Why I started a case study service
A few years ago, I was working on a big product launch. I was planning the launch, creating the narrative, executing launch deliverables like sales collateral, web pages, and email sequences. The campaign looked great on paper.
When it came time to enable the sales team, they asked for one thing: “Do we have a customer story that proves this actually works?”
We didn’t. No matter how strong the pitch or how clean the design, nothing moves a deal forward like a great story from a real customer. That moment stuck with me.
A common thread across all my work
I’ve spent the last decade leading product marketing teams at fast-growing tech companies. Most of the time, my job came down to helping people understand why our product matters.
I worked on messaging frameworks. I coached sales reps on talk tracks. I partnered with founders and product managers and customer success leads. But across every company, no matter the size or stage, there was one thing that always worked:
Let your customer do the talking.
When we told stories about real people using our product to solve real problems, buyers listened. They trusted us more. Sales moved faster. And marketing didn’t have to work as hard to prove our value.
Over time, I found myself writing more and more case studies. At first, I did it to fill a gap in sales decks. But soon, I was building full libraries of them. They became the most-used content across our company.
That’s when I realized I actually love this work.
From side project to service
At one point, I started helping a friend’s startup with some messaging. We quickly uncovered the same problem: great product, happy customers, but zero proof points.
So I offered to interview one of their clients. I recorded a 30-minute Zoom call, pulled out the best quotes, and turned it into a simple story with three parts: the challenge, the solution (how my friend's startup made a difference), and the results.
A week later, their sales team sent it to a new prospect. The deal closed within days.
That win was just the beginning. I started taking on more of these projects. Interviewing customers. Asking about their business. Learning what made our product helpful. Then, shaping it all into a story others could relate to.
I was doing something I genuinely enjoyed, and it was making a real impact. So I thought, 'What if I made this my full-time job?'
Why “Their Words”
I named the service Their Words because that’s what great case studies are built on. Not polished marketing jargon. Not invented quotes. Just real language from real people.
When I interview a customer, I’m not looking for a testimonial. I’m looking for the moment they light up. The moment they say, “Oh, this thing saved me hours,” or “We finally stopped dropping the ball with leads.”
That’s what buyers connect with. That’s what turns a “maybe” into a “yes.” And that’s what makes my work so rewarding.
What I’ve learned from doing this over and over
If you’ve ever tried to get a case study off the ground, you know it’s not always easy. The hardest part is usually just getting started.
Here are a few things I’ve picked up along the way:
1. Salespeople love proof, not polish
The most effective stories aren’t always the slickest. I’ve seen one scrappy Google Doc do more to close a deal than a beautifully designed white paper.
What matters is this: Does it sound real? Does it speak to a pain the buyer actually has? Does it show how life got better?
If the answer is yes, that’s a win.
2. The best stories come from listening
A while back, I interviewed a customer who ran a childcare center. She was using a tool I helped bring to market. I expected to hear about time savings and admin tasks.
Instead, she said something that stopped me: “Now I get to spend more time with the kids instead of being stuck in the office.”
That quote changed how we talked about the product. It became the headline of our next campaign. And it came from listening, not leading.
3. Most businesses wait too long to tell their story
I’ve talked to so many companies who say, “We’ll start case studies once we have more logos.”
But here’s the truth: your earliest customers are often your best stories. They took a bet on you. They felt the pain most clearly. And they’ll often be your most generous champions.
If you wait until you're “ready,” you’ll miss the magic of your early traction.
Why this work matters
We live in a world full of marketing claims. Everyone says they’re the easiest, fastest, most powerful solution. And most buyers have learned to tune it out.
But when someone hears a story from someone just like them, everything changes. They lean in. They picture themselves in that story. And they start to believe, “Hey, maybe this could work for me too.”
That belief is what moves deals forward. It’s what builds trust. And it’s what makes marketing feel less like a pitch and more like a conversation.
Who I help
Their Words is built for founders, marketers, and sales teams who want to show, not just tell, the value of what they’ve built.
If you’ve got happy customers but no stories to show for it, I can help. If your sales team keeps asking for proof points, I’ll give them exactly what they need. If you just want someone to take this off your plate and do it well, that’s what I do.
One last thing
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Yeah, we should probably have some case studies,” you’re not alone. Most teams I talk to feel behind on this.
The good news is: your customers already have the story. You just need someone to listen, shape it, and bring it to life. That’s what I do. And I’d love to help.