Today on the show, we have Crystal Widjaja, Executive-in-Residence at Reforge and angel investor and advisor to several startups.

In this episode, Crystal shares her expertise on activating growth through data-driven insights, focusing on the importance of well-structured retention funnels. She explains how to design impactful onboarding experiences, track the right metrics, and identify key points of abandonment to improve user activation and engagement.

We then delve into the power of segmentation and discuss how understanding user behavior and traits can unlock exponential growth. Finally, we explore actionable tips for avoiding common data pitfalls and creating a culture of experimentation and improvement.

Mentioned Resources

• Retention Funnels Google Sheet
• Superhuman Episode
• Scale AI
• Bounce
• Maze
• Stanford University
• GoTo Group
• Gojek
• Akshay Kothari
• Reforge
• Brian Balfour
• Mixpanel
• Amplitude
• Hotjar
• Gemini
• Segment
• Eleanor Dorfman
• Naked Wines
• Google Analytics
• Cedric Chin
• Commoncog
• AB InBev
• Loom
• Canva
• Figma

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show, we have Krishna Raj Raja, the CEO of SupportLogic.

In this episode, Krishna shares his journey from engineering at VMware to founding SupportLogic, a platform that transforms support interactions into actionable customer insights.

We discuss his approach to turning support into a growth engine by monitoring customer interactions for hidden signals that can prevent churn.

Finally, Krishna reveals how leading companies are adopting a proactive support experience management strategy, showing significant reductions in customer escalations and increases in expansion.

Mentioned Resources

• Krishna Raj Raja  
• SupportLogic
• Support Experience
• CloudPhysics
• VMware 
• Palo Alto 
• Hotjar
• Zendesk 
• ChatGPT       
• Salesforce 
• Tableau 
• MuleSoft 
• Snowflake
• Databricks
• Nokia
• Red Hat
• Starbucks
• Service Cloud
• Freshdesk
• Oracle
• SAP   
• Kubernetes
• Adobe
• Apple
• Rubrik
• Notion

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show, we have Ruslan Nazarenko, the Head of Growth at Scale AI.

In this episode, Ruslan shares his approach to boosting retention in marketplace models through strategic engagement and quality management. He dives into Scale AI's unique model for retaining skilled gig workers, emphasizing how tailored experiences can overcome common marketplace retention challenges.

We then explore the role of dormancy and reactivation in maintaining a resilient workforce, and how Scale AI balances high-quality standards with user engagement to create a robust marketplace ecosystem.

We wrapped up by exploring the critical role of company culture in driving sustainable growth, the value of setting ambitious goals, and Ruslan’s insights into building a resilient, motivated team that drives growth. 

Mentioned Resources

• Scale AI  
• Substack  
• Respeecher 
• Reface
• Quokka
• Bird
• Etsy
• Panel AI
• Superhuman      
• Gaurav Vohra 
• Uber
• Lyft
• LIME AI   
• Hotjar

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show, we have Gaurav Vohra, Head of Product Growth at Superhuman.

In this episode, Gaurav shares how Superhuman transitioned from a solo (single-player) tool to a powerful team-based (multiplayer) product, enabling them to break through their growth ceiling.

We explore the deliberate strategies behind Superhuman’s shift to team use, including the challenges of adapting a high-quality, individual-focused product for broader team functionality. Gaurav discusses the key product changes that made Superhuman invaluable for entire teams, creating new growth pathways and expanding Superhuman’s market reach.

Mentioned Resources

• Superhuman 
• Oliver Wyman 
• Reportive
• Mohannad Ali 
• Hotjar
• Apple
• Kingston
• Slack
• Notion
• Wiki      
• Slack Connect 
• HubSpot
• Salesforce
• ChatGPT
• Netflix
• Spotify
• Duolingo 

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show we have Evgenia Mkrtychian, the Director of Customer Success and Corporate Communication Strategy at LoyaltyPlant, a full-scale customer engagement platform.

In this episode, Evgenia shares her decade-long journey in B2B SaaS, emphasizing practical strategies for customer engagement and retention and discussing LoyaltyPlant's 30% revenue growth, process improvements, and the introduction of gamification elements.

We then discussed the release of her new book, "Customer Success Playbook: Your Practical Guide to Winning Customer Loyalty in B2B SaaS” and we wrapped up by discussing  simplicity, decision-making, and critical thinking in customer success.

Mentioned Resources

• LoyaltyPlant
• Customer Success Playbook: Your Practical Guide to Winning Customer Loyalty in B2B SaaS 

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show, we have Adam Fishman, interim SVP of New Products at Mozilla and a growth advisor to various startups.

In this episode, Adam dives into the concept of controllable vs. seemingly uncontrollable churn, sharing strategies he used at Patreon and Imperfect Foods to effectively manage churn.

He explains how to identify what appears to be out of your control and the tactics that can tame it, turning seemingly uncontrollable churn into manageable factors. From improving customer onboarding to managing expectations, Adam reveals how focusing on the right areas can significantly impact retention and drive growth.

Mentioned Resources

• Startup Dad Podcast
• Mozilla
• Imperfect Foods
• Fishman AF Newsletter
• Reforge

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show, we have Marija Skobe-Pilley, Co-Founder and Director of Fractional SaaS and host of the Women in Customer Success podcast.

In this episode, Marija shares her incredible journey from a professional musician to a leader in customer success. We explore how she turned seemingly unrelated skills from her music career into strengths in customer success, applying talents like discipline, project management, and audience engagement to build strong client relationships and drive business growth.

We also discuss the challenges of making major career transitions, how to recognize transferable skills, and how Marija positioned herself for leadership roles in customer success. Finally, we dive into the rise of portfolio careers and how Marija is embracing this model to balance consulting, coaching, and personal projects.

Mentioned Resources

• Fractional SaaS
• NVIDIA
• Women in Success Podcast
• Catalyst
• ClickUp

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show, we have Henrique Cruz, Head of Growth at Rows.

In this episode, Henrique shares how Rows radically transformed its user acquisition and activation strategy by making the product the homepage. He breaks down the bold decision to remove traditional barriers like signups, creating an ungated, no-account-required experience that tripled user signups—from 8% to 27%.

We then explore the impact this change had on their key metrics, the power of onboarding through real-time product use, and how this approach has redefined activation and retention for Rows.

Mentioned Resources

• Rows
• Veniam
• Talkdesk
• Notion
• Slack
• Digital Ocean

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show, we have Melissa Kwan, CEO and Co-Founder of eWebinar.

In this episode, Melissa shares her experience building and scaling eWebinar, a product-led company, and contrasts it with her previous sales-led ventures.

We dive into the key differences between sales-led and product-led growth models, specifically how each approach tackles churn and retention.

Melissa also opens up about the challenges of bootstrapping a SaaS company, the role of automation in scaling, and how focusing on lifestyle has shaped her business decisions.

Mentioned Resources

• eWebinar 
• Spacio
• HomeSpotter
• Hotjar  
• Stripe
• ChartMogul
• Leah Tharin
• Userpilot    
• Emeric Ernoult 
• Agorapulse 

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show we have Dan Siroker, CEO and Co-Founder of Limitless.

In this episode, Dan shares his journey from founding Optimizely, growing it to $120 million in ARR, to now leading Limitless, a company focused on building products that enhance memory.

We discussed the challenges of transitioning from B2B to B2C, including how AI is reshaping consumer retention and the importance of product focus and execution.

Finally, we wrapped up by diving into Dan’s philosophy on building products that truly "wow" and how startups can achieve that through ruthless prioritization and attention to detail.

Mentioned Resources

• limitless.ai
• Optimizely

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Today on the show, we have Joe Di Grande, the founder of Joe Does Tech Touch, a consulting firm specializing in customer success automation.

In this episode, Joe discusses the transformative power of data-driven automation in customer success. He shares how companies can leverage data to segment customers, automate renewals, and scale personalized engagement—without needing large teams.

Joe also explains how automating critical processes like renewals and pricing adjustments can directly impact Net Revenue Retention (NRR) and customer satisfaction.

We then wrapped up by diving into the importance of organizing customer data and implementing the right tools to ensure scalable success for both SMB and enterprise clients.

Mentioned Resources

• Joe Does Tech Touch   
• Vitally
• Business Insider
• Salesloft  
• Outreach   
• eMarketer
• Stripe
• Loom
• ChurnZero
• Clay
• Vidyard
• Air AI
• Netflix

Churn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.