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How many times have you walked out of an interview and immediately told yourself, "I'm just bad at interviewing"?In part one of this two part series, I'm breaking down four of the biggest reasons Customer Success candidates freeze, ramble, or go completely blank during interviews. These are real coaching lessons pulled directly from conversations our team has had with hundreds of job seekers. I cover why memorizing answers is actually making interviews harder, the mistake perfectionists make when they try to prepare for every possible question, and strategies that can help you think more clearly and communicate with more confidence in the moment.You'll walk away with practical strategies you can use immediately to feel more prepared and confident in your next interview. If you want to stop telling yourself you're bad at interviewing and start fixing the things that are actually holding you back, hit play and let's dive in.And if you're tired of freezing in interviews, apply for coaching HERE and let's work through it together.1:05 – Why most people aren't actually bad at interviews, but are preparing the wrong way4:03 – The mistake candidates make with interview prep that sets you up to freeze7:12 – Why prepping for every question backfires and the smarter approach to interview prep10:14 – An overlooked interview move that makes you sound more confident12:25 – The interview answer shift that stops you from rambling and gets you noticedFREEBIES & RESOURCES:
What if the biggest bottleneck in hardware design isn't your engineer's skill — it's the sheer volume of manual work standing between a great idea and a working schematic? And once you decide to embrace AI-assisted design, how do you make sure the output is actually trustworthy enough to build from? What you'll learn… (00:12) Why fragmented workflows hit SMB hardware teams hardest (02:39) The real cost of going from requirements to prototype without specialist support (07:33) How functional block-level design changes early decisions — including when a SOM beats building from scratch (12:04) Why system-level abstraction catches wrong-path decisions before they reach the schematic (14:39) The "rubber duck debugging" effect: how AI clarifies requirements before they become costly mistakes (17:54) The biggest AI misconception in hardware design — and why the engineer must own every decision (20:30) How CELUS's NXP collaboration delivers manufacturer-validated, human-in-the-loop solutions (25:05) Why abstraction-first tools help SMBs take on projects that would otherwise be out of reach (28:19) The CELUS Success Program: high-touch onboarding for SMBs on the Siemens instance More about the episode… In this episode of the Printed Circuit Podcast, host Steph Chavez welcomes back Antonio Becerra Esteban, VP of Customer Success at CELUS — a physicist-turned-engineer with experience at Infineon and Altium who now leads the team ensuring customers extract real value from the platform. The conversation tackles the fragmented, manual journey from requirements to schematic that burdens small hardware teams. Antonio explains how CELUS's functional block-level design approach lets engineers define system architectures, navigate component trade-offs with an AI assistant, and output fully-interconnected schematics — illustrating the point with a Linux-based HMI example where the right abstraction layer turns a complex MPU build into a simple SOM selection. On the trust question, Antonio is direct: the engineer must own every decision. CELUS backs this up with manufacturer-validated design blocks, transparent sourcing, and a human-in-the-loop process — putting engineers in the driving seat rather than asking them to ship whatever the model produces. SMBs can join CELUS' Success Program by sending an email to cs@celus.io. Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn Website Connect with Antonio Becerra Esteban: LinkedIn CELUS Website
What happens when two guys who built a Topia world "without a lot of planning" invite an actual Topia expert to fix it live on camera? You get this episode.Josh and Will welcome Sam, a Customer Success pro at Topia with four years of platform expertise, for a live world makeover of the HiTech Podcast's own virtual space. From setting proper world boundaries and using the alignment tool, to landmark zones, animated assets, interactive games, embedded polls, and a full event management system — Sam walks them through everything they did wrong (gently) and everything Topia can actually do. The result? A world that went from "not bad" to genuinely impressive in under an hour. Say hi to Gregory the butterfly while you're at it.Whether you're an educator dreaming of virtual office hours, an event planner looking beyond Zoom, or just someone who wants to build a cool interactive space online — this episode is packed with practical tips you can use right now.--♣️Want to become a HiTech Club member, support the pod, and get all of the extras on our episodes? Head over to our Buy Me a Coffee to subscribe: buymeacoffee.com/hitechpodcast.
本集節目由《經理人》總編輯齊立文,邀請到台大教授、智齡科技(Jubo)創辦人康仕仲,來聊聊他的新書《從好技術到好生意》。台灣即將在 2025 年正式邁入超高齡社會,到了 2035 年,65 歲以上的高齡人口將達到驚人的 29%。面對未來「一個年輕人要扶養一個老人」的沉重壓力,原本在台大擁有終身教職的康世仲,意識到這場「國安危機」已經迫在眉睫,光靠在象牙塔裡教學生根本來不及!於是他毅然決然帶著學生跳出來創業,深入長照機構的第一線,用科技解決照護現場的痛點。本集重點1. 長照不只是商機,而是攸關生存的挑戰: 康仕仲指出,未來當我們老去,照護人力絕對不夠。他們團隊親自住進長照機構實地觀察,發現護理師竟然花了 60% 的時間在做「紙筆記錄」。要解決護理荒,就必須提供好的數位系統與裝置,解放專業人員的雙手,讓他們能回歸真正有溫度的「照護」本身。2. 軟體賣出去了才是挑戰的開始:關鍵角色「客戶成功」。導入數位系統最大的阻力往往是「人」。曾有一位工作 50 年的資深照服大姐,揚言只要導入電腦系統她就立刻辭職;但在智齡科技團隊手把手的教學下,2個月後她不僅學會了,還因為能「準時下班」而開心不已。這歸功於公司內部強大的「客戶成功(Customer Success)」團隊,他們不僅負責教學,更負責監測客戶體驗,確保產品能真正落地解決問題。3. 策略好產品,Day 1 就該賣高價:許多技術創辦人不敢把產品賣貴,但康仕仲認為:「如果你解決了別人解決不了的問題,你當然有資格賣得更貴!」從高價、高品質的高端市場切入,打磨出極致的產品體驗後,再順勢進入主流市場。更重要的是,企業必須有合理的利潤,才能聘請更好的工程師,推動社會持續進步。 Powered by Firstory Hosting
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In today's Cloud Wars Minute, explore how SAP's Autonomous Suite could become the operating system for AI-powered enterprises Highlights 00:02 — The company that more than 50 years ago really started the whole enterprise applications business, SAP, last month at its big Sapphire event rolled out the latest, greatest, newest AI-powered version of their long-running ERP suite, but this time it's called the Autonomous Suite, so that's a huge change. 00:33 — I had a chance to sit down with Jan Gilg, who's Global President for Customer Success for the Americas at SAP headquarters and asked about a number of things that customers have the opportunity to move into with this newer, more fully integrated, more AI-powered Autonomous Suite. And I know there's been some risk that SAP took in selecting this name. 01:49 — Jan's been in SAP for about 15 years. He was on the development side for a long time, and he was leading, several years ago, the development of S/4HANA and that whole version of the suite. 02:36 — We talked about this issue of trust. Autonomous is right there in the name. It's one thing for different autonomous technologies to manage things. But, when you talk about the autonomous enterprise ... we got into the discussion of what SAP has to do to build up trust among its customers. 03:28 — What's the interplay between agentic AI and applications going in both directions? Oracle can now refer to its Fusion Applications as Agentic Applications. Is SAP doing everything it can to clarify in the minds of customers where applications end and agents begin, and the same thing in the other direction? Jan has some great thoughts on that. 04:12 — Everybody in the company, I guess, was running tokens 24 hours a day. So, Jan has some good thoughts on this. And then we talked about customer examples. Let's see, there was one from the retailer H&M, there was one from a manufacturing company, and we had some different ones in here that he brought up. But he really brought some good perspectives on that. Visit Cloud Wars for more.
Consumption pricing and AI adoption are forcing revenue teams to prove value faster, with less room to hide behind contracts, pilots, or broad technical promises. Seong Park, Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to examine how customer success has become a consultative, technical, and commercial function in modern go-to-market. The conversation explores why post-sale execution is now central to retention, how teams need to embed into customer workflows, what finance scrutiny means for consumption models, and why the fundamentals of pain, champions, outcomes, and evidence still matter in a market moving at unusual speed. Seong Park is the Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor. His background spans pre-sales, customer success, and go-to-market leadership across companies including MongoDB, ThoughtSpot, and now Cursor. Connect with Seong: LinkedIn Key takeaways from this episode: 00:00 – Seong Park's perspective on how pre-sales, open source SaaS, and customer success shaped his view of enterprise go-to-market. 02:26 – Why consumption models force revenue teams to re-earn the customer's business through usage and realized value. 08:00 – The value realization test every revenue leader should care about: what happens if the solution gets unplugged. 11:04 – Why workflow depth quietly becomes a moat in enterprise accounts. 18:04 – Why the real selling often starts after the customer signs. 23:50 – A look inside where Cursor is finding technical go-to-market talent, and what it takes to build that talent into customer-facing operators. 34:38 – Why finance scrutiny quietly changes the standard of proof for AI investments. 52:00 – The three things post-sale teams need to understand before value delivery can begin. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management
Being a Jira admin has never been more complex or more critical. In this episode, we sit down with Peter Kerrigan, Head of Customer Success at Solcoro, for a no-holds-barred conversation about the real struggles, hard decisions, and thankless work that goes into keeping an Atlassian environment healthy, scalable, and sane.Whether you're managing a scrappy single-instance setup or a sprawling enterprise layout with dozens of sites, this one is going to hit home.We dig into the topics that don't get talked about enough the ones that keep admins up at night and that no Atlassian certification ever fully prepares you for.Thank you to ikuTeam for connecting and collaborating with The Jira Life. https://ikuteam.comThe Jira Life=====================================Having trouble keeping up with when we are live? Sign up for our Atlassian Community Group!https://ace.atlassian.com/the-jira-life/Or Follow us on LinkedIn!https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-jira-life/Become a member on YouTube to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/@thejiralife/joinHosts:- Alex "Dr. Jira" Ortiz https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexortiz89/ https://www.youtube.com/@ApetechTechTutorials- Rodney "The Jira Guy" Nissen https://www.linkedin.com/in/rgnissen/ https://thejiraguy.com- Sarah Wright https://www.linkedin.com/in/satwright/ Producer:- "King Bob" Robert Wen https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-wen-csm-spc6-a552051/Executive Producer: - Lina OrtizMusic provided by Monstercat:=====================================Intro: Nitro Fun - Cheat Codeshttps://www.youtube.com/c/monstercatOutro: Fractal - Atriumhttps://www.youtube.com/c/monstercatinstinct
SaaStr 859: The $257 Employee: What Agents That Actually Work Look Like Right Now with Replit's CEO and Founder Everyone's talking about agents. Almost nobody is running them the way Jason Lemkin is. At SaaStr, two AI employees - 10K, the autonomous VP of Marketing, and QB, the AI VP of Customer Success - ran a significant chunk of this event. They emailed 331 investors with individually researched, personalized outreach. They proactively contacted 100-plus sponsors and filed their own self-assessment of where they fell short. They built dashboards, ran campaigns, and tracked 10 years of attendee data without sleeping, complaining, or asking for a coffee break. The tab: $257 a month on Replit. In this session, Jason sits down with Amjad Masad, Founder and CEO of Replit, to pull apart how this actually works - and what it tells us about where agents are headed next. You'll learn: Why monorepo architecture matters more than most people realize - and how putting everything in one place gives your agents global context they can't get when apps are siloed How Replit built a self-improving loop where an internal agent analyzes every user interaction nightly, generates prompt changes, ships them as A/B tests, and improves the product autonomously What "context compaction" actually means in practice, why Replit's is better than the generic version, and how to think about long-running agents that never reset Why the gap between agent hype and agent reality is at its widest right now - and what the next capability jump looks like by Q3/Q4 Why Replit users were six months ahead of Silicon Valley on agents, and what that early edge looks like when you apply it to marketing, customer success, and operations This is for you if: You tried an AI tool six months ago, it disappointed you, and you haven't gone back - this session will show you how much has changed You're a founder or operator trying to understand what a real, production-grade agent looks like versus a chatbot with a fancy name You're thinking about the economics of AI replacing or augmenting headcount and want a concrete data point, not a thought experiment
Most Customer Success job seekers track their applications. Mariia tracked the data behind her entire job search.In this episode, I'm sitting down with Mariia, a Customer Success Manager who recently landed her dream role in cybersecurity. Because she tracked every part of her job search, we were able to see exactly which activities generated the biggest return on her time and energy and which ones created the most momentum.In this client spotlight episode, we unpack the strategy shifts that helped her dramatically increase her interview conversion rate, the outreach approach that changed the trajectory of her search, and why being more intentional gave her more opportunities instead of fewer.The result? Two job offers, five companies she ultimately turned down, and a Customer Success role that checked every box on her list.If you're ready to stop guessing what's working in your job search and start focusing on the activities that actually create momentum, hit play and let's dive in.And if you're doing all the things and not getting the results you want, apply for coaching HERE and let's figure out what's actually standing between you and your next offer.1:15 – The mindset shift Mariia used to land two dream job offers and confidently turn down five others6:20 – Which job seeking activities don't actually move the needle in a CS job search8:02 – The two high-ROI actions Mariia focused on that made all the difference11:43 – How Mariia's application-to-interview rate increased from 8% to 40%14:27 – How switching to quality over quantity and getting selective with applications completely shifted Mariia's confidence and options22:47 – Why mindset and surrounding yourself with experts were key in Mariia's job searchOTHER EPISODES YOU'LL LOVE:
Finish Big - The Podcast with Mark Dorman from Legacy Business Advisors.
In this episode of the Finish Big Podcast, Mark Dorman is joined by Cal B. Parker and Kevin Saad from BizEquity — the world's largest online business valuation platform. The conversation explores how BizEquity has transformed business valuation from an expensive, time-consuming process into a fast, accessible planning tool for advisors and business owners. Cal and Kevin discuss the importance of proactive planning, understanding business value long before an exit, and how modern technology is reshaping the succession and exit planning industry. They also dive into the newest BizEquity platform enhancements, including AI-powered tax return extraction, KPI benchmarking, value growth strategies, and tools that help advisors guide business owners towards stronger financial futures. This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs, financial advisors, exit planners, and anyone interested in building, protecting, and maximising business value. Mark and Cal B. Parker and Kevin Saad: The founding story and mission behind BizEquity Why most business owners still don't know their company's true value The difference between certified valuations and planning valuations How AI and technology are simplifying valuation processes The role of advisors in proactive business planning Understanding value drivers and business performance metrics Owner dependency and customer concentration risks KPI benchmarking and growth planning strategies Preparing businesses years before an eventual exit The future of business valuation and succession planning Connect with Mark Dorman: Succession Plus US LinkedIn: Mark Dorman LinkedIn: Succession Plus Facebook: Succession Plus (330)-416-9271 mdorman@succession.plus About the Guests: Cal Parker Cal Parker has spent nearly a decade at BizEquity helping shape the company's growth across multiple areas of the business. He works closely with firms developing business owner planning strategies and helping advisors better serve entrepreneurs and privately held businesses. Kevin Saad Kevin Saad is the Senior Director of Customer Success at BizEquity, where he leads initiatives focused on helping financial professionals leverage business valuation as a planning and growth tool. He specialises in advisor engagement, business owner strategy, and valuation-driven planning conversations.
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It's that time of year, muzzle time. We speak with Kara Robinson of GG Equine about when and why you should be using a muzzle with your horse/pony/mini. Coach Jenn tells us about a chew stop that finally worked for James and Jamie does her annual lesson on training for the 4th of July. Listen in….HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3967– Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreTitle Sponsor: WERM FlooringPic Credit: GG EquineGuest: Kara Robinson, Director of Product Management & Customer Success, GG EquineGuest: Coach Jenn of Horse Tip Daily on Rap Last, chew stop that actually worksSponsor: ClariFly LarvicideAdditional support for this podcast provided by: Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 02:02 - Belmont recap & Golden Tempo04:41 - Daily Whinnies07:18 - Tick bites & health chat12:05 - Screwworm outbreak & sterile flies15:21 - Kara from GG Equine: why muzzles23:40 - Muzzle fit, sizes, inserts & coupon30:36 - Chewing problems & Rap Last39:26 - Fireworks training with balloons
It's that time of year, muzzle time. We speak with Kara Robinson of GG Equine about when and why you should be using a muzzle with your horse/pony/mini. Coach Jenn tells us about a chew stop that finally worked for James and Jamie does her annual lesson on training for the 4th of July. Listen in….HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3967– Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreTitle Sponsor: WERM FlooringPic Credit: GG EquineGuest: Kara Robinson, Director of Product Management & Customer Success, GG EquineGuest: Coach Jenn of Horse Tip Daily on Rap Last, chew stop that actually worksSponsor: ClariFly LarvicideAdditional support for this podcast provided by: Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 02:02 - Belmont recap & Golden Tempo04:41 - Daily Whinnies07:18 - Tick bites & health chat12:05 - Screwworm outbreak & sterile flies15:21 - Kara from GG Equine: why muzzles23:40 - Muzzle fit, sizes, inserts & coupon30:36 - Chewing problems & Rap Last39:26 - Fireworks training with balloons
In this episode of Revenue Cycle Optimized, Christina Harkins, Director of Customer Success at Infinx, discusses how prior authorization workflows can be optimized through automation, custom queues, workflow discovery, and ongoing operational support. She explains how the right mix of AI, human oversight, reporting, and implementation planning can reduce manual work, prevent avoidable denials, and improve revenue cycle performance.
In "Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain" Joe Lynch and Joey Evans, Senior Director, Government Affairs & Business Development, TNW Corporation, discuss how Class III short line railroads leverage technology, sustainability, and first-and-last-mile service to keep American commerce moving. About Joey Evans Joey Evans is the Senior Director, Government Affairs & Business Development, TNW Corporation. He is a seasoned rail industry professional with over 20 years of experience, leading TNW's development and execution of government affairs and strategic growth initiatives. His role oversees legislative strategy, public funding efforts, real estate and industrial development projects, and supports acquisition and expansion activities aligned with the company's long-term objectives. Joey serves as President of the Texas Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (TSLRRA) and is a member of the TxDOT Freight Advisory Committee. His career spans various leadership roles across the short line railroad industry. Prior to his current position, he led Customer Success for TNW, encompassing customer service, revenue protection, and infrastructure technology. His journey began as a conductor and engineer, where hands-on experience laid the foundation for his transition into management. About TNW Corporation TNW Corporation owns and operates three short line railroads — TXNW Railway, TXGN Railway, and TXR Railway — along with multiple rail logistics facilities across Texas, serving as a strategic supply chain partner to industries, shippers, fleet managers, and Class I railroads. With more than 40 years of transportation logistics experience, TNW delivers the efficiency, reliability, and customer service that keep North American commerce moving. TXNW Railway, operating in the Texas Panhandle since 1982, is a One-Stop Supercenter and boasts the largest privately owned railcar storage capacity in the United States. TXGN Railway, also a One-Stop Supercenter, has served central Texas since 1992, operating approximately 67 miles of storage and loop track with Union Pacific interchange. TXR Railway, based in Brownwood, serves the Camp Bowie Industrial Area and interchanges with BNSF Railroad. TNW's full suite of services includes rapid interchange, transloading, railcar storage, repair, cleaning, scrapping, warehousing, and rail-served industrial development. Key Takeaways: Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain In "Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain" Joe Lynch and Joey Evans, Senior Director, Government Affairs & Business Development, TNW Corporation, discuss how Class III short line railroads leverage technology, sustainability, and first-and-last-mile service to keep American commerce moving. Revenue, Not Track Length, Defines Railroad Classes: Railroad classification is strictly determined by annual revenue, not physical distance. Class I railroads (the "interstates" like BNSF and UP) exceed $1 billion in annual revenue, Class II regional railroads fall between $1 billion and $47 million, and Class III short lines—where TNW Corporation operates—fall below $47 million. Short Lines Serve as the "First and Last Mile" for Rural America: While Class I railroads excel at long-distance freight movement, North America's 615 short line railroads provide essential first- and last-mile service to industrial parks and rural communities. Operating in smaller towns (often under 15,000 people), short lines keep vital agricultural, manufacturing, and petrochemical hubs connected to the national rail network. Lowering the Barrier to Entry with Truck-to-Rail Conversions: Because one railcar holds the equivalent capacity of four trucks (4:1 ratio), TNW launched a dedicated logistics and transloading business. This allows smaller regional shippers within a 50-to-100-mile radius to enjoy the economic benefits of rail by breaking bulk rail loads down into local trucks, without requiring a massive capital investment in dedicated track infrastructure. High-Volume Commodities and Major Public-Private Infrastructure Investments: Short lines primarily handle heavy, bulk commodities like petrochemicals, plastics, lumber, agricultural yields, and construction aggregates (rock). To support these loads, short lines reinvest a massive 33% to 50% of their annual revenue into infrastructure, a timeline accelerated by federal CRISI (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety Improvement) grants to expand track fluidity. Transitioning from Rail's Historic "Black Hole" to High-Tech Visibility: Spurred by rising post-COVID consumer expectations (the "Amazon experience"), TNW developed a proprietary digital portal called My TNW. This tool eliminates the historic visibility "black hole" of rail shipping by providing customers with complete data transparency, allowing them to track cars across both TNW property and intersecting Class I networks. Embracing AI and Autonomous Infrastructure Safety: The rail industry is heavily adopting AI, autonomous railcars, and automated track inspection tools. These automated systems travel the lines to instantly pinpoint structural micro-cracks, gauge misalignments, or railcar defects. Removing the human error factor from these tedious inspections helped the rail sector chart its safest operational year in its 200-year history in 2025. Meeting Corporate ESG Targets Through "Clean and Green" Operations: Rail remains one of the most inherently sustainable modes of land transportation, moving a ton of freight roughly 500 miles on a single gallon of fuel. Beyond fuel efficiency, TNW helps shippers meet strict corporate environmental goals by certifying all properties under Operation Clean Sweep, which enforces strict handling frameworks to prevent plastic pellets and commodities from spilling into local ecosystems. Learn More About Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain Joey Evans | Linkedin TNW Corporation | Linkedin TNW Corporation | Instagram TNW Corporation | Facebook TNW Corporation | YouTube TNW Corporation The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube
What if the reason your job search is not working has nothing to do with your experience and everything to do with the things you keep wasting time on?In this episode, I'm breaking down the three biggest mistakes I see Customer Success job seekers making that feel productive but are actually keeping them stuck longer. I'm sharing the patterns we uncovered from clients who recently landed roles, why some “good” job search advice is backfiring, and the one strategy most candidates are avoiding that is quietly helping people get interviews faster.You'll walk away with a completely different perspective on what actually moves the needle in a CS job search and how to stop wasting time on things that are not getting you hired. If you're ready to get more traction, stand out, and start landing better opportunities, hit play and let's dive in.And if you're feeling stuck in your job search and want to hear exactly what helped real Customer Success professionals land offers in this market, register for the live Customer Success Career Panel HERE.1:54 – Why customizing your resume for every single job is actually hurting your chances instead of helping7:25 – How mass applying to dozens of roles every week leads to fewer interviews13:25 – The biggest missed opportunity in job searching15:02 – How a rejected candidate landed an interview after being turned down16:17 – Why doing consistent, targeted outreach gets faster and better results18:06 – The three things to stop doing to stand out in your customer success job searchFREEBIES & RESOURCES:
Join RevUP Academy: https://bit.ly/4wRZDuYIn this episode, Anika Zubair shares a practical playbook for customer success professionals who want to confidently have commercial conversations about money. Using her Value Bridge framework, she walks through the mindset changes, tactical language, and real customer scenarios that take your role from friendly advocate to revenue-driven trusted advisor, without ever feeling salesy.Chapters:00:00 - From Friendly to Commercial: The Mindset Change02:46 - The Value Bridge Framework05:56 - Anchoring in Results and Naming the Gap08:39 - Quantifying Impact and Making Recommendations11:46 - Navigating Customer Responses14:30 - Practical Scenarios for Commercial Conversations17:43 - Advanced Tips for Confident Conversations20:22 - The Challenge: Putting Skills into Practice23:39 - Wrapping Up: The Importance of Commercial SkillsConnect with Anika Zubair:Website: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikazubair/RevUP Academy: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupGrab 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
20+ AI agents in daily production. 2.25M sessions. 614 meetings booked by a single agent. Millions of interactions across the stack. Amelia Lerutte, Chief AI Officer at SaaStr, and Jason Lemkin, Founder and CEO of SaaStr, take you behind the scenes of the AI agent stack running SaaStr every day, with live demos of the actual backends. In this session, they go deep on the top agents in production: 10K, SaaStr's AI VP of Marketing, built on Replit with 1,000+ commits in 4 months QB, the AI VP of Customer Success, managing 150+ customers end-to-end Annie, the AI Event Producer running saastrannual.com (46K+ lines of code) Amelia AI, the inbound agent on Qualified that booked 614 meetings and handled 402,000 chats for SaaStr Annual alone Agentforce, reviving the leads humans never followed up with Ava (Artisan) for warm outbound on the B leads humans won't touch Monaco for fully cold outbound that fills its own funnel with lookalikes You'll also hear the honest stories: the day Annie sent emails from a prohibited address, why Replit and Lovable versions of the same agent come to different conclusions, why the traditional CSM role is dead, and how headless Salesforce + Replit is the fastest path to your first real agent. The biggest takeaway: don't put AI on your A leads. Put it on the B leads your humans won't follow up with. That's where the real revenue is. Recorded live at SaaStr AI Annual 2026. Part of The Agents series.
Dale Sellers and Joseph Bennett talk with Lynne Roberts from RightNow Media about how small and mid-size churches can resource families, strengthen small groups, train volunteers with built-in accountability, and care for pastors' souls through curated conferences and practical leader tools.Lynne Roberts serves on the Customer Success team as a Senior Account Consultant at RightNow Media. She works with churches, associations, and networks across the globe. Her primary role is to train ministry leaders to maximize the RightNow Media platform within their local church. Lynne has served at RightNow Media for 9 years and lives in Johns Creek, Georgia, with her husband and two young daughters. They are active members of Perimeter Church in Johns Creek.Pastors, many of you know that we have partnered with RightNow Media – the world's largest streaming library of Bible studies and discipleship content designed specifically to encourage you and your family in your walk with the Lord. RightNow Media has content from over 400 Christian publishers, tens of thousands of Bible studies, conferences, training sessions, kid's cartoons, and much more. As a pastor partnered with 95Network, you are receiving FREE personal access to this resource!Click the following link to sign up for your free personal access to this amazing resource https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/95networkThere are 3 new tools on RightNow Media for you as a pastor: Pastors Plus, Webinars, and the PastorsHub.This gift is meant for you to use personally and with your immediate family. Please know that your user account cannot be shared or given away to your church. However, because you are a valued part of our family here at 95Network, your church qualifies for a significant discount to use RightNow Media to equip your families, resource your small groups, and develop your leaders within your local church. If this resource is a blessing to you and your family, imagine how impactful it could be for your entire church!How do I set up my personal account?To create your free personal account through 95Network, click here.If you're interested in Pastors+ or a RightNow Media subscription for your church, please contact our representative at RightNow Media, Lynne Roberts, at Lynne@rightnowmedia.org. She will go over pricing and the discount you'll receive because of your partnership with 95Network.Show Notes: https://95network.org/95podcast-340-summary-rightnow-media-for-small-churches-free-tools-for-pastors-volunteers-and-families-with-lynne-robertsw-lynne-roberts/Support the show
Carl Lenocker is the Chief Unicorn at Rockstar Unicorn Consulting and a top-tier Customer Success executive with over 20 years of experience operating in high-stakes, revenue-critical environments. He has built his career managing and protecting multi-million dollar relationships, focusing on executive-level conversations where outcomes matter more than optics and where revenue is either secured or quietly lost.Known for his no-fluff, field-tested approach, Carl teaches Customer Success professionals to think and act like revenue owners, not support teams. He is also the author of Success Plan for Life, where he applies the same principles used to protect enterprise accounts to career growth, wealth building, and long-term leverage, helping leaders earn trust, de-risk renewals, and break through professional ceilings.In this episode we cover:00:00 - Intro03:08 - Carl's Journey in Customer Success06:16 - Mindset Shift From Support to Revenue Ownership09:11 - Building Relationships and Overcoming Fears12:18 - Navigating Remote Interactions and Building Trust15:05 - The Impact of AI on Customer Success Roles18:17 - Lessons Beyond Business and Success Plan for Life21:09 - The Power of Planning for Success24:19 - Wealth Accumulation and Legacy Thinking26:18 - Personal Growth and Life Goals27:04 - Choosing the Right Partner29:00 - Navigating Career Growth and Challenges31:07 - Influential Resources for Success33:26 - Defining Success at MidlifeGet in touch with Carl:Carl's LinkedInRockstar Unicorn ConsultingBooks:"Success Plan for Life" by Carl Lenocker"Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki"Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins"Power Questions" by Andrew SobelTag Us & Follow:FacebookLinkedInInstagramMore About Akeel:TwitterLinkedInMore SaaS Podcast EpisodesSaaS ConsultantsHow To Value Your SaaS Company
What if the biggest opportunities in your accounts are being left on the table because you are treating champions like power users instead of strategic partners?In this episode, I'm breaking down the five specific ways top performing CSMs use champions to drive adoption, expansion, and renewals without carrying the entire account on their back.I'm sharing the exact plays I used throughout my CS career, why most CSMs are thinking about champions the wrong way, and how to turn your internal advocates into the people opening doors, influencing teams, and helping you protect revenue.You'll walk away knowing how to sound more strategic, create more momentum in your accounts, and stop feeling like you have to do everything yourself. If you're ready to become the kind of CSM that companies cannot afford to lose, hit play, and let's dive in.1:10 – Why most CSMs aren't set up to leverage champions (and it's not your fault)3:22 – The three must-haves that make someone a true champion, not just a coach6:47 – Turning your champion into a community builder with a simple Slack channel10:55 – Upleveling adoption by helping champions create a resource hub or wiki14:38 – Making your product stickier by baking it into new hire onboarding16:30 – Driving expansion with champion-led value stories that actually land21:44 – Teaching champions to talk ROI to crush renewal conversationsFREEBIES & RESOURCES:
Join RevUP Academy: https://bit.ly/4wRZDuYIn this episode, Anika Zubair explores how customer success professionals can confidently navigate commercial conversations with customers. She highlights common misconceptions, mistakes, and mindset shifts necessary to elevate your role from friendly advocate to strategic revenue driver—without feeling salesy.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction01:27 - Why avoiding money discussions damages relationships and revenue04:32 - How to shift your mindset: Making commercial conversations part of your value11:44 - Common mistakes: Waiting for permission, leading with product, apologies15:06 - Practical tools for building confidence in commercial conversations23:15 - Five mindset shifts needed for strategic commercial roles30:21 - The importance of learning the language of business and finance36:52 - The foundation for moving forward: Mindset and identity shiftsConnect with Anika Zubair:Website: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikazubair/RevUP Academy: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupGrab 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
The people landing the best Customer Success jobs right now are not the ones applying to hundreds of roles.In this episode, I'm breaking down one of the biggest mistakes I see customer success job seekers making and why it's actually keeping them stuck longer. I'm sharing the real data behind what's helping people land interviews right now, why applying to more jobs is not the answer, and the four-step framework I teach my clients to help them land roles they're genuinely excited about instead of settling for something they'll regret eight months later.You'll walk away with a completely different perspective on what it actually takes to land a customer success job you love and how to stop treating your job search like survival mode when you don't have to. If you're ready to be more intentional, land better interviews, and stop settling for roles that are not the right fit, hit play and let's dive in.And if you want help figuring out how to land a Customer Success job that actually fits your goals instead of settling for the first offer that comes your way, apply for coaching HERE and let's build your strategy together.1:19 – Who should skip this episode and why urgency changes your job search playbook2:34 – How a common job search strategy traps people in constant cycles of settling6:36 – The surprising number of applications that actually leads to more interviews8:04 – The move almost all top job seekers use to land interviews faster11:02 – What sets apart the candidates who quickly move up after landing a new role13:02 – The four-part framework for running an intentional, high-success customer success job searchOTHER EPISODES YOU'LL LOVE:
Smoother Schedules Start With Smarter Prior Authorization Lora Pada, VP of Customer Success at Infinx, host a practical conversation with Danelle Newman, Director of Patient Access at OSS Health, on how orthopedic practices can take a smarter approach to prior authorization workflows. The discussion will focus on the real operational grind patient access teams face every day, including payer complexity, manual follow-up, documentation gaps, scheduling pressure, and the challenge of keeping patients moving without overwhelming staff. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen/
Workshops Link: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/team-eventIn this episode of The Customer Success Pro, Brittany Casey, VP of Customer Success at Disco, shares insights on the power of multi-threading engagements, relationship mapping, and building resilient customer relationships in the evolving SaaS landscape. Discover practical strategies to enhance customer success, leverage internal and external relationships, and future-proof your career.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Multi-Threading in Customer Success04:34 Brittany Casey's Journey and Role at Disco19:23 The Importance of Multi-Threading Engagements27:36 Building Relationships Across Stakeholders37:58 Navigating Challenges in Relationship Mapping46:19 Tools and Strategies for Effective Customer Success54:43 Quick Fire Questions with Brittany CaseyConnect with Anika Zubair:Website: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikazubair/RevUP Academy: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupBrittany Cassey Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatcustomersuccessgal/Brittany Cassey's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thatcustomersuccessgalGrab 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
The Agents #005, Our AI is Hiring! Would You Work for One? And Are Autonomous Agents ... Safe? Welcome to The Agents, where SaaStr's CEO and Founder, Jason Lemkin and Chief AI Officer, Amelia LeRutte share the latest each week on running a company with more agents than humans. It costs $257 a month to run two AI VPs. Jason and Amelia open the books on what 10K (AI VP of Marketing) and QB (AI VP of Customer Success) actually cost to operate, and the number shocked both of them. Most of the heavy lifting is API calls to Salesforce, Bizzabo, and Marketo, which are basically free. The Postgres storage costs pennies. And 95% of the AI calls run on OpenAI Mini at less than a penny each. The fully burdened cost with Clerk, 11 Labs, and Salesforce overhead might hit $500-800/month, but the soft cost of human time dwarfs all of it. Then 10K gets asked point blank: are you a VP of Marketing? Its answer is no, not yet. It says it replaced the bottom half of the marketing org, the analyst, the ops coordinator, the junior content marketer, and a sliver of the VP job. But it's honest about what it can't do: strategy, cross-functional politics, crisis response, hiring. Amelia points out that 10K's current job description is exactly what her job was when she started at SaaStr as Director of Demand Gen. It took her years to get to CAIO. 10K might get there faster. And SaaStr is putting its money where its mouth is: they're hiring a human marketer whose primary manager would be 10K. Not a thought experiment, a real job posting. Would you take a job reporting to an AI? Then the safety question gets real. Amelia is talking to agents via WhisperFlow while walking around a 40-acre event site during SaaStr Annual load-in, and the production crew started asking her to relay their questions because 10K and QB answer in seconds with correct data. But when QB autonomously emailed 83 sponsors at 12:20am with fully customized check-in emails, Amelia admits she hesitated before letting it rip. Each email was unique to the sponsor, showing exactly what they still owed, their registration codes, and outstanding tasks. The result: fewer inbound questions the next day and more sponsors using the QB chatbot directly. That's an autonomous agent acting on behalf of your company in the middle of the night. Jason and Amelia also tackle the Postgres vs. Salesforce debate that listeners keep asking about. Short answer: not happening for them. Too much history, too many third-party agents optimized around Salesforce, and they're actually consolidating more tools onto the platform, not fewer. They killed Marketo and moved to Marketing Cloud. Plus they built a newsletter auto-builder that replaced a $4K/year tool called Bee. 10K uses Sonnet to force rank articles, builds the HTML, inserts ads, and sends it. Human on the loop, not in it.
Sam Slevin, Global SVP of Customer Success at AlphaSense, joins Sam Jacobs, AJ Bruno, and Asad Zaman on the AI-era customer success playbook. Topics include why service is the differentiator over the next 2 to 3 years, the case for customer success owning a revenue number from day one, the gap between finance's productivity targets and real-life capacity. Plus, the origins of customer success, why consumption-based pricing can quickly become a trap, and a bull-versus-bear debate on whether HubSpot can get back to a $20 billion market cap. In short... big episode! Key Takeaways: - After 17 years building customer success teams, Sam Slevin doesn't entertain the "should CS own a number" debate. As Sam Slevin, Global SVP of Customer Success at AlphaSense, put it: "in my 17 years of, of customer success and leadership within customer success, that has never actually been a debate for, for me. I, I would never take a role that doesn't have revenue focused and like impact owning a number, calling your forecast from day one." His standing practice when he joins a new company: build a top-down and bottoms-up forecast on day one and validate it the same way sales does. - Slevin's central thesis is that AI raises the floor on automation while service becomes the upside lever for the next 2 to 3 years. As Slevin put it: "I don't think there could be a more exciting time to be in customer success where service feels like it could be the major differentiator over the next 2 to 3 years." The CS team that listens carefully, builds deep relationships, and meets customers where they are wins the renewal and the expansion. - The hardest tension in CS productivity is the gap between what finance models demand and what individual accounts actually support. As Slevin put it on his approach: "I definitely want to increase productivity in ARR per AM. What's interesting is I feel like there's a finance model and then there's a real life model… finance will say we need $15 million per AM." The leader's job, Slevin argues, is to find the 10% operational drag (AM-to-AE handoffs, billing friction, segmentation gaps) and remove it to close the gap. - On HubSpot's path back to $20 billion, AJ Bruno takes the bullish side based on customer behavior signals. As AJ Bruno, CEO at QuotaPath, put it: "And the fact that they've gone horizontal, um, now I know that there are like 70% of their customers are still looking for answers for HubSpot of what AI needs to look like, and they haven't let the opportunity yet pass them by, but it's getting shaky right now." Sam Jacobs took the bearish side, citing structural challenges and faster-moving AI-first competitors. Connect with the Hosts & Guests: Host: Sam Jacobs, CEO at Pavilion - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samfjacobs/ Host: AJ Bruno, CEO at QuotaPath - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajbruno3/ Host: Asad Zaman, CEO at Sales Talent Agency - https://www.linkedin.com/in/azaman1/ Guest: Sam Slevin, Global SVP Customer Success at AlphaSense - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-slevin-9b2ba21b/ Topline is more than a YouTube Channel: Subscribe to Topline Newsletter: https://toplinemedia.substack.com/ Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-podcast Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast: https://www.joinpavilion.com/topline-slack Chapters: 00:00 Introducing Sam Slevin 03:13 Customer Success in the AI Era 04:28 Should CS Own a Number? 07:43 Gross Retention vs. Growth 11:02 The Number-Owner Premium 14:37 Service as the AI-Era Moat 22:19 Productivity Per Person 26:34 Vendor Spend and AI Voice Modes 35:12 Reimagining GTM Roles 38:51 Quiz Pro Quo 45:38 Seat to Usage-Based Pricing 50:12 Pricing AI Like a Meter 55:43 CSM vs Salesperson Comp Gap 58:43 Bulls and Bears
Most marketing teams hand sales a stack of brochures and never hear back. In this episode of Content to Close, Nat Norris, VP of Marketing and Customer Success at Model 1 Commercial Vehicles, breaks down how his team gets out of the trophy case of unused white papers and into the rooms where deals are won and lost. Nat walks through how he embeds marketers inside the company's three sales segments (public, commercial, and retail), why he forces his team into weekly quote review and deal loss meetings, and the data hygiene work he had to do in Power BI before any of it could function. He also shares the FAB framework (Features, Advantages, Benefits) he carried over from his catalog days, with a simple rule: push the benefit, self-serve the feature. And he closes with the two governors he uses to decide when there's enough data to act: the 80/20 rule and the "front page of the newspaper" worst-case test. If you've ever wondered how to turn marketing collateral into something sales actually uses, this one's for you.About NatNat Norris is the VP of Marketing and Customer Success at Model 1 Commercial Vehicles, a nationwide commercial dealership selling work trucks, cargo vans, school buses, and shuttle buses. Based in Indianapolis, Nat has spent about 17 years in B2B marketing for equipment, with stops in e-commerce and large holding-company environments before landing at a single-family-owned business. His group leads marketing, customer experience, product information, customer care feedback, and inside sales lead qualification. Nat is a self-described data and dot-connecting nerd whose old product-management instincts shape how he thinks about content, storytelling, and what salespeople actually need in the field.Show Notes- Connect with Nat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natnorris/Text us what you think about this episode!
You're not getting rejected because you are unqualified. You're getting rejected because you are playing the job search game the same way everyone else is.In this episode, I'm sitting down with Michael, who applied to nearly 1,000 Customer Success jobs without landing a single interview. We unpack the exact shifts that finally changed everything, from the networking strategy that started getting hiring managers to respond to the mindset changes that helped him stop “pre-failing” before interviews even started. Within six months, he landed not one but two CS jobs using a completely different approach.You'll walk away with a clearer understanding of what is actually working in today's CS job market and how to stop wasting time on strategies that are keeping you stuck. If you are ready to finally start getting interviews and feel confident in your job search again, hit play and let's dive in.And if you're exhausted from applying to jobs and getting ghosted, apply for 1:1 coaching HERE and let's change the way you approach your job search.2:12 – Why applying to a thousand jobs got zero interviews and led to burnout7:22 – What made investing in coaching the turning point for building confidence and community9:41 – How shifting from resume tweaks to direct networking created instant momentum13:17 – Why modern job search networking is smarter than awkward meetups18:31 – How applying to fewer jobs but following up strategically leads to better results22:14 – Landing two customer success jobs in under 45 days using the networking-first strategyFREEBIES & RESOURCES:
Hey CX Nation,In this week's episode of The CXChronicles Podcast #281, we welcomed Carl Lenocker, Senior Customer Success Executive at Splunk, based in San Francisco, CA. He is also the Chief Unicorn at Rockstar Unicorn Consulting. Carl has an interesting story as he's a a top-1% Customer Success Executive ($50M ARR) who built a career by owning relationships, telling the truth early, and tying outcomes to dollars—not dashboards.He's also the author of Success Plan for Life, where he breaks down how the same principles used to protect multi-million-dollar enterprise accounts can be applied to career, wealth, love and long-term leverage.In this episode, Carl and Adrian chat through the Four CX Pillars: Team, Tools, Process & Feedback. Plus share some of the ideas that his team think through on a daily basis to build world class customer experiences.**Episode #281 Highlight Reel:**1. What it takes to be a top 1& CSM 2. Bringing CX & customer success into your future investments3. Where are things headed for CS in the next 1,000 days?Click here to learn more about Carl LenockerClick here to learn more about SplunkHuge thanks to Carl for coming on The CXChronicles Podcast and featuring his work and efforts in pushing the customer experience & contact center space into the future. For all of our Apple & Spotify podcast listener friends, make sure you are following CXC & please leave a 5 star review so we can find new members of the "CX Nation". You know what would be even better?Go tell your friends or teammates about CXC's custom content, strategic partner solutions (Hubspot, Intercom, & Freshworks) & On-Demand services & invite them to join the CX Nation, a community of 15K+ customer focused business leaders!Want to see how your customer experience compares to the world's top-performing customer focused companies? Thanks to all of you for being apart of the "CX Nation" and helping customer focused business leaders across the world make happiness a habit!Reach Out To CXC Today!Support the showContact CXChronicles TodayTweet us @cxchroniclesCheck out our Instagram @cxchroniclesClick here to checkout the CXC websiteEmail us at info@cxchronicles.com Remember To Make Happiness A Habit!!
Book a Team Workshop: https://bit.ly/4mqqgCuOn this episode of The Customer Success Pro Podcast, Anika Zubair discusses the impact of AI on customer success roles, emphasizing how AI is transforming workflows, exposing non-strategic tasks, and highlighting the importance of strategic skills for customer success professionals in the AI era.Chapters00:00 AI's Impact on Customer Success Roles09:37 The Shift from Admin to Strategic Roles19:23 Skills for Success in an AI-Driven World23:34 Weekly Challenge: Embrace AI for Strategic GrowthConnect with Anika Zubair:Website: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikazubair/RevUP Academy: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupGrab 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
In this exciting episode, we catch up with the insightful Eric Mystery, who returns to share his journey into AI transformation at Zapier. Eric, a longtime expert in customer education and deeply entrenched in AI's evolution, now combines these passions to bridge the gap between AI aspiration and real-world implementation for Zapier customers and internal teams.We dive deep into why mastering AI and digital tools is less about specific platforms and more about cultural adaptation and a "maker mindset." Eric emphasizes that the ability to quickly switch tools, adapt, and learn new technologies is the number one skill set in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. He shares practical advice for navigating restricted environments, building personal solutions, and leveraging AI to supercharge customer education, moving from simply consuming content to actively creating and iterating. If you're pondering the future of customer experience and education through an AI lens, this episode offers invaluable perspectives. Support the show+++++++++++++++++Like/Subscribe/Review:If you are getting value from the show, please follow/subscribe so that you don't miss an episode and consider leaving us a review. Website:For more information about the show or to get in touch, visit DigitalCustomerSuccess.com. Buy Alex a Cup of Coffee:This show runs exclusively on caffeine - and lots of it. If you like what we're, consider supporting our habit by buying us a cup of coffee: https://bmc.link/dcspThank you for all of your support!The Digital Customer Success Podcast is hosted by Alex Turkovic
Same-day cancellations, delayed procedures, and scheduling disruption can create major strain for orthopedic practices. In this Office Hours Takeover, Lora Pada, VP of Customer Success at Infinx, speaks with Danelle Newman, Director of Patient Access at OSS Health, about the role prior authorization workflows play in keeping schedules moving, reducing preventable delays, and giving patient access teams more breathing room.Brought to you by www.infinx.com
Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4d9cvE4 Episode summary In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Nathan Isaacs sits down with Gainsight SVP and UnChurned host Josh Schachter to explore how AI is transforming customer success—from scaling feedback collection to redefining retention as an outcome-driven discipline. Drawing on his journey from product leader to “relational founder,” Josh shares why building authentic relationships is still a competitive edge, even in an AI-first world, and how teams can combine human insight with agentic workflows to better understand, prove, and deliver customer value. What you'll learn Why customer success is shifting from SaaS to “retention as a service” How AI enables teams to capture and synthesize customer feedback at scale What separates high-performing customer success teams from the rest Why strong customer relationships still matter more than ever in an AI-driven world How to build effective agentic workflows (and common pitfalls to avoid) What the “retention apocalypse” means—and how to stay ahead of it How product, UX, and marketing teams can directly impact retention Why high-quality customer conversations are the foundation of effective AI Resources & links Josh Schachter on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/) Gainsight ( https://www.gainsight.com/) Gainsight's Atlas ( https://www.gainsight.com/solutions/ai/) UnChurned podcast and newsletter ( https://unchurned.gainsight.com/) Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)
What if the reason you're not getting promoted has nothing to do with your performance and everything to do with how you are positioning it?In this episode, I'm walking you through a simple four-step framework to build a business case that actually makes it hard for your company to say no. I dive into how to connect your work to what leadership cares about, how to prove your impact with real numbers, and how to think about your promotion like a strategic decision, not a hope. I also get into what most people miss when it comes to stakeholder buy-in and skill growth.You'll walk away knowing exactly how to position yourself as the obvious next choice. If you're ready to stop waiting and start making your promotion inevitable, hit play and let's dive in.And if you are tired of waiting to get promoted and want a clear strategy to position yourself as the obvious next choice, apply for 1:1 coaching HERE and let's build your business case together.01:52 – Why waiting for your promotion usually doesn't work04:13 – How business impact wins over personal goals every time06:36 – Proving your value with numbers even without perfect data09:43 – Mapping key stakeholders to get your promotion approved12:39 – Building your growth playbook before you ask for a raise17:24 – Using this framework to land higher roles in interviewsFREEBIES & RESOURCES:
In this episode, Ellen Darlington, Director of Solutions and Customer Success from C&A Scientific, discusses the company's mission to provide affordable, high-quality hands-on STEM learning kits for K–12 students. She makes a compelling case for why physical, tactile learning experiences — like that classic exploding volcano — are irreplaceable, and why the neuroscience clearly supports hands-on engagement over screen-based learning. Learn More About Kay-Twelve: Website: https://kay-twelve.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kay-twelve-com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kay_twelve/ Episode 315 of the Better Learning Podcast Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com. For more information on our partners: Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/ Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/ Second Class Foundation - https://secondclassfoundation.org/ EDmarket - https://www.edmarket.org/ Catapult @ Penn GSE - https://catapult.gse.upenn.edu/ Want to be a Guest Speaker? Request on our website
In this episode of TECHtonic, Thomas Lah of TSIA sits down with Michael Harnum, CEO of ESG Success, to unpack a bold idea reshaping the tech industry: Customer Success as a Service. As companies face mounting pressure to cut costs while still driving retention and growth, traditional customer success models are being pushed to their limits.Michael shares how his experience scaling renewal operations and training services led to a broader, more holistic approach—helping organizations not just execute customer success, but design, optimize, and even outsource it. From building maturity assessments to leveraging AI for scalable success plans, the conversation dives into how companies can transform fragmented, underperforming CS functions into strategic growth engines.If you're grappling with churn, struggling to prove ROI, or wondering how to scale without adding headcount, this episode delivers practical insights and a fresh perspective on making customer success a true driver of business value.
Most people use AI like a chatbot: one short prompt, a back-and-forth, and a mediocre output that gets worse the longer the thread runs. In this Content to Close episode, Richmond Taylor breaks down a smarter way to think about AI across the whole go-to-market motion. Richmond uses the Feynman technique to simplify go-to-market into three connected functions, sales is how you speak, marketing is how you look, and customer success is how you get the second date, and explains where AI can take over 80 percent of the work in each. He digs into why prompt engineering is the single skill that determines whether AI helps you or hallucinates on you, walks through the four prompt categories (system, user, developer, assistant), and explains why one big detailed prompt beats twenty short follow-ups every time. If you want a practical view of where AI fits inside a real business cycle, and how to stop wasting tokens on prompts that contradict themselves, this episode is worth your time.About RichmondRichmond Taylor played professional soccer until he was 26, then channeled that discipline into building skills across sales, marketing, and customer success. He now runs his own business in the AI automation and education space, working with clients from enterprise down to SMB, and is the founder of a startup built to make prompt engineering easier for non-technical users. Richmond's perspective is that AI is not a replacement for creativity, it is a force multiplier for anyone willing to learn how to communicate with it.Show Notes- Connect with Richmond on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmondbtaylor/- promptanything.ioText us what you think about this episode!
Heading to Vegas this May? Join Josh at Pulse 2026 and come say hi—your oversized fluorescent daiquiri is on him. No catch.Grab your ticket at gainsightpulse.com and use code UNCHURNED for a special rate.When your customer success org covers all of Azure — Microsoft's $60B+ cloud business — "deployment" isn't a checkbox. It's a global operation spanning thousands of projects, 180+ people, and a fully invested delivery model where Microsoft does the first leg of the journey for free.Pradeep Raman, Vice President, Customer Success at Microsoft, breaks down Microsoft's "commit to consume" metric, why they staff at N-1 by design, how agentic AI is replacing intake teams internally, and why no customer celebrates signing a contract — only deploying one.Pradeep who has spent over 27 years with Microsoft started in consulting, learned new tech on plane rides to customer sites, once asked Bill Gates to pin a customer's logo to his shirt (security wasn't thrilled), and now runs the CS strategy and Cloud Accelerate Factory for Azure.---Timestamps0:00 - Preview & introduction1:24 - Meet Pradeep Raman & his 27-year run at Microsoft3:25 - The Bill Gates pin story4:30 - What "VP of CS" means at Microsoft's scale6:45 - Cloud Accelerate Factory: free deployment for all Azure customers10:45 - "No customer celebrates signing an agreement"11:48 - Goal-setting & OKRs: Commit to Consume & Next Best Action15:25 - Agentic AI and modernization as top priorities16:37 - Building AI enablement inside the CS team20:40 - "I didn't think I'd survive 20 minutes of the interview"---What You'll Learn- How Microsoft measures CS with a single "commit to consume" KPI — and why it changes everything- What the Cloud Accelerate Factory is and why Microsoft offers free hands-on deployment to any Azure customer- Microsoft's N-1 staffing philosophy: hire fewer people than needed, then make it work- How Pradeep's team is using custom agentic AI (analyst agents, architect agents) to scale internal processes- Why AI transformation fails when your data and apps sit in legacy environments- The evolution of CS at Microsoft — from sales support function to growth engine---Want the playbook, not just the conversation? Subscribe for deep-dive, actionable breakdowns from every episode at unchurned.substack.com.---Where to Find the GuestPradeep Raman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pradeep-raman-41a12a11/---Where to Find Josh:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/Unchurned Substack: https://unchurned.substack.com/
Why do you walk out of interviews thinking you nailed your answers… but still don't get the offer?In this episode, I'm breaking down the seven mistakes I see candidates make when answering tell me about a time questions and why their stories just aren't landing the way they think they are. I'll show you what's actually going wrong inside your answers, what hiring managers are really paying attention to, and how to fix your stories so they feel clear, structured, and impactful without overthinking every word. These are the exact shifts I teach my clients to help them stand out in a crowded interview process.You'll leave knowing how to turn your experience into answers that feel confident and convincing instead of scattered or forgettable. If you want to walk into your next interview knowing exactly how to answer any question with confidence, hit play and let's dive in.And if you're tired of your interview answers falling flat and costing you offers, apply for coaching HERE and let's turn your stories into answers that actually get you hired.2:22 – Why leaving out numbers in your interview stories causes interviewers to underestimate your impact6:21 – How jumping straight into tactics without sharing what's at stake makes your story less compelling8:38 – When you spend too much time on context, you risk losing the interviewer before you get to your actions10:48 – Why giving a general approach instead of a specific example makes it seem like you're not listening12:42 – The habit of saying “we” instead of “I” in your stories causes interviewers to question your ownership14:25 – When your interview answers go over two minutes, you lose attention and risk not being put in front of customersFREEBIES & RESOURCES:
Most pest control owners are chasing growth in the wrong place.In this episode, Allan Draper sits down with Reagan Nickl (VP of Customer Success at Ask Nicely) to break down one of the most overlooked, but highest-impact, growth levers in your business: customer experience and retention.If you're focused on leads, sales, and marketing… but not obsessing over your current customers, you could be leaving massive revenue on the table.Reagan walks through a practical, step-by-step framework for turning customer feedback into:Higher retentionMore referralsBetter reviewsMore consistent, predictable revenueThey also dive into how to actually implement this (even if you're busy), including:The 5-step feedback-to-growth systemThe biggest customer experience killers in pest controlWhy most companies lose customers (and don't even realize it)How to use AI to automate follow-ups and recover unhappy customersSimple ways to turn your customers into raving fansIf you feel like you're working hard to grow, but not seeing the compounding results you want, this episode will show you exactly where to look.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
What if one message could instantly get you into a final round interview?In this episode, I'm breaking down the real story of how one senior CS leader went from getting rejected in final rounds to landing a Director role in under 60 days. I'll show you the exact move that got her into a final round interview when she was completely overlooked, and the subtle shift that helped her turn objections into a yes. This is not about working harder, it is about thinking differently.If you want to stop getting passed over and finally start landing offers, hit play and let's dive in.And if you're done getting so close to offers but still missing out, apply for 1:1 coaching HERE and let's fix what's actually holding you back.00:43 – The one thing that changed everything for Kelly's job search as a senior CS leader04:53 – Why strategic outreach matters way more than resume tweaks in landing interviews06:47 – How a simple outreach message made Kelly the third candidate in a final round, even after the role seemed closed09:14 – Identifying and crushing objections before they become reasons not to hire you in senior-level interviews11:26 – The difference between just acknowledging a skill gap and actually showing how you'll close it for the hiring manager15:08 – The two learnable skills that turn job searches aroundFREEBIES & RESOURCES:
Are you struggling with misaligned pricing strategies that leave money on the table? Many sales leaders find themselves caught between traditional seat-based models and what customers value. There's a better approach that can increase contract values by over 200% while simplifying your sales conversations. In this episode, Keith Bossier, VP of Sales at SDOCS, shares how his team transformed their entire pricing strategy from user-based to consumption-based models. His insights reveal practical steps for aligning pricing with genuine business outcomes that customers care about most. Keith breaks down the critical misalignments between marketing, sales, and customer success teams that drain revenue potential. He explains how removing traditional barriers—like eliminating SDRs entirely—can create more direct pathways to qualified prospects and accelerate deal cycles. Revenue Operations Framework for Growth Keith discusses implementing a comprehensive revenue operations program that aligns teams around shared goals. He shares how they restructured customer success roles to function more like account managers with implementation responsibilities, creating new revenue streams from existing accounts. The conversation explores building effective partner ecosystems without massive hiring sprees. Keith reveals how SDOCS signed over 50 new partners in 12 months by focusing on system integrators and technology partnerships that amplify reach efficiently. Learning from Sales Failures Keith opens up about a six-figure deal he lost early in his career—not because of product gaps, but because he failed to connect with the customer's real pain points. This experience shaped his entire approach to coaching sales teams, emphasizing empathy over feature presentations. He shares practical techniques for handling rejection and building team resilience. His approach focuses on understanding why deals don't close rather than simply pushing through objections, creating stronger connections with prospects. What You'll Learn: ● How to transition from seat-based to consumption-based pricing models ● Strategies for aligning marketing, sales, and customer success around revenue goals ● Methods for building partner ecosystems that expand reach without adding headcount ● Techniques for coaching teams to handle rejection and build resilience ● Why slowing down in discovery can actually accelerate your sales cycles Keith's approach demonstrates that successful sales isn't about perfecting your pitch—it's about genuinely understanding what keeps your customers awake at night and positioning your solution as the bridge to their desired outcomes. Key Moments of This Episode 00:01:46 - Introduction to Keith Bossier and SDOCSKeith Bossier, VP of Sales at SDOCS, introduces himself and explains how his company provides document automation and e-signature solutions that help businesses accelerate contract processes and revenue collection. 00:03:44 - Personal Journey: Overcoming Heart Surgery ChallengesKeith shares his inspiring personal story of surviving two open-heart surgeries and how he's thrived despite health challenges, even competing in triathlons and half-marathons. 00:06:28 - Pricing Strategies in Volatile Market ConditionsDiscussion of current economic uncertainty and how companies must adapt to pricing models. Keith explains the shift from user-based to consumption-based pricing at SDOCS, resulting in significant contract value increases. 00:13:43 - Aligning Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success TeamsKeith addresses common misalignments between departments and shares three key strategies: aligning revenue responsibilities, creating cross-functional accountability, and focusing on lead quality over quantity. 00:17:56 - Customer Success as Account Management with ImplementationExploration of how customer success teams can function more like account managers with revenue responsibilities, requiring sales-minded professionals rather than traditional support staff. 00:29:45 - Building Effective Partner Ecosystems for GrowthKeith discusses partner-led growth strategies, including working with system integrators and technology partners to expand reach efficiently without hiring additional full-time employees. 00:37:02 Learning from Sales Failures: The Power of EmpathyKeith shares a pivotal early career loss that taught him the importance of understanding customer pain points rather than just showcasing product features, shaping his coaching philosophy. 00:41:57 - Building Resilience: Handling Rejection in SalesStrategies for helping sales teams manage rejection, including debriefing losses, celebrating progress milestones, and maintaining emotional equilibrium through the ups and downs of sales cycles. About Keith Bossier Keith Bossier has 20 years of experience in driving revenue growth and optimizing sales operations with a proven track record in diverse industries, Keith has delivered exceptional results and provided unrivaled solutions to customers worldwide. His expertise spans from go-to-market strategy to revenue optimization and practical strategies for sales success. He has significant experience in SaaS sales, having held key roles at Salesforce, NetSuite, and FIS, and holds a B.A. from DePaul University as well as an M.B.A. from the Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago. Follow Us On: · LinkedIn · Twitter · YouTube Channel · Instagram · Facebook Learn More About 9-1 FlyMSG Features Like: · FlyMSG LinkedIn Auto Comment Generator by Vengreso · FlyMSG AI Social Media Post Generator by Vengreso · FlyMSG Auto Text Expander by Vengreso · FlyMSG AI Grammar Checker by Vengreso · FlyMSG AI Sales Roleplay and Coaching by Vengreso · FlyMSG Paragraph Rewrite by Vengreso · FlyMSG Sales Prospecting Training for Individuals by Vengreso · LinkedIn Profile Makeover for Sales Teams · FlyMSG Enterprise Sales Prospecting Training Program Install FlyMSG for Free: · As a Chrome Extension · As an Edge Extension
Heading to Vegas this May? Join Josh at Pulse 2026 and come say hi—your oversized fluorescent daiquiri is on him. No catch.Grab your ticket at gainsightpulse.com and use code UNCHURNED for a special rate.Knowledge used to be the CSM's edge. Not anymore.Diane Wu, Global Head of Customer Success & Experience at Google Cloud Security, operates where every touchpoint is mission-critical — and standing still is falling behind. In this episode, she sits down with Brady Bluhm & Josh Schachter of Gainsight to unpack what the CSM role actually becomes when AI handles the knowledge layer. The answer: context, curation, and hyper-personalization at scale.Diane shares how her team is using NotebookLM and Gemini to compress hours of customer research into minutes, why her best CSMs were the hardest to get onto new AI tools (and why that makes complete sense), and what two-phase AI adoption really looks like on the ground. Brady brings a builder's lens — talking about juggling AI agents, closing 2-year-old CTAs with one prompt, and why the traditional product UI might not survive the next two years.If you lead a post-sales team or work in customer success, this conversation will reframe how you think about productivity, coverage models, and the human role in an AI-first world.---Timestamps0:00 - Preview & introduction1:40 - Meet Brady Bluhm (Gainsight) & Diane Wu (Google)3:00 - Diane's role: Google Cloud Security & the post-sales mission5:25 - The shift from access to curation8:28 - Brady: how AI is changing CSM onboarding and memory10:55 - Are you saving time or just doing more? 12:34 - How AI changes coverage models and the 1:many CSM ratio18:00 - Diane's tactical playbook for running parallel customer analyses 22:05 - Brady's "can I do this with AI?" framework and skill-building loop24:00 - How much time should you spend tuning your AI setup?26:31 - Why your top CSMs are the hardest to get on new AI tools31:21 - LLMs will become the new workspace32:59 - Two-phase LLM adoption and why the UI is going away34:15 - Closing 2-year-old CTAs with one prompt37:47 - Hyper-personalization at scale for Google Cloud---What You'll Learn- Why knowledge is no longer the CSM's differentiator — and what replaces it- How Diane's team at Google Cloud Security uses NotebookLM as a living customer notebook- Why your best CSMs resist AI adoption the most- How AI is reshaping CSM coverage models and the 1:many ratio- Brady's two-question AI habit that keeps him ahead every week- What the Gainsight MCP unlocked — and what it means for the future of CS tooling- Why the traditional application UI may disappear — and what replaces it- How to create "wow moments" that actually drive AI adoption across your team---Want the playbook, not just the conversation? Subscribe for deep-dive, actionable breakdowns from every episode at unchurned.substack.com.---Where to Find the GuestsDiane Wu's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-wu/Brady Bluhm's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradybluhm/---Where to Find Josh:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/Unchurned Substack: https://unchurned.substack.com/
SaaStr 850: The Agents, Episode 1: Who Maintains All This? Welcome to The Agents, a new weekly series where Amelia Lerutte, Chief AI Officer at SaaStr, and Jason Lemkin, Founder and CEO of SaaStr, pull back the curtain on everything happening across SaaStr's live agentic stack. Every week, all the bumps, breakthroughs, and real talk from running 20+ AI agents in production. In the debut episode: the meta question nobody talks about after you vibe code your first app, which is who actually maintains it? Amelia Lerutte and Jason Lemkin walk through three live examples from the week including a preview environment outage that stumped both the agents and the humans, micro hallucinations in their AI VP of Marketing that had it reporting 44% ahead of plan one morning and 11% the next, and a model regression in their pitch deck analyzer that nobody changed a line of code to cause. They also get into a story about Clay's agent steering them toward a 5x credit spend, why no lead left behind is the simplest and most important unlock of the entire agentic journey, what happened when Salesforce swapped Agent Force for Qualified on their homepage the day the acquisition closed, and how QB1, SaaStr's AI VP of Customer Success, caught sponsors uploading placeholder graphics to fake a print deadline. If you're on the agentic journey or about to start, this is the show.
What if the only thing standing between you and a higher offer is how you negotiate it?In this episode, I'm breaking down the 8 negotiation mistakes I see customer success job seekers make that quietly cost them thousands. We're getting into when to actually negotiate, how to handle that first salary question without boxing yourself in, and the overlooked levers you can pull beyond base salary that most people miss.If you want to approach your next offer with confidence, use real leverage, and stop leaving money on the table, hit play, because one of these mistakes? You're probably making it without even realizing.04:09 – When to negotiate that will give you the most leverage05:22 – How to answer phone screen salary questions10:50 – What else you can negotiate besides your salary16:14 – Why respectful negotiation won't cost you the offer and exposes red-flag companies18:31 – Why you shouldn't skip applying for jobs with low posted salary ranges (even though they are negotiable)FREEBIES & RESOURCES:
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Carles Reina is VP of Sales at ElevenLabs, where he was the first investor and fourth employee. Carles has scaled the revenue org from Day 1 to over $350M in just 3 years. Carles is also an active investor with investments in ElevenLabs, Revolut, Happy Robot and more. AGENDA: 00:00 - Is the Traditional CRO Dead in the Age of AI? 01:01 - Building the AI Sales Machine: Agents that Actually Generate Revenue 08:35 - Will AI Shrink the Sales Teams of the Future? 09:51 - The ElevenLabs Masterclass: Why We Set a 20x Sales Quota 11:00 - How to Structure Explosive Sales Accelerators 12:15 - Why You Should Stop Paying Commission on Pilots 14:00 - Customer Success: Is it 'Total Bullshit' or a Growth Engine? 16:15 - The 'Global-First' Fallacy: Why You Need to Open Every Market Now 17:23 - Why Startups Are Wrong to Ignore 20-Year Sales Veterans 19:15 - The Pipeline Construction Secret: Liquidity vs. Whales 24:30 - Forecasting the Unpredictable: How to Hit a $1B Revenue Target 31:55 - The Substitution Threat: Is AI Voice Just a Commodity? 34:10 - Verticalization Mistakes: Lessons from Scaling India 38:40 - The 'IBM Effect': Does Brand Actually Shorten Sales Cycles? 40:15 - Extreme Expectations: Why ElevenLabs is a Hard Company to Work For 42:15 - Internal Leaderboards: How to Use Public Competition to Drive Results 44:20 - Hunting the Obsessed: Identifying the 'Inner Psychopath' in Hires 46:40 - The SaaS Apocalypse: Will Companies Build Their Own CRM? 48:30 - Formula 1 Branding: The Mindset Behind the Audi-Revolut Deal 50:15 - Dinner vs. Conferences: Which Marketing Channels Actually Scale? 52:45 - Designing Un-Salesy Content: How to Run a Legendary Summit 54:20 - CVC Strategy: Turning Corporate Investors into Distribution Channels 01:01:45 - The Globalization Nightmare: Why You Can't Sell in English Everywhere 01:06:45 - Operator-Investors: Can You Be a High-Performer and a VC Simultaneously? 01:11:30 - Unit Economics in AI: Why Good Early Numbers Might Mean Failure 01:18:25 - The Next Wave: Why Foundational Model Consolidation is Inevitable