🏳️‍🌈 | Head of Customer Success @Whale 🐳 | Top 100 Strategist in Customer Success 2024🏅 | Podcast host 🎙️ @Your First... | Top 25 Creative CS Leader '23 | Biggest cheerleader you’ll ever meet 🤩 |

Hi 👋 My name is Stino! 

I’m the Head of Customer Success @Whale & host of the Customer Success Hotline & the We Fucked Up So You Don’t Have To Podcasts 🫶

Strategic CS runs in my veins & I love to help other CSM’s unlock their full potential. Only together as a community we’re one step closer to the Holy Grail! 

Welcome to my page - I hope you love the content as I love getting it all out there! Sassy, bold, and a little insane 😂

See you around 🙏

My team is growinnngggg! 😍 I'm on the lookout for a new US addition to the Whale (usewhale.io) CS pod!

I'm not going to lie, quite terrified (remember the rant of this summer 😂) to put this out, but the rules are simple 😉

Send Resume & cover letter to stijn.smet@usewhale.io. 

No DMs, no LinkedIn messages. Just send your stuff  💌 (Or tag someone you think would be a fit.)

✅ Contract Details
Type: Ongoing freelance contract (not payroll)
Status: Independent contractor / self-employed
Location: Remote — must be based in Eastern Time (US)
Hours: Full-time (we align on expectations, you run with it)
Compensation: Competitive and based on experience

🚫 Not a Fit If You...
Need heavy structure or hand-holding
New to Customer Success or unfamiliar with SaaS
Struggle to self-manage in a remote environment

🐳 About Whale
Whale is the #1 AI SOP platform for teams to document, share, and manage their standard operating procedures. Our platform empowers companies to align faster, onboard smarter, and drive results without the chaos of scattered documents and outdated training.

We’re entering an exciting new phase of growth, further strengthening our already substantial footprint in the US. We’re building a team of sharp, driven individuals who deeply care about what they build - and who they build it with.

🧠 The Role
We’re on the lookout for a Junior/Medior Customer Success Manager based in the Eastern Time Zone (US) to join us on an indefinite freelance (self-employed) contract.

You’ll be the strategic partner for your customers, owning onboarding, driving adoption, and helping teams fall in love with Whale. You’ll work independently while Europe sleeps, with our full support once we wake up.

It’s startup chaos, it’s fast-moving, and you’ll get a blank canvas to make your mark.

💪 What You’ll Own

Manage a portfolio of Whale customers — from onboarding to renewal
Host strategy calls, trainings, check-ins, and business reviews
Track product adoption and proactively guide teams to success
Spot risks before they become churn and opportunities before they’re obvious
Help scale our CS motion: playbooks, processes, internal docs — all of it
Collaborate closely with Sales, Product, and Marketing to level up customer experience

Be a thought partner to your customers and a true extension of their team

🙌 You're a Fit If You...

Have 1–3+ years of SaaS Customer Success experience
Are based in the Eastern Time Zone (US)
Are self-employed and looking for an ongoing freelance contract
Have startup grit — you’re calm in chaos, scrappy, and resourceful
Know your way around Slack, CSPs like Custify, and love automation
Thrive on ownership, bring ideas to the table, and execute fast
Love helping customers succeed and see CS as a revenue driver

Are you joining us on the couch? 

#CustomerSuccess #Hiring

Stijn Smet 🐳

🏳️‍🌈 | Head of Customer Success @Whale 🐳 | Award-winning Customer Success Leader | Host 🎙️ @Your First... Show & WFUSYDHT & The CS Hotline | Biggest cheerleader you’ll meet 💙

I’ve been emotionally done lately. End of year chaos, too many tabs open (mentally and literally), and that desperate need to “just hold it together” until the holidays hit.

Some mornings, I’m lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to hype myself up like a motivational TikTok. But it’s dark. It’s raining. It’s cold. And not even the smell of fried chicken wings could get me out of bed. Well maybe if they come with a tub of ranch. 

Especially on those “work from home” days when my bed feels like the only coworker who understands me.

But I’ve learned something about myself, when motivation is MIA, I can trick my brain by dressing the fuck up. Outfit that says “serving Q4 realness” instead of “surviving off Slack notifications.”

And instantly? I feel different.

My body shows up. My mind follows. I’m not dragging myself to my laptop. I’m walking in like it’s a runway.

Also, can we give a slow clap for my new leather laptop clutch? Because she’s hot, she’s confident, and she carries all my emotional baggage in style.

Sometimes, that’s all it takes. Not a pep talk. Not another productivity hack. Just a reminder that you can find confidence in small things that make you happy. 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to keep pretending my kitchen is a co-working space in Paris.

#CustomerSuccess #SaaSWithSass #LeadershipEnergy #WFHButMakeItFashion #SurvivingNovember

Yesterday, we welcomed 600 visitors to the very first edition of Beidehand.

On one of the coldest, rainiest days of the year… people still showed up. With smiles, curiosity, and that look of pure amazement when they discovered every piece of art, design and craftsmanship. It honestly warmed my heart.

This festival was the result of 6 months of work after hours, evenings, weekends, bank holidays. Squeezing it into any moment we had. And somehow… we pulled it off. ❤️

In a world where we’ve become a little less tolerant, where we’re pushed to have an opinion on everything, where keyboard warriors spread negativity faster than light. Yesterday I saw the opposite.

I saw people crave connection.
I saw warmth, appreciation, sparkly eyes.
I saw strangers talk to each other.
I saw makers stand proud.
It felt like one giant, soft wave of love.

And I want to take a moment for Tom.
My partner in life and now my partner in this beautiful chaos.
The creativity, the calm, the craft, the heart he poured into this festival was next level. Watching him in his element made me even prouder to stand next to him. 🫶

And behind the scenes, I’ll admit it, I put every ounce of my Customer Success brain and heart into this. Making sure our designers felt guided, supported, valued, prepared, celebrated. Proactive communication, expectation-setting, experience design… the whole thing.

Not because it’s my job but because these makers deserved the absolute best version of us.

Their mind, soul, craft and passion on display… that’s vulnerable.

But the public’s reaction?
The smiles.
The admiration.
The “wow” moments.
The quiet staring.
The goosebumps.

That gave me a piece of my heart back.

This was for them.
Always for them.

Already excited (and slightly terrified in the best way) for the second edition. 💙

#Beidehand #DesignFestival #ArtFestival #BelgianDesign #Creativity #Community #CustomerSuccess

Pictures by the amazing Brent Timmermans

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