The Customer Success Pro Podcast

Being a Customer Success Pro is no easy job, but this podcast will help. Remember that Customer Success is not a destination, but a journey and I am here to help you on your journey.Enter the Planhat Giveway to win an all expense trip to Planhat Open: www.planhat.com/giveawayIn this episode of the Customer Success Pro Podcast, host Anika Zubair speaks with Guy Rahamim, a Senior Manager of Customer Success at Linear B. They discuss Guy's unique journey from studying dentistry to thriving in customer success, the innovative strategies he employs to reduce churn, and the importance of data-driven decisions in customer success. Guy shares insights on the Ideal Customer Behavior (ICB) metric, which helps in understanding customer engagement and retention.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:49 Guy's Journey to Customer Success06:08 Understanding Linear B and Its Operations09:29 Career Aspirations and Goals in Customer Success11:53 Winning the Creative Customer Success Leader Award14:12 Challenges with Churn and Customer Health Scores15:11 Introducing Ideal Customer Behavior (ICB)20:00 Building Cross-Functional Teams for Success23:48 The Importance of Collaboration in Customer Success24:16 Proactive Risk Management in Customer Success30:27 Leveraging Data for Customer Engagement36:38 Renewal Strategies and Customer Value41:47 QuickFire Questions RoundConnect with Anika:LinkedInYouTubeTikTokInstagramWebsite: thecustomersuccesspro.comCoaching with Anika: CSM RevUP AcademyConnect with Guy Rahamim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-rahamim/Guy Rahamim is a dynamic leader in customer success, passionate about helping R&D teams achieve transformative business outcomes. With over a decade of global experience spanning EMEA, APAC, and LATAM, Guy combines strategic planning, leadership, and technical expertise to drive positive net revenue retention and high customer satisfaction.Currently, Guy is a Senior Manager of Customer Success at LinearB. He is also a founding lead at CS Insider and a member of CS Angel, a syndicate of customer success experts investing in innovative technologies.Guy holds a B.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences and an MBA and is recognized as a 2022 & 2023 Top 100 Customer Success Strategist. He is certified at all four levels of the Certified Customer Success Management Professional program, highlighting his dedication to continuous learning and excellence.Guy’s ICB Framework: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BTSend Anika a text :) Grab our FREE resources here: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/resources Want to be our next podcast guest? Apply here: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/podcast-guest Book Anika as a speaker at your next team event: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/team-event

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, host Anika Zubair speaks with Ejieme Eromosele, an award-winning customer success leader, about her journey from customer success to general management. They discuss the importance of customer advocacy in driving new sales, strategies for upselling and expansion, and the evolving role of customer success in the go-to-market strategy. Ejieme shares her insights on using data to drive urgency, the significance of a discovery-focused mindset, and the need for value-based storytelling in customer success. The conversation highlights key learnings and the future of customer success as a driver of sustainable growth.Want to win a free pair of airpod pros, sign up for a demo with Vitally: vitally.io/csproDon't forget to signup for CSM RevUP to help unlock your revenue potential: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupChapters00:00 Introduction 01:56 Meet Ejieme Eromosele 03:22 Transitioning to a General Manager Role 08:08 The Importance of Customer Advocacy in Sales 14:44 Shaping Post-Acquisition Strategies for New Sales 22:53 Building a Customer Growth Function 28:02 Strategies for Upselling and Expansion 37:02 Key Learnings and Future of Customer SuccessConnect with Anika:LinkedInYouTubeTikTokWebsite: thecustomersuccesspro.comCoaching with Anika: CSM RevUP AcademyConnect with Ejieme:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejieme/Ejieme Eromosele is an award-winning Customer Experience and Success Executive with over 15 years of experience in building high-impact customer programs. As the General Manager for EMEA at Quiq, Ejieme leads the company’s expansion across Europe, overseeing all aspects of business growth - including marketing, customer success, new business sales and partnerships.Ejieme’s expertise spans customer-led growth, with a focus on transforming customer success functions into powerful drivers of business value. She is also the founder of Success in Black, a pioneering platform that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in customer success.Prior to Quiq, she was Managing Director of Customer Experience at The New York Times and led The Times’ efforts to drive retention, loyalty and brand advocacy of its growing subscriber base.Ejieme spent a decade in management consulting at PwC and Accenture. In these roles, she led CX programs across sectors.Beyond her corporate work, Ejieme is a respected advisor, speaker, board member, and angel investor, known for her insights on customer experience strategy and customer success. She serves on the board of the Conversational Design Institute Foundation and the AI Council of Firstboard.io, where she contributes her expertise to discussions on responSend Anika a text :) Grab our FREE resources here: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/resources Want to be our next podcast guest? Apply here: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/podcast-guest Book Anika as a speaker at your next team event: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/team-event

In this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, host Anika Zubair speaks with Stino, the head of customer success at whale.io. They discuss the evolving role of customer success in the SaaS industry, emphasizing the importance of a revenue-focused mindset. Stino shares his journey from being a tax attorney to a customer success leader, the challenges he faced in his first leadership role, and the strategies he implemented to drive revenue through customer success. The conversation highlights the significance of authenticity, team dynamics, and practical approaches to achieving customer outcomes and business growth. In this conversation, Anika Zubair discusses the importance of understanding customer personalities and building trust through personal connections in customer success. She emphasizes the need for a revenue mindset while maintaining authentic relationships with clients. Anika also addresses the challenges posed by budget cycles and economic constraints, highlighting the evolving role of customer success managers as strategic advisors. She shares valuable lessons learned in leadership and the significance of finding a supportive community in the profession of customer success.Want to win a free pair of airpod pros, sign up for a demo with Vitally: vitally.io/csproDon't forget to signup for CSM RevUP to help unlock your revenue potential: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupChapters:00:00 Introduction 01:56 Meet Stino: A Journey from Law to Customer Success07:15 Understanding Whale.io and Its Revenue Focus10:12 The Shift to Revenue-Focused Customer Success Leadership19:48 Key Strategies for Transitioning to Revenue Leadership25:57 Understanding Customer Personalities32:04 Building Trust Through Personal Connections36:46 Navigating Budget Cycles and Economic Constraints40:39 The Evolving Role of Customer Success43:34 Lessons Learned in Customer Success LeadershipConnect with Anika:LinkedInYouTubeTikTokWebsite: thecustomersuccesspro.comCoaching with Anika: CSM RevUP AcademyConnect with Stino:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-smet-🐳-330435a9/We F**ked Up So You Don’t Have To: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rMe4oQu8wgb3SHCRjEfoQCustomer Success Hotline: https://open.spotify.com/show/3QL0NtH4s2Nakqgad4LsxFSend Anika a text :) Grab our FREE resources here: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/resources Want to be our next podcast guest? Apply here: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/podcast-guest Book Anika as a speaker at your next team event: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/team-event

In this podcast episode, Anika Zubair interviews Jay Nathan, COO of Churnkey, about his extensive experience in the SaaS industry and the evolving role of customer success. They discuss the key metrics that drive growth in SaaS, such as retention, customer lifetime value, and profitability, emphasizing the need for agility in tracking and adjusting these metrics. Jay shares insights into his role as COO, the strategic importance of aligning CS with business goals, and the dual focus on customer and company needs. They also explore how customer success is shifting to a more strategic, revenue-driving function within SaaS companies. The episode provides practical advice for CS leaders who want to make a significant impact on their organization.Want to win a free pair of airpod pros, sign up for a demo with Vitally: vitally.io/csproTimestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Jay Nathan & His Journey04:16 - The Role of a COO in a Startup08:17 - Key Metrics for SaaS Companies13:35 - Understanding Gross Retention vs. Net Retention18:28 - Customer Lifetime Value & Strategic Decision-Making24:03 - Metrics to Track in Day-to-Day CS Operations32:30 - Adapting Metrics as Your SaaS Business Grows43:30 - Quickfire RoundConnect with Anika:LinkedInYouTubeTikTokWebsite: thecustomersuccesspro.comCoaching with Anika: CSM RevUP AcademyConnect with Jay Nathan:LinkedinCheck out his newsletter, GrowthCurveJay Nathan has over 20 years of experience in the software industry, having held leadership roles at prominent technology companies such as Blackbaud, Higher Logic, PeopleMatter, and now Churnkey. He has hands-on experience in bootstrapped, VC-backed, private equity-owned, and publicly traded software companies. In 2017 he launched a management consulting firm focused on SaaS companies and in 2018 launched the popular Gain Grow Retain customer success community, growing it to over 15,000 members worldwide. Jay has spoken and written extensively on leadership, sales, marketing, product, and customer success in the software industry. While his ultimate goal is to launch a Jimmy Buffett cover band, for now, he is focused on helping B2B SaaS companies grow and thrive.Send Anika a text :) Grab our FREE resources here: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/resources Want to be our next podcast guest? Apply here: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/podcast-guest Book Anika as a speaker at your next team event: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/team-event

Carly Agar, founder and CEO of Carly Agar Training, brings a wealth of experience from the SaaS industry. She discusses strategies for landing promotions in customer success, highlighting the difference between standard and enterprise CSM roles. Carly emphasizes aligning customer success initiatives with business goals and shares practical tips for self-advocacy. She also delves into the complexities of managing enterprise clients and the importance of showcasing your value to ensure career advancement. Tune in for actionable insights on elevating your CSM career!

In this engaging discussion, Alex Turkovic, Global Director of Digital Customer Success at Flexera, shares his expertise in leveraging AI for customer success. With over 15 years of experience, Alex emphasizes the practical applications of AI tools in daily routines. He explains how automation can enhance productivity and improve customer engagement while addressing common concerns about data privacy. Real-world examples reveal the transformative impact of AI on customer success strategies, urging professionals to embrace this technology for future growth.

Madelyn DePrey, VP of Customer Success at Aircall, shares her unique journey from hospitality to tech. She discusses how leading with value can drive both customer satisfaction and revenue growth. The conversation highlights the integration of sales strategies into customer success and the shift towards a consultative approach. Madelyn also addresses the challenges Customer Success Managers face with revenue targets, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and collaboration to thrive in this evolving landscape.

In this engaging discussion, Daphne Costa Lopes, Director of Customer Success at HubSpot, shares her rich experience in building global customer success teams for diverse businesses. She delves into innovative strategies for driving customer retention, emphasizing the importance of customer success qualified leads (CSQLs) and automation. Daphne also discusses dynamic segmentation strategies and how effective communication of value can transform customer relationships. Her insights reveal the evolving nature of customer success and its critical role in business growth.

Being a Customer Success Pro is no easy job, but this podcast will help. Remember that Customer Success is not a destination, but a journey and I am here to help you on your journey.In this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, hosted by Anika Zubair, guest Jared Orr, a Senior Customer Success Manager and copywriter, shares his journey overcoming job loss and finding success in a challenging job market. Jared discusses his experiences with layoffs, the importance of networking, and strategies for preparing for interviews and handling homework assignments. He also emphasizes the critical nature of investing in coaching and adapting to market changes. This episode offers practical advice for CS professionals navigating their career paths and how to find and land their next job in Customer Success.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Customer Success Pro Podcast 01:03 Meet Jared Orr: A Journey Through Startups and Layoffs 03:05 Jared's New Role 07:59 Navigating Job Loss and the Tough Job Market 13:39 Starting a Copywriting Business 20:43 Job Hunting Tips and Horror Stories 23:29 Sharing a Personal Interview Experience 24:34 Advice for Hiring Managers 26:49 Preparing for an Interview 30:05 Handling Homework Assignments 34:11 Networking and Landing a Job 39:28 Reflecting on Job Hunting Strategies 41:29 Quickfire QuestionsConnect with Anika:LinkedInYouTubeTikTokWebsite: thecustomersuccesspro.comCoaching with Anika: CSM RevUP AcademyConnect with Jared:LinkedInYouTubeWebsiteArticle: https://www.csinsider.co/email/how-to-ace-your-mock-qbr-interviewJared has been a CSM since 2018. He's been heavily involved in startups throughout most of his career. Currently, he works as a Senior CSM at vCom Solutions and lives in Queen Creek, Arizona with his wife and daughter.Send Anika a text :) Grab our FREE resources here: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/resources Want to be our next podcast guest? Apply here: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/podcast-guest Book Anika as a speaker at your next team event: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/team-event

Erika Villarreal, a strategic customer success manager at Eptura and a top 25 CS influencer of 2023, shares her compelling journey from Mexico to Dallas. She highlights the power of personal branding on LinkedIn and translating customer data into actionable insights. Erika discusses key skills for strategic CSMs, emphasizing proactive planning and the importance of quarterly business reviews. Additionally, she shares insights from her eBook on excelling in enterprise CSM roles, offering actionable strategies for career advancement in the customer success space.