Most CS functions fail not because of the wrong technology — but because they bought it too early, built too much too fast, and forgot that good people following simple frameworks beat a 40-page playbook every time. In this episode we're joined by David Lane, Senior Customer Success Manager at WalkMe, who has one of those CS careers that covers everything: first CSM hire at a startup, scaling the function, building out EMEA and APAC, and making every classic mistake along the way so you don't have to. David is refreshingly honest about what he got wrong — and what he'd do differently if he was walking into a startup CS role today. We cover: The crawl, walk, run framework — what to build first, what to save for later, and why doing too much too soon is one of the most common startup CS mistakes People, process, technology — in that order — why buying a CS platform before you're ready is an expensive way to learn a lesson Owning your positioning internally — why letting sales introduce you to customers is a mistake, and how to control the narrative from day one The AI strategy conversation nobody's having — why having a vague plan isn't enough, and what embedding AI properly actually looks like at an early-stage CS team Don't make it cookie cutter — why comprehensive playbooks sound great and fall apart in practice, and what to do instead Plus: should CSMs own expansion quotas when the sales team disappears? Mike, Deb and David weigh in — and the answer might surprise you. If you're a first CS hire, a founder building out your post-sales function, or a CS leader trying to scale without throwing headcount at the problem — this one's packed with the kind of practical thinking you won't find in a certification course. 0:00 Intro — Deb's secret radio DJ past3:29 Well That Escalated Fast — CSMs with expansion quotas: too much or fair game?8:00 Meet David Lane — from first CS hire to Director at Ciara11:00 People, Process, Technology — in that order, always16:30 The crawl, walk, run framework for early-stage CS21:00 Don't let sales introduce you to your customers26:30 Managing CS across EMEA and APAC — what changes by market31:00 Owning your positioning internally as a CS leader35:00 Don't buy a CSP until you're ready37:40 Future-proofing your CS function — having an actual AI strategy41:00 Wrap up — key takeaways from Mike & Deb Customer Success from the Ground Up is hosted by Mike Marshall , Global CS Programme Lead, and Deborah Knight from KaptivCX. Find us on Spotify, subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and join the community. LinkedIn Community - https://www.linkedin.com/company/customer-success-from-the-ground-up/ Customer Success from the Ground Up Programme: https://www.skool.com/cs-from-the-ground-up-9350/about KaptiveCX Customer Success Consultancy: www.kaptivecx.com
