Success/ful: Winning Ideas from the World of CS and Beyond

To implement a great strategy, you need to continuously optimize, and data can make optimization much more effective and straightforward.  Tom Lawler, Sr. Director of RevOps at Elastic, joins the show to discuss how leveraging data can enhance CS strategies. He offers insights on using data to streamline C-Suite discussions, boost influence, foster cross-departmental collaboration, and more. About Tom: Internationally experienced Customer Success Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Strong consulting professional skilled in Contract renewals, Customer Service, Data Analysis, Business Development, and Marketing Strategy. Guest Quote: “If CS professionals want to increase their influence within the business, it’s problem-solving. It’s doing what you do for the customer, but internally…If you’ve identified an issue or problem, have a solution, communicate that to the right people, and that’s the way you start to build influence, is to start to engage not just with your customers but with internal issues as well.” Timestamps: *(01:00) - Tom’s journey from CS to RevOps *(03:10) - Managing Complexity in Customer Success *(06:00) - Strategies for enhancing pre-sales and post-sales synergy *(09:00) - Effective Sales Enablement and Strategy Alignment *(15:10) - Advice for measuring success and impact *(20:20) - Cross-functional collaboration We’re always looking for ways to improve the Success/ful podcast. By completing a short survey, you will help us bring you more of what you like and less of what you don’t.  Click here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform] to get started - it only takes two minutes! Links: * Connect with Taylor Johnston [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tljohnston/] on LinkedIn * Connect with Tom Lawler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-lawler-64410232/] on LinkedIn * Learn more about Vitally [https://www.vitally.io/] * Complete our season 1 survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform]

Exceptional Customer Success begins with a vibrant culture.  Cynthia Taylor, SVP of Customer Success, Support Experience, and People Science Teams at CultureAmp, joins the show to unveil powerful strategies for building a thriving culture through deliberate and consistent efforts. Her insights include the importance of internal branding, how to create and enact effective and consistent rituals, tips for improving cross-departmental collaboration, and more. About Cynthia: Cynthia Taylor is a high-impact leader energized by seeing people accomplish work that’s never been done before. She has built and scaled world-class B2B2C Sales and Customer Success organizations five times, growing alongside the field of Customer Success itself. Cynthia has extensive experience as an advisor in crafting best-in-class customer experience processes and teams, and leading technology companies. Her sweet spot is rapid-growth organizations seeking an innovative, SaaS-savvy Customer Success leader who solves problems to drive results from an outcomes-focused customer perspective, ensuring both the customer and her organization prosper. Guest Quote: “I was having a conversation with someone that ‘professional’ does not have to mean ‘formal’. Like, those two things are really important to think about, right? Consistency can mean fun. Professional can also mean informal and what those things can bring together can be a really high caliber engaging experience for teams.” Timestamps: *(03:40) - The importance of internal branding *(05:15) - How to create and enact effective and consistent rituals  *(09:55) - Tips for improving cross-departmental collaboration *(22:25) - Quick hits We’re always looking for ways to improve the Success/ful podcast. By completing a short survey, you will help us bring you more of what you like and less of what you don’t.  Click here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform] to get started - it only takes two minutes! Links: * Connect with Taylor Johnston [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tljohnston/] on LinkedIn * Connect with Cynthia Taylor [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiataylor20/] on LinkedIn * Learn more about Vitally [https://www.vitally.io/] * Complete our season 1 survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform]

Navigating the startup landscape requires more than just a great product—it's about mastering Customer Success at every stage.  Sunil Joseph, an Advisor and Fractional Chief Customer Officer, shares his expertise in creating a cohesive customer experience from the seed stage onward. This episode covers essential strategies for different business stages, from understanding funding phases to preparing for funding rounds, all aimed at maintaining consistency across the customer experience. About Sunil: Sunil is currently an advisor and fractional Chief Customer Officer to several venture-backed SaaS and AI startups. He was formerly the Global Vice President, Customer Success at Stack Overflow, where he successfully built and scaled the post-sale motion for Stack Overflow's B2B Teams business leading to the successful acquisition of Prosus for $1.8B. Before Stack Overflow, Sunil spent the last decade working at high-growth venture-backed companies (Series A through Series E), with successful exits through IPO, Private Company, and PE acquisitions. He spent the decade before that in Management Consulting, Investment Banking and started his career in Engineering and Product, as a Full-Stack Software Engineer. He still considers himself to be a builder - from building software to building companies. Sunil is passionate about company building, building scalable revenue and Customer experience teams, and sustainable value creation. Sunil currently lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and two bichon rescue dogs. He is a proactive health advocate, loves traveling, and enjoys spending time in nature. Guest Quote: “The best [thing] a founder can do early in a seed stage, I would say, is being focused on, ‘how do I create a unified customer experience, to the best of my ability.’ And you're still working through ICP, right? But you might get some large customers. You might get some smaller customers. It doesn't matter. I want to make sure my customers go through a unified journey.” Timestamps: *(03:25) - Understanding business funding stages *(05:15) - Customer Success strategies for different stages *(13:25) - Preparing for funding rounds *(31:15) - Quick hits We’re always looking for ways to improve the Success/ful podcast. By completing a short survey, you will help us bring you more of what you like and less of what you don’t.  Click here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform] to get started - it only takes two minutes! Links: * Connect with Taylor Johnston [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tljohnston/] on LinkedIn * Connect with Sunil Joseph [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesunil/] on LinkedIn * Learn more about Vitally [https://www.vitally.io/] * Take our season 1 survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform]

Customer Success is evolving, and so should the communication strategies CS Leaders use to share their vision and build influence within their organizations. Neil Wu Becker, CEO and Co-Founder of NextBound, joins the show to offer marketing insights on how CS teams can evolve. He discusses communication challenges between CS and marketing, the importance of proactive and declarative leadership, and the benefits of integrated marketing models for CS efforts.  About Neil: Neil Wu Becker is the CEO and Co-founder of a marketing firm that offers CMO, brand/creative/content, growth marketing, and PR/Corporate Communications services. He leverages a proven global management background as a CMO, leading B2B enterprise marketing for pre-IPO, unicorn, SaaS, AI, and public companies seeking to grow at scale. Neil is an award-winning, high-energy leader with a talent for establishing mature operations and building major-league marketing teams that companies can grow into for years. He has a track record of devising creative, industry-recognized integrated marketing plans that accelerate brand awareness and demand/pipeline for fast-growing tech companies. Neil is a Forbes Council member and an adviser for startups and accelerators, helping them establish brands and go-to-market plans for exponential growth and maximum valuation. Guest Quote: “CS teams need to be declarative, not inquisitive, but declarative. People who are public speakers will get this. You have to walk on the stage and command the stage… So you have to be declarative and set the agenda and say, ‘Hey! Here are 2 or 3 things that we're seeing as a priority in the CS organization that we need help from the other organizations to help us with because we are the predicate, not the subject of that statement.’ Like, we are the caboose, not the engine of the train.” Timestamps: *(02:45) - Evolution of Customer Success  *(05:45) - Bridging Customer Success and Marketing *(17:45) - Benefits of the Integrated Marketing Model *(29:25) - Quick Hits We’re always looking for ways to improve the Success/ful podcast. By completing a short survey, you will help us bring you more of what you like and less of what you don’t.  Click here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform] to get started - it only takes two minutes! Links: * Connect with Taylor Johnston [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tljohnston/] on LinkedIn * Connect with Neil Wu Becker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilwubecker/] on LinkedIn * Learn more about Vitally [https://www.vitally.io/] * Learn more about NextBound [https://www.gonextbound.com/] * Take our season 1 survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform]

The first 90 days in a new Customer Success leadership role set the foundation for your entire tenure and lay the groundwork for future wins. Lizzy Rosen, the VP of Customer Success at Vendr, believes building trust should be your top priority right off the bat. Drawing from her own experiences, Lizzy breaks down the first 30 to 90 days and gets into the nitty-gritty of building quick trust throughout the organization. Lizzy also shares her insights on strategy creation, utilizing new data streams, and setting up KPIs and compensation structures so that you can effectively maximize your time. About Lizzy: Lizzy is the VP of Customer Success at Vendr, overseeing the Customer Success and Implementation teams. Lizzy joined Vendr in 2023 to help establish a world-class customer success program, revolutionizing the way that companies buy and manage SaaS. Lizzy is passionate about customer experience, building and scaling teams, and customer value realization. Lizzy lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts with her husband and daughter. She is an avid golfer, traveler, and lover of the ocean. Guest Quote: “The biggest quick win, no matter what company you're at or role, is quick trust. Coming into a new role, I don't want to go into a role and maintain the status quo. I want to change things. I want to build things. I want to create things. You can't do that unless you have trust behind you, team members trust you, and the organization trusts you and is willing to go on that path with you. And so, I think the first thing that you have to do is build that trust.” Timestamps: *(03:35) - First 30 days as a CS Leader *(10:45) - Setting strategy and building trust *(20:05) - KPIs and compensation plans *(26:45) - The first 90 days as a CS Leader *(28:45) - Quick hits We’re always looking for ways to improve the Success/ful podcast. By completing a short survey, you will help us bring you more of what you like and less of what you don’t.  Click here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform] to get started - it only takes two minutes! Links: * Connect with Taylor Johnston [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tljohnston/] on LinkedIn * Connect with Lizzy Rosen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzyrosen/] on LinkedIn * Learn more about Vitally [https://www.vitally.io/] * Take our season 1 survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrrFOCQXB89VjHBaWBCivHhsGxOgfoFNE7bmIQZdwkVom3vQ/viewform]