Is AI killing SaaS or simply exposing which products were always more convenience than substance? In this episode, The Jasons explore why the market is nervous, which SaaS categories are genuinely vulnerable and why systems of record, process depth and trust still matter. They also bring the debate into CRM, adoption and agentic AI to unpack what SaaS leaders should really be worried about and where genuine defensibility now sits.

In this episode of Breakthrough SaaS Growth with the Jasons, Jason Whitehead and Jason Noble explore whether Customer Success is evolving into something bigger - Customer Growth.

They revisit why Customer Success was created in the first place, how the SaaS subscription model shifted risk from the buyer to the vendor, and why the traditional CS model is now under pressure. With tighter budgets, higher expectations around ROI, and increased scrutiny from CFOs, simply helping customers adopt software is no longer enough.

The Jasons unpack what the shift from Customer Success to Customer Growth really means: moving from activity-based relationships to outcome-driven value creation, from protecting renewals to actively driving expansion, and from a support-style function to a commercially confident growth engine.

They discuss how metrics, incentives, and cross-functional alignment must evolve if Customer Success teams are going to lead revenue growth rather than simply defend retention.

They wrap up with a breakthrough challenge: if your sales team stopped selling tomorrow, would your existing customers grow your business - or would revenue slowly decline?

This episode takes on a question many SaaS companies still avoid asking properly: if revenue is a team sport, why are so many organisations still running Sales Kickoff as if revenue belongs to Sales alone?

Jason Noble and Jason Whitehead are joined by Kristi Faltorusso for a sharp and practical discussion on the shift from SKO to RKO - and why this is about far more than changing the name of an event. They explore what real revenue alignment looks like across Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, Services and Support, and why too many companies still invite CS into the room without truly integrating them into the strategy.

The conversation gets into the structural, cultural and operational changes needed to move from siloed planning to shared accountability. From co-designed agendas and shared enablement to metrics, incentives and leadership mindset, this episode challenges the old model and makes the case for a more joined-up approach to growth.

If you care about retention, expansion, customer outcomes and building a genuinely revenue-aligned SaaS business, this is one worth listening to.

ABOUT KRISTI FALTORUSSO

After 14 years in Customer Success and SaaS, Kristi Faltorusso has built a reputation as one of the most practical and outspoken voices in the CS space. She has led Customer Success teams across startups and scaleups, helping organisations improve retention, drive growth and build scalable, customer-first operations that actually work in the real world.

Kristi is known for turning Customer Success into something operationally useful, commercially relevant and refreshingly honest. From playbooks and templates to workshops, events and community conversations, she has become a trusted voice for CS leaders looking to rethink how their teams create value.

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn:

In this episode, Jason Noble and Jason Whitehead are joined by Josh Schachter, SVP of AI Strategy & Market Development at Gainsight and host of the Unchurned podcast, to explore what is really putting SaaS retention under pressure.

They discuss whether AI is increasing churn risk or simply exposing weak value, why build versus buy is becoming a bigger issue, and how tighter financial scrutiny is changing renewal conversations. They also look at what Customer Success must do differently if it wants to protect GRR and remain commercially relevant in the AI era.

A sharp conversation on retention, value and what SaaS leaders need to do next.

About Josh Schachter

Josh Schachter is SVP of AI Strategy & Market Development at Gainsight and host of the Unchurned podcast. He founded Update, often described as “Gong for post-sales”, which was later acquired by Gainsight. Today, he works at the intersection of AI, Customer Success leadership and post-sales operations, helping SaaS leaders understand what is really changing inside modern revenue teams.

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn:

This episode explores how AI is changing Customer Success and why being strategic has become essential for every CSM.

Jason Noble and Jason Whitehead are joined by Chad Horenfeldt, one of the most recognised voices in Customer Success, for a practical discussion on what strategic Customer Success really looks like in the AI era. As automation removes more admin, reporting and repetitive work, the role of the CSM is shifting towards business outcomes, executive conversations and measurable customer value.

Discover what separates a strategic CSM from someone who is simply staying busy, how to move customer conversations beyond product usage and adoption and what Customer Success leaders and teams need to change now to stay relevant.

ABOUT CHAD HORENFELDT

Chad Horenfeldt is one of the most trusted voices in Customer Success.

He is a seasoned Customer Success executive with over two decades of experience in SaaS. Chad has held key roles at companies including Meta (Kustomer), Updater, Bluecore, Influitive and Oracle (Eloqua), where he built deep expertise in customer success and customer experience strategy. He has been part of an IPO while at Eloqua and two major acquisitions, one by Oracle and another by Meta.

Beyond his executive leadership work, Chad is a respected thought leader who regularly shares insights on Customer Success through industry publications, speaking engagements and community conversations. He has also received numerous industry awards, including being named a 4x Top 25 Customer Success Thought Leader.

Connect with Chad on LinkedIn

This episode explores what sustainable SaaS growth really looks like now that the era of growth at all costs is over.

Jason Noble and Jason Whitehead unpack the shift from chasing speed at any price to building smarter, healthier, and more profitable growth. They discuss the warning signs of unhealthy scaling, the classic traps SaaS companies fall into and what leaders need to do differently to balance ambition with discipline.

Listen in as they talk through the new playbook for healthy growth, from retention and efficiency to hiring, tooling and the metrics that matter most. It is a practical conversation for SaaS leaders who want to scale with more clarity, stronger customer outcomes and fewer costly mistakes.

This episode dives into the core of customer success and whether it has strayed from its original purpose of driving customer impact and value.

Jason Noble and Jason Whitehead are joined by David Karp, a seasoned leader in post-sales operations, for an insightful discussion about the shifts needed to refocus on strategic partnerships, accountability, and measurable success.

Explore how empathy, clarity, and shared responsibility can enhance both customer relationships and internal alignment within SaaS organizations. 

ABOUT DAVID KARP

As a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience in post-sales leadership, David's journey has been driven by one mission: to transform customer relationships into powerful growth engines. At DISQO, he spearheads a dedicated team focused on delivering unmatched value that drives not only client success but also organizational growth.

His passion lies in harmonizing culture, technology, and data. By enhancing performance through innovative strategies, he helps create experiences that resonate and lead. As a certified mentor and lifelong learner, he blends his expertise with a genuine commitment to uplifting colleagues, clients, and community. Each day, he begins with faith, exercise, and the conviction that today's challenges will become tomorrow's success stories.

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

In this episode of Breakthrough SaaS Growth with the Jasons, Jason Whitehead and Jason Noble dig into what happens when every SaaS company has AI — and it stops being a differentiator. They unpack the big misconception that AI will “replace” customer success, and instead frame it as an amplifier: something that removes friction, surfaces insights faster, and gives humans more headspace to build trust and drive real outcomes.

The Jasons explore where AI can add genuine strategic value across the customer journey (and where it absolutely shouldn’t be left in charge), why dirty data and weak processes will get exposed faster than ever, and how culture and human judgment become the real competitive edge in an AI-enabled world.

They wrap up with a practical breakthrough challenge: pick one moment in your customer journey where AI should handle the work so your team can focus on the meaning.

In this episode of Breakthrough SaaS Growth with The Jasons, Jason Whitehead and Jason Noble dig into how organizational silos quietly kill momentum, erode customer trust, and drag down key metrics like adoption, NRR, and renewals.

They unpack where the most common silos form between sales, CS, product, engineering, and marketing, and explore how shared data, better forums for collaboration, and smarter incentives can turn fragmented teams into a single growth engine.

The Jasons also discuss how AI can unlock truly shared customer visibility - and they wrap up with a practical “breakthrough challenge” you can use this week to start building real cross-functional synergy.

On Breakthrough SaaS Growth with The Jasons, we unpack how a broken recruiting journey can undermine trust—and growth—before Day 1. Annette Franz connects culture, EX, and CX, showing how misaligned expectations and hiring “promises” ripple into churn, brand damage, and stalled expansion. You’ll hear practical ways CS leaders can partner with Talent to design candidate experiences that reinforce your brand promise, close the promise–delivery gap, and set the stage for loyal customers and durable revenue.

Bio: Annette Franz

Annette Franz is a globally recognized thought leader, author of three books, and speaker in culture transformation, employee experience (EX), and customer experience (CX). As the founder and CEO of CX Journey Inc., she helps organizations build strong, values-driven cultures that empower employees and drive exceptional customer experiences. With over 30 years of experience, Annette has worked with brands across industries to develop strategies that foster engaged employees, enhance customer relationships, and create long-term business success. She is passionate about ensuring that culture is the foundation for meaningful change, believing that fixing the culture fixes the outcomes.

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://annettefranz.com/