Humans of SaaS

What’s Your Exit Strategy? (with Casey Graham, Co-Founder and CEO of Gravy Solutions)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 24 May 2022 04:00:10 -0400

In this episode, Ben sits down with Casey Graham, Co-Founder and CEO of Gravy Solutions, the first-ever payment recovery solution for subscription-based businesses. Prior to launching Gravy, Casey founded the Rocket Company, which he successfully exited in 2016. During this episode, Casey opens up about how his grandfather’s suicide initially led him to the path of entrepreneurship, how his successful company exit resulted in a deep depression, and his overall perspective on company culture and leadership. He also discusses the importance of understanding your big why, separating your identity from your role at work, and much more.

You Are Your Own Biggest Competition (with Alexa Gates, Senior Demand Generation Manager at Catalyst)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 04:00:10 -0400

In this episode, Ben sits down with Alexa Gates, Demand Generation leader at Catalyst. During their conversation, Ben and Alexa discuss the value of being direct and upfront in all communications, and why it’s essential for organizations to have a clear mission in mind from the get-go. Alexa explains how a role in demand generation can be compared to putting together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and how in many ways, the function acts as the connective tissue for all marketing teams. They also discuss how we are our own biggest competition and why it’s important to check in and self-reflect regularly.

Getting Real About Being a New Parent in Tech (with Sara Masson, VP of Customer Success at leap tools)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 04:00:02 -0400

In this episode, Ben sits down with Sara Masson, the VP of Customer Success at leap tools, a company that’s on a mission to revolutionize the retail experience through AR technology. Sara recently joined the company following the birth of her daughter. During their conversation, Ben and Sara discuss a wide variety of topics including parenting, customer success, company culture and even juggling work with breastfeeding. They offer candid views on building psychological safety in the workplace, hustle culture in the startup world, and how maintaining a healthy family and social life outside of work can affect the entire company culture.

Startup Docs & The Future of Tech Culture

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 04:00:09 -0400

In this solo episode, Ben discusses various aspects of tech culture. He shares his perspective on recent scripted drama series that have depicted tech startup culture like Super Pumped featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, about the founding story of Uber, WeCrashed featuring Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto, about the founding of WeWork, and The Dropout featuring Amanda Seyfried, about Elizabeth Holmes and the story behind Theranos. Exploring the narratives surrounding these companies and their origin stories, Ben shares his perspective on what’s changed in the startup world in recent years, and the shifts he believes we’ll continue to see over the next decade in tech.

Sometimes You Can’t Separate Work and Life

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

This brief episode was recorded on the day Russia invaded Ukraine, and in it, Ben shares his thoughts on compartmentalizing work and life, making the most out of the time you have, and how people can best support each other at work when things like this happen.

LinkedIn Lunatics, the Hiring Crisis and Metamates

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 05:00:03 -0500

In this episode, Ben broaches more hot topics in the tech landscape today. He discusses LinkedIn’s new filter option, which allows users to remove political content from their feeds, the ongoing hiring crisis in the workforce today, the Metaverse and more. Ben also emphasizes the need for clearer pathways towards building a career in tech to usher in the next generation of the workforce.

Peloton Layoffs, Apple Controversy and Gen Z in the Workforce

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 05:00:06 -0500

In this episode, Ben offers his take on some of the most controversial headlines in the business world today. He discusses how Peloton recently laid off 20% of its staff (2,800 people), and why people are saying the way the leadership team handled the layoffs was tone deaf. Ben also discusses how Apple classifies every employee as an “associate” after they leave the company, regardless of what their title was while they were there, and why this could affect future job prospects. Last but not least, Ben explores the results of a recent LinkedIn survey about Gen Z in the workforce.

Inflation, Wage Increases, Remote Work and Mental Health

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 05:00:01 -0500

In this episode, host Ben Winn is back to discuss more key trends and developments happening in the SaaS community right now. He explores the impacts of inflation on wages and company-wide pay increases. Ben also discusses remote work and mental health, touching on a recent UK poll of 2,000 employees which found that only 41% were willing to raise their concerns with management.

Sabbaticals, Hybrid Models and After-Hours Emails

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 05:00:09 -0500

In another special solo episode, host Ben Winn is back to discuss more key trends and developments happening in the SaaS community right now. He explores the idea of sabbaticals, which are now being offered as an employee perk at companies like PayPal, Adobe, Dropbox and more. Ben also discusses the overall sustainability of the remote work movement, and how it can be balanced with in-person collaboration and community. Finally, he touches on the importance of staying loyal to your company and trying to improve your current situation before throwing in the towel to move onto something new.

Four Day Work Weeks, Better.com CEO Returns, Lattice & Clockwise Raises, And More! (Solo Episode with Ben Winn, Community and Marketing at Catalyst Software)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 05:00:11 -0500

In this special solo episode, host Ben Winn discusses new key developments happening in the SaaS community. He explores the concept of the four-day workweek and how it may help to boost productivity, different time-saving strategies, and tips for any professionals who are hoping to make a change in their career in 2022. Finally, Ben rounds out the episode by emphasizing the importance of placing a strong focus on employee satisfaction for companies looking to make their mark this year.

Give Before You Take (with Lloyed Lobo, Co-Founder and President of Boast.AI)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 05:00:11 -0500

In this episode, Ben sits down with Lloyed Lobo, the Co-Founder and President of Boast.AI., a company that automates access to research and development, tax credits and innovation incentives so companies can fuel their growth while preserving equity and avoiding red tape. During the episode, Lloyed shares the details of his non-linear founding journey, his thoughts on building brand equity, and how creating a strong sense of community can magnify a business’s impact.

Leveraging LinkedIn To Land Clients & Grow Revenue (with Liz Willits, Owner of Liz Willits Marketing Consultancy)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 05:00:10 -0500

In this episode, Ben sits down with Liz Willits, the owner of Liz Willits marketing consultancy and the number one marketer on LinkedIn (according to her mom). Liz specializes in email marketing, copywriting, content marketing and demand generation, and she works across customer success, sales and marketing teams. During the episode, Liz explains the reasons behind her decision to operate as an independent consultant, why she uses LinkedIn as a tool for self-promotion, and the steps she took initially to bring her consultancy to life.

Life Lessons from a Digital Nomad (with Melissa Kwan, Co-Founder and CEO, eWebinar)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 05:00:04 -0500

In this episode, Ben sits down with Melissa Kwan, the Co-Founder and CEO of eWebinar, a tool that automates webinars to free up more of your time. Melissa shares the fascinating story of how she became a digital nomad to travel the world, and what she learned from the experience of building eWebinar on a completely remote basis. She also offers some insightful advice about prioritizing happiness and building your career around your life, not the other way around.

Turning $1,000 Into $10 Million ARR (with Guillaume Moubeche, CEO and Co-Founder of lemlist)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 05:00:08 -0500

In this episode, Ben sits down with Guillaume Moubeche, the CEO and Co-Founder of lemlist, sales automation and cold email software that helps companies personalize cold emails, automate follow-ups, and engage with leads across all channels. During the episode, Guillaume shares the company’s unique growth strategy, the story of how the company nearly failed twice, and the philosophies he holds that have led him to success. He also shares the creative strategies the company used to bring the company from a $1,000 investment to surpassing $10 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), all without raising any private equity funding or spending money on ads.

The Science of Decision Making (with Eric Johnson, Director of the Center for Decision Sciences at Columbia University)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 05:00:06 -0500

In this episode, Ben sits down with Eric Johnson, the director of the Center for Decision Sciences at Columbia University and the author of the newly released book, The Elements of Choice. During their discussion, Ben and Eric talk about the science of decision making, the tools that can be employed to steer decision making, and how it all applies to the larger context of tech and the customer experience. Eric provides an overview of the science behind human decision making processes, and how we can harness this knowledge to drive better outcomes.

Winning On Purpose (with Fred Reichheld, Author and Inventor of NPS)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 05:00:06 -0500

Fred Reichheld is a Bain fellow and the inventor of NPS, or Net Promoter Score, which is a system adopted by thousands of companies around the world to measure customer loyalty. He's authored several bestselling books that have helped companies thrive in a customer-driven economy, and according to the New York Times, his work has put loyalty economics on the map. In this episode, Fred and Ben discuss strategies for measuring customer success and strengthening customer loyalty, as well as some of the themes from Fred’s new book, Winning on Purpose.

You can purchase Winning on Purpose: The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers, on Amazon here.

Paralyzed to Peaks (with Jack Ryan, Partner Manager at SaaStr)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Jack Ryan is the Partner Manager at SaaStr, the world’s largest community of SaaS professionals. In this episode, Ben and Jack discuss Jack’s journey of suffering a broken neck and numerous strokes, which led to his paralysis and near death. Jack tells the inspiring story of how through sheer grit and determination, he was able to overcome his injuries to regain full mobility and even climb Mount Whitney, the tallest summit in the continental U.S.

Do One Thing a Day That Scares Your CEO (with Mike Roberts, Head of Marketing, Catalyst Software)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 05:00:04 -0500

Mike Roberts is the Head of Marketing at Catalyst Software, AKA Ben’s boss. In this episode, Ben and Mike discuss some of the projects they’re most proud of in their careers so far, the importance of reflecting on our progress overtime, and achieving optimal work/life balance. They also touch on how they’ve cultivated careers they love, and the correct pronunciation of La Croix.

Championing Diversity in Tech (with Leah Chaney, Founder and Chief Experience Officer of BetterGrowth)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 05:00:03 -0500

Leah Chaney is the founder and Chief Experience Officer of BetterGrowth, a consultancy that helps companies gain clarity on why sales are decreasing, churn is climbing, and employees are leaving by providing a step-by-step action plan. She’s also the Founder of BreakoutCS, a community for CS professionals. In this episode, Ben and Leah discuss the stories behind BetterGrowth and BreakoutCS, some of the challenges she’s faced while navigating her career as a queer person in tech, and how people and companies can support the growth of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

The Grass Is Always Greener (with Stacy Schmitz, Enterprise Account Executive at Catalyst Software)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0400

Stacy Schmitz is an Enterprise Account Executive at Catalyst Software. In this episode, Ben and Stacy discuss how she has seen incredible success in her career so far, reaching 200% of her quota last quarter. Stacy also shares her unique approach to sales, what motivates her, and how the industry has evolved in recent years.

Quitting With No Plan (with Bradley Liou, Head of Customer Success at Acquire)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 19:53:02 -0400

Bradley Liou is the Head of Customer Success at Acquire, an app that’s transforming e-commerce by creating unforgettable checkout experiences. In this episode, Ben and Bradley discuss the sabbatical Bradley took recently to support his wife who was struggling with postpartum depression and how it helped him realign his priorities. Bradley also shares the story of how he landed his new role at Acquire, and why the company is such a great culture fit.

Hot Ones, Hawaii, and How CS is Taking Over (with Edward Chiu, Co-Founder and CEO of Catalyst Software)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 00:00:09 -0400

Edward Chiu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Catalyst Software, a company that helps businesses centralize customer data, get a clear view of customer health, and scale experiences that drive retention and growth. In this episode, Ben and Edward discuss the company’s mental health initiatives, Edward’s “Hot Ones” video, and the incredible growth of Customer Success over the last 2 years.

Sending Good Vibes, Gift Cards, and occasionally BBQs (with Kris Rudeegraap, CEO and Co-Founder of Sendoso)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Kris Rudeegraap is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sendoso, the leading sending platform that helps companies engage with customers throughout the buyer’s journey. In this episode, Kris and Ben discuss how the best ideas often come from a problem that needs solving, working smarter not harder, and approaching business as a marathon, not a sprint.

In the Business of Simplicity (with Mike Murchison, the CEO and Co-Founder of Ada)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 00:00:03 -0400

Mike Murchison is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ada, the leading provider of AI customer support chat bots that automates millions of chat-based conversations per month for clients like TELUS, Coinbase and Shopify. In this episode, Mike and Ben discuss the company’s origin story, their recent partnership with Zoom, and why simplicity is one of their core values.

Making the Invisible Visible (with Arjun Devgan, VP and Global Head of Success at Amplitude)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 00:00:09 -0400

Arjun Devgan is the VP and global head of customer success at Amplitude, an innovative company that’s helping businesses manage and optimize innovation efforts with its digital optimization system. In this episode, Arjun and Ben discuss Arjun’s efforts to raise awareness about invisible disabilities, and how we can all empower one another to speak up about our vulnerabilities.

Losing $14 Million In One Day (With Rand Fishkin, CEO and co-founder of SparkToro

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 00:00:04 -0400

Rand Fishkin is the CEO and co-founder of SparkToro, a software company that provides high-quality market research and audience intelligence. In this episode, Rand and Ben discuss the art of writing emails, Rand’s experiences in the startup world, how to make sure you’re being fairly compensated, and much more.

E46- NPS I Loved You (With Ben Winn, Host of NPS I Love You)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0400

The last episode of season one is a solocast with the host of NPS I Love You and the manager of community and events at Catalyst Software, Ben Winn. In the episode, Ben reflects on the process of launching the podcast, what worked well and what could use some improvement for the next season. He also shares why they decided to launch the podcast in the first place, and why he’s looking forward to season two.

E45- To MBA Or Not To MBA (With Veronica Dasovich, Senior Director of Company Success at Heap)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0400

Veronica Dasovich is the Senior Director of Customer Success at Heap, a digital insights platform helping companies build digital experiences. In this episode, Veronica and Ben discuss the pros and cons of pursuing an MBA in the tech space, developing critical thinking skills and leveling up your career by taking initiative and leading with compassion.

E44- Doing More With Less (With Kate Walsh, VP of Customer Success and Support at Klaviyo)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0400

Kate Walsh is the VP of Customer Success and Support at Klaviyo, a Boston-based company that helps companies turn their e-commerce data into revenue with personalized multi-channel marketing campaigns. In this episode, Kate and Ben discuss how and when companies should begin developing partner programs, some of the valuable lessons Kate learned during her 11-year stint at HubSpot, and how Klaviyo will continue scaling up as the company grows.

E43- Documenting Customer Experience (With Nate Gilmore, Chief Revenue Officer at PandaDoc)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0400

Nate Gilmore is the Chief Revenue Officer at PandaDoc, a document automation software that streamlines the process of creating, assigning and reviewing proposals, quotes and contracts. In this episode, Nate and Ben discuss striking a balance between driving sales and strengthening customer relationships, motivating and incentivizing teams, and PandaDoc’s approach to customer experience design.

E42- Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! (With Roberto Ortiz, Co-Founder and CEO of Welcome)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0400

Roberto Ortiz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Welcome, an award-winning virtual event platform. In this episode, Roberto and Ben discuss how the pandemic influenced the founding of Welcome, how to provide white glove customer service, and levelling up from a technology, design and performance perspective.

E41- The Yellow Brick Roadmap (With Emily Garza, AVP of Customer Success at Fastly)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0400

Emily Garza is the AVP of Customer Success at Fastly. In this episode, Emily and Ben discuss why happiness shouldn’t be used as a customer success metric, the importance of consistent storytelling, and the value of clear communication and curiosity in business.

E40- Focus On Customers Not Competitors (With Kyle Clark, Manager of Implementation at Catalyst Software)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Kyle Clark is an Implementation Manager at Catalyst Software, and in this episode, Kyle and I discuss the one big question you need to ask before onboarding new customers, why you should ignore what your competitors are doing and how to launch new customers in a “healthy way”.

E39- Out Of The Whirlwind (With Codi Gill, Vice President Client Success at TouchCare)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Codi Gill is the Vice President Client Success at TouchCare, and in this episode, Codi and I discuss how she has six kids whilst running a CS department, the importance of “taking yourself out of the whirlwind” and how Codi pro-actively ensures her team takes sufficient time off.

E38- One Size Does Not Fit All (With Sultan Saidov, Co-Founder and President at Beamery)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Sultan Saidov is the Co-Founder and President at Beamery, and in this episode, Sultan and I talk about Beamery’s proactive, people centric approach to recruitment, how to keep candidates engaged throughout the hiring funnel and how to evaluate the potential of prospective recruits.

E37- The Rise Of Community Building (With Remco de Vries, VP of Marketing at inSided)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Remco de Vries is the VP of Marketing at inSided, and in this episode, Remco and I talk about everything you need to know to get started with community building—from getting buy-in, to selecting your tech stack, to more advanced community strategies that will directly lead to revenue growth.

E36- The Role Of Role-playing (With Porter Williams, Director of Customer Success at BetterUp)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Porter Williams is the Director of Customer Success at BetterUp, and in this episode, Porter and I discuss how to make your QBRs better than every other vendor, what Porter learned in his previous life as a performer that helps him in the tech world, and why role-playing might just be the one skill missing from your CS arsenal.

E35- Are You Content With Your Content? (With Mark Kilens, VP of Content & Community at Drift)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Mark Kilens is the VP of Content & Community at Drift, and in this episode, Mark and I discuss the content and community equation, why he hires for character and trains for skill and his personal operating system.

E34- Being Asked To Dance (With Sunil Joseph, Vice President of Customer Success at Stack Overflow)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 25 May 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Sunil Joseph is the Vice President of Customer Success at Stack Overflow, and in this episode, Sunil and I discuss the impact of hiring a diverse team, why Stack Overflow holds ROI workshops with every customer, and what it really means to be product-led.

E33- People Don’t Need Features; They Need Outcomes (With Shai Ritblatt, Head of Partner & Customer Success at Sisense)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 18 May 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Shai Ritblatt is Head of Partner & Customer Success at Sisense, and in this episode, Shai and I discuss their partner success program, building versus buying, how they prioritize feature requests and why he believes CS just stands for common sense.

E32- A Tiger In The Bushes (With Eric Silverberg and Eli Gladstone, Founders of Speaker Labs)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 11 May 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Eric & Eli are the brilliant founders behind Speaker Labs, a leading public speaking coaching program. In this episode, Eric, Eli, and I discuss the science of talk, the power of storytelling, the biggest barriers people face when public speaking, and some ways you can think about improving your next presentation today.

E31- A Bath Time Epiphany (With Jaimie Buss, Senior Vice President of Sales at Zendesk)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 04 May 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Jaimie Buss is Sr. VP of Sales at Zendesk, and in this episode, Jaimie and I discuss sales & CS collaboration, leadership, battling stigma, and an epiphany Jaimie had that profoundly affected her life.

E30- The Worst Interview Question Of All Time (With Debra Squyres, Chief Customer Officer, at HackerRank)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Debra Squyres is an expert in all things HR and Customer Success, and she is about to join HackerRank as CCO, supporting over 2,000 customers and 11 million developers. In this episode, Debra shares the worst question she was ever asked in an interview, what it means to be data-driven in HR, and her thoughts on the future of work.

E29- It's Harder To Be You Than You Might Think (With Diana De Jesus, Customer Success Manager, at Catalyst)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0400

Diana De Jesus is one of the top 100 CS strategists, co-creator of the Open Book of Customer Success, and a CSM at Catalyst Software. In this episode, Diana talks about tips, tricks, mistakes, and learnings around Customer Success, parenting, personal branding, and vulnerability.

E28- What Do Mark Twain & Elon Musk Have In Common? (With Jeff Breunsbach & Jay Nathan, Director of CX and CCO, respectively, at Higher Logic)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0400

Jeff Breunsbach & Jay Nathan are Director of CX and CCO, respectively, at Higher Logic. They are also the founders of Gain Grow Retain, one of the world’s largest CS communities that exploded in 2020. In this episode, Jeff & Jay talk leadership, customer experience, community building, and Jay’s dream of being in a Jimmy Buffet cover band.

E27- Our Brains Are Piles of Mush With Electricity (With Jon Johnson, Senior Customer Success Manager at Splash)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Jon Johnson is a professional musician turned Senior Customer Success Manager at Splash. He also led customer success at Zinier and is a founding member of the BreakoutCS community. In this episode, Jon talks about his experience as a musician and the lessons it taught him that have allowed him to excel in Customer Success.

E26- Alexa-Controlled Oil Diffuser (With Matt Myszkowski, VP CX at Cision)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Matt Myszkowski is Vice President of Customer Experience at Cision, and led Customer Success at other organizations like SAP, Rant & Rave, and Autodesk. On this episode, Matt talks about change management, being opinionated, photography, and his favorite podcasts.

E25- The Mental Health Unicorn (With VP of Customer Success at Modern Health, Lorna Henri)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Lorna Henri is VP Customer Success at Modern Health, which has recently surpassed the $1 Billion valuation mark, officially making them a unicorn. In this episode, Lorna talks parenting, career paths, mental health, and the challenges of scaling quickly.

E24- LinkedIn To Mental Health (With Head of Customer Success, Americas at LinkedIn, Daniel Hayward)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Daniel Hayward is Head of Customer Success for the Americas at LinkedIn. In this episode, he shares his thoughts on how leaders can support the mental health and wellness of their team members, how they can fight stigma with vulnerability, and how he personally is taking care of his mental health during the pandemic.

E23- What CS & Sales Can Learn From the FBI: A Conversation with Jack Schafer

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Jack Schafer, Ph.D., is a psychologist, professor, author, intelligence consultant, and former FBI Special Agent. He's conducted counter-intelligence and counterterrorism investigations worked as a behavioral analyst and has trained agents in the art of interrogation and persuasion. He’s also written some fantastic books, including The Like Switch and The Truth Detector. In this special episode, Catalyst CEO Edward Chiu speaks with Jack about how CS & Sales can uncover truth quickly, build relationships fast, and achieve desired outcomes.

E22- Is It Pronounced Data or Data? (With Global Head, Customer Success Strategic Programs at Google, Brian LaFaille)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Brian LaFaille is the Global Head, Customer Success Strategic Programs at Looker, a business intelligence platform that was bought by Google in 2020 for $2.6 Billion. In this episode, we explore unique ideas that blend the human touch with powerful data to drive customer happiness like behavior mapping instead of customer journey mapping, predictive analytics for Customer Success, and how the 5 love languages can apply to CS.

E21- Who Should Own Renewals, Sales Or CS? (With Scott Dzialo of Braze & Sabina Pons of Mavenlink‪)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Catalyst recently released The Great CS Debate which had CS leaders vote on the top 10 most controversial topics in Customer Success. This episode features a friendly debate between two experienced CS leaders; Scott Dzialo, Director of Customer Success, Enterprise & Strategic Accounts at Braze and Sabina Pons, Vice President of Client Success, Support & Community at Mavenlink‪. During this episode, these CS masters found themselves on opposing sides of the issue: Who should own renewals, Sales or CS?

E20- Prioritize Ruthlessly (With Head Of Customer Experience at GitHub, Bonnie Chatterjee)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Bonnie Chatterjee is the Head of Customer Experience at GitHub, and is focused on building GitHub’s CX function and instilling customer-obsessed thinking, measurements, and actions into every decision. In this episode, Bonnie discusses prioritization, building positive habits, and how customer experience and customer success can collaborate.

E19- The Mary Poppins of Startups (With Customer Experience Lead at Cutback Coach, Cairo Amani)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Cairo Amani is a career coach and CS leader. She’s the founder of ThriveNetwork, a community for the women of CS, and she currently heads up CX at Cutback Coach, a new tool to help people proactively build positive habits around alcohol consumption. In this episode, Cairo discusses alcohol consumption during the pandemic, the biggest challenges she sees as a career coach, and the advantages of working at early-stage startups.

E18- Real Housewives of Customer Success (With Vice President of Customer Success at IntelliShift, Kristi Faltorusso)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Kristi Faltorusso is VP Customer Success at Intellishift and one of the most prolific Customer Success leaders in the industry. On today’s episode, Kristi talks about finding success through helping others, how to think about your next promotion, her inspirations, and the Real Housewives of Atlanta.

E17- Going Bananas (With VP CS & People Ops at Swiftly, Maranda Dziekonski)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Maranda Dziekonski is VP Customer Success & Operations at Switfly, and is on the governing council of the Customer Success Leadership Network, a community group and Slack team with 2400 CS leaders and counting! In this episode, Maranda and Ben discuss CS in the boardroom, building your personal brand, using Slack to manage customers, and some of the biggest mistakes they’ve both made at work.

E16- Bytes Scale and Atoms Don’t (With IBM Digital Transformation Lead, Anthony Coppedge)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Anthony Coppedge is leading Agile Transformation for Digital Sales at IBM. He is an expert in coaching Sales & Marketing teams on implementing an Agile mindset and he’s taught leaders, managers, and teams how to manage the tension between planned and unplanned work so that they can deliver value at scale. On this episode, Anthony shares his insights into change management at scale, the value of BEING agile rather than DOING agile, and how teams can leverage agile thinking to become faster, more profitable, and more customer-centric.

E15- Engineering Your Career (With Catalyst VP of Engineering, Sha Ma)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Sha Ma is the Vice President of Engineering at Catalyst and the former VP of Engineering at Github and SendGrid, where she was part of the leadership team that took them through IPO in 2017. In this episode, Sha discusses misconceptions about engineers, the key to her career success, and advice for those early on in their careers today.

E14- Hopin to Hard Problems (With CCO at Hopin, Rosie Roca)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Rosie Roca is the Chief Customer Officer at Hopin, one of the world’s leading virtual events platforms which was recently valued at over $2 Billion. Rosie is a customer experience pro, having started her career with the New England Patriots before moving into software at RelateIQ which was acquired by Salesforce in 2014 where she then became SVP of Salesforce Essentials Customer Experience. In this episode, Rosie discusses pivotal moments in her career, virtual events, and the challenges facing rapidly-scaling teams.

E13- Progress Not Perfection (With Head of Customer Advocacy at Asana, Kalina Bryant)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Kalina Bryant is an incredibly accomplished customer advocacy executive, podcaster, writer, and speaker in Silicon Valley, where she is now leading the customer advocacy function at Asana. In this episode, Kalina discusses customer advocacy, challenges getting executive buy-in, and the lessons and philosophies that have brought her success.

E12- Subject Matter Expertise vs. Core CS Skills (With Alex Farmer of Cognite AS & Shari Srebnick of Searchmetrics)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Catalyst recently released The Great CS Debate which had CS leaders vote on the top 10 most controversial topics in Customer Success. This episode features a friendly debate between two experienced CS leaders who found themselves on opposing sides of the issue: What is more important, core CS skills or subject matter expertise?

E11- Every Day Is A Reset (With MURAL Associate Director of Enterprise Transformation, Lindsey Eatough)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Lindsey Eatough is the Associate Director of Enterprise Transformation at Mural, a digital workspace for virtual collaboration, currently undergoing a period of hyper-growth. In this episode, Lindsey discusses how to build positive habits, the challenges she’s been facing with her transition into a manager role, and how she is supporting her team’s mental health.

E10- Dawn of a New (HR) Era (With Slack VP of People, Dawn Sharifan)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Dawn Sharifan is the VP People Operations at Slack. She has over 15 years of experience in both public and private organizations, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. In this episode, Dawn shares the details of Slack’s culture and some of their most impactful initiatives, the future of work, and the biggest challenges facing HR teams right now.

E09- The Product-Led Organization (With Pendo CEO, Todd Olson)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Todd Olson is co-founder and CEO of Pendo, which helps companies accelerate software product adoption among customers and internal employees. He also recently released his brand new book The Product-Led Organization. In this episode, Todd explores the tension between Customer Success & Product, why being product-led benefits CSMs, and how his biggest mistake as an entrepreneur helped to make Pendo a success.

E08- More Than He Could Chiu (With Catalyst COO, Kevin Chiu)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Catalyst COO Kevin Chiu discusses his near-death experience with COVID-19, his difficult road to recovery, insecurity around returning to work, and how the lessons he’s learned have changed how he lives his life today.

E07- Unlocking Human Potential (With Greenhouse CEO, Daniel Chait)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Daniel Chait is CEO and co-founder of Greenhouse, a leading Talent Acquisition software company that provides the technology, resources and expertise to make every company great at hiring. In this episode, Daniel speaks about diversity & bias in hiring, untapped human potential, and the top hiring challenges companies face today.

E06: Nir, Far, Wherever You Are (With Monday.com Customer Success Group Manager, Nir Fogel)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 10:00:00 -0400

Monday.com CS Group Manager, Nir Fogel, discusses strategies for giving and receiving feedback, the importance of diversity on Customer Success teams, and how to effectively scale while maintaining a team culture people love.

E05- The Feelings Flywheel (With Catalyst Head of Customer Success, Sydney Strader)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 10:00:00 -0400

Sydney Strader, Head of Customer Success at Catalyst, discusses the power of vulnerability and authenticity at work, how she went from major success to rock bottom and back up again, and how her experiences have shaped the person she is today.

E04- I Knew We’d Record This (With Mentalist, Steffi Kay)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 12:56:03 -0400

Steffi Kay is a renowned mentalist who has competed on America’s Got Talent, and successfully fooled Penn & Teller on Penn & Teller: Fool Us. On this episode, Ben and Steffi discuss mindreading, performing, and how it all relates back to Customer Success.

E03- Remotely Human (With Trello Co-Founder, Michael Pryor)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 10:00:00 -0400

Trello & Stack Overflow Cofounder Michael Pryor discusses important skills, tools, and practices for collaborating, communicating, and supporting your team in a remote environment.

E02- Customer Success From The Investor Perspective (With Work-Bench Co-Founder & General Partner, Jessica Lin)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 10:00:11 -0400

Work-bench Cofounder Jessica Lin discusses how Venture Capitalists think about Customer Success, how CS leaders can stand out during board meetings, and her love for Conan O’Brien.

E01- Happy Birthday Kevin (With Catalyst CEO & Co-Founder, Edward Chiu)

stephanie@quillit.io (Catalyst Software Corporation, Ben Winn) — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 18:00:09 -0400

On his brother Kevin’s birthday, Catalyst CEO Edward Chiu opens up about parenting, mental health, and Kevin’s near-death experience with COVID-19, which occurred in the midst of raising Catalyst’s Series B funding, and with a 4-month-old baby at home.