Women in Customer Success Podcast

Struggling to prove the financial impact of your CS initiatives or translate retention metrics into revenue? Watch this exclusive masterclass to learn how to build compelling, finance-driven business cases, align CS initiatives with revenue targets, and confidently lead conversations that secure executive buy-in.

Don’t miss this chance to transform Customer Success into a powerful revenue driver!

Featuring:

Marilee Bear, CRO at Gainsight

Marija Skobe-Pilley, Founder of Women In CS

👉 Follow Marilee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marileeb/

👉 Learn more about Gainsight: https://www.gainsight.com/

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About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm

In this episode, I sit down with Swati Garg, founder and CEO of Melo Associates, one of the most recognised Customer Success recruitment firms in the US.

Swati’s career path is anything but traditional. She dreamed of being a Bollywood director, studied psychology and communication, and started as an HR journalist before pivoting into recruitment. Today, she helps CS professionals land roles by focusing on personalised applications, networking, and showcasing measurable impact.

We cover:

✅ Resume strategies that work – How to use keywords effectively so recruiters find you.
✅ Quality over quantity – Why mass-applying doesn’t work and what to do instead.
✅ Following up like a pro – The best ways to reach hiring managers (hint: emails > LinkedIn).
✅ The job market shift – Why local candidates have the advantage in hybrid work models.

Swati’s key message? Don’t be afraid to reach out!

This episode is packed with actionable advice for anyone job-hunting in CS or just wanting to future-proof their career.

Follow Swati.

This episode was brought to you by Vitally.

__________________________________________________
About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm

In a beautifully set Hook’s office in the heart of London, Women in Customer Success hosted our first-ever live podcast recording, an intimate and immersive experience with a familiar voice: Daphne Costa Lopes.

Daphne, HubSpot's Global Director of Customer Success - Strategic Accounts and Founder & CEO of This is Growth podcast, shared her journey, shaped by a disciplined upbringing, expat life, and a relentless drive for growth. She revealed the daily habits that keep her focused, how climbing Kilimanjaro helped her find closure after losing her father, and why her next challenge, Mount Everest Base Camp, reflects her approach to both life and career.

Of course, we also talked Customer Success. Daphne shared insights on leadership, career growth, and the evolving role of Customer Success in business, including AI-driven shifts like the move from utilisation-based to consumption-based payment models.

Our audience came prepared with questions on the future of subscription models, managing feedback, and effective customer advocacy strategies.

Tune in for an inspiring, real, and deeply human conversation.

Follow Daphne Costa Lopes

__________________________________________________
About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm

In this episode, I sit down with Patricia Awan, a passionate advocate for customer success, lifelong learning, and leading with grace. From her childhood dream of working in PR to her journey from Portugal to the UK, Patricia shares how she built a career centred on helping others and fostering trust.

She’s the Manager of Client Success at ITGL and a passionate communicator - which you will see once you listen to this episode.

We dive into practical, actionable tips for achieving your goals, including:

✅ Client-centricity: How focusing on outcomes (instead of just adding to your client’s workload) builds stronger relationships.
✅ Skills development: A simple method to assess job specs and identify skills that can shape your future career.

Patricia also reminds us that customer success is about people - listening, learning, and engaging with empathy.

In this episode:

• Leading with grace (and a smile on your face)
• Client-centricity
• Lifelong learning
• Skills development
• Technology as a tool
• Customer engagement and management
• Meaningful and human connection

Whether you’re in sales, account management, or any client-facing role, this episode is packed with first-hand tips you can start applying today.

Follow Patricia.

This episode was brought to you by Vitally.

__________________________________________________
About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm

How can the skills you’ve learned in one job help you succeed in a completely different field? 

My guest is Ewa Zajac, a customer success leader at Social Talent, shares her unique journey from recruitment to customer success.

Ewa talks about her career transitions, the importance of relationship building, and the transferable skills between recruitment and customer success. She also talks about the challenges she faced stepping into a leadership role without a traditional customer success background and how she empowered her team to thrive.

In this episode:

• Career transitions
• The evolution of technology and career paths
• Time management and productivity
• The importance of appreciating the present
• Ewa's journey into recruitment
• Transferable skills between recruitment and customer success
• Red flags on CVs
• The impact of AI on recruitment
• Effective assessment techniques for CSM candidates
• Transitioning into customer success
• Empowering teams as a leader
• Leading without experience

Ready to learn how to handle career changes, build stronger relationships, and grow in any role? Don’t miss this inspiring conversation with Ewa Zajac. Tune in now!

Follow Ewa.

This episode was brought to you by Vitally.

__________________________________________________
About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm

How can a background in psychology and neuroscience shape a career in customer success?

I had the pleasure of speaking with Emma Lampert, a customer success leader and yoga enthusiast. We talked about Emma's background in psychology and neuroscience, where she initially aspired to be a research scientist focused on abnormal brain development. 

Emma is a fractional leader for SaaS start-ups, focused on helping businesses grow through smart customer acquisition and retention strategies. She works with founders to create go-to-market plans that close big deals and build strong relationships with customers.

Emma shared some of the most important lessons she has learned throughout her career, particularly the value of embracing failure as a part of growth.

In this episode:

• The impact of neuroplasticity
• Practicing yoga
• Transitioning from science to customer success
• The concept of the Growth Rebel
• Challenging traditional customer success views
• Post-sales strategies
• Recommendations for effective segmentation
• Identifying key customer milestones
• Embracing failure as a leader

Some journeys remind us how powerful change can be, and Emma's story is one of them. This is an episode worth hearing, so don’t miss out - tune in now.

Follow Emma!

Emma’s website.

This episode was brought to you by Deployflow.

__________________________________________________
About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm

What role does appearance play in shaping perceptions at work, especially in customer-facing roles? That's what you're going to learn from this episode from my guest, Alexandra Sagaydak, Chief Customer Officer at PeopleForce. 

We talk about the importance of appearance in the workplace, especially in customer-facing roles, and how it can influence perceptions and interactions. Alexandra also shares her experiences of moving from Ukraine to Romania, her extroverted personality, and her passion for makeup and art. 

We also talk about the unique challenges and rewards of working in a startup environment. Alexandra provides valuable insights about the world of startups, including the opportunities for career growth, the importance of adaptability, and the potential for burnout.

In this episode:

• Alexandra's background and move to Romania
• Extroversion and social experiences
• Alexandra's passion for makeup and art
• The impact of appearance in the workplace
• Alexandra's career journey in customer success
• Working in startups
• Advantages and challenges of startup life

Whether you're considering a career in customer success, curious about the startup culture, or simply interested in makeup tips, don't miss this episode full of useful information and inspiration.

Follow Alexandra!

__________________________________________________
About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm

How can you, as a leader, truly empower your team to reach their full potential? 

In this episode, we discuss what it means to enable team members to recognise their potential or unique talents and how to approach difficult conversations.

My guest is Nieves Canada, a leader in customer success and a passionate advocate for enabling others.

Nieves shares with us her journey from being a translator to becoming an executive in the tech industry, she also discusses her purpose of empowering others to recognise their unique talents and thrive in their personal and professional lives. Nieves also shares valuable information about leadership, active listening, and the significance of building trust within teams. 

In this episode:

• Nieves's journey from translation to customer success
• The importance of enabling others
• Strategies for enabling team members and fostering trust
• Building trust in leadership
• Nieves's children's book

It is stories that move us, and inspire us to do things. So, tune in for this one as I’m sure it will give you that extra boost of motivation much needed this time of year.

Follow Nieves! 

This episode was brought to you by Deployflow.

__________________________________________________
About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm

What's it like to move from sales to customer success? My guest Sara shares her career journey, how she moved from sales to CS, and how she's building strong customer relationships.

Sara Arecco is the head of customer success and experience at Antavo, and a mentor at Women in Customer Success. Sara shares her experiences of moving from sales to customer success, the challenges of transitioning from a peer to a leader, and the importance of collaboration across departments.

We also talk about her approach to building strong relationships with customers and how she fosters a supportive team environment, how she deals with leading a diverse team and imposter syndrome.

In this episode:

• Sara's career journey
• Transitioning from sales to customer success
• Building a customer success team
• Building relationships with customers
• Leadership strategies and team dynamics
• Collaboration across departments for success
• The importance of customer feedback

Tune in to hear more about Sara's journey and how she approaches the challenges of customer success in a tech company. You’ll also hear about Sara's personal motivations, including maintaining work-life balance with the help of her beloved dog. Lots to take in and be inspired!

Follow Sara!

This episode was brought to you by Vitally.

__________________________________________________
About Women in Customer Success Podcast:

Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other.

Follow:

Women in Customer Success

• Website - womenincs.co/podcast
• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/

Host Marija Skobe-Pilley

• Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/
• Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie

NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses:

• Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader
• The Revenue CSM - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm