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Strategic CS Labs

4 Weeks

Cohort-based Course

Become a more strategic CSM: Gain confidence. Get promoted. Unlock more career opportunities.

Class is in session

Strategic CS Labs

4 Weeks

Cohort-based Course

Become a more strategic CSM: Gain confidence. Get promoted. Unlock more career opportunities.

Hosted by

Diana De Jesus

CEO & Founder, The Customer Success Project

Diana De Jesus

CEO & Founder, The Customer Success Project

Work Mention & Featured In

Course overview

Break free from the reactive CSM cycle

Many Customer Success Managers find themselves stuck in this never-ending cycle of reactivity. The day-to-day tasks keep piling up, the client conversations never seem to go beyond feature and support requests, and clients aren't always engaged in the partnership.

Trying to be more strategic in this environment is really tough. This constant firefighting mode isn't just stunting our growth; it's also keeping us from delivering the real value our customers signed up for.

Deep down, we know we're capable of more–building stronger relationships and driving the outcomes that matter.

This program is designed specifically for CSMs ready to break free from the reactive cycle and step confidently into a strategic role. Introducing the Strategic CS Labs, centered around the R.I.S.E system (Relationships, Insights, Strategy, and Execution), this five-week program will help you:

1️⃣ Build Strong Relationships: You'll learn how to understand and connect with the people you work with, both internally (your teammates) and externally (your clients). You'll figure out how to make strategies that match their goals and how to talk in a way that really gets through to them.

2️⃣ Use Insights to Build Trust: Develop action plans using a data-driven approach (not assumptions). From leading strategic conversations with clients to leveraging industry trends and customer stories, you'll gather the insights needed to maintain momentum and drive results.

3️⃣ Craft and Execute Strategic Plans: With a comprehensive understanding of your client’s goals, challenges, and KPIs, you’ll learn to create a detailed account plan. This includes stakeholder engagement strategies, client interaction touch-points, and the execution of customer success strategies (like success plans and QBRs).

4️⃣ Take Action and Analyze For Success: It's important actually to do what you've planned. Prioritize insights, follow through on engagement plans, and use data to inform your strategy. Learn to stand up and execute CS strategies effectively, bringing your account plan to life.

This program will empower you to become a strategic leader (you don't need a leadership title to be a leader 😉) within your organization, drive customer success, and advance your career.

Diana De Jesus, an award-winning Customer Success expert, is leading the charge. The program offers live lessons and assignments (so you can apply what you learn) and an engaged community for continuous support.

Who is this course for

You are a CSM or Account Manager who wants to grow in your career (i.e., feel more confident, get promoted, unlock new opportunities)

You want to sharpen your core skills like relationship building, leading strategic conversations, value engineering, and change management.

You want to learn how to implement effective strategies (beyond the slide deck and check-in emails) and get actual results.

You are a CSM or Account Manager who wants to grow in your career (i.e., feel more confident, get promoted, unlock new opportunities)

You want to sharpen your core skills like relationship building, leading strategic conversations, value engineering, and change management.

You want to learn how to implement effective strategies (beyond the slide deck and check-in emails) and get actual results.

What you’ll get out of this course

Build relationships and keep stakeholders engaged

Develop skills to build and maintain strong relationships across all stakeholders. Learn techniques for engaging unresponsive clients, accessing key contacts and implement engagement strategies that result in alignment and impact.

Communicate value & ROI effectively

Learn how to articulate value and connect your solutions to tangible ROI (even with missing data). Gain confidence in navigating organizations without clear goals and position your offerings as essential to your client's success.

Manage your workload efficiently

You can't be strategic if you're spread too thin. Learn to manage expectations with clients and your boss, prioritize your work effectively and scale/automate where you can so that you don't get buried by your tactical to-do list.

Advance your strategic efforts

Get ahead of churn, identify revenue opportunities and drive results in your book of business by going beyond the checklists and learn how to use customer success tools rooted in strategy (i.e., success plans, stakeholder mapping and quarterly business reviews).

Support and a community

Count on templates, resources and samples so you're never having to reinvent the wheel. Plus, we're here for you when you have any questions–just ask in the community! Speaking of, meet other CSMs who are on the same path as you #StrategicCareerGrowth

This course includes

6 interactive live sessions

Lifetime access to course materials

9 in-depth lessons

Direct access to instructor

5 projects to apply learnings

Guided feedback & reflection

Private community of peers

Course certificate upon completion

Maven Satisfaction Guarantee

This course is backed by Maven’s guarantee. You can receive a full refund within 14 days after the course ends, provided you meet the completion criteria in our refund policy.

Course syllabus

Expand all modules

What others have to say about Diana...

She shared strategies and techniques that not only boosted our confidence, but also made us better-equipped candidates. Her personalized feedback and encouragement were instrumental in improving our interview skills, and her emphasis on showcasing our unique strengths was empowering.

Maryann Lazzari

Senior Technical Account Manager, Salesforce

I joined Diana's Customer Success career search cohort in September to add some structure to my job search. Although I have over a decade of experience as a CSM, I struggled to navigate a tech job market in which new layoffs were announced almost daily, and uncertainty seemed to be the only constant. I needed a framework and a community.

Brooke Meneely

Strategic Customer Success Manager

I had a real aha moment when Diana posed the question, if your client stakeholders are not responding you, maybe it's because your email doesn't have any value in it for them, huh? On top of this there were great resources/templates etc which I have already used and found very helpful. Finally, Diana has a lovely relaxed style of presentation.

Carlene O'Meagher

Success Management Team Lead, LawVu

Meet your instructor

Diana De Jesus

Hi there, I'm Diana, your instructor 👋

I'm an award-winning Customer Success Leader passionate about helping CSMs grow in their career.

I had the privilege of working at a Customer Success Platform as a CSM, where I saw the behind-the-scenes of CS departments. I've helped teams set up their CS programs from scratch, rescue broken workflows, and serve as their strategic partner in their journey to scalability. I later led their Customer Marketing efforts, where I created campaigns that showed how important it is for businesses to look after their customers properly if they want to grow and succeed over time.

As the Founder and CEO of The Customer Success Project, I've been committed to offering a platform to elevate CS professionals through workshops, personalized coaching, and team training. My goal has always been to transform CSMs into strategic thinkers and leaders with the tools, knowledge, and confidence needed to thrive in their careers and drive meaningful change within their organizations.

I'm excited about the opportunity to share my insights, experiences, and strategies and help you become a more strategic and impactful Customer Success Manager.

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