Unfulfilling executive career? Transform it before it traps you.

When a family crisis took me out of school at 14 to get a full-time job, it sparked a journey across many industries, roles, and nations.
 
Office work, construction, and self-employment in Australia. Study in the UK. Ministry in Africa. Sales and executive roles in the US. And yet others.

I led the transformation of Arby’s to become one of the world’s fastest-growing restaurant chains. Rated in the Top 10 of over 3,000 franchise systems in the US, with a new location opening every 39 hours. 

When a takeover harmed the culture, I resigned to find a meaningful new path. But then my income was nearly tripled and I stayed on. 

Two years later, I resigned again, to buy or create a business aligned with my values.
I sought strategic, executive-level career support. And couldn’t find it. 

In that gap, I finally recognized my calling. So in 1992, I became a pioneer in this field. 

In 2014, a failed project left us with inadequate capital, and I turned the business over to a consortium of colleagues and clients. They closed it in 2016. In the meantime, I had created and launched a more resilient model. 

Today, our stressed societies desperately need more leaders motivated and able to reform management structures that undervalue higher needs and promote lower ones. 

If you’re ready to reimagine what your career can be, and to align it with your best contributions, there has never been a better time to do so. 

Let’s explore what’s possible. 

📅 Schedule a conversation: https://rjacareers.com/schedule-a-call-rj/

Russell Johnson

Level Up Leadership develops your skills as a leader, allowing you and your team to thrive.

300+ hours of leadership and professional coaching in 2024.

In 1:1s, I help leaders:

• boosts team performance
• create a culture support and trust
• dive deep into existing problems
• focus on continuous learning
• improve communication and feedback

Leadership Coach

Cooori Japan Co., Ltd

• Reduced churn by 81% through strategic initiatives, data insights, and building relationships and trust.

• Responsible for 4500 users over 100 clients. Developed customer health metrics, email campaigns, and automated workflows responsible for proactive outreach, retention, and upselling. Achieved 104% ARR.

• Managed and optimized internal systems, improving the customer experience and journey. 41% increase in product usage and 126% improvement in time to value.

• Partnered cross-functionally with Sales and Product teams to drive alignment and product development. NPS increased by +50, with end users spending 15% more time in the product.

• Provided presentations, training, and reviews, equipping clients with best practices to maximize product value.

Director of Customer Success

Alpros

• Responsible for $2.5 million, focusing on pipeline management, customer retention strategies, and revenue growth initiatives. Raised revenue by 25% in 18 months through upselling and cross-selling opportunities.

• Developed Sales' automations, playbooks, and workflows. Internal process improvements resulted in a 50% increase in active client management.

• Deployed and managed Salesforce for better monitoring of and communication with clients. 30% improvement in customer lifetime value.

Director

•  Leveraged data and strong analytical skills to increase recurring revenue by 45% and CLV by 15%.

•  Mentored and coached a team of 50 across multiple cultures and diverse backgrounds. Employee retention rates of 96%.

•  Managed end-to-end programs with SMBs and Global 500 companies, meeting with clients and ensuring alignment with customer needs. Maintained CSAT above 90%.

Academic Director

I Help You Build High-Performing Teams | Heart-Centric Leadership

Let me start with my north star: Seeing people succeed in their endeavors, reach their goals, and discover lasting success. Whether it’s customers achieving their desired outcomes or team members growing into their potential, I find immense satisfaction in being part of their journey.

Throughout my career, I have been committed to helping customers maximize value, enabling teams to unlock their full potential, and driving business growth through strategic, scalable strategies.

In Customer Success, I specialize in data-driven solutions that enhance customer engagement, retention, and satisfaction. I build and optimize customer journeys, automations, and playbooks. Each one gets tested, measured, and refined to create repeatable successes. These systems drive results, allowing teams to focus on meaningful interactions and lasting relationships.

As a deep generalist, I combine broad business acumen with specialized expertise in Customer Success. My approach blends data-driven strategy, customer engagement, and process optimization. Whether developing customer health frameworks, aligning CS initiatives with business goals, or coaching high-performing teams, I adapt to complex challenges with a systems-thinking mindset.

I thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments where cross-functional collaboration and strategic planning lead to real results. My focus always remains on delivering outcomes that matter for customers, teams, and businesses.

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The Battle

Russell Johnson

Chris Cotter

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