Customer Success Talks: Real Challenges, Experts' Advice

Barry Klein joins us to break down common interview challenges and how to stand out without faking it.

Most candidates treat job interviews like a performance, but Barry argues that authenticity is your biggest differentiator. We discuss why companies are prioritizing soft skills over technical specs and how you can actually demonstrate your value during high-pressure conversations. If you are struggling to land your next role, this episode offers a roadmap for showing up as your true self.

We also cover how to talk about your mistakes to highlight problem-solving abilities, and how to navigate cultural fit questions so you land in a team where you can thrive. Whether you are job hunting or hiring, these insights are essential for building stronger professional relationships.

Subscribe for weekly customer success breakdowns, and let us know in the comments: what is the one interview question that always trips you up?

Barry Klein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klein-barry/

Bayron Toruno: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bayron-toruño-solano-3a9408113/

Navneeth Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/navneeththomas/

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/12wlbM1IFtnpLYg7IRJ5eU?si=1c6743cdaaf94d92

0:00 Setting the Stage for Career Growth

3:16 The Power of Being Yourself

5:14 Avoiding the Arrogance Trap

10:59 The Courage to Be Authentic

16:57 Demonstrating Effective Problem Solving

22:31 Strategic Research for Better Outcomes

35:11 Evaluating Cultural Alignment

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Barry Klein - https://www.linkedin.com/in/klein-barry/

Bayron Toruno - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bayron-toruño-solano-3a9408113/

Navneeth Thomas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/navneeththomas/

Follow us on:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cstalkspodcast/

Tik-Tok @customer.success6

Explore Our Podcast Website - https://cstalkspodcast.com/

#interviewtips #interviewskills #jobsearchstrategy

Marija Skobe-Pilley left a company without ever telling her manager she wanted to grow. She explains why that was her mistake, not theirs, and what to do instead. Your job is your job. Your career is yours, and nobody else can tell you what it should be.

In this episode: the CS roles most people never consider, how to picture 10 years ahead and work backwards to this month, and what leaders owe you when everything changes around you. Marija Skobe-Pilley went from musician to Director of Customer Success in four years. She founded Women in Customer Success and runs The Functional SaaS.

0:00 Career ownership, and why it's the keyword

1:43 From musician to CS leader

5:44 Why Women in Customer Success started

13:33 CS roles beyond CSM: onboarding, enablement, renewals, digital

21:03 Be the boss of your own career

30:50 Picture 10 years out, then work back to 12 months

38:53 Adapting when the role changes under you

44:22 What leaders owe their team during change

Women in Customer Success: https://www.womenincs.co/Explore the power of mindset with "The Secret." https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1847370292Dive into negotiation and communication skills with "Never Split the Difference."Connect with us through LinkedIn:Connect with Marija: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/

Customer Success Talks is for CSMs in their first years and anyone breaking into customer success. New episodes every two weeks.

Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://cstalkspodcast.comConnect with Navneeth Thomas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/navneeththomas/Connect with Bayron:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bayron-toruño-solano-3a9408113/

#customersuccess #csm #cscareer #saas #customersuccessmanager

Discover the secret to standing out in a crowded Customer Success job market and increase your chances of landing your dream job. In this video, we'll explore the key factors that set top candidates apart from the rest and provide you with actionable tips to enhance your skills, build a strong personal brand, and create a job-winning portfolio. Whether you're a recent graduate or an experienced professional looking to make a career transition, this video is for you. Learn how to differentiate yourself from the competition, network effectively, and showcase your unique strengths to potential employers. By the end of this video, you'll have a clear understanding of what it takes to succeed in the CS job market and a roadmap to achieve your career goals.

Part 1 showed why CS hiring is broken. This one is what to do about it: how a recruiter and a CS leader say you should actually run a job search in a hard market.

Jean-Marie Schiraldi has led CS teams and hiring since the early 2000s. LukeBartram has 14 years in recruitment and founded a firm placing CS talent.

0:00 Searching strategically instead of applying to everything

1:59 What hiring managers look for beyond the CV

3:58 Emotional intelligence, and why it can't be taught

5:50 Run your job search like a sales process

9:00 Influencing teams that don't report to you

15:57 Overqualified: why companies worry, and what to say

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpXpHd8IrSUConnect with us through LinkedIn:Connect with Jean-Marie Schiraldi

Connect with Luke Bartram

Connect with Bayron TorunoCustomer Success Talks is for CSMs in their first years and anyone breaking into customer success. New episodes every two weeks.

Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://cstalkspodcast.com

Follow us on:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cstalkspodcast/

TikTok @customer.success6

Explore Our Podcast Website - https://cstalkspodcast.com/

#customersuccess #csm #cscareer #jobsearch #customersuccessmanager

The post-COVID job market has shifted, leaving many candidates drowning in applications and companies struggling to find the right fit. We dissect why the current CS hiring market feels so broken, from the massive influx of applicants to the misalignment of internal expectations.Whether you are looking for new Customer Success jobs or trying to hire for your team, the process starts with better communication. We cover how to write job descriptions that actually attract talent, why company culture is the missing link in recruitment, and how candidates can tailor their approach to stand out.Getting the hire right is about mutual understanding. We explore the best hiring strategy for a competitive environment, offering perspectives from both sides of the table to help you build a stronger team or advance your CS career.

Part 1 of two. We cover why the market shifted, why CS teams get cut first, andwhy two to three stages over two to four weeks is the sweet spot that mostcompanies ignore.Jean-Marie Schiraldi has led CS teams and hiring processes since the early 2000s.Luke Bartram has 14 years in recruitment and founded a firm placing CS talent.Subscribe for weekly Customer Success breakdowns 🧡 Let us know in the comments: what is the biggest challenge you see in hiring right now?Connect with ⁠Jean-Marie Schiraldi⁠

Connect with ⁠Luke Bartram⁠Connect with ⁠Bayron Toruno⁠

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF77wn6jIbg&t=427s0:00 Why this episode is different3:09 What happened to the market after 20228:25 Why CS gets cut first: revenue protection vs revenue generation12:22 Vague job descriptions attract the wrong people21:06 How many interview stages is too many29:36 Junior vs senior: what each side is really assessing⁠Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://cstalkspodcast.comFollow us on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cstalkspodcast/Tik-Tok @customer.success6Explore Our Podcast Website - https://cstalkspodcast.com/#customersuccess #csm #cscareer #jobsearch #customersuccessmanager

Noah Little tells his clients not to network. Apply to 500 roles instead. He got56 people hired that way and says none of them networked. Katrina Kugelmeier took the opposite route and found networking was what moved things for her.

Both approaches work. This episode puts them side by side so you can decide which one fits how you actually operate, plus the uncomfortable numbers: a 1 to 2%response rate on applications, and an average interview process of 58 days.

Noah Little coaches CS professionals and runs the Secrets of Customer Success channel. Katrina Kugelmeier moved from Philadelphia to Berlin and built the CSConnect meetups there.

0:00 Why patience is the topic

2:16 Meet Noah and Katrina

3:52 Networking: a long game, or a distraction?

8:27 Noah's job search process, stage by stage

11:07 Why it takes longer than you think

21:01 Burnout, accountability partners, and running at 70%

Resources: Customer Success Coaching

CS ConnectConnect with Noah LittleKatrina

Connect with Kulgelmeier

Connect with Bayron Toruno

Customer Success Talks is for CSMs in their first years and anyone breaking intocustomer success. New episodes every two weeks.

Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://cstalkspodcast.com

Follow us on:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cstalkspodcast/

TikTok @customer.success6

Explore Our Podcast Website - https://cstalkspodcast.com/

#customersuccess #csm #cscareer #jobsearch #networking

In this episode, we dive into the importance of customer journey mapping in building an effective customer success practice. We start by defining what a customer journey map is and why it's essential for a customer success team. Collaboration and alignment across departments are emphasized as key to creating a customer journey map that truly resonates with customers.Tarek shares insights on how to get started with customer journey mapping, stressing the need to view the process from the customer's perspective. We explore the practical steps involved in implementation and how to demonstrate the tangible value of customer journey mapping within your organization.The episode concludes with a discussion on measuring the effectiveness of your customer journey map and the importance of regular updates and optimizations.Key Takeaways:- Customer journey mapping is a holistic approach that aligns all commercial team activities to achieve business goals.- Collaboration and alignment between different departments are crucial when creating a customer journey map.- Understanding the customer's point of view and desired outcomes is essential for effective customer journey mapping.- The process involves breaking down each stage, setting key outcomes and objectives, and quantifying the impact.- Demonstrating the value of customer journey mapping is achieved through visualization, quantification, and sharing insights with other teams.- Measuring effectiveness can be done using metrics like activation rate, adoption rate, retention rate, and renewal rate.

0:00 Why journey mapping matters

2:22 What a customer journey map actually is

4:36 What happens when everyone does everything

7:26 Reverse engineering from the customer's side1

2:53 Finding your ICP before you start

19:07 The four phases, walked through on screen

31:25 Proving the value, and the KPIs that show itJoin us in this episode to discover how customer journey mapping can transform your customer success practice and enhance the overall customer experience.

You can also find us on YouTube - https://youtu.be/G0T-BZRn1Ns

Resource:- Miror.com- The Journey Map presented by Tarek SlimaniConnect with us on LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠

Tarek Slimani⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bayron Toruno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nav Thomas

Markus Rentsch thinks customer success needs reinventing, not adjusting. The oldCSM watched usage dashboards and health scores. The new one coaches customers toan outcome they can defend to their own CFO.We get into why monitoring product usage tells you almost nothing, why a bad-fitcustomer costs around ten times what a good one does, and what to put in front ofleadership when they still treat churn as the CS team's fault.Markus Rentsch is CEO of Remarkable Customer Success. You may know his memes.

0:00 Old mindset vs new mindset0:46 What changed in the market, and why efficient growth won1:50 Meet Markus Rentsch5:07 Why CS needs reinventing, not adjusting6:45 From reactive firefighting to strategic work10:29 Lifeguard to coach: the role has changed25:08 Getting leadership on board by speaking revenueConnect with Markus Rentsch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Remarkable Customer Success: https://remark-able.at/

Connect with Bayron Toruno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with ⁠Nav Thomas⁠⁠Customer Success Talks is for CSMs in their first years and anyone breaking intocustomer success. New episodes every two weeks.Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://cstalkspodcast.comFollow us on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cstalkspodcast/Tik-Tok @customer.success6Explore Our Podcast Website - https://cstalkspodcast.com/#customersuccess #csm #saasbahu #customerretention #customersuccessmanager

We're thrilled to bring you a conversation with the remarkable Andrew Marks, co-founder of SuccessHACKER. With over 25 years of experience in post-sales organizations. Today's conversation explores the importance of the voice of the customer (VoC) framework and how it can drive customer success. Andrew and Nav, emphasize the need for organizations to listen to their customers and gather feedback through various channels. A solid VoC program can put a company ahead of its competition and lead to real improvements in products and services.

- You can find us on ⁠LinkedIn

Bayron Toruno

Nav Thomas

Find us on YouTube

When a customer gets angry, most CSMs reach for a discount before they know

whether price was ever the problem. That's negotiating against yourself, and it

costs you money you didn't need to give away.

Jan Young makes the case that selling after the deal is harder than selling

before it. Get the person, product or timing wrong in pre-sales and you move on.

Get it wrong with an existing customer and they stop trusting you, and they're

still in your book of business.

Also in this one: how to read your book of business to find white space, where

to build negotiation skills when CS gets none of the enablement sales does, and

why handling support tickets yourself hurts your customer and your company.

Jan Young is a CS consultant and coach, a top 25 CS influencer, and founder of

what began as CS Office Hours.

0:00 Upselling and cross-selling in CS

0:41 Meet Jan Young

6:26 Should CSMs sell at all

11:26 Right person, right product, right time

17:37 Working your book of business instead of reacting to it

20:39 Negotiation skills, and the discount reflex

36:09 The data that shows you where the opportunity is

Connect with Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-young-cx/

Connect with Bayron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bayron-toru%C3%B1o-solano-3a9408113/

Connect with Nav: https://www.linkedin.com/in/navneeththomas/

You can join the CS Office Hours Slack community by clicking:

https://join.slack.com/t/jycxcsofficehours/shared_invite/zt-29m9z67hz-y_D3fw8I8hhldBBCv8Do4Q

Customer Success Talks is for CSMs in their first years and anyone breaking into

customer success. New episodes every two weeks.

Follow us on:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cstalkspodcast/

Tik-Tok @customer.success6

Explore Our Podcast Website - https://cstalkspodcast.com/

#customersuccess #csm #upselling #negotiations #saas

Everyone in customer success is told to build success plans. Far fewer people are told what belongs in one, or what to do when the customer has no interest in sitting through a planning call.

Aman Azmy and Aisha Bajwa take both questions apart. Aman gives the six components that matter and calls everything else bells and whistles. Aisha explains how to get a disengaged client into a success plan without ever using the words "success plan", by asking what they want to achieve during a normal check-in and writing the answer down. As she puts it, you're sneaking in the commitment. They are not really committing, but they kind of are.

What's inside:

- The six things a success plan needs: objectives, milestones, actions, KPIs, stakeholders, timeline

- Why Aisha adds two more: which stakeholders are actually decision makers, and whether anyone with buy-in is seeing the progress

- Four types of client, from the ones who arrive with their own metrics to the ones who won't engage, and a different approach for each

- Aman's three opening questions, and the follow-ups that turn "I want to increase engagement" into something measurable

- Why you should ask the customer why they want the goal at all, and whether anyone above them is asking for it

- How to stop drowning in templates. Aman's position: a white paper is enough, and you are already writing this in your notebook anyway

- Using AI properly for prep, including how to prompt it when you have the CS foundation but not the industry knowledge

- Aisha's Google Alerts habit, and why it beats opening an email with "how is everything going"

- What not to do: the plan Aman watched turn a customer unhappy because it was too complicated, and Aisha's rule against opening a plan you have nothing to put in

- Why the plan is written with the customer and signed off by both sides, not written for your manager

0:00 Defining the Role of Success Plans5:11 Segmenting Your Success Strategy8:04 Encouraging Client Commitment15:36 Essential Components of a Plan21:13 Top Questions for Success28:56 Common Pitfalls to Avoid32:18 Sharing Plans With Customers

Aman Azmy brings ten years in customer success leadership, technology and strategic planning. Aisha Bajwa is a frontline customer success professional with five years of experience in strategic client relationships, onboarding and implementation.

Connect with Ayman Azmy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aymanazmy/

Connect with Aisha Bajwa - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aisha-bajwa/

Connect with Bayron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bayron-toru%C3%B1o-solano-3a9408113/

Customer Success Talks is for CSMs in their first years and anyone breaking into

customer success. New episodes every two weeks.

Follow us on:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cstalkspodcast/

Tik-Tok @customer.success6

Explore Our Podcast Website - https://cstalkspodcast.com/

#CustomerSuccess #CSM #SuccessPlan #CustomerSuccessPlan #SaaS