Monday Guest Fran Stevenson
Get to know Fran Stevenson
By: Mohammed Alqaq | October 23, 2023
Professional colleagues and personal friends would describe me as a driven professional who puts her kids first, is a proud K-State alum, and loves to travel. I will always call Kansas my home but have been blessed to have stints in Ohio, Japan, Alabama, and now South Carolina.
My way of giving back to the customer success community is by supporting new professionals and new leaders who work within the customer journey. I’m currently coaching ~15 marketing, sales, sales engineers, data analytics, customer success, and professional services job seekers.
We asked Fran to take us through a journey telling us about her career path, how she spends her workday, what advice she can share with someone starting as a customer success manager, and many other questions.
Enjoy reading this interview
Tell us about your career path?
Like many in customer success, I have had a unique career path, which created exposure to many industries, business models, and leadership styles. I’ve worked in and with higher education professionals because of received my Masters in Higher Education and Student Affairs.
Weaved within those experiences I had a career in staffing including sales, recruiting, operations, and HR. As a result of that network, I landed in technology with a small SaaS, construction project management software company.
After that company was acquired, my career in customer success took off because of opportunities and tremendous coaching/mentors. I pivoted back to the startup world and have reported to multiple CEOs, continuing to expand my scope with various experiences allowing me to lead teams within the full customer journey.
How did you join Customer Success?
In 2011, the CEO of Expesite, Jeff Sopp, recruited me as we had previously worked together. As an Account Manager for a startup, I was exposed to sales, implementation, customer success, renewals, support, marketing, and finance. And ironically, Jeff recently recruited me again to work for the U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health (USCAH).
How would you describe the ideal CSM candidate?
Leads with curiosity. Utilizes data. Solves problems. Improves scalable processes. Takes initiative. Focuses on customers achieving their business objectives, while driving growth for his/her company.
What one piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out as a Customer Success Manager?
Understand how your job relates to company goals.
“Have a lifelong learner mindset. You can learn something from everyone if you listen and ask questions”.
Can you take us on a journey describing what your workday looks like?
It’s always different. I like to schedule my day the night before based on priorities and deliverables. This allows me to be at my highest level of productivity early in the morning.
What makes you feel inspired or motivated?
Achieving KPIs, building customer advocates and providing experiences/exposure for teammates that contribute to career paths.
What’s one thing that people are generally surprised to find out about you?
I’ve been told by those who have never worked with me (including interviewers) that I’m ‘nice.’ And sometimes that is interpreted as not being a bold leader. However, those who have worked with me call me a courageous leader. It IS possible to be an engaged leader/lift others up and be a strong negotiator, lead strategically and challenge teams.
Who do you look up to the most?
I have been fortunate to have some amazing leaders who have been great role models/coaches. I look up to all of them and frequently utilize their strategies and execution tactics.
What are your top 3 priorities now?
– Partnering with two industry-leading tech and healthcare providers to build out the go-to-market strategy for an innovative app that is designed to address the unique health and wellness needs of athletes.
– Supporting USCAH’s partners in sharing the value of the USCAH product/service to their customers.
– Coaching tech professionals in the midst of a job search or transitioning to a leadership role. 😉
What advice would you give to Customer Success Managers to grow and develop their careers?
Have a lifelong learner mindset. You can learn something from everyone if you listen and ask questions. And be consistently focused on improving your written and verbal communication skills.
What’s your favorite book, and why?
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
I have seen teams crush KPIs, and I have seen teams consistently miss company goals. There’s a common theme – is the team built on trust and solving problems?
» Check out the 10 Books a CSM should read to advance and improve their skills.
Have you had your “I’ve made it” moment yet?
A former colleague highlighted that I was the first VP in the company who was a working mother who traveled ~70% of the time. I didn’t even realize it, I was just doing what I thought I needed to do for the company, the customers, and the team. My ‘success’ has fueled my fire to support other women in defining their success plans and executing it. 🙂
What should I have asked you but didn’t?
Tell me more about the impact of your network.
Here’s my story, my network has guided my career path (read about Jeff above), my network has supported my referrals in their job searches and my network has opened doors for my three kids as they have transitioned to the professional world.
My words of wisdom – staying at a company that has high growth and change provides a network that many other professionals will never have.
Where can people go to find out more about you?
I’m regularly on LinkedIn as a learner and a thought leader. There’s also more information about the education, consulting and assessments that USCAH provides – this will provide insight into what I do on a daily basis to promote athletes’ health, wellness and safety.
Thank you, Fran, for sharing your knowledge and for the opportunity to know you more.
Do you have a Customer Success Leader, Expert, or Influencer you would like to know more about?
