AMA: Jellyfish Senior Vice President, Customer Success, Nicole Alrubaiy on Influencing the C-Suite

Direct exposure to the C-Suite is something you earn, not something you ask for. It’s not about getting a random meeting; it’s about making your work and your impact so visible that leaders take notice. Step 1: Master Your Domain (Nail Your Day Job First ) This is the non-negotiable foundation. Before you think about anything else, you have to be exceptional at your core job and build a rock-solid brand as a top performer. Become the CSM Everyone Wants: Are your customers happy and providing pos ...Read More

The default answer to 'more resources' is almost always 'No,' unless you can prove the impact. The key is to stop talking about your needs and start talking about the business's outcomes. Will this drive revenue? Cut costs? Or reduce a critical risk? If you can't tie your ask to one of those, you've already lost. Over the years, I've found my successful pitches for unplanned budget fall into one of three buckets. Think of it as framing your ask in a language the C-suite immediately understands. ...Read More

Executive trust is a currency you earn over time. The best way to know how much you have is to see how they spend their two most valuable assets with you: their time and their credibility. Green Flags : Signals You've Earned Their Trust You Shift From 'Reporter' to 'Sounding Board'. You know you have their trust when the conversation changes from one-way to two-way. They stop asking just 'What did you do?' and start asking 'What do you think?' They'll proactively seek you out for your perspectiv ...Read More

You have to go back to basics. You're asking people with very little time to make a potentially expensive choice based on your judgment. Your job isn't just to be right; it's to make it easy for them to see that you're right. You need to show your work, keep it brief, and speak in plain language. I’ve found the most effective way to do this is with 3 Ps. It's a no-fluff framework that shows you've done your homework. 1. The PROBLEM: State it Clearly and Concisely Your first 60 seconds are critic ...Read More