Planhat’s Post

After two years at Gainsight and taking some time to let it all soak in, I am ready to get back out there into the hiring pool. Reflecting upon my time at Gainsight, I realized how much I advanced my knowledge of customer success not only from a CSM viewpoint but also from an operations perspective working with Gainsight admins and CS Ops leader. To say that as a Gainsight CSM I had access to some great thought leadership would be an understatement. As I learned from these thought leaders, I absorbed quite a bit of knowledge that I can use to accelerate the CS functions throughout an entire operation, from high touch engagements to digital lead programs. From CS Strategy to CS operations, I learned about how those running CS programs are thinking, adapting, and planning. I learned about how the Ops team is going to make it happen. Finally, I got the opportunity to see the execution of these plans and the outcomes, both good and bad. As the cycle eventually started all over again, I was relied upon as a trusted advisor to help course correct the path and make the next endeavor even more successful than the last. This behind the scenes glimpse of how the CS industry operates was truly invaluable. I am ready to put this knowledge to work for a new company. Yours could be that lucky organization. I have spent the last two years immersing myself in all things CS, and I am ready to apply that learning to somewhere new. I am level 1 and 2 CSM certified which focuses on the IC level and level 3 CS Certified that focuses on CS leadership. I am also, Level 1 Gainsight admin certified, and level 1 PX certified. As I search for my new role, I plan to focus on certifications in CS Ops and Digital Customer Success. If you see this and you are either hiring or know someone that is in either a CSM IC, leadership, or Ops role, I would love to speak with you/them. To all my fellow "Riffees" (if it is not a real word, maybe it should be), if you need someone to talk to, bounce ideas off of, hit the gym with (Pittsburgh, PA due to limited travel budget), or someone to get coffee with, please hit me up. My contact info is below. Thank you to all who have supported me in this transition especially my beautiful and talented wife Michelle L. Kirkpatrick, MSIA, NCIDQ. PS. New LinkedIn profile pic. Compliments of the aforementioned Michelle Kirkpatrick. #opentowork #openforopportunities #customersuccess Denver Kirkpatrick 412-779-0518 denver7910@yahoo.com

🔎My Job Search Adventure: Embracing Resilience and Growth 🌱 The job search journey continues with unexpected twists. Despite on occasions being told I would go through to the next stage, I’ve faced disappointments—not being put through, receiving “no” responses after follow-ups or no feedback at all. While frustrating, these moments have been invaluable learning opportunities. Recently, I conducted a mock QBR, reigniting my passion for the Customer Success Manager (CSM) role. Reconnecting with the skills and strategies essential for customer success, even after a 12-month break from CS, felt great. Kudos to the panel who played their part superbly to challenge me. 🙏 This experience has reinforced the importance of resilience and managing expectations. Growth comes from embracing the process and understanding that not everyone operates at the same level. I’ve learned to value the journey, knowing that staying true to myself is key. Much like customer success, my job search is about seeking feedback, growing from experiences, and striving for continuous improvement. Just as a CSM supports customers, I am committed to understanding and bettering myself through this journey. Thank you to everyone who continues to support and encourage me. Your feedback and insights are invaluable, and I am grateful for the growth they inspire. #JobSearch #CustomerSuccess #Resilience

New batch incoming. 56 playing cards each covering a role or team in a B2B SaaS company. ➡ Marketing - including VPs, directors, managers and teams across growth, brand, field and more ➡ Sales - including VPs, directors, managers, AEs, SDRs, AMs, Renewal, Partners and Solution Architects ➡ Customer Success - including VPs, Directors, Managers, Onboarding and Tech Support ➡ Revenue Operations - including strategy, insights, systems, enablement and deal desk Map out your current go-to-market team on your board table. Identify gaps, remove silos, plan what-if scenarios and rearrange your hierarchy. Bi-product - teach your family members what you do for a living.

Had an amazing time during the Customer Success hiring manager “Ask Me Anything” session with Success Panda on Friday. Three takeaways: 1. Turns out, people hire people which can make the hiring process inconsistent, illogical, and frustrating. On top of that, there is a lot of contradictory information on the best approaches for interviews, resumes, and networking. 2. Customer Success roles have been hit hard with layoffs over the past 2 years. This means there are less roles available and lots of talented and experienced CSM’s out there - it’s hard to be a CSM searching for a role right now, especially if you are trying to break into Customer Success. 3. It took barely over an hour out of my week to truly make an impact on someone’s career search. The thank you’s and personal messages I have received after the session were sincere and humbling. Excited to take part in more of these session going forward!

Shine the Spotlight 🔦 In our professional journeys, we're fortunate to cross paths with remarkable people who leave an indelible mark on our growth and development. Today, I want to shine the spotlight on three such individuals who have profoundly impacted my career in Customer Success and SaaS. First, my former manager, Benjamin Nicholson, who guided me through the early stages of my career in support. His exceptional calm demeanor, articulation skills, and ability to connect with people on a human level were truly inspirational. During a challenging phase of my life, simply conversing with him gave me the strength to persevere. He wasn't just a manager but also a friend who knew how to connect with people genuinely. Next, Dot Drake, a remarkable leader and one of the most technically sound individuals I've ever met. As the CS team lead, she recognized my potential and provided me with an opportunity to transition into Customer Success. Her humble nature and exceptional leadership qualities continue to inspire me. Lastly, my former colleague, Mieke Mynhardt, a beautiful soul and a senior when I joined the CS team. Working alongside her was a privilege, and we often relied on each other to find answers. Even today, I miss the camaraderie and the valuable lessons I learned from her. These individuals exemplify the qualities I admire most: empathy, technical expertise, humility, and a genuine desire to nurture others' growth. Their influence has been instrumental in shaping my professional journey, and I'm eternally grateful for their guidance and support. #CustomerSuccess #SaaS #Mentorship #LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #Gratitude #CareerJourney #Inspiration #Tidbits

EXACTLY THIS BELOW...

The best customer success career advice JP has ever received! Customer success managers, what's the best career advice you've ever received? Let us know in the comments!

Here are 3 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 from our article with the amazing Maranda Dziekonski (she/her) on how to simplify CSM hiring: 1️⃣ Focus on revenue-generating outcomes and soft skills rather than just education and experience. 2️⃣ Look for traits in resumes that show the ability to build customer relationships, provide strategic advice, and optimize processes using data. 3️⃣ Consider advanced job-matching technologies that factor in various CSM archetypes to find the best candidates. A huge thanks to Maranda for sharing her expertise and supporting Talentway on the path to shape the future of work in Customer Success! 🙌 Read the full article below 👇 #CustomerSuccess #Hiring #LeadershipInsights

You just landed your first role as a CSM or just joined a new organization only to find out that your new company doesn't have a formal onboarding program for new hires. Sadly this is the reality at a lot of early stage companies or organizations lacking people and resources. But even if there is no formal process you can still onboard yourself effectively into your new role. Here are the 4 areas I'd focus on as a new CSM: ▶ People: ⤵ What does your organization look like? ⤵ How will you be expected to work with these cross-functional teams? ⤵ How do those teams work with and support customers? ▶ Product: ⤵ What does your product solve for? ⤵ How does your product work? ⤵ How do customers use the product today? ⤵ What does the roadmap look like? ▶ Process: ⤵ What does the Customer Journey look like and how do you (as a CSM) orchestrate the customer through that journey? ⤵ What are the internal processes you'll need to follow to get things done? ⤵ What are you expected to do as a CSM in your new company? ▶ Customers: ⤵ Who is your ICP and why do they buy your product? ⤵ What information do you have about your customers today? What information do you need? ⤵ Why do customers stay? Why do customers go? What would you add? Yes, ideally your leader will have some kind of plan for you, and yes that should be the expectation, but if they don't it's not the end of the world, you can still onboard yourself effectively into the business just spend time on these 4 areas. And if you're a leader and you don't have a plan in place, take this framework and build out a shell or guide so your new hire has a place to start. Ask other members of the team to contribute to it OR even ask your new hire to build on the framework when they start so you have it for the next new hire. This could be a good project for a spiff or some other reward. Good luck!

When I was a performance coach at Hewlett-Packard I could not believe I was getting paid to do the job. Every day was fun and challenging. It wasn’t all easy and I learned a lot while helping others achieve their goals. This is one of the things I love to do. Learn and teach. Even when it wasn't in my job description, this is what I did. It propelled me to be a top performer and earn Tops is Sales and MVP awards without being salesy. If you're ready, start doing your passion work with this Action Step. Action Step: What is something you love doing? Name it. Visualize how it feels when you're fully engaged in it. What does it look like? How can you start doing what you love right now? Name it. What did you learn? Quick Note: If you're looking for a breakthrough Go here: https://lnkd.in/gaDU7E4Z