hello@mikeludden.com
Meet Mike.
I'm a collaborative, results-driven CS and RevOps leader, team builder, and technologist. I've built AI, Sales, CS and RevOps systems for sales, post-sales, fulfillment and support. I've been in Austin for 6 years helping build systems, process management/automation/improvement and I specialize in operations, from architecting and deploying custom CRM solutions, designing customer survey programs, coaching current and future leaders, creating enablement programs, reducing bottlenecks through org design and operations theory.
I'm not your typical "tech guy" – I come from humble roots and offer perspective beyond the limitations of certified CRM admins. I use a deep understanding of technology to solve business problems with a bias toward action.
I am the COO at TestDriver.ai, building the next generation of runtimes for developing and testing applications across any platform.
My process is hands on and collaborative. I love evaluating channels, TAM, people, process, AI use cases, and business strategy/goals. I bring deep knowledge of when (and more importantly when not) to automate and experience with many toolsets, tech stacks, and architectures. I walk the talk and am a firm believer that no tool can solve your problems. The right people with the right knowledge, delivered at the right time is a superpower.
Feb 2025 - Present
TestDriver.ai
COO
As COO of TestDriver, I lead company strategy, product direction, and operational execution across customer success, go-to-market, and engineering alignment. I focus on turning market needs into product innovations while building the processes that help teams move fast and stay coordinated. I drive adoption and expansion through onboarding, pilot programs, and PLG initiatives, and I make sure our internal systems, documentation, and cross-functional workflows scale with the product.
testdriver.ai
3.5 years: Dec 2020 - Jul 2024
Atmosphere TV
VP of Customer Success and RevOps
VP of Customer Success and RevOps, building and leading several teams to manage the customer lifecycle. From shipping physical hardware, to onboarding new business customers or architecting signup > order + quote > cash CRM systems. In 2020 we had around 8,000 business customers, relying heavily on OX advertisers for revenue streams. By 2024 we had over 65,000 business customers and dozens of big-name direct advertisers. Prior to the dual VP role, I was the Director of Customer Success, implementing onboarding, upsell and cross-sell teams from scratch, and supporting a large outside sales team.
atmosphere.tv
3.5 years: Apr 2017 – Dec 2020
EZ Texting
Head of Client Operations
EZ Texting is the Industry's Leading SMS Marketing Service — Billions of Messages Sent by 230,000+ Customers. As Head of Client Operations, I was tasked with reducing human-touch support to enable more than 100,000 MAUs to send impactful comms to retail customers, employees, prospective employees, and more. Best-in-class support and service operations, with a response team for Sev 0 carrier issues and TCPA compliance as well as developing a Trust and Safety team for a tumultuous time in carrier relations and changing landscape for mass messaging.
www.eztexting.com
2+ years: Feb 2015 – Apr 2017
CallFire
Customer Success Manager
Texting and Calling Solutions that Help You Reach More Customers. My intro to the tech world, in the early days of the CSM role. Here I resolved complex technical support and API issues, driving high customer satisfaction, learning a ton of technology and engineering best practices. My teams led Tier 1 and Tier 2 escalations, as well as supporting huge brands like ADP, Allstate, and numerous local/national political campaigns with get out the vote campaigns. Some of my favorite accomplishments here were sunsetting legacy brands and tech debt, and creating internal systems to display KPIs and leaderboards for sales/CS teams that drove results in real-time.
www.callfire.com
1.5 years: Mar 2013 – Dec 2014
JJL Enterprises
Operations & Finance
Working with family can be fun! Here I partnered with my brother Jeff to run teams, finance and operations for a business that remodeled homes for brands like Waypoint Homes (now Invitation Homes). Alongside this, we also managed REO work for bank-owned properties post-recession.
3.8 years: Aug 2009 – Mar 2013
US Bank
Assistant Branch/Operations Manager
Settling in Portland, OR I found myself in the middle of the Great Recession. Luckily there was an institution that resisted the urge to capitalize on subprime lending and kept a high bar for doing the right thing. Here I learned financial regulations from A to Z, and learned how to manage people and process, selling in an ethical way and helping customers achieve financial dreams. I led clean internal audits and participated in a Leadership Development Program, where only 30 people out of 60,000 were chosen on an annual basis.
www.usbank.com~1 year: Oct 2008 - Jul 2009
Houlihan Smith
Research Analyst
Now Houlihan Capital, co-founded by Dick Houlihan of the prestigious Houlihan-Lokey. As a research analyst I qualified businesses for valuation work as well as raising capital.
www.houlihancapital.com
2004 - 2008
DePaul University
Bachelor of Science, Finance
Graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Class of 2008.
www.depaul.edu