Professional Summary

Professional Overview

Jeff Ernst is a seasoned technology executive and community builder with a proven track record of driving customer-centric innovation and growth. As the Founder and CEO of SlapFive, he leverages his deep expertise in customer experience, marketing, and product management to empower organizations to thrive in the digital age. Additionally, Jeff is the Founder and Community Organizer of the CustomerX Community, as well as the Founder and Executive Producer of the annual CustomerXCon event.

Experience Summary

Current Roles

Founder and CEO, SlapFive (2015-Present)

• Leads the strategic vision and operational execution of SlapFive, a customer experience software and advisory firm

• Develops and implements innovative solutions to help organizations enhance customer engagement, increase loyalty, and drive sustainable growth

• Serves as a trusted advisor to senior executives, guiding them in their customer-led transformation efforts

Founder & Community Organizer, CustomerX Community (2018-Present)

• Founded the CustomerX Community, a global network of customer experience professionals dedicated to sharing best practices and driving industry innovation

• Oversees the curation of thought-leading content, events, and resources to support the continuous learning and development of community members

Founder & Executive Producer, CustomerXCon (2019-Present)

• Responsible for the conceptualization, planning, and execution of the annual CustomerXCon conference, a premier industry event that attracts leading CX practitioners and thought leaders

Advisory Board Member, Revenue Accelerators (2018-Present)

• Provides strategic guidance and domain expertise to the Revenue Accelerators team, helping them develop innovative solutions to drive sustainable revenue growth for their clients

Career Progression

Prior to founding SlapFive and the CustomerX Community, Jeff held various leadership roles at prominent technology companies, including:

• Researcher at Buyer Persona Institute (2016-2020)

• Senior Vice President of Customer Marketing at Forrester Research (2013-2015)

• Principal Analyst advising CMOs and CCOs on Customer-Led Growth at Forrester Research (2010-2013)

• Vice President of Marketing and Products at Kadient, Inc. (2007-2009)

• Vice President of Marketing at FatWire Software (2003-2007)

Throughout his career, Jeff has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive customer-centric innovation, leverage data-driven insights, and cultivate high-performing teams to achieve measurable business results.

Academic Background

Jeff holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Areas of Expertise

• Customer experience strategy and implementation

• Marketing and product management

• Data-driven decision making and analytics

• Community building and thought leadership

• Executive coaching and strategic advisory

Professional Impact

• Helped numerous organizations transform their customer experience and drive sustainable growth

• Built the CustomerX Community into a thriving global network of CX professionals

• Curated the annual CustomerXCon conference, which has become a premier industry event

• Served as a trusted advisor to senior executives, guiding their customer-led transformation efforts

Conclusion

Jeff Ernst is a visionary leader and customer experience evangelist who has dedicated his career to empowering organizations to thrive in the digital age. Through his roles as the Founder and CEO of SlapFive, the Founder and Community Organizer of the CustomerX Community, and the Founder and Executive Producer of CustomerXCon, Jeff continues to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and inspire customer-centric change across the industry.