Meet Chuck Ganapathi, the new CEO of Gainsight!

In this special episode of [Un]Churned, host Josh Schachter sits down with Gainsight’s outgoing CEO Nick Mehta and his successor, Chuck Ganapathi, to mark a pivotal leadership transition. Nick reflects on his 13-year journey building Gainsight into a category-defining company, the lessons he’s learned navigating growth, and why now is the right time to hand over the reins. Chuck shares his gratitude for the opportunity, the deep trust he and Nick have built over decades of connection, and his vision for the company’s next chapter—one shaped by AI, customer success innovation, and a human-first culture.

Timestamps

0:00 - Welcome & The Big Announcement

2:25 - Why Nick Is Stepping Down

3:54 - Lessons from Private Equity & Building a Lasting Company

6:23 - Chuck on becoming the NEW CEO

7:10 - How Nick & Chuck First Met (Stanford Days & Startup Stories)

16:25 - Why Chuck Was the Obvious Choice for CEO

21:12 - CEO Transitions as Turning Points

25:40 - Human-First Leadership & Gainsight’s Mission

28:20 - What’s Next for Customer Success in the Age of AI

34:12 - Will AI Replace CSMs? (Nick & Chuck’s Take)

36:42 - Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter of Gainsight

38:52 - Fun Facts About Chuck (Heartthrob, Tennis & Shopping!)

44:34 - Final Words: Legendary & Transformational Futures

👉 Explore more episodes, takeaways & transcripts: https://gainsight.com/unchurned

👉 Check out the bonus episode: https://gainsight.com/unlock

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👉 Follow the podcast

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@Gainsight

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with the guests

Chuck Ganapathi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckganapathi

Nick Mehta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmehta/

👉 Connect with host

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

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Keywords:

Gainsight, Customer Success, Nick Mehta, Chuck Ganapathi, CEO Transition, Customer Retention, SaaS Leadership, AI in Customer Success, AI Agents, Business Growth, Human-First Leadership, Churn Reduction, Scale Customer Success, SaaS Leadership Podcast, SaaS Growth Strategies

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[Un]Churned is presented by Gainsight

About Gainsight

Gainsight is the retention engine behind the world’s most customer-centric companies. The Gainsight CustomerOS platform orchestrates the customer journey from onboarding to outcomes. More than 2,000 companies trust Gainsight’s applications and AI agents to drive learning, adoption, community connection, and success for their customers. Learn more at www.gainsight.com.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business

Welcome back to Unchurned! In this special episode, hosts Josh Schachter and Kristi Faltorusso gather for one last on-air session before a well-deserved summer break—and just before Josh’s London wedding celebration!

They also dive into Kristi's AI learning journey—breaking down how she’s gone all-in on micro-learning, prompt engineering, and building real tools with zero engineering background. Listen as she and Josh discuss the importance of actually using AI, not just reading about it, the potential risks of ignoring these skills, and why investing just ten minutes a day could change your game in the evolving tech landscape.

Timestamps

0:00 - Preview

0:45 - Josh is married/is getting married

4:30 - Upcoming summer break for the podcast

5:05 - Leadership Loss and Reflections at Planhat

8:07 - Kristi is learning & experimenting with AI

13:55 - Scaling Personal Expertise with AI

18:40 - Encouragement to Engage with AI

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👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@updateai9697

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with hosts

Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/

Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

______________________

Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business

Rachel Tsui, the ex-Head of CS at Komodo Health, joins hosts Jon Johnson and Josh Schachter to dive deep into the intricacies of customer success. Rachel highlights the innovative use of healthcare data to identify patient trends and enhance service delivery. The conversation explores how Komodo's customer success team navigates post-sales processes, strategically collaborates with account management, and the essential role of data-driven decisions. Jon and Rachel also delve into career growth challenges, touching on the balancing act of flat organization structures, professional development, and the evolving expectations of newer workforce generations. Join us for a captivating journey through customer success strategies, organizational dynamics, and how they shape the future of innovation at Komodo Health.

Timestamps

0:00 - Preview, & Intros

7:30 - CS at Komodo Health

10:28 - KPIs for customer success at Komodo

12:00 - Plans and Priorities

13:22 - Focusing on separating support from CS activities

16:03 - Managing expectations around promotions

20:06 - Navigating career growth

23:50 - Cross-functional collaboration and tools for knowledge sharing

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👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with the guest

Rachel Tsui: https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheltsui

👉 Connect with hosts

Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/

Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

________________

Keywords:

How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, healthcare map, health data, AI, big data, Komodo Health, customer success, net dollar retention, CSM, customer engagement, healthcare platform, data platform, CS team, account management, product utilization, strategic initiatives, executive relationships, customer influence, renewal rate, Gainsight, CRM, AMs (Account Managers), team structure.

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Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business

Join host Josh Schachter, Co-Founder & CEO of UpdateAI, as he sits down with Cait Keohane, the Chief Customer Officer of Airtable, to explore the art of scaling world-class post-sale experiences. Cait shares her incredible journey from being one of the early employees at Zendesk and helping grow the company into a multibillion-dollar powerhouse, to stepping into her new leadership role at Airtable. Together, they explore what it takes to build robust customer management systems from the ground up, the importance of listening directly to customers, and how organizations can balance high-touch service with operational efficiency.

Timestamps

00:00 – Preview, Meet Cait Keohane & Learn About Airtable

01:30 – Cait's Journey at Zendesk

03:15 – Building Customer Success and Account Management at Zendesk

07:50 – Joining Airtable as CCO

08:50 – First 90 Days at Airtable: Priorities and Execution

13:10 – Feedback and Voice of Customer Mechanisms

15:00 – Renewal Management and Risk Mitigation

19:38 – Delivering Personalized Experiences at Scale

21:50 – Platform Complexity and Change Management

24:50 – The Role of MVP Users and Power Builders in Scaling

26:51 – Closing Thoughts and Future Outlook

___________________________

👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@updateai9697

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with the guest

Cait Keohane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitkeohane/

👉 Connect with hosts

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

________________

Keywords:

How to keep your customers happy, customer success manager, customer support, customer success management, Customer Success Manager role, hiring tips for customer success, customer success metrics, Customer success strategies for SaaS companies, Building a customer-centric culture in tech, Scaling customer success teams effectively, Customer feedback integration in product strategy, Airtable's approach to customer success and retention, Airtable customer insights, Customer journey mapping, Product strategy feedback

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Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business

Welcome back to Unchurned! In this very special annual tradition, host Josh Schachter, CEO of UpdateAI sits down with Nick Mehta, the ever-energetic CEO of Gainsight, for a deep dive into all things Pulse 2025 - Gainsight’s CS conference, which this year is bringing its signature blend of learning and community to Las Vegas. Josh and Nick reminisce about Pulse’s humble beginnings, reflect on the journey from a simple luncheon to a high-octane Vegas affair, and tease this year’s theme (wardrobe predictions included!).

You’ll also get an exclusive inside look at Gainsight, with Nick sharing candid insights about new faces on the leadership team, the integration of exciting new products like Staircase, ModerateKit, and Skilljar, and how the company is weaving AI into both its offerings and internal processes. The conversation is equal parts fun and insightful, filled with plenty of laughs and a motivating message for customer success pros to embrace innovation and lean into the future.

Timestamps

0:00 - Preview & Introductions

1:25 - Pulse Conference in Las Vegas

8:36 - Reflections on New & Evolving Leadership

15:23 - Recent Innovations & Acquisitions

24:10 - Operational Shifts and AI Integration

30:12 - Looking Ahead & Closing Thoughts

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👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@updateai9697

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with the guest

Nick Mehta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmehta

👉 Connect with hosts

Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/

Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

______________________

Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business

Sarah Parker, SVP, Global Customer Success at BetterUp joins the hosts ⁠⁠Kristi Faltorusso⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Jon Johnson⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠Josh Schachter⁠⁠. They discuss the need for a transition from high-touch to low-touch customer interactions and the mindset shift required for CSMs for a self-service approach.

Topics Discussed

• Meet Sarah Parker & Learn about BetterUp
• How coaching equips leaders to navigate challenges
• Challenges at BetterUp
• High-touch approach for customer success
• Challenges despite a high NPS
• Services offered by BetterUp
• Mindset transition from a service provider to a partner
• Augmenting CSMs & enabling customers as platform owners
• High demand for low-touch models faces resistance
• Articulating worth for maximizing impact
• CSMs are trained to be a superhero
• Transitioning from UiPath to BetterUp was personal

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👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://youtu.be/JprAz-o-dWk

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with the guest

Sarah Parker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahkparker/

👉 Connect with hosts

Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/

Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

_____________________

Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business

Michael Goetz, Vice President of Customer Success Strategy at GitHub, joins Josh Schachter, Co-Founder & CEO of UpdateAI, and Kristi Faltorusso, CCO at Client Success, for a candid and insightful conversation that no customer success (CS) professional will want to miss. They discuss GitHub's shift from a focus on "Customer Outcomes" to "Customer Success Strategy" and its impact on operations and goals. Goetz reveals their methods for identifying and tracking meaningful customer business outcomes at scale. The conversation delves into the practicalities of operationalizing outcome-driven work, navigating diverse customer needs, and maintaining engagement amidst rapid product innovation.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Preview & Intros

1:30 - Intentionality Behind Role Titles at GitHub

4:33 - Articulating Measurable, Business-Driven Customer Goals

7:48 - Tracking and Measuring Progress Towards Outcome

13:35 - Differentiation in Approach Across Customer Segments

16:35 - Approaching and Managing Milestones Toward Larger Outcomes

21:05 - Dynamics Between End Users & Economic Buyers

23:41 - Managing Pace and Volume of Change (Especially with AI)

28:20 - Organizational Structure of Michael’s Team

35:00 - Creative Uses of AI Within the Organization

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👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@updateai9697

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with the guest

Michael Goetz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpgoetz/

👉 Connect with hosts

Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/

Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

_____________________________________

Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

In this podcast episode, Josh Schachter interviews Srikrishnan Ganesan, founder, and CEO of Rocketlane, a customer onboarding platform.

Sri discusses the origins of Rocketlane, including the community they built before launching the product, and the birth of Rocketlane. They also talk about the importance of collaboration and marketing in the SaaS industry.

Sri emphasizes the importance of consistency in the customer journey, particularly during the onboarding phase, and how it can impact customer success and lead to better outcomes. They also discuss Rocketlane's approach to marketing and community building.

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👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@updateai9697

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with the guest

Srikrishnan Ganesan : https://www.linkedin.com/in/srikrishnang/

👉 Connect with host

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

______________________

Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great relationships with their customers. We work with early & growth stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business

Josh Schachter, Co-Founder & CEO of UpdateAI, sits down with Carly Van Kirk, Head of CS at AngelList. Carly pulls back the curtain on AngelList’s unique approach to supporting emerging and established GPs and shares her journey into this pivotal leadership role amidst rapid company growth and industry transformation. Join us as Carly shares how AngelList is reshaping customer segments, dealing with the challenges of scaling an increasingly complex platform, and balancing high-touch professional services with tech-driven solutions.

Timestamps

0:00 - Preview

1:45 - Overview of AngelList

2:35 - COVID-Era Growth & Rolling Fund at AngelList

4:12 - Carly's Role, Team Structure & Customer Segmentation at AngelList

9:30 - Hunting for a New Job

13:20 - Carly’s Priorities in Her First 180 Days at AngelList

14:45 - Key Challenges and Initiatives Identified

14:45 - Automation, Tooling, and Workflow Inefficiencies

22:43 - Understanding and Improving Time to Value

24:24 - AI’s Current and Future Role in AngelList and CS

27:36 - Customer Success as a Commercial Center

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👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@updateai9697

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with the guest

Carly Van Kirk : https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyvankirk/

👉 Connect with hosts

Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/

Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠ - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

______________________

Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.

#updateai #customersuccess #saas #business

⁠In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode, hosts Jon Johnson, Kristi Faltorusso, and Josh Schachter step away from their usual customer success conversations to reflect on life’s heavier moments. The trio opens up about recent challenges—celebrating new beginnings, mourning profound losses, and navigating the ups and downs that come with both work and life.

The episode weaves together stories of hope, growth, grief, and gratitude—reminding listeners that behind every professional journey lies a personal one.

Timestamps

0:00 – Preview, BS, & Intros

3:05 – Jon’s New Job

4:53 – Job Search & Layoffs

7:20 – Advice for Job Seekers in CS

10:05 – Josh’s Story of Personal Loss

16:00 – Life Lessons & Reflections

28:30 – Kristi on Recent Loss at Work (the passing of the CEO’s daughter at ClientSuccess)

34:10 – Closing, Conclave & Final Thoughts

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👉 Follow the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@updateai9697

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dfWXmD

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KD3Ehl

👉 Connect with hosts

Jon Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwilliamjohnson/

Kristi Faltorusso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/

Josh Schachter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/

👉 Links Mentioned in the Episode

- Listen to Jon's Music

- Check out Michael Singer's Podcast

👉 Sign up for ⁠UpdateAI⁠ - the only Zoom virtual assistant for customer-facing teams.

👉 Be the first to know when a new episode of Unchurned is dropped. Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠https://blog.update.ai/⁠

______________________________________

Unchurned is presented by UpdateAI

About UpdateAI

At UpdateAI our mission is to empower CS teams to build great customer relationships. We work with early & growth-stage B2B SaaS companies to help them scale CS outcomes. Everything we do is devoted to removing the overwhelm of back-to-back customer meetings so that CSMs can focus on the bigger picture: building relationships.