Most CSMs think the EBR is over when the meeting ends. They send a thank-you email, attach the deck, capture the action items, and move on. But here's what happens at enterprise accounts worth millions in ARR: a week goes by, action items sit in inboxes, strategic priorities get buried under firefighting, and by the next quarterly review, no one remembers what was committed to. That's not an EBR failure - that's a follow-up failure.

In this episode, I break down the post-EBR system that separates systematic CSMs from reactive ones. This is the work that drives retention, protects expansion, and builds the kind of executive trust that hiring managers look for when filling senior CSM roles.

What You'll Learn:

• THE IMMEDIATE FOLLOW-UPI walk through the exact four-part structure from The Executive Business Review Playbook: the genuine thank you, the recap framed around THEIR goals (not your agenda), confirmed action items with WHO/WHAT/WHEN, and next steps that open the loop instead of closing it. This timing isn't a suggestion - it's a core practice that demonstrates reliability when executives are still thinking about what was discussed.

• THE 30-DAY CADENCEWeek one: Execute on commitments (if you said Friday, deliver Thursday). Week two: Manage internal team accountability (they're busy and commitments will slip unless you're driving them). Week three: Re-engage with value, not "checking in" emails. Week four: Prepare for the next milestone. This is the rhythm that builds relationships, not hope.

• THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARYNot everyone who needed to be in the EBR was actually in the room. The CFO, CIO, board members, or advisors who approve expansion budgets often aren't there. I show you how to create a one-page executive summary that can be forwarded up the chain - a standalone document answering three questions: What did we accomplish? What are the next steps? What do we need from leadership? This single tool turned a seven-figure healthcare account into a six-figure expansion within 30 days.

• REAL-WORLD EXAMPLESI share detailed examples from my enterprise accounts including a $2M+ ARR financial services portfolio at Deepwatch where patient, strategic follow-up turned a value-focused EBR into a $400K expansion. I also break down exactly what NOT to do: overselling in follow-up (kills trust), disappearing for six weeks (destroys careers), letting action items slip (undermines everything), and treating follow-up as an afterthought.

• THE TRACKING SYSTEMSystematic CSMs don't hope things get done - they build accountability into the process. I walk through the follow-up tracker that captures action items with hard dates (not "Q2" - actual dates like "March 27"), follow-up touchpoints for the next 30 days, next milestones, and customer sentiment. Review it weekly during portfolio planning time, not monthly when you remember.

Why This Matters:

When I interview candidates for senior CSM roles and team lead positions, I don't ask how their last EBR went. I ask what happened in the thirty days after. That's where the real work shows up. That's where retention gets protected and expansion gets built. Strategic follow-up demonstrates you understand how enterprise accounts actually work - it's not about the meeting, it's about what you do with the opportunity the meeting creates.

This episode includes the complete framework from The Executive Business Review Playbook, available on Amazon. Visit ClearPathCX.com to get the companion download that contains templates for post-EBR follow-up, executive summary format, and 30-day action tracker.

You can build the perfect EBR deck - beautiful slides, compelling data, clear outcomes - but if you don't know how to facilitate the conversation, you'll fail to create the strategic impact you're looking for.

In this episode, Mark Bernardin breaks down the critical shift from presenting at executives to facilitating strategic conversations with them. Drawing from hundreds of EBRs with Fortune 500 customers including Lowe's, The Home Depot, and Ernst & Young, Mark shares the systematic approach that allows Customer Success Managers to lead high-stakes meetings with confidence.

You'll learn:

• The fundamental difference between presenting and facilitating - and why most CSMs get this wrong
• The 5 Executive Questions framework that every effective EBR must answer
• How to open with a Strategic Alignment Check that proves you've been listening
• Why strategic pauses are more powerful than rushing through your content
• How to translate metrics into language that resonates with CFOs, CIOs, and CISOs
• The right way to surface problems proactively without looking defensive
• How to read the room and pivot in real-time when energy shifts
• The closing script that creates mutual accountability and locks in next steps
• Why the best facilitators aren't naturally charismatic - they're systematically prepared

This episode includes real examples from Mark's work at Swimlane, Deepwatch, and Palo Alto Networks, showing exactly how to handle challenging situations like executive turnover, security incidents, and roadmap delays while maintaining trust and driving expansion.

Whether you're preparing for your first EBR or looking to elevate your executive presence, this episode provides the frameworks, scripts, and preparation checklist you need to facilitate like you belong in the room.

All frameworks referenced in this episode are detailed in The Executive Business Review Playbook: The CSM's Guide to Owning the Room, available on Amazon.

You've done the prep work. You've aligned internally. You've confirmed the meeting with your executive stakeholders. Now comes the moment that separates good CSMs from great ones: building the actual deck.

Most EBR decks fail before the meeting even starts. They're built around what the CSM wants to say, not what the executive needs to hear. Twenty-five slides packed with usage metrics, support ticket summaries, and product roadmap updates. No strategic alignment. No business outcomes. No clear path forward. Just a status dump disguised as a review.

In this episode, Mark breaks down the six-slide EBR framework he teaches in The Executive Business Review Playbook - the same structure he's used with customers like Lowe's, Ernst & Young, Accenture, and dozens of others. This framework works because it's built around what executives actually care about, not what we think they should care about.You'll learn exactly what each slide needs to accomplish and how to deliver it without losing the room:

• SLIDE 1: Strategic Alignment RecapProve you've been listening. Show the executive you understand their current business priorities and how your platform supports those goals. This isn't a bio slide - it's proof that you know who they are.
• SLIDE 2: Outcomes DeliveredConnect your work to their measurable business results. Not your features. Not your platform capabilities. Their outcomes. Time saved. Risk reduced. Revenue protected. This is where you answer: What did we accomplish together?
• SLIDE 3: Current State and GapsThe honesty slide. Show them what's working, what's not, and where they're leaving value on the table. Executives respect transparency. They can't stand being blindsided. Frame gaps as opportunities, not accusations.
• SLIDE 4: Success Plan and Next StepsMove from observation to action. Tell them exactly what needs to happen next, who needs to do it, and when. Include mutual accountability - what you're committing to AND what they need to do.
• SLIDE 5: Expansion or Roadmap (Optional)Introduce what's next - but only if you've earned it. New features aligned with their priorities. Expansion opportunities. Strategic roadmap initiatives. Read the room. If they're engaged, go for it. If not, skip it.
• SLIDE 6: Recap and CommitmentsYour closer. Summarize what you covered. Confirm action items and owners. Set the date for your next check-in. Don't end with "any questions?" - that's passive. You're leading this meeting. End with clarity.

Mark also reveals the one slide most CSMs screw up completely: Outcomes Delivered. Because most CSMs confuse activity with outcomes. Usage stats and feature adoption are not outcomes. Business results are outcomes. If you can't tie your work to time saved, money saved, risk reduced, revenue generated, compliance achieved, or efficiency gained - you're not delivering an outcome, you're delivering a service. And services are replaceable. Outcomes are not.

Here's the truth: the slides don't matter as much as you think. What matters is whether you walk into that room sounding like someone who understands their business, can connect your work to their goals, and can have a real conversation - not just click through a deck. The slides keep you honest and give the executive something to hold onto after you leave. But the real work happens between the slides.

Perfect for CSMs preparing for their first EBR, experienced practitioners looking to level up their presentation game, or CS leaders building EBR frameworks for their teams.Download the companion guide "The 6-Slide EBR Framework" at ClearPathCX.com for the complete breakdown with examples, common mistakes, and a quick reference table.