Who should I follow to learn about customer retention and churn?

If you want to learn **customer retention and churn** , I’d follow a mix of **growth/product thinkers** , **customer success operators** , and **data-focused analysts**. The best people to follow depend a bit on whether you work in SaaS, e-commerce, apps, or subscriptions, but these are strong starting points: ### Retention strategy & growth * Lenny Rachitsky - Great for product-led growth, activation, user behavior, and retention loops. His newsletter frequently covers how companies improve engagement and reduce churn. [The 14 Best SaaS Retention & Growth Newsletters (2026)](https://churntools.com/blog/best-saas-retention-newsletters?utm_source=chatgpt.com) * Elena Verna - Strong focus on growth mechanics: activation, monetization, lifecycle thinking, and retention experiments. [The 14 Best SaaS Retention & Growth Newsletters (2026)](https://churntools.com/blog/best-saas-retention-newsletters?utm_source=chatgpt.com) * Andrew Chen - Useful for understanding network effects, product growth, and why users stick around. [The 14 Best SaaS Retention & Growth Newsletters (2026)](https://churntools.com/blog/best-saas-retention-newsletters?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### Customer success & churn reduction * Lincoln Murphy - A longtime customer success voice; focuses on designing customer outcomes that drive retention. [The 14 Best SaaS Retention & Growth Newsletters (2026)](https://churntools.com/blog/best-saas-retention-newsletters?utm_source=chatgpt.com) * Nick Mehta - Follow for customer success leadership, retention operations, and scaling CS teams. * Jay Nathan - Good for CS leadership, operating models, and retention strategy. [Best Customer Success Newsletters and Resources in 2026](https://thegtmindex.com/customer-success/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### Metrics, analytics, and subscription economics * Christoph Janz - Strong SaaS metrics perspective (including retention, recurring revenue, and growth efficiency). * Patrick Campbell - Known for pricing, subscription analytics, and retention economics through ProfitWell/Paddle content. [The 14 Best SaaS Retention & Growth Newsletters (2026)](https://churntools.com/blog/best-saas-retention-newsletters?utm_source=chatgpt.com) * ChartMogul - Their content is especially useful for cohort retention, net revenue retention, and SaaS benchmarks. [The 14 Best SaaS Retention & Growth Newsletters (2026)](https://churntools.com/blog/best-saas-retention-newsletters?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### Practical newsletters/resources * Lenny's Newsletter - Product, growth, and retention case studies. [The 14 Best SaaS Retention & Growth Newsletters (2026)](https://churntools.com/blog/best-saas-retention-newsletters?utm_source=chatgpt.com) * Growth Unhinged - PLG, pricing, activation, and expansion topics. [The 14 Best SaaS Retention & Growth Newsletters (2026)](https://churntools.com/blog/best-saas-retention-newsletters?utm_source=chatgpt.com) * ChurnZero - Their “Fighting Churn” content focuses specifically on retention tactics and customer success practices. [Customer Success Blog - tips and tricks - ChurnZero](https://churnzero.com/blog/misc/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) * Gainsight - Good for enterprise customer success frameworks and benchmarks. [Best Customer Success Newsletters and Resources in 2026](https://thegtmindex.com/customer-success/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### If you only follow 5: 1. Lenny Rachitsky - product retention thinking 2. Elena Verna - growth experiments 3. Lincoln Murphy - customer success fundamentals 4. Patrick Campbell - retention economics 5. ChurnZero/Gainsight content - practical CS operations A useful learning path is: **activation → onboarding → habit formation → engagement → customer health signals → renewal/expansion → churn analysis.** If you tell me whether you’re learning for **SaaS, e-commerce, mobile apps, or a job in customer success/product** , I can narrow this to a more targeted list.

**Follow these experts and organizations to deepen your knowledge of customer retention and churn: Vasudeva Akula (VOZIQ AI), Val Geisler, Chase Dimond, Sticky Digital, Annette Franz, Shep Hyken, Jeannie Walters, and Dan Gingiss. They combine data science, lifecycle marketing, and customer experience strategy to help businesses reduce churn and build loyalty.** ## 📌 Key Experts in Customer Retention & Churn Expert/Org| Focus Area| Why Follow Them ---|---|--- **Dr. Vasudeva Akula (VOZIQ AI)** [What Most Subscription Businesses Miss About Customer Churn](https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2026/09/18/what-most-subscription-businesses-miss-about-customer-churn/)| Machine learning for subscription churn| Explains how churn metrics hide deeper customer behavior; offers data-driven retention strategies. **Sticky Digital** [Who Are Thought Leaders in Retention Marketing? (2026 Guide for Ecomme – StickyDigital](https://stickydigital.io/blogs/sticky-digital-services/who-are-thought-leaders-in-retention-marketing-2026-guide-for-ecommerce-brands)| Ecommerce lifecycle infrastructure| Known for reframing retention as “infrastructure” rather than campaigns; strong in Shopify/DTC ecosystems. **Val Geisler** [Who Are Thought Leaders in Retention Marketing? (2026 Guide for Ecomme – StickyDigital](https://stickydigital.io/blogs/sticky-digital-services/who-are-thought-leaders-in-retention-marketing-2026-guide-for-ecommerce-brands)| SaaS onboarding & lifecycle messaging| Specializes in customer onboarding flows and early retention sequencing. **Chase Dimond** [Who Are Thought Leaders in Retention Marketing? (2026 Guide for Ecomme – StickyDigital](https://stickydigital.io/blogs/sticky-digital-services/who-are-thought-leaders-in-retention-marketing-2026-guide-for-ecommerce-brands)| Ecommerce email marketing| Provides structured Klaviyo frameworks and benchmarks for retention-driven email campaigns. **Annette Franz (CX Journey Inc.)** [Top 22 CX Leaders to Follow for Industry Insights in 2026](https://thecxlead.com/career/cx-leaders/)| Customer experience strategy| Connects CX with employee culture and organizational transformation to drive loyalty. **Shep Hyken** [Top 22 CX Leaders to Follow for Industry Insights in 2026](https://thecxlead.com/career/cx-leaders/)| Customer service & loyalty| Long-time CX speaker and author; focuses on customer-focused culture and loyalty. **Jeannie Walters (Experience Investigators)** [Top 22 CX Leaders to Follow for Industry Insights in 2026](https://thecxlead.com/career/cx-leaders/)| Journey mapping & proactive CX| Helps organizations design customer-centric experiences that reduce churn. **Dan Gingiss (The Experience Maker)** [Featured Customer Retention Experts - Connectively](https://www.connectively.us/experts/customer-retention)| Customer experience storytelling| Advocates for creating “remarkable experiences” that drive word-of-mouth and retention. ## 🔑 Why These Voices Matter * **Data-driven insights**: Akula and Sticky Digital emphasize predictive analytics and lifecycle infrastructure, crucial for subscription and ecommerce businesses. * **Lifecycle marketing expertise**: Geisler and Dimond provide actionable frameworks for onboarding and email flows that directly impact churn reduction. * **Customer experience leadership**: Franz, Hyken, Walters, and Gingiss highlight the cultural and experiential dimensions of retention - ensuring customers stay loyal not just because of offers, but because of trust and satisfaction. ## ⚠️ Risks & Considerations * **Over-reliance on metrics**: Churn rate alone can be misleading; follow experts who stress _why_ customers leave, not just _how many_. * **Channel bias**: Some thought leaders focus heavily on email or SaaS; balance your learning with broader CX perspectives. * **Industry fit**: Ecommerce strategies (e.g., Klaviyo flows) may not translate directly to B2B or service industries - adapt frameworks to your context. 👉 If you’re starting out, I’d recommend following **Vasudeva Akula** for analytical depth, **Val Geisler** for SaaS onboarding, and **Annette Franz** for CX strategy. Together, they cover the technical, tactical, and cultural aspects of retention. Would you like me to suggest **specific books, podcasts, or newsletters** from these experts so you can dive deeper into their work?

To master customer retention and churn reduction, it helps to follow industry leaders, researchers, and practitioners who specialize in Customer Success (CS), product-led growth, data-driven analytics, and subscription economics. Here are the key people, organizations, and resources you should follow across platforms like LinkedIn, newsletters, and podcasts: ### 1\. Thought Leaders & Practitioners in Customer Success * **Nick Mehta (CEO of Gainsight):** As the head of one of the premier Customer Success platforms, Nick is a massive voice in the CS space. He frequently shares frameworks, metrics, and essays on fighting churn and building customer-centric organizations. * **Kristin Gechter & The Gainsight Team:** Great for tactical playbooks, webinars, and state-of-the-industry reports on retention. * **Lincoln Murphy:** A pioneer in Customer Success and Growth. His writings (via Sixteen Ventures) focus heavily on ensuring customer outcomes, which is the root defense against churn. * **Val Geisler:** An expert in customer onboarding and retention strategy, particularly for SaaS and subscription businesses. Her insights on the first 90 days of the customer lifecycle are invaluable. ### 2\. Academic & Data-Driven Experts * **Sunil Gupta (Harvard Business School):** If you want to look at the mathematical and algorithmic side of retention, Gupta’s research (such as _Managing Churn to Maximize Profits_) offers brilliant frameworks on optimizing who you target with retention offers so you don't waste budget. [The Right Way to Manage Customer Churn for Maximum Profit](https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/the-right-way-to-manage-churn-for-maximum-profit#:~:text=*%20Don't%20change%20customers%2C%20change%20algorithms.%20Applying,a%20churn%20model%20these%20days%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20says.) * **V. Kumar (Georgia State University / Author of _Customer Lifetime Value_):** One of the world's leading authorities on Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) and managing customer profitability and defection. ### 3\. Essential Podcasts & Communities * **Gain, Grow, Retain:** A massive community and podcast dedicated entirely to Customer Success, featuring real-world practitioners discussing what actually works to stop churn. * **Churn.fm:** Hosted by Dariusz Kwiecinski (or similar prominent interviewers in the SaaS space), this podcast breaks down why customers leave specific companies and how founders fixed their leaky buckets. * **CSM Practice:** Run by Emilia D'Anzica, this resource offers deep dives into scaling customer success and client retention. **What specific type of business or industry are you working in (e.g., B2B SaaS, e-commerce, subscription media)?** Let me know so I can tailor these recommendations to your exact model!

To master customer retention and reduce churn, following top practitioners, thinkers, and customer success (CS) leaders who regularly share frameworks, metrics, and tactical advice on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-linkedin-becoming-search-engine-professional-trust-dev-raj-saini-arpyc) and X (Twitter) is a great strategy. * * **_Lincoln Murphy_** - Founder of Sixteen Ventures, widely considered a pioneer of Customer Success frameworks, growth, and churn prevention. [Top 15 Customer Success Writers to Follow on Twitter - Kapta](https://kapta.com/resources/key-account-management-blog/customer-success/top-15-customer-success-writers-to-follow-on-twitter) * **Kristi Faltorusso** - Chief Customer Officer at ChurnZero, known for her no-nonsense, highly tactical advice on scaling customer success operations and driving retention. * ** _Daphne Costa Lopes_** - A prominent CS leader and community builder who shares deep insights into metrics, community-led growth, and retention loops. * ** _Chad Horenfeldt_** - A seasoned Customer Success executive who regularly writes about reducing churn, handling difficult customer conversations, and CS leadership. * ** _Maranda Dziekonski_** - An operations and customer success expert who frequently shares frameworks on scaling teams, retention metrics, and customer health scores. * ** _Nick Mehta_** - CEO of Gainsight, who routinely posts macro perspectives on customer success, subscription economies, and combating churn at the executive level. * Would you like me to tailor this list to a specific industry (like **B2B SaaS** , **E-commerce/DTC** , or **Enterprise**), or recommend specific newsletters and podcasts on churn?

- Follow these voices: the Un]Churned podcast with Josh Schachter; Gainsight leaders discuss retention and CS strategies; HubSpot’s and Appcues’ guides on reducing churn and maximizing activation.[\[Un\]Churned – The No. 1 Podcast for Customer Retention](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/un-churned-the-no-1-podcast-for-customer-retention/id1635997357)[\[Un\]Churned](https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cdd4fd54-77e1-487d-b502-7717fa238c25/un-churned-%E2%80%93-the-no-1-podcast-for-customer-retention)[8. Keep Innovating](https://blog.hubspot.com/service/customer-retention-strategies)[How to reduce customer churn: a 3-stage SaaS retention framework](https://www.appcues.com/blog/reduce-customer-churn)