Everyone says they care about customer experience but most companies stop at the annual survey.

In this episode, Emma Sopadjieva joins Alyssa Nolte to break down what it really takes to turn customer experience into a revenue-driving strategy. They talk about why CX is a team sport, how to move past vanity metrics, and what happens when sales, legal, finance, and product finally get on the same page. Emma shares how she builds CX strategy teams from the ground up, what most companies get wrong about incentives, and why "fixing the ow" isn’t enough...you also need to bring the wow.

If you’ve ever been tasked with improving customer experience but weren’t given the power (or budget) to do anything meaningful, this one’s for you.

About Emma Sopadjieva:

Emma Sopadjieva leads Customer Experience Strategy at Samsara, the trusted leader in connected operations, where she equips teams with the insights and tools to deliver standout “wow!” moments for customers. With over 20 years of experience in CX strategy and business consulting, Emma has built a career helping some of the world’s largest organizations turn customer feedback into action.

She is a main stage speaker at leading CX conferences, a frequent guest on top-charted podcasts, and her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Washington Post, and Forbes. Prior to Samsara, she led Customer Experience Insights and Operations at ServiceNow, and held leadership roles at Eventbrite and Medallia guiding Fortune 500 companies to elevate their customer experience. Emma began her career in consulting and forensic accounting at Deloitte, working across New York, Madrid, and London.

Key Takeaways:

• Customer experience is everyone’s job – From sales to legal to finance, every team impacts how customers feel.
• Insights without action are just noise – Real CX strategy ties feedback to business metrics and drives measurable change.
• Quick wins build trust, but long-term strategy wins loyalty – Balancing short-term momentum with lasting impact is essential.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:22 Emma's Hot Take on Customer Experience
00:45 The Role of Sales in Customer Experience
01:26 Company-Wide Impact on Customer Experience
04:13 Financial Metrics and Customer Experience
06:40 Challenges in Customer Experience Strategy
08:18 Building a Customer Experience Strategy Team
08:49 Long-Term vs. Short-Term Customer Experience Goals
12:12 Listening Programs and Customer Journey Mapping
15:34 Actionable Insights and KPIs
23:25 Current Projects and Future Goals
26:49 Empowering Employees for Customer Experience
29:10 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

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Welcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships.

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Customer Success isn’t what it used to be and that’s a good thing.

In this episode of The Growth Signal, host Alyssa Nolte sits down with Chad Horenfeldt to unpack how the best CSMs are evolving their approach. From ditching the “firefighter” mentality to mastering internal politics and asking tougher questions, Chad reveals the mindset shifts and practical habits that separate strategic CS leaders from the rest.

If you’re still leading with adoption metrics and hoping for renewals, you’re already behind. Chad shares how top-performing teams build trust, deliver real business value, and create space for meaningful customer conversations...without relying on decks or feature dumps.

Whether you lead a CS org or you’re rethinking your own role, this episode will make you better.

About Chad Horenfeldt:

Chad is an award-winning customer success leader with 20+ years of experience in the CS field. Chad started his journey as a CSM on the front lines and then moved into building, developing, and leading high-performing customer success teams at high-growth companies. His track record includes playing an integral part as a CS leader in two successful exits: Eloqua (IPO and then acquired by Oracle for $1 billion) and Kustomer (acquired by Meta). Chad is currently the VP of Customer Success at Siena AI and is the author of the soon to be released book, The Strategic Customer Success Manager: A Blueprint for Elevating Your Impact and Advancing Your Career.

Key Takeaways:

• Trust + Value = Impact – Strategic CSMs don’t just drive product adoption - they build trusted relationships and tie their work to real business outcomes.
• Your Internal Influence Matters – Top CSMs know how to navigate internal politics, collaborate cross-functionally, and advocate for customer needs without burning bridges.
• Stop Reporting, Start Advising – Customers don’t need another usage recap. They need strategic guidance delivered through thoughtful questions, honest conversations, and forward-looking planning.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:35 Hot Take: The Changing Role of CSM
01:19 Strategic vs. Helper CSM
05:14 Skills for Modern CSMs
06:32 Building Internal Relationships
08:23 Leveraging Technology and AI
17:30 Strategic Checkpoints vs. QBRs
20:40 Balancing Short-term and Long-term Goals
22:29 Asking the Right Questions
25:43 The Trust-Value Relationship
29:56 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

Send us a text

Welcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships.

Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn

Connect with Amber on LinkedIn

Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com

When your customer doesn’t get their retirement check on time, “oops” doesn’t cut it. In this episode, Gary Marra, a financial services veteran and host of Your Customer, Your Success, joins Alyssa Nolte to unpack what it really takes to build trust in high-stakes, high-compliance industries.

They explore why “no surprises” is more than a nice-to-have...it’s a core operating principle that separates trusted advisors from transactional vendors. From the myth of the perfect KPI to the power of early transparency, this conversation goes deep on how to create experiences your customers (and employees) can actually count on.

If you're leading revenue, customer success, or CX strategy, this episode will challenge the way you measure success and show you how to build the kind of trust that pays off long-term.

About Gary Marra:

Gary Marra is a Client Experience Manager and Customer Success Consultant with over 25 years of experience in investment servicing, client relationship management, and process optimization. He specializes in helping organizations build trust, enhance satisfaction, and deliver sustainable growth by placing customers at the center of their strategy.

As the host of the Your Customer, Your Success podcast, Gary cuts through the fluff to deliver practical insights on CX, customer success, and employee experience. His no-nonsense approach blends decades of real-world experience with a deep understanding of cross-functional collaboration, change management, and Voice of Customer strategy.

From Fortune 500s to fast-scaling startups, Gary partners with companies to solve complex service challenges, align internal teams, and build the kind of trust that drives long-term retention and brand loyalty.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:09 Gary's Origin Story
00:52 Understanding Pension and Asset Management
01:17 The Importance of Client Relationships
02:14 Challenges in Asset Servicing
08:13 Government and Customer Experience
10:50 Gary's Podcast Journey
14:39 The ROI of Customer Experience
15:34 Authenticity in Customer Interactions
17:24 The Importance of Legal and Compliance
20:12 No Surprises Policy
27:03 Managing Metrics and KPIs
29:17 Recognizing Industry Leaders
31:19 Where to Find More Content

Send us a text

Welcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships.

Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn

Connect with Amber on LinkedIn

Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com