The Growth Signal

The Growth Signal

di Alyssa Nolte

Stagione 1

Stop Rewarding the Wrong Work in CS with Katie Yagodnik

Customer Success doesn’t need a rebrand—it needs clarity. In this episode, Alyssa Nolte talks with Katie Yagodnik about the credibility gap facing CS teams and how to fix it from the inside out. They unpack the disconnect between CS’s actual impact and how it’s perceived across the business, then get tactical about how to prove value without sacrificing trust. We cover: Why CS has a branding problem (and how that’s hurting internal influence) The difference between CSQOs and CSQLs, and how to start tracking them today How to build the same trusted relationships internally that you do with your customers Why great CS leaders think like RevOps, not just account managers If you're tired of CS being seen as “just support,” this episode will help you reframe the conversation. Guest: Katie Yagodnik Host: Alyssa Nolte

Don't Assume Your Map is the Journey with Emily Garza

Customer journey maps can be a powerful tool, but only if they reflect reality... not just your internal strategy. In this episode, Emily Garza joins Alyssa to unpack the risks of assuming your neatly mapped journey matches what customers actually experience. Drawing from years of experience in CX strategy and post-sale growth, Emily explains why listening beats labeling, and why real retention starts with real relevance. Together, they explore what it takes to build a living, breathing customer experience strategy that adapts, evolves, and actually works. 3 Key Takeaways: Most journey maps reflect internal org structure, not customer behavior - and that’s a problem. Segmentation based on behavior, not just revenue, leads to more relevant and effective experiences. Retention improves when teams use journey maps as a conversation starter, not a finish line.

Agree to Grow Together: Reclaiming Humanity in CS with Renu Ahluwalia

In a world obsessed with speed, automation, and scale, what happens to the human side of Customer Success? In this episode, Alyssa Nolte sits down with longtime CS leader Renu Ahluwalia to unpack what we lose when efficiency takes priority over empathy... and how the best teams are reclaiming trust, honesty, and real connection. From rethinking “value” to navigating conflict without escalation, Renu shares hard-won lessons about building sustainable relationships in high-pressure environments. They explore why the strongest CS strategies start with alignment, not appeasement—and how to scale without losing your soul.

Why CX Will Never Exceed EX with Rachel Provan

In this episode of The Growth Signal, Alyssa Nolte sits down with Rachel Provan—leadership coach, CS expert, and psychology nerd—to explore why the human element is vanishing from modern business and what we can do about it. Rachel argues that corporate culture has become emotionally abusive, treating employees like disposable cogs instead of people with real needs, fears, and ambitions. They unpack the psychological roots of fear-based leadership, how our brains are wired to resist change, and why logic often takes a back seat to emotion, even in B2B. Rachel shares practical frameworks for coaching first-time managers, aligning teams without micromanagement, and making room for self-actualization at work. The conversation connects leadership psychology, employee experience, and customer success into one powerful idea: you can't fix customer churn without first fixing how you treat your team. Whether you're leading a CS team or rethinking how your organization operates, this episode will challenge you to put humanity back at the center of business. 3 Key Takeaways: Empathy over ego...true leadership starts by regulating your own nervous system so you can lead others effectively. Burnout isn’t a personal failure...it’s a systemic signal that something in your approach or environment needs to change. Customer Success leaders need space to think, not just react...and that starts with stepping out of survival mode.

Everything Is Dead. Now What? with Cinthia Silva

CSMs are dead. AEs are dead. Account managers? Also dead. At least, that’s what your LinkedIn feed would have you believe. In this episode, Cinthia Silva breaks down why these roles are collapsing—and what’s replacing them. We dig into AI’s role in the chaos, the myth of clean CRMs, and why automating a broken process just speeds up the failure. From full-cycle sales to the future of service desks, Cinthia doesn’t hold back. 3 Key Takeaways: Role consolidation is coming – BDRs, AEs, CSMs, and AMs are merging into fewer, full-cycle roles driven by AI, cost pressure, and customer expectations. AI won’t fix what’s broken – Automation only works if your underlying processes and data are clean. Otherwise, you’re just scaling dysfunction. Recurring impact drives recurring revenue – Strategic discovery and value delivery aren’t optional. They’re how you earn trust—and the renewal.

Stop Giving Your Customers Homework: Rethinking Success Plans with Dan Ennis

What if your customer feedback loop is actually making you miss the point? In this episode, Dan Ennis joins Alyssa to unpack why “listening at scale” has become a crutch for B2B teams...and what’s really getting lost in translation. From building customer-led programs at ServiceNow and SAP to advising startups on growth strategy, Dan shares why most organizations don’t have a listening problem - they have a thinking problem. If you’ve ever wondered why your voice-of-customer efforts feel like noise instead of insight, this one’s for you. Key Takeaways: Listening at scale often turns into passive data collection—real insight comes from intentional analysis. AI and automation are great, but they can’t replace the nuance of human interpretation and shared context. Customer growth isn't about fixing what's broken—it's about designing better questions from the start.

Why Good Girls Don’t Get the Promotion with Kristi Straw

In this episode, Kristi Straw calls out the invisible forces holding mid-career women back...namely, corporate good girl conditioning and the culture of performative allyship. She shares how emotional intelligence can be learned (and why it’s often misunderstood), the red flags she watches for in coaching engagements, and the cost of building systems that serve companies instead of customers. Kristi also explains why your executive brand needs to sound like you, not like a brochure, especially in the age of AI. This is a no-BS conversation about power, perception, and the courage to lead differently. Key Takeaways: Corporate “good girl” conditioning is killing confidence, and emotional intelligence isn’t optional... it’s a power skill. EQ isn’t innate...it can be learned, but most executive leaders are still reacting instead of reflecting. In a world of AI noise, authentic personal brands outperform company pages every time. Connect with Kristi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kstrawmba/ Connect with Alyssa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte/

Stop Building for the 5% with Mary Migiano

When your product is only built for the loudest customers, you're not serving the business - you're reacting to noise. In this episode, Mary Migiano unpacks what it really means to build for scale, not exception. From her years in enterprise sales and operations, she’s seen how the wrong customer signals (and the wrong internal incentives) can derail even the best teams. We talk about how to move past internal politicking and shiny object syndrome, what it actually looks like to center your culture around outcomes, and the surprising leadership lessons you can learn from watching a kid learn to tie their shoes. If you’ve ever been caught between listening to customers and driving the business forward, this one’s for you.

Loyalty Is Earned in the Moments That Don’t Go Viral with Christina Garnett

What if the loudest signals your brand chases are the least valuable ones? In this episode, Christina Garnett—advisor, strategist, and community champion—joins Alyssa to unpack why brand loyalty isn’t built in campaign launches or viral moments. It’s built in quiet, consistent signals: how you show up when no one’s watching, how you treat the people already cheering for you, and whether your actions match your values. They dive into the emotional side of marketing, the misuse of community as a buzzword, and the dangerous gap between how brands want to be seen and how customers actually feel. Christina brings the fire—and the framework—for building deeper, more meaningful connections in a world obsessed with reach. Key Takeaways: Loyalty isn’t bought—it’s earned in the moments that seem “too small to matter” Community isn’t a campaign—it’s an outcome of trust Most brands don’t have a marketing problem—they have an empathy problem

AI Won’t Save You, but Curiosity Might with Shelby Garlock

AI can handle the busy work, but it can’t replace your brain. In this episode, Shelby Garlock joins Alyssa to talk about what customer success teams actually need: more curiosity, better boundaries, and the courage to stop playing order taker. They break down how to earn trust, show up as a strategic partner, and build real relationships even in high-volume, remote environments. Key Takeaways: AI is a tool, not a substitute – Use it to eliminate busy work, not to replace critical thinking. Stop taking orders – Asking good questions earns more trust than fast responses. Relationships require intention – In virtual settings, human connection doesn’t happen by accident. Key Moments: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:15 Hot Take: Lack of Critical Thinking 01:58 AI and Critical Thinking in the Workplace 06:23 Order Takers vs. Consultants 14:28 Building Trust and Team Dynamics 21:22 Shelby's Origin Story 25:09 Recommendations and Conclusion

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