147 - From Languages to Ops Leadership: Emily Nguema on Ambiguity, Influence & Growth

Text us your questions and thoughts!Sometimes the fastest way to grow your influence isn’t chasing a bigger title,  it’s expanding your understanding of how the business actually works.In this episode, we sit down with Emily Nguema, Senior Manager, Commercial Operations at Relay Technologies, to unpack her non-linear journey from studying languages and doing humanitarian work in Ecuador to partner success, edtech, and ultimately a far-reaching role in commercial operations. Through every pivot, one thread stays constant: value - how to define it, measure it, and translate it into stories executives can do something with.We explore:What it really looks like to shift from senior CSM to commercial opsHow embracing ambiguity becomes a competitive advantage in fast-moving orgsEmily’s personal operating system (weekly roadmaps, calendar-bound priorities, and celebrating small wins like it’s a sport)Humility as the hidden accelerator for influence and leadershipCareer decisions that prioritize learning, exposure, and meaningful impact over titlesYou’ll also hear a fresh take on consultative customer success, executive-ready storytelling, and the mindset shift that helps CS professionals influence at higher levels (long before they have a formal leadership title).If you’re eyeing a move into operations, or simply want your customer success strategy to resonate in the boardroom, this episode will give you both the frameworks and the courage to go for it.And if this conversation sparked something for you, share it with a colleague or teammate who needs the boost today.💚 This episode is brought to you by Deployflow: https://deployflow.co/___________👉 Follow Emily: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-nguema/👉 Learn more about Deployflow & P-Suite by Deployflow and get a quick squad estimate at: https://deployflow.co/p-suite/__________________________________________________About Women in Customer Success Podcast:Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other. Follow:Women in Customer Success Website - https://www.womenincs.co/podcast LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincsHost Marija Skobe-PilleyLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/Check out our Courses:The Revenue CSM  - https://womenincs.co/the-revenue-csm