From closing his first deals to navigating the AI search landscape, Sam Kurn is the kind of person who leans into change and uses search intelligence to bring his customers with him.
Samuel Kurn joined Adthena in October 2024 as a Customer Success Manager and recently stepped into an Account Manager role. With nearly a decade across marketing, sales, and paid search, Sam brings a customer-first mindset and commercial instinct to every account. In this spotlight, he talks about making the leap into AM, the lessons CS gave him, and why the rise of AI search tools is one of the most exciting challenges he’s ever faced.
We’re excited to shine the spotlight on Samuel Kurn, who recently moved from Customer Success Manager to Account Manager after joining Adthena in October 2024. With close to a decade of experience across marketing, sales, and paid media, Sam has built his career around paid search and the commercial side of working with brands.
In this spotlight, Sam shares what sparked his move into account management, the lessons he’s carrying with him from customer success, and his take on how AI is reshaping the search landscape.
“The move into Account Management felt like a natural next step. Earlier in my career I spent time in sales and always enjoyed the commercial and strategic side of working with customers. Joining Adthena as a CSM gave me the chance to really understand the product, the customers, and the value our search intelligence can bring to different types of businesses.
What attracted me to AM was the chance to apply that understanding in a more commercial way. I enjoy connecting the dots between a customer’s goals, the challenges they’re facing, and the ways Adthena can help them make better decisions, whether that’s driving growth, protecting revenue, or hitting wider business targets.”
“In CS, you’re close to the customer’s day-to-day, so you learn how important it is to listen properly, understand what success looks like for each business, and translate data into something genuinely useful. I’m not just looking at accounts from a commercial perspective – I’m thinking about where customers are trying to get to, what pressures they’re under, and how we can help them get there. It’s also reinforced the importance of building trust over time. The best conversations happen when customers see you as a partner, not just a supplier.”
“The pace and breadth of the role. The search landscape is changing constantly, especially with the rise of AI and new ways consumers are discovering information. As an AM there are so many ways we can support customers depending on their goals. The challenge has been applying what I already know in a way that drives clear outcomes: a new revenue opportunity, expansion into new markets, or helping a customer adapt to changes in search behaviour. That’s also the part I enjoy most: being proactive, working closely with the wider team, and helping customers use search intelligence to make better decisions.”
“The last year has felt like a whirlwind for search. With ChatGPT continuing to grow in popularity, the way people search, research, and make decisions is evolving rapidly. It’s no longer just about typing a query into Google, clicking an ad, and converting. Consumers are using more touchpoints like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude, alongside changes like Google AI Overviews and AI Mode.
What excites me is the opportunity this creates for brands to rethink visibility. It’s not just about where you rank in paid search anymore; it’s about how and where your brand shows up across a much broader search journey. From an Adthena perspective, that’s a really exciting space to be in and deliver solutions that help these enterprise brands solve the problem. In my own role, I’m also embracing AI to learn faster, improve processes, and work smarter day-to-day.”
“Smart & Always Improving. In paid search and search intelligence, things are always changing – new product developments, platform updates, customer challenges, market shifts – so you have to stay open to learning. Whether it’s sharpening customer conversations, learning more about the commercial side of AM, or understanding how AI is changing search, I’m always looking for ways to get better. Confident in what you know, but humble enough to keep learning as the best outcomes come from staying curious and asking better questions.”
“I like to stay active. I enjoy hybrid training and I’m a keen golfer, currently trying to lower my handicap. I’m also a massive Southampton FC fan and have been a season ticket holder for longer than I can remember, which has definitely taught me patience. Outside of that, I love travelling, getting outdoors, and food – living in London makes the last one pretty easy.”
“Western Australia. I started in Perth before travelling down south – the mix of coastline, scenery, food, wine, and slower pace of life made it really memorable. My partner has dual British and Australian citizenship, so I had the perfect travel companion. Next on the bucket list: South America (Argentina, Peru, and Chile) for the landscapes, food, and adventure. A safari in South Africa is up there too.I think travel is one of the best ways to reset, get perspective, and come back with a bit more energy and curiosity.”
Sam’s journey is a great example of how curiosity and a customer-first mindset can open up new paths at Adthena. His commercial drive and dedication to continuous learning embody what it means to be an Adthenian.
Interested in joining Sam and the team? Explore our open roles and start your own journey with Adthena.
