

CHURN FM
Andrew Michael
CHURN FM is the podcast for subscription economy pros. Every Wednesday we hear how the world’s fastest growing companies are tackling churn and using retention & engagement to fuel their growth.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 16, 2023 • 37min
E208: Retention Starts from Day One: Strategies for Success through Personalization and Experimentation with Fireflies CEO Krish Ramineni
Today on the show we have Krish Ramineni, Co-Founder and CEO of Fireflies.ai.Krish shared some amazing insights on topics like transitioning from product management at Microsoft to CEO of a startup, the challenges and advantages of working in a small organization, and the importance of synthesizing qualitative and quantitative insights.We also delved into the impact of ChatGPT and generative AI on the market, the strategies Fireflies has used to stay ahead of the competition, and the future of AI in meeting assistance.We can't wait for you to tune in and, as always, your feedback is invaluable to us. Let us know your thoughts on this episode!Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Aug 8, 2023 • 28min
EP 207 | Ziv Peled (AppsFlyer) The Customer Success Flywheel: How to Drive Growth and Retention in Challenging Times
Today on the show we have Ziv Peled, the Chief Customer Officer of AppsFlyer. Ziv recounts his whirlwind journey of meeting with over 20 customers in a span of three weeks. We delve deep into the significance of face-to-face interactions with customers, especially when times are tough, and explore how customer success teams can go above and beyond just delivering a product.Ziv offers a unique perspective on the repercussions of the financial crisis on marketing divisions and spills the beans on how AppsFlyer is shaking things up with a revamped compensation strategy for their customer success team.We can't wait for you to tune in and, as always, your feedback is invaluable to us. Let us know your thoughts on this episode!Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Aug 2, 2023 • 38min
EP 206 | Kaz Ohta (Treasure Data) - Cracking the code of enterprise Customer Success with data
Today on the show we have Kaz Ohta, CEO & Co-founder of Treasure Data.In this episode, Kaz shares how Treasure Data focuses on the enterprise space and the unique challenges they face in managing customer data. He then discusses the importance of ROI in the customer success process and how Treasure Data helps their customers achieve it. Kaz also emphasizes the need for strong customer champions within organizations and how they work to build relationships with customers at multiple levels. We wrapped by with Kaz sharing insights on onboarding enterprise customers and the value of showing ROI as quickly as possible. Kaz concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding your ideal customer profile and focusing on acquiring and retaining those customers.Tune in to this episode to learn valuable strategies for managing customer data, building customer relationships, and driving ROI in the enterprise space.As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

4 snips
Jul 26, 2023 • 37min
EP 205 - Abbas Haider Ali (Github) Building a Scalable Customer Success Program
Today on the show, we have Abbas Haider Ali, VP of Customer Success at GitHub.Before joining GitHub, Abbas held the position of Vice President of Customer Success at Twilio and Segment. Additionally, he is as an investor and advisor for various companies including Slack, Hasura, Adept, and numerous others. He also serves as a general partner for the GTM Operators Network.In this episode, Abbas shares his insights on how to build a scalable and data-driven customer success program. Abbas emphasizes the importance of understanding the actual impact of customer success work, focusing on leading indicators rather than lagging ones. We then discussed the differences in how smaller and larger organizations approach customer success and the need for a robust model of customer health and a data-driven approach to attribution work.As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Jul 19, 2023 • 45min
EP 204 - Dan Burkhart (Recurly) The Art and Science of Retention Driving Strategies
Today on the show, we have Dan Burkhart, CEO and co-founder of Recurly, a subscription billing management service. In this episode, we discussed the importance of language-specific content for global companies, the inspiration behind Recurly, and the shift towards focusing on retention and churn in the subscription economy. We dove into various strategies that companies can use to improve their customer retention, including understanding customer behavior and preferences, offering the option to pause subscriptions, and developing personalized campaigns. Dan provides valuable insights into the various factors that contribute to customer churn and retention, and how companies can optimize their strategies to retain customers and drive revenue growth.As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Jul 12, 2023 • 34min
EP 203 - Evgenia Mkrtychian (LoyaltyPlant) Where Customer Success and Marketing Strategies Meet
Today on the show, we have Evgenia Mkrtychian, Head of Customer Success and Corporate Communication Strategy at Loyalty Plant. In this episode, Evgenia shares Loyalty Plant's journey and we explore how they are managing their rapid growth. Evgenia shares insights into the significance of customer success and marketing strategies within their mobile marketing and e-commerce platform for quick-service restaurants. Evgenia then talks about the importance of a streamlined onboarding process and how they are optimizing and automating specific processes to handle their growth. Evgenia also touched on the sales process and how knowledge is shared between sales and customer success teams. As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Jul 5, 2023 • 32min
EP 202 - John Gleeson (Success Venture Partners) - How Customer Success Drives Startup Success
Today on the show we have John Gleeson, founder of Success Venture Partners.In this episode, John shares his journey from being a VP of Customer Success to embracing a role as a dedicated investor. John reveals how his fund aids startups at various phases, serving as a valuable resource for early-stage founders. By offering customer success insights and assistance with recruitment, Success Venture Partners nurtures the growth of these startups. We then dove into how John evaluates the startups he invests in and the key aspects he looks for in founders.As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.Disclaimer: The information provided on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. The statements made by our guest represent their own viewpoints – not those of Churn FM. The information provided and discussed does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice. Any investment decisions you make should be based on your own due diligence and in consultation with a licensed financial professional. We disclaim any liability for investment decisions based upon the content of this podcast.Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Jun 28, 2023 • 34min
EP 201 - Tom Carnewal (Customer Cross Company) Improving Customer Experience with Friction Hunting
Today on the show, we have Tom Carnewal, founder of Customer Cross Company. In this episode, Tom discusses his role as a Director of Digital Transformation and introduces Carnewal Consult's new brand, the Customer Cross Company. He outlines how they help mid-sized companies with recurring revenue models to set up or evolve their customer success teams. Tom presents key findings of their research, which highlights the importance of tracking usage data and the ineffectiveness of CSAT as a KPI for predicting customer churn. He also introduces the concept of friction hunting to improve customer experience and emphasizes the importance of focusing on customer success rather than just avoiding risks. Tom shares a personal example to illustrate this point and suggests that prioritizing success can lead to better customer retention. We also discuss how defining success for the customer is crucial, and how the ultimate measure of success is achieving their desired outcome. As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Jun 21, 2023 • 36min
EP 200 - Enzo Avigo (June) Iterating Towards Product Market Fit: Challenges and Methodologies
Today on the show we have Enzo Avigo, CEO and Founder of June.In this episode, we discussed Enzo's journey in entrepreneurship, from his initial startup experiences to his tenure at Zalando and Intercom, exploring valuable insights he gleaned from both companies. Enzo shared how his time at Zalando helped him refine his skills in influencing people, and how Intercom imparted the importance of first principles and the 'job to be done' framework in product development.We then dove into the inspiration behind June, a game-changing BI SaaS tool designed to go beyond tracking mere button clicks, offering users a comprehensive understanding of account health. Enzo explained the tool's evolution, from initial focus on product tracking to a pivot into the analytics realm. Discussing June's core mission, he emphasized the need for new-generation tools that resonate with modern ways of thinking and working.We wrapped up by discussing the challenges encountered in identifying the ideal customer profile, and the importance of iterative processes in achieving product-market fit. Enzo also shared the unique methodology employed by Superhuman to segment feedback and solve significant problems, underscoring the indispensable role of customer feedback in product development.As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm.Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Jun 14, 2023 • 33min
EP 199 - John Chen (Fika Ventures) Starting with Zero — Lessons in Finding Product Market Fit
Today on the show we have John Chen, partner at Fika Ventures.In this episode, we discussed the operations of Fika Ventures, a pre-Series A fund focused on B2B software, FinTech, and marketplaces. John emphasized the importance of building close relationships with founders and shares his views on the crucial role of culture and alignment in building a successful company. We also examined the common misconception that the Product Led Growth (PLG) approach applies to all products, which often results in the misapplication of the organic growth concept.We then dove into the intricacies of applying the Product Led Growth (PLG) principle, acknowledging that while it can be valuable for many B2B companies, there are certain scenarios where a more hands-on approach is required. A major part of our conversation revolved around understanding stakeholder requirements and how to best utilize feedback from customers. We also explored the crucial stages of product-market fit and the importance of striking a balance in growing the team.We wrapped up by discussing the challenges of customer acquisition, churn, and retention. John offers great insights on understanding the ideal customer profile and focusing on net retention over gross churn. He emphasized that having a clear understanding of PLG mechanics and mechanisms is key to its successful adaptation.As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm.Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.


