
Unchurned - The No. 1 podcast for Customer Success
The Unchurned podcast brings you the stories that will help you forge incredible customer relationships, prevent churn, & build institutional knowledge. The CS & BS series is a part of the Unchurned podcast wherein, with each episode, our hosts - Kristi Faltorusso, Jon Johnson, Josh Schachter, and special guests uncover the secrets of top leaders and innovators of companies so that you can advance your career and the performance of your customer success team.
Unchurned, and the CS&BS series, are presented by UpdateAI - https://update.ai/
Latest episodes

Jun 26, 2024 • 44min
Is Prioritizing CSM Health the Key to Customer Happiness? ft. Paulina Staszuk
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Customer success leader, Paulina Staszuk joins hosts Jon Johnson and Josh Schachter to delve into the critical importance of a structured onboarding process for new employees and its impact on successful customer relationships. They also share humorous banter and insights about creating a positive employee experience, the value of customer success in the tech industry, and the significance of taking a break to recalibrate.
Timestamp:
0:00 - Preview, Intros & BS
5:50 - Reflect, Recalibrate & Refuel
13:00 - Perfection isn't a reality
17:08 - People. Process. Product
18:20 - Employee onboarding is broken
23:03 - Happy CSMs Happy Customers
25:00 - What should employee onboarding look like?
30:20 - Tools for onboarding employees
39:20 - BS & Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Paulina Staszuk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinastaszuk
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
________________
Keywords:
new employees, customer success, CS motion, onboarding, structured onboarding, customer relationships, employee experience, Slack, Notion, Loom, GIF creators, Clockwise app, work relationship, support tickets, remote work, AI-based support, NPS scores, customer experience
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Jun 19, 2024 • 51min
Can Revenue-Driven Practices Lead to Customer-Centric Growth? Ft. Aaron Thompson (SuccessHACKER)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Customer success roles fall short of true value creation.
The industry has inadvertently boxed itself into creating safe, activity-based roles rather than ones driven by tangible outcomes and accountability.
It's time to rethink and reinvent the essence of customer success.
Aaron Thompson, CRO, SuccessHACKER, joins our hosts, Josh Schachter, Kristi Faltorusso & Jon Johnson to discuss the need for a crucial shift in the customer success model from being a cost center to a revenue driver. Aaron brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective, discussing the impact of tracking post-sale activities, aligning team incentives, and the challenges of transitioning from a "sales-led" to a "revenue-led" organization and the essential role of renewals, expansions, and customer retention in driving revenue growth.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS & Intro
6:12 - Revenue Acquisition Cost
14:39 - Tracking & calculating costs
18:00 - Revenue is cheap to lose, expensive to maintain
26:55 - Focus on being revenue-led
30:04 - Rewiring to become customer-centric
35:50 - The starting point to being customer-centric as an individual contributor
43:05 - CSMs need to have a revenue-focused mindset
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Aaron Thompson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/athomps/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
________________
Keywords:
Customer success, Revenue-led growth, Success criteria, Renewals, Customer retention, Revenue growth, customer centricity, Revenue acquisition cost, Cross-sell, Upsell, Customer-centric approaches, Recurring revenue approaches, Customer success managers, Revenue-based accountability, Customer-driven revenue, Predictable renewals, Additional revenue opportunities, Success planning, Onboarding process, Client success tools, Business growth strategy, Customer expectations
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Jun 12, 2024 • 48min
Can AI Insights Transform Tech Touch Customer Success? ft. Sam Loveland (Salesloft)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Sam Loveland, Chief Customer Officer at SalesLoft, joins Jon Johnson, User Testing and Michael Forney, VP of CS at Responsive to delve into the intersection of AI and customer success. From leveraging generative AI to the challenges of managing multiple AI tools, the conversation unravels key insights and practical strategies for achieving customer success metrics.
Timestamp
0:00 - Preview & Intro
7:50 - Human touch in the AI world
13:10 - Using AI for CS insights
22:30 - Challenges for integrating tools & systems
25:53 - How does leadership evaluate CSMs
29:47 - Automating customer onboarding
33:40 - Enhancing productivity & generating value using AI
39:44 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Michael Forney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-forney/
Sam Loveland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-loveland-b19775/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Jun 5, 2024 • 47min
Bosses Don’t Understand the Role of CSMs Ft. Alok Shukla (FunnelStory)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
Alok Sharma, CEO of Funnel Story AI, joins Josh Schachter, Founder & CEO of UpdateAI, and Jon Johnson, Principal CSM of UserTesting, to discuss the strategic role of CSMs in using technology to drive business outcomes. With a blend of humor, insightful discussions, and practical takeaways, Alok shares his insights on the shortcomings of traditional customer success platforms, the generational shift in technology adoption, and the evolving role of customer success teams in leveraging data insights for strategic decision-making.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Preview
1:56 - BS & Intros
7:20 - Overlap of Cybersecurity & CS
11:54 - 80% of AI is Getting Data in the Right Format
18:52 - Business Intelligence for CS Teams
20:30 - Do CSMs Need a Data Mindset?
22:45 - Pendo Isn't Designed for CSMs
26:40 - Importance of Understanding Personas
28:40 - Good Food. Good Business. Good Life.
34:34 - Do Traditional CS Platforms Solve Real Problems?
46:46 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Alok Shukla: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshukla/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
________________
Keywords:
How to keep your customers happy , customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, Pendo, FunnelStory, Data mindset, Customer success platforms, Alok Sharma, customer progression, technology adoption, cybersecurity, big data analysis, human interactions, behavioral insights, business intelligence, data mindset, customer relationships, in-person meetings, post-COVID era
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

May 29, 2024 • 29min
Using Data-Driven Content to Serve Customers ft. Nikola Mijic (Founder, Matik)
In this unchurned conversation, Nikola Mijic, the Founder of Matik joins Josh Schachter. Both of them dive into how Nikola got into the world of CS, and his experience working at LinkedIn and also discuss:
0:00 - Meet Nick & how health scores help predict customer churn risk
7:00 - Working at LinkedIn inspired Nick's startup journey
13:03 - Nick's experience as an immigrant
17:45 - The role of core values in guiding operations and solving conflicts
23:10 - Finding early customers who understand the startup mentality
26:00 - Using data-driven content can enable scaling
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
Nikola Mijic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikola-mijic-9012201b/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

May 22, 2024 • 48min
CS Meetups, Post-sales Success and Future of Work Ft. John Gleeson (Success Venture Partners)
#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business
John Gleeson, the founder of Success Venture Partners joins Josh Schachter, founder of UpdateAI to share his startup investment thesis, the need to deeply understand customers and the potential for software to enter underserved spaces. The conversation also delves into the future of technology, job prospects, and the excitement around AI advancements.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, Intros & Leading an Ice Hockey team
9:15 - Playing with the winning team
15:02 - Creating a venture firm for post-logo entrepreneur support
20:10 - Investment thesis
24:44 - Investing in Loamy
30:25 - CS Meetup
35:20 - The future of work with AI
______________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
👉 Connect with the guest
John Gleeson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngleeson10/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

May 15, 2024 • 24min
How to Gain Control of Your Customers and Win Trust ft. Damien Howley
In a captivating discussion, customer success expert Damien Howley shares insights from his extensive 20-year career and his book, 'Control Your Customer'. He introduces the STO framework for effectively segmenting customer contacts. Damien also argues that customer happiness might be overrated, stressing the need to focus on quantifying the value delivered to customers. He emphasizes the importance of celebrating wins, no matter how small, to build trust and strengthen relationships. A fresh perspective on customer engagement awaits!

May 8, 2024 • 29min
Industry Realities and Frontline Insights on Pulse 2024 from Gainsight's Nick Mehta
Customer success icon Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, joins our hosts Kristi Faltorusso, Jon Johnson, & Josh Schachter for a candid conversation packed with insights on the evolving CS landscape. From a sneak peek at Pulse 2024 to the future of AI in CS, Nick brings his trademark wit along with wisdom on key trends like:
- The changing job market and customer expectations
- Aligning CS with revenue and business outcomes
- Standardizing practices while keeping the human touch
- Major industry moves and consolidation
Get an insider's perspective from one of CS's most respected voices - with some surprises along the way. A must-listen for CS pros at any level.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Preview & Intros
3:44 - Pulse 2024 at St. Customer Success
5:23 - Nick's Pulse 2024 outfit
10:20 - The state of CS in 2024
18:00 - The lack of accountability
18:53 - The term "Customer Success" is vague
22:40 - Customer Success is a part of the product
25:59 - Nick's priorities for the rest of 2024 & BS!
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/H6mnKkpU2lI?feature=shared
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
Thank you for tuning into the Unchurned podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the show and leave us an awesome rating & review.
👉 Connect with the guest
Nic Mehta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmehta/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
👉 Check out the most loved episodes
Who Wins the Tug-of-War, Team Customer Success or Team Sales? ft. Hamish Stephenson ( Selr.io)
How to Keep Customers from Churning When Renewal Budgets Are Tight ft. Gillian Heltai, CCO (Lattice)
CS [Un]churned: Do We Really Need QBRs With Every Customer?
Transitioning Into a Customer Success Role: The Before and After ft. Julie Raeder (CSM, Dooly)
👉 Past guests on The Unchurned Podcast include Nick Mehta (GainSight), Mike Molinet (Branch), Edward Chiu (Catalyst), Kristi Faltorusso (Client Success), and customer success leaders and CCOs from top companies like Cloudflare, Google, Totango, Zoura, Workday, Zendesk, Braze, BMC Software, Monday.com, and best-selling authors like Geoffrey Moore and Kelly Leonard.
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

May 1, 2024 • 36min
Intersecting Customer Success and Account Management for Value Delivery ft. Emily Lockhart (Percona)
Emily Lockhart, VP of Customer Success at Percona, joins the hosts Kristi Faltorusso, & Josh Schachter. They discuss the importance of value delivery in partnerships, building proactive customer relationships, utilizing AI and technology to enhance efficiency, and automating playbooks, hiring for CS roles. Kristi also explains the difference between product and customer advisory boards and their significance.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview & Intros
3:10 - Customer Success at Percona
4:30 - Customer Success Account Managers
7:07 - Breaking into Customer Success
10:55 - Fostering relationships with customers to focus on value delivery
18:30 - Prioritising High Touch & Tech Touch
22:10 - Utilizing Product Advisory Board
24:00 - Difference between Product Advisory Boards & Customer Advisory Board
27:30 - Hiring for Customer Success Roles
35:16 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/H6mnKkpU2lI?feature=shared
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
Thank you for tuning into the Unchurned podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the show and leave us an awesome rating & review.
👉 Connect with the guest
Emily Lockhart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyclockhart/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
👉 Check out the most loved episodes
Who Wins the Tug-of-War, Team Customer Success or Team Sales? ft. Hamish Stephenson ( Selr.io)
How to Keep Customers from Churning When Renewal Budgets Are Tight ft. Gillian Heltai, CCO (Lattice)
CS [Un]churned: Do We Really Need QBRs With Every Customer?
Transitioning Into a Customer Success Role: The Before and After ft. Julie Raeder (CSM, Dooly)
👉 Past guests on The Unchurned Podcast include Nick Mehta (GainSight), Mike Molinet (Branch), Edward Chiu (Catalyst), Kristi Faltorusso (Client Success), and customer success leaders and CCOs from top companies like Cloudflare, Google, Totango, Zoura, Workday, Zendesk, Braze, BMC Software, Monday.com, and best-selling authors like Geoffrey Moore and Kelly Leonard.
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

Apr 24, 2024 • 51min
Are Customer-Centric Strategies a Solution to Customer Crisis? ft. Seth Terbeek (DrFirst)
Seth Terbeek, VP of Customer Transformation at DrFirst joins Josh Schachter & Jon Johnson to emphasize the
- Importance of journey mapping and scaling
- Challenges around value creation and management
- Necessity of proving the value of your CS department
- Importance of open-ended questions when interacting with customers
Seth emphasizes failing forward, pivoting, and fostering a customer-centric mindset.
Timestamps
0:00 - Preview, BS, & Meet Seth Terbeek
4:05 - Effectiveness of phone calls and texting in a business setting
7:06 - What is Customer Transformation?
11:40 - Creating a customer transformation department to increase renewal dollars
16:40 - Sharing customer information cross-functionally and centralizing information
20:44 - the need for focusing on managing accounts and addressing friction separately
26:46 - Finding the right customer experience balance
30:00 - Customer Transformation Goals 2024
32:36 - Change management and training for using Plan Hat effectively
34:10 - Plan Hat coffee and its Swedish origins
36:46 - Failing forward, creating safe spaces, and customer-centric thinking
41:30 - Recognizing areas for improvement, & customer journey map
47:06 - CS Meetup, London
48:08 - Sponsorship of Pulse event and Jess Cohen's upcoming workshop
50:30 - Closing
___________________________
👉 Follow the podcast
Youtube: https://youtu.be/H6mnKkpU2lI?feature=shared
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl
Thank you for tuning into the Unchurned podcast! If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the show and leave us an awesome rating & review.
👉 Connect with the guest
Seth Terbeek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethterbeek/
👉 Connect with hosts
Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/
Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/
Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/
👉 Sign up for UpdateAI - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.
👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at https://blog.update.ai/
👉 Get the advice and insights you need to thrive in Customer Success. Subscribe to the CS Insider Newsletter
👉 Check out the most loved episodes
Who Wins the Tug-of-War, Team Customer Success or Team Sales? ft. Hamish Stephenson ( Selr.io)
How to Keep Customers from Churning When Renewal Budgets Are Tight ft. Gillian Heltai, CCO (Lattice)
CS [Un]churned: Do We Really Need QBRs With Every Customer?
Transitioning Into a Customer Success Role: The Before and After ft. Julie Raeder (CSM, Dooly)
👉 Past guests on The Unchurned Podcast include Nick Mehta (GainSight), Mike Molinet (Branch), Edward Chiu (Catalyst), Kristi Faltorusso (Client Success), and customer success leaders and CCOs from top companies like Cloudflare, Google, Totango, Zoura, Workday, Zendesk, Braze, BMC Software, Monday.com, and best-selling authors like Geoffrey Moore and Kelly Leonard.
______________________
Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI
About UpdateAI
At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.
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