Who’s at your career table?

By Julie Fox / November 17, 2025

Next week, many of us will gather with friends and family to share gratitude, connection, and reflection. In the U.S., it’s Thanksgiving - a time to appreciate the people who make our lives richer and to look back on the year and how it shaped us.

During this time of year, it’s natural to think about what we’ve learned, the challenges we’ve navigated, and (maybe most importantly) the people who helped us along the way.

It’s also the perfect reminder that our careers are shaped the same way.

No one builds a meaningful career alone. Growth happens through the conversations, communities, and connections that shape how we learn, lead, and show up for others.

In Customer Success especially, our careers are built on relationships. The mentors who offer perspective. The peers who challenge and cheer us on. The next generation we support and inspire. These are the people who fill our career table… and trust me, they make all the difference.

When we think about growing in CS, we often focus on the tangible - skills, certifications, metrics, promotions. But the real accelerator is often the people beside us - the ones who share their experiences, open doors, and remind us who we’re becoming.

Here are three seats that matter at every stage of your career:

• The Mentor: Someone who broadens your view of what’s possible and helps you navigate the unknowns.

• The Peer: Someone who reminds you that growth isn’t meant to be a solo journey.

• The Next Generation: Someone you invest in, because teaching and mentoring deepen your own expertise.

Takeaway: This season, take time to reflect on who’s sitting at your career table and where there might be an open seat.

Who has shaped your year? 

Who have you learned from, leaned on, or lifted up? 

And who might you invite to join you next year?

Careers in Customer Success don’t grow in isolation. They grow through the communities that carry us, the voices that challenge us, and the relationships that help us rise together.

Take ownership of your career table. Be intentional about who you surround yourself with and how you show up for them in return.

If this resonates, The Customer Success Talent Playbook dives deeper into these ideas, exploring how community, connection, and shared learning shape the next generation of CS careers