Women in Customer Success Podcast

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.

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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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/the-revenue-csm

Ever feel like you’re not good enough, even when you know you’ve earned your spot?

My guest, Ashley Stamps-Lafont, opens up about her experiences with imposter syndrome, especially as a woman in tech leadership. Ashley is a customer success executive and full-time mom. Over her 15-year career, she has led over 100 post-sales professionals in both VC and PE-backed SaaS companies.

Ashley and I talk about the emotions around the election results and how they resonate with many of us, especially women in the workplace. Ashley also opens up about her personal experiences with imposter syndrome and shares advice on overcoming self-doubt, and she introduces her fractional firm, SuccessRx, which is helping businesses and people with their customer success challenges.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Post-election day reflections
• Empathy in leadership
• Creating open forums for discussion
• The importance of empathy in the workplace
• Mentorship and support for women
• Future-proofing careers in customer success
• Mindset and behaviours for success
• Overcoming imposter syndrome
• Advice on marketing yourself

Tune in and don't miss this conversation filled with useful information and inspiration for women in tech and customer success!

Follow Ashley!

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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/the-revenue-csm

Pragya Dubey, Vice President of Global Services at Agility PR Solutions is my guest in this episode of the Women in Customer Success podcast.

She talks about her career in public relations and customer success. With nearly two decades of experience, she shares insights on how the PR landscape has evolved, especially in the age of social media and the challenges that come with it.

She is a leader in customer success, focused on building strong partnerships that help both the business and the clients succeed. She makes sure that people, processes, and business goals all work together smoothly. By building great relationships with clients, leading a motivated team, and focusing on long-term growth, she’s built a track record of success. Her approach ensures that both the company and its clients see real and lasting benefits.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Evolution of public relations (PR)
• Challenges in modern PR
• Advice for PR professionals
• The role of a VP in Global Services
• Building relationships with clients
• Principles of customer success
• How to do PR for yourself

Hit play and learn from Pragya’s experience. Whether you're in PR, customer success, or just looking for inspiration, this episode has something for you. Don’t miss it!

Follow Pragya!

__________________________________________________
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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/the-revenue-csm

Are you saying 'yes' to opportunities that come your way?

I had the pleasure of speaking with Angeline Gavino, the VP of Customer Success at Katalon and a passionate advocate for women in customer success. We talked about Angeline's journey from the Philippines to Vietnam, where she has built a career in customer success. Angeline shared the importance of owning one's growth and seizing opportunities and advice for those starting their careers.

We also talked about Angeline's recent adventure into podcasting with her show, CS RevSpeak. She told us about what motivated her to start the podcast which aims to provide resources and support for customer success leaders.

Angeline is a Customer Success Leader with over 17 years of experience in the B2B SaaS industry. She has successfully built and scaled customer success organisations across four startups from pre-seed to growth stages. She is the Founder & CEO of CSRevSpeak, where she coaches CS leaders who carry a revenue quota and helps them establish effective CS operating models for revenue growth and upskill their teams to do expansion sales. She is also currently the Vice President of Customer Success at Katalon.

In this episode:

• The move from the Philippines to Vietnam
• Angeline’s customer success career path
• Advice: What experience teaches us
• The importance of seizing opportunities
• Launching the CS RevSpeak Podcast
• Overcoming doubts in podcasting
• Building a community

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Angeline’s journey and her tips for career success. You'll gain valuable insights into building a rewarding career in customer success by understanding the importance of mentorship, community involvement, and leveraging past experiences. Our discussion reflects on how various roles, from support to operations, all play a part in shaping a fulfilling journey in customer success. 

Follow Angeline!

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://www.marijaskobepilley.com/the-revenue-csm