Customer Success addict | Customer obsessed | CS Ops | Data lover | Top 100 Strategist @ Eptura

I did not choose Customer Success. Customer Success chose me.

In 2020, I took a step back from my leadership role to go all in on Customer Success. I believe the best Customer Success leaders are those who have walked the path, understand the role inside and out, and know what it takes to drive results. This is the journey I’m on, building expertise and laying the foundation for impactful leadership in the future.

In just four years, I’ve grown from an entry-level CSM to a Strategic CSM. Along the way, I discovered a deep passion for empowering other CS professionals to thrive in their roles. Through my newsletter and the two guides I’ve written—Onboard Yourself and Raising the Bar—I share actionable insights and strategies to help others navigate the complexities of this role.

As a Strategic CSM, I’m focused on helping global enterprise organizations achieve their goals by leveraging data-driven strategies and tailored solutions for their specific needs. Whether it’s fostering collaborative cultures, driving change and adoption of innovative tools, or solving complex business challenges, I thrive on guiding customers toward measurable results.

I’m a process addict with an engineering background, driven by curiosity and data. Numbers tell stories, and I love unraveling them to identify opportunities for expansion and growth. I believe in the power of people and data—track the right metrics, and improvement will follow.

Customer Success is where I’ve found my true passion—helping customers achieve their desired outcomes and seeing their growth is incredibly rewarding. I believe CS is the catalyst for any company's growth, and when done right, it unlocks new revenue streams, enhances product adoption, and creates long-term partnerships.

Every conversation is an opportunity to learn, problem-solve, and deliver results that matter.

When I’m not creating Success Plans or building executive relationships, I’m traveling. I’ve visited over 20 countries and am always planning my next adventure. My favorite country so far? Japan, hands down.

Erika Villarreal

Jeremy Donaldson

Hello! My name is Jeremy Donaldson.

I am a Top 25 Customer Success Influencer and Leader with over 10 years of experience helping organizations solve their biggest challenge: Retaining and Growing customers.

I work to solve retention and growth by leading teams in 4 areas:

1) Serving my teams.  I work for them, not the other way around
2) Understanding my customers and their goals
3) Working collaboratively to build trust with our cross-functional partners
4) Using data to drive decision making

I have managed teams of up to 12 CSMs across multiple segments including digital CS, enterprise, and strategic accounts.

My teams have consistently delivered over 120% NRR, 95% GRR, 50+ NPS, and 70%+ product adoption all while growing $100+ million dollars in arr collectively.

I am the type of customer success leader who will serve our teams, challenge the status quo, and create revenue opportunities for our business. 

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My "why" revolves around being there for his wife, 3 kids, and faith in Jesus.

Success to me looks like:

🔹 Transparency: Speak your mind
🔸 Authenticity: Be the real you
🔹 Vulnerability: Let people in
🔸 Conscious listener: Allow people to be heard
🔹 Celebrator: Show people they are valued
🔸 Giver: Always give more than you receive 

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'." - Erma Bombeck

Fun facts:  I've traveled to where J.R.R. Tolkien found his inspiration for Rivendale in the Fellowship of the Ring (Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland).

Founder & CEO

CS in the Valley is on mission to serve customer success professionals in growing their businesses and careers.

- Career coaching for customer success managers
- Job seeker support
- Executive consulting for CS teams
- Customer Success technology optimization (Totango & Gainsight)

taplio

The Battle

Erika Villarreal

Jeremy Donaldson 🤝

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