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Top Mentors in Customer Success

Updated: Nov 18


Customer Success is no longer just a department—it’s a strategic driver for business growth, retention, and long-term success. As companies become more customer-centric, the demand for skilled Customer Success professionals has never been higher.

From mastering the art of relationship management to developing strategies that enhance customer experiences, the role of Customer Success Managers (CSMs) is pivotal in helping businesses thrive.


However, excelling in Customer Success is not without its challenges. The constantly evolving landscape of customer expectations, paired with the complexities of SaaS and other subscription models, means that professionals in this field need to be agile, knowledgeable, and ready to adapt to new trends.


Whether you're looking to increase customer retention, improve onboarding processes, or manage churn more effectively, having the right mentor can make all the difference.



Ready to connect with the most experienced and successful mentors in Customer Success? These industry leaders have been where you are and have navigated the ups and downs of customer-facing roles. They can provide valuable insights into managing customer relationships, understanding key success metrics, and developing strategies that align with both customer needs and business goals.


Whether you're just starting out in Customer Success or you're a seasoned professional looking to hone your skills, a mentorship can help you unlock new opportunities, overcome challenges, and elevate your career to the next level.


And, you can connect with the top mentors in Customer Success for FREE on Upnotch! These experts are eager to connect to help you network, upskill, and grow.


David Ewers – Senior Manager of Customer Success

David Ewers, Upnotch Mentor

David Ewers is the Senior Manager of Customer Success Services at Citrix Systems, with over 30 years of experience in IT, including a decade of service in the United States Army. In his role at Citrix, David leads a global Customer Success team, driving customer satisfaction and increasing Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) through strategic cloud-based solutions. Known for fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning, David has achieved over 90% annual contract renewals and excels in building strong client relationships. David would be an excellent mentor for veterans transitioning into civilian careers, as well as for those in customer success or leadership roles looking to build high-performing teams.

Praise for David

Sanjana Mukherjee, Mentee

I had a great session with David. I was inspired by his will to support and guide his mentees. His advice was insightful, and he offered strategies to overcome my challenges. I left our session feeling motivated and would recommend him as a mentor to anyone seeking guidance and support in their professional development.




Bernadette Risley – Customer Success Leader

Bernadette Risley, Upnotch Mentor

Bernadette Risley is a highly experienced B2B SaaS Sales and Customer Success Leader with a proven track record of driving revenue growth, customer retention, and employee engagement. She has built and scaled Customer Success teams from the ground up, developing and executing strategies that have significantly improved customer satisfaction, adoption, and renewal rates and ensured the delivery of exceptional customer experiences, leading to notable improvements in adoption, renewal, and expansion metrics aligned to the corporate initiatives and milestones. Her background continues further. Bernadette is a Certified Professional Coach and Energy Leadership Master Practitioner, helping companies achieve operational excellence through continuous improvement. She believes the fastest way to grow revenue is by building higher standards and higher performance with employees - resulting in higher profits.

Praise for Bernadette

Cyd Melendez, Mentee

It was terrific to meet Bernadette! We had a very insightful conversation and learned more about her professional experiences. She is very knowledgeable and willing to offer recommendations and encouragement.



David Sarjantson – Customer Success Leader

David Sarjantson, Upnotch Mentor

David Sarjantson is a Customer Success Technical Leader at Microsoft. He is a brilliant product expert and technology leader with experience in engineering, business development, product management, product marketing, and customer success. He has global leadership experience and is passionate about building teams. David loves mentoring and would be a wonderful mentor to anyone in a leadership role trying to grow their career.



Praise for David

Tatia Zuloaga, Mentee

David has exceptional qualities, such as being a critical thinker who can analyze complex issues, consider multiple perspectives, and generate innovative ideas. His unique insights and perspectives have helped our team achieve its goals and deliver high-quality work.


LeeRon Yahalomi – Head of Customer Success

LeeRon Yahalomi, Upnotch Mentor

LeeRon Yahalomi is the Head of Customer Success at regie.ai, a sales and marketing software. An exceptional Customer Success leader, LeeRon has over 20 years of experience in leadership, including 10 years in the startup world where she has built various customer success teams from the ground up. She also has experience in sales and go-to-market strategies. LeeRon loves mentoring and would be a fantastic mentor to anyone in sales or customer success looking for guidance or any startup founder looking to build a customer success team.

Praise for LeeRon

Nick Halley, Mentee

I come away with more insight and motivation every time we meet. LeeRon is a great mentor and has helped me scale my leadership.





Carissa Curtis - Customer Success and Sales Leader

Carissa Curtis, Upnotch Mentor

Carissa Curtis is a results-driven customer success and sales leader with 15 years of experience building and scaling high-performing teams in SaaS organizations, from early-stage startups to more mature phases. She has successfully launched and grown new business verticals from $0 to $6 million in ARR and led a distributed workforce managing $100 million in ARR. Her expertise lies in developing strategies that drive customer satisfaction, retention, and expansion. Carissa is passionate about delivering solutions that address customer challenges and has a proven track record of exceeding quotas, retaining top talent, and creating sustainable, scalable processes.

Praise for Carissa

Elizabeth Dorgu, Mentee

Carissa, I'm so grateful for your mentorship and the invaluable guidance you've provided me. Your advice was incredibly insightful, and I'm excited to apply it moving forward!


 

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