The Customer Mindset You Need with Andrea Nottingham, CSM @ BrainStorm
Wed Feb 04 2026
In this episode of SaaS Therapy, hosts Todd Kirk and Casey Trujillo are joined by Andrea Nottingham, a seasoned Customer Success Manager. They discuss the transition from being a customer to a CSM, the importance of defining success for clients, and best practices for managing customer relationships. Andrea shares insights on handling renewals, building trust, and navigating organizational dynamics. The conversation emphasizes the need for authenticity, persistence, and making it easy for customers to take action. The episode concludes with actionable advice for CSMs to enhance their effectiveness and foster better client relationships.Takeaways
Success means understanding what your customers need.
Customers often don't know what success looks like.
Building trust is essential in customer relationships.
Use data to guide your customers' decisions.
Be authentic and patient in your approach.
Don't go over your contact's head.
Help customers take the next step easily.
Engage with stakeholders to understand goals.
Prepare for calls with valuable insights.
Follow up to build reliability and trust.
Contents
00:00 Intro
02:40 Transitioning from Customer to Customer Success Manager
06:16 Defining Success for Customers
11:35 Best Practices for Customer Success Management
15:15 Handling Renewals and Sales Conversations
18:23 Building Relationships and Trust with Clients
21:12 Navigating Organizational Dynamics
25:51 Mindset and Persistence in Customer Engagement
32:10 Making It Easy for Customers to Take Action
39:01 Final Advice and Homework for CSMs
Resources
Connect with Casey
Connect with Todd
Visit the show page
Get to know BrainStorm
Credits
Show direction: Debra Wilson
Show design: Kensie Smith
Show manager: Jenna Mollinet
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In this episode of SaaS Therapy, hosts Todd Kirk and Casey Trujillo are joined by Andrea Nottingham, a seasoned Customer Success Manager. They discuss the transition from being a customer to a CSM, the importance of defining success for clients, and best practices for managing customer relationships. Andrea shares insights on handling renewals, building trust, and navigating organizational dynamics. The conversation emphasizes the need for authenticity, persistence, and making it easy for customers to take action. The episode concludes with actionable advice for CSMs to enhance their effectiveness and foster better client relationships.Takeaways Success means understanding what your customers need. Customers often don't know what success looks like. Building trust is essential in customer relationships. Use data to guide your customers' decisions. Be authentic and patient in your approach. Don't go over your contact's head. Help customers take the next step easily. Engage with stakeholders to understand goals. Prepare for calls with valuable insights. Follow up to build reliability and trust. Contents 00:00 Intro 02:40 Transitioning from Customer to Customer Success Manager 06:16 Defining Success for Customers 11:35 Best Practices for Customer Success Management 15:15 Handling Renewals and Sales Conversations 18:23 Building Relationships and Trust with Clients 21:12 Navigating Organizational Dynamics 25:51 Mindset and Persistence in Customer Engagement 32:10 Making It Easy for Customers to Take Action 39:01 Final Advice and Homework for CSMs Resources Connect with Casey Connect with Todd Visit the show page Get to know BrainStorm Credits Show direction: Debra Wilson Show design: Kensie Smith Show manager: Jenna Mollinet