooling should be battle-tested before going customer-facingThe underrated magic of prepping on Friday to hit the ground running on MondayAlex also shares some creative ways he’s using tools like Perplexity and Zapier to fuel better, more consultative customer conversations—and offers a pointed challenge to every CSM stuck in reactive mode.Key Moments:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:33 The Key to Customer Success01:34 Templatization and Efficiency05:28 Personal Productivity Hacks08:46 The Role of AI in Customer Success14:04 AI Chatbots and Brand Impact17:09 Leveraging AI for Industry Insights20:12 Influential Voices in Customer Success22:18 Final Thoughts and Contact Information 👉 Connect with Alex: linkedin.com/in/alexturkovicSend us a textWelcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships. Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Connect with Amber on LinkedIn Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com