The Customer Success Leadership Podcast

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to build from scratch based on my own experience and the CS leaders I’ve coached.

We’ll walk through: 

• What to prioritize in your first 90 days
• The three foundational pillars to focus on when you’re a team of one
• How to avoid burnout and build scrappy systems that actually scale
• How to prove the value of CS internally without fancy tools or dashboards
• When (and how) to make the case for your first hire

This episode is practical, honest, and full of real-world tactics that you can put into play immediately especially if you’re juggling onboarding, renewals, internal fire drills, and everything in between.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

In this episode, I break down what being strategic actually means in a Customer Success context. And how you, as a CS leader, can help your team move from task execution to value leadership.

We’ll walk through:

• The 5 core behaviors that define strategic CSMs
• How to coach and enable your team to develop this skillset
• Tactical ways to embed strategic thinking into your culture and operating model

Plus, I’ll share real frameworks, coaching questions and enablement tips you can start using right away.

If you want to build a CS team that drives revenue, retention and long-term customer value, not just completes tasks, this episode is a must-listen.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

This episode is for every CS leader trying to navigate the impossible: higher targets, more responsibilities, tighter budgets and somehow still expected to deliver results without burning out their team.

We always hear “do more with less” but no one really explains how to do that in a way that actually works. 

So in this episode, we’re diving into what that really looks like in practice.

You’ll learn: 

• Where to focus when you can’t do it all
• How to scale impact without scaling headcount
• How to build cross-functional leverage when hiring isn’t an option
• How to protect your team’s energy

These aren’t just high-level ideas. I'm going to walk you through actual tactical strategies I’ve implemented myself and coached CS leaders on across different stages and industries.

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin or looking for a better way to lead through constraint, this one’s for you.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

Should CS Own Revenue? Most teams are already doing it. Just not doing it well.

In this episode, I dive deep into the Revenue Ownership model of Customer Success—where CS owns both retention and expansion—and share the three critical shifts your team needs to make to actually succeed:

✅ A Mindset Shift: From service to growth
✅ A Culture Shift: From passive to proactive
✅ A Strategy Shift: From value realization to value creation

Because if you’re giving your CSMs revenue targets without changing how they operate, you’re setting them up to fail.

🎧 Listen to learn how to:

• Evolve your CS motion without losing customer trust
• Empower your team to lead revenue conversations
• Unlock long-term, scalable growth through CS

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

The debate continues: Should Customer Success own a revenue number or focus solely on adoption and value?

In this episode, Angeline Gavino explores why we’ve been asking the wrong question all along.

Instead of debating if CS should own revenue, we should be asking:
👉 How should revenue be measured, enabled, or owned within your CS team?

In this episode, Angeline breaks down:

• Why Customer Success was born in the SaaS era
• The real driver behind the shift toward revenue accountability in CS
• The three Revenue-Driven CS Models every organization should understand:
  • Revenue Protection (Retention Focused)
  • Revenue Enablement (Retention + Expansion Identification)
  • Revenue Ownership (Retention + Expansion Ownership)

You’ll also learn about the PRISM Framework, a 5-factor decision tool to help you determine the right revenue model for your CS team.

Download the free resource here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14SJB9NED656Xa4VWbKQqIyhNSwimIjl8/view?usp=sharing

Whether you're already assigning revenue targets to CS or just starting to rethink your strategy, this episode is packed with insights to help you build a scalable, sustainable and aligned CS function.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

Angeline Gavino sits down with Alexandra Sagaydak, Chief Customer Officer at PeopleForce, to dive into the realities of CS leadership and the journey to becoming a CCO in a revenue-driven world.

Alexandra shares her insights on:

• The evolving role of a CCO: What it really takes to lead Customer Success at the executive level.
• Owning revenue as a CS leader: How she built and scaled a CS team that naturally took on expansion and renewals.
• Career growth in CS leadership: Her unconventional journey from account management to CCO—and what aspiring leaders can learn from it.
• Shifting from IC to leadership: The mindset shift required when moving from owning your own KPIs to leading a team toward company-wide success.

This episode is a must-listen for aspiring CS leaders looking to grow into executive roles and for current CS executives who want to refine their leadership approach.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

Angeline Gavino sits down with Telved Devlet, a seasoned Customer Success and revenue leader, to discuss practical strategies for enabling CS teams to transition into revenue ownership while staying true to a people-first mindset.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• The mindset shift for CS teams: From “service-oriented” to “revenue-driven.”
• Operationalizing revenue growth: How to create scalable processes that align CS teams with organizational goals.
• Empowering your people: Why understanding your team’s strengths, providing enablement, and matching talent to customer segments is key to success.
• Balancing growth with employee experience: The importance of optimizing internal workflows and avoiding burnout through smarter enablement.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

Angeline Gavino is joined by Mike Simmons, Founder of Catalyst A.C.T.S, to explore the critical role of leadership in driving cultural and operational shifts within Customer Success. He shares his unique insights on navigating the transition to revenue-driven CS and building high-performing teams.

Key discussion points include:

• The essence of leadership: What it truly means to lead and move organizations forward.
• The role of culture in driving success: How to shift from reactive support to proactive customer success.
• Aligning CS with revenue goals: Building a clear strategy to help CS teams own revenue responsibility.
• Tackling internal change management: Practical advice for influencing cross-functional alignment and managing up.
• Leadership starts with self: How leaders can better understand their impact, communicate effectively, and drive meaningful results.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

Angeline Gavino welcomes Gina Patel, a seasoned Customer Success leader with 15+ years of experience, to discuss her journey of building and scaling CS teams that drive retention, growth, and operational efficiency.

Gina shares her expertise on:

• Building high-performing CS teams: Mentoring, coaching, and equipping CSMs to grow professionally while delivering customer value.
• Enablement for Customer Success: The critical role of proper training, tools, and support to empower CSMs to excel in today’s demanding environment.
• Bridging the gap between CS and Sales: Leveraging consultative approaches to identify and act on growth opportunities.
• Shifting CS to own revenue: How organizations can align comp structures, provide proper training, and empower CSMs to drive net revenue retention.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...

In this episode of the CS RevSpeak Podcast, Angeline Gavino sits down with Thomas Voigt, Customer Success Coach and Founder of The CS Academy, for a deep dive into what it means to be a leader in the Customer Success space—particularly when leading for revenue impact.

Thomas shares invaluable insights on:

• The competencies and skills successful CS leaders possess and why they are critical in today’s landscape.
• A leader’s role in uplifting Customer Success within their organization, positioning it as a strategic, revenue-driving function.
• How to work on yourself and improve your leadership style, including practical tips for continuous learning and personal growth.
• The importance of mental wellbeing as a leader, especially in navigating the challenges of a high-pressure role.

This episode is a masterclass in leadership for CS professionals, offering actionable advice for those looking to transform their teams, their organizations and themselves.

Ways I Can Help You Level Up Customer Success:

1. Free CS Leadership Template Library: the templates I use with the CS leaders I coach, from the CS charter to the board report. You’ll also get The Customer Success Leadership Newsletter. Get the templates
2. Lead2Scale: build the strategy and operating model you can defend at the executive table, with me and a small group of CS leaders. Apply at csrevspeak.com/l2s
3. 1:1 coaching: work through a specific challenge, like a reorg, a headcount case or a new role. Book a strategy call
4. Team Enablement:  Two training programs for your CSMs. More details here.
   1. The Strategic CSM builds your team's strategic thinking and business acumen.
   2. The Commercial CSM builds their commercial confidence to drive renewals and expansion.

Let's Connect on Linkedin:  Get weekly insights, templates and real talk on CS leadership. ...