CHURN FM

Today on the show, we have Jamie Davidson, CEO and co-founder of Vitally.

In this episode, Jamie shares his expertise in Customer Success and the impact of his technical background on his role.

We then discussed the evolving landscape of customer engagement and the need for customer success teams to redefine their strategies in the absence of direct communication with customers. Jamie emphasizes the importance of internal workflows, customer education, and onboarding in driving customer success.

We wrapped up with Jamie providing insights into the current market challenges, such as budget cuts and negotiations. Jamie highlights the need for customer success teams to innovate and prove their value through data-driven approaches.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly on Andrew@churn.fm. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.

Mentioned Resources:

• Vitally.io
• Pathgather
• Google
• Loom
• Notion
• Zendesk
• Synthesia

Today on the show we have Jonathan Riftin, the Director of Customer Success at Optimove.

In this episode, Jonathan shares his experience in implementing strategies to drive customer success manager (CSM) behavior towards advocacy and upsells.

He discusses the importance of setting compensation goals, streamlining processes, leveraging data, and empowering CSMs.

Tune in to discover how to elevate CSM performance and drive customer advocacy in your organization.

Mentioned Resources:

• Optimove
• OK Computer by Radiohead
• G2crowd

Today on the show we have Meg Gowell, the Director of Growth Marketing at Appcues.

In this episode, Meg shares her experience in understanding and acquiring the ideal customer profile.

She discusses the importance of knowing what "good" looks like in your customer base and using conversion data to optimize ad campaigns.

Meg also talks about the process of defining the ideal customer profile and leveraging organic content to drive paid strategy. Furthermore, she explains how Appcues uses lead scoring and conversion tracking to work together with their sales team for effective pipeline management.

Tune in to learn more about unlocking the secrets of acquiring your ideal customer profile with Meg Gowell.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.

Mentioned Resources:

• Appcues
• MadKudu
• Clearbit

Today on the show we have Dan Lenton, the CEO and founder of Ivy, bringing all the best in class AI frameworks, infrastructure, and hardware directly to you in one line of code.

In this episode, Dan shares his experience in building a strong community around Ivy. With over 12,500 GitHub stars, 1.2K open-source contributors, and 15,000 members in their Discord community, Ivy has quickly gained traction and become a go-to resource for AI developers.

Dan discusses the value of open-sourcing Ivy's technology and the impact it has had on fostering community engagement and education. He highlights the importance of feedback from the community in shaping the direction of the platform and how it has played a crucial role in the growth and success of Ivy.

Tune in to learn more about how Dan has leveraged the power of community to build and advance Ivy, the challenges of balancing community needs with user expectations, and the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.

Mentioned Resources:

• Ivy
• Python
• TensorFlow
• PyTorch
• Chainer
• Apache MXNet
• Caffe
• OpenAI
• Google DeepMind
• Meta
• Microsoft
• Boston Dynamics
• Nvidia
• YouTube
• Discord
• C++
• GitHub
• Red Hat
• GitLab
• MongoDB
• Hugging Face
• Python
• Gmail
• JavaScript
• Pandas
• Julia
• Matlab
• NumPy

Today on the show we have Kelsey Peterson, VP of Customer Success at Ashby, an all-in-one recruiting platform. 

In this episode, Kelsey shares her experience in strategic partnerships and how they drive customer retention. 

We discuss the importance of identifying the right partners, aligning goals, and creating value for customers. 

Kelsey also talks about the challenges of managing partnerships at scale and the role of different teams in the process. 

If you're interested in learning how to leverage strategic partnerships to drive customer retention, this episode is for you. 

Mentioned Resources:

• Ashby
• HubSpot
• Help Scout
• Crossbeam

Today on the show we have Luis Barbosa, the Customer Experience Leader at Teya.

In this episode, Luis shares his experience in the Navy and how it shaped his approach to customer success. 

We then discussed the role of customer success operations and its importance in improving processes and enhancing customer relationships. 

Lastly, we wrapped up by talking about the challenges of transitioning accounts between customer success managers and the need for proper documentation.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.

Today on the show we have Caroline, the Co-Founder and CEO of Arcade, a platform that enables anyone to build powerful interactive experiences. 

In this episode, Caroline shares her experience in venture capital and why she decided to start her own company. She discusses the challenges of building a product-led growth company and the importance of constantly experimenting and iterating. 

Caroline also talks about the value of understanding customer behavior and how it can impact churn and retention. 

Tune in to learn more about Caroline's journey and insights into building a successful startup.

Today on the show we have Krish Ramineni, Co-Founder and CEO of Fireflies.ai.

Krish shared some amazing insights on topics like transitioning from product management at Microsoft to CEO of a startup, the challenges and advantages of working in a small organization, and the importance of synthesizing qualitative and quantitative insights.

We also delved into the impact of ChatGPT and generative AI on the market, the strategies Fireflies has used to stay ahead of the competition, and the future of AI in meeting assistance.

We can't wait for you to tune in and, as always, your feedback is invaluable to us. Let us know your thoughts on this episode!

Today on the show we have Ziv Peled, the Chief Customer Officer of AppsFlyer. 

Ziv recounts his whirlwind journey of meeting with over 20 customers in a span of three weeks. We delve deep into the significance of face-to-face interactions with customers, especially when times are tough, and explore how customer success teams can go above and beyond just delivering a product.

Ziv offers a unique perspective on the repercussions of the financial crisis on marketing divisions and spills the beans on how AppsFlyer is shaking things up with a revamped compensation strategy for their customer success team.

We can't wait for you to tune in and, as always, your feedback is invaluable to us. Let us know your thoughts on this episode!

Today on the show we have Kaz Ohta, CEO & Co-founder of Treasure Data.

In this episode, Kaz shares how Treasure Data focuses on the enterprise space and the unique challenges they face in managing customer data. 

He then discusses the importance of ROI in the customer success process and how Treasure Data helps their customers achieve it. Kaz also emphasizes the need for strong customer champions within organizations and how they work to build relationships with customers at multiple levels. 

We wrapped by with Kaz sharing insights on onboarding enterprise customers and the value of showing ROI as quickly as possible. Kaz concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding your ideal customer profile and focusing on acquiring and retaining those customers.

Tune in to this episode to learn valuable strategies for managing customer data, building customer relationships, and driving ROI in the enterprise space.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.

Today on the show, we have Abbas Haider Ali, VP of Customer Success at GitHub.

Before joining GitHub, Abbas held the position of Vice President of Customer Success at Twilio and Segment. Additionally, he is as an investor and advisor for various companies including Slack, Hasura, Adept, and numerous others. He also serves as a general partner for the GTM Operators Network.

In this episode, Abbas shares his insights on how to build a scalable and data-driven customer success program. Abbas emphasizes the importance of understanding the actual impact of customer success work, focusing on leading indicators rather than lagging ones. 

We then discussed the differences in how smaller and larger organizations approach customer success and the need for a robust model of customer health and a data-driven approach to attribution work.

As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.

Today on the show, we have Dan Burkhart, CEO and co-founder of Recurly, a subscription billing management service. 

In this episode, we discussed the importance of language-specific content for global companies, the inspiration behind Recurly, and the shift towards focusing on retention and churn in the subscription economy. 

We dove into various strategies that companies can use to improve their customer retention, including understanding customer behavior and preferences, offering the option to pause subscriptions, and developing personalized campaigns. 

Dan provides valuable insights into the various factors that contribute to customer churn and retention, and how companies can optimize their strategies to retain customers and drive revenue growth.

As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.

Today on the show, we have Evgenia Mkrtychian, Head of Customer Success and Corporate Communication Strategy at Loyalty Plant. 

In this episode, Evgenia shares Loyalty Plant's journey and we explore how they are managing their rapid growth. 

Evgenia shares insights into the significance of customer success and marketing strategies within their mobile marketing and e-commerce platform for quick-service restaurants. 

Evgenia then talks about the importance of a streamlined onboarding process and how they are optimizing and automating specific processes to handle their growth. Evgenia also touched on the sales process and how knowledge is shared between sales and customer success teams. 

As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.

Today on the show we have John Gleeson, founder of Success Venture Partners.

In this episode, John shares his journey from being a VP of Customer Success to embracing a role as a dedicated investor.

John reveals how his fund aids startups at various phases, serving as a valuable resource for early-stage founders. By offering customer success insights and assistance with recruitment, Success Venture Partners nurtures the growth of these startups.

We then dove into how John evaluates the startups he invests in and the key aspects he looks for in founders.

As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. The statements made by our guest represent their own viewpoints – not those of Churn FM. The information provided and discussed does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice. Any investment decisions you make should be based on your own due diligence and in consultation with a licensed financial professional. We disclaim any liability for investment decisions based upon the content of this podcast.

Today on the show, we have Tom Carnewal, founder of Customer Cross Company. 

In this episode, Tom discusses his role as a Director of Digital Transformation and introduces Carnewal Consult's new brand, the Customer Cross Company. He outlines how they help mid-sized companies with recurring revenue models to set up or evolve their customer success teams. 

Tom presents key findings of their research, which highlights the importance of tracking usage data and the ineffectiveness of CSAT as a KPI for predicting customer churn. 

He also introduces the concept of friction hunting to improve customer experience and emphasizes the importance of focusing on customer success rather than just avoiding risks. Tom shares a personal example to illustrate this point and suggests that prioritizing success can lead to better customer retention. 

We also discuss how defining success for the customer is crucial, and how the ultimate measure of success is achieving their desired outcome. 

As usual, we're excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you.

Today on the show we have Enzo Avigo, CEO and Founder of June.

In this episode, we discussed Enzo's journey in entrepreneurship, from his initial startup experiences to his tenure at Zalando and Intercom, exploring valuable insights he gleaned from both companies. Enzo shared how his time at Zalando helped him refine his skills in influencing people, and how Intercom imparted the importance of first principles and the 'job to be done' framework in product development.

We then dove into the inspiration behind June, a game-changing BI SaaS tool designed to go beyond tracking mere button clicks, offering users a comprehensive understanding of account health. Enzo explained the tool's evolution, from initial focus on product tracking to a pivot into the analytics realm. Discussing June's core mission, he emphasized the need for new-generation tools that resonate with modern ways of thinking and working.

We wrapped up by discussing the challenges encountered in identifying the ideal customer profile, and the importance of iterative processes in achieving product-market fit. Enzo also shared the unique methodology employed by Superhuman to segment feedback and solve significant problems, underscoring the indispensable role of customer feedback in product development.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm.

Today on the show we have John Chen, partner at Fika Ventures.

In this episode, we discussed the operations of Fika Ventures, a pre-Series A fund focused on B2B software, FinTech, and marketplaces. John emphasized the importance of building close relationships with founders and shares his views on the crucial role of culture and alignment in building a successful company. We also examined the common misconception that the Product Led Growth (PLG) approach applies to all products, which often results in the misapplication of the organic growth concept.

We then dove into the intricacies of applying the Product Led Growth (PLG) principle, acknowledging that while it can be valuable for many B2B companies, there are certain scenarios where a more hands-on approach is required. A major part of our conversation revolved around understanding stakeholder requirements and how to best utilize feedback from customers. We also explored the crucial stages of product-market fit and the importance of striking a balance in growing the team.

We wrapped up by discussing the challenges of customer acquisition, churn, and retention. John offers great insights on understanding the ideal customer profile and focusing on net retention over gross churn. He emphasized that having a clear understanding of PLG mechanics and mechanisms is key to its successful adaptation.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm.

Today on the show, we have Vanessa Neurohr, VP of Customer Success at Muck Rack.

In this episode, we discussed Vanessa's unique perspective on how comedy shows can help improve public speaking skills, and why understanding the product intimately is crucial for success. Vanessa delves into her journey with Muck Rack, offering insights on company growth and how clear lines of ownership enhance each stage of the customer journey.

We then dove into Vanessa's approach to building the customer success department into four robust functions: customer success managers, customer support, customer onboarding, and customer education. Vanessa stressed the significance of promoting oneself internally, delegating responsibilities, and showcasing impact to secure support within an organization.

We wrapped up by discussing the importance of establishing early connections within the organization during onboarding and how to bring the voice of the customer to new team members as swiftly as possible. Vanessa shared her experiences of improving help center materials and her discovery that the most engaged customers are those who write into support chat frequently and tend to renew their subscriptions.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm.

Today on the show we have Vic Davis, SVP Customer Experience at Inflection.io.

In this episode, we discussed Vic's drive to ensure customers are at the heart of every business decision and the innovative capabilities of small businesses that can still make a significant impact at scale. We also touched on how Inflection.io leverages product activity data to create a uniquely engaging customer experience, breaking away from traditional marketing automation models.

We then dove into the concept of Product-Led Growth (PLG) and its inherent creativity and room for experimentation. Vic shares his experiences transitioning to a PLG model, the importance of staying in tune with market signals, and how Inflection.io intends to evolve over the next 6-12 months. We also explored the role of data capture and action-based onboarding in understanding and guiding customer behavior, with insights into how Segment can be used as a tool for unifying customer data.

We wrapped up by discussing the necessity for cross-functional teams to support the PLG model and the challenges enterprise software companies face when trying to offer starter products to different markets. The importance of product ease of use in driving customer success was also underscored, along with strategies for scaling customer success.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm.

Today on the show we have Chris Dishman, Sr. VP of Customer Success at Totango.

In this episode, we discussed Chris's unique transition from being a customer of Totango to becoming a crucial part of its team. We explored how his past experiences as a customer offered invaluable insights to shape the company's approach to customer success.

We then dove into an overview of Totango and its innovative customer success platform. Chris shed light on the concept of composable customer success and the importance of refining the customer journey. He shared interesting cases and surprising use cases of Totango, emphasizing that the principles of customer success are not limited to the software industry.

The conversation took a compelling turn as we discussed the importance of customer-centricity in a company's culture and strategy. With the increasing emphasis on customer success in the face of layoffs and budget constraints, Chris highlighted the role of robust Customer Success Platforms (CSPs) in boosting team efficiency.

We then navigated the realm of data and automation. We addressed how companies are focusing on automating onboarding and improving their processes to scale with limited resources. Chris flagged data integration as a major challenge in this domain and emphasized the significance of clean, consistent data for a seamless customer journey.

We wrapped up by discussing actionable strategies for improving customer retention. Chris advised against overcomplication and recommended focusing on one area at a time, refining it before moving on to the next. In a hypothetical scenario where he has 90 days to improve retention, he suggests starting with the value proposition and effectively communicating it to customers.

As usual, I'm excited to hear what you think of this episode, and if you have any feedback, I would love to hear from you. You can email me directly at Andrew@churn.fm.