Customer obsession: your leadership's missing link?

Recently, I found myself as a tiny customer of Ramp, grappling with a confidential financial query.

Instead of opting for the conventional route—emailing the customer support team—I took a chance and reached out to Ramp’s CEO, Eric Glyman, directly.

Not only did Eric reply within a couple of hours, but he also introduced me to Sam Buck, his Chief of Staff. Impressive, given that they were also in the middle of raising their $300M Series D.

Fascinated, I capitalized on this connection and invited Sam for a fireside chat at Coho.

What really stood out was Ramp's customer-first culture; a CEO attending to a small client signifies a different kind of corporate ethos—one we can all learn from. Company size doesn't matter; culture does.

In this edition, aside from the 11 takeaways from my chat with Sam, you'll find hand-picked articles, tools, and frameworks and some exciting job opportunities in our community to check out. Each section is crafted to offer you a blend of real-world insights and actionable resources. Happy reading!

Mindaugas

11 Takeaways From My Conversation Sam Buck, CoS to the CEO @ Ramp:

1. Customer-Centric Culture from the Top Down

• The Insight: When the CEO answers emails from even the tiniest customers, it sets a culture of customer obsession.

• The Action: CEOs and leaders, don't just delegate customer interactions. Engage directly to set a culture that permeates throughout the organization.

2. Career Transitions Within a Company

• The Insight: Sam’s journey from Sales Development Representative (SDR) to Chief of Staff shows the value of internal mobility.

• The Action: Foster a culture where employees can transition roles based on skills and needs. This not only helps with retention but also builds a versatile team.

3. The Compounding Effect of Starting Late

• The Insight: Sam’s late entry into college and the professional world wasn’t a setback; it was a compounding advantage.

• The Action: Leverage life experiences as unique selling points. Whether you're a career-switcher or a late starter, your different perspective is an asset, not a liability.

4. Radical Self-Awareness

• The Insight: Knowing what you’re truly good at can define your career path.

• The Action: Be brutally honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Align your role with your true skills, not just where you think you should be.

5. The Pull from the Market

• The Insight: Ramp focused on what the finance teams actually needed rather than what was “hot” in the market.

• The Action: Listen to your customers, not trends. Trends may get you short-term wins, but deep listening will give you sustainable growth.

6. The Art of Prioritization

• The Insight: During high-growth phases, prioritization becomes the core skill.

• The Action: Always focus on the most critical part of the sales funnel. When resources are limited, knowing where to allocate them can make or break the company.

7. The OKR Trap

• The Insight: Over-emphasis on OKRs can actually detract from execution.

• The Action: OKRs are useful, but don’t get bogged down. Make sure the majority of your time is spent on doing, not just planning to do.

8. Play for the Front of the Jersey

• The Insight: Collective achievement over personal glory. Ramp’s culture values the team’s success over individual titles.

• The Action: Implement policies that make everyone an “owner” in the company’s success, whether through equity or other means.

9. Hiring Hack: Look to Investment Banks and Consulting Firms

• The Insight: Ramp found that one analyst from these industries can outperform multiple traditional SDRs.

• The Action: When hiring, think outside the traditional talent pools. Look for people who are “craving client interaction” and can add unique value to your team.

10. Building the Car, Not a Faster Horse

• The Insight: When faced with customer demands for features similar to existing solutions (like integrating with Expensify or Concur), Ramp chose to innovate instead, focusing on what would truly benefit the user in the long run.

• The Action: When developing your product, don’t just listen to what your customers say they want. Understand their underlying needs and be willing to innovate to meet them.

11. When Stuck, Talk to a Customer

• The Insight: Whenever you find yourself in a rut, whether it's product development or strategic planning, go back to the source: your customers. They'll offer you the most authentic feedback.

• The Action: Make it a habit to maintain open channels with a segment of your customer base. These shouldn’t be 'yes people' but should include those who are both passionate and critical about your service. Revisit these conversations whenever you need direction or validation.