Evolving Your ‘Why’ in Customer Success
By Kristen Hayer
In customer success, just like in life, our reasons for doing something rarely stay the same forever. Motivations evolve. What starts as a purely practical goal often grows into something more meaningful.
When I first started working on our upcoming book, my motivation was clear: I wanted to build visibility for my business. That was my “why.” I thought of it as a tool to share my perspective, showcase what The Success League does, and open doors for new opportunities. Nothing about that was wrong. At the time, it made sense.
Today, though, I see my “why” in a very different light. I wrote this book to help customer success professionals build stronger training programs and stronger careers. What began as a business initiative has turned into something much more personal and purposeful.
This shift in perspective taught me something important: evolving your “why” is not a weakness. It is a reflection of growth, maturity, and alignment with what truly matters.
Why We Start: The Business Case
If you lead a CS team, you know how often initiatives begin with a straightforward business goal. We launch programs to reduce churn, improve renewals, or increase adoption. We design training to create efficiencies. We measure metrics because that is what the company needs.
When I began the book project, I was in that same mindset. My “why” was pragmatic and business-first. I wanted to put something into the world that would support my company’s growth and open doors with new clients. That is how many of us start; by focusing on the outcomes we can measure and the results we are expected to deliver.
There is nothing wrong with that. Those are important goals. But they are often just the beginning.
Why We Stay: The Human Case
As we dig deeper into the work, our motivations often shift. We start to see the human side of what we are building.
That happened for me as the book developed. I began thinking less about how it could drive my business and more about the people who might read it. Customer success managers who are hungry to learn. Leaders who are building training programs for the first time. Teams that want practical tools to grow their careers.
I realized my “why” had changed. What kept me moving forward was not the business benefit but the chance to create something that would have a lasting impact on professionals in our field.
CS leaders experience this shift all the time. A CSM might start the role focused on renewals and revenue, only to realize later that their true impact is helping customers shine within their organizations. A CS leader might start with retention metrics and eventually see their legacy in the careers they have shaped and the culture they have built.
The evolution of our “why” is part of moving from transactional goals to transformational impact.
What This Means for CS Leaders
If our motivations can shift, we should take the time to reflect on them. Ask yourself:
What was my original “why” when I started building our CS program?
How has my perspective changed as my team and company have grown?
Where do I want to place my focus now? On business outcomes, on team development, or on long-term impact?
How am I communicating this evolution to my team so they understand not just what we are doing, but why we are doing it?
This kind of reflection keeps us aligned. It reminds us that goals and strategies can change, but what matters most is whether we are evolving toward greater clarity and greater impact.
Owning the Evolution
Looking back, I am glad my “why” shifted. If the book had only ever been about my business, it would feel like a checkbox. Instead, it has become a way to share knowledge and support the growth of CS professionals everywhere. That is far more rewarding.
Your “why” will evolve too. It may begin with hitting revenue targets, and that is fine. But over time, it might grow into building a culture of trust, shaping the next generation of leaders, or creating tools that make someone else’s job easier. That is how we build not only successful programs but also meaningful careers.
For me, the launch of this book is more than a milestone. It is a reminder that growth often changes the reasons we do the work. And in customer success, just like in life, that evolution is worth celebrating.
Kristen’s new book, The Customer Success Talent Playbook, is releasing on Amazon on September 18, 2025. See what Kristen and her co-authors, Swati Garg, Parul Bhandari, Elizabeth Blass, Ejieme Eromosele, and Julie Fox have to say about hiring, growing, and thriving in Customer Success. Order yours now!
Kristen Hayer - Kristen founded The Success League in 2015 and currently serves as the company's CEO. Over the past 25 years Kristen has been a success, sales, and marketing executive, primarily working with scaling tech companies, and leading several award-winning customer success teams. She has written over 100 articles on customer success, and is the host of 3 podcasts about the field. Kristen has served as a judge for the Customer Success Excellence awards, and is on the board of several early-stage tech companies. She received her MBA from the University of Washington in Seattle, and now lives in San Francisco.