Journey to $236k in Customer Success
A female-focused glimpse into different paths to financial success.
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What's your age, location, pronouns?
32, Northern Virginia, she/her
What’s your current job?
I'm a Customer Success Manager at a tech company, specifically in the software development space. Customer Success is a sales-adjacent role, guiding customers post-sale to help them achieve their business goals and optimize their return on investment in the product. This can include everything from ensuring they have the right tools and support, sharing best practices, connecting them with the right people, handling support escalations, and advocating for them internally.
Walk us through your pay journey. How did your income progress over time? What were the turning points that led to the most salary growth or loss? What were times where you struggled the most?
2014 - $50k ($42k base, $8400 bonus): Administrative assistant at a wealth management company
2015 - $55k ($50k base, 10% bonus): office manager and sales assistant at an financial research company
2016 - $66k ($60k base, 10% bonus): same role, received a raise
2017 - $103k ($80k base, $23k on-target earnings): first role in Customer Success at a fintech company
2019: $128k ($105k base, $23k on-target earnings): had a competing offer and my company offered me a raise to stay. I wasn't looking to leave, but a recruiter reached out to me and I decided to hear them out, went through the interview process, and got offered the role. I decided to stay at my company. In hindsight, it was not a good financial decision. I would have made a lot more money at the other company and potentially could have learned a lot of new skills. But I felt happy at my current company and felt like there was more that I wanted to do before moving on. From an achievement standpoint, I'm glad I stayed, as I received a lot of awards within my company after this time. From a compensation standpoint, I sometimes regret not having made the jump at this time.
2021: $134k ($120k base, 12% bonus): made a lateral move within my company to a sales operations / sales strategy role. My Customer Success role required me to travel a lot– I had a baby in 2021 and could not handle the travel anymore, so I pivoted to this remote role. I absolutely hated it, but I am glad it afforded me the option to stay home with my baby.
2022: $200k ($130k base, 25% on-target earnings, $37k equity): my first customer success role within the true tech space. Found a fully-remote Customer Success role that only requires travel once every quarter.
2023: $211k ($135k base, 25% on-target earnings, $43k equity): received a raise and equity refreshers
2024: $236k ($145k base, 25% on-target earnings, $55k equity): received a raise and equity refreshers
At times when you took significant job risks, did you have a safety net?
I lived at home with my parents until I was 27 and I never had to pay rent. Even now, I know if anything were to happen, I could move back in with my family or my in-laws.
What’s one of the worst money mistakes you’ve ever made?
I only opened my HYSA about 3 years ago. Lost out on a ton of interest over the years.
What’s one of the best financial decisions you’ve ever made?
My mom was working for her family business and it was an extremely toxic situation. She wanted to start her own business but felt uncomfortable doing so, knowing that she still had a mortgage to pay for. I paid off my parents' mortgage (about $30,000) in 2016. Without the mortgage hanging over her head, she was free to take a bigger risk and branch out on her own. It's been really beautiful to watch her confidence grow and to see her blossom into this badass female entrepreneur. It's also given her and my dad the financial freedom to retire early, so they're able to finally enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Would you attribute your financial success to luck, privilege, timing, and/or hard work?
Luck: I was really lost for a while and had no idea what I wanted to do for work. I kind of fell into customer success. I had no idea what it was when I applied, but it sounded like something I could do, so I applied and got it. It's afforded me a life that I don't think I would have otherwise. On the other side of luck, meeting my husband has been a huge factor in my financial success. We have similar views on money and combining our finances is a luxury that I realize not everyone has.
Privilege: Living at home and having the support of my family was unmatched in setting me up for success. I was able to save most of my money. I will admit, it was a little embarrassing to be 27 years old and tell my friends and coworkers I still live with my mom and dad, but the benefits far outweighed the cost.
Timing: I got into the tech space during the pandemic tech boom. Right place, right time. I don't know that I would have stood out enough as a candidate to get the offer if I was applying to my job right now. The market is rough.
The only reason I don't say hard work is because I work a corporate desk job and it's honestly pretty cushy at times lol. I'm not out here saving lives.
What job or pay advice would you give to your younger self? What have been your biggest learnings?
You don't need to love your job. Find something you don't completely hate that gives you the time and money to live the life you want outside of work. Work is work, it doesn't define you.
What would you want to be if you weren't doing this job?
Stay-at-home mom...but with a nanny or daycare :)
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