Jan Young, MBA, CSPO, CSM

Project Manager

I help Heads of CS become VPs and get a seat at the Executive Table | Customer-Led Growth Advisor | 2X Top 25 CS Influencer | Top 50 CS Influencer | Top 50 Women Leaders in CS | Top 100 CS Strategist | Investor

Why do some CS leaders command executive respect, while others, despite strong results, keep fighting to be heard?

I've been in Tech for 20+ years and been through two exits as VP Client Services. Here's what I've learned:

✨ EVERYTHING has changed.

The speed. The AI transformation. The business models. The way we need to lead.

I see CS leaders working until midnight, delivering great results... and still getting told "we need to cut CS headcount."

Sound familiar?

The old playbooks stopped working.

AI is reshaping how we work, how we go to market, how we serve customers. Your 2023 playbook is irrelevant.

Today, you need SYSTEMS.

Here's what I know from coaching hundreds of CS leaders:

Those who break through have mastered The Modern CS Growth System, 4 pillars of executive impact:

💡 Modern Management & Change Leadership - Lead in the AI era  
💡 AI Fluency, Automation & Autonomy - Transform operations, pricing, GTM
💡 Business & Customer Economics - Speak profitability, not just retention  
💡 Repeatable Customer Revenue & Team Systems - Build scalable frameworks, not heroic firefighting  

This is a systematic approach to demonstrating executive-level impact in the language your fellow executives understand.

👉👉 This is what CS Business Leaders master. Not pieces. The whole system.

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WHO I WORK WITH

CS leaders who've built a department but aren't getting traction:

✔  You deliver strong results, but executives still see CS as a cost center
✔  You're excluded from strategic decisions where your insights would be valuable
✔  You’re told "do more with less" instead of getting resources
✔  You know modern CS should look different, but you're stuck in outdated frameworks

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HOW WE WORK TOGETHER

⚡️ CS BUSINESS LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR - Master the 4 pillars and build the Modern CS Growth System specific to your goals/challenges through executive peer community + project-based frameworks + personalized coaching.  

🔗 https://go.stepupxchange.com/csbl-accelerator

📬 NEWSLETTER:  I publish a weekly newsletter on modern CS strategies

📧 DM me and I'll share which resources fit you

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RESULTS

✅ Become an award-winning executive
✅ Reposition your team as a strategic revenue driver
✅ Transition from firefighting to repeatable, scalable systems
✅ Innovate with AI to drive profitable customer revenue growth

The modern CS leaders who succeed aren't keeping up with change: They're leading it. 

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📬 Newsletter: janyoungcx.com/#newsletter  
📧 DM me: discuss your challenges  
🎯 Follow for daily insights

Founding Member

RevRoom is a trusted space where curious revenue leaders are collaborating on the future of B2B Go to Market alignment and GTM-Led-Growth.

We were all asked the same question independently. We all gave the same answer.

When ChurnZero asked a group of CS leaders for our 2026 predictions, we didn't compare notes beforehand. 

We had limited space and were told to be specific.

Yet, a clear pattern emerged across the board.
🔸  AI was the theme throughout.
🔸  We didn't talk about playbooks. We talked about Systems. 
🔸  We didn't just talk about CS + AI. We talked about Revenue & Profitability.

A huge thank you to ChurnZero for asking me to contribute alongside such incredible leaders. 

Here is the reality I see coming for our industry:

“Customer success is the frontline of survival for both traditional SaaS and AI-first startups, shifting the mission from simple adoption to high-precision Value Engineering.

To win, leaders are replacing generalists with specialized GTM squads, using Forward-Deployed CSMs and Consumption Leads for high-touch growth, while AI CS Ops and Program Managers architect the data-driven systems that power scaled, touch-free renewals and expansions.

As AI agents automate the routine, the human CSM role will become elevated, requiring the deep EQ and business acumen necessary to turn experimental AI budgets into the predictable, profitable revenue our boards now demand.”

📌  The consensus is clear: 
AI is forcing us to restructure our teams, our roles, and our unit economics to survive in a new market model.


🚨  But there is one trend I think is still flying under the radar:  Agentic Suggestion.

👉  Right now, we prompt AI. By the end of 2026, AI will prompt us.

We are moving toward systems that understand our goals and suggest work, anticipating needs before we even articulate them. 

This will require massive Change Leadership, not just for our teams, but for ourselves.


📌  I’m digging into these trends and How to Take Action in my newsletter this Saturday, AND I have some live events on these themes in the next two weeks.

Get the Insights: 
👉 Read the ChurnZero 2026 Forecast: https://lnkd.in/gEj3Bvu2 
👉 Get my Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gBrhN3As

📆  If you are ready to build the system that supports this future, join my StepUpXchange NexGen CS Leadership Masterclass and learn about the Modern CS Growth System on Jan 20th:  https://lnkd.in/gsETU8a2

📆  If you’re really serious, join the StepUpXchange VIP Inner Circle. You’ll get an exclusive invite to Fireside Focus on Jan 15 that is usually reserved for members of the CS Business Leadership Accelerator. 

📢 This will be an intimate conversation with Ralphie (Ralphette) White, VP CS of Deepgram.  Ralphie is one of the leaders who has been at the forefront of the AI + CS [r]evolution. If you don't want to miss out...
https://lnkd.in/gpxwVFWB

Upswing

As a Higher Education Retention Officer (HERO) on the Upswing Customer Success Team, I empower our college and university partners to retain and graduate more non-traditional and marginalized students by maximizing their use of the holistic wraparound student services we provide (e.g. 24/7 virtual tutoring, 24/7 assignment review, 24/7 teletherapy, and Ana, our text-based people-powered student engagement solution). 

Key responsibilities I am onboarding into include:

✅Manage an annual book of business of $1.5-2M, typically composed of 30-40 partner institutions, achieving 100% of Net Revenue Retention and Yearly Bookings goals.
✅Negotiate account renewals and recommend upsell and cross-sell opportunities to proactively address customers' needs.
✅Cultivate strong relationships with university stakeholders to drive product adoption and engagement.
✅Decrease time-to-value by onboarding client administrators, tutors, and faculty and leveraging project management skills and tools (Asana) to implement Upswing's platform and services efficiently.
✅Strengthen CS team capacity by collaborating on OKR and enablement initiatives to refine processes and operations utilizing Salesforce CRM, Sisense Business Intelligence, Lattice Employee Engagement, Guru Wiki, Zendesk Support, Azure DevOps, Slack, Microsoft Excel, Google Suite, and other tools.

HERO (Customer Success Manager / Account Manager)

CuSP: A Chicago Customer Success Community

CuSP is a Chicago-based networking association focused on bringing Customer Success professionals together to share knowledge and make connections. As part of the Volunteer Board, I have helped grow our membership and plan events, including our first-ever post-pandemic event in the Chicago suburbs, which I hosted in partnership with Enclave Coworking.

Volunteer Board

Gain Grow Retain

An open, free community built by and for customer success leaders. Head over to GainGrowRetain.com to sign up for a free account!

Member

RecastSuccess

The RecastSuccess Customer Success boot camp / apprenticeship that I completed in March 2023 advanced my skills in risk management, revenue retention opportunity identification, QBRs, and customer satisfaction. I continue to hone my Client Success skills through ongoing engagement with the RecastSuccess network of faculty and alumni.

✔Brainstormed collaboratively about Customer Success industry trends and best practices.
✔Analyzed client data and deliver business review presentations to practice storytelling with data.
✔Created product demonstration video and customer testimonial videos.
✔Role-played product renewal negotiation scenarios and solve customer success case studies.

Core Curriculum included:
Customer Lifecycle stages | Cross-functional partnerships | Onboarding and Implementation planning | B2B Stakeholders and Personas | Customer Education | No/Low Touch strategies | Pilots and Upselling | Voice of Customer (VoC) | Storytelling with Data | KPIs and Data Analysis | CRM and CS Software | Salesforce Trailhead | Project Management Tools | Renewals and Negotiations | Quarterly Business Reviews | Client Testimonials | Product Demos

Customer Success Manager

University of San Francisco

Founding member of team charged with optimizing university’s retention and graduation rates; serve as the one consistent resource for 625 assigned students from the beginning of their USF journey through graduation, achieving 2% higher retention goal for book of business vs. university overall.

✔Uncover high-touch student clients' ROI goals via discovery conversations and incorporate input from multiple stakeholders to guide in co-creation and realization of 200+ success plans annually.
✔Implement risk mitigation playbooks using Tableau, Salesforce, and Qualtrics to analyze health scores, performance data, and customer sentiment, resulting in 82% renewal of at-risk segment.
✔Partner closely with faculty and staff departments across campus to drive client engagement with their services, resulting in 1152 qualified referrals/leads sent via Salesforce in 5 years since adopting CRM.
✔Migrated Exploring Majors course from Blackboard to Canvas LMS, trained 6 instructors on new course materials and Focus 2 Career software platform, and taught class to 75 students, leading to 41% improvement in pre-to-post student awareness of steps needed to achieve their goals.

Success Coach / Program Director - Center for Academic and Student Achievement

Developed first-ever suite of student retention programs for the School of Management, served as pooled support resource for 1400 School of Management students ($35 million ARR) and provided enablement support for 100 faculty advisors. 

✔Increased university-wide student retention rate by 5% and graduation rate by 10% in five years.
✔Orchestrated group advising program offered bi-annually by 10+ person team to onboard students to Ellucian Banner software system, which reduced advising time by 80% (60 hours) and achieved 90% CSAT.
✔Used change management practices (benchmarking, listening sessions, pilot) to launch early alert identification program, leading to 140% increase in churn risk referrals from faculty.
✔Facilitated transfer of customer feedback from clients to organization leaders and increased engagement in clubs 5% by creating and growing advisory board of student champions.

Retention and Matriculation Advisor - School of Management

OSU Multicultural Center

✔Revamped and laid groundwork for learning and development program that still exists today (now called D.I.C.E. certificate program) by conducting needs assessment, piloting Certificate of Intercultural Awareness and Community Engagement, and establishing new student cohorts.

Diversity Leadership Program Coordinator

OSU / Fisher College of Business Career Services

✔Improved retention 5% for enterprise caseload by consulting and troubleshooting with recruiting clients regarding on-campus hiring efforts.

Recruiting Consultant

OfficeTeam

✔Grew logos, upsells, expansions, and renewals 15% by cold calling prospects, managing existing placements, filling open job orders, and providing exceptional customer service as staffing manager.

Staffing Manager / Sales Rep

Procter & Gamble

✔Served in startup incubator unit preparing Elations dietary supplement product for launch by gathering customer feedback on packaging and assessing product-market fit for brand extension ideas.
✔Increased impact of customer feedback insights on Secret deodorant business decisions by launching Voice of Customer enablement program with lunch-and-learns, contests, and visuals to engage Product, Brand Management, Business Development, and Finance team members.
✔Grew intern and new hire applications as part of Indiana University On-Campus Recruiting team.

Consumer Market Knowledge Associate Manager

I’m Kimberly Renee Knowles, a passionate Customer Success Manager at Upswing.io, where I partner with colleges and universities to help marginalized students succeed by providing access to critical resources. My focus is on translating big-picture industry insights into practical, actionable solutions that drive retention and student success, ultimately expanding Upswing's impact on campuses.

With over 20 years of experience spanning customer success, coaching, consulting, and market research, I’ve guided clients, colleagues, and teams through complex challenges, helping them implement strategies that lead to meaningful results. Whether advising university stakeholders on student success or providing insights to networking contacts and internal teams, I enjoy helping others find the best path forward.

I’m also a Certified Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) with a passion for supporting individuals through career transitions and professional growth. I love creating opportunities for others to succeed and achieve their goals.

When I’m not working, I enjoy dancing, singing online karaoke, walking our Lagotto Romagnolo, and spending time with my 9-year-old as she explores her various interests, like figure skating. I’m based in the Chicago area and serve on the Volunteer Board for CuSP: A Chicago Customer Success Professionals Meetup. I’m always excited to collaborate with Customer Success, Customer Experience, and Professional Services professionals, whether they are based locally or just passing through, to build impactful networking events.

Please reach out if you're interested in EdTech trends, partnering with Upswing, or discussing strategies to improve student retention and engagement. I’d also love to connect with professionals interested in career growth or coaching. If you need a time-sensitive response, email me at kimberly@upswing.io.

#CustomerSuccess #CustomerExperience #CS #CX #SaaS #Networking #HigherEducation #StudentSuccess #StudentEngagement #Coaching #CustomerRelationshipManagement #AccountManager #Multithreading #RevenueGeneration

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