Welcome to Escalations

Hey there—glad you’re here.

If you’re new here, a quick intro: I’m Mercer, and this is my second book project. My first book, CXOXO: Building a Support Team Your Customers Will Love, focused on creating customer support teams that truly connect with customers. If you’re into CX, give it a look.

This new project? It’s something a little different—and it all started with a conversation.

Jen Weaver (who always has the best ideas) suggested I explore the career journeys of folks who started in frontline support. The more I thought about it, the more I realized: frontline support is the unsung starting point for so many incredible careers. People who began answering tickets or calls often go on to become leaders, founders, product managers, marketers—you name it. But we don’t hear enough about how those early experiences shaped their journeys.

So, I’m writing a book about it.

It’s called Escalations: Tracing Great Careers Back to the Support Queue. The book will share stories of people who launched their careers in customer support and used what they learned there to grow into new roles, lead successful teams, or shape entire companies.

But here’s the thing—there are so many stories to tell.

Some interviews will make it into the book, but others won’t. And that’s where this little space comes in. This newsletter is a place to share all those conversations that deserve to be heard—because even if they don’t make the final cut, they’re still packed with insights, lessons, and actionable advice.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Interviews with people who stayed in support and grew into leadership roles

• Stories of folks who transitioned into marketing, product, and beyond

• Insights on how support skills translate into career success

• Updates on the book-writing process—if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to write a book (spoiler: lots of coffee and blank-page staring), I’ll share the good, the tough, and everything in between

Want to get involved?
I want this to be a community-driven project. If you started your career in support and have a story to tell—or know someone who does—you can nominate them (or yourself!) here.

Thanks for being here. I’m looking forward to sharing these stories with you—because when we trace great careers back to the support queue, we find lessons worth learning.

More soon!