Last month, Insight Partners published our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can read more here about our initiatives to build a software ecosystem that reflects the society we want to live in and provides equality and opportunity to all people.
One initiative that we are excited to support focuses on the Customer Success function. It’s no secret that Customer Success is critical to software growth, playing a vital role in the health of software companies as they continue to scale. However, the Customer Success teams in the software ecosystem do not reflect the customers that we serve. Studies indicate that today just 1% of customer success manager positions are held by Black people and 6% come from Latino communities.
The biggest issue facing these underrepresented communities is access to networks, mentorship, and relevant work experience. We need to change this and open doors to this critical career path in the software and technology space.
To better promote broader diversity in the Customer Success ecosystem, we are excited to partner with SV Academy and Gainsight as they launch the CS YOU program. SV Academy is an employer-driven online vocational school that provides access to high-growth careers. Rahim Fazal, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at SV Academy, who is a person of color raised in government housing, shared that “We started SV Academy [three years ago] to help high potential under-represented candidates launch future-proof careers in the tech industry, no matter what school they attended or background they came from.”
We are thrilled to work with SV Academy as ed-tech experts and join forces with our portfolio company Gainsight, the leader in Customer Success software. Gainsight is partnering with SV Academy to design a tailored early career path for Customer Success Associates—an entry-level position that serves as a steppingstone into a promising career in Customer Success. The 15-month program includes four weeks of training, an eight-week paid internship, and up to 12 months of coaching for associates and their managers after full-time placement. The program provides access to the CS network, professional education, mentorship, development of social capital, and, ultimately, expansion of wages.
Insight supports more than 3,000 CS professionals across our portfolio, and our participation in this program led by Jeff Lieberman and Nalanie Nath reflects our commitment to bringing more diverse talent to this growing profession.
We are thrilled to work with the world’s leading ScaleUp software companies and CS YOU, as we bring greater change to the world of software at large. We have already raised more than half a million dollars in commitments that will sponsor the tuition and placement for the first 25 Customer Success Associates.
CS YOU Program Charter Partners include: Udemy, 6sense, Contentstack, Instructure, Tricentis, LeanIX, OwnBackup, Quantum Metric, Showpad, Checkout.com, UserTesting, TeleSign, Campaign Monitor, Diligent, PayIt, Covera Health, Payfactors, Box, Boomi, Genesys, Flatiron Health, Talend, Hootsuite, Refinitiv, Nuance Communications.
If you would like to get involved in CS YOU, please go to philanthropy@gainsight.com.
Interested in Applying to the Program?
Together we’re on a mission to drive positive social change. Starting with challenging our industry to create an inclusive Customer Success Community that supports the advancement of diverse candidates.
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