In this episode of Spotlight LinkedIn Live, Emma Lo sits down with Paul Abdool and Franz-Josef Schrepf, two powerhouse partnership leaders, to uncover what truly drives successful partner ecosystems in B2B SaaS.

🎯 What you’ll learn:

• The 5 layers of partnerships—from brand deals to strategic alliances
• The 4C’s framework to evaluate partnership fit
• How Customer Success + Partnerships create a winning GTM motion
• Why channel conflicts happen (and how to prevent them)
• The future of partner-led growth in SaaS

💡 Pro Tip: If your partnership program isn’t driving revenue, you’re missing the point. Learn how to align partnerships with real business outcomes.

Read more in Franz's "The Book on Partnerships" on Amazon

In this episode of Spotlight, host Elizabeth Italiano welcomes Julie Persofsky, Founder of Achieve Exponential Growth, to explore strategies for scaling Customer Success and driving revenue growth.

With over 20 years of Go-To-Market expertise, Julie shares actionable insights on:

• When and how to hire your first CSM.
• Identifying the customer’s “aha moment” to boost adoption.
• Balancing cost-to-serve with retention and growth through effective segmentation.
• Redefining roles to eliminate bottlenecks and enhance team satisfaction.
• Building cross-department collaboration for seamless customer experiences.

Julie also discusses her proven methods for diagnosing bottlenecks, prioritizing impactful changes, and leveraging resources to scale effectively.

Don’t miss her tips and insights from her latest course, Achieve Exponential Growth.

Join here: https://juliepersofsky.com/

(use the CSINFOCUS code to get 20% off until Jan 15, 2025)

Tune in to learn how to elevate your Customer Success strategy and unlock exponential growth!

In this episode, host Emma Lo sits down with Dillon Young, founder of Lifetime Value Media and Customer Value Labs, to dive into the trends shaping CS today.

Dillon shares insights on:

• The rise of AI and Digital CS
• Navigating the job market in a changing economy
• The critical role of value delivery in Customer Success
• Balancing mental health and career growth in a demanding industry

With his experience as the host of a daily CS podcast and leader in GTM-focused content creation, Dillon offers a fresh perspective on the future of Customer Success and the skills professionals need to thrive.

Tune in for actionable insights, candid conversations, and a roadmap to success in today’s CS landscape.

Follow Dillon for more

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonryoung/

Sign up for his newsletter:

https://thesegment.lifetimevaluemedia.com/subscribe?ref=qmloC3sj84

In this episode, host Emma Lo chats with Holly Goodliffe, a Digital Customer Success expert who’s built Digital CS functions at Adobe and other top SaaS companies.

Holly breaks down the essentials of launching a successful Digital CS program, including:

• How to Get Started: The first steps to building a scalable Digital CS function.
• The ONE Metric That Matters: Why active usage should be your North Star.
• Collaboration Across Teams: Aligning marketing, product, and CS for customer impact.
• Blending Digital & Human Touch: Scaling effectively while keeping the customer experience personal.

Key Insight: Start with why. Holly explains why clarifying your business goals is critical to a successful Digital CS strategy.

If you're a SaaS leader, CS professional, or just curious about digital strategies for retention and growth, this episode is your go-to guide for actionable insights.

Connect with Holly Goodliffe

https://hollygoodliffe.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollygoodliffe/

In this insightful episode, host Elizabeth Italiano sits down with Lukas Alexander, VP of Customer Success at ChurnZero, to explore the best practices and strategies for building and executing a successful digital customer success (CS) program.

Lukas, with his extensive experience in both customer success and operations, shares his journey from leading client success at Cision to his current role at ChurnZero, where he champions innovative digital CS solutions.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between Digital CS and Scaled CS and how they complement each other.
• Essential components to consider when building a digital CS strategy from scratch.
• How to maintain personalized engagement in a scaled, digital environment.
• The role of segmentation and data in crafting effective digital CS strategies.
• Common pitfalls to avoid when implementing digital CS initiatives.
• Emerging trends in digital CS, including predictive analytics and emotional intelligence.

Whether you're new to digital CS or looking to refine your approach, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you elevate your customer success game.

🔗 Connect with Lukas Alexander on LinkedIn: Lukas Alexander LinkedIn 🔗 Learn more about ChurnZero: ChurnZero

In this episode, host Emma Lo chats with Kristine Kukich, the Training Shepherd, and Shannon Howard, Director of Content and Customer Marketing at Intellum.

They explore the crucial role of customer education and marketing in scaling customer success.

• Scaling Success: Customer education and marketing are essential in helping customers succeed with the product and in their careers, especially as companies grow.
• Proven Impact: A Forrester study shows 86% of customer education programs see positive ROI, with notable increases in customer satisfaction (26.2%) and retention rates (22.3%).
• Growth Through Training: Trained users become more engaged and drive additional business growth.
• Metrics & Systems: Emphasizing the importance of data-driven metrics aligned with business goals, such as retention and revenue impact.
• Iterative Approach: Start with basic content and refine over time to achieve long-term success.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Building strong relationships across departments is crucial for aligning education initiatives with business objectives.
• Role of Certification: Certifications play a key role in driving revenue and ensuring product mastery, especially in large organizations.

Kristine and Shannon emphasize the importance of starting with a solid plan, iterating toward success, and using storytelling to highlight the value of customer education.

For more insights, connect with Kristine and Shannon on LinkedIn, and check out their YouTube channel, "Mixology," where they discuss customer education and marketing over a cocktail!

Contact Information:

• Kristine Kukich: LinkedIn
• Shannon Howard: LinkedIn
• Mixology: https://www.youtube.com/@mixology7259

In this episode of "Spotlight by CS In Focus," host Emma and co-host Elizabeth Italiano from What Not To Do engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Peter Armaly, author of Mastering Customer Success.

Peter, a seasoned Customer Success (CS) professional, shares insights from his extensive experience and discusses the evolving role of Customer Success in driving business growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Article Discussion: Peter and Dan Sperring's collaborative article on leveraging Customer Success to build a go-to-market flywheel.
• Holistic View: Importance of considering the entire customer journey and integrating CS with sales, marketing, and product teams.
• CS Evolution: The need for Customer Success to adapt and evolve with changing business landscapes.
• Strategic Contribution: How CS can contribute more strategically to the overall business by sharing intimate customer knowledge.
• Proving Value: The necessity for CS to provide proof of its value to gain buy-in from other organizational departments.
• Churn and Retention: Challenges of addressing churn rates and the need for better cross-functional collaboration.
• Product Fit: The role of CS is to continuously measure and ensure product-market fit.
• Open-Minded Leadership: CS leaders must be open to new ideas and working closely with product teams.

Discussion Highlights:

• Intimate Customer Knowledge: CS teams possess deep insights into customer needs and experiences, which can drive product and service improvements.
• Proactive Communication: The need for CS to communicate its value and contributions clearly to other departments.
• Customer Journey Integration: Encouraging a more integrated approach where CS is a key player in the go-to-market strategy.
• Leadership Accountability: CS leaders should embrace accountability for revenue and work collaboratively to achieve business goals.

Advice for CS Leaders:

• Build Relationships: Spend time with product and sales teams to understand their needs and share customer insights.
• Educate the Organization: Continuously educate other departments on the role and value of CS.
• Measure and Prove: Implement metrics that demonstrate the impact of CS on business outcomes, particularly in terms of revenue and customer retention.
• Stay Dynamic: Be willing to adapt and lead in a rapidly changing business environment.

Peter Armaly emphasizes the transformative power of Customer Success when it is fully integrated into a company's strategic framework, urging CS professionals to step up, collaborate, and lead the charge in driving business success.

Connect with Peter on LinkedIn:

Don't Ditch CS - leverage it to build "The Flywheel"

Peter's new book, Mastering Customer Success

Join us on the "Spotlight: CS in Focus" podcast, where Star Hofer, COO of AKA Media and a seasoned leader in the tech startup sector, shares her profound insights on building effective customer success teams and professional services from the ground up.

With over two decades of experience in SaaS and tech startups, Star discusses the critical aspects of identifying and nurturing hidden talents within teams, aligning team dynamics with evolving business strategies, and how to drive change within organizations.

Dive deep into her strategies for fostering a culture of success and innovation that genuinely supports non-profit foundations and charities in their fundraising efforts.

Key Takeaways:

1. Strategic Team Building:

   • Understanding the product's stage and maturity is essential for shaping effective customer success strategies and team roles.

2. Three-Year Strategic Planning:

   • Focus on disruption in the first year, evaluate strategies in the second, and reap benefits in the third.

3. Value Over Metrics:

   • Star advocates for real value-driven customer success, contrasting it with traditional retention metrics.

4. Empathetic and Adaptive Leadership:

   • Successful leadership requires aligning closely with product teams and genuinely addressing customer needs.

5. Cultural Fit in Hiring:

   • Prioritize potential and unique contributions over traditional metrics, valuing diverse skills and personal strengths.

6. Transparent Communication:

   • Promote openness and honesty to boost team morale and foster a collaborative environment.

Star's insights underline the importance of adaptability and deep understanding in leadership, crucial for teams navigating dynamic environments.

Connect with Star here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/starbedwards/

Her two recommended books:

1. Training for the Uphill Athlete - This book focuses on training strategies for endurance athletes, particularly those interested in mountain sports and ultrarunning.

2. First Lie Wins - While the specific content of this book isn't detailed in the transcript, the title suggests it could cover topics related to strategic thinking, perhaps in business or personal development.