Monday Guest Maria Leroy-Y3-W43
Get to know Maria Leroy
By: Mohammed Alqaq | October 21, 2024 | Year 3 – Week 43/2024
Hola! My name is Maria Leroy, and I’m a proud Argentinian based in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires. With a background in economics, I’ve always had a passion for numbers and data analysis.
However, my true joy lies in connecting with people and building meaningful relationships. When I’m not immersed in the world of customer success, you can find me exploring new cultures through travel, indulging in delicious food, or enjoying the great outdoors.
We asked Maria 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
Table of Contents
Tell us about your career path?
I began my career in Business Intelligence 18 years ago, honing my analytical skills and developing a deep understanding of data-driven insights. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently gravitated towards customer-facing roles. Whether it was delivering products, managing teams, or presenting to clients, I’ve always been focused on building strong customer relationships.
This has allowed me to develop a wide range of soft skills and adapt to new technologies. While I’m not a programmer, I’ve always been eager to learn and stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends.
How did you join Customer Success?
Three years ago, I made the exciting transition to a Customer Success Manager role within a SaaS company. This was a natural progression for me, given my longstanding passion for helping people and leveraging data to solve problems. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this role, from building strong relationships with customers to utilizing data-driven insights to drive positive outcomes. Two years ago, I was thrilled to step into a leadership position, where I’ve found great fulfillment in mentoring and guiding my team towards success.
How would you describe the ideal CSM candidate?
A CSM’s main skills are active listening and eagerness to learn. In addition, the ideal candidate should be data driven and love building long term partnership with clients. You could come from any background, Business, Tech, Hospitality, Teaching, the CSM position is versatile
What one piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out as a Customer Success Manager?
Embrace a mindset of curiosity. As a new Customer Success Manager, always be eager to learn, ask questions, and seek to understand your customers’ needs and challenges from their perspective. Curiosity will fuel your growth and help you become a more effective and empathetic CSM
Always be eager to learn, ask questions, and seek to understand your customers' needs
Can you take us on a journey describing what your workday looks like?
A typical workday for me starts with a focused review of my calendar and upcoming priorities.
Next, I dive into the data to get a pulse on the health of our customer relationships. This involves analyzing key metrics, identifying trends, and uncovering opportunities for improvement.
Once I have a clear understanding of the day’s priorities, I move into strategic meetings and coaching calls with my team. These sessions are dedicated to discussing goals, providing guidance, and empowering my team members to succeed
What makes you feel inspired or motivated?
My family and friends for sure! and also my team, seeing them grow keeps me motivated to keep doing my job
What’s one thing that people are generally surprised to find out about you?
I am fluent in French.
Who do you look up to the most?
I look up the most to my mum, she was the most important person, she taught me everything about emotional intelligence and love what you do. She passed away 4 years ago but she is always in my heart
What are your top 3 priorities now?
These are my top 3 priorities:
Keep learning and growing in my career.
Help other CSM, especially in the Spanish-speaking market.
Keep a healthy life/work balance with everything I love: spending time with my family and friends, travel, exercising, etc
What advice would you give to Customer Success Managers to grow and develop their careers?
To excel as a Customer Success Manager and advance your career, it’s essential to
Be proactive both internally and externally.
Collaborate effectively with other teams.
Foster strong working relationships with sales, product, support, and other departments to ensure a seamless customer experience.
Be a vocal advocate for your customers.
Speak up for the needs and concerns of your customers, ensuring their voices are heard within the organization.
Take on additional projects.
Seek out opportunities to contribute to cross-functional initiatives and demonstrate your leadership and versatility.
What’s your favorite book, and why?
L’amant – Marguerite Duras
It was the first book that moved me.
» 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?
Not yet, but I am working on it 🙂
What should I have asked you but didn’t?
Where would I like to travel next and why?
Where can people go to find out more about you?
I’d be happy to connect on Linkedin, feel free to reach out:
Thank you, Maria, 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?
