Monday Guest Ty Raia-Y3-W38
Get to know Ty Raia
By: Mohammed Alqaq | September 16, 2024 | Year 3 – Week 38/2024
Greetings! I’m Ty Raia, and I lead Customer Success for the Americas at Nozomi Networks. With a deep passion for the art and science of customer success, I’m constantly immersed in developing and refining strategies that drive exceptional outcomes. My dedication to this field often extends beyond the office, where I also mentor new Customer Success Managers and advise companies on innovative CS initiatives.
When I’m not working on enhancing the customer experience, you’ll find me enjoying life on my farm with my wonderful wife, our 3 dogs, 2 pigs, 22 sheep, 15 turkeys, and more chickens than I can count.
We asked Ty to take us through a journey telling us about his career path, how he spends his workday, what advice he 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 embarked on my college journey a bit later than most, starting at 22, but my determination to succeed drove me to graduate in just three years by taking on an ambitious course load each term. My passion for research led me to earn a degree in research methods and statistics, and I was honored to be invited to stay on for an additional year to teach the SPSS technical labs.
To fund my education, I worked as a bartender and in restaurants, where I quickly became known as the go-to person for tackling challenging technical tasks, from reprogramming POS systems to networking surveillance systems. These side projects were a natural fit for me—I had been building computers since childhood and exploring the internet since the early ’90s, back when it was mostly text-based forums. These technical challenges became the highlight of my days.
One day, a regular customer who owned an IT consulting firm offered me a position at his company, and I eagerly accepted. Fast forward a few years, and I found myself managing service and support centers for a hardware/software company. In this role, I discovered that I was spending about 20% of my time on what I now recognize as customer success, and I realized that this was the part of my job I was most passionate about.
My search for a role focused entirely on customer success led me to Jive Software, a company that built its entire philosophy around these principles. I deeply admired the founders and their approach, so I immersed myself in learning everything I could about the company. My dedication paid off, and about a year later, I received an offer to join Jive—a moment that truly changed the course of my career.
How did you join Customer Success?
Like many who have built a career in customer success, my journey in this field has been anything but linear. When I first entered the workforce, customer success wasn’t even a recognized department. My deep dive into this discipline truly began at Jive, where I had the privilege of learning from the exceptional Aaron Thompson—yes, the one known for his signature red pants. I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor to guide me through the nuances of customer success.
How would you describe the ideal CSM candidate?
Funny enough, years ago I would have said something like, “I look for those high in soft skills—the technical aspects can be learned.” However, my perspective shifted after an interesting experience in my career where I had to train a group of individuals who had only worked on the technical side to excel in customer success. This involved teaching them soft skills, and it worked! Today, many of these individuals lead CS departments, serve as managers, or have become senior CSMs, and I couldn’t be more proud of their achievements.
This experience has reshaped my approach to hiring. Now, I prioritize cognitive reasoning abilities, curiosity, and kindness when evaluating potential team members. These are the skills I have found to be the cornerstone of all great CSMs.
What one piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out as a Customer Success Manager?
Network! Start building your network early. I have leaned on my network too many times to count from how to solve a challenging scenario to learning new skills and a million things in-between. Some great places to start would be connecting with CxXchange, SuccessHACKER, or CS Insider.
Network!
Can you take us on a journey describing what your workday looks like?
I start my mornings early, around 5 a.m., using this quiet time to reflect on the day ahead and clear my mind of any distractions. I front-load my day with meetings—both internal and customer-facing—because I want to be fully present for my team and clients while my social energy is at its peak.
As the day progresses and my energy wanes, I take a midday break to unplug, take the dogs out, do some manual work on the farm, and grab a bite to eat.
The second half of my day is dedicated to project work and preparing for the next day’s meetings. For example, today I focused on developing a dashboard to track Distinct Products Sold by Category Quarter Over Quarter and advancing a Purchased not Deployed initiative.
To wrap up my workday, I review my schedule for the next day, make any necessary adjustments, tidy up my desk, and close the office door.
As someone who works from home, I find it essential to treat my home office like any other workspace—when I leave the office for the day, I am truly home.
What makes you feel inspired or motivated?
I have a passion for solving puzzles, particularly those that involve the intersection of technology and people. I thrive on finding innovative solutions that make a real impact. Working for a company and alongside individuals who are committed to making a difference in the world allows me to do what I love every day.
What’s one thing that people are generally surprised to find out about you?
There are often misconceptions about bigger guys—that we don’t work out, aren’t in shape, or are lazy. So, it might surprise people to learn that running a small farm involves, among other things, baling 400-600 pounds of hay every week and lifting 100-pound feed bags almost daily. I may not be running marathons, but this big guy certainly gets in some serious workouts.
Who do you look up to the most?
At work, my boss Dave Sunderland has been a significant influence. I’ve had the privilege of working under Dave twice now, and I couldn’t ask for a better leader. He constantly motivates me and challenges me to grow my skills every day. Beyond that, I deeply admire how he treats people and his clear, honest communication—he’s genuinely a great person.
In life, my wife is my greatest inspiration. She makes me feel seen and loved, and that’s a truly beautiful thing.
What are your top 3 priorities now?
These are my top 3 priorities:
Surfacing and Connecting More Data: I’m focused on enhancing our ability to make informed decisions by surfacing and connecting more data, which will also help uncover valuable patterns.
Building Out Organizational Documentation: While we already have extensive documentation, I’m working on organizing it more effectively to better support the scaling of our department.
Preparing for Fall: Fall is a busy season on the farm, with apples and pears to harvest. I’m also in the process of transforming an outbuilding into a storage facility before the snow arrives.
What advice would you give to Customer Success Managers to grow and develop their careers?
Identify a cross-functional project that’s essential but has yet to be taken on—especially one that impacts customer success. By stepping up and leading this initiative, you’ll demonstrate your readiness for greater responsibility and showcase your leadership skills. It’s about proving your capability, not just stating it.
What’s your favorite book, and why?
I have many favorite books, but one that had a significant impact on me in college was Logical Self-Defense by Ralph H. Johnson and J. Anthony Blair. This book equipped me with the critical thinking skills to navigate and solve any puzzle—a set of skills I continue to use every day.
» 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?
I don’t typically think in terms of specific goals, as I view the journey itself as the goal. That said, I’ve experienced some significant milestones over the years that reassure me I’m on the right path.
What should I have asked you but didn’t?
Since this is Customer Success Middle East, I want to take a moment to focus on that region specifically. In my view, the Middle East is primed for significant growth in Customer Success. Unlike in the U.S., where digital interactions are often the norm, the Middle East has a strong cultural preference for face-to-face encounters. People value the opportunity to shake hands, get to know their primary contact personally, and expect a high level of personalization in their business relationships.
Customer Success is a natural fit for this region, and I believe that in the coming years, we’ll see the Middle East emerging as a leader in Customer Success thought leadership.
Where can people go to find out more about you?
You’re welcome to check out my LinkedIn, but the best way to connect is by sending me a message. Let’s schedule a virtual call and have a conversation.
Thank you, Ty, 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?
