The Customer Success Pro Podcast

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.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.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.

Navigating your Customer Success Career with Kristi FaltorussoIn this episode of the Customer Success Pro podcast, Anika Zubair interviews Kristi Faltorusso, a four times Top 25 Customer Success Influencer award winner and CCO at Client Success. Kristi shares her remarkable journey from a marketing professional to becoming a leading figure in the SaaS and customer success (CS) space. She highlights the importance of passion, hard work, and taking calculated risks in her career trajectory, culminating in her current role where she significantly impacts her organization and the CS community. The discussion also explores the evolving landscape of customer success, the importance of continuous learning, and the potential of AI in transforming CS strategies. Kristi offers invaluable advice to aspiring CS professionals, emphasizing the need for a data-driven approach, proactive customer engagement, and the courage to pivot when necessary. The conversation is a blend of personal anecdotes, professional insights, and practical tips, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in building a successful career in customer success.Timestamps:00:00 Welcome to the Customer Success Pro Podcast!01:04 Spotlight on Kristi Faltorusso: A Customer Success Trailblazer06:11 Kristi's Journey: From Marketing to Chief Customer Officer11:17 The Reality of Achieving Work-Life Balance in Leadership13:08 Kristis's Future Ambitions Beyond the CCO Role20:35 Securing a Customer Success Seat at the Executive Table27:13 Navigating a Non-Conventional Path to the C-Suite31:00 The Importance of Leadership and Passion in Your Career35:04 Insights into the Role of a Chief Customer Officer43:19 Addressing Gender and Career Progression in Tech45:36 Quickfire RoundConnect with Anika:LinkedInYouTubeTikTokSignup for my newsletter: https://newsletter.thecustomersuccesspro.com/Website: thecustomersuccesspro.comCoaching with Anika: CSM RevUP AcademyConnect with Kristi:LinkedinGrab our FREE resources here: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/resourcesWant to be our next podcast guest? Apply here: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/podcast-guestBook Anika as a speaker at your next team event: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/team-event

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.Imposter Syndrome, Prioritization, and Mindset Shifts in Customer Success. All topics we covered in Today’s talk with Rachel Provan. Today’s podcast will focus on how you have to shift your mindset in order to move from reactive to proactive Customer Success.Rachel Provan, founder of Proven Success, joins the podcast as the first guest to discuss her career transition from acting to customer success and her current role leading customer success coaching. Topics covered include the importance of understanding the Pareto Principle, the necessity of setting aside focus time to work on strategy, techniques for effectively prioritizing tasks, and advice on overcoming imposter syndrome. Rachel also discusses how she built Provan Success and her approach to coaching customer success professionals.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome03:54 Transition from Corporate to Entrepreneurship09:21 The Role of Mindset in Customer Success16:42 The Importance of Time Management in CS20:29 The Impact of Task Switching on Productivity21:30 The Importance of Proactive Leadership22:06 The Pitfalls of the Player-Coach Mentality22:20 The Art of Prioritization in Leadership23:03 The Struggle of Saying No23:26 The Challenge of Balancing Multiple Roles28:00 The Reality of Imposter Syndrome30:12 The Struggle of Perfectionism and High Expectations38:08 The Future of Customer SuccessConnect with Anika:LinkedInYouTubeTikTokWebsite: thecustomersuccesspro.comCoaching with Anika: CSM RevUP AcademyFollow the Podcast YouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsConnect with Rachel:Rachel Provan is a top 25 CS Influencer and Coach for Customer Success leaders. She has over 15 years of experience in CS Leadership building and scaling CS departments across diverse markets from seed stage to Fortune 500 Companies.  With a passion for fusing psychology with business strategy and leadership techniques, Rachel teaches new CS leaders to build and scale revenue-generating customer success departments. Her flagship course, The CS Leadership Academy, helps former CSMs nail their transition to accomplished CS Leaders. You can find her on LinkedIn, provansuccess.com, or psychologyofcustomersuccess.comGrab 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

This is The Customer Success Pro Podcast, hosted by Anika Zubair. Customer Success is not a destination, but a a journey. Join me on this crazy CS journey as I chat to leaders, strategists and experts in customer success about their experiences and definitions of customer success and share with your their best practices on how to build and scale world class CS organization. Each interview will unlock tips, tricks and best practices to help scale your customer success career and company. I will dive into important and relevant topics to help spread knowledge about customer success in order to help companies put the customer at the center of their business. Because at the end of the day when customer are successful, so is the company. If you have specific topics you would like me to cover in this podcast please message me on Linkedin!Make sure you hit FOLLOW so you don’t miss out on any new episodes when they drop every month.I can’t wait to chat with you soon!Connect with Anika Zubair:Website: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikazubair/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCustomerSuccessProGrab 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