"You need to be more strategic." Those dreaded words from your manager leave you frustrated and unsure of what to do next.
But what if you could stop reacting to problems and instead become a trusted strategic partner who commands respect from both your customers and colleagues? Chad Horenfeldt-who has spent over two decades building high-performing customer success teams at Eloqua (Oracle), Kustomer (Meta), and other companies-shares a battle-tested approach to elevate your impact and advance your career.
In The Strategic Customer Success Manager, you will learn:
- How to quickly build unbreakable trust with customers
- Proven techniques for mastering strategic conversations, using frameworks and insights from leading CS practitioners
- Strategies for aligning with cross-functional teams across your organization
- A proven methodology for conducting impactful kickoffs, QBRs, and renewal and expansion conversations
- Practical strategies for identifying and handling at-risk accounts and preventing churn
This comprehensive playbook includes ready-to-use templates, actionable exercises, and scripts designed to immediately improve your effectiveness as a CS professional.
Don't wait for someone else to define what "being strategic" means. Take control of your career today and master the skills that will transform you from an ordinary CSM to a strategic advisor who drives measurable, exceptional results. Level up before you're left out.
Faltorusso, Kristi: - Kristi Faltorusso is a powerhouse in the Customer Success space, known for her strategic leadership, operational rigor, and relentless focus on driving impact. With a career spanning over a decade, she has built, scaled, and transformed Customer Success functions at multiple SaaS companies, helping organizations increase retention, expand revenue, and deliver world-class customer experiences.Currently serving as the Chief Customer Officer at ClientSuccess, Kristi has previously held leadership roles at high-growth companies like Intellishift, BetterCloud, and BrightEdge. Her approach to CS is deeply data-driven and results-oriented, combining automation, scalable processes, and proactive engagement strategies to maximize customer lifetime value.Beyond her executive roles, Kristi is an influential thought leader, sharing her expertise through speaking engagements, webinars, and LinkedIn content that blends tactical insights with witty, no-nonsense advice. Kristi's impact on the industry is undeniable. Whether she's mentoring emerging CS leaders, shaping best practices, or advocating for the strategic importance of Customer Success, she's a driving force in the evolution of the field.
Horenfeldt, Chad: - Chad Horenfeldt is a seasoned customer success executive with over two decades of experience in SaaS. Chad held key positions at companies such as Meta (Kustomer), Updater, Bluecore, Influitive, and Oracle (Eloqua), where he honed his expertise in customer success and customer experience strategies. Chad has been part of an IPO while at Eloqua and of two major acquisitions, one by Oracle and a second by Meta. Beyond his professional endeavors, Chad has received numerous industry awards, including being a 3X Top 25 Customer Success Influencer. He is a recognized thought leader, frequently sharing insights on customer success through various industry publications and speaking engagements. Among his many contributions, Chad authored a section on customer advocacy in the book The Customer Success Professional's Handbook: How to Thrive in One of the World's Fastest Growing Careers-While Driving Growth for Your Company. Chad graduated from Western University with a Master of Arts in history and completed a postgraduate diploma in applied information technology. He is originally from Toronto, Ontario, but now lives in Northern New Jersey with his wife, three children, and dog, Timbit.
