CHICAGO — Andrew Olson, Senior Director, Customer Operations at RX, has helped redefine Customer Success at the organization by reengineering the operating model behind it, introducing a lifecycle-based progression model that connects onboarding rigor, engagement depth, health scoring and structured intervention to renewal strength and expansion potential.
By formalizing proactive engagement standards, especially for first-time exhibitors, Olson transformed what had historically been a retention risk into a growth lever.
He was recognized for his achievements by being named a 2026 Trade Show Executive (TSE) Trailblazer.
We sat down with Olson to discuss his work and career.
WARRICK: What brought you to the trade show industry?
ANDREW: I found my way into the trade show industry a bit by accident, but looking back, it makes a lot of sense. I grew up going to events and always loved the energy around them, but I never really thought about it as a career.
When I was job searching, I came across a Customer Insights Manager role at Reed Exhibitions (now RX Global). The more I learned about the company and the role, the more I realized how unique the event space is.
Creating a space where you can bring people together and have a real tangible impact on their business — that was exciting to me.
Fast forward almost 10 years, and I’m still here, just in a very different role — but still just as energized by the industry.
WARRICK: What do you enjoy the most about your work?
ANDREW: It really comes down to the people.
Internally, I get to work with so many talented, supportive people across the company. There’s a real sense that everyone is working toward the same goal, and that kind of environment makes a huge difference in our day to day.
Externally, it’s our customers. There’s nothing better than knowing you helped someone get real value out of an event — whether that’s making key connections, driving business or even changing the direction of their company.
Being even a small part of that is incredibly rewarding.
WARRICK: How have you redefined customer success as a strategic revenue lever and reengineered the operating model behind it?
ANDREW: One of the biggest shifts we’ve made is moving Customer Success from being seen as a support function to being proactive driver of revenue and growth.
Rather than focusing solely on issue resolution, we aligned the team around measurable business outcomes such as retention, expansion and customer lifetime value.
We’ve always been good at building relationships with exhibitors and quickly creating trust. The opportunity was to take that a step further and be more intentional about how we use those relationships to help customers succeed.
Now, we start by really understanding what each exhibitor wants to get out of an event. Then everything we do — from how we guide them to how we recommend value-added services, is intentionally aligned to those specific show goals.
It changes conversation. It’s no longer about selling something; it’s about helping them get the outcome they came for.
And when that happens, they see more value, they have a better experience and they’re much more likely to come back.
WARRICK: Could you describe your work driving exhibitor retention?
ANDREW: First and foremost, retention is a team effort. It’s not something one group can own on their own.
It takes alignment across Customer Success, Sales, Marketing, Operations, etc. — everyone plays a role. What we’ve focused on is making sure we’re all working toward the same goal and staying connected along the way.
A big focus for us has been ensuring there’s continuity across the entire exhibitor journey. We’ve built retention playbooks that emphasize delivering consistent, measurable value at every stage, not just post-sale, but starting from the very first interaction.
If exhibitors feel prepared, supported and ultimately successful, retention becomes a natural byproduct rather than something we have to chase.
WARRICK: How did you lead the integration of customer success and fulfillment into a single, coordinated engine?
ANDREW: We really tried to put ourselves in the exhibitor’s shoes and look at the post-sale experience from their perspective.
What we saw was that the journey was fragmented. Different contacts, overlapping responsibilities and more complexity than there needed to be.
From there, we brought Customer Success and Fulfillment together into what is now our Customer Solutions Team. The idea was simple: give exhibitors one main point of contact who can support them across everything post-sale.
We invested a lot in training and making sure the team felt confident across both areas, and it’s made a big difference. It’s a smoother experience for exhibitors, and it also allows our team to build stronger, more meaningful relationships.
And we’re still evolving it. We’re constantly looking at data, feedback and new ways to improve how we support our customers.
Related. Meet the 2026 TSE Trailblazers: Kelley McCarthy
WARRICK: What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
ANDREW: For me, it’s always the moments with customers.
There have been times when I’ve worked closely with an exhibitor leading up to an event, and then after the show they come back and tell me how much of an impact it had on their business — or even their career.
Those are the moments that stick with me. Knowing you played a part in that is something I’m really proud of.
WARRICK: What are your keys to success?
ANDREW: I’d say two things: Embrace a love of learning and build strong relationships.
The more you understand about how different teams work and how events come together, the better you’ll be in your role. There’s always something new to learn in this industry.
And relationships are everything, both internally and with customers. When you have strong relationships, everything else becomes easier and more impactful.
WARRICK: What challenges have you encountered in your career, and how have you overcome them?
ANDREW: One of the most significant challenges I faced was rebuilding our Customer Success function, which came out of the pandemic. We were essentially starting from scratch, rethinking how to support exhibitors in a very different environment with new expectations and constraints.
We started with a small team and really focused on the full exhibitor journey — where we could add value and make the biggest impact.
As we demonstrated early success, we were able to grow the program step by step. Today, we have a global team across the U.S. and the Philippines supporting exhibitors across all of our events.
While it was a complex challenge, it ultimately became a great opportunity to build something in a more strategic, scalable and globally aligned model from the ground up.
WARRICK: How do you stay motivated and avoid burnout?
ANDREW: A lot of it comes back to the team.
Seeing people grow, succeed and get recognized for their work is a huge motivator for me. I love when customers reach out and share how great their experience was with someone on the team — that means everything.
Those moments remind me why we do what we do and keep me going.
WARRICK: What advice would you give to an events industry up-and-comer?
ANDREW: Take every opportunity to learn and get involved.
Make a strong effort to understand how different parts of the business work, not just your own role. The more you know, the more effective you’ll be.
If you can, get onsite at events as much as possible — that’s where everything really comes to life.
And don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Take on new challenges, raise your hand for stretch assignments/projects and make yourself visible. That’s how you grow in this industry.
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