The Peerbound Podcast

enMarch 12, 2024

Thao Ngo (SVP of Marketing at Uptempo) on Building a Curious, High-Performing Marketing Team

In this episode, we hear from Thao Ngo, the SVP of Marketing at Uptempo, a marketing planning software company. Thao discusses her unique path to marketing (she actually went to school for it!) and subsequent career in B2B marketing. She highlights her demanding approach as a leader at Uptempo. She also talks about her strong background in communications, her hiring values, and her day-to-day operations as the Senior Vice President of Marketing. Thao also discusses how AI (the new) and direct mail (the old) are changing the marketing landscape and urges fellow marketers to be fearless, innovative and unique in order to stand out.

(1:01) Thao's Journey into Marketing
(3:15) Building a Curious Marketing Team
(4:05) Inside Uptempo: A Marketing Planning Software Company
(5:18) Leveraging Customer Voices in Marketing
(6:43) Adapting Marketing Strategies during COVID-19
(9:00) Thao’s Demanding Leadership Style
(13:46) Marketing Budgets
(16:07) How to Deliver Marketing that Stands Out
(18:19) Examples of Fearless Campaigns

Stay tuned through the end of the show (22:31) to learn about:

Thao’s night owl tendencies.
Who Thao thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Thao Ngo (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enMarch 05, 2024

Caroline Solis Wright (VP, Marketing at 360Learning) on the Importance of Customer Feedback and Understanding your Audience

In this episode, Caroline Solis Wright, the VP of Marketing at 360Learning, discusses her career trajectory from an initial interest in politics to a fulfilling career in marketing. Navigation through a dynamic tech landscape, specifically the 3D printing boom at MakerBot, has helped her hone her skills and focus on operational efficiency and excellence as a team leader. Caroline emphasizes the importance of incorporating customer feedback and the significance of understanding the customer-product connection. She also outlines her leadership values - supporting and upskilling her team, understanding with compassion, and encouraging communication and feedback.

(00:48) Caroline's Journey into Marketing
(03:22) Challenges and Lessons from the 3D Printing Boom
(04:35) Post-MakerBot Reflections and Career Decisions
(06:23) Current Role at 360Learning
(07:38) Marketing Strategies and Challenges at 360Learning
(10:34) Importance of Customer Feedback
(17:00) Leadership Lessons and Hiring Priorities
(19:39) Upskilling and Corporate Learning

Stay tuned through the end of the show (22:04) to learn:

Caroline’s reality-based vs. aspirational answer to the question “cats or dogs”.
Who Caroline thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Caroline Solis Wright (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enFebruary 27, 2024

Mike Molinet (Co-Founder of Branch and Thena) on Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Customer-Centricity

In this episode, Mike Molinet, co-founder of tech companies Branch and Thena shares his journey from early career days as a mechanical engineer at 3M to a successful software entrepreneur, along with insights into starting a company in 2023 vs. 2014. He discusses the concept of the 'three C's' (context, communication, and collaboration) as crucial factors in effective team dynamics, and reflects on the lessons learned from Branch's decision to conduct layoffs during the early stages of the pandemic. Mike also emphasizes the importance of being customer-centric, spending time with customers, and understanding their needs.

(01:01) The Evolution of the Startup Environment from 2014 to 2023
(03:04) Identifying Market Opportunities
(05:02) Building Branch
(07:06) Identifying the opportunity for Thena
(09:09) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
(11:02) How to keep up pace with changing market demands
(12:52) Soliciting product ideas from customers
(14:43) Stages of growth and a company’s product development evolution
(17:00) Building a customer-centric culture
(21:33) Challenging decisions as COO at Branch and the lessons learned
(27:43) Building Effective Team Dynamics in High Growth Environment

Stay tuned through the end of the show (33:21) to learn:

Which emoji is Mike’s favorite.
What Mike dreams of owning in the future.
Who Mike thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Mike Molinet (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enFebruary 13, 2024

Jillian Bejtlich (Community Lead at Calendly) on Cultivating Customer-Led and Data-Driven Communities

In this episode, Jillian Bejtlich, Community Lead at Calendly, discusses her journey towards community management, which began in an engineering-focused household. Describing her path as non-traditional, she emphasizes the importance of flexibility and adaptability in community management strategies. Jillian shares her experiences working in different industries, including engineering software and defense manufacturing, and how users drive the function and form of communities. She also highlights the increasing role of AI in community management and how it can aid in content creation and strategizing, while also posing new challenges for community moderators.

(00:40) Jillian's Early Engineering Career and The Unexpected Path to Community Management
(05:00) Finding The Science in Community Building
(06:55) Consulting for The Community Roundtable
(09:25) Innovation in Defense Contracting
(13:14) Returning to SaaS and Identifying Constants in Community
(16:02) Customer-Led Community Identity Development
(17:20) Calendly's Community of Inspiration
(19:50) Advice for Community Managers
(21:43) The Impact of AI on Communities
(25:18) Peer Nomination

Stay tuned through the end of the show (25:18) to learn:

In which country Jillian thinks pineapple can be served on pizza (and in which country it should not).
Who Jillian thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Jillian Bejtlich (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enFebruary 06, 2024

Nisha Baxi (Head of Community and Digital Customer Success at Gong) on Community, Category Creation, and Career Advice

In this episode, we hear from Nisha Baxi, the Head of Community and Digital Customer Success at Gong. Nisha shares her experiences developing programs for world-class software companies like IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Facebook. She describes her journey from her first job at IBM to creating Gong's 'Visioneers' community, customer ecosystems, and her approach to Digital Customer Success. She also shares her insights on the evolution of customer expectations, the importance of creating a seamless customer experience, and the role of technology in shaping customer success. Moreover, she shares her thoughts on what it takes to build a successful company in the competitive software market today.

(00:50) Nisha's Early Career and Journey into Community Building
(03:22) Insights from Nisha's First Job Experience
(04:56) Transition to Gong and the Power of Relationships
(06:30) Building the Visioneers Community at Gong
(10:05) The Role of Community in Category Creation
(15:06) The Evolution of the Visioneers Community and Future Plans
(18:31) Career Advice and Observations on Building Successful Companies
(24:22) Shifting Customer Expectations
(26:55) Digital Customer Success at Gong
(28:23) What it Takes to Build a Successful Software Company Today

Stay tuned through the end of the show (31:26) to learn:

What Nisha’s favorite Slack emoji is.
Who Nisha thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Nisha Baxi (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enJanuary 30, 2024

Toby Coulthard (CPO at Phrasee) on Bringing Technical Expertise and Commercial Strategy to Product Leadership

In this episode, Toby Coulthard, the Chief Product Officer of Phrasee, shares his unique insights on marketing technology, given his blend of deep technical knowledge, commercial strategy, and executive product management. He shares how Phrasee is disrupting content creation with its blend of computational linguistics, data science, and robust experimental designs. The conversation also delves into the evolving question of “what is brand identity in the age of AI?”, the challenges in market expectations, AI's role in businesses, and the value of building differentiated product architectures. Toby discusses his transition from a commercial to a product role, emphasizing customer centricity, agility, effective communication, and enduring passion as keys to advancing in a tech career.

(00:59) What Phrasee Does
(03:08) Phrasee's Impact on Brands and Consumers
(06:10) Brand Identity and Personalized Communication
(08:07) Evolution of Marketing Technology
(09:10) Toby's Journey in Tech
(12:17) Bridging the Gap Between Current State and Art of The Possible
(14:12) AI in The Enterprise
(18:12) Product Development and Customer Understanding at Phrasee
(24:28) Career Advice

Stay tuned through the end of the show (26:55) to learn:

Why Toby doesn’t actually mind jet lag.
Who Toby thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Toby Coulthard (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enJanuary 23, 2024

Junan Pang (Head of Customer Success at Slack) on Developing Customer Success Expertise

Junan Pang is the head of customer success at Slack, experienced in helping tech companies optimize their customer relationships and deliver world class customer experience. Drawn to a blend of technology and business, Junan entered the software industry working at Accenture, later transitioning into customer success roles. During his tenure at Optimizely, he led multiple customer success teams and founded the San Francisco Customer Success Meetup. Despite initial setbacks, his faith in the unique customer success community drove him to persist in organizing meetups. Junan's key focus is being proactive and strategic in customer success management, an approach he fosters to maximize value for Slack users.

(01:07) Junan's Journey into the Software Industry
(03:29) Junan's Journey at Optimizely
(04:28) Challenges and Strategies in Scaling Teams
(06:25) The Role of a Leader as a Customer Success Manager for the Team
(10:03) Founding the San Francisco Customer Success Meetup
(13:27) Current Role at Slack and the Importance of Customer Success
(16:22) Spicy Takes on Customer Success
(21:37) Peer Nomination and Rapid Fire Round

Stay tuned through the end of the show (21:37) to learn:

What Junan’s favorite custom Slack emoji is.
Who Junan thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Junan Pang (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Learn more about the SF Customer Success Meetup on LinkedIn or on their site.

Tune in:

enJanuary 16, 2024

Chandar Pattabhiram (former CMO at Marketo and Coupa) on CMO Strategy and Impact

In this episode of The Peerbound Podcast: Chief, Chandar and Sunny delve into topics such as leadership, marketing strategies, team building, and the dynamics of the C-suite. Chandar shares his experiences, philosophies, and valuable insights gained from his illustrious career in strategic marketing and management consulting. He discusses the importance of empathy, outcome-driven approaches, and the power of authenticity. Throughout the conversation, Chandar highlights the value of customer journey and the concept of “peer-bound” in B2B marketing.

(01:37) Deep Dive into the Three Roles of a CMO
(05:27) Building the Triangle of Trust between the CMO, CEO, and CRO
(09:18) The Relationship Between CMO and CFO
(11:30) The CMO's Role as a Marketer
(13:43) The Concept of 'Peer-Bound'
(18:11) How Peerbound Fits with Outbound and Inbound
(20:47) Advice for Leaders Stepping into New Environments
(24:14) Approaching The First 30 Days with Intention
(26:28) Hiring and Building Exceptional Teams

Stay tuned through the end of the show (29:08) to learn:

Chandar’s favorite football team.
Why Chandar is team pizza.
Who Chandar thinks we should interview next.

There are a few articles mentioned in the show:

Featuring:

Chandar Pattabhiram (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enJanuary 09, 2024

Alison Bukowski (VP, Customer Experience at Point of Reference) on Being Truly Customer-Led

In this episode of the Peerbound Podcast, host Sunny Manivannan is joined by Alison Bukowski, the incoming Vice President of Customer Experience at Point of Reference. Alison discusses her journey from content marketing to customer marketing and advocacy, and eventually to leading a marketing team. She talks about the importance of continually evolving marketing strategies and placing the customer at the forefront of business decisions. Alison also discusses how to successfully measure customer marketing and advocacy efforts focusing on revenue generation, customer health scores, retention, and embracing account-based marketing when appropriate.

(01:20) Striking the right give-to-get ratio
(02:36) How to actually be a customer-led organization
(04:09) Organizational alignment in marketing
(05:18) The power of shared KPIs
(07:30) How to get folks on board for collaboration
(09:16) The measuring marketing's impact
(11:36) The implication of savvier buyers for marketing teams
(13:23) CMO playbooks today vs. of the past
(15:50) Alison's journey into marketing leadership
(18:06) What Peerspot does and how they differentiate
(24:51) Advice for customer marketers with an eye toward a CMO role

Stay tuned through the end of the show (31:50) to learn:

Whether Alison (an English major) is team physical books or eBooks.
What time of night Alison’s brain turns off.
Who Alison thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Alison Bukowski (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

Community Manager Breakfast - Weekly Newsletter

enJanuary 03, 2024

Evan Hamilton (Director of Community at HubSpot) on The Power of Community in the Age of AI

In this episode of the Peerbound Podcast, we hear from Evan Hamilton, the Director of Community at HubSpot. As an experienced community and customer experience professional, Hamilton shares his insights into the evolution of the internet and how it has affected community building. He stresses the importance of communities being used for creating intention, driving a specific purpose, and amplifying business results rather than just existing for the sake of it. Hamilton also shares details about his role at Reddit, his course on community engagement, and how communities are structured at HubSpot. Towards the end, he provides his thoughts on how AI might impact the future of community engagement and job prospects.

(01:01) Evan's Insights on the Evolution of Community
(03:42) The Importance of Delivering Value in Communities
(07:36) Evan's Journey into Community Marketing
(09:50) Evan's Experience at Reddit
(12:23) The Challenges of Managing Reddit's Community
(14:18) Transition to HubSpot
(16:10) The Impact of AI on Community Building
(18:12) Creating a Targeted Community
(19:52) The Potent Power and Limitations of AI Content Creation
(24:32) The Role of Community in Business
(27:18) The Impact of AI on Jobs
(31:04) Evan’s Community Resources and Courses
(33:02) Rapid Fire Round

Stay tuned through the end of the show (32:38) to learn:

What animal you should gift Evan for Christmas.
Which sauce Evan does not think belongs on pizza.
Who Evan thinks we should interview next.

Be sure to check out Evan’s community content:

Driving Business Impact with Community - Maven Course

Featuring:

Evan Hamilton (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enDecember 19, 2023

Leslie Paterson (VP, Customer Advocacy & Engagement at BMC) on Leading, Building, and Reinventing Advocacy Programs

In this episode, Leslie Patterson, the VP of Customer Advocacy and Engagement at BMC Software, shares insights from her more than two decades of experience in the software industry. Leslie shares her journey into customer advocacy starting from her days in advertising to her tenure at Computer Associates. She discusses her successful career in building and reinventing advocacy programs for prominent enterprises like Oracle and Genesys, highlighting how she leverages the transformative power of the customer's voice. Leslie also explores strategies to develop trust within teams, deliver high impact results, and navigate transitions into new business environments. From rethinking sales alignment and leveraging engagement directors to optimize customer engagement to the importance of using metrics to back up new initiatives, Leslie shares rich insights and pragmatic advice for advocacy teams of various sizes. She also shares her thoughts on tackling challenges and opportunities in customer advocacy, particularly in creating engaging communities and well-structured programs, and the role of senior leadership in successful customer advocacy efforts.

(00:56) Leslie's Journey into Customer Advocacy
(03:33) The Importance of Embracing Failure
(04:34) Lessons from Oracle and Genesis
(07:25) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
(07:49) The Role of Measurement in Business Impact
(09:22) Avoiding the 'Shiny Object Syndrome'
(10:00) Transition to Genesys
(12:13) Challenges and Opportunities at BMC Software
(12:26) Building a Structured Advocacy Program
(14:13) The Power of Customer Communities
(15:38) Leadership and Building Trust within Teams
(20:22) Stepping into New Roles and Leadership Positions
(20:50) Building a Team from Scratch
(26:27) The Power of Customer Advocacy

Stay tuned through the end of the show (33:42) to learn:

What season draws Leslie out of the countryside and into the city.
Whether Leslie thinks pineapple belongs on pizza.
Who Leslie thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Leslie Paterson (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enDecember 12, 2023

Dave Hansen (Global Advocacy Marketing Director at LRN) on Building and Nurturing Customer Advocacy and Community

In this episode, Dave Hansen, the Global Advocacy Marketing Director at LRN, shares his unique journey from driving the Red Bull van in college to his current role building advocacy and community within the business world. He highlights his strategies for nurturing customer relationships, his perspective on the importance of customer sentiment through Net Promoter Score and CSAT, and the value of internal collaboration within an organization. This informative discussion is sprinkled with exciting stories from Hansen's early days influencing his career path. He also gives his perspectives on customer success and the critical role of the community managers and their work.

(00:56) Dave's Early Career and Driving the Red Bull Van
(04:13) Dave's Transition to Coca-Cola, And His Stint in Mascotting
(08:28) Dave's Career Path to LRN
(13:15) Dave's Role at LRN
(13:17) Understanding LRN's Business
(14:04) Measuring Success and Showing ROI at LRN
(15:41) Unpacking The Relationship Between Advocacy and Account Growth
(18:58) How Dave uses NPS and CSAT to Grow the Company
(23:59) Dave's Approach to Internal Collaboration
(26:21) Dave's Learning Journey and Future Aspirations

Stay tuned through the end of the show (29:00) to learn:

Who Dave thinks we should interview next.
Dave’s hot takes and pizza preferences.

Featuring:

Dave Hansen (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enDecember 05, 2023

Katie Pope (Sr. Director, Brand & Community at Iterable) on Evolving Customer Marketing Programs

In this episode, Katie shares insights about her dynamic approach to customer marketing, noting her focus on adopting programs that closely align with what customers want and need. At Iterable, she oversees different teams, including Brand, Community, Partner, and Corporate Event Marketing, all which leverage and benefit from using the voice of the customer. Katie discusses the importance of building personal relationships and understanding what motivates each individual on her team. She also speaks about the organization of Iterable's in-person and virtual conferences and roadshows, while emphasizing the importance of continuous iteration and improvement. The conversation also includes Katie's experiences and lessons from her time at Marketo and her perspectives on working in the marketing technology (MarTech) sector.

In this episode, Katie and Sunny dive into:

00:14 Katie's Role and Responsibilities at Iterable
01:34 Understanding Customer Marketing at Iterable
02:16 The Evolution of Customer Marketing at Iterable
03:25 Katie's Journey and Motivation at Iterable
04:10 Measuring Success and Impact at Iterable
05:02 Katie's Journey into Customer Marketing
06:10 Lessons from Marketo and Love for MarTech
10:03 Managing Diverse Customer Advocacy Programs for Different Personas
13:23 The Growth and Evolution of Activate User Conference
16:30 Changes in Buyer Behavior and Customer Marketing
19:31 Advice for Building a Customer Marketing Program
21:23 Managing Relationships and Leading a Team

Stay tuned through the end of the show (24:37) to learn:

Who Katie thinks we should interview next.
What Christmas present Katie has put to work over the past year.
Which fast food restaurant Katie’s stopping at if she’s on a road trip.

Featuring:

Katie Pope (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enNovember 28, 2023

Bill Lee (Founder of Center for Customer Engagement) on Pioneering Customer-Led Growth

Discover the evolution of Customer Advocacy and Engagement as Bill Lee shares his personal journey, beginning with his unique career trajectory, his experiences in different industries, and his transition to focusing on customer relationships in the tech industry. In this episode, Bill shares insights about the concept of customer-led growth, the necessity of building and maintaining strong relationships with customers, and the important role customer advocacy professionals have in contributing to a company’s growth.

In this episode, Guest and Sunny dive into:

(01:26) Bill's career trajectory and his early experiences being a B2B customer
(05:41) Working in the government and appreciating the importance of relationship building
(09:10) The significance of customer-led growth and the opportunity Bill saw to take advocacy to the next level
(14:05) Aligning customer advocacy priorities to what leadership cares about
(17:23) Creating the Center for Customer Engagement
(18:21) Insights, advice, and reflections on Bill's career
(21:36) The future of customer-led growth

Stay tuned through the end of the show (22:44) to learn:

Which Bill prefers - Pizza or Burgers
Whether Bill is team iPhone or Android
Who Bill thinks we should interview next

enNovember 21, 2023

Nicole Saunders (Director of Community at Zendesk) on Fostering Cross-Functional Collaboration

In this episode, we delve into Nicole's journey in community management and explore the strategies she employed to transform Zendesk's community from a Q&A section to a cross-functional powerhouse. We discuss the importance of breaking down workplace silos and identifying collaborative opportunities to bring the customer's voice into various projects without "shipping the org chart." Measuring community success, qualities of effective collaboration, and the impact of community on customers are all part of this insightful conversation. Nicole shares an inspiring story of a community member whose career was transformed through Zendesk's community, underlining the immense value it brings.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

(0:58) Nicole's journey to community
(5:02) The process for taking a community from 0 to 1
(6:06) The benefits of Digital vs. Physical communities
(8:07) Breaking down silos in the workplace
(10:32) Identifying projects where there is mutual benefit
(11:43) How community helps integrate the customer voice into other projects
(13:19) Building a center of excellence model
(14:50) Identifying opportunities for collaboration and building the center of excellence model
(17:22) The early days of community at Zendesk and incrementally expanding the program
(24:07) Why a Director of Community is like a product manager for community
(24:57) Measuring success of the community
(27:56) Qualities important to effective collaboration
(29:53) The impact of community on customers
(31:34) The story of Brandon, a power user finding career opportunity through the Zendesk community

Stay tuned through the end of the show (33:22) to learn:

Which Coca Cola product Nicole prefers
Whether Nicole is team Netflix or Youtube
Who Nicole thinks we should speak with next

enNovember 14, 2023

Lauren Turner (Director, Customer Marketing at Alyce) on the Power of Customer Voice

Explore the evolving landscape of B2B customer marketing with Lauren Turner, Director of Customer Marketing at Alyce. With prior career experience in product management and product marketing, Lauren brings a deep understanding and passion for the importance of the voice of the customer in guiding how to build products and programs. From the impact of budget cuts to the power of customer advocacy, discover the strategies and insights shaping this crucial function in the software industry.

In this episode, Lauren and Sunny dive into:

(00:57) Lauren’s predictions for the future of customer marketing
(03:24) Why we’re seeing budget cuts in customer marketing and the challenge of calculating ROI in a relationship-building function
(08:03) Best practices for building a community from scratch, and why customer marketing isn’t an ‘instant gratification’ function
(12:59) Lauren's first few jobs in Product Management and Product Marketing, and how she used the voice of the customer in her day to day, and lessons learned working in different functions
(18:00) Making the move to customer marketing
(40:48) Best practices for collaborating across departments
(24:03) Balancing being collaborative while also demonstrating the unique value and results you help drive
(25:37) Lauren’s customer marketing experience in the pandemic and the long-lasting effects on community and customer marketing initiatives

Stay tuned through the end of the show (30:47) to learn:

How Lauren’s astrological sign influences her rapid fire responses.
Which improv group Lauren is a member of.
Who Lauren thinks we should interview next.

enNovember 07, 2023

Kevin Lau (Sr. Director, Global Customer Engagement at F5) on Strategic Alignment in Customer Marketing

Join us as Kevin Lau, Senior Director of Global Customer Engagement at F5, shares thoughts on the evolving landscape of customer marketing. Discover how to set and align priorities with executive leadership, how to source and distribute customer feedback, and strategies for building a robust customer engagement tech stack.

In this episode, Sunny and Kevin explore:

(00:53) Kevin's journey from his first post-college job to customer marketing
(03:17) A glimpse into F5 and Kevin's pivotal role there
(04:53) The mission of the Customer Engagement team at F5, and how they measure success
(07:35) Challenges faced in building a new team and how to overcome them
(09:12) Developing cross-functional relationships for customer success
(11:29) Defining metrics and the vision of success at F5
(13:50) Kevin's tech stack for enhancing customer engagement and how to procure technology with a focus on clear KPIs
(17:20) Prioritizing as a customer marketing and engagement leader
(20:16) Mechanisms for effectively gathering valuable customer feedback
(22:52) Kevin's predictions for the future of customer engagement and advocacy
(24:33) Qualities to look and interview questions for hiring

Stay tuned through the end of the show (26:41) to learn:

If Kevin is team pizza or burgers.
Whether Kevin is an early bird or a night owl.
Who Kevin thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Kevin Lau (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enOctober 31, 2023

John Gleeson (Founder & Managing Partner at Success Venture Partners) on the Strategic Role of Customer Success

Join us for an insightful discussion with John Gleeson, Founder & Managing Partner at Success Venture Partners and a pioneer in the world of Customer Success. Discover the strategic significance of Customer Success in early stage startups and how it serves as a vital bridge between customers and growth-focused teams as a company scales.

John and Sunny’s conversation covers:

(01:05) John's journey into the software landscape
(03:43) Delving into the world of Customer Success
(07:57) Leveraging Customer Success as a proactive approach
(14:21) Tailoring the Customer Success motion to different business models
(18:41) Advice for navigating Customer Success at different growth stages
(22:43) Identifying essential qualities in an effective Customer Success team member
(24:22) Transitioning into venture investment and successful pivots into the VC world
(28:35) Predicting the future landscape of Customer Success

Stay tuned through the end of the show (30:25) to learn:

What John’s beverage of choice is (hint: it’s neither Coke nor Pepsi).
Who John thinks we should interview next.
More details about the upcoming NYC Customer Success Meetup.

Learn more:

Customer Success Meetup (LinkedIn)

NYC Customer Success Meetup, November 9th (Eventbrite)

Success Venture Partners (Website, LinkedIn)

Featuring:

John Gleeson (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Tune in:

enOctober 24, 2023

peers

Hillary Curran (Sr. Director, Customer Voice & Implementation Strategy at Guru) on Leveraging Customer Insights for Growth

Join us in this insightful episode with Hillary Curran, the Senior Director of Customer Voice & Implementation Strategy at Guru, as she shares her mission of integrating the customer's voice into strategic business decisions to drive growth. Discover how Guru leverages deep customer insights to prioritize their roadmap and sharpen messaging, all while empowering teams to achieve exceptional results.

In this episode, Sunny and Hillary delve into:

(00:57) Hillary's journey to Guru
(05:09) Growth at Guru over the past 5+ years
(10:14) Showcasing value and distributing insights internally
(14:43) Building a customer-centric culture and implementing a customer listening tour
(21:58) Advice for leading and supporting a team
(24:19) Defining success in a new, first-of-its-kind role
(27:35) Doubling down on the theme of 'trust' in the age of AI

Stay tuned through the end of the show (29:57) to learn:

Whether Hillary is team cats or dogs.
What YouTube show Hillary keeps up with.
Who Hillary thinks we should interview next.

Featuring:

Hillary Curran (LinkedIn)

Sunny Manivannan (LinkedIn, Twitter)

Twitter

Tune in: