At Primer, our team is made up of smart, curious, and driven people who thrive in an environment of autonomy and collaboration. In this edition of Meet the Primigos, we sit down with Prerna Kishore, one of our Customer Success Managers.
Prerna’s career started in sales, but she quickly found her passion for customer success, guiding businesses toward solutions that make a real impact. After stints at Uber and PayPal, she joined Primer after being inspired by what the company was doing.
In her words: “I was struck by how different it was from anything I’d seen in payments before. It was pioneering a completely new approach—one that could genuinely change how businesses manage payments.”
Let’s dive into her journey, what makes Primer’s culture stand out, and what advice she has for those looking to join our team.
Tell us a little about your role.
No two days are the same!
I've been at Primer for almost three years now, and every day brings something new, whether that’s a learning opportunity or a new challenge.
I spend a significant part of my day in in-depth conversations with merchants. That could be working to solve immediate challenges, helping them shape their payment roadmap, or providing education and insight into the best ways to leverage our solution to meet their goals.
My role also involves problem-solving, collaborating closely with product and engineering, and working alongside GTM teams to ensure our merchants receive the support they need to succeed.
You’ve worked in customer-facing roles throughout your career. What led you to Primer?
I actually started my career in sales. After several years in sales, I moved into onboarding and account management at PayPal, where I’ve always focused on working closely with merchants.
Primer caught my eye when looking to move on from PayPal because it felt like a pioneer in the payments space. Coming from payments, I was familiar with PSPs, processors, and APMs, but I had never seen a company doing what Primer was doing. The idea that automation could simplify payments for online businesses was something I hadn’t seen before.
That innovation really drew me in.
How has the Customer Success team evolved since you joined?
Today, the CS team is entirely different from when I joined. We've overhauled our processes and become extremely collaborative.
Since we all come from different backgrounds and manage various types of merchants, we make it a point to share what we learn. There’s no gatekeeping. If someone figures something out, they share it with the team.
What I love about the team is that we stay connected. Everyone has one-on-ones with each other; most of the time, they aren’t even work-related. We already have team calls and Slack threads for that! Our one-on-ones are more about checking in: "Are you okay? What challenges are you facing?"
That’s really helped us build trust and a strong team dynamic.
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What’s been a standout moment for you at Primer?
The biggest highlight has been how much I’ve grown. Primer constantly pushes me out of my comfort zone. Three years ago, I wouldn’t have believed I could navigate the challenges I’ve faced here. From handling complex merchant issues to navigating process gaps, every challenge has helped me grow.
One standout moment was a renewal with a major merchant last quarter. I inherited the relationship from another Customer Success Manager, and it needed a complete turnaround. It wasn’t easy, but we made it happen.
At Primer, Customer Success can’t succeed alone. It truly takes a village. My job depends on collaboration with product, engineering, and other teams. While I push myself to handle the tough conversations, I also have an incredible team supporting me.
How would you describe Primer’s culture in three words?
Curious, autonomous, and connected.
- Curious, because I work with incredibly smart people who ask the right questions and solve complex problems.
- Autonomous, because I have complete control over my work. No one micromanages me.
- Connected, because even though we work remotely, we maintain a tight-knit, collaborative culture.
What keeps you productive?
I’m old school. I love writing things down. I keep a physical to-do list every day, and I take a lot of satisfaction in ticking items off as I go. If I have to move tasks to the next day, I get annoyed, which keeps me accountable!.
I’ve also started time-blocking my calendar. That helps me plan better and stay on top of things.
What’s the one thing that makes Primer different from your previous workplaces?
Autonomy and trust. I've always had ownership over my time. As long as I do my job well and bring value, I have the flexibility to manage my schedule. I also have a supportive manager and a fantastic CS team. That combination—autonomy, trust, and a great team—sets Primer apart.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining Primer?
If you’re not afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone and want to learn something new daily, Primer is the place for you.
It’s tough. It will challenge you. And it will push you beyond what you thought you could do. But the rewards are so worth it.
If you’re up for the challenge, join us.
Want to work alongside people like Prerna? Check out our open roles at Primer.
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