New Year, New(ish) Skillet
Were you worried I was about to list 20 New Year’s resolutions for your training program when you clicked a title with the word ‘new’ in it? Don’t worry—you’re in luck. This year, I’m preaching we do a little less, but we do the right things. And that’s the same approach I’m bringing to this newsletter.
To get that (re)freshed start to 2025, I did a little housekeeping for our Skillet—both its look and its contents. (FYI I still haven't mastered how to clean a real cooking skillet, so anyone who has tips & tricks, you know where to find me—and sorry to all those skillets I've ruined in the making of a good meal. Even after all the googling I've done).
So, what's new(ish) this year? Expect more real talk straight from your community, playbooks directly from pros (because theoretical advice is overrated), templates you can copy + paste to make your own, ?puns you might want to skip, and yes, homemade memes. We all need an outlet, right?
So, with no further ado, here’s a peek into my notes app ins & outs for us all. (No, don’t worry—not my half-built grocery lists or those shower thoughts where I replay a 7th-grade argument I should’ve won.)?
With that, let's get a handle on what's happening this month:
Airtable’s Academy OS
If you're like most education teams—there's TONS of invisible labor that goes into managing a launch, a relaunch, or simply your day-to-day production. All while juggling execution. So, we worked on a full suite of stories and templates with Kevin Dunn, PMP? & Anne Marie Rützou Bruntse from Airtable who not only launched their Academy in just 75 days, with insanely airtight operations.
I won't name names, but I've already heard directly from some of our biggest customers and CE leaders that these examples are already being copied + pasted into their 2025 strategies.
Here's the TL;DR:
The results? While they're early, here's what they're seeing:
?? 40,000+ course enrollments
?? 2,000 certifications issued
?? A 66% completion rate—way above the industry average
?? A proven 16% boost in product usage for accounts with academy users (because again, this is the ultimate goal of value)
Want to grab all the resources we put together?
As always, I'm on the hunt for what conversations are happening on LinkedIn, in our communities, and of course, in real life. Here are some top hits this month:
?? Vicky Kennedy gives us all a little to think about when it comes to extending the reach (and impact) of education in your org. We're hearing from more and more customers that marketing & CE go hand-in-hand (after all, our very own CE leader sits on our marketing team).
?? Daphne Costa Lopes reminds us all that at the end of the day, your customers want solutions to problems—not another list of feature how-to's. How you frame your content makes or breaks how tools are embedded into their workflows, so make sure those courses are solution-first focused.
?? And lastly, our very own Skilljar team made an appearance across some top cities to meet CE leaders & customers—bringing back that spark of in-person banter and brainstorming.
Education teams from companies like Databricks , Docusign , MoxiWorks , Anaplan , Highspot , GitLab , C3 AI , Asana , Notion , Stripe , Palantir Technologies , Box , and Cadida Software brought their thoughts to the group. Conversations kept circling back to a few big questions:
No perfect answers, but plenty of shared experiences and ideas. A few teams even landed on new ways to test solutions in the coming months.
Personally, I'll never forget the sundae at Angler (nor the fun conversation about the realities of neighbors/commutes in San Francisco or the focus on needing to audit your content in 2025, not just create new content) with Zoe Ludwig , Carin D'Oliva , Amy Fazio , Lisa Preissler , Dale Catt , & Ali B. .
领英推荐
Want an editable, repeatable dashboard?
Struggling to prove your impact? This reporting template helps you cut through the noise and deliver results your stakeholders can actually understand. No more guessing games—just a clear picture of your contributions. Plus, you can make it your own—we know not all teams have the same north star. Get the template →
Curious what makes an academy stand out?
If you’re stuck at the starting line, this guide has you covered. With real-world examples and an easy-to-follow framework, you’ll have everything you need to create a standout academy. Explore the template →
Not sure what metrics matter?
Frank Maylett has seen it all—years in the C-suite and leading GTM teams. So, we gave him the mic and he's breaking it down so you can connect the dots between your efforts and business outcomes. Short, sweet, and packed with value.
Why claiming to be 'AI-first' isn't on our roadmap
Hear from our very own experts Sonia Moaiery & Tammy Hahn on where we see AI fitting into the world of LMS—and you guessed it, we don't think it should run the show.
Plus, on a personal note—I just ushered in the new Gemini updates in G-suite, and until AI can promise me a cleaner house, I'm not sure I'll ever be AI-first, either. Although, it does hold a lot of promise for the 'ins & outs of 2025' re: helping me manage my inbox.
The evidence of my recent attempts, here's to hoping:
We usually highlight open roles here, but this time, we’re shining the spotlight on some Customer Education stars who are looking for their next big opportunities. We'll be doing this monthly, so shoot me a message if you'd like to be featured next month!
?If you’ve got a role, these two are worth checking out:
Evan Hall —Evan helps people understand and define the problems that are blocking them from success. With 10 years of experience in B2B SaaS, he’s built education programs from scratch that enable the full GTM motion. He’s looking to work with small/mid-sized companies struggling with customer adoption, time to value, and retention. Plus, he's been a star in some recent Skilljar content and we can vet his great experience.
Eric Mistry —Eric thrives at the intersection of people and technology, drawing on nearly a decade of experience in automation, learning design, and organizational development to transform complex tools—from AI and analytics to LMS platforms—into seamless solutions that drive results. As a dedicated systems thinker, he bridges the gap between non-technical and technical teams, leveraging automation and AI to free up time and amplify impact. Outside of work, he’s a proud dad of two, known for his pun-filled humor and Hawaiian shirts, and always exploring new hobbies.
Cheers!
Want to get in on part therapy session, part celebration about the future of all things customer training?
This February 20th panel of experts will give you practical, no-nonsense advice from some of the best customer marketing, enablement, and education pros around. Join me as I host Mandy Patterson, MA , Mariah Lenahan , Erica Akroyd , Samuel Walker , & Eric Mistry , we can't wait to have you be a part of the conversation! Save your spot →
Now, I'm off to the next piece of content that will hit your inbox soon—happy typing & teaching, my CE friends!
'Til the next Skillet,
Caroline Van Dyke , Head of Content @ Skilljar
Christian, Travel-loving, SaaS Technical Trainer and Content Designer/Developer, Customer Education Program Builder, Wife, Mom, and Grandma
1 个月Caroline Van Dyke I got ya-- My credentials are: I was raised in the South by a southern momma and a southern nannaw. My kids make fun of me for the level of freak out that happens when one drop of water gets anywhere near my cast iron skillet. I clean mine with wadded up foil, kosher salt and cooking oil, and wipe it out with a paper towel. It's been perfect for about 20 years! ??. Oh.. and keep up the great work you're doing!!!! ??
Customer Education (Scaled CS & Enablement) Leader and Evangelist
1 个月"Duolingo for C-Suite metrics" ??
Automation, AI, Educational Technology, & Organization Development Expert | Helping People and Technology Work Together | Innovator & Relentless Problem Solver | Dad of 2 with Puns to Match
1 个月Thanks for the shoutouts! This is one packed Skillet! ??
Marketing Team Builder
1 个月Best time of the month!