Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career
Interviews with world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover concrete, actionable, and tactical advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product. www.lennysnewsletter.com
Sun, March 30, 2025
A better way to plan, build, and ship products | Ryan Singer (creator of “Shape Up,” early employee at 37signals)
Ryan Singer is one of the earliest employees and the former Head of Strategy at 37signals (the makers of Basecamp), where he spent nearly two decades refining a product development approach that helped the company build super-successful products with small teams. Based on these lessons, he wrote "Shape Up: Stop Running in Circles and Ship Work that Matters," and Ryan now works with companies of all sizes to them them escape the cycle of endless sprints, missed deadlines, and dragging projects. What you’ll learn: 1. Why traditional Agile and Scrum methods often lead teams into endless cycles of work without meaningful shipping milestones. 2. The “appetite-driven” approach to product development where teams set fixed timeboxes (usually six weeks maximum) and vary the scope instead of expanding timelines. 3. The exact process for running effective “shaping” sessions that collaboratively define projects before committing resources. 4. Why most teams struggle with too little detail in their planning, not too much. 5. Why a 30-to-50-person team size is the critical breaking point when growing startups need to adopt more structured processes. 6. Practical techniques for bridging the engineering-design divide by bringing technical and product perspectives together earlier in the process. 7. The powerful “breadboarding” and “fat marker sketching” techniques that help teams align on solutions without getting lost in high-fidelity details. 8. The clear warning signs that your current development process is failing before it’s too late to change course. 9. Proven strategies to implement Shape Up methods, whether you’re working in a startup or enterprise environment. 10. A step-by-step approach to transitioning from Scrum to Shape Up by piloting the methodology with a single team before broader implementation. 11. Why the PM role shifts upstream in Shape Up, focusing more on problem definition than project management. 12. How to adapt Shape Up principles to your company’s unique context, even if it’s nothing like Basecamp. — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Merge —A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app • Airtable ProductCentral —Launch to new heights with a unified system for product development — Where to find Ryan Singer: • X: https://x.com/rjs • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feltpresence/ • Website: https://www.ryansinger.co/ <
Thu, March 27, 2025
How to win in the AI era: Ship a feature every week, embrace technical debt, ruthlessly cut scope, and create magic your competitors can't copy | Gaurav Misra (CEO and co-founder of Captions)
Gaurav Misra is the co-founder and CEO of Captions, an AI-powered video creation company and one of the most successful consumer AI products in the world today. Previously he was a product leader at Snap, where he created the design engineering function and spent years helping develop features used by hundreds of millions of users worldwide. With a background in both engineering and design, Gaurav brings a unique cross-functional perspective to product development. What you’ll learn: 1. Why the “ship a marketable feature every week” approach helps his team stay focused and the product stay top of mind for users amid constant AI breakthroughs 2. How to balance rapid shipping with maintaining quality by cutting scope rather than compromising on timelines 3. The “secret roadmap” strategy that helps Captions develop breakthrough features competitors never see coming 4. Why taking on strategic technical debt is essential for startups to outpace larger companies 5. How Captions accidentally ignored their most successful product for 1.5 years (and why it still grew to 500K users with no updates or support) 6. How Snap’s unique product development approach—with designers functioning as PMs—enabled their success as the last major social network to break through 7. Why AI video will transform marketing before other industries — Brought to you by: • Brex — The banking solution for startups • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-win-in-the-ai-era-gaurav-misra — Where to find Gaurav Misra: • X: https://x.com/gmharhar • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gamisra1/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Gaurav’s background (04:47) The exciting era of AI and startups (09:30) Staying top of mind (11:26) Tips for staying focused (13:14) Shipping marketable features we
Sun, March 23, 2025
Superhuman's secret to success: Ignoring most customer feedback, manually onboarding every new user, obsessing over every detail, and positioning around a single attribute: speed | Rahul Vohra (CEO)
Rahul Vohra is the founder and CEO of Superhuman. Prior to Superhuman, Rahul founded Rapportive, the first Gmail plug-in to scale to millions of users, which he sold to LinkedIn in 2012. He is also a prominent angel investor, and his fund has invested $50 million in over 120 companies, including Placer, Supabase, Mercury, Zip, ClassDojo, and Writer. What you’ll learn: • The unexpected insight about virality Rahul gained from LinkedIn’s head of growth. • Why Rahul restructured his entire executive team to spend 60% to 70% of his time on product, design, and marketing instead of the typical CEO responsibilities. • The counterintuitive approach to finding product-market fit using a methodical system inspired by Sean Ellis, and how this algorithmically determines your roadmap. • How manually onboarding every user (Superhuman had 20 full-time people doing this at peak) created superfans and allowed engineers to focus on product rather than onboarding flows. • The “Single Decisive Reason” framework for making better decisions by avoiding collections of weak justifications. • How Superhuman’s AI features have evolved to create a truly intelligent email experience that works while you sleep. — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Fundrise Flagship Fund —Invest in $1.1 billion of real estate • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/superhumans-secret-to-success-rahul-vohra — Where to find Rahul Vohra: • X: https://x.com/rahulvohra • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulvohra/ • Email: Rahul@superhuman.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Rahul and Superhuman (05:00) The most pivotal moment in Rahul's career (07:01) The secret to virality (11:02) Superhuman’s product evolution and core values (13:32) Overcoming slowdowns at scale <
Sun, March 16, 2025
The hidden power of introverts: How to thrive without changing who you are | Susan Cain (author of "Quiet")
Susan Cain , author of the groundbreaking bestseller Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking , shares a guide for how introverts can thrive in the workplace without sacrificing their authentic selves. Drawing from her extensive research and personal experience, Cain offers a powerful reframing: success doesn’t require becoming more extroverted—it demands becoming more fully yourself. — What you’ll learn: 1. A simple definition of introversion and how it differs from shyness—plus a simple two-question test to determine where you fall on the spectrum 2. Five practical tactics introverts can use to be more successful in business while staying true to their natural temperament 3. How to handle challenging workplace scenarios like meetings dominated by loud voices and networking events that drain your energy 4. Specific strategies for managers and founders to create environments where introverted team members can contribute their best work 5. Practical techniques for saying no to energy-draining commitments 6. Strategies for managers to better support and leverage introverted team members 7. Practical advice for raising introverted children to help them develop confidence while honoring their natural temperament 8. Why seeking to become “more extroverted” is the wrong goal—and what to focus on instead to achieve professional success — Brought to you by: • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Fundrise Flagship Fund —Invest in $1.1 billion of real estate — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-hidden-power-of-introverts-susan-cain — Where to find Susan Cain: • X: https://x.com/susancain • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancain/ • Website: https://susancain.net/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susancainauthor/# • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsusancain • Substack: https://thequietlife.net/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Susan Cain (05:07) Understanding introversio
Thu, March 13, 2025
Inside Bolt: From near-death to ~$40m ARR in 5 months—one of the fastest-growing products in history | Eric Simons (founder & CEO of StackBlitz)
Eric Simons is the founder and CEO of StackBlitz, the company behind Bolt—the #1 web-based AI coding agent and one of the fastest-growing products in history. After nearly shutting down, StackBlitz launched Bolt on Twitter and exploded from zero to $40 million ARR and 1 million monthly active users in about five months. What you’ll learn: 1. How Bolt reached nearly $40M ARR and 3 million registered users in just five months with a team of only 15 to 20 people 2. How Bolt leverages WebContainer technology—a browser-based operating system developed over seven years—to create a dramatically faster, more reliable AI coding experience than competitors 3. Why Anthropic’s 3.5 Sonnet model was the critical breakthrough that made AI-generated code production-ready and unlocked the entire text-to-app market 4. Why PMs may be better positioned than engineers in the AI era 5. How AI will dramatically reshape company org charts 6. Eric’s wild founder story (including squatting at AOL’s HQ) and how scrappiness fueled his innovation — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Fundrise Flagship Fund —Invest in $1.1 billion of real estate • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-bolt-eric-simons — Where to find Eric Simons: • X: https://x.com/ericsimons40 • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-simons-a464a664/ • Email: Eric@stackblitz.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Eric Simons and StackBlitz (04:46) Unprecedented growth and user adoption (10:40) Demo: Building a Spotify clone with Bolt (15:28) Expanding to native mobile apps with Expo (19:09) The journey and technology behind WebContainer (25:03) Lessons learned and future outlook (29:15) Post-launch analysis (34:15) Growing fast with a small team (41:00) Prioritization at B
Sun, March 09, 2025
Building Lovable: $10M ARR in 60 days with 15 people | Anton Osika (CEO and co-founder)
Anton Osika is the co-founder and CEO of Lovable, which is building what they call “the last piece of software”—an AI-powered tool that turns descriptions into working products without requiring any coding knowledge. Since launching three months ago, Lovable hit $4 million ARR in the first four weeks and $10 million ARR in two months with a team of just 15 people, making it Europe’s fastest-growing startup ever . — What you’ll learn: 1. Why you need to be in the top 1% of AI tool users 2. Watch Lovable build a functional Airbnb clone in 30 seconds—complete with working features and modern design 3. The unconventional hiring approach that helped build a 15-person team capable of extraordinary execution 4. How traditional product development will look with AI 5. What skills will matter most to product teams going forward 6. How Anton’s team discovered a breakthrough in AI “unsticking itself” — Brought to you by: • Sinch —Build messaging, email, and calling into your product • Persona —A global leader in digital identity verification • Fundrise Flagship Fund —Invest in $1.1 billion of real estate — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-lovable-anton-osika — Where to find Anton Osika: • X: https://x.com/antonosika • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonosika/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Anton and Lovable (05:12) Lovable’s rapid growth (09:39) Live demo: Building an Airbnb clone (18:34) Tips for mastering Lovable (21:42) The origin story (26:50) Scaling laws and getting AI unstuck (33:20) Reliability and unique features (36:25) The vision and future of Lovable (38:14) Skills and job market evolution in the age of AI (40:30) Hiring philosophy and team dynamics (46:21) Building in Europe (48:02) Prioritization and product roadmap (51:38) Tools and work environment (53:17) Tactics for moving fast</p
Thu, March 06, 2025
Notion’s lost years, its near collapse during Covid, staying small to move fast, the joy and suffering of building horizontal, more | Ivan Zhao (CEO and co-founder)
Ivan Zhao is the co-founder and CEO of Notion. Ivan shares the untold story of Notion, from nearly running out of database space during Covid to finding product-market fit after several “lost years,” and the hard-won lessons along the way. — What you’ll learn: 1. Why you sometimes need to “hide your vision” behind something people actually want—what Ivan calls “sugar-coating the broccoli” 2. How Ivan and his co-founder persevered through multiple product resets and complete code rewrites 3. Why Notion prioritized systems over headcount, keeping the team small and focused even at scale 4. Why Ivan believes in craft and values as the foundation for product development, balancing technical excellence with aesthetic sensibility 5. The surprising story of how Notion nearly collapsed during Covid when their single database almost ran out of space with only weeks to spare 6. Community-led growth tactics 7. Ivan’s unique journey from a small town in China 8. Much more — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Airtable ProductCentral —Launch to new heights with a unified system for product development • Sinch —Build messaging, email, and calling into your product — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-notion-ivan-zhao — Where to find Ivan Zhao: • X: https://x.com/ivanhzhao • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivanhzhao/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Ivan Zhao (04:41) Ivan’s early life and education (07:46) Discovering the vision for Notion (10:49) The lost years of Notion (13:56) Rebuilding and perseverance (17:14) Layoffs and company morale (18:53) Advice for startup founders (25:08) Product-market fit (29:56) Staying lean and efficient (34:27) Creating a unique office culture (37:20) Craft and values: the foundation of Notion’s philosophy (38:44) Navigating tradeoffs in product and business building
Sun, March 02, 2025
The creator of WordPress opens up about becoming an internet villain, why he’s taking a stand, and the future of open source | Matt Mullenweg (founder and CEO, Automattic)
Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of WordPress, the open source platform powering a staggering 43% of the internet. He also serves as CEO of Automattic—the parent company of brands like WordPress.com, WooCommerce, and Tumblr—which is worth over $7 billion, with over 1,700 employees across 90 countries. In this episode, he discusses some of the most controversial topics surrounding WordPress, Automattic, and the broader open source community. — What you’ll learn: • Matt’s response to public criticism • Why products like Meta’s Llama are “fake open source” • How his team is turning around Tumblr after acquiring it for just $3 million (after Yahoo bought it for $1.1 billion) • Why he mortgaged his home to fund San Francisco’s iconic Bay Lights project • Matt’s philosophy: “Don’t just build a product; build a movement” • Why open source matters: “If the Founding Fathers were around today, they’d be open source advocates” — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. • Loom —The easiest screen recorder you’ll ever use — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-creator-of-wordpress-opens-up-matt-mullenweg — Where to find Matt Mullenweg: • X: https://x.com/photomatt • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattm/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photomatt/ • Website: https://ma.tt/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Matt Mullenweg (05:10) Matt’s career journey (11:15) Bay Lights project and philanthropy (17:28) How Matt got involved with open source (23:25) Why products like Meta’s Llama are “fake open source” (27:14) The future of open source and how to get involved (35:25) Building a successful onl
Thu, February 27, 2025
An inside look at X’s Community Notes | Keith Coleman (VP of Product) and Jay Baxter (ML Lead)
Keith Coleman (VP of product) and Jay Baxter (founding ML engineer), the minds behind Community Notes, reveal how a small, scrappy team inside Twitter/X built the most trusted crowdsourced information system on the internet—one that’s changing the way we understand truth online. What you’ll learn: 1. How Community Notes actually works —a deep dive into the groundbreaking algorithm that rewards “bridging agreement” instead of majority rule 2. The seemingly crazy yet brilliant way this idea survived multiple CEO changes —from Jack to Parag to Elon 3. How this project started with a dumpster fire GIF (literally) —the untold backstory of its early launch 4. The secret to running ultra-fast, high-impact product teams —no OKRs, no Jira; just one Google Doc 5. What Meta’s adoption of Community Notes means for the future of online (mis)information —why this open source system is becoming the industry standard — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Productboard —Make products that matter • Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-x-built-the-best-fact-checking-system-on-the-internet — Where to find Keith Coleman: • X: https://x.com/kcoleman • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-coleman-19b12b46/ — Where to find Jay Baxter: • X: https://x.com/_jaybaxter_ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybaxter/ • Website: http://jaybaxter.net/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Community Notes (06:56) How the “bridging-based” algorithm works (13:33) The impact and scale of Community Notes (17:24) Understanding the note publishing threshold (21:32) Challenges and philosophies (26:26) The effect of notes on re-sharing content (29:41) Origin story (35:46) Embracing small teams for big impact (40:23) The thermal project approach (47:47) Algorithm development
Sun, February 23, 2025
How to find work you love | Bob Moesta (Jobs-to-be-Done co-creator, author of "Job Moves”)
Bob Moesta , co-creator of the Jobs to Be Done framework, recently published a new book, Job Moves . Drawing from interviews with over 1,000 people about their career transitions, it offers a practical playbook for career development. In our conversation, we discuss: • The four different “quests” that drive career changes • Why job features (salary, title) matter less than experiences • How to identify what gives you energy vs. drains you • The power of taking a “jobcation” • A template for crafting your career story • Tips for hiring and retaining great talent • The importance of prototyping potential careers • Much more — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-find-work-you-love-bob-moesta — Where to find Bob Moesta: • X: https://x.com/bmoesta • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmoesta/ • Website: https://www.jobmoves.com/ • Podcast: https://pca.st/gg6goo1n • The Re-Wired Group: https://therewiredgroup.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Bob's background (05:10) Bob’s new book, Job Moves (09:31) Job features vs. job experiences (11:16) Four reasons people leave jobs (17:20) Energy drivers and energy drains (31:05) Prototyping your next job (34:32) Pushes and pulls (40:01) Understanding that no job is perfect (43:18) Taking a jobcation (51:22) Finding the right next step (55:18) Navigating job applications and interviews (58:28) How to craft your career story (01:04:04) Strengths and weaknesses: leveraging your superpowers (01:06:21) Hiring and writing job descriptions (01:11:20) Self-awareness and founding a s
Sun, February 16, 2025
A founder’s guide to crisis management | Uri Levine (Waze co-founder, serial entrepreneur)
Uri Levine is a co-founder of Waze (which was acquired by Google for $1.3 billion in 2013), along with nine other companies (including another company he sold for over $1 billion). He’s also been on 20 boards and has been an advisor to over 50 startups. He recently released a new chapter of his best-selling book Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution , which provides a guide to surviving crises at your company. In this episode, we cover: • The two types of startup crisis and how to handle them • Why speed of action is the most important thing • How to keep your team motivated when things look dire • A framework for deciding whether or not to pivot • What to do when product-market fit disappears • How to approach raising money during a crisis • More — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Rippling —Automate HR, IT, and finance so you can scale faster • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/a-founders-guide-to-crisis-management-uri-levine — Where to find Uri Levine: • X: https://twitter.com/urilevine1 • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uri-levine • Website: https://urilevine.com • Book: https://www.amazon.com/Fall-Love-Problem-Solution-Entrepreneurs/dp/1637746601/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Welcome back, Uri! (05:10) The new chapter: navigating crises (08:15) Types of crises founders face (29:10) Navigating cash crises (38:31) The importance of never giving up (46:26) How to keep people engaged through a crises (47:59) Transparency in crisis management (56:58) Navigating product-market-fit challeng
Sun, February 09, 2025
OpenAI researcher on why soft skills are the future of work | Karina Nguyen (Research at OpenAI, ex-Anthropic)
Karina Nguyen leads research at OpenAI, where she’s been pivotal in developing groundbreaking products like Canvas, Tasks, and the o1 language model. Before OpenAI, Karina was at Anthropic, where she led post-training and evaluation work for Claude 3 models, created a document upload feature with 100,000 context windows, and contributed to numerous other innovations. With experience as an engineer at the New York Times and as a designer at Dropbox and Square, Karina has a rare firsthand perspective on the cutting edge of AI and large language models. In our conversation, we discuss: • How OpenAI builds product • What people misunderstand about AI model training • Differences between how OpenAI and Anthropic operate • The role of synthetic data in model development • How to build trust between users and AI models • Why she moved from engineering to research • Much more — Brought to you by: • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Loom —The easiest screen recorder you’ll ever use — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/why-soft-skills-are-the-future-of-work-karina-nguyen — Where to find Karina Nguyen: • X: https://x.com/karinanguyen_ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinanguyen28 • Website: https://karinanguyen.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Karina Nguyen (04:42) Challenges in model training (08:21) Synthetic data and its importance (12:38) Creating Canvas (18:33) Day-to-day operations at OpenAI (20:28) Writing evaluations (23:22) Prototyping and product development (26:57) Building Canvas and Tasks (33:34) Understanding the job of a researcher (35:36) The future of AI and its impact on work and education (42:15) Soft skills in the age of AI (47:50) AI’s role in creativity and strate
Sun, February 02, 2025
Tobi Lütke’s leadership playbook: Playing infinite games, operating from first principles, and maximizing human potential (founder and CEO of Shopify)
Tobi Lütke is the founder and CEO of Shopify, a $130 billion business that powers over 10% of all U.S. e-commerce. Starting as a snowboard shop in 2004, Shopify has become the leading commerce platform by consistently approaching problems differently. Tobi remains deeply technical, frequently coding alongside his team, and is known for his unique approach to leadership, product development, and company building. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why complexity kills entrepreneurship • How to develop and leverage your unique talent stack • How specifically Tobi approaches thinking from first principles • The importance of focusing on unquantifiable qualities like joy and delight • Why Tobi works backward from a 100-year vision • Why metrics should support decisions, not make them • The power of following your curiosity • What Tobi believes it takes to be a great product leader • Much more — Brought to you by: • Sinch —Build messaging, email, and calling into your product • Liveblocks —Ready-made collaborative features to drop into your product • Loom —The easiest screen recorder you’ll ever use — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/tobi-lutkes-leadership-playbook — Where to find Tobi Lütke: • X: https://x.com/tobi • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiaslutke/ • Website: https://tobi.lutke.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Welcome and introduction (04:17) The Tobi tornado (07:10) Maximizing human potential (11:05) Education and personal growth (16:47) Operating without KPIs (25:00) First-principles thinking (40:04) Remote work (45:59) Why Tobi never stopped coding (54:46) Embracing disagreement (01:01:27) The 100-year vision (01:09:29) Balancing tactics and positioning (01:17:15) Encouraging entrepreneurship (01:19:34) The power of good UX (01:28:42) The talent stack and unique opportuni
Thu, January 30, 2025
Linear’s secret to building beloved B2B products | Nan Yu (Head of Product)
Nan Yu is the head of product at Linear, one of the most beloved and fastest-growing B2B SaaS products out there today, and the gold standard for high-performing tech teams. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why speed and quality aren’t actually at odds • Linear’s unique approach to product development • Nan’s systematic approach to creativity • Linear’s philosophy on deadlines • The “double triangle” framework for product management • Nan’s approach to landing his dream product roles • Much more — Brought to you by: • Sinch —Build messaging, email, and calling into your product • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want • Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/linears-secret-to-building-beloved-b2b-products-nan-yu — Where to find Nan Yu: • X: https://x.com/thenanyu • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenanyu/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Nan Yu and Linear (04:54) Survey insights: Linear vs. Jira (07:51) The speed vs. quality myth (09:24) Building and iterating quickly (15:31) Avoiding bloat in enterprise software (23:57) Understanding user needs deeply (30:09) How to approach customer calls (34:10) Creating strong emotional hooks (40:31) Managing the product backlog (44:46) Systemizing creativity (48:16) Demo: Saving drafts in Linear (51:38) Breaking constraints and building at extremes (54:15) Adopting new tools (58:22) The “double triangle” framework for product management (01:04:23) Effective job-hunting strategies for PMs (01:09:15) Thoughts on deadlines (01:14:15) Lightning round — Referenced: • Jira: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira • Li
Sun, January 26, 2025
An operator’s guide to product strategy | Chandra Janakiraman (CPO at VRChat, ex-Meta, Headspace, Zynga)
Chandra Janakiraman is the chief product officer, executive vice president, and a board member at VRChat. Previously, he was a product leader at Meta, where he led Facebook’s social experience interfaces and Reality Labs’ growth; served as CPO at Headspace, where he helped relaunch the platform, driving a 4x subscriber boost; and was a GM at Zynga, delivering massive hit games that reached hundreds of millions. In our conversation, Chandra shares: • His playbook for developing a product strategy • The difference between “small s” and “big S” strategy • How to run strategy sprints • Who should be involved in strategy work • Common pitfalls in strategy development • The role of AI in future strategy development • More — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Airtable ProductCentral —Launch to new heights with a unified system for product development • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-operators-guide-to-product-strategy-chandra-janakiraman — Where to find Chandra Janakiraman: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandramohanj/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Chandra’s background (04:47) The importance of strategy (12:40) Defining product strategy (15:42) Developing a winning strategy: an overview (18:51) The preparation phase (30:46) The strategy sprint process (45:51) The design sprint (51:19) Document writing (57:39) Rolling out your strategy (01:01:28) Resourcing and roadmapping (01:04:42) Strategy lessons from Zynga (01:11:34) Strategy lessons from Meta (01:15:55) Big S strategy (01:26:58) AI in strategy formulation (01:38:12) Final thoughts and lightning round — Referenced: • Headspace: https://www.headspace.com/ • Good Strategy, Bad Strategy | Richard Rumelt: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lennysne
Sun, January 19, 2025
10 growth tactics that never work | Elena Verna (Amplitude, Miro, Dropbox, SurveyMonkey)
Elena Verna is one of Silicon Valley’s most sought-after growth advisors and operators. She previously led growth at companies like Amplitude, Miro, Dropbox, and SurveyMonkey and is currently doing full-time advising for high-growth tech companies. In our conversation, Elena and I discuss: • 10 growth tactics that never work • Her 3 favorite growth frameworks • How to increase your career optionality — Brought to you by: • Sinch —Build messaging, email, and calling into your product • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/10-growth-tactics-that-never-work-elena-verna — Where to find Elena Verna: • Newsletter: https://www.elenaverna.com/ • X: https://x.com/elenaverna • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaverna — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Welcome back, Elena! (06:02) Common mistakes growth teams make (08:31) #1: Hiring for growth roles too soon (15:09) #2: Hiring a head of growth to fix your problems (19:20) #3: Doing a rebrand to drive growth (25:11) #4: Obsessing over your competition (34:00) #5: Believing that your problems are unique (42:32) #6: Prioritizing other growth channels above earned channels (50:55) #7: Failing to evolve your growth model (01:01:06) #8: Not hiring advisors (01:05:55) #9: Over-experimenting (01:10:44) #10: Color optimizations, third-party signups, one-email wonders, and removing friction (01:15:00) Elena’s favorite growth frameworks (01:18:50) Contrarian corner: full-time jobs (01:26:05) Lightning round and final thoughts — Referenced: • Elena Verna on how B2B growth is changing, product-led growth, product-led sales, why you should go freemium not trial, what features to make free, and much more: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lennysnewsle
Thu, January 16, 2025
How to break out of autopilot and create the life you want | Graham Weaver (Stanford GSB professor, founder of Alpine Investors)
Graham Weaver teaches a top-rated course at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (GSB), where he often unexpectedly ends up helping students figure out what to do with their lives. He is also the founder and CEO of Alpine Investors, a people-driven private equity firm. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why everything worthwhile requires suffering • Why most people operate on autopilot, and how to break free • The “genie methodology” for discovering your true path • The Nine Lives exercise for exploring different life possibilities • How to overcome limiting beliefs that hold you back • Why “not now” is often just another way of saying “never” • More — Brought to you by: • Merge —A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app • Persona —A global leader in digital identity verification • Liveblocks —Ready-made collaborative features to drop into your product — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-break-out-of-autopilot-graham-weaver — Where to find Graham Weaver: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-weaver-2b79 • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grahamcweaver • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grahamcweaver • Website: https://www.grahamweaver.com • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grahamcweaver — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Graham’s background (05:30) Helping students find their true path (07:40) The genie methodology (12:36) Breaking free from autopilot mode (17:54) Identifying and overcoming limiting beliefs (20:33) Teaching entrepreneurship and personal fulfillment (22:53) The reality of long-term success (35:14) The role of accountability and executive coachi
Sun, January 12, 2025
How to build your product team from scratch, attract top product talent, go multi-product, and more | Rohini Pandhi (Mercury, Square)
Rohini Pandhi is a product leader at Mercury, and previously spent over seven years at Square/Block leading product work on Square payments, invoicing, and the Bitkey hardware Bitcoin wallet. She’s also the co-founder of the startup bootcamp Transparent Collective and is an active angel investor. In our conversation, we discuss: • Key indicators that it’s time to hire PMs • How to build your early PM team • Why founders should initially take on the product manager role themselves • How to attract top PM talent • What she’s learned about going multi-product • A case for investing in quality • More — Skip the Mercury Personal waitlist: https://mercurytechnologies.typeform.com/lenny — Brought to you by: • Cloudinary —The foundational technology for all images and video on the internet • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster • Airtable ProductCentral —Launch to new heights with a unified system for product development — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-build-your-product-team-from-scratch-rohini-pandhi — Where to find Rohini Pandhi: • X: https://x.com/rohinip • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohinipandhi — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Rohini’s background (05:00) The role of product managers at Mercury (09:51) Key indicators that it’s time to hire PMs (13:18) Building the product team at Mercury (19:53) Why you should avoid hiring PMs too early (22:26) The different flavors of product management (26:15) How to attract top talent (35:59) Advocating for quality in product development (44:10) Going multi-product (46:37) Organizational structure for multi-product success (50:57) Organizational culture for multi-product success (52:07) Customer obsession and product development (57:36) More lessons from going multi-product (01:05:5
Thu, January 09, 2025
Behind the founder: Drew Houston (Dropbox)
Drew Houston is the co-founder and CEO of Dropbox. Under his leadership, Dropbox has grown from a simple idea to a service used by over 700 million registered users globally, with a valuation exceeding $9 billion. Drew has led Dropbox through multiple phases, from explosive viral growth, to battling all the tech giants at once, to reinventing the company for the future of work. In our conversation, he opens up about: • The three eras of Dropbox’s growth and evolution • The challenges he’s faced over the past 18 years • What he learned about himself • How he’s been able to manage his psychology as a founder • The importance of maintaining your learning curve • Finding purpose beyond metrics and growth • The micro, macro, and meta aspects of building companies • Much more — Brought to you by: • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/behind-the-founder-drew-houston-dropbox — Where to find Drew Houston: • X: https://x.com/drewhouston • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewhouston/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Drew and Dropbox (04:44) The three eras of Dropbox (07:53) The first era: Viral growth and early success (14:19) The second era: Challenges and competition (20:49) Strategic shifts and refocusing (29:36) Personal reflections and leadership lessons (40:19) Unlocking mindfulness and building support systems (43:14) The Enneagram test (50:35) The challenges of being a founder CEO (58:11) The third era: Rebooting the team and core business (01:22:41) Lessons and advice for aspiring founders (01:27:46) Balancing personal and professional growth (01:42:38) Final reflections and future outlook — Referenced: • Dropbox: <a targ
Sun, January 05, 2025
Scripts for difficult conversations: Giving hard feedback, navigating defensiveness, the three questions you should end every meeting with, more | Alisa Cohn (executive coach)
Alisa Cohn is an executive coach who has worked with C-suite executives at startups like Venmo, Etsy, Wirecutter, and DraftKings, and Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Google, Pfizer, Dell, and IBM. Inc. Magazine named Alisa one of the top 100 leadership speakers, and she was named one of the Top 50 coaches in the world by Thinkers50 and the #1 startup coach for the past four years by Global Gurus. She is also the author of From Start-Up to Grown-Up , which won the 2022 Independent Press Award and the American Book Fest 2023 Best Book Award for Entrepreneurship, and is the creator and host of a podcast of the same name. In our conversation, we discuss: • The psychology behind why we avoid difficult conversations • Specific scripts for having five common difficult conversations • How to handle defensive reactions in the moment • The three questions you should end every meeting with • “The founder prenup” that every founding team should work through • Common leadership myths • Stories of failure from Alisa’s career — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Rippling —Automate HR, IT, and finance so you can scale faster • Liveblocks —Ready-made collaborative features to drop into your product — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/scripts-for-difficult-conversations-alisa-cohn — Where to find Alisa Cohn: • X: https://x.com/AlisaCohn • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn • Website: https://www.alisacohn.com • Podcast: https://www.alisacohn.com/podcast — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Alisa’s background (04:48) Having difficult conversations (
Thu, January 02, 2025
Inside Gong: How teams work with design partners, their pod structure, autonomy, trust, and more | Eilon Reshef (co-founder and CPO)
Eilon Reshef is the co-founder and chief product officer at Gong, one of the most ubiquitous B2B products in the world. In our conversation, we discuss: • Gong’s unique approach to working with design partners • Their unique pod model • Why Eilon makes big decisions quickly • Lessons learned from being early in AI • The power of extreme focus • His “spiral method” for learning complex topics quickly • How to maintain quality while optimizing for speed — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Think Fast Talk Smart —Tools and techniques to help you communicate more effectively • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-gong-eilon-reshef — Where to find Eilon Reshef: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eilonreshef — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Eilon’s background (04:20) The pod model (06:33) Working with design partners (09:13) Finding and coordinating design partners (13:12) Balancing customer feedback and vision (15:10) Gong's 95% feature adoption (17:05) The importance of autonomy and trust (23:30) How to implement this unique way of working (27:15) Speed and decision-making (31:47) Early AI adoption and lessons learned (35:50) Building effective AI teams (38:16) The spiral method for learning (41:36) Narrowing down the initial customer profile (44:24) Failure corner (46:35) Lightning round — Referenced: • Gong: https://www.gong.io • Cisco: https://www.cisco.com/ • How Gong builds product: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-gong-builds-product • What is Montessori education?: https://amshq.org/Ab
Sun, December 29, 2024
Why great AI products are all about the data | Shaun Clowes (CPO Confluent, ex-Salesforce, Atlassian)
Shaun Clowes is the chief product officer at Confluent and former CPO at Salesforce’s MuleSoft and at Metromile. He was also the first head of growth at Atlassian, where he led product for Jira Agile and built the first-ever B2B growth team. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why most PMs are bad, and how to fix this • Why great AI products are all about the data • Why he changed his mind about being data-driven • How to build your B2B growth team • How to choose your next career stop • Much more — Brought to you by: • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth • BuildBetter —AI for product teams • Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/why-great-ai-products-are-all-about-the-data-shaun-clowes — Where to find Shaun Clowes: • X: https://x.com/ShaunMClowes • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-clowes-80795014/ • Website: https://shaunclowes.com/about-shaun • Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/profiles/shaun-clowes — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Shaun’s background (05:08) The state of product management (09:33) Becoming a 10x product manager (13:23) Specific ways to leverage AI in product management (17:15) Feedback rivers (19:20) AI's impact on data management (24:35) The future of enterprise businesses with AI (35:41) Data-driven decision-making (45:50) Building effective growth teams (50:18) The evolution of product-led growth (56:16) Career insights and decision-making (01:07:45) Failure corner (01:12:32) Final thoughts and lightning round — Referenced: • Steve Blank’s website: <a target="_blank" href
Sun, December 22, 2024
Behind the founder: Marc Benioff
Marc Benioff is the co-founder and CEO of Salesforce, the second-largest software company in the world. He started programming at age 15, selling his first program for $75, and went on to build Salesforce into a company worth more than $300 billion that also owns Slack, Tableau, Quip, and MuleSoft. Marc is known as a marketing legend, and is now leading Salesforce into the era of AI agents. In our conversation, we discuss: • The importance of maintaining a beginner’s mind • His approach to product launches and marketing • Managing through tough times and layoffs • His relationship with Steve Jobs and lessons learned • Why Salesforce is betting big on AI agents • Many stories from his entrepreneurial roller coaster • Much more — Brought to you by: • Cloudinary —The foundational technology for all images and video on the internet • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/behind-the-founder-marc-benioff — Where to find Marc Benioff: • X: https://x.com/benioff • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Marc Benioff and Salesforce (03:54) Marc’s early career and domain names (05:59) The App Store story and lessons from Steve Jobs (15:18) Lessons from launching Salesforce (22:03) The importance of keeping a beginner’s mindset (29:53) Why Marc calls Salesforce the “25-year startup” (31:47) Agentforce (36:09) Why Marc says AI is the defining technology of our lifetime (40:12) AI’s impact on the workforce (42:31) Entrepreneurs need to be like conductors (46:02) Failure corner (50:32) The future of AI agents (56:34) Final thoughts and farewell — Referenced: • Bill.com: https://www.bill.com • App
Thu, December 19, 2024
How Shopify builds a high-intensity culture | Farhan Thawar (VP and Head of Eng)
Farhan Thawar is the head of engineering at Shopify, where he oversees more than 1,000 engineers and a platform that powers over 10% of all U.S. e-commerce. Before Shopify, he was VP of engineering at Pivotal Labs and Xtreme Labs, and co-founder of Helpful.com. In our conversation, Farhan shares: • Why choosing the harder path leads to better outcomes • How to create intensity within your org (without burnout) • Why every company should be embracing pair programming • How he hires without interviewing • How he built the world’s largest internship program • His mission to create a “crafter’s paradise” for engineers • Much more — Brought to you by: • DX —A platform for measuring and improving developer productivity • Persona —A global leader in digital identity verification • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-shopify-builds-a-high-intensity-culture-farhan-thawer — Where to find Farhan Thawar: • X: https://x.com/fnthawar • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fnthawar — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Farhan’s background (05:38) Choosing the hard path (09:37) Getting comfortable with looking dumb (13:20) Lessons from working with visionaries (19:19) Creating intensity in organizations (22:06) The power of pair programming (29:18) Shopify’s culture of intensity (37:18) Meeting Armageddon: revolutionizing company meetings (39:46) Reducing distractions (41:10) Deleting 1M+ lines of code (49:05) Three buckets of building (57:45) Remote work and trust battery (01:00:29) Finding stability in uncomfortable times (01:03:14) Hiring philosophy (01:11:41) Internship programs and co-op systems (01:15:32) Lessons from managing 120 direct reports (01:20:40) Failure corner (01:27:46) Lightning round and closing thoughts —<
Sun, December 15, 2024
Behind the product: Duolingo streaks | Jackson Shuttleworth (Group PM, Retention Team)
Jackson Shuttleworth is a Group PM at Duolingo, where he leads the retention team and the powerful streak feature. The streak feature, which gamifies consecutive days of learning, has been Duolingo’s most important and innovative growth lever and a key driver of their growth to a $14 billion business with almost 600 million users. In our conversation, we dive deep into the history and lessons of this feature: • The evolution of the streak feature • Biggest insights from over 600 streak-related experiments • Biggest specific wins and misses along the way • Key principles for building effective streak mechanics • How to operate a high-velocity product team • Tips for building engaging notification systems • Much more — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/behind-the-product-duolingo-streaks — Where to find Jackson Shuttleworth: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackson-shuttleworth/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jackson’s background and an overview of Duolingo’s streak feature (06:00) The impact of streaks on Duolingo’s success (09:58) The origin and evolution of streaks (14:50) Key experiments and insights (24:38) User psychology and engagement strategies (28:36) Duolingo’s product review structure (33:07) Designing for clarity and adaptability (46:59) Developing the Streak Freeze feature (50:47) Balancing monetization and retention (54:08) Notification strategies (58:15) The Perfect Streak feature (01:00:40) Enhancing the user experience (01:04:47) Team operations and experimentation (01:18:57) Who can benefit from streaks (01:21:00) Lightning round — Referenced: • Duolingo streaks: https://duolingo.fandom
Sun, December 08, 2024
Seth Godin's best tactics for building remarkable products, strategies, brands and more
Seth Godin is a legend. He’s a marketer, teacher, entrepreneur, and author of more than 20 books, including Purple Cow , Permission Marketing , and Linchpin . He also writes one of the most popular and longest-running blogs in the world (approaching publishing 10,000 in a row !) and continues to shape how we think about marketing, brand, product, and creating lasting change in the world. In our conversation, we discuss: • How to build remarkable products that spread • The four critical strategic choices that determine your future • How to develop good taste and high standards • The role of tension in great strategy • How Seth used Claude to write his newest book • Much more — Brought to you by: • DX —A platform for measuring and improving developer productivity • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/seth-godins-tactics-for-building-remarkable-products — Where to find Seth Godin: • Blog: http://seths.blog/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethgodin • Website: https://www.sethgodin.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Seth’s background (05:17) Understanding good taste and upholding high standards (08:09) Become the best at whatever you do (09:48) Seth’s journey as a product manager (14:09) What people often get wrong when building products (16:00) Building a brand in the age of AI (19:04) Using AI to enhance writing (22:40) Four critical elements for an effective strategy (27:38) The role of tension in strategy (29:15) The concept of the purple cow (33:11) "Safe is risky" (34:56) The power of systems (37:07) Better waves make better surfers (38:10) Rebranding vs. re-logoing (43:07) Empathetic leadership (44:14) Conclusion and farewell</
Thu, December 05, 2024
How a great founder becomes a great CEO | Jonathan Lowenhar (co-founder of Enjoy The Work)
Jonathan Lowenhar is the co-founder of Enjoy The Work, an executive coaching firm that helps founders become great CEOs. Over the past decade, Enjoy The Work has supported over 165 founders on their journey to becoming better leaders. In our conversation, we discuss: • The difference between being a founder and being a CEO • Common failure modes for startup CEOs and how to avoid them • The four key elements of an effective go-to-market strategy • A framework for evaluating potential acquisitions: the magic box paradigm • How to find and hire the best people • How to build a repeatable GTM machine • Why founders need to trust their intuition • Much more — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-a-great-founder-becomes-a-great-ceo-jonathan-lowenhar — Where to find Jonathan Lowenhar: • X: https://x.com/jlowenhar • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlowenhar/ • Enjoy the Work: https://etw.live/lenny — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jonathan’s background (02:56) Understanding the rhythm of well-run companies (09:20) The founder mode vs. manager mode debate (12:05) Common company failure modes (13:36) Common CEO failure modes (25:25) The magic box paradigm for selling your startup (43:07) Advice for founders on building relationships (49:28) Hiring and building an amazing team (57:11) Types of executives: architect, optimizer, scaler (59:45) Working backward in hiring (01:02:54) Four key components of a go-to-market strategy (01:15:01) Trusting founder intuition (01:19:12) Founder vs. CEO: different roles, different skills (01:20:52) Closing thoughts and lightning round — <p
Sun, December 01, 2024
Identify your bullseye customer in one day | Michael Margolis (UX Research Partner at Google Ventures)
Michael Margolis has been a UX research partner at Google Ventures (GV) for nearly 15 years. He has developed a unique approach to helping startups identify their “bullseye customer”—the specific subset of their target market who initially is most likely to adopt their product. Michael has conducted over 300 hands-on research sprints with GV portfolio companies across various industries and helped develop the “design sprint” process made famous by the book Sprint . In our conversation, we discuss: • The step-by-step process of running a bullseye customer sprint • The most common mistakes founders make when picking their first customers • Practical tips for conducting effective customer interviews • How to create simple but effective prototypes for user research • The power of “watch parties” in aligning teams around customer insights • How to apply these methods beyond typical tech startups — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/finding-your-bullseye-customer-michael-margolis — Where to find Michael Margolis: • X: https://x.com/mmargolis • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmargolis/ • Website: https://www.learnmorefaster.com/ • Medium: https://medium.com/@mmargolis — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Michael’s background (09:11) Bullseye customers vs. ideal customer profiles (ICPs) (12:32) An overview of the bullseye customer sprint (20:56) When to use the bullseye customer sprint (22:19) Step one: Agree on goals and key questions (23:48) Step two: Define your bullseye customer (25:52) The importance of a narrow target audience (29:00) An example of step t
Sun, November 24, 2024
The ultimate guide to founder-led sales | Jen Abel (co-founder of JJELLYFISH)
Jen Abel is the co-founder of JJELLYFISH, where she and her team have worked with over 300 early-stage founders to learn how to sell, do early customer discovery, and set up a repeatable sales motion on the way to their first $1M ARR. In our conversation, Jen shares: • Why founder-led sales is so crucial early on • The sales process, step by step • How to craft effective outreach messages • Where to find leads • What three channels work best for outreach • What to say on your first call • How to maintain momentum • Strategies for navigating procurement and closing deals • Common pitfalls in the sales process and how to avoid them — Brought to you by: • Brave Search —A smarter way to search • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/master-founder-led-sales-jen-abel — Where to find Jen Abel: • X: https://x.com/jjen_abel • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/earlystagesale — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jen’s background (02:20) The importance of founder-led sales (08:24) The steps of a sales cycle (12:01) Tactics for effective cold outreach (16:47) Conversion rate vs. win rate (20:20) The time it takes to find product-market fit (23:06) Identifying and engaging prospects (30:58) Nailing the first phone call (34:14) Buying vs. selling (38:08) Testing the questions to ask (41:57) Avoiding common sales questions and securing the second call (43:08) Co-authoring with customers (45:06) Time-boxing service contracts (49:20) Why you should avoid demos on the first call (51:05) Dealing with procurement (54:22) The power of enterprise sales (58:14) Getting a signature (01:00:15) Choosing a focus and overcoming sales challenges (01:02:19) General timelines (01:04:27) Final thoughts and advice (01:13:32) W
Thu, November 21, 2024
Behind the product: Replit | Amjad Masad (co-founder and CEO)
Amjad Masad is the co-founder and CEO of Replit, a browser-based coding environment that allows anyone to write and deploy code. Replit has 34 million users globally and is one of the fastest-growing developer communities in the world. Prior to Replit, Amjad worked at Facebook, where he led the JavaScript infrastructure team and contributed to popular open-source developer tools. Additionally, he played a key role as a founding engineer at the online coding school Codecademy. In our conversation, Amjad shares: • A live demo of Replit in action • How Replit’s AI agent can build full-stack web applications from a simple text prompt • The implications of AI-powered development for product managers, designers, and engineers • How this might reshape companies and careers • Why being “generative” will become an increasingly valuable skill • “Amjad’s law” and how learning to debug AI-generated code is becoming ever more valuable • Much more — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Persona —A global leader in digital identity verification • LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/behind-the-product-replit-amjad-masad — Where to find Amjad Masad : • X: https://x.com/amasad • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amjadmasad/ • Website: https://amasad.me/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Amjad Masad and Replit (02:41) The vision and challenges of Replit (06:50) Replit’s growth and user stories (10:49) Demo of Replit’s capabilities (16:51) Building and iterating with Replit (25:04) Real-world applications and use cases (30:13) The technology stack (33:48) The evolution of Replit and its capabilities (39:36) The future of AI in software development (44:04) Skills for the future: generative thinki
Sun, November 17, 2024
Building Wiz: the fastest-growing startup in history | Raaz Herzberg (CMO and VP Product Strategy)
Raaz Herzberg is the chief marketing officer and VP of product strategy at Wiz. Wiz hit $100 million ARR within 18 months (the fastest growth in startup history) and, five years in, is generating over $500 million ARR. It also serves over 45% of the Fortune 100. Raaz was one of the first five employees at Wiz, joining as the first product manager, and helped the team pivot to what may be the most intense PMF in history. Before Wiz, Raaz led security products at Microsoft, including Azure Sentinel. In our conversation, we discuss: • How Wiz pivoted from their initial idea and found deep product-market fit • What Raaz learned about listening to customers • Why she moved from product to marketing, despite no prior experience • How she thinks differently as a marketer with a product background • Lessons learned from scaling a hypergrowth startup like Wiz • Much more — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Rippling —Automate HR, IT, and finance so you can scale faster • Cloudinary —The foundational technology for all images and video on the internet — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-wiz-raaz-herzberg — Where to find Raaz Herzberg: • X: https://x.com/raazherzberg • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raazh — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Raaz’s background (02:54) Early challenges and Wiz’s essential pivot (06:41) Finding product-market fit (11:31) Lessons from early customer interactions (14:54) The power in speaking up when you don’t understand something (17:46) How Wiz pivoted from their initial idea (23:52) Marketing and leadership insights (34:12) The challenges of being a marketing leader (28:05) Following the “heat” in your organization (30:22) How Raaz found success as CMO (34:01) Common CMO mistakes (36:23) Creating noise and standing out (40:28) Embracing failure and taking risks (44:53) The import
Thu, November 14, 2024
Becoming an AI PM | Aman Khan (Arize AI, ex-Spotify, Apple, Cruise)
Aman Khan is Director of Product at Arize AI, an observability company for AI engineers at companies like Uber, Instacart, and Discord. Previously he was an AI Product Manager at Spotify on the ML Platform team, enabling hundreds of engineers to build and ship products across the company. He has also led and worked on products at Cruise, Zipline, and Apple. In our conversation, we discuss: • What is an “AI product manager”? • How to break into AI PM • What separates top 5% AI PMs • How to thrive as an individual-contributor PM • Common pitfalls to avoid when building AI products • The importance of energy and curiosity in product roles • Much more — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/becoming-an-ai-pm-aman-khan — Where to find Aman Khan: • X: https://x.com/_amankhan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanberkeley/ • Website: https://amanalikhan.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Aman’s background (06:16) Understanding AI product management roles (13:29) Getting started as an AI product manager (18:14) Building a portfolio and standing out (22:31) Why product management is not dead (28:56) How to thrive as an AI product manager (35:42) Finding good ideas that are AI-oriented (39:27) Be careful not to automate away every customer experience (42:53) What separates top 5% AI PMs (46:55) Key habits for long-term IC success (52:48) The importance of energy in meetings (57:00) Wandering vs. waiting (01:01:41) Amplifying signal through AI tools (01:03:18) Just have fun (01:05:36) Lightning round — Referenced: • AI Resources and Tools for PMs (Upd
Sun, November 10, 2024
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about SAFe and the product owner role | Melissa Perri (author, founder of Product Institute)
Melissa Perri is the founder of Product Institute, author of Escaping the Build Trap , and host of the Product Thinking Podcast. She has worked with startups, Fortune 50 companies, and everything in between to help them build better products and level up their product teams. In our conversation, we discuss: • The history of the product owner role • The differences between product owners and product managers • How to transition from product owner to product manager • The evolution of and problems with the SAFe framework • How large non-tech companies can improve their product practices • Much more — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/product-owners-melissa-perri — Where to find Melissa Perri: • X: https://twitter.com/lissijean • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissajeanperri/ • Website: https://melissaperri.com/ • Product Institute: https://productinstitute.com/ • Podcast: https://www.produxlabs.com/product-thinking — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Melissa’s background (02:12) The rise of the product owner role (06:37) Understanding Agile and Scrum (08:27) Challenges in Agile transformations (10:41) The history of the product owner role (13:58) The Scrum Guide (15:43) Product owner responsibilities (21:01) Adopting Scrum in organizations (26:21) The origins and implementation of SAFe (35:20) Why Melissa doesn’t recommend SAFe (40:33) Advice for implementing a digital transformation (49:12) An example of SAFe adoption (51:27) The value of experienced produc
Thu, November 07, 2024
Breaking the rules of growth: Why Shopify bans KPIs, optimizes for churn, prioritizes intuition, and builds toward a 100-year vision | Archie Abrams (VP Product, Head of Growth at Shopify)
Archie Abrams is the VP of Product and Head of Growth at Shopify, where he leads a 600+ person growth org across product, design, engineering, data, ops, and growth marketing. Shopify powers over 10% of e-commerce in the United States, with $235 billion in GMV in 2023 (roughly the size of Finland’s economy). He previously led Consumer product and growth at Lyft and was at Udemy for 8 years as SVP of Product having joined the company when it was 10 people. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why Shopify optimizes for churn • Why the core product team doesn’t use metrics-based goals • Why they keep multi-year experiment holdouts • How they structure their growth team • The benefits of not having a CMO • Lessons learned about integrating sales into a product-led growth model • The power of discounting as a growth lever • Much more — Brought to you by: • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product • Dovetail —The customer insights hub for product teams — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/shopifys-growth-archie-abrams — Where to find Archie Abrams: • X: https://x.com/archieabrams • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/archie-abrams-b6aa8b6/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Archie’s background (02:30) Shopify’s impressive growth (06:17) Shopify’s unique approach to churn and retention (08:43) Monetization model and success metrics (11:08) Long-term experimentation and metrics (23:00) Examples of big wins that Archie’s team has shipped (26:42) Monetary friction (27:14) Metrics (29:47) Shopify’s growth team structure (33:03) Goal setting and forecasting (37:10) Examples of long-term results within Shopify (41:36) Shipping neutral experiments (42:05) Building a hundred-year company (48:04) Why Shopify doesn’t use KPIs (51:30) Shopify’s “Get s**t done” framework (54:30) Cross-team collaboration (58:48) The importance of an opinionated founder (01:01:12) Growth and sa
Sun, November 03, 2024
Just evil enough: Subversive marketing strategies for startups | Alistair Croll (author, advisor, entrepreneur)
Alistair Croll is the co-author of the best-selling book Lean Analytics and a longtime product manager, entrepreneur, and startup advisor. He was also instrumental in my starting a company, funding it, and helping us exit to Airbnb as part of his Year One Labs incubator. He’s chaired notable events such as O’Reilly’s Strata and UBM’s Cloud Connect and founded FWD50. In our conversation, we focus on lessons from an upcoming book by Alistair and his co-author, Emily Ross, Just Evil Enough , which is set for release in late 2024. We cover: • The importance of subversive marketing strategies in most startups’ growth • 11 specific subversive tactics that successful companies have used • Examples of companies like Netflix, Airbnb, and Tesla that used clever tactics early on • A framework for scanning your market for opportunities • The importance of finding your “zero-day marketing exploit” • How to apply these tactics ethically without actually being evil • Much more — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Hex —Helping teams ask and answer data questions by working together • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/just-evil-enough-alistair-croll — Where to find Alistair Croll: • X: https://x.com/acroll • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@alistairish • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistaircroll/ • Website: https://justevilenough.com/ • Substack: https://acroll.substack.com/ • Just Evil Enough on X: https://x.com/evilenough • Just Evil Enough on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/just-evil-enough/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.link
Thu, October 31, 2024
4 questions Shreyas Doshi wishes he’d asked himself sooner | Former PM leader at Stripe, Twitter, Google
Shreyas Doshi is a former product leader at Stripe, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo. He’s now a full-time advisor and coach to founders and executives. Shreyas is known for his incredibly insightful writing on products, which has garnered him a passionate following in the PM and startup community. Last week, we sat down together at the very first Lenny and Friends Summit in San Francisco for a special live episode. We covered: • Why product leaders often feel overwhelmed with work, and how to combat it • The importance of developing good taste, and how to do it • How to reduce frustration in your product leadership role • The critical skill of truly listening as a leader • Common pitfalls in annual planning and decision-making • Lots of laughs — To learn more from Shreyas, check out these courses: • Improving Your Product Sense: https://bit.ly/product-sense • Managing Your PM Career: https://bit.ly/pm-career-course — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/shreyas-doshi-live — Where to find Shreyas Doshi : • X: https://x.com/shreyas • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shreyasdoshi/ • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@shreyas.threads • Linktree: https://linktr.ee/shreyasdoshi • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShreyasDoshiVideos — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction (05:35) Question one: Why am I so busy? (10:08) Annual planning as an example (16:48) Tactical tips for staying less busy (25:20) Question two: Do I actually have good taste? (38:09) Question three: Why does my job feel so frus
Sun, October 27, 2024
Meta’s Head of Product (and 29th employee) on working with Mark Zuckerberg, early growth tactics, why PMs are like conductors, and more | Naomi Gleit
Naomi Gleit is head of product at Meta, joined as employee #29, and is the longest-serving executive at Meta other than Mark Zuckerberg. She’s been at the center of some of the company’s most foundational products, including Facebook’s early growth team. In our conversation, we discuss: • How she originally landed at Facebook • The evolution of Facebook’s growth team and key metrics • Lessons from working with Mark Zuckerberg • Insights from Facebook’s activation metric and retention strategies • Leadership lessons and “Naomiisms” for effective product management • Tactics for creating extreme clarity in team communication • Advice for running effective meetings • More — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/metas-head-of-product-naomi-gleit — Where to find Naomi Gleit: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naomigleit • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-gleit/ • Website: https://naomi.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Naomi Gleit (01:53) Naomi’s journey at Meta (06:18) Landing a job at Facebook (10:40) Becoming a product manager (13:40) Working as Head of Product at Meta (14:55) Insights on working with Mark Zuckerberg (20:04) Small Groups and “disagreeable givers” (24:28) The legendary growth team (33:45) Activation metrics and onboarding (43:44) Naomi’s leadership and PM philosophy (53:00) Canonical documents (55:55) Simplifying complex projects (01:00:33) Teen accounts: a case study (01:06:37) Running effective meetings (01:12:10) The importance of exercise (01:16:36) The role of a product manager (01:25:49) Lightning round <
Sun, October 20, 2024
How to see like a designer: The hidden power of typography and logos | Jessica Hische (Lettering Artist, Author)
Jessica Hische is a lettering artist and New York Times bestselling author based in Oakland, California. She specializes in typographical work for logos, film, books, and other commercial applications. Her clients include Wes Anderson, The United States Postal Service, Target, Hallmark, and Penguin Books, and her work has been featured in design and illustration annuals both in the U.S. and internationally. She’s been named a Print Magazine New Visual Artist (20 under 30), one of Forbes 30 under 30 in Art and Design, an ADC Young Gun, a “Person to Watch” by GD USA, and an Adweek “Creative 100.” In our conversation, we discuss: • My new logo and brand! • Jessica’s process for refreshing my logo/brand • Why most startups shouldn’t worry about their logo/brand • The psychology behind different typography choices • Balancing creativity with business needs in logo design • Jessica’s unique approach to pricing logo work • How AI is (and isn’t) impacting the design world • Jessica’s other creative pursuits, including children’s books and art supply stores — Brought to you by: • The Enterprise Ready Conference — For B2B leaders building enterprise SaaS • OneSchema — Import CSV data 10x faster • Merge — A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/seeing-like-a-designer-jessica-hische — Where to find Jessica Hische: • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@jessicahische • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicahische • Website: https://jessicahische.is — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jessica’s background (01:32) The logo refresh process (09:45) When to refresh your logo (11:45) High-level overview (18:04) Approaching Lenny’s brand refresh (24:25) How to see like a designer (37:53) Lenny’s new logo: where we landed (44:07) Brand’s
Thu, October 17, 2024
Becoming more strategic, navigating difficult colleagues, harnessing founder mode, and more | Anneka Gupta (Chief Product Officer at Rubrik)
Anneka Gupta is the Chief Product Officer at Rubrik, a leading B2B cybersecurity company. She previously spent 11 years at LiveRamp, where she was the President and Head of Product and Platforms leading product development and go-to-market operations and strategy. Anneka also sits on the board of directors for Tinuiti and teaches product management at Stanford University. In our conversation, we discuss: • Navigating “founder mode” dynamics in organizations • Navigating difficult personalities and aligning teams • The PM skill of summarization • Giving and receiving hard feedback effectively • The value of a positive mindset • Tips for breaking into product management • Much more — Brought to you by: • The Enterprise Ready Conference — For B2B leaders building enterprise SaaS • Command AI — AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users • Eppo — Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/becoming-more-strategic-anneka-gupta — Where to find Anneka Gupta: • X: https://x.com/annekagupta • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annekagupta — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Anneka Gupta (01:43) Key mindsets for success (05:30) Managing energy for optimal performance (09:05) Founder mode (18:26) Becoming more strategic (27:54) The importance of decision-making (37:18) Navigating difficult personalities (41:38) Techniques for giving and receiving feedback (51:01) Transitioning into product management (54:56) Advice for aspiring product managers (59:39) Leveraging AI tools in product management (01:01:27) The power of a positive mindset (01:04:30) Lightning round — Referenced: • Founder Mode: https://paulgraham.com/foundermode.html • Building a long and meaningful career | Nikhyl
Sun, October 13, 2024
Why most public speaking advice is wrong—and how to finally overcome your speaking anxiety | Tristan de Montebello (CEO & co-founder of Ultraspeaking)
Tristan de Montebello is the co-creator of Ultraspeaking, the most effective method I’ve come across for rapidly improving communication and presentation skills. In 2017, Tristan became the fastest person ever to reach the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking, achieving this feat in just seven months with no prior experience. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why public speaking is a meta skill that can transform your life • Practical games and exercises to improve your speaking skills • The “Accordion Method” for preparing talks without memorization • The “Bow and Arrow Technique” for crafting memorable presentations • Tristan’s journey to the World Championship of Public Speaking finals • Lenny doing some of the exercises live on-screen Tristan is offering a limited-time discount to Ultraspeaking . Both codes are valid until November 14, 2024: → $500 off an Unlimited Membership with code UNLIMITEDLENNY500 → $200 off a Rapid Tier pass for a single cohort with code RAPIDLENNY200 — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Command AI —AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users • Brave Search —A smarter way to search — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/master-public-speaking-tristan-de-montebello — Where to find Tristan de Montebello: • X: https://x.com/Montebello • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristandemontebello/ • Website: https://ultraspeaking.com • Free email course: https://ultraspeaking.com/lenny/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Tristan de Montebello and Ultraspeaking (01:42) Personal experiences with public speaking (05:35) Misconceptions and me
Thu, October 10, 2024
Behind the product: NotebookLM | Raiza Martin (Senior Product Manager, AI @ Google Labs)
Raiza Martin is a senior product manager for AI at Google Labs, where she leads the team behind NotebookLM, an AI-powered research tool that includes a delightful podcast-on-demand feature called “Audio Overviews.” NotebookLM started as a 20% project and has grown into a product that’s spreading across social media and has a Discord server with over 60,000 users. Raiza previously worked on AI Test Kitchen and has a background in startups, payments, and ads. In our conversation, we discuss: • The origin story of NotebookLM • The future road map for NotebookLM • How Google Labs operates differently from the rest of Google • The development of the “Audio Overviews” feature • Key metrics and growth of NotebookLM • Stories about collaborating with author Steven Johnson • Navigating potential misuse of AI technology — Brought to you by: • Explo — Embed customer-facing analytics in your product • Sprig — Build products for people, not data points • Sidebar — Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/googles-notebooklm-raiza-martin — Where to find Raiza Martin: • X: https://x.com/raiza_abubakar • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whatsaraiza/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to NotebookLM (05:43) The genesis of NotebookLM (08:08) Innovative features and use cases (18:52) Building a startup culture within Google (24:28) Expanding user demographics (27:30) The product roadmap (32:18) Other use cases (36:11) Collaborating with Steven Johnson (42:49) Ensuring ethical AI (46:06) Future directions and user engagement — Production and marketing by https://penname.co/ . For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email <a target="_bl
Sun, October 06, 2024
Becoming a conscious leader: Leading without fear, finding your life’s objective function, and getting better at vision and strategy | John Mark Nickels (Uber, Waymo, DoorDash)
JM Nickels is a Senior Director of Product Management at Uber. Previously, he was Head of Product for Commercialization at Waymo and led product teams at DoorDash. JM is also a coach and advisor focused on conscious leadership. In our conversation, we discuss: • How to sharpen your vision and strategy skills • What “conscious leadership” means and how to practice it • Practical techniques for managing stress • The power of soft skills and emotional intelligence in product leadership • Lessons from working at Uber, Waymo, and DoorDash • Keys to living a successful and fulfilling life • Much more — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • The Enterprise Ready Conference — For B2B leaders building enterprise SaaS • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/becoming-a-conscious-leader-john-mark-nickels — Where to find John Mark Nickels: • X: https://x.com/nickelsjm • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmnickels/ • Website: https://www.rhythmofbeing.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to JM (02:02) Conscious leadership explained (03:41) The power of soft skills (07:34) Navigating Uber’s evolution (12:41) Embracing emotions and inner work (21:46) Crafting strategy and vision (41:16) Balancing vision and execution (46:13) Lessons from DoorDash, Uber, and Waymo (52:32) The future of autonomous ride-hailing (55:18) Contrarian corner: Embracing emotions in the workplace (59:47) Keys to a fulfilling life (01:04:45) Taking responsibility and agency (01:07:29) Lightning round and final thoughts — Production and marketing by https://penname.co/ . For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email <a target="_blank" href="mailto:
Thu, October 03, 2024
Thinking like a gardener not a builder, organizing teams like slime mold, the adjacent possible, and other unconventional product advice | Alex Komoroske (Stripe, Google)
Alex Komoroske is a strategic leader who merges the practice, theory, and mindset necessary to tackle complex problems. He spent 13 years at Google, where he worked on Search and DoubleClick and led Chrome’s Open Web Platform. He also spearheaded Augmented Reality in Google Maps and developed toolkits to align companywide strategy from the ground up. After serving as Head of Corporate Strategy at Stripe, he is now co-founding a startup aimed at reimagining the web for the AI era. Alex created the popular “Slime Molds” deck, which offers fresh insights into organizational dynamics. He is also the author of the widely read “Bits and Bobs,” a collection of thought-provoking reflections.In our conversation, we delve into: • “Organizational kayfabe” • “Gardening” vs. “building” • How AI will soon change how we build product • How and why to embrace the adjacent possible • The power of reflection and how to build it into your workflow • How to create emergent properties in organizations • How to run effective “strategy salons” or “nerd clubs” • Much more — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/unconventional-product-advice-alex-komoroske — Where to find Alex Komoroske: • X: https://x.com/komorama • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-komoroske-6597336/ • Website: https://www.komoroske.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Alex (01:53) Alex’s Bits and Bobs document (06:20) The Compendium and note-taking process (10:10) The impact of AI and LLMs on product development (14:24) Skills to lean into as a product manager (19:02) How AI makes us better as individuals (23:04) Organizational kayfabe (31:48) Gardening vs. building <
Sun, September 29, 2024
How marketplaces win: Liquidity, growth levers, quality, and more | Benjamin Lauzier (Lyft, Thumbtack, Reforge)
Benjamin Lauzier has been building and scaling marketplaces for almost 15 years. He was the VP of product and growth at Thumbtack, where he rebuilt the product team and Thumbtack’s growth levers, re-architected their revenue model, and helped double the company’s growth within three years. Prior to Thumbtack, Ben was at Lyft for six years, where he led the supply side of the product organization to a point where 1% of U.S. workers were driving for Lyft every month. Currently, he advises marketplace teams and founders, teaches a Reforge course on marketplace growth, and has recently launched a health tech company called Nurra, which connects users with care advocates to navigate the health-care system. In our conversation, we cover: • What defines a marketplace business • Strategies for growing supply and demand in the early stages • How to measure liquidity and other marketplace health metrics • How to evaluate if a marketplace model is right for your idea • Lessons from Lyft, Thumbtack, and other successful marketplaces • The differences between product management in the U.S. and Europe — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-marketplaces-win-benjamin-lauzier — Where to find Benjamin Lauzier: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminlauzier/ • Ben’s Reforge course: https://www.reforge.com/courses/marketplace-growth/details — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ben’s background (02:24) Defining a marketplace (07:52) Challenges in building a marketplace (13:28) Methods for growing supply (15:57) Understanding marketplace liquidity (21:36) Identifying product-market fit in marketplaces (24:10) Evaluating marketplace business models (27:20) Common pitfalls and failure
Thu, September 26, 2024
Lessons in product leadership and AI strategy from Glean, Google, Amazon, and Slack | Tamar Yehoshua (Product at Glean, ex-Google and Slack)
Tamar Yehoshua is the president of product and technology at Glean. Prior to joining Glean, Tamar was chief product officer at Slack, where she led product, design, and research as the company scaled, including a 10x increase in revenue, its public listing, and an acquisition by Salesforce. She also led product and engineering teams at Google, working on search, identity, and privacy, and at A9.com, an Amazon company. Tamar has served on the board of directors for RetailMeNot, ServiceNow, Snyk, and Yext. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why you don’t need to be a well-run company to win • The impact of AI on product management and the future of work • How to build strong cross-functional relationships, especially with engineers • Lessons learned from working with leaders like Jeff Bezos and Stewart Butterfield • Strategies for staying ahead in a rapidly evolving tech landscape • Much more — Brought to you by: • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product • Sprig —Build products for people, not data points • Sidebar —Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/you-dont-need-to-be-a-well-run-company-to-win-tamar-yehoshua — Where to find Tamar Yehoshua: • X: https://x.com/TYehoshua • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamar-yehoshua-886217/ • Newsletter: https://tamaryehoshua.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Tamar’s background (02:09) Key advice for career success (06:54) Understanding people and motivations (09:33) The importance of impact (11:20) Navigating c
Sun, September 22, 2024
Becoming a super IC: Lessons from 12 years as a PM individual contributor | Tal Raviv (Product Lead at Riverside)
Tal Raviv is a product manager at Riverside, where he joined as its first PM. Over his 12-year career as an individual contributor, Tal has been an early PM at Patreon, AppsFlyer, and Wix, working in consumer growth, developer API platforms, and pricing. He started his career by co-founding a profitable SaaS company and also volunteers as a surf instructor for people with disabilities. In our conversation, Tal shares: • Why he has chosen to stay an individual contributor rather than moving into management • The rise of “super ICs” and how companies can support this career path • Advice for succeeding as a long-term IC product manager • How he uses AI to enhance his productivity • How to build self-reliant teams and make yourself redundant • Lessons from failures • Much more — Brought to you by: • Gamma —A new way to present, powered by AI • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-super-ic-pm-tal-raviv — Where to find Tal Raviv: • X: https://x.com/talraviv • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talsraviv/ • Maven course: https://maven.com/tal-raviv/product-manager-productivity-system/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Tal’s background (02:24) Choosing to stay an IC product manager (07:05) The value of IC roles (08:31) Compensation and career path (12:37) Advice for companies on creating space for ICs (14:33) Leveraging AI for productivity (22:44) Build your personal PM productivity system (37:39) Contrarian opinions and insights (44:32) Book smart vs. street smart decision-making (51:51) There’s no one right way to get things done (57:03) Failure corner (01:19:04) Lightning round (01:26:50) Living through conflict — Production and marketing by <a target="_blank"
Thu, September 19, 2024
Rethinking SEO in the age of AI | Eli Schwartz (SEO advisor, author)
Eli Schwartz is a leading SEO consultant and the author of Product-Led SEO. He has worked with industry giants like Zapier, Tinder, Coinbase, Quora, LinkedIn, and WordPress to build and execute global SEO strategies that significantly enhanced their organic visibility at scale. In our conversation, Eli shares: • How AI and LLMs are reshaping the SEO landscape • Why you should be focused on mid-funnel SEO strategies • How to determine if SEO is the right approach for your business • Why SEO should be treated as a product rather than just a marketing tactic • SEO myths • The future of search in light of recent legal challenges faced by Google • Much more — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • Brave Search —A smarter way to search • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/rethinking-seo-in-the-age-of-ai-eli-schwartz — Where to find Eli Schwartz: • X: https://x.com/5le • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwartze/ • Website: https://www.elischwartz.co/ • Newsletter: https://www.productledseo.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Eli’s background (02:10) The impact of AI on SEO strategies (11:34) Understanding search intent (15:30) Real-world impact and structured vs. unstructured data (20:19) Top-of-funnel vs mid-funnel SEO strategies (22:57) Case studies (31:29) Steps for getting started with SEO (35:20) Examples of when not to focus on SEO (39:17) Evaluating SEO investment (44:00) Understanding the tradeoffs in marketing channels (46:23) SEO conversion metrics and expectations (52:09) Understanding the time horizon of SEO (59:37) The role of AI in cont
Sun, September 15, 2024
The things engineers are desperate for PMs to understand | Camille Fournier (author of “The Manager’s Path,” ex-CTO at Rent the Runway)
Camille Fournier is the author of The Manager’s Path, which many consider the definitive guide for navigating one’s career path in tech. Camille was previously the CTO of Rent the Runway, VP of Technology at Goldman Sachs, Head of Platform Engineering at Two Sigma, and Global Head of Engineering and Architecture at JPMorgan Chase. She is about to release new newest book, Platform Engineering: A Guide for Technical, Product, and People Leaders . In our conversation, we discuss: • What product managers do that annoys engineers • Why major rewrites are a trap • Why you should have fewer one-on-ones • Strategies for organizing and working with platform teams • Tips for new managers • Advice for transitioning from individual contributor to manager • Much more — Brought to you by: • DX —A platform for measuring and improving developer productivity • CommandBar —AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/engineering-leadership-camille-fournier — Where to find Camille Fournier: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camille-fournier-9011812/ • Website: https://skamille.medium.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Camille’s background (02:17) Common annoyances between PMs and engineers (07:09) Avoiding the telephone game (08:05) Hoarding ideas and over-engineering (09:55) The importance of involving engineers in ideation (11:37) The middle-person dilemma (14:21) Rewriting systems: a big trap? (20:40) Engineering leadership lessons (36:02) Moving from IC to management (40:32) One-on-one meetings (45:10) Pushing beyond comfort zones (45:27) Building a balanced work culture (48:01) Effective time management strategies (54:15) Advice for platform team success (01:02:42) Platform team responsibilities
Thu, September 12, 2024
Land your dream job in today’s market: negotiation tactics, job search councils, and more | Phyl Terry (Author, “Never Search Alone”)
Phyl Terry is the author of Never Search Alone, which I’ve seen so many people reference as the most impactful guide they read for finding a job. Phyl was on the founding team of the first company Amazon acquired back in the ’90s and then was CEO of pioneering product consulting firm Creative Good, with companies like Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft as customers. Today, Phyl is the founder and CEO of Collaborative Gain, which 20 years ago pioneered bringing councils to senior product leaders and GMs in Silicon Valley. That’s their day job—in addition to that, Phyl runs a free global community for job seekers based on their latest book. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why you should never search for a job alone • How job search councils work • How to determine your “candidate-market fit” • How to conduct a listening tour • Creating your job mission and OKRs • How to negotiate job offers • The art of asking for help • Tactics for effective networking and interviewing • Much more — Brought to you by: • Sidebar —Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers • Sprig —Build products for people, not data points • Dovetail —The customer insights hub for product teams — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/land-your-dream-phyl-terry — Where to find Phyl Terry: • X: https://x.com/phylterry • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phylterry/ • Website: https://www.phyl.org/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Phyl’s background (01:58) The concept of job search councils (04:27) The power of community in job searching (08:55) The scale and structure of job search councils (12:27) The impact of job search councils (20:19) The concept of candidate-market fit (22:50) Writing a Mnook
Sun, September 08, 2024
How LinkedIn became interesting: The inside story | Tomer Cohen (CPO at LinkedIn)
Tomer Cohen is the chief product officer at LinkedIn, responsible for setting the company’s product strategy, leading product development, user experience design, business development, content creation, and customer operations. He also hosts the Building One podcast, where he interviews exceptional builders across various disciplines. In our conversation, we discuss: • How LinkedIn transformed its feed into an engaging content and social platform • Tomer’s famous “We might be wrong, but we are not confused” mantra • The importance of conviction and passion in product leadership • LinkedIn’s approach to experimenting with and implementing AI features • Lessons from Tomer’s rapid career progression at LinkedIn • Strategies for embracing AI in product development — Brought to you by: • Gamma —A new way to present, powered by AI • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Merge —A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-linkedin-became-interesting-tomer-cohen — Where to find Tomer Cohen: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomercohen/ • Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-one-with-tomer-cohen/id1726672498 — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Tomer Cohen and his role at LinkedIn (02:28) The mantra “We might be wrong, but we are not confused” (06:45) Clarity of thought and focus (13:03) Setting ambitious goals and overdelivering (16:18) Transforming LinkedIn’s feed: strategy and execution (22:03) Running experiments at scale (26:24) Goal setting and identifying opportunities (30:58) AI’s role in LinkedIn’s evolution (35:38) The AI-first mindset at LinkedIn (35:38) Developing an AI-first mindset (44:49) Letting go of your roadmaps and allowing room for explorati
Thu, September 05, 2024
The original growth hacker reveals his secrets | Sean Ellis (author of “Hacking Growth”)
Sean Ellis is one of the earliest and most influential thinkers and operators in growth. He coined the term “growth hacking,” invented the ICE prioritization framework, was one of the earliest people to use freemium as a growth lever, and, most famously, developed the Sean Ellis Test for product-market fit (which a large percentage of founders use today to track if they’ve found PMF). Over the course of his career, Sean was head of growth at Dropbox and Eventbrite; helped companies like Microsoft and Nubank refine their growth strategy; was on the founding team of LogMeIn, which sold for over $4 billion; and is the author of one of the most popular growth books of all time, Hacking Growth , which has sold over 750,000 copies. In our conversation, he shares: • The proper use of the Sean Ellis Test for measuring product-market fit • How to increase your activation and retention rates • How to select the right North Star metric for your business • Case studies from his work growing Dropbox and other products • How growth strategy has changed over the past decade • How AI is impacting growth efforts • Much more — Brought to you by: • Gamma —A new way to present, powered by AI • CommandBar —AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users • Merge —A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-original-growth-hacker-sean-ellis — Where to find Sean Ellis: • X: https://x.com/seanellis • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanellis/ • Website: https://www.seanellis.me/ • Substack: https://substack.com/@seanellis — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Sean’s background (02:18) The Sean Ellis test explained (06:28) The 40% rule (08:06) Case study: improving p
Sun, September 01, 2024
Airbnb’s Vlad Loktev on embracing chaos, inquiry over advocacy, poking the bear, and “impact, impact, impact” (Partner at Index Ventures, Airbnb GM/VP Product)
Vlad Loktev spent 10 years at Airbnb, where he started as an IC PM and quickly advanced to lead the core Airbnb marketplace business and then GM the entire homes business, managing over 1,000 people and reporting directly to CEO Brian Chesky. He recently left Airbnb and joined Index Ventures as their newest partner. Vlad was my manager at Airbnb for many years, and is the person I credit most for teaching me how to be a great product manager. Prior to Airbnb, Vlad spent a year at Zynga, where he helped grow Words with Friends to over 14 million daily active users. In our conversation, Vlad shares: • Insight into Brian Chesky’s leadership style • Why success as a PM is all about impact, impact, impact • Why chaos can be good • Why as a leader it’s OK to let some fires burn • Why you should learn to “poke the bear” • Balancing product release speed with quality • Lessons on prioritization, decision-making, and organizational design • Advice for founders on building company culture • Much more — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/impact-impact-impact-vlad-loktev — Where to find Vlad Loktev: • X: https://x.com/vladimirloktev • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladimirloktev/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Vlad’s background (02:54) Reflecting on transformative years at Airbnb (04:28) Skills and mindsets for success (11:03) Impact-driven mindset (13:16) Saying no and inquiry before advocacy (17:54) “Poking the bear” (22:46) Psychological tools for leadership (30:08) Building and scaling teams (36:12) Letting fires burn (47:34) Embracing chaos (54:40) The unsell email strategy (01:02:01) Finding your place in an organization (01:05:38)
Sun, August 25, 2024
How to consistently go viral: Nikita Bier’s playbook for winning at consumer apps (co-founder of TBH, Gas, advisor, investor)
Nikita Bier is one of the most in-demand consumer, social, and growth experts in the world. He’s the co-founder of TBH (sold to Meta for more than $30 million) and Gas (sold to Discord for millions more) and has helped more consumer apps that have hit #1 in the app stores than any other person I’ve come across. He currently spends his time advising founders on growth, product, and design and is an investor and advisor to some of the best consumer tech companies, including Flo, Locket, Eight Sleep, Citizen, BeReal, Captions, and more. In our conversation, we discuss: • The inside story of how TBH and Gas achieved explosive growth • Strategies for building viral consumer apps • Why teens are such a great audience • Fighting the human trafficking hoax at Gas • The challenge of creating durable social products • His experience working as a PM at Facebook • Advice for founders on building consumer apps • Much more — Brought to you by: • Webflow —The web experience platform • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product — Book Nikita for 1:1 consultation/mentoring: https://intro.co/NikitaBier — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-consistently-go-viral-nikita-bier — Where to find Nikita Bier: • X: https://x.com/nikitabier • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@nikitabier • Website: https://intro.co/NikitaBier — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Nikita’s background (06:08) Nikita’s early ventures: Politify and Outline (08:42) Transition to consumer apps (13:45) The birth of TBH (16:43) Building for teens vs. adults (20:00) TBH’s viral success (32:18) Leveraging live chat (34:08) Lasting lessons from TBH (37:00)
Thu, August 22, 2024
Succeeding as an introvert, building zero-to-one, and why you should PM your career like you PM your product | Deb Liu (CEO of Ancestry, ex-Facebook, PayPal, eBay)
Deb Liu is the CEO of Ancestry and former longtime VP of Product at Facebook. At Facebook, Deb led the creation of Facebook Marketplace, developed the first mobile ad product for apps, built the company’s games business, and launched Facebook Pay. She’s also held leadership roles at PayPal and eBay, serves on the board of Intuit, and is the author of Take Back Your Power . In our conversation, we discuss: • Why you should PM your career like you PM your product • Strategies for incubating new products within large companies • Creating a successful 30-60-90-day plan when starting a new job • The pitfalls of perfectionism • The challenges introverts face in the workplace and how to overcome them • The value of resilience and turning failures into stepping stones • How to leverage coaching in your career development — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Webflow —The web experience platform — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/succeeding-as-an-introvert-deb-liu — Where to find Deb Liu: • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@debliu • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahliu • Substack: https://debliu.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Deb Liu (02:18) Deb’s career journey and key advice (09:45) Navigating new roles and challenges (11:27) Overcoming adversity and failure (15:07) Building billion-dollar businesses at Facebook (19:33) Strategies for zero-to-one innovation (23:40) PM your career like a product (33:53) Challenges and strategies for introverts in business (39:19) Reframing self-promotion (42:25) The power of accountability (46:15) Growth: a game of
Sun, August 18, 2024
Unorthodox PM wisdom: Automating user insights, unselling job candidates, logging every decision, more | Kevin Yien (Stripe, Square, Mutiny)
Kevin Yien leads product for merchant experiences at Stripe. Before that, he meandered his way from being a technical designer to a product manager, built the restaurants business and ecosystem team at Square, and most recently was head of product and design at Mutiny. He also makes ice cream and teaches for fun. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why aspiring PMs should start in engineering, design, or sales • The importance of writing skills, and how to become a better writer • How to automate user research • Kevin’s “unsell email” technique for hiring • The value of keeping a decision log • Insights on AI and its impact on future generations • Lessons from failure — Brought to you by: • BuildBetter —AI for product teams • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/unorthodox-pm-wisdom-kevin-yien — Where to find Kevin Yien: • X: https://x.com/kevinyien • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinyien/ • Website: https://kevinyien.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Kevin’s background (02:00) The story behind Kevin’s profile picture (08:41) The role of a product manager (10:48) Getting started in product management (12:47) The importance of writing skills (15:06) Becoming a better writer (19:10) The PM’s role with engineering and design (28:41) Drawing the perimeter for your team (31:37) Feedback tips (35:13) Decision logs and product sense (45:36) Unorthodox hiring strategies (47:01) The unsell email strategy (54:01) Automating user research (01:02:27) AI in everyday life (01:06:05) Lessons from failure (01:14:34) Lightning round — Production and marketing by https://penname.co/ . For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email <a
Sun, August 11, 2024
Improve strategy, influence, and decision-making by understanding your brain | Evan LaPointe (founder of CORE Sciences)
Evan LaPointe is the founder of CORE Sciences, which teaches companies and individuals how our brains work and how that translates to improved collaboration, better products, faster decision-making, and more growth. Previously, Evan was the co-founder of Satellite, the fourth-largest analytics product on the internet today (it mostly runs behind the scenes, and pretty much everyone listening will have used it today without knowing it), which was acquired by Adobe, where he later ran product strategy, innovation, and long-range thinking for Adobe’s digital experiences business. In our conversation, we discuss: • The three different systems of the brain • How knowing this can help you become more influential • How understanding different brain states will help you increase productivity and creativity • How to improve your vision and strategy skills • How to design a work environment that fosters innovation • How to build better relationships at work • Much more — Use discount code “LENNY” for $5 off the CORE Sciences personality profile: https://www.core-sciences.com/new-core-identity — Brought to you by: • Webflow —The web experience platform • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/understanding-your-brain-evan-lapointe — Where to find Evan LaPointe: • X: https://x.com/evanlapointe • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanlapointe/ • Website: https://www.core-sciences.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Evan’s background (02:37) Understanding the brain’s complex systems (07:17) The three core brain systems: safety, reward, and purpose (11:03) Applying brain science to team dynamics</p
Thu, August 08, 2024
How embracing emotions will accelerate your career | Joe Hudson (executive coach, Art of Accomplishment)
Joe Hudson is one of the most sought-after executive coaches in Silicon Valley. He is the founder of Art of Accomplishment, a transformational coaching program that has helped tens of thousands of people, including many tech executives and founders from companies like Apple, OpenAI, and Google. His unique method of transformation comes from over 25 years of exploring neurological, psychological, and spiritual traditions, tested against real-world challenges. In our conversation, Joe shares: • Why the critical voice in your head is always wrong, and how to change your relationship with that voice • Why authenticity trumps self-improvement • The importance of embracing all of your emotions • How to create more enjoyable and effective meetings • The power of gratitude in transforming your life • Practical experiments for personal growth • Much more — Apply for Joe’s Connection Course: Thousands of students have taken Joe’s most popular experience, the Connection Course. Unlike most online courses, there is no reading, lectures, or written homework. It is a three-week experiential deep dive where you will apply your learnings to real-life problems—how to make your team more productive, communicate more effectively, and resolve conflicts with ease. Apply here and use the code LENNY for $300 off your enrollment: view.life/lenny . — Brought to you by: • BuildBetter —AI for product teams • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/embracing-your-emotions-joe-hudson — Where to find Joe Hudson: • X: https://x.com/FU_joehudson • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-hudson/ • Website: https://www.artofaccomplishment.com/ • Podcast: https://www.artofaccomplishment.com/podcast • Linktree: https://linktr.ee/theartofaccomplishment — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: <a target="_blank" href="https://twi
Sun, August 04, 2024
Lessons from scaling Uber and Opendoor | Brian Tolkin (Head of Product at Opendoor, ex-Uber)
Brian Tolkin is the Head of Product at Opendoor. Previously, he was one of the early employees at Uber, where he was instrumental in launching and growing UberPool, UberHop, and UberExpress and started one of the first product operations teams in tech. In our conversation, we dive into: • How to enable product and ops to work well together • How to run great product reviews • How to make good decisions with limited data • How he uses the jobs-to-be-done framework at Opendoor • How to stay calm under pressure as a leader • Wild stories from his time at Uber • Challenges faced at Opendoor during the pandemic • Much more — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product • Attio —The powerful, flexible CRM for fast-growing startups — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/scaling-uber-and-opendoor-brian-tolkin — Where to find Brian Tolkin: • X: https://x.com/briantolkin • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briantolkin/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Brian’s background (02:14) Career beginnings at Uber (02:49) Transitioning from product operations to product management (06:47) Product and operations synergy (10:00) Surge pricing at Uber (12:18) Scaling challenges, and stories (15:47) Opendoor and Covid adaptations (25:38) Product reviews and Jobs to Be Done (40:30) The challenges of A/B testing (42:23) Increasing conviction in solutions (44:33) Leveraging intuition in product decisions (47:07) Partnering with Zillow (52:55) Staying calm under pressure (56:25) Finding the “kernel of truth” in product management (01:00:21) Failure corner: Early days of Uber Pool (01:06:11) Lightning round and final thoughts — Production and mark
Sun, July 28, 2024
The ultimate guide to performance marketing | Timothy Davis (Shopify)
Timothy Davis has led performance marketing for all of Shopify for the past 2.5 years, and as a consultant has helped companies like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Redfin, and Eventbrite kickstart and scale their performance marketing teams. In every one of those cases, he got them so performant at paid growth that they significantly scale spend and investment in these channels. In our conversation, we cover: • When and how to start investing in performance marketing • Common mistakes companies make with paid ads • How to build and structure a performance marketing team • How to get your creatives performing better • Strategies for optimizing workflows and team efficiency • How AI will change performance marketing • Much more — Brought to you by: • BuildBetter —AI for product teams • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/performance-marketing-timothy-davis — Where to find Timothy Davis: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothypatrickdavis/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Timothy’s background (02:31) Understanding performance marketing (06:31) The importance of paid search (08:39) Identifying growth potential (09:54) Case studies: Hairstory and Ipsy (12:22) Experimenting with new platforms (18:57) Choosing the right platforms (20:23) LinkedIn for B2B marketing (27:56) When to start investing in paid growth (33:33) Common mistakes in performance marketing (37:41) Working with agencies and consultants (40:36) Hiring for performance marketing (47:33) Metrics that matter (54:43) Competitor analysis and CPC insights (56:15) Custom reports and data visualization (56:38) Understanding impression and click share (59:10) True competition metrics (01:02:14) Attribution and incrementality (01:08:52) Building a performance marketing team (01:10:53) Creative and ad copy
Thu, July 25, 2024
5 essential questions to craft a winning strategy | Roger Martin (author, advisor, speaker)
Roger Martin is one of the world’s leading experts on strategy and the author of Playing to Win , one of the most beloved books on strategy. He’s written extensively for the Harvard Business Review ; consulted for dozens of Fortune 500 companies, including P&G, Lego, and Ford; and written 11 other books. In our conversation, we discuss: • The five key questions you need to answer to develop an effective strategy • Why most companies get strategy wrong • How to avoid “playing to play” instead of playing to win • Real-world strategy examples from Procter & Gamble, Southwest Airlines, Lego, and Figma • How to think about differentiation vs. low cost • Shortcomings of current strategy education • Much more — Correction: Roger pointed out that he made an error during our chat. When I asked him about Richard Rumelt (~16 mins), he thought I said Richard D'Aveni. — Brought to you by: • Webflow —The web experience platform • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Cycle —Your feedback hub, on autopilot — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-strategy-roger-martin — Where to find Roger Martin: • X: https://x.com/RogerLMartin • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-martin-9916911a9/ • Website: https://rogerlmartin.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Roger’s background (02:20) The importance of strategy (07:00) Challenges in developing strategy (08:30) Critique of modern strategy education (14:00) Hamilton Helmer and Richard Rumelt (17:40) Defining strategy (19:12) The Strategy Choice Cascade (23:20) Playing to win vs. playing to play (24:57) Examples of strategic success (30:49) Differentiation and moat
Sun, July 21, 2024
What most people miss about marketing | Rory Sutherland (Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, author)
Rory Sutherland is widely regarded as one of the most influential (and most entertaining) thinkers in marketing and behavioral science. He’s the vice chairman of Ogilvy UK, the author of Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life , and the founder of Nudgestock, the world’s biggest festival of behavioral science and creativity. He champions thinking from first principles and using human psychology—what he calls “thinking psycho-logically”—over mere logic. In our conversation, we cover: • Why good products don’t always succeed, and bad ones don’t necessarily fail • Why less functionality can sometimes be more valuable • The importance of fame in building successful brands • The importance of timing in product success • The concept of “most advanced, yet acceptable” • Why metrics-driven workplaces can be demotivating • Lots of real-world case studies • Much more Note: We encountered some technical difficulties that led to less than ideal video quality for this episode, but the lessons from this conversation made it impossible for me to not publish it anyway. Thanks for your understanding and for bearing with the less-than-ideal video quality. — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • Cycle —Your feedback hub, on autopilot • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/what-most-people-miss-about-marketing — Where to find Rory Sutherland: • X: https://x.com/rorysutherland • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland • Book: Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life : https://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Curious-Science-Creating-Business/dp/006238841X — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrac
Sun, July 14, 2024
Building a world-class data org | Jessica Lachs (VP of Analytics and Data Science at DoorDash)
Jessica Lachs is the global head of analytics and data science at DoorDash, where she’s built one of the largest and most respected data organizations in tech. In her more than 10 years at DoorDash, she has served as the first general manager, responsible for launching new markets; the head of business ops and analytics; and the VP of analytics and data science. Previously, Jessica founded GiftSimple, a social gifting startup, and started her career at Lehman Brothers as an investment banking analyst. In our conversation, she shares: • How to structure and scale a high-impact analytics organization • Centralized vs. decentralized data teams • How to pick the right metric and aligning incentives • Advice for data people on how and when to push back • Lessons learned from building a global data team • How to foster a culture of extreme ownership • The role of AI in improving analytics team productivity • Advice for aspiring data leaders without formal training — Brought to you by: • Webflow —The web experience platform • Anvil —The fastest way to build software for documents • Attio —The powerful, flexible CRM for fast-growing startups — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-a-world-class-data-org-jessica-lachs — Where to find Jessica Lachs: • X: https://x.com/jesslachs • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-lachs/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jessica’s background (04:59) Centralized vs. embedded analytics teams (10:52) The benefits of a centralized analytics team (15:10) Balancing proactive and reactive work (20:45) Advice on how to push back effectively (24:20) Hiring for curiosity and problem solving (28:57) Coming from a non-traditional background (34:40) The early days and culture at DoorDash (40:39) Encourag
Thu, July 11, 2024
Building product at Stripe: craft, metrics, and customer obsession | Jeff Weinstein (Product lead)
Jeff Weinstein is a product lead at Stripe, where he helped grow their payment APIs to hundreds of billions in volume and transformed the way founders start companies into a few simple clicks with Atlas. Prior to Stripe, Jeff led several startups and sold companies to Groupon and Box. He’s known for his customer obsession, craft, quality, and building beloved products businesses rely on. In our conversation, we discuss: • The power of customer obsession and how to operationalize it in the product development process • How to pick the right metrics and use them to drive impact • Techniques for getting things done at big companies • A group practice Jeff started to uplevel product craft, called Study Group • The story behind Stripe Atlas and its mission to increase entrepreneurship globally • Lessons from working with the founders of Stripe — Brought to you by: • Pendo —The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application • Cycle —Your feedback hub, on autopilot • Anvil —The fastest way to build software for documents — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/creating-a-culture-of-excellence — Where to find Jeff Weinstein: • X: https://x.com/jeff_weinstein • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffwweinstein/ • Email: jweinstein@gmail.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jeff’s background (10:16) The “go, go, go ASAP + optimistic, long-term compounding” approach (15:38) The importance of craft and quality (24:15) Effective customer communication strategies (28:57) The importance of speed in customer interactions (33:19) Narrowing your focus (36:53) Why you should pay attention only to paying-customer feedback (40:24) Practicing silence when communicating (45:33) The role of metrics in product success (54:08) Empowering teams with a s
Sun, July 07, 2024
Pattern Breakers: How to find a breakthrough startup idea | Mike Maples, Jr. (Founding Partner at Floodgate, ex-Product at Silicon Graphics)
Mike Maples, Jr. is a legendary early-stage startup investor and a co-founder and partner at Floodgate. He’s made early bets on transformative companies like Twitter, Lyft, Twitch, Okta, Rappi, and Applied Intuition and is one of the pioneers of seed-stage investing as a category. He’s been on the Forbes Midas List eight times and enjoys sharing the lessons he’s learned from his years studying iconic companies. In his new book, Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future , co-authored with Peter Ziebelman, he discusses what he’s found separates startups and founders that break through and change the world from those that don’t. After spending years reviewing the notes and decks from the thousands of startups he’s known over the past two decades, he’s uncovered three ways that breakthrough founders think and act differently. In our conversation, Mike talks about: • The three elements of breakthrough startup ideas • Why you need to both think and act differently • How to avoid the “comparison trap” and “conformity trap” • The importance of movements, storytelling, and healthy disagreeableness in startup success • How to apply pattern-breaking principles within large companies • Mike’s one piece of advice for founders • Much more Pre-order Mike’s book here and get a second signed copy for free. Limited copies are available, so order ASAP: patternbreakers.com/lenny . — Brought to you by: • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth • Anvil —The fastest way to build software for documents • Webflow —The web experience platform — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-find-a-great-startup-idea-mike-maples-jr — Where to find Mike Maples, Jr.: • X: https://x.com/m2jr • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maples/ • Substack: https://greatness.substack.com/ • Website: https://www.floodgate.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com
Sun, June 30, 2024
Dylan Field live at Config: Intuition, simplicity, and the future of design
Dylan Field is the co-founder and CEO of Figma, the collaborative design platform that has revolutionized how product teams work. In my first-ever live podcast, recorded at Figma Config, Dylan and I dig into: • How intuition and product taste drive Dylan’s decision-making • The challenge of keeping things simple • Dylan’s thoughts on the future of product management • Lessons from Figma’s early days • How Figma built their initial user base • Dylan’s journey from intern to CEO of a 1,000+-person company • The future of design tools and AI — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Anvil —The fastest way to build software for documents • User Testing —Human understanding. Human experiences. — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/dylan-field-live-at-config — Where to find Dylan Field: • X: https://x.com/zoink?lang=en • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanfield/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction (01:11) Welcoming Dylan Field (02:36) Highlights and surprises from Config (06:58) The philosophy of design (08:01) Raccoon feet and muffin hands (09:57) Building and refining intuition and product taste (12:50) How to influence leadership (16:14) The role of product managers (21:12) The future of product management (22:20) The importance of simplicity in design (26:10) The long road to Figma’s launch (27:44) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs (29:07) Knowing when it’s time to ship (30:39) Early user acquisition strategies (35:50) Spotting trends and future innovations (39:20) Reflections on leadership and growth (43:16) Lightning round — Referenced: • Mihika Kapoor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihikakapoor/ • Rick Rubin on the Creative Act—60 Minutes: <a target="_blank"
Thu, June 27, 2024
The social radar: Y Combinator’s secret weapon | Jessica Livingston (co-founder of Y Combinator, author, podcast host)
Jessica Livingston is a co-founder of Y Combinator, the first and most successful startup accelerator. Y Combinator has funded over 5,000 companies, 200 of which are now unicorns, including Airbnb, Dropbox, DoorDash, Stripe, Coinbase, and Reddit. Jessica played a crucial role in YC’s early success, when she was nicknamed the “social radar” because of her uncanny ability to quickly evaluate people—an essential skill when investing in early-stage startups. She’s also the host of the popular podcast The Social Radars, where she interviews billion-dollar-startup founders, and the author of the acclaimed book Founders at Work , which captures the origin stories of some of today’s most interesting companies. In our conversation, we discuss: • How Jessica gained the affectionate title of the “social radar” • Why defensive founders are a red flag • How to develop your social radar • What she looks for in founders during YC interviews • How YC’s early inexperience in angel investing led to the batch model • Her favorite stories from interviews with Airbnb, Rippling, and more • Lessons learned from hosting her own podcast • Much more — Brought to you by: • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth • Anvil —The fastest way to build software for documents • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-social-radar-jessica-livingston — Where to find Jessica Livingston: • X: https://x.com/jesslivingston • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalivingston1/ • Podcast: https://www.thesocialradars.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jessica’s background (02:42) Thoughts on being under-recognized (07:52) Jessica’s superpower: the social radar (15:11) Evaluating founders: key traits and red flags (21:00) The Airbnb story: a lesson in hustle and determination
Sun, June 23, 2024
Making an impact through authenticity and curiosity | Ami Vora (CPO at Faire, ex-WhatsApp, FB, IG)
Ami Vora is the Chief Product Officer of Faire, which connects independent retailers and brands around the world. Before Faire, Ami spent over 15 years at Meta, including as VP of Product and Design for WhatsApp (2B+ users), VP of Product for Facebook’s ads system (now $130B of annual revenue), and director at Instagram. She began her career working on developer tools at Microsoft. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why execution eats strategy for breakfast • Using metaphor to rally teams around one shared goal • How to build cross-functional relationships • “Dinosaur brain,” “Toddler soccer,” and the “hill climbing” metaphors • A tactic for handling disagreement • Tips for working well with product-minded founders as a product leader • The story of Ami’s incredible 15-year journey from temp to VP at Meta • Much more — Brought to you by: • Sidebar —Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers. • Anvil —The fastest way to build software for documents. • User Testing —Human understanding. Human experiences. — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/authenticity-and-curiosity-ami-vora — Where to find Ami Vora: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amvora/ • Substack: https://amivora.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ami’s background (02:00) The myth of perfection in success (07:55) Emotionally connecting with the job (09:55) Embracing curiosity in moments of challenge (13:16) Thinking in feedback loops (17:17) The “dinosaur brain” metaphor in product reviews (20:20) Strategies for conducting effective product reviews (26:33) Using metaphors and imagery to communicate your vision (29:35) The power of having a shared narrative (31:55) WhatsApp: an example of metaphor in action (34:44) Emulating people that inspire you (36:19) WhatsApp video cal
Sun, June 16, 2024
Hard-won lessons building 0 to 1 inside Atlassian | Tanguy Crusson (Head of Jira Product Discovery)
Tanguy Crusson is the product lead for Jira Product Discovery at Atlassian. In his more than 10 years at the company, he has been instrumental in taking several new products from zero to one, including HipChat, Statuspage, and Jira Product Discovery. In this episode, we dive deep into the struggles of innovating and building new products inside a large company. Tanguy shares candid stories about what worked, what didn’t, and his many hard-won lessons learned about how to successfully build 0 to 1. We cover: • Why large companies with so many advantages still fail at creating new products • Lessons learned from building HipChat • How to avoid common pitfalls like competitive myopia and premature scaling • Lessons learned from the acquisition and integration of Statuspage • Insights from the success of Jira Product Discovery • Tactics for protecting your “ugly babies” • The power of “lighthouse users” • The importance of having a “why now” • Much more — Brought to you by: • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-0-to-1-inside-atlassian-tanguy-crusson — Where to find Tanguy Crusson: • X: https://x.com/tanguycrusson • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanguy-crusson-99832a — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Tanguy’s background (02:30) Tanguy’s journey at Atlassian (07:03) The challenges of innovating in large companies (10:42) Atlassian's high bar for excellence (12:58) The HipChat story: successes, failures, and lessons learned (20:47) Lessons learned from building HipChat (33:49) Statuspage: a journey of perseverance (39:48) Acquisition challenges and lessons (47:22) Strategic decisions: build, buy, or partner? (48:17) Learning to articulate "why now" (54:08) A quick summary
Thu, June 13, 2024
The paths to power: How to grow your influence and advance your career | Jeffrey Pfeffer (author of 7 Rules of Power, professor at Stanford GSB)
Jeffrey Pfeffer teaches the single most popular (and somewhat controversial) class at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business: The Paths to Power. He’s also the author of 16 books, including 7 Rules of Power: Surprising—But True—Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career . He has taught at Harvard, the London Business School, and IESE and has written for publications like Fortune and the Washington Post . Recognized by the Academy of Management and listed in the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame, Jeffrey also serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards, bringing his expertise to global audiences through seminars and executive education. In our conversation, we discuss: • Jeffrey’s seven rules of power • How individuals can acquire and use power in business • Networking, and how to do it effectively • How to build a non-cringe personal brand • How to increase your influence to amplify your impact • Examples and stories of people building power • Tradeoffs and challenges that come with power — Brought to you by: • Uizard —AI-powered prototyping for visionary product leaders • Webflow —The web experience platform • Heap —Cross-platform product analytics that converts, engages, and retains customers — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-paths-to-power-jeffrey-pfeffer — Where to find Jeffrey Pfeffer: • X: https://x.com/JeffreyPfeffer • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-pfeffer-57a01b6/ • Website: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/ • Podcast: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/pfeffer-on-power/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jeffrey’s background (02:54) Understanding discomfort with power (04:56) Power skills for underrepresented groups
Sun, June 09, 2024
Lessons from a two-time unicorn builder, 50-time startup advisor, and 20-time company board member | Uri Levine (co-founder of Waze)
Uri Levine is the co-founder of Waze, the world’s largest community-based traffic and navigation app, acquired by Google for over $1 billion. He’s also founded nine other companies, been on the board of 20 companies, and advised more than 50 companies. He’s most recently the author of Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs , hailed by Steve Wozniak as the “Bible for entrepreneurs.” Uri is dedicated to creating impactful startups that solve real-world problems and has seen everything from failure to moderate success to big success. In our conversation, we dig into: • Why falling in love with the problem is key to startup success • The phases of the startup journey and how to navigate them • Why firing is more important than hiring • How Waze iterated to achieve product-market fit • Tactics for telling a compelling story when fundraising • Much more — Brought to you by: • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Mercury —The powerful and intuitive way for ambitious companies to bank • LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-uri-levine — Where to find Uri Levine: • X: https://twitter.com/urilevine1 • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uri-levine • Website: https://urilevine.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Uri’s background (02:50) Falling in love with the problem (09:03) Signs this is a big enough problem (10:54) The importance of passion (12:06) A pivot example (14:01) Where to find startup ideas (21:57) Finding product-market fit at Waze (29:45) The different phases of a startup journey (36:47) What investors don’t want to hear (39:53) Fundraising tips (48:02) How to make your presentations stronger (50:32) A wild fundraising story (53:46) Firing and hiring (59:50) The
Sun, June 02, 2024
Inside Canva: Coaches not managers, giving away your Legos, and running profitably | Cameron Adams (co-founder and CPO)
Cameron Adams is the co-founder and chief product officer of Canva. Canva is one of the world’s most valuable private software companies, used by 95% of Fortune 500 companies. Since its launch in 2013, Canva has grown to over 150 million monthly users in more than 190 countries, generating $2.3 billion in annual revenue. Prior to Canva, Cameron ran a design consultancy, worked at Google on Google Wave, and founded the email startup Fluent. He is also an author of five web design books and a regular speaker at global conferences. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why they spent a year building their minimum viable product (MVP) before launch • Why Canva has no managers, and their unique approach to coaching and performance reviews • Why they encourage employees to “give away their Legos” • Insights into Canva’s SEO growth strategy • Their three-pillar framework for integrating AI into their product • Stories from the early days — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Attio —The powerful, flexible CRM for fast-growing startups • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-canva-with-cameron-adams — Where to find Cameron Adams: • X: https://twitter.com/themaninblue • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themaninblue • Website: https://themaninblue.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Cameron’s background (02:00) Reflecting on the success of Canva (04:50) Reflecting on hard times (10:01) Canva’s product-obsessed culture (12:02) Why they prioritize internal promotions and hires (13:56) What makes Canva unique (16:31) The concept of giving away your Legos (21:44) Why Canva has no managers (24:29) Product management at Canva (27:56) Reflections on worki
Thu, May 30, 2024
The surprising truth about what closes deals: Insights from 2.5m sales conversations | Matt Dixon (author of The Challenger Sale and The JOLT Effect)
Matt Dixon is one of the world’s foremost experts in sales and the author of The Challenger Sale , which sold over a million copies worldwide and was a #1 Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestseller. His most recent book, The JOLT Effect , focuses on overcoming customer indecision—one of the biggest challenges to closing deals. Outside of writing, Matt co-founded DCM Insights, a boutique consultancy helping organizations understand customer behavior, and is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review , with more than 20 print and online articles to his credit. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why 40% to 60% of qualified sales opportunities are lost due to customer indecision • Why dialing up FOMO doesn’t work, and what to do instead • The “pings and echoes” technique to catch issues early • The JOLT method for overcoming indecision • Key lessons from The Challenger Sale • Practical examples of how to apply these principles to close more deals — Brought to you by: • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth • Webflow —The web experience platform • Heap —Cross-platform product analytics that converts, engages, and retains customers — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/close-more-deals-matt-dixon — Where to find Matt Dixon: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewxdixon • Website: https://www.jolteffect.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Matt’s background (01:57) The research behind Matt’s books (06:08) Insights from The JOLT Effect (10:15) FOMO vs. FOMU (18:18) An example of selling software (26:04) The JOLT method Step 1: Judge their level of indecision (29:41) The “pings and echoes” technique (34:49) Step 2: Offer a recommendation (38:36) Step 3: Limit the exploration (41:43) Step 4: Take risk off the table (45:58) When to hit the pause
Sun, May 26, 2024
Unorthodox frameworks for growing your product, career, and impact | Bangaly Kaba (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Instacart)
Bangaly Kaba was an early growth PM at Facebook, head of growth at Instagram, and VP of Product at Instacart and is currently Director of Product at YouTube overseeing a global team working on creator monetization. Bangaly has also been a growth advisor to dozens of companies, including Twitter, on the board of multiple companies, and is an active angel investor. In our conversation, we discuss: • A simple framework for choosing where to work and what to work on • The importance of “understand work” • The “adjacent users” theory and how it can help you drive growth • Advice for coaching product managers • Invaluable lessons from his time at Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube • Much more — Brought to you by: • Uizard —AI-powered prototyping for visionary product leaders • Mercury —The powerful and intuitive way for ambitious companies to bank • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/frameworks-for-growing-your-career-bangaly-kaba — Where to find Bangaly Kaba: • X: https://twitter.com/iambangaly • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iambangaly/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambangaly/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Bangaly’s background (06:31) Choosing where to work and what to work on (08:39) The impact factor (10:53) Evaluating the environment (15:53) The manager component (18:27) The skills part of the equation (23:49) Advice on finding a mentor (25:42) The power of “understand work” (31:17) Operationalizing understand work (37:55) Balancing understand work (41:25) Managing complex change (45:26) Effective management of product managers (51:35) The role of product managers as coaches and team leaders (54:52) Driving growth through flywheels and value proposition (01:03:14) Understanding adjacent users
Sun, May 19, 2024
Why not asking for what you want is holding you back | Kenneth Berger (exec coach, first PM at Slack)
Kenneth Berger coaches startup leaders on how to prevent burnout, advocate for their desired lifestyle, and make a meaningful impact on the world. He’s spent more than 20 years in the tech industry, is a former founder backed by top investors, and was the first product manager at Slack. Kenneth’s core mission is to help startup leaders change the world by learning to ask for what they want, living with integrity, and building genuine relationships even with the people they find most challenging. Currently he is writing a book, Ask for What You Want , in which he aims to share his actionable strategies for creating change in the world. In our conversation, we explore: • Why asking for what you want is so impactful • Three steps to effectively ask for what you want • Challenges that arise when people struggle to ask for what they want • Why hearing “no” is a normal part of the process • The “dream behind the complaint” technique for uncovering desires • Kenneth’s experience of being fired three times from Slack • How embracing fear and discomfort is key to getting what you want • Why discipline is overrated — Brought to you by: • Sidebar —Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers • Webflow —The web experience platform • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/ask-for-what-you-want-kenneth-berger — Where to find Kenneth Berger: • X: https://twitter.com/kberger • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@kberger • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kberger/ • Website: https://kberger.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Kenneth’s background (04:31) The importance of asking for what
Thu, May 16, 2024
Be fundamentally different, not incrementally better | Jag Duggal (Nubank, Facebook, Google, Quantcast)
Jag Duggal is chief product officer at Nubank, a decacorn neobank founded in Brazil. It’s valued at over $30 billion, is bigger than Coinbase, Robinhood, Affirm, and SoFi combined, has 100 million customers (more than Bank of America!) while only operating in three countries in Latin America, and 80% to 90% of its growth comes through word of mouth. Prior to Nubank, Jag was a director of product management at Facebook, a senior vice president at Quantcast, and a product leader at Google. In our conversation, we discuss: • How Nubank builds a fanatical user base • Tactics for driving word-of-mouth growth • Measuring customer love through the Sean Ellis score • The importance of strategic clarity • The role of category design in creating successful products • Why companies should strive to be “fundamentally different,” not “incrementally better” • Nubank’s vision for an AI-powered banking future — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Mercury —The powerful and intuitive way for ambitious companies to bank • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/be-fundamentally-different-jag-duggal — Where to find Jag Duggal: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagduggal/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jag’s background (04:34) Nubank’s remarkable achievements (06:01) Nubank’s product development process (11:23) Nubank’s values (12:16) Building products people love fanatically (15:21) The Sean Ellis score (21:27) An example project using the Sean Ellis score (25:07) Picking up the phone and calling customers (28:20) The importance of starting small and iterating (30:42) Pushing back effectively (34:10) Uncovering pain points through customer research (37:53) An example of setting a clear hypothesis (42:01) Developing a strategy (52:16) “Be fundamentally different, not incrementally better” (53:10) Category design (57:37) Nubank’s f
Sun, May 12, 2024
A framework for PM skill development | Vikrama Dhiman (Gojek)
Vikrama Dhiman heads all things product at Gojek, including product management, design, program management, and research, across Indonesia, Singapore and India. He has over 16 years of experience building internet products, consults with Fortune 500 companies, and is among the most well-known and respected product leaders in all of Asia. In our conversation, we discuss: • The most common traits among successful product managers • The 3 W’s framework for PM career growth • The Four A’s of leveling up in product management • The right way to push back as a PM • Common pitfalls that stall PM careers • Vikrama’s advice for transitioning into product management • Why intent alone is not enough — Brought to you by: • Uizard —AI-powered prototyping for visionary product leaders • Webflow —The web experience platform • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/a-framework-for-pm-skill-development — Where to find Vikrama Dhiman: • X: https://twitter.com/vikramadhiman • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikrama/ • Website: https://www.vikramadhiman.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Vikrama’s background (03:56) Three common traits among great PMs (07:09) The first W: What you produce (15:40) The second W: What you bring to the table (18:58) The third W: What’s your operating model? (20:36) Three traits that make you a great PM to work with (21:49) How to improve the quality and quantity of your outputs (23:26) The art of the pushback (26:55) Common factors that impede career growth (33:39) Vikrama’s personal reflections (39:33) Choosing which skill(s) to focus on developing (46:28) The ambiguity of the PM role (51:47) The 8 axis for PM growth (56:57) Contrarian corner: Why intent alone is not en
Sun, May 05, 2024
Business strategy with Hamilton Helmer (author of 7 Powers)
Hamilton Helmer is one of the world’s leading experts on business strategy and the author of the seminal book 7 Powers: The Foundations of Business Strategy , which provides a comprehensive framework for understanding what it really takes to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage. With more than three decades of experience in the strategic consulting industry, Hamilton has advised over 200 companies—from burgeoning startups to Fortune 100 giants—on how to identify, build, and leverage their unique strategic powers. In our conversation, we discuss: • Potential sources of power that startups should develop from an early stage • Common misconceptions among companies about the types of power they possess • How power relates to strategy • The difference between a moat and a power • Practical strategies for non-leaders to leverage insights about power and strategy in their work • AI’s impact on competitive advantages and barriers to entry — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/business-strategy-with-hamilton-helmer — Where to find Hamilton Helmer: • X: https://twitter.com/hamiltonhelmer • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamilton-helmer-42983/ • Website: https://7powers.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Hamilton’s background (04:08) When power becomes important (08:24) How strategy relates to power (12:09) How power informs strategy (14:46) The sequence of powers (21:13) Common misconceptions (24:39) Network effects vs. network economies (26:58) Uber’s success (29:16) Moats vs. powers (31:12) Strategies for non-leaders to leverage power and strategy (37:51) Advice on how
Thu, May 02, 2024
This will make you a better decision maker | Annie Duke (author of “Thinking in Bets” and “Quit”, former pro poker player)
Annie Duke is a former professional poker player, a decision-making expert, and a special partner at First Round Capital. She is the author of Thinking in Bets (a national bestseller) and Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away and the co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, a nonprofit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. In our conversation, we cover: • What Annie learned from the late Daniel Kahneman • The power of pre-mortems and “kill criteria” • The relationship between money and happiness • The power of “mental time travel” • The nominal group technique for better decision quality • How First Round Capital improved their decision-making process • Many tactical decision-making frameworks — Brought to you by: • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. • UserTesting —Human understanding. Human experiences. • LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/making-better-decisions-annie-duke — Where to find Annie Duke: • X: https://twitter.com/AnnieDuke • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-duke/ • Website: https://www.annieduke.com/ • Substack: https://www.annieduke.com/substack/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Annie’s background (03:53) Lessons from Daniel Kahneman: humility, curiosity, and open-mindedness (09:15) The importance of unconditional love in parenting (15:15) Mental time travel and “nevertheless” (20:06) The extent of improvement possible in decision-making (24:54) Independent brainstorming for better decisions (35:36) Making sure people feel heard (42:41) The “3Ds” framework to make better decisions (44:49) Decision qualit
Sun, April 28, 2024
Twitter’s former Head of Product opens up: being fired, meeting Elon, changing stagnant culture, building consumer product, more | Kayvon Beykpour
Kayvon Beykpour was the longest-serving head of product at Twitter and was GM of Twitter’s consumer division until the platform was acquired by Elon Musk. He originally joined Twitter in 2015 through the acquisition of his company, Periscope, the largest live video streaming platform at the time. Periscope pioneered technology that inspired Instagram Live, TikTok Live, Facebook Live, and other social networks’ expansion into video streaming. In our conversation, we discuss: • The story of being let go from Twitter after Elon’s acquisition • How he turned Twitter’s stagnant culture around • Kayvon’s thoughts on the limitations of frameworks like Jobs to Be Done • Why Periscope failed • Advice for building consumer products • When to copy, when to innovate — Brought to you by: • Enterpret —Transform customer feedback into product growth • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster • Heap —Cross-platform product analytics that convert, engage, and retain customers — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/twitters-former-head-of-product-kayvon-beykpour — Where to find Kayvon Beykpour: • X: https://twitter.com/kayvz • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayvz/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Kayvon’s background (04:31) Getting Elon up to speed at Twitter (11:34) The story of being let go from Twitter after Elon’s acquisition (21:09) Changing the product culture at Twitter (29:44) Building the “hide replies” feature (32:02) Sacred crows, taking bold bets, and reigniting growth (34:28) Aquihires and their impact (42:40) Tips for successful acquisitions and staffing (47:00) The limitations of frameworks like JTBD (53:20) Signs you’ve gone too far with a framework (57:44) Lessons from building Periscope (01:00:41) Reasons why Periscope failed (01:07:24) The challenges of implementing video at Twitter (01:12:05) Copying ideas in good taste (01:17:58) How to ge
Thu, April 25, 2024
How to build deeper, more robust relationships | Carole Robin (Stanford GSB professor, “Touchy Feely”)
Carole Robin spent over 20 years teaching the Stanford Graduate School of Business course Interpersonal Dynamics, affectionately known as “Touchy Feely.” After leaving Stanford, she founded a nonprofit called Leaders in Tech, which applies the Touchy Feely principles to help Silicon Valley executives build their leadership and interpersonal skills. Carole co-authored the popular book Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends, and Colleagues , which shares key insights from her decades of teaching these courses. In our conversation, we discuss: • The benefits of building robust relationships, in life and work • The 15% rule, and how it will help you build better relationships • The power of vulnerability • Examples of how to practice vulnerability • Why mental models you build early in life hold you back later • The “three realities” and “the net” • The art of inquiry • Practical tips for avoiding defensiveness when getting feedback • The impact of long Covid on Carole’s life — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • CommandBar —AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users • The a16z Podcast —Featuring conversations with the founders and technologists shaping our future — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/build-robust-relationships-carole-robin — Where to find Carole Robin: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-robin/ • Email: carolerobinllc@gmail.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Carole’s background (05:17) The importance of building robust relationships (10:20) The “Touchy Feely” course at Stanford (13:29) An example of the in-class experience (17:19) Leaders in Tech: developing interpersonal competence (21:36) Progressive disclosure and the 15% rule (24:28) Appropriate disclosure (26:52) The power of vulnerability (34:57) Admitting mistakes and sharing feelings (37:08) Understanding mental models (42:57) The “
Sun, April 21, 2024
Vision, conviction, and hype: How to build 0 to 1 inside a company | Mihika Kapoor (Product at Figma)
Mihika Kapoor is a design-engineer-PM hybrid at Figma, where she was an early PM on FigJam and is now spearheading development on a new product at the company that’s coming out this June. She’s known as the go-to person at Figma for leading new 0-to-1 products, and, as you’ll hear in our conversation, beloved by everyone she works with. Her background includes founding Design Nation, a national nonprofit focused on democratizing design education for undergraduates; spearheading product launches at Meta; and community building within the NYC AI startup scene. In our conversation, we discuss: • How to effectively take ideas from 0 to 1 at larger companies • How to craft a compelling vision • The importance of vulnerability and feedback • The role of intuition and product sense in making decisions • How to practically communicate your vision • How to balance collaboration and strong opinions • Advice for building a strong team culture • Pivoting with grace and enthusiasm • The current AI revolution and its impact on PM — Brought to you by: • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want • Lenny’s Talent Team —Hire the best product people. Find the best product gigs • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/vision-conviction-hype-mihika-kapoor — Where to find Mihika Kapoor: • X: https://twitter.com/mihikapoor • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihikakapoor/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Mihika’s background (04:29) Core attributes of great product managers (07:34) Crafting a compelling vision (12:12) The vision behind FigJam (18:25) Delivering a vision without design or engineering skills (21:52) Creating momentum (26:36) The importance of strong conviction (27:45) Direct communication (32:48) Building hype (42:20) Immersing yourself in user insights (47:16) Operationalizing user insights (50:33) Cari
Thu, April 18, 2024
Lessons from 1,000+ YC startups: Resilience, tar pit ideas, pivoting, more | Dalton Caldwell (Y Combinator, Managing Director)
Dalton Caldwell is Managing Director and Group Partner at Y Combinator. Prior to YC, he was the co-founder and CEO of imeem (acquired by MySpace in 2009) and the co-founder and CEO of App.net . During his time at YC, he’s advised more than 35 YC unicorns, including DoorDash, Amplitude, Webflow, and Retool, and has worked across 21 different YC batches. He’s also racked up more than 6,500 office hours with founders. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why founders need to adopt the mindset “Just don’t die” • The most common reason startups fail • When to pivot, and characteristics of a good pivot • The concept of “tar pit ideas” and examples of bad startup ideas • Why investors say no to startups • The importance of market size in investment decisions • The pitfalls of founders over-delegating • Effective ways to talk to customers • 20 ideas Dalton is looking to fund — Brought to you by: • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • Coda —The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-1000-yc-startups — Where to find Dalton Caldwell: • X: https://twitter.com/daltonc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daltoncaldwell/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Dalton’s background (04:41) The value of simple advice (07:04) Dalton’s advice: “Just don’t die” (08:39) Knowing when to stop (11:45) Deciding to pivot (14:26) Characteristics of a good pivot (17:53) Knowing when to pivot (19:03) Zip’s journey and finding a market (21:22) Why Dalton says to “Move towards the mountains and the desert” (23:45) Tar pit ideas (26:49) Understanding why investors say no (29:14) The importance of market size (32:16) Avoiding over-delegation and hiring senior people too early (36:43) Why startups fail (40:30) Effectively talking to customers (45:17
Sun, April 14, 2024
The GitLab way: Kindness, transparency, and short toes | David DeSanto (CPO)
David DeSanto is the chief product officer of GitLab, which is the largest remote-only company in the world. They share many of their team meetings on YouTube, and they’ve grown from being an open-source code management product competing with GitHub to a multi-product platform that covers security, compliance, continuous integration, project management, and deployment tools, many of which are infused with AI magic. In our conversation, we discuss: • How GitLab operationalizes transparency • The philosophy behind recording and sharing team meetings on YouTube • Their extensive public employee handbook • GitLab’s core value of having “short toes” • Challenges and advice for doing remote work well • Strategies for ensuring effective communication in a remote work environment • GitLab’s breadth-over-depth strategy • The company’s unique approach to AI • The value of using humor in high-stakes conversations — Brought to you by: • Orb —The flexible billing engine for modern pricing • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Paragon —Ship every SaaS integration your customers want — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-gitlab-way — Where to find David DeSanto: • X: https://twitter.com/david_desanto • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddesanto/ • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@david.the.beard — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) David’s background (04:20) Maintaining an epic beard (05:29) Why GitLab publicly shares team meetings (09:49) The GitLab Handbook (11:30) GitLab’s issue tracker (14:29) How to successfully build a culture of transparency (18:11) Benefits of operating with transparency (19:55) The value of building in public (21:53) How GitLab implements their core value of kindness (25:16) What it means to have “short toes” (27:41) Other core values (32:16) Common reasons fo
Thu, April 11, 2024
A framework for finding product-market fit | Todd Jackson (First Round Capital)
Todd Jackson is a Partner at First Round Capital. Before moving into venture capital, he played a crucial role as VP of Product and Design at Dropbox, guiding the company until its IPO in 2018. Prior to Dropbox, Todd led product management for Twitter’s Content and Discovery teams after selling his startup, Cover, to Twitter in 2014. Before Cover, Todd oversaw product development for Facebook’s Newsfeed, Photos, and Groups. He kickstarted his career at Google as an associate product manager and eventually led product for Gmail, witnessing its growth from beta to 200 million users. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why product-market fit (PMF) matters • First Round Capital’s four-part PMF framework • Level one: Nascent product-market fit • Level two: Developing product-market fit • Level three: Strong product-market fit • Level four: Extreme product-market fit • Examples of companies at each level • How to know if you’re stuck at a level, and how to get unstuck • What to change if you’re stuck: persona, problem, promise, and product • The goals and challenges at each stage — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —The modern API for auth and user identity • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • CommandBar —AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/a-framework-for-finding-product-market — Where to find Todd Jackson: • X: https://twitter.com/tjack • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddj0/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Todd’s background (06:07) First Round Capital’s PMF framework (09:07) Why product-market fit is so important (11:02) Who can benefit from this framework (12:55) The product-market fit method (16:54) Broad overview of the framework (21:35) Level one: nascent product-market fit (33:16) The four P’s (39:13) Level two: developing product-market fit (49:13) Signs you’re stuck at leve
Sun, April 07, 2024
Bending the universe in your favor | Claire Vo (LaunchDarkly, Color, Optimizely, ChatPRD)
Claire Vo is the chief product officer at LaunchDarkly and the founder of ChatPRD, likely the most popular PM-specific AI product out there. Before LaunchDarkly, she was a longtime chief product officer at Color and Optimizely. Claire has founded and managed two other companies, Pretty HQ and Experiment Engine, the latter of which Optimizely acquired in 2017. In our conversation, we discuss: • Knowing what you want in your career and being clear about it • Finding your zone of genius and how to operate within it • How to maintain a fast pace in larger companies • How to make it easy for your boss to help you achieve your goals • Advice for navigating the tech industry as a woman • The role of a CPTO and the benefits it brings to organizations • Why she built ChatPRD • Tips for building your own AI tools • The impact of AI on product management and what skills will continue to be important — Brought to you by: • Orb —The flexible billing engine for modern pricing • Dovetail —Bring your customer into every decision • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/bending-the-universe-in-your-favor — Where to find Claire Vo: • X: https://twitter.com/clairevo • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairevo/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chiefproductofficer — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Claire’s background (04:50) How to achieve career progression (10:11) Avoiding promotion obsession (13:50) How Claire stepped into leadership roles (17:24) Operating in your zone of genius (23:03) How to maintain a fast pace (27:46) Setting a high bar for quality and talent (29:54) Normalizing feedback (33:09) Being a woman in tech (47:09) The role of a CPTO (54:19) Building ChatPRD (59:39) Tips for building a GPT (01:02:27) The impact o
Thu, April 04, 2024
Zigging vs. zagging: How HubSpot built a $30B company | Dharmesh Shah (co-founder/CTO)
Dharmesh Shah is the co-founder and CTO of HubSpot (currently valued at $30 billion) and one of the most fascinating founders I’ve ever met. Dharmesh is the keeper of HubSpot’s Culture Code, built ChatSpot (an AI chatbot built on top of HubSpot CRM) and a game called WordPlay (which grew to 16 million users), and also founded and writes for OnStartups , a top-ranking startup blog and community with more than 1M members. He’s also invested in 100+ startups including OpenAI, AngelList, Coinbase, and Dropbox. In our conversation, we discuss: • The biggest lessons he has learned from building HubSpot • The importance of leaning into your strengths • Dharmesh’s data-oriented approach to public speaking • How he developed HubSpot’s culture code • The decision-making process at HubSpot • His contrarian approach to building products • Why founders and product teams are all fighting the second law of thermodynamics • How “flash tags” can save your teams time • How to decide what ideas are worth investing in — Brought to you by: • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security • LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-30-years-of-building — Where to find Dharmesh Shah: • X: https://twitter.com/dharmesh • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharmesh/ • Website: https://dharmesh.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Dharmesh’s background (04:20) Fun facts about Dharmesh (06:31) His data-oriented approach to public speaking (11:45) Advice for adding humor to your presentations (15:28) Why he has no direct reports (18:46) You can shape the universe to your liking (20:02) Lessons from building HubSpot (23:43) Contrarian ways of running a com
Sun, March 31, 2024
How to speak more confidently and persuasively | Matt Abrahams (professor, podcast host, author, speaker)
Matt Abrahams is a renowned communication expert, with decades of teaching, coaching, and consulting experience. At Stanford University, he teaches a business school class on strategic communication. Beyond academia, he’s a sought-after keynote speaker and consultant, guiding presenters from IPO road shows to prestigious platforms like TED, the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations. His acclaimed podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart, garners millions of listeners, and his book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter , equips speakers with practical skills for impromptu success. With a previous bestseller, Speaking Up Without Freaking Out , Matt has empowered countless individuals to speak confidently and authentically. In our conversation, we discuss: • The concept of “daring to be dull” • The power of visualization to desensitize oneself to speaking situations • Managing negative self-talk • The WHAT structure for delivering toasts (why we are here, how you are connected, anecdote, thanks) • The ADD structure for Q&As (answer, detailed example, describe relevance) • Breathing techniques to reduce anxiety, such as the double exhale • Concrete speaking structures like What? So What? Now What? and the Four I’s (information, impact, invitation, implications) • Much more — Brought to you by: • Sprig —Build a product people love • Dovetail —Bring your customer into every decision • Coda —Meet the evolution of docs — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-speak-more-confidently-and — Where to find Matt Abrahams: • X: https://twitter.com/tftsthepod • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/ • Website: https://mattabrahams.com/ • Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ll0MwobDt1JW9gYaOONEo — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ —
Sun, March 24, 2024
Kunal Shah on winning in India, second-order thinking, the philosophy of startups, and more
Kunal Shah is one of the most well-known and admired product leaders in India. He is the CEO and founder of CRED, an Indian-based fintech startup valued at over $6 billion. Prior to CRED, he founded three other startups, including Freecharge, which he sold for over $400 million to Snapdeal. He has also been an advisor to India’s most influential organizations. In our conversation, we discuss: • The prevalence of successful Indian immigrants in top CEO roles across the tech industry • Why companies in India can grow DAUs but not ARPU—and what that means for building products for India • What most sets India’s market apart • Challenges and opportunities in the Indian market • The Delta 4 framework for building new products • Lessons from building CRED so far • The power of curiosity and second-order thinking • Lessons from failure — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —The modern API for auth and user identity • Orb —The flexible billing engine for modern pricing • Dovetail —Bring your customer into every decision — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/kunal-shah-on-winning-in-india-second — Where to find Kunal Shah: • X: https://twitter.com/kunalb11 • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunalshah1/ • Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@CRED_club — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Kunal’s background (04:22) The Delta 4 framework (11:00) The success of Indian CEOs in the U.S. (19:55) Challenges and opportunities in India (23:04) DAUs vs. ARPU in Indian markets (25:50) The perception of time in India (27:55) The curse of focus in Asian markets (30:33) Challenges and opportunities in India (continued) (33:23) Lessons learned from building CRED (36:40) Profit pools can provide valuable insights into the values of a country (37:55) Founders’ role in company growth (39:55) Profitability
Thu, March 21, 2024
The ultimate guide to PR | Emilie Gerber (founder of Six Eastern)
Emilie Gerber is the founder and CEO of Six Eastern , a top PR agency that’s worked with over 100 tech companies, from stealth startups to publicly traded companies. Before starting her own firm, she worked at Uber, where she led PR for the business development team and B2B programs. Prior to that, she worked at Box on product communications, with a focus on product launches and partnership announcements. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why, and when, getting press is worth your time • Common misconceptions about the impact press can have • The second-order effects of press • Which areas each publication (TechCrunch, Axios, The Verge, etc.) cares most about • How to craft your pitch • How to find and reach reporters • How pitching press is different from pitching customers • The effectiveness of direct communication through social media versus traditional press — Brought to you by: • Sprig —Build a product people love • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-pr-emilie-gerber — Where to find Emilie Gerber: • Substack: http://onbackgroundintel.substack.com • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-gerber-59612230/ • Website: https://sixeastern.com/ • Email: hello@sixeastern.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Emilie’s background (04:56) The value of press and second-order effects (13:00) When press is not worth your time (17:01) Different publications and their suitability (25:36) Avoiding negative stories (27:23) Finding aligned podcasts and awards (31:12) Advice for reaching out to reporters (37:23) Controversial pitches <
Sun, March 17, 2024
The happiness and pain of product management | Noam Lovinsky (Grammarly, Facebook, YouTube, Thumbtack)
Noam Lovinsky has had a distinguished career in product, leaving an indelible mark at Facebook, YouTube, Thumbtack, and currently as the chief product officer at Grammarly. At Facebook, Noam helped establish the New Product Experimentation team; at Thumbtack, he was chief product officer; and at YouTube, he was one of the early product leaders overseeing the consumer experience. In our conversation, we discuss: • Challenges and lessons from reviving growth at YouTube and Thumbtack • Lessons from building Facebook’s New Product Experimentation team • Insights into Grammarly’s success • Knowing when it’s time to kill your project • Why diversifying your growth channels is critical • The power of visioning and storytelling in shaping product strategy • How to create space for innovation at large companies • The resilience and motivation of Grammarly’s team in Ukraine — Brought to you by: • Whimsical —The iterative product workspace • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. • LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-happiness-and-pain-of-product — Where to find Noam Lovinsky: • X: https://twitter.com/noaml • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noaml/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Noam’s background (04:18) Noam’s lack of online presence (08:06) Lessons from YouTube: advocating for what’s best for yourself and the team (14:31) Prioritizing what’s best for the business (19:37) Knowing when it’s time to kill a project (21:47) Lessons from Thumbtack: diversifying growth channels and overcoming challenges (26:24) How Thumbtack turned growth around (31:44) Building Airbnb’s instant booking feature (35:28) Lessons from Thumbtack: team collaboration and product strategy (38:38) Lessons from Facebook: building the New Product Experimentation team (40:43) The importance of starting small and b
Sun, March 10, 2024
Product management theater | Marty Cagan (Silicon Valley Product Group)
Marty Cagan is a luminary in the world of product. He’s the author of two of the most foundational books for product teams and product leaders ( Inspired and Empowered ), he’s the founder of Silicon Valley Product Group (one of the longest-running product advisory groups), and he’s almost certainly worked with more product leaders and teams than any human alive. Now he’s releasing his newest book, Transformed , which is sure to become a staple of tech-powered companies worldwide. Marty’s previous appearance on our show remains one of the most popular episodes to date. In this conversation, we discuss: • The rise of “product management theater” • Changes in the PM role post-ZIRP and the shift from growth to build functions • The disconnect between good product companies and online product advice • How over-hiring has created challenges in the product industry • The most important skills for PMs to build • How to know if you’re on a “feature team” • The potential disruption of product management by AI • Marty’s new book, Transformed: Moving to the Product Operating Model • Four new competencies required for successful product organizations — Brought to you by: • Sprig —Build a product people love • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/product-management-theater-marty — Where to find Marty Cagan: • X: https://twitter.com/cagan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagan/ • Silicon Valley Product Group: https://www.svpg.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Marty’s background (04:46) His take on the state of product management (12:08) Product management theater (18:33) Feature teams vs. empowered product teams (24:48) Skills of a real product manager (29:27) The product
Thu, March 07, 2024
Inside TikTok: Culture, strategy, monetization, and more | Ray Cao (Global Head of Monetization Product Strategy and Operations)
Ray (Jiayi) Cao is the global head of product strategy and operations for monetization product at TikTok. Prior to TikTok, Ray spent six years at Google helping scale Google Shopping globally. In our conversation, we discuss: • TikTok’s internal culture and core values • How TikTok’s product team operates • How working at TikTok is different from working at Google • How TikTok rolls out to new markets • TikTok’s core principle of “context, not control” • How their sales and product teams work together • Lessons (and mistakes) from building TikTok’s early go-to-market team • The importance of hiring for quality rather than quantity • Insights on being successful on TikTok as a creator, a business, and an advertiser — Brought to you by: • WorkOS —The modern API for auth & user identity • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-tiktok-culture-strategy-monetization — Where to find Ray Cao: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiayiraycao/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ray’s background (04:55) Cultural differences between Google and TikTok (08:24) Fine-tuning the algorithm for different markets (12:15) Examples of fine-tuning the algorithm (15:11) Core principles and values of TikTok (19:34) Hiring at TikTok (21:38) Embracing the “always day one” mentality (25:09) Collaboration between teams (28:38) Amazon’s cultural influence (31:14) Setting up the product organization for speed and innovation (35:38) Building the go-to-market team (40:18) What makes people successful at TikTok (43:02) Thoughts on putting in long hours (44:40) OKRs and planning at TikTok (49:12) Tips for how to be successful on TikTok (53:49) Tips for advertising on TikTok (01:04:03) Getting started with TikTok Ads (01:08:42) Common mistakes to avoid with TikTok advertising (01:09:44) Ray’s favorite TikTok accou
Sun, March 03, 2024
Making Meta | Andrew ‘Boz’ Bosworth (CTO)
Andrew Bosworth —or Boz, as most people know him—is the chief technology officer at Meta and head of Reality Labs, the company’s augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) organization, which he created in 2017. Boz joined Facebook in 2006 as their approximately 10th engineer, and in his 18-year tenure he built the original News Feed, Messenger, and Groups, as well as many early anti-abuse and infrastructure systems. At various times he has been the engineering director overseeing Events, Places, Photos, Videos, Timeline, Privacy, and more. Before Reality Labs, he ran the Ads and Business Platform product group, where he led engineering, product, research, analytics, and design, taking annual revenue from $4 billion to $40 billion in five years. Andrew currently leads Meta’s efforts in AR, VR, AI, and consumer hardware across Quest, Ray-Ban Meta glasses, and more. In our conversation, we discuss: • Stories from the early days of Facebook • Lessons from Meta’s downturn and recent turnaround • Meta’s culture of transparency • Boz’s thoughts on the Apple Vision Pro • Why communication is the job • Why you should regularly seek help from your manager • Lessons in setting incentives and avoiding their misuse • Why you should optimize for a variety in experience in your career • The importance of trusting your own expertise and not being swayed by external opinions • Stories of failures and personal growth — Brought to you by: • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. • Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/making-meta-andrew-boz-bosworth-cto — Where to find Andrew Bosworth: • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boz/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boztank/ • X: https://twitter.com/boztank • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-bosworth-8247a01/ • Website: https://boz.com/ • Photography website: https://wardenshortbow.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.l
Sun, February 25, 2024
How to discover your superpowers, own your story, and unlock personal growth | Donna Lichaw (author of The Leader’s Journey)
Donna Lichaw is an internationally sought-after executive coach, keynote speaker, and best-selling author. She helps visionary founders, CEOs, and executive teams level up their leadership and scale their impact while staying true to their mission, purpose, and themselves. Donna works with leaders at companies like Google, Disney, Twitter, Microsoft, Mailchimp, and Adobe, as well as a plethora of mission-driven startups and nonprofits. In our conversation, we discuss: • How our personal narratives influence our success and failure • Why identifying your superpowers (and kryptonite) is so important, and how to do it • The value of doubling down on your strengths rather than trying to fix weaknesses • How to acknowledge and reframe feelings of impostor syndrome • The Double Diamond framework for personal growth and goal-setting • The power of visualization and how it can fuel motivation and creativity — Brought to you by: • OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster • Sendbird —The (all-in-one) communications API platform for mobile apps • Sprig —Build a product people love — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-discover-your-superpowers — Where to find Donna Lichaw: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlichaw/ • Website: https://www.donnalichaw.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Donna’s background (04:25) Donna’s origin story and transition to coaching (08:38) The power of storytelling in leadership (11:36) Becoming the hero of your own story (14:49) Changing your story (21:19) Understanding and shifting others’ stories (25:41) Imposter syndrome (31:28) Exploring different types of kryptonite (36:41) Identifying and leveraging strengths (43:53) Identifying superpowers (56:39) Running experiments (01:01:52) Using product frameworks for personal growth (01:12:41) Identifying subconscious goals (01:15:27) Envisioning impact (01:16:44) Lightning round — Referenced: • The Leader’s Journey: Transforming Your Leadership to Achieve the Extraordin
Thu, February 22, 2024
How Netflix builds a culture of excellence | Elizabeth Stone (CTO)
Elizabeth Stone is the chief technology officer of Netflix. She previously served as vice president of product data science and engineering, and as vice president of data and insights, at Netflix. Before Netflix, Elizabeth was vice president of science at Lyft, chief operating officer at Nuna, a trader at Merrill Lynch, and an economist at Analysis Group. In our conversation, we discuss: • Elizabeth’s advice for career advancement • Netflix’s unique high-performance culture • How, and why, Netflix maintains a high bar for excellence • Intentional leadership practices • How to foster an “open door” culture within your team • The Keeper Test and how it contributes to maintaining a high bar for excellence • The power of transparent communication • Much more — Brought to you by: • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. • Sendbird —The (all-in-one) communications API platform for mobile apps • Explo —Embed customer-facing analytics in your product — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-netflix-builds-a-culture-of-excellence — Where to find Elizabeth Stone: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-stone-608a754/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Elizabeth’s background (04:36) Life as CTO vs. VP of Data (05:57) The role of economists in tech companies (08:32) Using economics to understand incentives (10:07) Success and career growth (20:15) Setting expectations (25:02) Advice for how to avoid burnout (27:44) Netflix culture: high talent density (30:31) Netflix culture: candor and directness (31:45) The Keeper Test (39:01) Maintaining a high bar for excellence (43:54) Netflix culture: freedom and responsibility (46:18) Unconventional processes at Netflix (47:55) Examples of candor (51:44) Data and insights team structure (01:00:12) Staying close to teams (01:02:31) Advice on being present (01:07:40) Lightning round — Referenced: • What t
Sun, February 18, 2024
Building a world-class sales org | Jason Lemkin (SaaStr)
Jason Lemkin created and runs SaaStr, the world’s largest community for B2B/SaaS founders, and is the managing director of SaaStr Fund, a $90 million venture capital firm specializing in early-stage enterprise investments. He is also the mastermind behind two major tech conferences each year—one in the Bay Area, drawing in over 15,000 people, and another in Europe, with a crowd of more than 3,000 SaaS executives, founders, and entrepreneurs. Before SaaStr, Jason wore many hats: CEO and co-founder of EchoSign (later bought by Adobe), vice president at Adobe Systems, co-founder and president of NanoGram Devices Corp., vice president of NeoPhotonics, and a senior director at BabyCenter. In our conversation, we discuss: • How far you should go without a salesperson • Signs it’s time to hire salespeople • Why you need to hire two salespeople • How to compensate your salespeople • How to interview salespeople • When to hire a VP of Sales • How to prevent their flaming out • How to scale your sales org • How to improve the relationship between your sales and product teams • Much more — Brought to you by: • CommandBar —AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. • LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-a-world-class-sales-org — Where to find Jason Lemkin: • X: https://twitter.com/jasonlk • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmlemkin/ • Website: https://www.saastr.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jason’s background (06:18) The importance of sales in B2B businesses (11:23) Signs that you should start hiring salespeople (14:19) Attributes to look for in early sales reps (19:08) Hiring a VP of Sales (26:43) The role of a VP of Sales (30:06) Interviewing
Sun, February 11, 2024
Making time for what matters | Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky (authors of Sprint and Make Time, co-founders of Character Capital)
Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky are the authors of best-selling books Sprint and Make Time . They have helped more than 300 teams design new products and bring them to market, including those at YouTube, Gusto, One Medical Group, and Slack. Jake and John are co-founders of the venture capital firm Character, where they support startups with capital and sprints. Previously, they were operating partners at Google Ventures and, before that, design leaders at Google, where John worked on Google Ads and YouTube and Jake helped build Gmail and co-founded Google Meet. In our conversation, we discuss: • “Busy bandwagon” and “infinity pools” • Creating one “highlight” each day • Their four-part framework for productivity • How to use the calendar to design your day • How creating friction can help you avoid distractions • Tips on creating a distraction-free phone • Strategies for managing email and distractions • The importance of reflecting on the day and making time for meaningful work • Design sprints — Brought to you by: • Sidebar —Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers • Whimsical —The iterative product workspace • WorkOS —The modern API for auth and user identity — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/making-time-for-what-matters-jake — Where to find Jake Knapp: • X: https://twitter.com/jakek • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-knapp/ • Website: https://jakeknapp.com/ — Where to find John Zeratsky: • X: https://twitter.com/jazer • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnzeratsky/ • Website: https://johnzeratsky.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — <st
Thu, February 08, 2024
Inside OpenAI | Logan Kilpatrick (head of developer relations)
Logan Kilpatrick leads developer relations at OpenAI, supporting developers building with the OpenAI API and ChatGPT. He is also on the board of directors at NumFOCUS, the nonprofit organization that supports open source projects like Jupyter, Pandas, NumPy, and more. Before OpenAI, Logan was a machine-learning engineer at Apple and advised NASA on open source policy. In our conversation, we discuss: • OpenAI’s fast-paced and innovative work environment • The value of high agency and high urgency in your employees • Tips for writing better ChatGPT prompts • How the GPT Store is doing • OpenAI’s planning process and decision-making criteria • Where OpenAI is heading in the next few years • Insight into OpenAI’s B2B offerings • Why Logan “measures in hundreds” — Brought to you by: • Hex —Helping teams ask and answer data questions by working together • Whimsical —The iterative product workspace • Arcade Software —Create effortlessly beautiful demos in minutes — Find the transcript for this episode and all past episodes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-openai-logan-kilpatrick-head Today’s transcript will be live by 8 a.m. PT. — Where to find Logan Kilpatrick: • X: https://twitter.com/OfficialLoganK • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/logankilpatrick/ • Website: https://logank.ai/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Logan’s background (03:49) The impact of recent events on OpenAI’s team and culture (08:20) Exciting developments in AI interfaces (09:52) Using OpenAI tools to make companies more efficient (13:04) Examples of using AI effectively (18:35) Prompt engineering (22:12) How to write better prompts (26:05) The launch of GPTs and the OpenAI Store (32:10) The importance of high agency and urgency (34:35) OpenAI’s ability to move fast and ship high-quality products (35:56) OpenAI’s planning process and decision-making criteria (40:22) The importance of real-time communication (42:33) OpenAI’s team and growth (44:47
Sun, February 04, 2024
Lessons from Atlassian: Launching new products, getting buy-in, and staying ahead of the competition | Megan Cook (head of product, Jira)
Megan Cook is the head of product for Atlassian’s Jira software, which is used by 75% of Fortune 500 companies, has over 125,000 customers globally, over 15 different products, and is by far the most popular project management tool in the world. Megan has been at Atlassian for just under 11 years, and before this role, she was an analyst, a developer, and an Agile coach. In our conversation, we discuss: • How to get buy-in for your ideas • The value of starting small • How, and why, creating space for play is so essential • How Jira stays ahead of endless competition • Atlassian’s approach to launching new product lines • Tactical tips for making remote work, work • A personal failure and the lessons learned from it — Brought to you by: • Teal —Your personal career growth platform • Sprig —Build a product people love • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Find the transcript for this episode and all past episodes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-atlassian-launching Today’s transcript will be live by 8 a.m. PT. — Where to find Megan Cook: • X: https://twitter.com/meganwcook • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cookmegan — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Megan’s background (03:50) Creating space for play and psychological safety on teams (07:36) Peer feedback groups (10:30) Sharing stories of failure (13:33) The “10 dollar” game for priorities (15:24) Advice on making remote work, work (24:16) Getting buy-in for your ideas (28:33) The importance of staying open-minded (34:05) A quick summary of how to get buy-in (36:45) Fighting the good fight (38:15) Identifying customer pain points (43:04) Starting small and showing success (46:08) Launching new product lines (53:35) Atlassian’s gated process for new product ideas (58:00) How Jira stays ahead of competitors (01:04:28) Learning from failure</
Sun, January 28, 2024
Managing nerves, anxiety, and burnout | Jonny Miller (Nervous System Mastery)
Jonny Miller is the founder of Nervous System Mastery , a course that has helped hundreds of founders and tech leaders cultivate calm, reduce nervousness, enhance resilience, and elevate their sense of aliveness. Having personally benefited from Jonny’s teachings, I’m especially excited to have him on the show. In this episode, we discuss: • How shifting your focus from the mind to the body can help ease nervousness • The power of breath in changing states • The importance of “interoception” • Specific breathing exercises to both calm and excite your nervous system • The A.P.E. (awareness, posture, and emotion) framework for recognizing body signals • The “feather, brick, dump truck” phenomenon • The concept of emotional debt and how to release it • The competitive advantage of feeling emotions — Jonny’s five-week boot camp, Nervous System Mastery, will equip you with evidence-backed protocols to cultivate greater calm and agency over your internal state. Learn to rewire maladaptive stress responses and improve your sleep ( use code LENNY for $250 discount ). Apply here . — Brought to you by: • Teal —Your personal career growth platform • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. • Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/managing-nerves-anxiety-and-burnout — Where to find Jonny Miller: • X: https://twitter.com/jonnym1ller • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnym1ller/ • Website: https://www.jonnymiller.co/ • Podcast: podcast.curioushumans.com • Email: jonny@curioushumans.com • Course: https://nsmastery.com/lenny — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyra
Thu, January 25, 2024
Geoffrey Moore on finding your beachhead, crossing the chasm, and dominating a market
Geoffrey Moore is an author, speaker, and advisor, widely known for his seminal book Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers , which many consider the most important book ever written on go-to-market strategy. Moore’s work is focused on the market dynamics surrounding disruptive innovations, and how one overcomes the challenge of transitioning from serving early adopters to the mainstream. In this episode, we discuss: • What “crossing the chasm” means • What steps to take before you try crossing the chasm • The importance of winning a marquee customer • The role of executive sponsors in the sales process • The differences between visionaries and pragmatists, and how to build for each • Geoffrey’s four go-to-market playbooks based on stage: Early Market, Bowling Alley, Tornado, and Main Street • The problem with discounting before crossing the chasm • “Deadly sins” to avoid when crossing the chasm — Brought to you by: • CommandBar —AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users • WorkOS —An API platform for quickly adding enterprise features • Arcade Software —Create effortlessly beautiful demos in minutes — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/geoffrey-moore-on-finding-your-beachhead — Where to find Geoffrey Moore: • X: https://twitter.com/geoffreyamoore • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreyamoore/ • LinkedIn posts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreyamoore/recent-activity/articles/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Geoffrey’s background (04:03) What people often get wrong about Crossing the Chasm (05:58) Finding your beachhead segment (09:29) The four inflection points of the technology adoption lifestyle (15:45) Geoffrey’s bonfire and bowling alley analogies (18:36) Steps
Sun, January 21, 2024
Good Strategy, Bad Strategy | Richard Rumelt
Richard Rumelt is a legend in the world of strategy. He’s the author of Good Strategy/Bad Strategy and The Crux: How Leaders Become Strategists, both of which are often recommended by guests on this podcast . From his early days teaching in Iran at a Harvard-sponsored business school to teaching at Harvard Business School itself to over four decades teaching at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, Richard’s impact resonates globally. His strategic insights are sought after by major corporations including Microsoft, Shell, Apple, AT&T, Intel, and Commonwealth Bank and by governmental organizations such as the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. In this episode, we discuss: • The essential components of a good strategy • The importance of coherence in strategy • Common pitfalls that create a bad strategy • How “power” plays into strategy, and common sources of power • The value of knowing history when developing effective strategies • Why a strategy should simply be called an “action agenda” • The need for one decider in an organization — Brought to you by: • CommandBar —AI-powered user assistance for modern products and impatient users • Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life • Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/good-strategy-bad-strategy-richard — Where to find Richard Rumelt: • Email: richard@generalimagination.com • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-rumelt-18520828/ • Website: https://thecruxbook.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Richard’s background (04:29) What is a strategy? (06:23) The essential components of a good strategy (the “kernel”) (15:04) An example of good strategy (16:55) Bad strategy (25:17) The importance of focus and power (28:19) Identifying and uti
Thu, January 18, 2024
The art and wisdom of changing teams | Heidi Helfand (author of Dynamic Reteaming)
Heidi Helfand is the author of Dynamic Reteaming , which outlines practical strategies for orchestrating successful team and company org changes. Her work is informed by more than 20 years in the tech industry at notable companies like AppFolio, Procore, and Expertcity/GoToMeeting. Today, she dedicates her efforts to sharing her knowledge through workshops, comprehensive courses, and consultative services, helping organizations navigate and optimize their team structures. In this episode, we discuss: • The importance of reteaming and reorging • The benefits of embracing reteaming • The five patterns of reteaming: one by one, grow and split, merging, isolation, and switching • Examples of successful reteaming • Why stable teams are not always ideal • How change can lead to great career opportunities • The RIDE framework for decision-making • Advice on how to set up isolated teams for success • The anti-patterns of reteaming and the challenges that can arise • Tactical tips for becoming a better listener — Brought to you by: • Productroadmap.ai —AI to connect your roadmaps to revenue • Hex —Helping teams ask and answer data questions by working together • Ahrefs —Improve your website’s SEO for free — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-art-and-wisdom-of-changing-teams — Where to find Heidi Helfand: • X: https://twitter.com/heidihelfand • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidihelfand/ • Website: https://www.heidihelfand.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Heidi’s background (03:40) How Heidi got involved with reteaming and reorgs (07:37) Advice for people dealing with reorgs (11:56) The benefits of change and the RIDE framework (17:11) The five patterns of reteaming (20:00) The power of isolation (27:38) Advice on how to be successful by isolating small teams (33:27) Supporting
Sun, January 14, 2024
Taking control of your career | Ethan Evans (Amazon)
Ethan Evans is a writer, career coach, course instructor, and retired VP at Amazon. During his 15 years at Amazon, he helped invent Prime Video, Amazon Video, the Amazon Appstore, Prime Gaming (formerly Twitch Prime), and Twitch Commerce. Prior to Amazon, Ethan spent 12 years in technical leadership roles at several East Coast startups. He writes a newsletter, Level Up , which publishes candid career advice and has a growing community of ambitious professionals to connect with. Ethan also offers a range of Leadership Development Courses via live online classes and on-demand courses . In this episode, we discuss: • The Magic Loop framework: a five-step process to grow your career • A handful of reasons why people get stuck in their career growth • Advice on how to break out of a career plateau • How to cultivate inventiveness in your work • How to stand out in interviews • A personal story of failing Jeff Bezos and lessons learned • Contrarian opinions on the return-to-office movement and doing business on a handshake — Brought to you by Sidebar —Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers | Sprig —Build a product people love | Arcade Software —Create effortlessly beautiful demos in minutes — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/taking-control-of-your-career-ethan — Where to find Ethan Evans: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanevansvp/ • Substack: https://levelupwithethanevans.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ethan’s background (04:25) The Magic Loop (08:31) The goal of the Magic Loop (10:59) Clarifications on the framework (12:46) Success stori
Thu, January 11, 2024
How to be more innovative | Sam Schillace (Microsoft deputy CTO, creator of Google Docs)
Sam Schillace is deputy CTO and corporate vice president at Microsoft. Prior to working at Microsoft, Sam started a company called Writely, which was acquired by Google and became the foundation of what today is Google Docs. While at Google, Sam helped lead many of Google’s consumer products, including Gmail, Blogger, PageCreator, Picasa, Reader, Groups, and more recently Maps and Google Automotive Services. Sam was also a principal investor at Google Ventures, has founded six startups, and was the SVP of engineering at Box through their IPO. In this episode, we discuss: • The journey of building Google Docs • The importance of taking risks, embracing failure, and finding joy in your work • The importance of asking “what if” questions vs. “why not” • Why convenience always wins • How, and why, Sam stays optimistic • Inside Microsoft’s culture • Why you should solve problems without asking for permission • Early-career advice • Why “pixels are free” and “bots are docs” — Brought to you by Teal —Your personal career growth platform | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Ahrefs —Improve your website’s SEO for free — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-be-more-innovative-sam-schillace — Where to find Sam Schillace: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schillace/ • Newsletter: https://sundaylettersfromsam.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Sam’s background (03:45) The first Google Docs file (06:45) Disruptive innovation (10:11) First-principles thinking (11:00) Recognizing disruptive ideas (13:17) Examples of first-principles thinking (15:46) The power of optimism (19:47) Sam’s motto: Get to the edge of something and f**k around (21:53) User value and laziness (24:31) People are lazy (and what to do about it) (28:36) Building Google Docs (31:06) The evolution of Google Docs (37:15) Finding product-market fit (39:52) The future of d
Sun, January 07, 2024
The engineering mindset | Will Larson (Carta, Stripe, Uber, Calm, Digg)
Will Larson is Chief Technology Officer at Carta. Prior to joining Carta, he was the CTO at Calm and held engineering leadership roles at Stripe, Uber, and Digg. He is the author of two foundational engineering career books, An Elegant Puzzle and Staff Engineer , and The Engineering Executive’s Primer , which will be released in February. In our conversation, we discuss: • Systems thinking: what it is and how to apply it • Advice for product managers on fostering productive relationships with engineering managers • Why companies should treat engineers like adults • How to best measure developer productivity • Writing and its impact on his career • How to balance writing with a demanding job • How to develop your company values — Brought to you by DX —A platform for measuring and improving developer productivity | OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-engineering-mindset-will-larson — Where to find Will Larson: • X: https://twitter.com/Lethain • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-larson-a44b543/ • Website: https://lethain.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Will’s background (04:12) Changes in the field of engineering (06:27) We need to stop treating engineers like children (08:32) Systems thinking (13:23) Implementing systems thinking in hiring (16:32) Engineering strategy (20:21) Examples of engineering strategies (25:08) How to get good at strategy (26:48) The importance of writing about things that excite you (32:40) The biggest risk to content creation is quitting too soon (35:24) How to make time for writing (37:41) Tips for aspiring writers (41:18) Building productive relationships between product managers and engineers (43:45) Giving the same performance rating to EMs and PMs (48:24)
Thu, January 04, 2024
The UX research reckoning is here | Judd Antin (Airbnb, Meta)
Judd Antin has spent 15 years leading research and design teams at companies like Yahoo, Meta, and Airbnb. His direct reports have gone on to lead user research at Figma, Notion, Slack, Robinhood, Duolingo, AllTrails, and more. In our conversation, we unpack the transformation that the user-research field is experiencing. Specifically: • Where user research went wrong over the past decade • The three types of research—macro, middle-range, and micro—and the purpose of each • How to effectively integrate researchers into the product development process • The “user-centered performance” phenomenon and why it’s a waste of time • Common tropes about PMs, from researchers • The ideal ratio of researchers in a company • Why Judd says NPS is useless, and what to use instead — Brought to you by Teal —Your personal career growth platform | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Ahrefs —Improve your website’s SEO for free — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ux-research-reckoning-is-here — Where to find Judd Antin: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juddantin/ • Website: https://juddantin.com/ • Blog: https://medium.com/onebigthought — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Judd’s background (04:16) Critiques and responses to Judd’s post “The UX Research Reckoning Is Here” (07:33) The state of user research (08:53) Macro, middle-range, and micro research (14:05) What teams get wrong when it comes to research (15:46) The importance of integrating research from the beginning (17:30) Traits of great researchers (19:53) Advice for evaluating user researchers (21:10) Balancing business and product focus (23:55) User-centered performance (26:42) The role of intuition in product development (30:15) Checking your gut instincts (32:54) Common tropes about PMs, from researchers (41:02) A/B testing vs. user research (43:15) Hindsight
Fri, December 29, 2023
Strategies for becoming less distracted and improving focus | Nir Eyal (author of Indistractable and Hooked)
Nir Eyal is the author of two best-selling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life . He writes, consults, and teaches at the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. His books have sold over 1 million copies in more than 30 languages; he has taught at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and its Design School; and he has started and sold two startups since 2003. In our conversation, we discuss: • Strategies for becoming less distractible and improving focus • The difference between distraction and “traction” • Reactive work vs. reflexive work and why you should book time in your calendar • The 10-minute rule to overcome internal triggers and stay focused • The problem with to-do lists, and what to do instead • The value of creating a timebox schedule that aligns with personal values and priorities • The use of pacts as a last line of defense against distraction • How to develop a high-agency mindset • Advice for leaders on helping employees improve focus in the workplace — Brought to you by Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | Teal —Your personal career growth platform — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/strategies-for-becoming-less-distractible — Where to find Nir Eyal: • X: https://twitter.com/nireyal • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal/ • Website: https://www.nirandfar.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: ( 00:00 ) Nir’s background ( 04:20 ) How to become less distractible (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.yo
Wed, December 27, 2023
The hierarchy of engagement | Sarah Tavel (Benchmark, Greylock, Pinterest)
Sarah Tavel is a General Partner at Benchmark and sits on the boards of Chainalysis, Hipcamp, Rekki, Cambly, and Medely. She is a founding member of All Raise, the nonprofit organization working to accelerate the success of women in the venture-capital and VC-backed startup ecosystem. Before Benchmark, Sarah was a partner at Greylock Partners. She joined Pinterest in 2012 as their first PM and launched their first search and recommendations features. She also led three acquisitions as she helped the company scale through a period of hypergrowth. In this episode, we discuss: Sarah’s Hierarchy of Engagement framework for growing a consumer startup • The three levels of the Hierarchy of Engagement: core action, retention, and self-perpetuation • The importance of measuring cohorts and maintaining focus on the core action • Examples of core user actions from Pinterest and YouTube Sarah’s Hierarchy of Marketplaces framework for building a marketplace startup • The three vectors of growth for dominating a marketplace • Advice on “tipping the marketplace” and ultimately dominating the market • The value of focusing on a constrained market • How to avoid disruption — This entire episode is brought to you by Gelt —Redefine your approach to taxes. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-hierarchy-of-engagement-sarah — Where to find Sarah Tavel: • X: https://twitter.com/sarahtavel • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahtavel/ • Substack: https://www.sarahtavel.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Sarah’s background (03:33) Framework 1: The Hierarchy of Engagement (06:03) Level 1: Core action (10:33) Level 2: Retention (14:00) Level 3: Self-perpetuation (19:32) The importance of focus (23:54) The challenge of anonymity (26:04) Advice for founders who want to increase retention (29:34) What founders often get wrong (31:43) Examples of core actions (37:37) Finding your North Star Metric (38:1
Thu, December 21, 2023
The essence of product management | Christian Idiodi (SVPG)
Christian Idiodi is a partner at Silicon Valley Product Group. After a long product career and founding multiple companies, Christian now spends his time working closely with product leaders at companies big and small to implement and improve their discipline of product management. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Why there’s often a negative perception of product managers, and how we can fix this • The four attributes of a product manager’s job: value, usability, viability, and feasibility • The power of finding reference customers • How Christian developed a process for high-volume hiring to help companies like McDonald’s and Starbucks • Tactical tips for coaching, building relationships, and building trust as a leader — Brought to you by Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Teal —Your personal career growth platform — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-essence-of-product-management — Where to find Christian Idiodi: • X: https://twitter.com/CIdiodi • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/ • Website: https://www.svpg.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Christian’s background (03:56) The negative perception of product managers (07:58) How to become a PM people want to work with (11:30) The definition of a product manager (14:46) Where new PMs fail (16:59) Reference customers: what they are and why they are so important (24:05) A quick summary of how to build a product that people want and love (26:44) How to determine product-market fit (29:54) The benefits of this approach (34:11) Real examples of using reference customers (40:06) Doing things that don’t scale (48:40) How to get better at coaching and build trust with leaders (55:53) The fastest wa
Sun, December 17, 2023
Jason Fried challenges your thinking on fundraising, goals, growth, and more
Jason Fried is the co-founder and CEO of 37signals, the maker of Basecamp and HEY. 37signals is a very different kind of company. With fewer than 80 employees, they have over 100,000 customers, generate tens of millions of dollars in profit each year, and have no investors, board, or any plans to ever raise money or sell the company. In our conversation, we explore a path many tech founders never consider—bootstrapping. We discuss: • Why he and his team prioritize profit above all else • The unexpected challenges with raising venture capital • The “Shape Up” framework for building products • Why, and how, to foster a gut-driven culture • Jason’s thoughts on why work should not feel like war • Advice for starting a bootstrapped business • The philosophy behind Once, 37signals’s new line of software products — Brought to you by Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Sidebar —Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/jason-fried-challenges-your-thinking — Where to find Jason Fried: • X: https://twitter.com/jasonfried • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-fried/ • Email: jason@hey.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jason’s background (03:49) The success of 37signals (06:46) When raising money makes sense (09:58) The power of small teams (13:55) Defining success and goals (17:08) Playing “infinite games” in life (20:11) Starting a business vs. staying in business (22:13) Lessons from 25 years in business (27:28) Venture scale vs. bootstrapping (30:30) Choosing the right path for your business (33:19) The “Shape Up” framework (37:59) The drawback of prom
Fri, December 15, 2023
How to tell better stories | Matthew Dicks (Storyworthy)
Matthew Dicks is a best-selling author, columnist, blogger, podcaster, playwright, and teacher. He wrote my all-time favorite book on storytelling, Storyworthy . He is an elementary school teacher by day and by night teaches storytelling and public speaking to individuals, corporations, universities, religious institutions, and school districts around the world. He’s taught storytelling at Yale, MIT, Harvard, and Purdue, along with Amazon, Salesforce, Slack, Lego, and others. In this conversation, Matthew shares insights and techniques for effective storytelling, including: • The benefits of good storytelling in business • The five-second moment and why it’s so important • Why you should start every story at the end • How to build a vault of stories that can be deployed in business situations • Tips on how to be funnier • His life-changing “Homework for Life” practice • Advice for dealing with nervousness in public speaking • The power of saying yes — Brought to you by OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster | Maui Nui Venison —The healthiest red meat on the planet delivered directly to your door | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-tell-better-stories-matthew — Where to find Matthew Dicks: • Website: https://matthewdicks.com/ • X: https://twitter.com/MatthewDicks • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-dicks-84a95711/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4K0fcEJkzJLso5h6CN00LQ • Storyworthy: https://www.storyworthymd.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Matthew’s background (04:27) The five-second moment (10:29) Knowing the ending (14:28) The impor
Wed, December 13, 2023
Failure
In this special compilation episode, we delve into failure—an overlooked source of wisdom. From freezing onstage in front of thousands of people, to coworkers staging an intervention, to huge product investments that went to zero, we’ve pulled our favorite stories of failure from 100+ podcast episodes. I hope these stories serve as a gentle nudge to view failure not as a setback but as a crucial detour toward growth. — Brought to you by Sendbird —The (all-in-one) communications API platform for mobile apps | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/failure — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, you’ll hear from: (00:00) Lenny: Why I’m focusing on failure (03:25) Katie Dill: The single meeting that changed how Katie leads forever (08:03) Paul Adams: Freezing onstage in front of thousands of people (18:38) Tom Conrad: Lessons from Pets.com and Quibi—two of the most famous product disasters of all time (33:19) Sri Batchu: When you fail, make sure you fail conclusively (39:00) Jiaona Zhang (JZ): One of the biggest product misses at Airbnb (44:32) Gina Gotthilf: Everyone has an “A side” and a “B side,” and we should all share our B sides more (57:57) Maggie Crowley: Her favorite interview question about failure, and lessons from a personal failure (1:00:33) Thanks for listening — Production and marketing by https://penname.co/ . For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com . — Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Sun, December 10, 2023
Radical Candor: From theory to practice with author Kim Scott
Kim Scott is the author of Radical Candor , currently the #1 most recommended book on this podcast. The book has sold over 1 million copies and has been translated into 23 languages. Before writing, Kim was a CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and other tech companies. She was also a member of the faculty at Apple University and before that led AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google. This spring she’ll be launching Radical Respect , which she considers to be a prequel to Radical Candor . In today’s conversation, we go deep on Kim’s popular framework, including: • What separates radical candor and obnoxious aggression • Tactical advice on delivering constructive feedback • How well-meaning empathy can become ruinous • Strategies for effectively soliciting and responding to feedback • The importance of having regular career conversations • The false dichotomy of a good leader versus a kind person • A sneak peek into Radical Respect — Brought to you by Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/radical-candor-from-theory-to-practice — Where to find Kim Scott: • X: https://twitter.com/kimballscott • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimm4/ • Website: https://www.radicalcandor.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Kim’s background (03:13) A brief overview of Radical Candor (06:46) How people fail with ruinous empathy, manipulative insincerity, and obnoxious aggression (08:37) The impact of radical candor on Kim’s life (14:16) How to communicate feedback effectively (20:34) A story illustrating the problem with ruinous empathy and manipulative insincerity (27:50) How to get over the need to be liked (31:31) How to have career conversations with your direct reports (29:40) Reflections on how Kim han
Thu, December 07, 2023
The full-stack PM | Anuj Rathi (Swiggy, Jupiter Money, Flipkart)
Anuj Rathi is the Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Jupiter Money, where he leads product management, marketing, design, growth, and analytics. Before Jupiter Money, Anuj served as the Senior Vice President of Revenue and Growth at Swiggy, VP of Product at SnapDeal, a Senior PM at Walmart Labs and the first-ever PM at Flipkart. He’s also one of the most beloved and respected product leaders in India. In this episode, we discuss: • How product management is different in India • How to rethink your approach to new users • How Anuj operationalizes the “working backwards” framework • Why Anuj thinks PMs should be more full-stack than they are • How to use Anuj’s “4BB” framework to get better at product strategy and prioritization • Advice on developing innovative roadmap ideas • The three essential skills of a successful PM • Three reasons why leadership fails • Why OKRs don’t work in marketplaces — Brought to you by Sanity —The most customizable content layer to power your growth engine | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-full-stack-pm-anuj-rathi-swiggy — Where to find Anuj Rathi: • X: https://twitter.com/anujrathi • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujrathi1 — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Anuj’s background (04:28) How product differs in India (08:34) When modern product thinking started to gain traction in India (14:01) How Anuj thinks about new-user experiences (15:07) Scott Belsky’s “lazy, vain, and selfish” framework (19:59) Why PMs must understand category consumers (22:30) Anuj’s philosophy on the PM job (23:59) How Anuj applies the working-backwards framework (28:36) The importance of FAQs (30:10) The full-stack PM mindset (33:06) Anuj’s “show don’t tell” framework (36:19) How to use the s
Sun, December 03, 2023
Crafting a compelling product vision | Ebi Atawodi (YouTube, Netflix, Uber)
Ebi Atawodi is Director of Product Management for the Creator Experience at YouTube, former Head of Product at Uber, and a former Director of Product (Payments and EMEA) at Netflix. Known for crafting a strong, unified vision, Ebi empowers her teams to achieve outsized outcomes. In today’s episode, we go deep into vision and strategy, including: • The four key elements of a good vision statement • Three ways to determine your mission • The four pillars of great product management • How writing helps you gain clarity • How culture influences product • Tips on how to structure a strategy session • Advice on building team culture and improving work relationships • What’s coming soon at YouTube — Brought to you by Sidebar —Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers | Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/crafting-a-compelling-product-vision — Where to find Ebi Atawodi: • X: https://twitter.com/ebiatawodi • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebiatawodi • YouTube mixes: https://www.youtube.com/@EbiAtawodi/videos — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ebi’s background (04:31) Four key elements of a product vision (08:14) Examples of lofty but attainable visions (11:43) Vision vs. mission (13:23) Examples of visions and missions from notable companies (15:00) A simple framework for outlining a vision (20:51) Other methods for outlining a vision (23:29) The impact of writing clear headlines (26:41) Using mockups to frame your vis
Fri, December 01, 2023
The future of AI in software development | Inbal Shani (CPO of GitHub)
Inbal Shani is the chief product officer at GitHub, where she leads core product management, along with product strategy, marketing, open source, and communities, including the development of GitHub Copilot. Prior to joining GitHub, she led engineering and product teams at Amazon and Microsoft. In today’s conversation, we discuss: • What Inbal believes is overhyped and underhyped in the rapidly changing field of AI • How AI-driven code generation is changing software development • Her take on whether AI will replace developers • How software development looks in 3 to 5 years • How product teams operate at GitHub • GitHub’s Next team, and other ways the company fosters a culture of innovation • The success metrics and philosophy behind GitHub’s Copilot — Brought to you by Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | Sanity —The most customizable content layer to power your growth engine | HelpBar by Chameleon —The free in-app universal search solution built for SaaS — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-future-of-ai-in-software-development-inbal-shani-cpo-of-github/#transcript — Where to find Inbal Shani: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inbalshani/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Inbal’s background (04:17) Why generative AI is not going to replace developers in the near future (05:54) Why AI-driven testing is underhyped (07:48) What the next 3 to 5 years will look like (10:13) Stats around the use of GitHub Copilot (12:07) How Copilot enables engineers to work more efficiently (13:38) Common mistakes when adopting AI into your workflows (16:42) How GitHub operationalizes “dogfooding” (18:46) The philosophy behind Copilot (20:24) Copilot’s success metrics (24:54) How Copilot encourages collabora
Wed, November 29, 2023
My favorite interview questions from 100+ guests
This is a special episode of the podcast where I’ve curated my favorite interview questions that guests have shared, among over 100 podcast guests. Whether you’re a hiring manager, currently interviewing, or simply intrigued by the creative and perceptive questions that top product leaders rely on to find top talent, these questions offer unique insights into the strategies and philosophies that shape successful interviews. — Brought to you by Sendbird —The (all-in-one) communications API platform for mobile apps | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/my-favorite-interview-questions-from — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, you’ll hear from: (00:00) Lenny (03:21) Eeke De Miliano (03:57) Geoff Charles (04:31) Shishir Mehrotra (08:44) Yuhki Yamashita (09:56) Katie Dill (10:36) Karri Saarinen (11:02) Camille Hearst (11:28) Jiaona Zhang (12:43) Noah Weiss (13:10) Ben Williams (14:41) Meltem Kuran Berkowitz (15:29) Paige Costello (16:13) Nikhyl Singhal (17:51) Ayo Omojola (18:20) Scott Belsky (19:17) Lauryn Isford (19:46) Paul Adams — Production and marketing by https://penname.co/ . For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com . — Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Sun, November 26, 2023
Billion dollar failures, and billion dollar success | Tom Conrad (Quibi, Pandora, Pets.com, Snap, Zero)
Tom Conrad is the CEO of Zero and on the board of Sonos. He began his career in engineering at Apple, where he helped build key features that remain in iOS today. Tom was previously the VP of Product at Snap and the chief technology officer of Pandora. He also held leadership positions at notable tech flops Pets.com and Quibi, giving him a unique perspective not only on what it takes to build a successful company but also on lessons from failure. In today’s conversation, we discuss: • Lessons learned from the infamous failures of Pets.com and Quibi • Lessons learned from the successes of Apple, Pandora, and Snap • Advice on choosing where to work • Understanding the math formula of a business • How to avoid burnout • Why Tom says not everyone needs to be a founder • What he’s building now — Brought to you by Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | HelpBar by Chameleon —the free in-app universal search solution built for SaaS — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/billion-dollar-failures-and-billion — Where to find Tom Conrad: • X: https://twitter.com/tconrad • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomconrad/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Tom’s background (04:40) Landing a gig at Apple (07:41) Pioneering the blinking folder design on iOS (11:04) Advice on choosing where to work (12:43) The importance of trusting your gut when it comes to people (14:05) Lessons from failed ventures (17:32) Why and how Pets.com shut down (18:30) How Tom’s experience at Quibi renewed his passion for building (28:48) Takeaways from Quibi and why it ultimately failed (31:42) Failing is okay (35:04) Tom’s career at Apple (39:11) Lessons from You Don’t Know Ja
Sun, November 19, 2023
Redefining success, money, and belonging | Paul Millerd (The Pathless Path)
Paul Millerd spent several years working in strategy consulting and on the “default path” before deciding to walk away to work on his own in 2017. His book, The Pathless Path , chronicles his own journey and deep dive into the history of work and has been read by more than 40,000 people. His podcast, The Pathless Path Podcast, highlights conversations with others following unconventional paths. He also runs the online training business StrategyU, helping people learn the skills of consulting without having to work in the industry. In our conversation, Paul shares: • An explanation of the “default path” and the “pathless path” • Signs you may be stuck on the default path • How to inch your way toward the pathless path • Why Paul suggests everyone should take a three-month sabbatical • Tips for embracing fear and betting on yourself • How to work through the fear of losing money and prestige — Brought to you by Sanity —The most customizable content layer to power your growth engine | Maui Nui Venison —The healthiest red meat on the planet delivered directly to your door | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/redefining-success-money-and-belonging-paul-millerd-the-pathless-path/ — Where to find Paul Millerd: • X: https://twitter.com/p_millerd • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmillerd/ • Website: https://pathlesspath.com/ • Newsletter: https://newsletter.pathlesspath.com • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCofS_FvauuHc-x6mq7yz6nA • Podcast: https://think-boundless.com/podcast/ • Email: paul@strategyu.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: <a target="_blank"
Sun, November 19, 2023
Redefining success, money, and belonging | Paul Millerd (The Pathless Path)
Paul Millerd spent several years working in strategy consulting and on the “default path” before deciding to walk away to work on his own in 2017. His book, The Pathless Path , chronicles his own journey and deep dive into the history of work and has been read by more than 40,000 people. His podcast, The Pathless Path Podcast, highlights conversations with others following unconventional paths. He also runs the online training business StrategyU, helping people learn the skills of consulting without having to work in the industry. In our conversation, Paul shares: • An explanation of the “default path” and the “pathless path” • Signs you may be stuck on the default path • How to inch your way toward the pathless path • Why Paul suggests everyone should take a three-month sabbatical • Tips for embracing fear and betting on yourself • How to work through the fear of losing money and prestige — Brought to you by Sanity —The most customizable content layer to power your growth engine | Maui Nui Venison —The healthiest red meat on the planet delivered directly to your door | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the transcript for this episode and all past episodes at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/episodes/ . Today’s transcript will be live by 8 a.m. PT. — Where to find Paul Millerd: • X: https://twitter.com/p_millerd • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmillerd/ • Website: https://pathlesspath.com/ • Podcast: https://think-boundless.com/podcast/ • Email: paul@strategyu.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Paul’s background (04:33) An explanation of the “default path” (06:32) Questions to help clarify which path you are on (07:35) Paul’s t
Thu, November 16, 2023
The ultimate guide to product operations | Melissa Perri and Denise Tilles
Melissa Perri is the CEO of Produx Labs, a product management training organization; author of the seminal PM book The Build Trap ; and a former Harvard Business School professor of product management. Denise Tilles is the CPO at Grocket, Melissa’s colleague at Produx Labs, and a seasoned product leader with over a decade of experience. Together they authored the new book Product Operations: How successful companies build better products at scale . In today’s episode, they share insights, strategies, and real-world experiences to master all things product ops. We discuss: • What exactly product operations is • The three pillars of the product ops role • The biggest benefits of adding product ops to your organization • Which tasks product managers should offload to product ops and which they need to own • How to help PMs embrace the value of product ops • Examples of companies that have implemented product ops well • Who and how to hire for this role — This entire episode is brought to you by Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-product-operations-melissa-perri-and-denise-tilles/#transcript — Where to find Melissa Perri: • X: https://twitter.com/lissijean • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissajeanperri/ • Website: https://produxlabs.com/ — Where to find Denise Tilles: • X: https://twitter.com/dtilles • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisetilles/ • Website: https://www.denisetilles.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) About our guests, Melissa Perri and Denise Tilles (03:46) How c
Sun, November 12, 2023
Brian Chesky’s new playbook
Brian Chesky is the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb. Under Brian’s leadership, Airbnb has grown into a community of over 4 million hosts who have welcomed more than 1.5 billion guests across over 220 countries and regions. I had the privilege of working under his leadership, so it is a great honor to have him on the show. We discuss: • How Airbnb has shifted their thinking on product management • Why bureaucracy happens in companies, and how to avoid it • The importance of founders diving into the details • Why Airbnb moved away from traditional growth channels and what they are doing instead • Airbnb’s newly released features • How and why Brian encourages his team to set ambitious goals • Why he says he still has a lot to prove — Brought to you by Sidebar —Catalyze your career with a Personal Board of Directors | Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/brian-cheskys-new-playbook/#transcript — Where to find Brian Chesky: • X: https://twitter.com/bchesky • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianchesky/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Brian’s background (05:18) The current structure of product management at Airbnb (09:21) How fast-moving companies become slow-moving bureaucracies (12:20) Brian’s thoughts on performance marketing (13:50) Airbnb’s rolling two-year roadmap (15:30) Brian’s journey as CEO in a growing company (18:34) Best practices for A/B testing (20:30) Who inspired Airbnb’s new direction (23:18) The first changes Brian implemented at the onset of the pandemic (24:51) Why founders should be “in the details” (30:15) Airbnb’s marketing, communication, and creative functions (31:38) Advice
Thu, November 09, 2023
Marketplace lessons from Uber, Airbnb, Bumble, and more | Ramesh Johari (Stanford professor, startup advisor)
Ramesh Johari is a professor at Stanford University focusing on data science methods and practice, as well as the design and operation of online markets and platforms. Beyond academia, Ramesh has advised some incredible startups, including Airbnb, Uber, Bumble, and Stitch Fix. Today we discuss: • What exactly a marketplace is, if you boil it down • What you need to get right to build a successful marketplace • How to optimize any marketplace • An easy litmus test to see if there’s an opportunity to build a marketplace in the space • The role of data science in successful marketplaces • Ramesh’s philosophy on experimentation and AI • Advice on implementing rating systems • Why learning isn’t free — Brought to you by Sanity —The most customizable content layer to power your growth engine | Hex —Helping teams ask and answer data questions by working together | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/marketplace-lessons-from-uber-airbnb-bumble-and-more-ramesh-johari-stanford-professor-startup/ — Where to find Ramesh Johari: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rameshjohari/ • Website: https://web.stanford.edu/~rjohari/ • X: https://twitter.com/rameshjohari — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ramesh’s background (04:31) A brief overview of what a marketplace is (08:10) The role of data science in marketplaces (11:21) Common flaws of marketplaces (16:43) Why every founder is a marketplace founder (20:26) How Substack increased value to creators by driving demand (20:58) An example of overcommitting at eBay (22:24) An easy litmus test for marketplaces (25:52) Thoughts on employees vs. contractors (28:02) How to leverage data scientists to improve your marketplace (34:10) Correlation vs. causation (35:27) Decisions that should b
Sun, November 05, 2023
Mastering product strategy and growing as a PM | Maggie Crowley (Toast, Drift, Tripadvisor)
Maggie Crowley is VP of product at Toast and previously vice president and head of product at Charlie Health, senior director of product management at Drift, and a PM at TripAdvisor. She’s also the host of Build , a podcast dedicated to product and product management. In today’s conversation, Maggie shares: • The value of building a broad-based PM skill set • Three qualities of the best product managers • A step-by-step guide for crafting a product strategy • How to break into PM • Why great writing is often just simplifying your writing • Why being too data-driven is a red flag • The impact of content creation on Maggie’s career — Brought to you by Productroadmap.ai —AI to connect your roadmaps to revenue | Composer —the AI-powered trading platform | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/mastering-product-strategy-and-growing-as-a-pm-maggie-crowley-toast-drift-tripadvisor/ — Where to find Maggie Crowley: • X: https://twitter.com/maggiecrowley • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-crowley-42a97112/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Maggie’s background (04:06) Three common traits among the best product managers (09:33) Strategy is an important but small part of the job (11:14) How to get better at simplification (13:39) Tips on simplifying your writing (15:13) Ownership as a PM (17:53) Examples of simplifying your work (19:39) Maggie’s Slack support group (21:37) How to improve on following up on your work (23:23) A realistic time horizon for PMs (26:31) Staying in your role vs. trying a new opportunity (27:37) The importance of “carrying the water” (28:56) Pros and cons of the PM job (31:42) Advice on landing a
Thu, November 02, 2023
Unpacking Amazon’s unique ways of working | Bill Carr (author of Working Backwards)
Bill Carr is the co-author of Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon . With a background at Amazon of over 15 years, Bill played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s global digital music and video ventures, including Amazon Music, Prime Video, and Amazon Studios. After Amazon, Bill was an Executive in Residence with Maveron, an early-stage, consumer-only venture capital firm. He later served as the chief operating officer of OfferUp, the largest mobile marketplace for local buyers and sellers in the U.S. Today he’s the co-founder of Working Backwards LLC, where he helps companies implement Amazon’s time-tested management strategies. In this episode, we discuss: • What exactly “working backwards” is, and how you do it • Why having “single-threaded leaders” is so effective • Inside Amazon’s intense product review process • How to actually follow the “disagree and commit” principle • The thinking behind the principle “Leaders are right, a lot” • Input vs. output metrics • Fostering a culture of risk-taking and innovation • The role and responsibilities of a “bar raiser” in your hiring, and how it significantly improves the success rate of new hires — Brought to you by AssemblyAI —Production-ready AI models to transcribe and understand speech | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/unpacking-amazons-unique-ways-of-working-bill-carr-author-of-working-backwards/ — Where to find Bill Carr: • X: https://twitter.com/BillCarr89 • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-carr/ • Website: https://www.workingbackwards.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Bill’s background (04:26) Amazon’s workplace evolution (09:54) Amazon’s “fitness function” (
Sun, October 29, 2023
Reflections on a movement | Eric Ries (creator of the Lean Startup methodology)
Eric Ries is the creator of the Lean Startup methodology, author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup , and founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE). He’s also a multi-time founder and currently advises startups, VC firms, and larger companies on business and product strategy. In today’s episode, we discuss: • The current state of the Lean Startup methodology • Common misconceptions about the Lean Startup methodology • Understanding how to actually think about MVPs (minimum viable products) • When to pivot and when to stay the course • Thoughts on AI and how to deal with uncertainty • How to structure your company around core values and create products that benefit humanity • The philosophy behind Eric’s current big idea: the Long-Term Stock Exchange • Much more — Brought to you by Sanity —The most customizable content layer to power your growth engine | Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/reflections-on-a-movement-eric-ries-creator-of-the-lean-startup-methodology/#transcript — Where to find Eric Ries: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eries/ • X: https://twitter.com/ericries • Website: https://theleanstartup.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Eric’s background (04:46) Eric’s recent activities and projects (06:23) Eric’s start in advising and first-principles thinking (10:56) Lessons from designing the Lean Startup process (14:04) The current state of lean startup methodology (22:33) Common misconceptions about the methodology (24:28) Changes Eric would make in an updated version of Lean Startup (27:52) An explanation o
Thu, October 26, 2023
What AI means for your product strategy | Paul Adams (CPO of Intercom)
Paul Adams is the longtime chief product officer at Intercom, where he leads the product management, product design, data science, and research teams. Before Intercom, Paul was the global head of brand design at Facebook, a senior user researcher at Google, and a product designer at Dyson. He’s also a best-selling author , a podcast host , and a public speaker. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Practical advice on integrating AI into your organization • Tips and tools for learning AI as a PM • Hilarious stories from Google and Facebook • How to build conviction with skeptical coworkers • Lessons learned from pricing at Intercom • How Intercom implemented JTBD — Brought to you by Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | Hex —Helping teams ask and answer data questions by working together | HelpBar by Chameleon —The free in-app universal search solution built for SaaS — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/what-ai-means-for-your-product-strategy-paul-adams-cpo-of-intercom/ — Where to find Paul Adams: • X: https://twitter.com/Padday • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauladams/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Paul’s background (04:09) Freezing onstage in front of 8,000 people (07:28) Insights from Google+ days (12:31) Learning from failure (13:56) Intercom’s “ship fast, ship early, ship often” principle (15:17) Integrating AI into product strategy (17:31) Making time for AI learning (19:37) AI in new-product development (21:16) Questions to ask about your product (23:33) How Intercom pivoted after the release of ChatGPT (25:13) Intercom’s AI chatbot, Fin (26:45) The early impact of
Sun, October 22, 2023
A step-by-step guide to crafting a sales pitch that wins | April Dunford (author of Obviously Awesome and Sales Pitch)
April Dunford is a speaker, mentor, podcaster, best-selling author, and beloved returning guest to the show. Last year, she joined me on the pod to discuss product positioning and differentiated value. Today, April offers invaluable insights from her latest book, Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win. We go deep on the art of effective pitching and selling, and April shares the specific framework she’s used to successfully pitch products at companies like Google, IBM, Postman, and Epic Games. Together we discuss: • Tactical advice on pitch creation and testing • Real-life examples of companies transforming their narratives into successful sales strategies • How to combat customer inaction • How to become your prospect’s guide in their buying journey • The importance of differentiated value • Marketing’s role in the process • Why you should avoid FOMO as a sales strategy • Tips for handling objections — Brought to you by Composer —the AI-powered trading platform | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/a-step-by-step-guide-to-crafting — Where to find April Dunford: • Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ • Newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) April’s background (03:46) Fixing poor positioning with storytelling at Help Scout (12:22) Pitch components: setup and differentiated value (14:13) Wrapping up the sales pitch (15:56) Handling objections effectively (19:13) Understanding buyer’s mindset and market perception
Thu, October 19, 2023
Scaling Duolingo, embracing failure, and insight into Latin America’s tech scene | Gina Gotthilf (Latitud, Duolingo)
Gina Gotthilf is a co-founder and the COO of Latitud, a startup platform supporting the next generation of iconic tech startups in Latin America. Previously, Gina led growth and marketing at Duolingo, which she helped grow from 3 million to 200 million users. She was recently named one of the 500 most influential people in all of Latin America by Bloomberg . In today’s episode, we discuss: • Behind the scenes of Duolingo’s early growth • How to balance the “A and B sides” of life • Stories from Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign • Lessons from Duolingo’s international expansion • Tactical tips for driving organic growth • How to use PR, brand love, and community as growth levers • Why Gina is passionate about investing in Latin America — Brought to you by Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | Hex — Helping teams ask and answer data questions by working together | Mercury —the powerful and intuitive way for ambitious companies to bank — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/scaling-duolingo-embracing-failure-and-insight-into-latin-americas-tech-scene-gina-gotthilf-la/#transcript — Where to find Gina Gotthilf: • X: https://twitter.com/ginag • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginafrombrazil/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gina/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Gina’s background (04:34) The Vamos Latam Summit (07:22) Gina’s “A and B sides” framework (09:34) Her B side (16:27) Lessons from working on Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign (20:40) How Gina was able to 3x the conversion rate on a campaign site in one day (24:34) 4 areas Duolingo leaned into to have success in the difficult world of B2C subscriptions (36:39) B-side lesso
Sun, October 15, 2023
Building beautiful products with Stripe’s Head of Design | Katie Dill (Stripe, Airbnb, Lyft)
Katie Dill is the Head of Design at Stripe. Previously, she was Head of Experience Design at Airbnb and Head of Design at Lyft. Katie has been named one of Business Insider ’s 10 People Changing the Tech Industry as well as one of Fast Company ’s 100 Most Creative People in Business and received the Girls in Tech “Creator of the Year” award. In today’s episode, she shares: • What makes a design great • Advice on building high-performing teams in hyper-growth environments • A pivotal lesson in leadership she learned at Airbnb • Stripe’s focus on quality and how it’s tied to growth • A formula for removing organizational friction • How to increase productivity • What to look for when hiring a designer — Brought to you by Sidebar —Catalyze your career with a Personal Board of Directors | Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Find the transcript for this episode and all past episodes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-beautiful-products-with — Where to find Katie Dill: • X: https://twitter.com/lil_dill • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@lil_dilly • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-dill-79168b3/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Katie’s background (04:47) Katie’s pivotal leadership moment at Airbnb (10:55) Advocating for design ROI (16:07) Stripe’s quality focus (17:50) Stripe’s vast scope (18:45) How design enhances utility (21:39) Defining beauty and its role in product growth (26:19) Operationalizing quality (28:44) Katie’s insights from dialogues with diverse organizations (34:47) 15 Essential Journeys: Stripe’s method for holistic UX understanding and unified vision
Thu, October 12, 2023
How to get press for your product | Jason Feifer (editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine)
Brought to you by Sidebar —Catalyze your career with a Personal Board of Directors | Maui Nui Venison —The healthiest red meat on the planet delivered directly to your door | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Jason Feifer is the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine and a former editor at Fast Company . He’s also a podcast host, book author, keynote speaker, and startup advisor. Every week, he shares tips in his newsletter, One Thing Better , to help people become happier and more effective at work. In today’s episode, Jason draws upon his wealth of experience in media to share tactical insights on how to get press coverage. We discuss: • High-level steps to securing press coverage for your product • Why it’s critical to understand the mission of the publication • Why freelance writers are more likely to write about you • When it’s worth investing in PR • When and how to hire a great PR agency • Insider tips for writing the perfect pitch • Why you should optimize for “Opportunity Set B” — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-get-press-for-your-product-jason-feifer-editor-in-chief-of-entrepreneur-magazine/ — Where to find Jason Feifer: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonfeifer/ • Newsletter: jasonfeifer.com/newsletter • Help Wanted podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/LsYdERXQ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jason’s background (04:09) Jason’s inbox volume (07:41) The impact of press coverage on startups (08:47) Navigating the timing and outlets for press exposure (10:37) When not to pursue press coverage (12:38) Jason’s three-step press strategy (14:01) Unpacking the media’s mis
Sun, October 08, 2023
Inside Linear: Building with taste, craft, and focus | Karri Saarinen (co-founder, designer, CEO)
Karri Saarinen is the co-founder and CEO of Linear, an issue-tracking tool that has quickly become the fastest-growing and most beloved in the world. Before Linear, Karri was the principal designer and co-creator of design systems at Airbnb and the founding designer at Coinbase. In today’s episode, he shares: • How to prioritize craft in product development • The Linear method for modern software development • How Linear operates with only one PM • Why every product needs good design in 2023 • Strategies for staying focused amid distractions • Linear’s unique hiring strategies • Sneak peek of a soon-to-be-released Linear feature — Brought to you by Mercury —the powerful and intuitive way for ambitious companies to bank | Composer —the AI-powered trading platform | Pendo —The all-in-one platform for product-led companies building breakthrough digital experiences — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-linear-building-with-taste — Where to find Karri Saarinen: • X: https://twitter.com/karrisaarinen • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karrisaarinen/ • Website: https://karrisaarinen.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Karri’s background (04:25) Overview of Linear (06:43) Linear’s design process and its focus on quality (12:25) Building a craft-oriented company (16:41) Product management at Linear (18:37) Strategies for launching a startup without a dedicated PM (21:16) How Linear assists PMs in their roles (23:46) Linear’s potential expansion in PM roles (24:58) The importance of design (29:08) Utilizing design and brand as distinct competitive advantages (30:48) The importance of authenticity in branding and messaging (33:08) How design reviews are conducted at Linear (38:34) The Linear method for modern software development (40:07) Why productivity
Thu, October 05, 2023
Brian Balfour: 10 lessons on career, growth, and life
Brought to you by Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies — Brian Balfour is the founder and CEO of Reforge. Prior to Reforge, he was the VP of Growth at HubSpot and co-founded three other startups. In today’s episode, Brian shares 10 lessons from his career, growth, and life: • Lesson 1: Inspect the work, not the person. • Lesson 2: Tell me what it takes to win; then tell me the cost. • Lesson 3: Problems never end (and that’s okay). • Lesson 4: The year is made in the first six months. • Lesson 5: Growth is a system between acquisition, retention, and monetization. Change one and you affect them all. • Lesson 6: Do the opposite. • Lesson 7: Use cases, not personas. • Lesson 8: Solving for everyone is solving for no one. • Lesson 9: Find sparring partners, not mentors or coaches. • Lesson 10: 2x+ the activation energy for things that need to change. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/brian-balfour-10-lessons-on-career-growth-and-life/ — Where to find Brian Balfour: • X: https://twitter.com/bbalfour • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbalfour/ • Website: https://brianbalfour.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: ( 00:00 ) Brian’s background ( 04:29 ) His Notion doc of lessons ( 07:35 ) Lesson 1: Inspect the work, not the person ( 12:39 ) Implementing lesson 1 and a
Sun, October 01, 2023
What sets great teams apart | Lane Shackleton (CPO of Coda)
Brought to you by Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Ezra —The leading full-body cancer screening company — Lane Shackleton is CPO of Coda, where he’s been leading the product and design team for over eight years. Lane started his career as an Alaskan climbing guide and then as a manual reviewer of AdWords ads before becoming a product specialist at Google and later a Group PM at YouTube. He also writes a weekly newsletter with insights and rituals for PMs, product teams, and startups. In today’s conversation, we discuss:• Principles that set great PMs apart• Rituals of great product teams• The fine line between OKRs and strategy, and why it matters• “Two-way write-up”• The story of how skippable YouTube ads were born and lessons learned• How to gauge personal career growth• “Tim Ferriss Day” and its impact on Coda’s history• How Lane bootstrapped his way to CPO from the bottom of the tech ladder — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/what-sets-great-teams-apart-lane-shackleton-cpo-of-coda/ — Where to find Lane Shackleton: • X: https://twitter.com/lshackleton • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laneshackleton • Substack: https://lane.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Lane’s background (04:03) Working as a guide in Alaska (07:32) Parallels between guiding and building software (09:12) Why Lane started studying and writing about product teams (12:49) How Lane came up with the career ladder and guiding principles (14:10) The five levels Coda’s career ladder (16:30) Principles of great product managers (21:06) The beginner’s-mind ritual at Coda (24:05) Two rituals: “cathedrals not bricks” and “proactive not reactive” (27:46) How to develop your own guiding principles (31:17) Learning from your “oh s**t” moments (36:03) Ritu
Thu, September 28, 2023
Building Anchor, selling to Spotify, and lessons learned | Maya Prohovnik (Spotify’s Head of Podcast Product)
Brought to you by Sidebar —Catalyze your career with a Personal Board of Directors | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies | LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Maya Prohovnik is currently Spotify’s Head of Podcast Product. She was employee #1 at Anchor, which was acquired by Spotify in 2019 and now powers more than 80% of all new podcasts created in the world. In 2023, Maya was named one of the Most Important People in Podcasting by The Hollywood Reporter . In today’s episode, we discuss:• How Maya operationalizes “dogfooding”• How to balance data-driven decision-making and intuition• Strategies for preserving startup culture in a large organization• Tactical tips to improve at public speaking• How Radical Candor and the Eisenhower matrix transformed her approach to managing people• What’s next at Spotify for Podcasters — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-anchor-selling-to-spotify — Where to find Maya Prohovnik: • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mayafish • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayaprohovnik/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Maya’s background (04:34) Spotify’s podcasting platform (06:24) Maya’s personal podcasts (11:36) The importance of “dogfooding” (13:24) How Maya operationalizes dogfooding (16:31) How to balance data-driven decision-making and trusting your gut (21:38) Building Anchor 2.0 (26:24) The beginning of Anchor’s hockey stick growth (28:08) How Anchor utilized interns to make the Apple Podcasts integration “magical” (35:36) Anchor and Spotify’s successful integration (37:50) Maintaining a startup culture within a large organization (39:20) Transitioning from a startup to a large company (42:02) Challenges brought on by the acquisition (48:49) How Maya’s leadership approach is guided by Radical Candor (51:53) Th
Sun, September 24, 2023
How to drive word of mouth | Nilan Peiris (CPO of Wise)
Brought to you by Pendo —The all-in-one platform for product-led companies building breakthrough digital experiences | Wix Studio —The web creation platform built for agencies | Masterworks —Invest in blue-chip art — Nilan Peiris is Chief Product Officer at Wise, one of the fastest-growing (and profitable) tech companies in the world. Wise allows anyone to send money in more than 60 currencies to over 160 countries at low cost, and throughout its history has grown primarily through word of mouth. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Tactical advice on driving word of mouth (WOM) • Strategies for measuring WOM • How NPS surveys helped Wise determine their growth and product strategy • How Wise incentivizes teams to do the hard things • The small change that generated a 3x increase in referrals • How Wise structures its product and growth teams — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-drive-word-of-mouth-nilan — Where to find Nilan Peiris: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/nilanp • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nilanpeiris/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Nilan’s background (03:27) A brief overview of Wise (06:11) How word of mouth is measured (07:56) Why Wise leaned into WOM (10:21) Why Wise built their WOM motion using the NPS method (16:13) How WOM solves trust problems (18:55) How to get to 9 or 10 on the NPS scale (20:51) Determining what will wow users (21:31) Common missteps companies make when trying to drive WOM (23:24) Using the “working backward” method at Airbnb (25:45) How Wise is able to offer drastically lower money transfer fees (27:51) The three costs associated with moving money (32:02) Rational vs. irrational reasons behind recommendations (34:11) Prioritizing customer happiness (38:14) How Wise approaches experimentation (46:11) Thoughts on performance reviews and general a
Thu, September 21, 2023
Becoming evidence-guided | Itamar Gilad (Gmail, YouTube, Microsoft)
Brought to you by Ezra —The leading full-body cancer screening company | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | LinkedIn Ads —Reach professionals and drive results for your business — Itamar Gilad is a product coach, author, and speaker with over two decades of experience in senior product roles at Google, Microsoft, and various startups. He is also the author of Evidence-Guided: Creating High-Impact Products in the Face of Uncertainty and publishes a popular product management newsletter . In today’s episode, we discuss: • What it means to be “evidence-guided” • How to think about your KPIs as metric trees • How to prioritize ideas using the “confidence meter” • The GIST model for roadmapping • Common mistakes with ICE • Advice for using evidence to challenge gut-driven founders — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/becoming-evidence-guided-itamar-gilad — Where to find Itamar Gilad: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ItamarGilad • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itamargilad/ • Website: https://itamargilad.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Itamar’s background (04:35) How his time working on Gmail shaped his philosophy of “opinion-based” development (08:35) Lessons from developing Gmail’s tabbed inbox (13:40) A brief overview of Itamar’s book, Evidence-Guided (14:30) Balancing founder creativity with an evidence-based approach (17:32) Advice on how to push back against founders (19:36) Signs you aren’t as evidence-guided as you may think (21:13) Itamar’s GIST model for becoming more evidence-guided (23:51) How to set overarching goals using his “value exchange loop” (28:45) North star metrics vs. KPIs (33:47) Using “ICE” to assess the value of ideas (37:39) Itamar’s confidence meter (44:28) Speed of delivery vs. spee
Sun, September 17, 2023
How to become a category pirate | Christopher Lochhead (author of Play Bigger, Niche Down, Category Pirates, more)
Brought to you by Mixpanel —Event analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Round —The private network built by tech leaders for tech leaders — Christopher Lochhead is a 14-time #1 bestselling author, top podcaster, and former 3x public tech company CMO and has been an advisor to over 50 VC-backed tech startups. He is best known as a “godfather” of category design, and Adobe named his book Play Bigger one of “the five greatest marketing books of all time.” In this episode, we discuss:• What exactly category design is • The “Frame It, Name It, Claim It” framework • How to go about designing your category • Why “languaging” is so powerful • Rating yourself on the category design scorecard • Why Chris considers “product-market fit” a dangerous concept • Chris’s spicy take on positioning • The “better trap” and why it’s crucial to avoid it • The magic triangle of product, company, and category • How to embrace negative feedback • Why the greatest time in the history of innovation is now — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-become-a-category-pirate-christopher — Where to find Christopher Lochhead: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lochhead • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlochhead/ • Website: https://www.categorypirates.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Chris’s background (05:08) Why Chris shares his negative criticism on his website (11:58) A simple explanation of category design (18:00) How Purell mastered category design (23:07) What Gong got right (and wrong) (29:01) The “better trap” and why it’s crucial to avoid it (38:51) Reflective thinking vs. reflexive thinking (44:45) How Lomi created a revolutiona
Thu, September 14, 2023
Picking sharp problems, increasing virality, and unique product frameworks | Oji Udezue (Typeform, Twitter, Calendly, Atlassian)
Brought to you by Jira Product Discovery —Atlassian’s new prioritization and roadmapping tool built for product teams — Oji Udezue is Chief Product Officer at Typeform and has held leadership roles at Twitter (Head of Product for Creation and Conversation), Calendly (CPO), and Atlassian (Head of Product for communication tools). He is well-known for bringing a product-led-growth (PLG) mindset to the companies he joins. Additionally, Oji mentors startups, is a Managing Partner at the Kernel Fund, and writes online about product management. In this episode, we discuss: • Oji’s “Where to Fish to Land a Unicorn” and “Zone of Benefit” frameworks • Why you need to find the “sharpest” problem • How to operationalize continuous customer discovery • Tips on optimizing onboarding flows • Freemium vs. gated offerings in PLG • Tactical strategies for making your product more viral • The concept of “forest time” and how it can provide clarity in your work — Find full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/picking-sharp-problems-increasing — Where to find Oji Udezue: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ojiudezue • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ojiudezue/ • Substack: https://substack.com/@ojiudezue — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Oji’s background (03:38) Oji’s “Where to Fish to Land a Unicorn” framework (05:26) Workflow quadrants (09:30) How product people can push frequency (12:28) Oji’s “Zone of Benefit” framework (14:49) How to find your ICPs (15:33) ICPs at Twitter (20:20) Oji’s philosophy on frameworks (22:31) Oji’s upcoming book (24:34) An explanation of “sharp problems” (28:31) Signs your problem is “sharp enough” (31:17) Discovery vs. continuous conversations (35:08) Customer listening (38:31) Onboarding fundamentals (43:49) Activated user milestones (45:47) The power of network effects (50:15) An explanation of virality and how to increas
Sun, September 10, 2023
When enough is enough | Andy Johns (ex-FB, Twitter, Quora)
Brought to you by Mercury —the powerful and intuitive way for ambitious companies to bank | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life — Andy Johns is a former tech exec and VC who had a successful run at several startups—including Facebook, Twitter, Wealthfront, and Quora—but left it all behind a few years ago to take a new direction in life. Now a mental health advocate, he aids military veterans with PTSD, guides burnt-out high achievers to new paths, and shares his healing journey from childhood trauma and mental illness through his newsletter, Clues Dot Life . In this episode, we discuss: • Why Andy left his seven-figure VC career behind • The four-step process of deep personal transformation • When suffering is necessary vs. unnecessary • Tips for finding a good therapist • How a writing practice can help you heal • When you’re in need of radical transformation — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/when-enough-is-enough-andy-johns — Where to find Andy Johns: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/cluesdotlife • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewjohns/ • Website: https://www.clues.life/ • Newsletter: https://andyjohns.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Andy’s background (04:45) His personal burnout story (12:55) The high incidence of mental health struggles in tech (14:41) Why Andy walked away from a seven-figure VC job (20:29) His work in mental health advocacy (23:32) The four-step process of deep personal transformation (31:40) The ego’s involvement (33:23) Necessary vs. unnecessary suffering (37:01) First steps in understanding your suffering (38:59) Advice on finding a therapist (42:11) How a writing practice can help you heal
Thu, September 07, 2023
An inside look at Figma’s unique GTM motion | Claire Butler (first GTM hire)
Brought to you by Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Mixpanel —Event analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford | AssemblyAI —Production-ready AI models to transcribe and understand speech — Claire Butler was Figma’s first GTM hire and their 10th employee. She led Figma’s early GTM strategy from stealth through monetization. She also helped the team through the journey to find product-market fit and built the team that drove Figma’s unique bottom-up growth motion. Eight years later, as Senior Director of Marketing, she continues to lead Figma’s bottom-up growth motion, along with community, events, social, advocacy, and Figma for education. In this episode, we discuss: • An in-depth look at Figma’s bottom-up GTM motion • Why you need to start with individual contributors (ICs) loving your product • How to spread adoption within the organization • How “designer advocates” have played a critical role in Figma’s growth • The freemium strategy that drove massive growth for Figma • How to leverage product champions • When to leave stealth • Early-stage metrics, and why they are often unreliable • Advice for people looking to join a startup — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-inside-look-at-figmas-unique-bottom — Where to find Claire Butler: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/clairetbutler • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairetbutler/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Claire’s background (03:47) The huge branding decision that Claire made on day one at Figma (07:45) The most stressful memory of early days at Figma (09:55) Advice for people looking to join a startup (12:55) What a bottom-up go-to-market motion is (17:12) Figma’s unique approach to bottom-up GTM (18:52) Figma’s launch out of stealth (23:01) Signals vs. hard metrics in the early days (24:50) How Figma won over Microsoft (30:08) How to win over ICs (32:00) How to estab
Sun, September 03, 2023
Inside Etsy’s product, growth, and marketplace evolution | Tim Holley (VP of Product)
Brought to you by Productroadmap.ai —AI to connect your roadmaps to revenue | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster — Tim Holley is VP of Product at Etsy where he leads the Etsy buyer experience. With a tenure spanning more than a decade, Tim has seen the company through many transitions (both in culture, in leadership, and in growth), and his team’s product changes have had a significant impact on buyer retention, conversion, and global expansion. In this episode, we discuss: • Lessons from navigating corporate culture shifts • How Etsy capitalized on the explosive growth of e-commerce during the pandemic • Marketplace learnings: when to focus on supply vs. demand, optimizing conversion, and more • How Etsy solves the “graduation problem” • Tips for hiring product managers — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-etsys-product-growth-and-marketplace — Where to find Tim Holley: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timholley/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Tim’s background (04:23) Tim’s time away at SoulCycle and what led him back to Etsy (06:34) Lessons from the 2017 culture shift at Etsy (12:15) Etsy’s guiding principles (13:32) How Etsy adapted to increased demand during the early days of mask mandates (16:38) What Tim learned about managing stress with his team during the pandemic (18:46) Lessons from building a thriving marketplace (21:47) Prioritization at Etsy (24:37) Supply constraint vs. demand constraint (28:43) Conversion wins (33:27) Experimentation at Etsy (37:58) Acquisition and top-of-funnel tactics (39:44) The seller referral program (40:33) Etsy’s habit loop framework (44:11) How they set themselves apart from other marketplaces (51:23) Retaining sellers (53:23) The defunct Etsy studio (55:18) Running the product team (57:20) Who the decision maker is (1:01:20) What Tim looks for when hiring PMs (1:03:03) A reflection exercise
Sun, August 27, 2023
An inside look at Deel’s unprecedented growth | Meltem Kuran Berkowitz (Head of Growth)
Brought to you by Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life | LMNT —Zero-sugar hydration | AssemblyAI —Production-ready AI models to transcribe and understand speech — Meltem Kuran Berkowitz is Head of Growth at Deel, which went from $0 to $300m in ARR in 3 years (fastest company in history to do so). Meltem joined Deel early to lead growth, and currently leads all of the growth and marketing teams including paid ads, content, product marketing, community, brand, and more. In this episode, we discuss:• How Deel found success leveraging low-cost growth channels• Why early awareness campaigns are a waste of time in B2B• How to create effective SEO content• Deel’s “traffic light” framework• When it makes sense to invest in paid ads• The art of structuring growth teams• Building a startup culture — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-inside-look-at-deels-unprecedented — Where to find Meltem Kuran Berkowitz: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meltemkuran • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meltem-kuran-berkowitz-4721114b — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Meltem’s background (04:21) What Deel does (06:32) How Meltem leverages low-cost growth channels (13:18) How to answer questions in a value-add way (14:52) Leveraging closed communities (15:48) Breaking down Deel’s impressive growth (16:33) SEO best practices (18:32) Deel’s “traffic light system” framework for publishing content (20:03) The step-by-step process of publishing an SEO article (21:55) How Deel structures their content team (23:18) Why you can’t cut corners when doing SEO (25:15) Businesses that should not invest in SEO (26:40) The growth channels Deel prioritized early on (32:12) Why Meltem is not a fan of early awareness campaigns for B2B businesses (33:54) What Notion did right with their ad campaigns (36:16) How Deel can help your company (38:15) Deel’s blog post t
Thu, August 24, 2023
The ultimate guide to JTBD | Bob Moesta (co-creator of the framework)
Brought to you by Sidebar —Catalyze your career with a Personal Board of Directors | Merge —A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Bob Moesta is the co-creator of the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework, a close collaborator of Clay Christensen, and CEO and founder of The Re-Wired Group. He has helped launch more than 3,500 new products, services, and businesses and built and sold several startups himself. He is also a fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute and a guest lecturer at the Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Entrepreneurship, and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In this episode, we discuss: • What Snickers and Milky Way can teach us about JTBD • The various flavors of the JTBD framework • Best practices for implementing the framework • Advice on conducting interviews for B2B vs. B2C customers • Common mistakes people make when implementing JTBD • When not to use it — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-jtbd-bob-moesta — Where to find Bob Moesta: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/bmoesta • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmoesta/ • Website: http://www.therewiredgroup.com/ • Podcast: https://pca.st/gg6goo1n — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Bob’s background (04:04) A simple explanation of the Jobs To Be Done framework (07:29) Struggling moments and demand (09:51) Understanding the context behind pain points (11:14) Reducing friction in the sales process (14:46) How Autobooks improved their buying process and 4x’ed conversion (16:52) The six phases of the buying process (18:30) The JTBD interview p
Sun, August 20, 2023
Monetizing passions, scaling marketplaces, and stories from a creator economy vet | Camille Hearst (Spotify, Patreon, Apple, YouTube)
Brought to you by Merge —A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Camille Hearst is Head of Fan Monetization at Spotify, where she finds new ways for fans to connect and for artists to monetize. Previously she was Head of Product for Creators at Patreon, Product Marketing Manager at YouTube, the second Product Manager at iTunes, and VP of Product at Hailo. She also co-founded a company called Kit, which was acquired by Patreon in 2018. In today’s podcast, we discuss: • Advice on building a successful career as a creator • Her take on the future of the creator economy • The best and worst parts of building products for music artists • What Apple product teams do differently • The story of meeting Steve Jobs • Advice for founders going through acquisitions — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/monetizing-passions-scaling-marketplaces — Where to find Camille Hearst: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/camillionz • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chearst/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Camille’s background (04:24) Camille’s role as Head of Fan Monetization at Spotify (07:40) The best and worst parts of working with artists (14:15) Trends in the content creation world (19:29) Advice on building a successful career as a creator (21:32) The importance of content curators (22:30) Camille’s startup, Kit (24:49) Advice on selling your startup (28:28) The supply side of marketplaces (34:37) How Camille became the second PM at iTunes (35:43) The story of meeting Steve Jobs (43:01) Apple’s style of product management (45:54) Opportunities on the platform side of content creation (48:34) Camille’s early years growing up in a creative tech family (53:45) Favorite frameworks (52:32) Li
Sun, August 13, 2023
The ultimate guide to Martech | Austin Hay (Reforge, Ramp, Runway)
Brought to you by OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster | Mixpanel —Event analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford | Brave Search API —An independent, global search index you can use to power your search or AI app — Austin Hay is currently Head of Marketing Technology at Ramp and was previously the VP of Business Operations at Runway, the VP of Growth at mParticle, and the fourth employee at the unicorn Branch Metrics. In 2022 he sold his online course, the Marketing Technology Academy, to Reforge, where he now teaches Martech and has a program launching in the fall. He’s consulted on Martech and growth for companies including Notion, Airbnb, Robinhood, Postmates, Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, and many others. In today’s podcast, we discuss: • What exactly marketing technology is • What a Martech person can do for your business • When to hire a Martech person and what to look for • Austin’s favorite tools • Advice for doing attribution • Frameworks on tooling, systems, and building vs. buying • How to apply the concept of “thinking gray” to make better decisions in work and life — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-martech-austin — Where to find Austin Hay: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinahay/ • Threads: @austinahay — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Austin’s background (03:58) What marketing technology is (06:17) The difference between typical growth roles and Martech (10:23) Signs you need a Martech person on your team (14:03) Hiring and placing a Martech person in B2B, B2C, and B2B2C businesses (21:15) A day in the life of a Martech professional (25:05) Marketing technology vs. marketing operations (31:14) Tooling recommendations (41:49) The never-ending struggle of how to do attribution well (50:47) Emerging tools and platforms to keep an eye on (55:26) MMM modeling (57:47) What to look for when hiring a Martech professional, and Austin’s favorite interview questions (1:02:45) His red fla
Thu, August 10, 2023
Relentless curiosity, radical accountability, and HubSpot’s winning growth formula | Christopher Miller (VP of Product, Growth and AI)
Brought to you by Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Sidebar —Catalyze your career with a Personal Board of Directors | Merge —A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app — Christopher Miller serves as the VP of Product for Growth and AI at HubSpot. Having spent the past seven years at HubSpot, Chris has been at the center of one of the biggest B2B growth stories in history—leading HubSpot’s early growth strategy, their shift to PLG, and now their investment in AI. Beyond his role at HubSpot, he lends his expertise to founders advising them on PLG and their growth strategy broadly. In today’s podcast, we discuss: • The principles of winning teams, careers, and companies • What customer obsession looks like in practice • How sneaking into a party led to a career opportunity • Advice for breaking into product management • How to find mentors • The top four skills for growth roles • Lessons from building HubSpot’s famous PLG motion — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/relentless-curiosity-radical-accountability-and-hubspots-winning-growth-formula-christopher-mil/#transcript — Where to find Chris Miller: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherwilliammiller/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millsyjoeyoung/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Chris’s background (04:15) Chris’s role at HubSpot leading Growth and AI teams (09:17) The story of how Chris crashed a party and pitched his idea around pricing and packaging (12:25) Relentless curiosity and other important traits to have as a PM (16:52) How Chris broke into product management and advice for others wanting to do the same (22:12) Helpful tips for learning the craft of product management (26:30) Why you should talk to customers, former customers, and potential customers <p
Sun, August 06, 2023
Velocity over everything: How Ramp became the fastest-growing SaaS startup of all time | Geoff Charles (VP of Product)
Brought to you by Ezra —The leading full-body cancer screening company | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Attio —The powerful, flexible CRM for fast-growing startups — Geoff Charles is VP of Product at Ramp—the fastest-growing SaaS startup of all time, Fast Company’s #1 Most Innovative Company in North America, and a company I believe we should all study for how they operate, execute, and hire. At Ramp, Geoff has led the product team from the early days, including the development and release of 60+ products and features in the past year alone. He has been building financial services for over a decade, and his interview in Lenny’s Newsletter quickly became one of the most widely read newsletter issues of all time. In today’s podcast, we will discuss: • How velocity is at the heart of Ramp’s culture and success • How writing can unlock clarity, creativity, and rapid problem-solving • How to empower your product team through context sharing • How to practically approach problems from first principles • How Ramp approaches hiring in a unique way • Suggestions for breaking into the world of product management — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/velocity-over-everything-how-ramp-became-the-fastest-growing-saas-startup-of-all-time-geoff-charl/#transcript — Where to find Geoff Charles: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/geoffintech • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffrey-charles/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Geoff’s background (04:49) An overview of Ramp (06:20) The importance of velocity at Ramp (08:50) Single-threaded goals and how to keep teams away from distractions (13:20) Setting lofty goals (15:17) How Ramp empowers teams (17:37) How Geoff’s management style h
Sun, July 30, 2023
How to measure and improve developer productivity | Nicole Forsgren (Microsoft Research, GitHub, Google)
This episode is brought to you by DX —a platform for measuring and improving developer productivity. — Dr. Nicole Forsgren is a developer productivity and DevOps expert who works with engineering organizations to make work better. Best known as co-author of the Shingo Publication Award-winning book Accelerate and the DevOps Handbook, 2nd edition and author of the State of DevOps Reports , she has helped some of the biggest companies in the world transform their culture, processes, tech, and architecture. Nicole is currently a Partner at Microsoft Research, leading developer productivity research and strategy, and a technical founder/CEO with a successful exit to Google . In a previous life, she was a software engineer, sysadmin, hardware performance engineer, and professor. She has published several peer-reviewed journal papers, has been awarded public and private research grants (funders include NASA and the NSF), and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal , Forbes , Computerworld , and InformationWeek. In today’s podcast, we discuss: • Two frameworks for measuring developer productivity: DORA and SPACE • Benchmarks for what good and great look like • Common mistakes to avoid when measuring developer productivity • Resources and tools for improving your metrics • Signs your developer experience needs attention • How to improve your developer experience • Nicole’s Four-Box framework for thinking about data and relationships — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-measure-and-improve-developer — Where to find Nicole Forsgren: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicolefv • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolefv/ • Website: https://nicolefv.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Nicole’s background (07:55) Unpacking the terms “developer productivity,” “developer experience,” and “DevOps” (10:06)
Thu, July 27, 2023
The ultimate guide to A/B testing | Ronny Kohavi (Airbnb, Microsoft, Amazon)
Brought to you by Mixpanel —Event analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford | Round —The private network built by tech leaders for tech leaders | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Ronny Kohavi , PhD, is a consultant, teacher, and leading expert on the art and science of A/B testing. Previously, Ronny was Vice President and Technical Fellow at Airbnb, Technical Fellow and corporate VP at Microsoft (where he led the Experimentation Platform team), and Director of Data Mining and Personalization at Amazon. He was also honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Experimentation Culture Awards in September 2020 and teaches a popular course on experimentation on Maven. In today’s podcast, we discuss: • How to foster a culture of experimentation • How to avoid common pitfalls and misconceptions when running experiments • His most surprising experiment results • The critical role of trust in running successful experiments • When not to A/B test something • Best practices for helping your tests run faster • The future of experimentation — Enroll in Ronny’s Maven class: Accelerating Innovation with A/B Testing at https://bit.ly/ABClassLenny . Promo code “LENNYAB” will give $500 off the class for the first 10 people to use it. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-ab-testing — Where to find Ronny Kohavi: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ronnyk • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnyk/ • Website: http://ai.stanford.edu/~ronnyk/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ronny’s background (04:29) How one A/B test helped Bing increase revenue by 12% (09:00) What data says about opening new tabs (10:34) Small effort, huge gains vs. incremental improvements </
Sun, July 23, 2023
The 10 traits of great PMs, how AI will impact your product, and Slack’s product development process | Noah Weiss (Slack, Foursquare, Google)
Brought to you by Sidebar —Catalyze your career with a Personal Board of Directors | Superhuman —The fastest email experience ever made | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Noah Weiss is Chief Product Officer at Slack, where he leads all aspects of the product organization, including the self-service SMB business, the team that launched huddles and clips, and the search and machine-learning teams. Prior to Slack, Noah served as SVP of Product at Foursquare. He started his career at Google, leading the structured data search team and working on display ads. In today’s episode, we discuss: • The top 10 traits of great PMs • How “complaint storms” helped Slack teams foster empathy • How Slack’s product team is approaching AI • “Comprehension desirability” and other key factors leading to Slack’s success • Why you should be customer-aware but not customer-obsessed • Important areas of growth for both new PMs and senior PMs Curious to learn more about Slack? You can try Slack Pro and get 50% off using this link . — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-10-traits-of-great-pms-how-ai — Where to find Noah Weiss: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/noah_weiss • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahw/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Noah’s background (04:22) Noah’s advice on new parenthood (07:23) Lessons learned from leading product at Foursquare (11:33) Advice for working with strongly opinionated founders (14:14) Thinking of involvement on a U-shaped curve (16:53) Principles at Slack (19:32) Implementing ML, AI, and LLMs in meaningful ways (25:11) How Slack structures AI teams (26:59) Complaint storms and how they help foster empathy (30:01) Slack’s approach to prioritization (32:26) How delight is baked into the DNA of Slack (34:41) How Slack thinks about co
Sun, July 16, 2023
LinkedIn’s product evolution and the art of building complex systems | Hari Srinivasan (LinkedIn)
Brought to you by Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life | Brave Search API —An independent, global search index you can use to power your search or AI app | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Hari Srinivasan is VP of Product at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, where he oversees LinkedIn Recruiter, LinkedIn Jobs, and LinkedIn Learning. He’s also a frequent guest lecturer at Stanford University. Previously, he served as the CEO and founder of We Created It, which was acquired by LinkedIn in 2014. Hari has a passion for building products, with experience ranging from creating the first U.S. hybrid SUV to developing a No. 1 app and writing a beloved children’s book. In today’s episode, we discuss: • LinkedIn’s unique business model and org structure • How to optimize your LinkedIn experience and improve your chances of getting a PM role • How to adapt to a skills-first talent market • The story of Hari’s failed first product review, and how he pivoted for success • Strategies for building and maintaining complex systems • How to get into product management — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/linkedins-product-evolution-and-the — Where to find Hari Srinivasan: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsrinivasan1/ • Website: https://www.mindofhari.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Hari’s background (05:04) How Twitter brought Lenny and Hari together (06:32) LinkedIn’s positive evolution, and what they did right (10:14) Specific changes that made LinkedIn’s feed more interesting (11:12) Understanding the algorithm and what kinds of content perform best (12:21) The talent solution product (15:46) The shift to skills-first hiring, and how LinkedIn changed their approach (20:24) The open-to-work signal, and the newly released open-to-internal-work signal (22:13) The PM talent landscape, and tips for landing a PM role (24:55) How to optimize your LinkedIn profile to get noticed by recruiters (28:38) Hari’s first product review at LinkedIn (30:38) LinkedIn’s North Star, and
Thu, July 13, 2023
M&A, competition, pricing, and investing | Julia Schottenstein (dbt Labs)
Brought to you by Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Superhuman —The fastest email experience ever made | AssemblyAI —Production-ready AI models to transcribe and understand speech — Julia Schottenstein is a product lead at dbt Labs, a data transformation company, and an active angel investor in data and infrastructure startups. She first got excited about dbt in 2019 when she was a VC at NEA and decided to make the leap from investor to operator by joining dbt Labs. She also co-hosts the dbt Labs Analytics Engineering Podcast, a show about data trends that impact analytics engineers’ work. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Advice for founders hoping to improve their M&A outcome • How to strategically think about competition • How to determine your paid features and have willingness-to-pay conversations • Why Julia lives by “worse is better” and “tech debt is a champagne problem” • Lessons from dbt Labs • What PMs can learn from investors — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/m-and-a-competition-pricing-and-investing — Where to find Julia Schottenstein: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/j_schottenstein • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-schottenstein-25424318/ • Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4BKMMeVXk4jJnAQSqGSJvE — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Julia’s background (04:15) How Julia went from VC to working in product at dbt Labs (08:24) Four things Julia uses to evaluate a company’s potential (11:10) How to identify whether or not you have product-market fit (12:05) Distribution strategies (13:11) M&A strategies (15:54) Lessons from the Transform acquisition (18:01) Competitive values at dbt (20:25) Keys to dbt’s success (26:35) An offsite exercise Julia used to help her team internalize upcoming changes (29:32) Determining what features are included in open source (31:56) Pricing and willingness to pay (33:34) Lessons from dbt Labs’s first pricing chan
Sun, July 09, 2023
How to ask the right questions, project confidence, and win over skeptics | Paige Costello (Asana, Intercom, Intuit)
Brought to you by Brave —The independent, global search index you can use to power your search or AI app | Attio —The powerful, flexible CRM for fast-growing startups | Round —The private network built by tech leaders for tech leaders — Paige Costello is a beloved product leader with a reputation as a remarkable coach and mentor. She is currently the Head of Core Product at Asana, where she leads the group responsible for Asana’s web, desktop, and mobile apps. Prior to that role, she served as the Director of Product at Intercom and, before that, as a Group PM at Intuit, where she kickstarted her product career through their renowned APM program. In today’s episode, we discuss: • The unique product development process at Asana and how it’s evolved • The double-diamond framework • Conscious leadership training, and why every Asana employee learns it • How to demonstrate confidence and earn trust from skeptics • Why curiosity and openness may be the most important PM competencies • How to give feedback using impact statements — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-ask-the-right-questions-project — Where to find Paige Costello: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/paigenow • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigecostello/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Paige’s background (04:38) What Paige is responsible for at Asana (06:04) The evolution of Asana’s product development process (09:10) Planning frequency (11:26) Examples of areas and metric tracking at Asana (12:46) The double-diamond process and how it’s applied at Asana (16:53) Asana’s office-centric hybrid work culture and the future of WFH (21:45) How to garner trust and win over skeptics (24:45) Why you should befriend researchers (26:17) How to exude confidence (29:03) The 3Es framework (33:43) Advice for early-career PMs (38:43) Paige’s latest pillars strategy (40:05) AI at Asana (41:50) Lessons from Paige’s time at Intuit (45:53) Challenges new PMs face (48:55) Challenges Paige has faced in her career (52
Sun, July 02, 2023
Building minimum lovable products, stories from WeWork and Airbnb, and thriving as a PM | Jiaona Zhang (Webflow, WeWork, Airbnb, Dropbox)
Brought to you by Brave Search API —An independent, global search index you can use to power your search or AI app | Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life | Superhuman —The fastest email experience ever made — Jiaona Zhang (JZ) is a product leader with a strong background in consumer products and extensive hiring and management experience. She is currently SVP of Product at Webflow as well as a lecturer at Stanford, where she teaches a graduate-level course on product management. Before Webflow, JZ was Head of Product for the Homes Platform at Airbnb and has also led product teams at Airbnb, WeWork, and Dropbox. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Building a “minimum lovable product” rather than a minimum viable product • How to create better roadmaps through storytelling • Top lessons from Dropbox, Airbnb, WeWork, and Webflow • The importance of setting ambitious OKRs • JZ’s first 90 days playbook: how to succeed in a new role • Advice for early-career PMs — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-minimum-lovable-products — Where to find Jiaona Zhang: • Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/managing-your-pm-career • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiaona/ • Website: https://www.jiaonazhang.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) JZ’s background (04:22) Common mistakes new PMs make (06:44) Why Airbnb Plus didn’t work out, and takeaways from that experience (10:51) Executing big dreams step-by-step (13:45) The right way to push back against founders (16:54) Minimum lovable product vs. minimum viable product (20:53) What makes a product lovable (22:20) Advice on roadmapping and prioritization (28:04) Tips for new PMs to accelerate their career (29:16) JZ’s top skills and how they have evolved over her career (31:37) Designing crisp OKRs (36:09) Lessons from WeWork (43:01) Winning the first 90 days at a new company (48:34) Why trust is crucial (51:48) High-level lessons from Dropbox,
Sun, June 25, 2023
Lessons from scaling Ramp | Sri Batchu (Ramp, Instacart, Opendoor)
Brought to you by Attio —The powerful, flexible CRM for fast-growing startups | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Sri Batchu currently leads growth at Ramp, the fastest-growing SaaS business (and fintech business) in history. Previously, he led growth strategy and operations at Instacart and was one of the first 50 employees at Opendoor, where he built, scaled, and managed a variety of business teams, including analytics, sales, and pricing. During his time there, the company grew from $100M to $5B+ in revenue and to 1,500+ people. In this episode, we discuss:• The surprising tactics behind Ramp’s unprecedented early growth• A breakdown of Ramp’s current growth org and growth channels• Why you need to be “failing conclusively”• Ramp’s unique approach to metrics and measurement• Examples of Ramp’s “secret sauce”: a data- and technology-driven approach to everything• Why Sri prioritizes employee autonomy and flexibility over hours worked• Why team structure is a red herring for growth teams, and what Sri focuses on instead• How to set good North Star metrics, and why you should have more than one• Why Sri prefers payback periods over CAC for measuring investment ROI — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-scaling-ramp-sri-batchu — Where to find Sri Batchu: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/sri_batchu • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sribatchu/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Sri’s background (04:07) Stats surrounding Ramp’s hypergrowth (06:20) How Ramp set the stage for their remarkable growth (09:19) New customers vs. customer expansion (10:20) How Ramp has prioritized data-driven decisions (12:12) Ramp’s growth engineering team, and how it supports the sales team (13:41) The structure of the growth team at Ramp (14:36) The “skunk works” team (15:49) How Ramp maintains working at such high velocity (19:11) How Ramp boosts morale and keeps employees engaged and excited (21:45) How to promote hard work (25:10) Optimizing efficiency in your growth engine (27:28) Leveraging PR an
Sun, June 18, 2023
Building high-performing teams | Melissa Tan (Webflow, Dropbox, Canva)
Brought to you by AssemblyAI —Production-ready AI models to transcribe and understand speech | Mixpanel —Product analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Melissa Tan is an advisor, investor, and growth expert. She’s worked with fast-growing startups like Dropbox, Canva, Grammarly, and Miro, and for the past 2.5 years has been the Head of Growth at Webflow. There, she led the company's self-service business across Product, Marketing, and Growth, in addition to leading the charge on pricing and packaging. Prior to Webflow, she was Head of Growth for Dropbox’s B2B product, where she played a pivotal role in propelling their growth. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Attributes of high-performing teams • Tips for developing talent and seeking a mentor • How to create a strong culture of ownership • Frameworks for hiring PM and growth talent • Common pitfalls companies face when implementing growth strategies • Lessons from scaling Dropbox • The DACI framework for increasing team velocity • How to actually embrace first-principles thinking — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-high-performing-teams-melissa — Where to find Melissa Tan: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/melissamtan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamtan/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Melissa’s background (04:12) What’s next for Melissa (06:45) Lessons learned from Dropbox (11:49) When to add sales to product-led products and vice versa (14:28) Managing people with a people-focused and results-oriented approach (17:14) An example of people-focused leadership (20:26) The importance of talent development and why Melissa invests in it (22:26) Tips for finding a mentor (24:58) Specific questions to ask when you are interviewing for a role (27:49) Companies Melissa has worked with (28:33) Attributes of high-performing teams (31:38) Creating a sense of ownership among team members (34:36) Building a team-first culture (36:54) Avoiding burnout by kn
Thu, June 15, 2023
Leveraging growth advisors, hiring well, mastering SEO, and honing your craft | Luc Levesque (Shopify, Meta, TripAdvisor)
Brought to you by Mixpanel —Product analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford | Attio —A powerful, flexible CRM for fast-growing startups | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Luc Levesque is Chief Growth Officer at Shopify and has advised companies like Canva, Twitter, Pinterest, and Patreon on growth and product strategy. Previously he served as an executive at TripAdvisor, where he built and led the growth team that helped it become the world’s largest travel site. Luc was then recruited by Mark Zuckerberg to Facebook, where he was an executive and held senior product and engineering leadership roles. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Why you need to become world-class at hiring • Tips for finding a great growth advisor and assessing their impact • Why truly great companies focus on impact • Common mistakes to avoid when building a growth team • The importance of passion and continuous self-improvement • Signs your company should explore SEO as a growth channel, and strategies to do so • Why Mark Zuckerberg personally recruited Luc and what it taught him about the recruiting process — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/leveraging-growth-advisors-hiring — Where to find Luc Levesque: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/luclevesque • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luclevesque/ • Website: https://luclevesque.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Luc’s background (03:31) Luc’s first MT review at Facebook (07:09) Impact vs. industriousness (09:20) Facebook’s relentless, personalized approach to recruiting talent (13:12) Luc’s hiring playbook (16:56) When to focus on growth and the importance of product-market fit (18:04) What to look for in a growth advisor (23:15) The large impact Luc made from a small conversation (26:52) Advice on compensating advisors (31:35) How to find a good growth advisor using VCs and your network (33:33) The importance of having an in-house person and growth advisors as support (38:15) Tips for becomi
Sun, June 11, 2023
Building a long and meaningful career | Nikhyl Singhal (Meta, Google)
Brought to you by Superhuman —The fastest email experience ever made | Microsoft Clarity —See how people actually use your product | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Nikhyl Singhal is VP of Product at Meta, overseeing teams building messaging, groups, stories, and the main Facebook feed. Before that, he served as the Chief Product Officer at Credit Karma and held various leadership roles at Google, leading teams on Google Photos and Google Hangouts. Nikhyl was also co-founder of three startups, including SayNow and Cast Iron Systems, which were acquired by Google and IBM, respectively. Alongside his successful career, he is passionate about coaching and mentoring, sharing his knowledge through the Skip podcast , newsletter and CPO community . In this episode, we discuss: • Finding your North Star and building a long and meaningful career • Why your superpower may actually be holding you back • Wisdom for aspiring product managers in the early stages of their career • Reasons you aren’t getting promoted, and advice on what to change • How to avoid short-term thinking early in your career and how to become a better manager long-term • Signs you work at an “ex-growth” company and that it’s time to leave • Signs the IC path is a reasonable pursuit • The importance of finding a community — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-a-long-and-meaningful-career — Where to find Nikhyl Singhal: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikhyl • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhyl/ • Newsletter: https://theskip.substack.com/ • Podcast: https://www.skip.community/ • Skip CPO Community: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skip-community-for-cpos/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this epis
Sun, June 04, 2023
Moving fast and navigating uncertainty | Jeremy Henrickson (Rippling, Coinbase)
Brought to you by Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life | Mixpanel —Product analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford | Lenny’s Job Board —Hire the best product people. Find the best product gigs — Jeremy Henrickson is Rippling’s SVP of Product, responsible for scaling their product and design team across three continents. Previously, as Chief Product Officer at Coinbase, he oversaw 10x growth of the product and engineering organization and transformed a scrappy startup into a global cryptocurrency platform with tens of millions of users. He began his career at Apple in the 1990s and holds a BS and MS in computer science from Stanford. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Strategies for sustaining focus and momentum at scale • The case against MVPs • The problem with frameworks • “Compound startups” and how this influences Rippling’s product development process • Advice for founders wanting to move faster • Why you don’t understand your product unless you’re “in the weeds” • Hiring practices at Rippling and how young PMs can build fruitful careers — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/moving-fast-and-navigating-uncertainty — Where to find Jeremy Henrickson: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyhenricks • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyhenrickson/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jeremy’s background (03:24) What it was like leading product teams at Coinbase during the crypto boom (05:25) How Jeremy kept teams focused and the biggest challenges he faced at Coinbase (07:35) Advice for going through intense periods at work (08:52) Maintaining velocity at scale (12:07) An example of small teams with clear missions (14:29) A model for building products (18:03) Jeremy’s thoughts on MVPs (minimum viable products) (22:26) Designing for the most complex use case first (23:17) What a compound startup is and how it works at Rippling (27:09) Rippling’s unique culture of fast decision-making (28:14) Rippling’s leadership values (32:13) Advice for
Thu, June 01, 2023
Storytelling with Nancy Duarte: How to craft compelling presentations and tell a story that sticks
Brought to you by Microsoft Clarity —See how people actually use your product | Lenny’s Job Board —Hire the best product people. Find the best product gigs | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments — Nancy Duarte is the CEO of Duarte Inc. and has helped create over 250,000 presentations for influential business leaders across the globe, including Apple, TED, the World Bank, and Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth . She’s also written six best-selling books, and her TED talk has garnered over 3 million views. She regularly contributes to HBR , MIT-Sloan, and Forbes , and her books are essential reading in leading business schools worldwide. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Why empathy is at the heart of everything Nancy does • Why you’re presenting more often than you think • Tactics for creating interesting presentations and telling better stories • The concept of a “torchbearer leader” and why it’s important • Strategies for overcoming stage fright and nerves • Tips for communicating and presenting remotely • How Nancy landed Apple as a client and what she learned — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/storytelling-with-nancy-duarte-how — Where to find Nancy Duarte: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/nancyduarte • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyduarte/ • Website: https://www.duarte.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Nancy’s background (03:25) The insane number of presentations Nancy has helped create (04:52) The most memorable presentation of Nancy’s career, and what it taught her (07:04) The lasting impact of working with Al Gore (09:00) How Nancy landed Apple as a client (11:44) How working with Apple informed future presentations (16:22) 3 things to remember when creating a deck (17:33) The importance of empathy (20:29) Empathy in action (22:40) Why internal presentations are so high-pressure (23:09) Signs you’re doing a good job making the audience the hero of the story (25:38) The structure of grea
Sun, May 28, 2023
The power of strategic narrative | Andy Raskin
Brought to you by Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Lenny’s Job Board —Hire the best product people. Find the best product gigs | Eco —Your most rewarding app — Andy Raskin helps CEOs align their leadership teams around a strategic narrative—a single story that powers success in sales, marketing, product, fundraising, and recruiting. His clients include Gong, Dropbox, Uber, Salesforce, Square, and IBM. In today’s episode, we discuss: • What a strategic narrative is, and how to craft one • How having a strategic narrative can bring alignment to your entire company • Examples of strategic narratives in action • Who needs a strategic narrative and who doesn’t • Why Andy thinks about movements instead of categories — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-power-of-strategic-narrative — Where to find Andy Raskin: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyraskin/ • Website: https://www.andyraskin.com/ • Podcast: https://andyraskin.com/podcast/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Andy’s background (08:03) What is a strategic narrative? (10:34) How Salesforce would have pitched the old way (12:02) Examples of a strategic narrative in action (15:23) How one piece of writing skyrocketed Andy’s career (16:40) The power of writing online (17:53) Two paths to writing online (19:27) Naming the old game (20:59) Naming the stakes (23:29) Naming the objective (25:17) Naming the obstacles (26:35) Overcoming the obstacles (26:57) How the strategic narrative parallels the hero’s journey (28:25) Telling one story well vs. being a good storyteller (29:18) The 5-step framework summarized (31:33) An example of the 5-step framework in action (36:12) The impact of shifting to the strategic narrative approach (39:08) Companies that are nailing their strategic narrative (40:36) Why Andy thinks about movements instead of categories (44:15) Should every company have a strategic narrative? (46:33) Signs that something
Sun, May 21, 2023
Lessons from scaling Spotify: The science of product, taking risky bets, and how AI is already impacting the future of music | Gustav Söderström (Co-President, CPO, and CTO at Spotify)
Brought to you by Microsoft Clarity —See how people actually use your product | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | Eco —Your most rewarding app — Gustav Söderström is the Co-President and Chief Product and Technology Officer at Spotify. He is responsible for Spotify’s global product and technology strategy, overseeing the product, design, data, and engineering teams. Prior to Spotify, he founded 13th Lab, a startup that was later acquired by Facebook’s Oculus. He also served as the Director of Product and Business Development for Yahoo Mobile and founded Kenet Works, a company focused on community software for mobile phones, which was acquired by Yahoo in 2006. In today’s episode, we discuss: • How Spotify structures product teams to promote freedom of thought • Lessons on thinking long-term and navigating negative feedback • Why Gustav started a podcast and what he’s learned • How AI has impacted the work PMs, engineers, and designers do within Spotify • AI-generated music and its impact on artists • What’s next for Spotify and Spotify Podcasting — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-scaling-spotify-the — Where to find Gustav Söderström: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/GustavS • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavsoderstrom/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Gustav’s background (04:08) The various roles Gustav has occupied at Spotify (06:54) Why Gustav launched a podcast and what he learned (12:37) How PMs and product teams should think about AI (21:23) AI-generated music (26:19) Will AI continue to be a magic trick for products? (28:27) How Spotify organizes product teams (34:33) How Spotify operationalized autonomy (35:45) Why Spotify uses a centralized model for structuring their organization (43:34) The big bet Spotify took with redesigning its interface, and what they learned (57:26) How they tested their hypothesis before launch (1:02:35) Gustav’s “10% planning time” methodology (1:03:53) How to bring energy and clarity to your work (1:
Thu, May 18, 2023
Lessons on building product sense, navigating AI, optimizing the first mile, and making it through the messy middle | Scott Belsky (Adobe, Behance)
Brought to you by Braintrust —For when you needed talent, yesterday | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | Rows —The spreadsheet where data comes to life — Scott Belsky is an entrepreneur, author, investor, and currently Adobe’s Chief Strategy Officer and EVP of Design and Emerging Products. He founded Behance, an online platform for creative professionals to showcase and discover work, and served as CEO until its acquisition by Adobe. Scott is an early advisor and investor in several businesses at the intersection of technology and design, including Pinterest, Uber, Warby Parker, Airtable, and Flexport. He is also the author of two nationally bestselling books and founded 99U, a publication and conference focused on productivity in the creative world. In today’s episode, we discuss: * How to strengthen your product sense * Why you should only do half the things you want * What it takes to build a successful consumer product * Why you are probably underinvesting in onboarding * The future of AI and how to prepare for it * Advice for founders and PMs who are feeling stuck * Why resourcefulness will take you further than resources * Adobe’s current priorities and their exciting path ahead — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-on-building-product-sense — Where to find Scott Belsky: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottbelsky • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottbelsky/ • Blog: https://www.implications.com/ • Website: www.scottbelsky.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Scott’s background (04:50) Why Scott shifted roles at Adobe (08:29) Advice for PMs looking to build product sense (10:43) The first mile (13:18) How to develop more empathy (16:33) How to build consumer products that work (20:42) Scott’s philosophy that you should “only do half the things you want to do” (26:15) Scott’s optimism about how the world will look in five years with AI (29:44) How AI will
Sun, May 14, 2023
Frameworks for product differentiation, team building, and thinking from first principles | Ayo Omojola (Carbon Health, Cash App)
Brought to you by Microsoft Clarity —See how people actually use your product | Eco —Your most rewarding app | LMNT —Zero-sugar hydration — Ayo Omojola is Chief Product Officer at Carbon Health, one of the fastest-growing and most innovative health tech companies in the world. Previously, he was a PM leader at Cash App, where he co-created the Cash Card and scaled it to a nine-figure revenue line for Square. He’s also an angel investor in companies like Mercury, Modern Treasury, Faire, and many others. In this episode, we discuss: • How Cash App broke through the noise and became a consumer app success story • Why small teams are better than big ones • Hard-won lessons on team building and hiring • Why it’s “criminal” not to connect people in your network to things that they need • Why you sometimes shouldn’t listen to experts • The importance of first-principles thinking • Advice for health tech founders — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/frameworks-for-product-differentiation-team-building-and-thinking-from-first-principles-ayo-omojola-carbon-health-cash-app/#transcript — Where to find Ayo Omojola: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ay_o • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omojola/ • Blog: https://kunle.app/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ayo’s background (04:13) The story of how Ayo used Quora for discoverability (06:44) The scale of Cash App (07:37) What Cash App did well (10:12) Lessons from building consumer apps (13:08) Why it’s so important to be different (14:08) What Ayo learned from how Square/Block operates (16:36) How to succeed at building a startup within a startup (19:06) How Ayo transitioned from fintech to health tech (22:51) Why Ayo loves hiring founders (28:32) Team-building strategies (32:12) The importance of going deep and challenging assumptions (36:58) Why you should always ask questions (38:45) Lessons in leadership <
Sun, May 07, 2023
Mastering paid growth | Jonathan Becker (Thrive Digital)
Brought to you by Braintrust —For when you needed talent, yesterday | AssemblyAI —Production-ready AI models to transcribe and understand speech | Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life — Jonathan Becker is the founder and president of Thrive Digital, where he and his team have deployed more than $3.5 billion in paid acquisition budgets for companies like Uber, Asana, Square, Tempur-Pedic, and MasterClass. He spent the first part of his career mastering SEO and is a world expert in DTC, lead generation, demand generation, and user acquisition. In today’s episode, we discuss: • Signs that your company is a good fit for paid growth • Strategies for optimizing ad creatives • The merits of different marketing channels: paid vs. organic search, TikTok and short-form • Insights on attribution and how to approach it effectively • How market conditions and AI impact paid growth • The crazy story of how Jonathan won Uber as a client — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/mastering-paid-growth-jonathan-becker — Where to find Jonathan Becker: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/jzbecker • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanbecker123/ • Website: https://thrivedigital.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Jonathan’s background (07:25) The crazy story of how Jonathan won Uber as a client (11:56) Interchangeable terms for “paid growth” (12:31) Why you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket (16:48) What kind of companies should pursue paid growth (23:07) Is it possible to reach scale exclusively through paid growth? (27:07) The evolution of performance marketing (29:39) Advice for founders choosing between SEO and paid (32:18) Strategies for optimizing ad creatives (44:43) Paid vs. organic search, TikTok and short-form (49:56) Where to spend money in order to drive growth for B2B SaaS (55:06) Attribution in performance marketing (1:04:18) The impact of AI on paid growth (1:12:5
Thu, May 04, 2023
Building a culture of excellence | David Singleton (CTO of Stripe)
Brought to you by Mixpanel —Product analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | Braintrust —For when you needed talent, yesterday — David Singleton is Chief Technology Officer at Stripe, where he oversees engineering and design teams. Since joining Stripe, David has helped grow the technology org across the U.S. and developed new engineering hubs in Singapore and Dublin as well as Stripe’s fifth hub, remote engineering, across the globe. Before Stripe, he spent 11 years at Google, where he was VP of Engineering, leading product development and coordinating more than 15 different hardware partnerships. In today’s episode, we cover: • Hiring secrets that set Stripe employees apart • How to build a product-minded engineering team • How to operationalize meticulousness • Strategies for maintaining developer productivity at scale • The process of “friction logging” used to make better products • How AI is changing the way engineers work • Insights for planning and prioritizing at scale — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-a-culture-of-excellence — Where to find David Singleton: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/dps • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpsingleton/ • Website: https://blog.singleton.io/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) David’s background (04:22) How Stripe’s unique hiring process has helped them build an incredible team (12:27) An example of a relentlessly curious and passionate employee (14:11) Structured hiring loops at Stripe (16:39) How Stripe built a product-minded engineering culture (21:56) Stripe’s operating principles (25:39) How Stripe uses “friction logging” to build a meticulous product culture (32:22) How to operationalize friction logging (35:02) How to set PMs up for success (36:53) Stripe’s collaborative approach to product evaluation (41:17) Advice for presenting to CTOs (42:58) How to get better at building products (45:28) Stripe’s “engine
Sun, April 30, 2023
How to achieve hypergrowth in your business and career | Carilu Dietrich (Atlassian, Miro, Segment, 1Password)
Brought to you by Rows —The spreadsheet where data comes to life | Braintrust —For when you needed talent, yesterday | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs — Carilu Dietrich is a former CMO, most notably the Head of Marketing who took Atlassian public. These days she’s an advisor to CEOs and CMOs of hypergrowth B2B companies and has worked with companies like Miro, Segment, Bill.com, 1Password, Productboard, Sprout Social, Weights & Biases, and more. In today’s episode, we discuss: * Patterns across the most successful hypergrowth companies * How to advance in your career, and how to someday become an executive * How to decide which company to work at * Advice for navigating the job market during tough times * How to find and execute new growth opportunities * Why most CMOs and CPOs get fired, and what we can learn from this — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-achieve-hypergrowth-in-your — Where to find Carilu Dietrich: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypergrowth-advisor/ • Newsletter: www.carilu.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/clu007 — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Carilu’s background (04:28) Habits and behaviors that will help you reach an executive role (07:15) Why there is no substitute for working hard (08:15) 5 things you need to do to get to the C-suite (10:39) Choosing the right company for accelerated career growth (12:42) Criteria for assessing a phenomenal company (14:41) Asking better questions and making decisions with energy (16:05) Advice for finding a job during a recession (19:25) The importance of quality products and sustained brand advertising (24:06) Lessons from successful hypergrowth companies (28:14) Is word of mouth a necessary growth lever? (31:31) How to accelerate word-of-mouth marketing (35:28) Atlassian’s product-led growth strategy and delayed sales team hiring (39:54) When to hire your first salesperson (43:04) Common growth levers and roadblocks (47:01) How to buil
Sun, April 23, 2023
The ultimate guide to product-led sales | Elena Verna
Brought to you by Linear —The new standard for modern software development | Braintrust —For when you needed talent, yesterday | Rows —The spreadsheet where data comes to life — Elena Verna is a leading growth expert with over 15 years of experience in tech. She was SVP of Growth at SurveyMonkey and interim CMO at Miro, where she built high-performing teams that drove significant growth. She recently served as interim Head of Growth at Amplitude and currently advises and is a board member for early-stage startups. In today’s podcast, we discuss: • What product-led sales is • How product-led sales differs from product-led growth • Unpacking common acronyms: PQAs, PQs, PQLs, and MQLs • When and how to consider investing in PLS • Metrics for identifying qualified accounts • The team, data, and tooling required for implementing PLS • Common pitfalls to avoid when adding PLS — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-product-led-sales-elena-verna/#transcript — Where to find Elena Verna: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaverna • Twitter: https://twitter.com/elenaverna • Newsletter: https://elenaverna.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Elena’s background and what she’s doing now (07:13) Product-led sales (PLS) vs. product-led growth (PLG) (12:47) How sales solutions can be applied to enterprise-level problems (15:06) Defining enterprise-level problems (17:51) How product-led companies start with PLS (20:30) When to add sales (22:36) Two ways to get to PLS (24:27) Why every sales-led-growth company needs to add PLG (26:50) Two ways you can own revenue (28:37) PQAs, PQs, PQLs, and MQLs (37:17) How to get started adding PLS (42:01) Metrics to identify PQAs (47:00) Why sales should be carefully applied (49:07) Systems, infrastructure, and tooling (50:59) The people and resources required for PLS (53:42) Why you should have a clear ROI for every new hire (
Thu, April 20, 2023
An inside look at how Miro builds product: Lessons on outmaneuvering competitors, team structure, product quality, and moving fast | Varun Parmar (CPO of Miro)
Brought to you by Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life | Braintrust —For when you needed talent, yesterday | Linear —The new standard for modern software development — Varun Parmar is the Chief Product Officer of Miro and has over two decades of experience in the tech industry. Prior to joining Miro, Varun held executive positions as Chief Product Officer at Box and Syncplicity (acquired by Dell EMC) and spent six years in product management at Adobe. He also co-founded Doculus, which was later acquired by Box. In today’s episode, we discuss: • The importance of empathy and how to foster it • The “AMPED” structure for cross-functional product teams • How to move fast and stay ahead of the competition • Powerful product and design rituals • How Miro acquired their first 1,000 users • How Miro successfully added a sales motion — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-inside-look-at-how-miro-builds — Where to find Varun Parmar: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/vparmar230 • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vparmar/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Varun’s background (04:08) How Miro operates as a cross-cultural product team (07:22) How applying empathy helped Miro build Miro Talktrack (11:51) What makes Miro stand out (17:08) Miro’s AMPED structure (22:57) The benefit of having product marketing as a part of the cross-functional team (25:24) How competition affects growth and product strategy (31:43) Why speed is so important and how to improve it (34:21) How Miro ensures that their products meet quality standards (37:19) How to remove blockers (47:22) Miro’s product development process (53:34) How OKRs work at Miro (55:55) The product stack at Miro (1:01:20) Big bets vs. maintenance and bug fixes at Miro (1:03:44) The “three horizons” framework (1:04:30) The importance of accountability (1:10:46) How Miro got their first 1,000 users (1:12:33) Other growth levers at Miro (1:15:53) Adding a sales motion (1:18:08) Miro AI, and new
Sun, April 16, 2023
How to make better decisions and build a joyful career | Ada Chen Rekhi (Notejoy, LinkedIn, SurveyMonkey)
Brought to you by Sprig —Product insights that drive product success. — Ada Chen Rekhi is an executive coach and co-founder of Notejoy. She helps founders scale themselves alongside their teams. She has over a decade of experience leading teams through periods of rapid transition, from the chaos of founding early-stage startups to leadership roles in growing SurveyMonkey and LinkedIn. In today’s podcast, we discuss: • How utilizing a “curiosity loop” can aid you in decision-making • A values exercise that can help determine if your life choices align with your personal values • Ada’s “explore and exploit” framework for making the most of your job opportunities • The advantages of seeking an executive coach and useful tips on finding one • Tips for women navigating working in Silicon Valley • Why it’s so important to provide constructive feedback — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-make-better-decisions-and — Where to find Ada Chen Rekhi: • Website: https://www.adachen.com/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/adachen • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adachen/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ada’s background (03:17) What a curiosity loop is and when to use one (11:39) Using curiosity loops in your personal life (14:13) How curiosity loops are like customer advisory councils (16:30) A values exercise (25:30) Ada’s “explore and exploit” framework (31:28) When it’s time to leave your job (35:37) Logo collecting and why you should optimize for your values instead (39:30) What triggered Ada to reevaluate her career path (42:10) Why most people don’t actually need a coach (44:59) When coaching is valuable (47:20) How to find the right coach (51:38) Advice for women in Silicon Valley (1:00:08) Eating your vegetables—why you need to power through things you find challenging (1:05:07) Why you should write to crystallize knowledge, rather than for likes (1:06:54) How to successfully build a company with your spouse
Thu, April 13, 2023
How to build a cult-like brand | Laura Modi (Bobbie)
Brought to you by Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | LMNT —Zero-sugar hydration | AssemblyAI —Production-ready AI models to transcribe and understand speech — Laura Modi is the CEO and co-founder of Bobbie, the first woman-owned, organic infant formula in the U.S. Previously, Laura spent over five years at Airbnb, where she served as Director of Hospitality. Before that, she spent over four years at Google in finance and operations. In today’s podcast, we discuss: • Biggest lessons from five years at Airbnb • Lessons about building great culture • The power of naivete • From growth to “slowth”: Why Bobbie prioritized existing customers over growth during the height of the formula shortage • The importance of momentum above all else • Finding work-life balance with the right infrastructure, support, and frameworks • The importance of brand, and how to build a brand • What it takes to win in DTC — Find the full transcript at : https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/from-growth-to-slowth-the-making — Where to find Laura Modi: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurahughes6/ • Email: Laura@hibobbie.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Note: Lenny is a small angel investor in Bobbie. — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Laura’s background (04:20) What Laura worked on at Airbnb (06:22) The director of hospitality role (07:08) How supporting hosts led to growth at Airbnb (08:28) Lessons from Airbnb around culture and storytelling that impact how Laura runs Bobbie (09:44) How Laura builds a strong culture at Bobbie (11:45) The risk she took in starting her own company (13:41) Advice on taking risks (15:10) What is Bobbie (17:15) The scale of Bobbie (17:55) The infant formula shortage crisis (19:49) How the growth team pivoted to being the “slowth” team (23:23) Lessons from the crisis (25:16) Building a brand (31:12) Branding internally (33:58) The time the FDA shut Bobbie down over labeling (36:45) How Laura balances her busy mom life with being a founder (40:17) The power of naivete (44:03) Why Laur
Sun, April 09, 2023
Product lessons from Waymo | Shweta Shrivastava (Waymo, Amazon, Cisco)
Brought to you by Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Public —Invest in stocks, treasuries, crypto, and more | LMNT —Zero-sugar hydration — Shweta Shrivastava is a Senior Product Leader at Waymo, an autonomous driving technology company backed by Alphabet. Prior to joining Waymo, she was the CPO of Nauto, where she also worked on AI-assisted driver tools. Shweta has worked in product for over 15 years in senior roles at several companies, including Amazon and Cisco. In today’s episode, we discuss: • How Waymo builds trust with riders • Product management at Waymo vs software-only products • The state of self-driving technology • The importance of being a disruptor and why large companies need to disrupt more • Underrated product management skills — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/product-lessons-from-waymo-shweta-shrivastava-waymo-amazon-cisco/#transcript — Where to find Shweta Shriva • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shshrivastava/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Shweta’s background (03:47) What Shweta and her team are responsible for at Waymo (05:30) About the autonomous driving vehicle hardware, software, and simulation tools (08:14) Differences in working at Waymo vs. a more traditional software company (11:02) How Waymo builds trust with riders and the difference between driver assist and fully autonomous (13:57) An example of how Waymo builds trust with riders (15:55) The commercial, operational, and system behavior metrics Waymo uses (20:38) What are L5 autonomous vehicles and why Shweta thinks L4 vehicles are good enough (22:53) How to keep investors enthusiastic when it’s a long-term investment (25:24) Building successful teams and successful products (26:39) Determining what you’re not building, especially before product-market-fit (27:49) Why large companies need to disrupt their own models (29:33) The most underrated product management skills (33:07) Tips for getting promoted (35:19) Where is Waymo and how to try it out (36:46) Lightning round — Referenced:</stro
Thu, April 06, 2023
Driving alignment and urgency within teams, work-life balance, and the changing PM landscape | Nikita Miller (The Knot, Trello)
Brought to you by Wealthfront —Make smarter stock investments | Lenny’s Job Board —Hire the best product people. Find the best product gigs | Ahrefs —Improve your website’s SEO for free — Nikita Miller is a product leader, angel investor, and advisor. She has built and led product teams at companies ranging from early-stage startups to multinationals, and she is currently SVP of Product Management at The Knot Worldwide. Nikita is passionate about scaling product teams to support high-growth businesses and was a product leader at Trello and Atlassian for five years. In today’s podcast, we cover: • Lessons from building and growing Trello • Nikita’s roles and responsibilities framework • How the PM landscape is changing • Lessons about managing remote teams • Tactics for driving urgency within teams • Why working cross-culturally was such a formative experience — Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/driving-alignment-and-urgency-within-teams-work-life-balance-and-the-changing-pm-landscape-nikita-miller-the-knot-trello/#transcript — Where to find Nikita Miller: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikitadyer • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikitadyer/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Nikita’s background (03:56) How Nikita helped Trello develop enterprise features (09:41) Trello vs. Jira (10:28) Similarities and differences between building for users at The Knot vs. Trello (15:02) Pro tips for Trello users (15:41) Nikita’s roles and responsibilities framework (21:10) Why scrum masters are disappearing and what shifts are happening on teams (21:56) Why every team should have a data scientist embedded in it (23:27) The proper cadence for the rules and responsibilities framework, and problems around execution (25:27) Outcomes and output
Sun, April 02, 2023
The ultimate guide to adding a PLG motion | Hila Qu (Reforge, GitLab)
Brought to you by Amplitude —Build better products | Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life | Ahrefs —Improve your website’s SEO for free — Hila Qu is an Executive in Residence at Reforge as well as a renowned growth advisor, angel investor, and published author (her book about growth was named one of the top 10 business books of 2018 in China). Previously, she served as the Director of Growth at GitLab, where she implemented and scaled their PLG motion, and VP of Growth at Acorns, scaling them from 1 million to 5 million users. In today’s episode, we discuss: • The importance of having both a product-led and a sales-led motion for companies of all sizes • A step-by-step process for implementing PLG • Common pitfalls of layering on PLG • How to audit your existing funnel • Conversion, activation, and retention tactics • Structuring your growth organization from day one, and as it scales — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-adding-a-plg — Where to find Hila Qu: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/HilaQu • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilaqu/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Hila’s background (03:26) The outcome of writing guest posts for Lenny’s Newsletter (05:12) Why companies should have PLG and sales (07:58) What PLG is and why it’s so popular (09:41) Zoom, an example of a PLG company (11:24) Common pitfalls in adding a PLG motion (16:06) The spectrum of when PLG makes sense (20:04) What you need to be successful in a product-led growth strategy (24:52) The first step to adding a PLG motion (30:11) What GitLab does and how the sales funnel and PLG funnel work there (34:07) Mapping out the funnel (35:29) Finding leverage and other next steps (38:24) What an aha moment is and conducting an audit (47:30) Activation and conversion (52:17) Why you should start with activation, and who is doing it well (55:24) Retention, the messy part of the funnel (1:00:34) How Hila made an impact on retention at Acorns (1:03:03) The tw
Thu, March 30, 2023
Thinking beyond frameworks | Casey Winters (Pinterest, Eventbrite, Airbnb, Tinder, Canva, Reddit, Grubhub)
Brought to you by Amplitude —Build better products | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | Ahrefs —Improve your website's SEO for free — Casey Winters is a longtime and legendary advisor and operator. He’s worked with companies like Airbnb, Faire, Canva, Whatnot, Thumbtack, Tinder, and Reddit and until recently was the Chief Product Officer at Eventbrite, where he managed the PM, design, research, and growth marketing teams. Before Eventbrite, he led growth and product teams at Pinterest and Grubhub. In today’s episode, we discuss what Casey calls the “zero interest rate phenomenon” product manager and how to avoid becoming one. He provides valuable insights on thinking outside popular frameworks, shipping products efficiently, and avoiding overreliance on user research. We explore the three types of network effects, how to leverage them, and how to break someone else’s network effect. Finally, Casey shares his contrarian approach to interviewing product managers and his thoughts on the future of PM roles with AI. — Find the full transcript at: Z https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/thinking-beyond-frameworks-casey — Where to find Casey Winters: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/onecaseman • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseywinters/ • Blog: https://caseyaccidental.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Casey’s background (03:36) What Casey is up to (05:24) Why the CPO position is frequently short-lived (07:26) What Casey learned in his role as CPO of Eventbrite (10:15) The “zero interest rate phenomenon” product manager (12:17) Advice for thinking outside common frameworks (18:35) When to bring in research (21:16) What Whatnot does (21:59) Casey’s approach to interviewing PMs (23:29) Red flags in interview responses (24:27) The future of product management with AI (27:47) Founder intuition vs. team expertise (33:33) How to influence founders (37:17) Adding the delivery driver app at Grubhub (40:00) Network effects (43:10) Why Zillow is a sticky product (44:05) How G
Sun, March 26, 2023
Taxi mafias, cash vaults, and 100% MoM growth: The story behind Southeast Asia’s biggest startup | Kevin Aluwi (Gojek)
Brought to you by Coda —Meet the evolution of docs | Rows —The spreadsheet where data comes to life | Lenny’s Job Board —Hire the best product people. Find the best product gigs. — Kevin Aluwi is the co-founder and former CEO of Gojek. With over 2.7 million drivers and over 3 billion orders completed, Gojek is the biggest startup in Indonesia and all of Southeast Asia. In today’s podcast, Kevin shares the story of how Gojek overcame endless obstacles—including being underfunded, being unable to send drivers payment, and the local motorcycle mafia coming after their drivers. We cover the importance of brand, the value of doing the hard things, how to be super-scrappy, and helpful tips on building a tech company outside of Silicon Valley. Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/taxi-mafias-cash-vaults-and-100-mom Where to find Kevin Aluwi: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaluwi • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaluwi/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Gojek: https://www.gojek.com/en-id/ • WeChat: https://www.wechat.com/ • Sequoia: https://www.sequoiacap.com/ • eFishery: https://efishery.com/en/ • What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture : https://www.amazon.com/What-You-Do-Who-Are/dp/0062871331 • How Brands Grow: What Marketers Don’t Know : https://www.amazon.com/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560/ • The Menu on HBO: https://www.hbo.com/movies/the-menu • Cyberpunk Edgerunners on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81054853 • Arc: https://ar
Thu, March 23, 2023
Navigating comms and PR | Lulu Cheng Meservey (Substack, Activision Blizzard)
Brought to you by AssemblyAI —Powerful AI models to transcribe and understand speech | Public —Invest in stocks, treasuries, crypto, and more | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. — Lulu Cheng Meservey was formerly head of comms at Substack (where I host my newsletter and podcast) and is currently the Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Chief Communications Officer at Activision Blizzard. She also writes one of my favorite newsletters, “Flack,” where she shares tactical advice for company comms, PR, and messaging. In today’s episode, we dive deep into the world of PR and comms. We discuss why taking risks is crucial, how to gain attention as an underdog, and why it’s important to have a super-specific audience. Lulu outlines several frameworks I’d never heard of before, including a concentric circles framework for identifying your audience, the cultural erogenous zones, and even a physics-based framework for comms. Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/navigating-comms-and-pr-lulu-cheng Where to find Lulu Cheng Meservey: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lulumeservey • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lulu-cheng-meservey/ • Newsletter: https://www.getflack.com/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • “Binders full of women”: Mitt Romney’s four words that alienated women voters: https://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2012/oct/17/binders-full-of-women-romneys-four-words • Bill Bishop’s newsletter on Substack: https://www.sinocism.com/ • Hamish McKenzie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hamishmckenzie • The Network State: How to Start a New Country : https://www.amazon.com/Network-State-How-Start-Country-ebook/dp/B09VPKZR3G • How to increase virality:
Sun, March 19, 2023
Competing with giants: An inside look at how The Browser Company builds product | Josh Miller (CEO)
Brought to you by Writer —Generative AI for the enterprise | Dovetail —Bring your customer into every decision | Linear —The new standard for modern software development — Josh Miller is the CEO and co-founder of The Browser Company, where he helped build Arc, my go-to web browser. In today’s episode, we get an inside look at the unique structure and values of The Browser Company and how their company culture has helped them land some of the best talent in tech. Josh shares ways that his company embraces experimentation, including their “optimizing for feelings” approach to building, and explains why extreme transparency is at the forefront of everything they do. Special invite link to skip the waitlist: https://arc.net/gift/lenny Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/competing-with-giants-an-inside-look-at-how-the-browser-company-builds-product-josh-miller-ceo/#transcript Where to find Josh Miller: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshm • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-miller-b31259106/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Early access to Arc: https://arc.net/gift/lenny • The Browser Company: https://thebrowser.company/ • Arc: https://arc.net/ • Hursh Agrawal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hurshagrawal/ • Hacker News: https://news.ycombinator.com/ • Scott Belsky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottbelsky/ • Notes on Roadtrips: https://thebrowser.company/values/ • Shahed Khan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_shahedk • Paper by FiftyThree: <a targe
Thu, March 16, 2023
The ultimate guide to OKRs | Christina Wodtke (Stanford)
Brought to you by Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life | Dovetail —Bring your customer into every decision | Writer —Generative AI for the enterprise — Christina Wodtke is an author, Stanford University professor, and speaker who teaches strategies for building high-performing teams. She’s also the author of Radical Focus , which some consider the de facto guide to OKRs. In today’s episode, we dive into OKRs and how they can be used to help your team achieve better results. Christina shares her expertise on crafting OKRs, how she uses them in her personal life, and common mistakes you should avoid when you sit down to write your own. She discusses effective goal setting and outlines a systematic approach to achieving key results. Finally, Christina gives some specific tips on how to improve your storytelling and drawing skills and explains why it’s smart to set ambitious goals. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-okrs-christina Where to find Christina Wodtke: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwodtke • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinawodtke/ • Website: https://eleganthack.com/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • OKR worksheet template: http://eleganthack.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/OKR_Worksheet.pdf • Yahoo’s peanut butter memo: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116379821933826657 • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable : https://www.amazon.com/Five-Dysfunctions-Team-Leadership-Fable/dp/0787960756/ • Radical Focus: Achieving Your Most Important Goals with Objectives and Key Results : https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Focus-Achieving-Important-Objectives/dp/0996006087 • Pencil Me In : <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon
Sun, March 12, 2023
Hot takes and techno-optimism from tech’s top power couple | Sriram and Aarthi
Brought to you by Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security | Dovetail —Bring your customer into every decision | LMNT —Zero-sugar hydration — Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan are founders, angel investors, and product leaders who host the podcast Aarthi and Sriram’s Good Time Show . They have both held leadership roles at major technology companies including Meta, Twitter, Snap, Microsoft, and Netflix. In today’s episode, we dive into how and why to build your personal brand, how to deal with impostor syndrome, and stories from Aarthi’s time at Clubhouse and Sriram’s time working with Zuck. Aarthi and Sriram share their lessons from past failures, their experience building communities, and their techno-optimism, and Sriram offers his hot take on the Jobs to Be Done framework. Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/hot-takes-and-optimism-from-techs Where to find Sriram Krishnan and Aarthi Ramamurthy: • Aarthi’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/aarthir • Sriram’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/sriramk • Good Time Show Twitter: https://twitter.com/aarthisrirampod • Good Time Show website: https://www.aarthiandsriram.com/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Naval Ravikant on Twitter: https://twitter.com/naval • Marc Andreessen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pmarca • Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/ • Eugene Wei’s Status as a Service: https://www.eugenewei.com/blog/2019/2/19/status-as-a-service • Kylie Jenner on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/kyliejenner • The Rock on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therock/ • Cristiano Ronaldo on Ins
Thu, March 09, 2023
Career frameworks, A/B testing mistakes, counterintuitive onboarding tips, selling to developers | Laura Schaffer (VP of Growth at Amplitude)
Brought to you by Public —Invest in stocks, treasuries, crypto, and more | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments | Writer —Generative AI for the enterprise — Laura Schaffer is the brand-new VP of Growth at Amplitude. Prior to this role, she spent over 10 years leading product management and growth teams at Twilio, Bandwidth, and Rapid. In today’s episode, we talk about the role of experimentation and data in growth, and Laura shares stories of big wins from her time leading growth teams. She explains how customer insights helped her uplevel her career and how she (surprisingly) thinks about qualitative versus quantitative data. We wrap up our conversation by discussing where the best ideas come from and what you need to know if you’re selling to developers. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/career-frameworks-ab-testing-counterintuitive Where to find Laura Schaffer: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraschaffer/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Elena Verna on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/elena-verna-on-how-b2b-growth-is-changing-product-led-growth-product-led-sales-why-you-should-go-freemium-not-trial-what-features-to-make-free-and-much-more/ • Bandwidth: https://www.bandwidth.com/ • Twilio: https://ahoy.twilio.com/ • Jeff Lawson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffiel/ • The Surprising Power of Online Experiments: https://hbr.org/2017/09/the-surprising-power-of-online-experiments • Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/ • Online Experimentation at Microsoft: https://ai.stanford.edu/~ronnyk/ExPThinkWee
Sun, March 05, 2023
Lessons from scaling Stripe | Claire Hughes Johnson (former COO of Stripe)
Brought to you by Linear —The new standard for modern software development | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security. | Dovetail —Bring your customer into every decision. — Claire Hughes Johnson is the former COO at Stripe, which she helped scale from a small startup to the legendary company it is today. She also spent close to 10 years at Google, where she filled several executive roles, including VP of Global Online Sales and Director of Sales and Ops for Gmail, YouTube, Google Apps, and AdWords. Claire shares invaluable insights from her upcoming book, Scaling People , on how to successfully build and scale organizations. We talk about the importance of building self-awareness, and Claire gives tons of tactical advice on how to say things that are hard to say, as well as how to improve your internal communications, and so much more. Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-scaling-stripe-tactics Where to find Claire Hughes Johnson: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/chughesjohnson • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-hughes-johnson-7058/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building : https://www.amazon.com/Scaling-People-Tactics-Management-Building/dp/1953953212 • John Collison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbcollison/ • Patrick Collison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickcollison/ • Discord: https://discord.com/ • Toast: https://pos.toasttab.com/ • High Growth Handbook: Scaling Startups from 10 to 10,000 People : https://www.amazon.com/High-Growth-Handbook-Elad-Gil/dp/1732265100 • Myers-Briggs personality types: <
Thu, March 02, 2023
Lessons from working with 600+ YC startups | Gustaf Alströmer (Y Combinator, Airbnb)
Brought to you by Linear —The new standard for modern software development. | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments. | Pando —Always-on employee progression. — Gustaf Alströmer is a Group Partner at Y Combinator, where he’s worked with over 600 startups in his 6.5 years there. He’s also a fellow Airbnb alumnus and even started the original Airbnb growth team. In today’s podcast, Gustaf discusses common reasons startups fail and how he helps coach founders on avoiding these mistakes. He explains the attributes that the best founders tend to have, and signs that a company has potential. We also cover the growing space of climate tech, for which Gustaf has a huge passion and where he’s already had an incredible impact. He shares some key areas of innovation and investment in climate tech, some notable companies he’s helped fund, and where he sees potential going forward. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-working-with-600-yc Where to find Gustaf Alströmer: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/gustaf • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustafalstromer/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Airbnb tweet: https://twitter.com/gustaf/status/1580330162725347330 • Startups Are an Act of Desperation: https://blog.eladgil.com/p/startups-are-an-act-of-desperation • The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups: http://www.paulgraham.com/startupmistakes.html • Do Things That Don’t Scale: http://paulgraham.com/ds.html • Marc Andreessen: https://a16z.com/author/marc-andreessen/ • How to Talk to Users: https://youtu.be/z1iF1c8w5Lg • How to Get Your First Customers: https://youtu.be/hyYCn_kAngI • Pachama: <a t
Sun, February 26, 2023
Behind the scenes of Calendly’s rapid growth | Annie Pearl (CPO)
Brought to you by Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: https://miro.com/lenny | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs: https://coda.io/lenny | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny — Annie Pearl is the Chief Product Officer at Calendly. Previously, she was Chief Product Officer at Glassdoor, as well as Director of Product Management at Box. She was named one of the most influential women in Bay Area business by the San Francisco Business Times . In today’s episode, Annie shares three paths into product management and advice on how to get your foot in the door. She also gives us an inside look at how Calendly’s product teams are structured, how they transitioned from solely PLG to adding a sales team and unlocking new growth levers, how they do planning, and much more. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/behind-the-scenes-of-calendlys-rapid Where to find Annie Pearl: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniepearl/ • Email: Annie.Pearl@calendly.com Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • How to send a calendar invite with Calendly: https://calendly.com/blog/how-to-send-a-calendar-invite • Google’s APM program: https://careers.google.com/programs/apm/ • The 15 Best Associate and Rotational Product Manager Programs: https://medium.com/agileinsider/product-management-digest-apm-3c2631683139 • Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works : https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Win-Strategy-Really-Works/dp/142218739X/ • Confluence: https://www.atlassian.c
Thu, February 23, 2023
An inside look at how CNN builds product | Upasna Gautam
Brought to you by Amplitude —Build better products: https://amplitude.com/ | OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster: https://oneschema.co/lenny | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny — Upasna Gautam is a product manager at CNN Digital, where she works closely with editorial staff and journalists to build their internal content management system. She is also a longtime meditation coach and a board member of the News Product Alliance. In today’s episode, we delve into how product teams are structured and operate at CNN, how CNN uses OKRs and roadmaps, and the unique challenges and opportunities in designing a digital product for journalists. Upasna also shares a story about her team’s product saving the day during the 2020 elections and gives listeners a free mini lesson on meditation. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/an-inside-look-at-how-cnn-builds-product-upasna-gautam/#transcript Where to find Upasna Gautam: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/UpasnaGautam • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/upasnagautam/ • Website: https://linktr.ee/upasnagautam Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/ • News Product Alliance: https://newsproduct.org/ • Mindfulness in Plain English : https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-English-Bhante-Henepola-Gunaratana/dp/0861719069 • How to Win Friends & Influence People : https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034/ • The New Product Development Game: <a target="_blank" href="https://hbr.org/1986/01/
Sun, February 19, 2023
10 lessons on bootstrapping a $200m business | Patrick Campbell (ProfitWell)
Brought to you by Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny | Amplitude —Build better products: https://amplitude.com/ | Dovetail —Bring your customer into every decision: https://dovetailapp.com/lenny — Patrick Campbell is the founder and CEO of ProfitWell, which he bootstrapped and sold for over $200 million. In this special episode, we explore 10 big ideas from Patrick, including tips for hiring employees who align with your company values, creating winning pricing and retention strategies, determining the right time to raise money, and more. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your SaaS business, this must-listen episode offers practical and actionable advice that will help you avoid missteps and think differently. Find the transcript for this episode and all past episodes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/10-lessons-from-bootstrapping-a-200m Where to find Patrick Campbell: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/Patticus • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickccampbell/ • Email: pc@patticus.com Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Douglas Atkin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doatkin/ • Patrick Campbell’s guest post on Lenny’s Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/saas-pricing-strategy/comments • ProfitWell: https://www.profitwell.com/ • The Cadence: How to Operate a SaaS Startup: https://medium.com/craft-ventures/the-cadence-how-to-operate-a-saas-startup-436aa8099e8 • Edward Snowden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Snowden • The Flywheel: <
Thu, February 16, 2023
Understanding the role of product ops | Christine Itwaru (Pendo)
Brought to you by Amplitude —Build better products: https://amplitude.com/ | Lenny’s Job Board —Hire the best product people. Find the best product gigs: https://www.lennysjobs.com/talent | Vanta —Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny — Christine Itwaru is a longtime product operations leader at Pendo and more recently has taken on the larger role of Principal Strategist there. Before leading product ops, Christine spent 12 years in product management. In this episode, we delve into the rapidly growing field of product ops and discover how Christine is part of shaping the role industry-wide. She helps us define the role of product operations, what kind of person would be a good fit for the product ops role, when your company would benefit from product ops, and what red flags to look for if you decide to go down this path. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/understanding-the-role-of-product-ops-christine-itwaru-pendo/#transcript Where to find Christine Itwaru: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/christineitwaru • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineitwaru/ • Website: https://theproductheart.com/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Ben Williams on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.podpage.com/lennys-podcast/how-snyk-built-a-product-led-growth-juggernaut-ben-williams-vp-of-product-at-snyk/ • Pendo: https://go.pendo.io/ • Marty Cagan on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-nature-of-product-marty-cagan-silicon-valley-product-group/ • Salesforce: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.
Sun, February 12, 2023
Mastering onboarding | Lauryn Isford (Head of Growth at Airtable)
Brought to you by Public —Invest in stocks, treasuries, crypto, and more: https://public.com/lenny | Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: https://miro.com/lenny | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Lauryn Isford is a product growth leader and practitioner, who most recently led Growth at Airtable, and is about to start something new 🤫. In today’s episode, we get into the many tactics Lauryn has learned about optimizing onboarding flows. Lauryn describes how overhauling Airtable’s onboarding led to a 20% increase in activation rate, the company’s unique segmentation process, and why North Star metrics are so vital. Lauryn also shares her framework for a PLG growth funnel, and how to use a reverse trial to leverage the benefits of both freemium products and trials. If you’re looking to find growth opportunities within your funnel, this episode is for you. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/mastering-onboarding-lauryn-isford Where to find Lauryn Isford: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurynisford • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurynisford/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days : https://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Solve-Problems-Test-Ideas/dp/1442397683 • Blue Bottle coffee: https://bluebottlecoffee.com/ • Airtable: https://www.airtable.com/ • How to determine your activation metric: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-determine-your-activation • Elena Verna on Lenny’s Podcast: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lennyspodcast.com/elena-verna-on-how-b2b-growth-is-changing-product-led-growth-pro
Thu, February 09, 2023
Leading with empathy | Keith Yandell (DoorDash, Uber)
Brought to you by OneSchema —Import CSV data 10x faster: https://oneschema.co/lenny | Amplitude —Build better products: https://amplitude.com/ | Coda —Meet the evolution of docs: https://coda.io/lenny — Keith Yandell started at DoorDash as Chief Legal Officer and during his tenure has also led the HR, Customer Support, Marketing, and now Corporate Development teams. In today’s episode, we talk about leadership, and how to lead with empathy. We dig into DoorDash’s unique culture and touch on the WeDash program, which requires every employee to complete four deliveries a year in order to better understand the customer experience. Keith shares his “How to Work with Keith” document and discusses the importance of openness in the workplace. He also gives some tips for founders on hiring, engaging with legal, and how to make big decisions when teams are competing for resources. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/leading-with-empathy-keith-yandell-doordash-uber/#transcript Where to find Keith Yandell: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/kdyandell • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-yandell-2a947432/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Gokul Rajaram on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/gokul-rajaram-on-designing-your-product-development-process-when-and-how-to-hire-your-first-pm-a-playbook-for-hiring-leaders-getting-ahead-in-you-career-how-to-get-started-angel-investing-more/ • Ryan Sokol on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-sokol-00b2333/ • Tony Xu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xutony/ • About WeDash: <
Sun, February 05, 2023
AI and product management | Marily Nika (Meta, Google)
Brought to you by Amplitude —Build better products: https://amplitude.com/ | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments: https://www.geteppo.com/ | Pando —Always-on employee progression: https://www.pando.com/lenny — Marily is a computer scientist and an AI Product Leader currently working for Meta’s reality labs, and previously at Google for 8 years. In 2014 she completed a PhD in Machine Learning. She is also an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School and she has taught numerous courses, actively teaching AI Product Management on Maven and at Harvard. Marily joins us in today's episode to shed light on the role of AI in product management. She shares her insights on how AI is empowering her work, and why she believes that every Product Manager will be an AI Product Manager in the future. We also discuss why PM’s should learn a bit of coding, where they can learn it, and best practices for working with data scientists. Marily shares some insight into building her AI Product Management course and also why she full-heartedly believes you should also create your own course. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/ai-and-product-management-marily-nika-meta-google/#transcript Where to find Marily Nika: • Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/marilynika • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynika/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarilyNikaPM • Website: https://bio.link/marilynika Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • The Download newsletter: https://www.technologyreview.com/topic/download-newsletter/ • TLDR newsletter: https://tldr.tech/ • ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/auth/lo
Thu, February 02, 2023
How to foster innovation and big thinking | Eeke de Milliano (Retool, Stripe)
Brought to you by Miro —A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: https://miro.com/lenny | Notion —One workspace. Every team: https://www.notion.com/lennyspod | Eppo —Run reliable, impactful experiments: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Eeke de Milliano is the Head of Product at Retool and a former product lead at Stripe. In this episode, we discuss how any team can become an innovation machine. We talk about how a culture of writing led to a team of rigorous thinkers at Stripe. We cover tactics to breed innovative teams that you can replicate at your own company: From embracing retrospectives to creating systems that give individuals the "permission to think big". Eeke shares her framework for prioritizing resources between core products, strategic initiatives, and big bets, and how it helped Retool launch three new products in a year. She also gives a comprehensive overview of the right level of process for companies of different sizes, and how to build a talent portfolio. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-foster-innovation-and-big Where to find Eeke de Milliano: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/eekedm • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eeke-de-milliano-3b05a629/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Snir Kodesh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/snirkodesh/ • Stripe: https://stripe.com/ • Stripe’s operating principles: https://stripe.com/jobs/culture • Retool: https://retool.com/ • Brian Krausz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkrausz/ • Retool Workflows: https://retool.com/products/workflows/ • Retool Mobile: <a target="_bla
Sun, January 29, 2023
Lessons from Airtable’s unconventional growth strategy | Zoelle Egner
Brought to you by OneSchema —import CSV data 10x faster: https://oneschema.co/lenny ; Pando —always-on employee progression: https://www.pando.com/lenny ; and Lenny’s Job Board —hire the best product people, find the best product gigs: https://www.lennysjobs.com/talent . — Zoelle Egner is best known for her time at Airtable (currently valued at $11 billion), where she was the 11th employee and built and led the initial marketing and customer success teams. Currently she’s the Head of Marketing and Growth at Block Party, a company that designs consumer tools for online safety and anti-harassment. In today’s episode, we explore the marketing strategies that helped Airtable punch above its weight and build an established brand. We also dig into how Airtable was able to find its first super-users, how customer success played a key role in getting early traction, and the do’s and don’ts for marketing investments. Zoelle also shares her experience working for VaccinateCA (which ended up playing a massive role in helping get people vaccinated during the pandemic) and several tips for obtaining valuable customer feedback. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-airtables-unconventional Where to find Zoelle Egner: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/zoelle • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoelleegner/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Patrick McKenzie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/patio11 • The Last of Us on HBO: https://www.hbo.com/the-last-of-us • Airtable: https://www.airtable.com/ • Hacker News: https://news.ycombinator.com/ • Block Party app: https://www.blockpartyapp.com/ • Kathy Sierra’s book Badass: Making Users Awesome</
Thu, January 26, 2023
An inside look at Mixpanel’s product journey | Vijay Iyengar (Head of Product)
Brought to you by Pando —Always on employee progression ( https://www.pando.com/lenny ), Notion —One workspace. Every team ( https://www.notion.com/lennyspod ), and Lemon.io —A marketplace of vetted software developers ( https://lemon.io/lenny ). Vijay Iyengar is Head of Product at Mixpanel, and similar to myself, came from an engineering background before transitioning to product. In today’s episode, he explains how Mixpanel has evolved its growth strategy from a fast-paced, feature-focused approach to a more deliberate approach that prioritizes design and user experience. He also shares how Mixpanel irons out customer problems, including implementing internal tools that allow engineering and product teams to respond to customer feedback directly. Additionally, Vijay shares his top SaaS products, books, frameworks, and more. Tune in to gain valuable insights from a seasoned product leader. Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/an-inside-look-at-mixpanels-product-journey-vijay-iyengar-head-of-product/#transcript Where to find Vijay Iyengar: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/vijayiyengar • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijay4/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ Referenced: • Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/ • Figma: https://www.figma.com/ • Notion: https://www.notion.so/ • “Shape Up: Stop Running in Circles and Ship Work That Matters”: https://basecamp.com/shapeup • The RICE prioritization framework: https://www.productplan.com/glossary/rice-scoring-model/ • BigQuery: https://cloud.google.com/bigquery • Census: <a target="_blank" href="htt
Thu, January 19, 2023
Building your product strategy stack | Ravi Mehta (Tinder, Facebook, Tripadvisor, Outpace)
Ravi was previously CPO at Tinder, Product Director at Facebook, and VP of Product at Tripadvisor. Currently, he’s co-founder and CEO of Outpace, a coaching platform designed to help people reach their professional goals. In today’s podcast, we dive deep into Ravi’s product strategy stack framework and how it was used to develop a powerful strategy at Tinder. We also cover his other popular frameworks—the frontier of understanding and exponential feedback—and how both of them can help you grow in your career. We discuss the differences between building product at a startup versus a large tech company, and how Ravi has had to shift his mindset as he’s moved away from a product leadership role into a founder role. Finally, he shares a bit about how Outpace is using AI to amplify coaches and help make them more efficient and effective. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-your-product-strategy-stack — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • Merge—A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app: http://merge.dev/lenny • OneSchema—Import CSV data 10x faster: https://oneschema.co/lenny • Miro—A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: https://miro.com/lenny — Where to find Ravi Mehta: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ravi_mehta • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravimehta/ • Website: https://www.ravi-mehta.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: Disclaimer: Lenny is an angel investor in Ravi’s company, Outpace • Reforge’s Product Strategy Program created by Casey Winters and Fareed Mosavat: https://www.reforge.com/programs/product-strategy • Matt Mochary on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/videos/how-to-fire
Sun, January 15, 2023
What differentiates the highest-performing product teams | John Cutler (Amplitude, The Beautiful Mess)
John Cutler writes the popular and beloved product newsletter The Beautiful Mess. For many years, he was a Product Evangelist at Amplitude, which led him to meeting and working with a large number of product teams around the world. Through this role, he gained unique insight into how the best product teams operate. In today’s episode, John reflects on leaving his role at Amplitude, and explains the attributes that the top 1% of product teams share. We also go deep into some of his favorite frameworks and discuss the best way to apply these frameworks to your work. We also unpack skills like product sense and product mindset, and what he’s planning in his new role at Toast. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/what-differentiates-the-highest-performing — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • Merge—A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app: http://merge.dev/lenny • Eppo—Run reliable, impactful experiments: https://www.geteppo.com/ • Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny — Where to find John Cutler: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/johncutlefish • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpcutler/ • Newsletter: https://cutlefish.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • The North Star Playbook: https://info.amplitude.com/north-star-playbook • Craig Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigmdaniel/ • Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Working-Backwards-Insights-Stories-Secrets/dp/1250267595 • AppFo
Thu, January 12, 2023
How to price your product | Naomi Ionita (Menlo Ventures)
Naomi Ionita is a Partner at the venture capital firm, Menlo Ventures. She started her career in engineering in 2002, shifted to product in 2006, and built product growth and monetization teams starting over a decade ago as one of the first PLG leaders in B2B. She was an early mentor at Reforge and her expertise is in building full-stack growth teams and cultures, launching new products, and helping existing products monetize and retain their users. Consider today’s episode a master class on monetization and pricing. We talk about common mistakes made by founders, specific experiments for how to determine pricing, and why initial growth sometimes comes at the expense of revenue. Naomi also introduces the concept of the Modern Growth Stack, how AI will play a role in growth, and what she’s most excited about for the future. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-price-your-product-naomi-ionita-menlo-ventures/#transcript — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • Miro—A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: https://miro.com/lenny • Notion—One workspace. Every team: https://www.notion.com/lennyspod • Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny — Where to find Naomi: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/npilosof • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomipilosofionita/ • Website: https://www.menlovc.com/naomi-pilosof-ionita — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: Disclaimer: Lenny is an angel investor in a few startups mentioned in this episode: Eppo, Endgame, Pocus • Evernote: https://evernote.com/ • Figma: https://www.figma.com/ • The Van Westendorp pricing model: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccasadwick/2020/06/22/how-to-price-products/?sh=7e607
Sun, January 08, 2023
An inside look at how Figma builds product | Yuhki Yamashita (CPO of Figma)
Yuhki Yamashita is Chief Product Officer at Figma. Prior to Figma, he was Head of Design of Uber’s New Mobility efforts, and before that a product manager at Google and Microsoft. Adding to his impressive resume, Yuhki also taught introductory computer science at Harvard. In today's episode, we talk about operationalizing quality, the case against OKRs, and how Figma isn't just known for product-led growth, but also for building a community of empowered users. Yuhki also shares why he thinks storytelling is key to being a great product manager, owning the "why," and the potential impact of Adobe's acquisition of Figma. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-inside-look-at-how-figma-builds — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • Notion—One workspace. Every team: https://www.notion.com/lennyspod • Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny • Flatfile—A CSV importer that says yes instead of error: mismatch : https://www.flatfile.com/lenny — Where to find Yuhki Yamashita: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/yuhkiyam • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuhki/ • Website: https://www.figma.com/@yuhki — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • Yuhki’s guest post on Lenny’s Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-figma-builds-product • Shishir Mehrotra on Lenny’s Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rituals-of-great-teams-shishir-mehrotra-of/id1627920305?i=1000576021672 • Five Why’s template: https://www.figma.com/templates/5-whys-template/ • Dylan Field on Twitter: https://twi
Thu, January 05, 2023
Leveraging mentors to uplevel your career | Jules Walter (YouTube, Slack)
Jules Walter is a product leader at YouTube and co-founder of both the Black Product Managers Network and Codepath.org. Previously, he led monetization and mobile growth teams at Slack. He’s also a very well-known leader in the broader product community. In today’s episode, we discuss the skills that matter most to PMs, and how to build those skills. We also spend quite a bit of time talking about the importance of finding mentors to help you learn new skills, how to nail your next job interview, barriers to entry for underrepresented people, and some of the most common paths into product management. — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/leveraging-mentors-to-uplevel-your — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny • Notion—One workspace. Every team: https://www.notion.com/lennyspod • Linear—The new standard for modern software development: https://linear.app/lenny — Where to find Jules Walter: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/julesdwalt • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juleswalter/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • Black Product Managers Network: https://www.blackproductmanagers.com • Maryanna Quigless on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quigless/ • Brittany Bankston on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-bankston-77693a85/ • Benin Saffo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benin-saffo/ • Lawrence Ripsher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrenceripsher/ • Matt Mochary on Lenny’s Podcast: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lennyspodcast.com/videos/how-to-fire-pe
Thu, December 29, 2022
Countdown of the top 10 episodes of the year
If you ever wanted to distill 3,310 hours of knowledge into 60 minutes, then this episode is for you. For the last 6 months, Lenny’s Podcast has been downloaded more than 2 million times and is now a top 10 technology podcast across both Apple and Spotify. And in this special episode, I’m breaking down the top 10 most downloaded episodes, plus sharing my favorite lessons from each. It's unlike anything I've done before, and I hope you love it. Happy holidays, happy new year, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for listening, sharing, and for supporting the podcast. I’ll see you in 2023! — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/countdown-of-the-top-10-episodes-of-the-year/#transcript — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • TED—ReThinking with Adam Grant: https://adamgrant.net/podcasts/rethinking/ • Notion—One workspace. Every team: https://www.notion.com/lennyspod • Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — The 10 most downloaded episodes of 2022: * April Dunford on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/april-dunford-on-product-positioning-segmentation-and-optimizing-your-sales-process/ * Crystal Widjaja on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-scrappily-hire-for-measure-and-unlock-growth-crystal-widjaja-gojek-and-kumu/ * Julie Zhuo on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/julie-zhuo-on-accelerating-your-career-impostor-syndrome-writing-building-product-sense-using-intuition-vs-data-hiring-designers-and-moving-into-management/ * Shishir Mehrotra on Lenny’s Podcast: <a target="_blank" href="ht
Sun, December 18, 2022
Launching and growing a podcast | Chris Hutchins (All the Hacks, Wealthfront, Google)
Chris Hutchins recently left his position as Head of New Product Strategy at Wealthfront to focus full-time on his podcast, All the Hacks . If you’re thinking about starting your own podcast or are simply interested in the process, be sure to check out today’s episode. We dive deep on all things podcasting: the pros and cons, how to climb the charts, and how much time you should expect to spend on each episode from start to finish. We talk in-depth about the process, from pre-production to publication, and share all of the products we use for recording, editing, and publishing. Chris also offers some important tips and tricks on how to get your first subscribers and how to market and grow your podcast, as well as some incredible money-saving hacks that you can start implementing today. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/launching-and-growing-a-podcast-chris — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • Notion—One workspace. Every team: https://www.notion.com/lennyspod • Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny • Lenny’s Job Board—Hire the best product people. Find the best product gigs: https://www.lennysjobs.com/talent — Where to find Chris Hutchins: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/hutchins • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishutchins/ • Website: https://chrishutchins.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • All the Hacks podcast: https://www.allthehacks.com/ • All the Hacks newsletter: https://allthehacks.com/email • Andy Rachleff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arachleff • Kerri Walsh Jennings on A ll the Hacks : http
Thu, December 15, 2022
Founder-led sales | Pete Kazanjy (Founding Sales, Atrium)
Pete Kazanjy is the author of Founding Sales: The Early Stage Go-to-Market Handbook and the founder of Modern Sales Pros, an invite-only peer learning community focused on sales operations and sales leadership. He’s also the co-founder of Atrium, a B2B SaaS company that provides data-driven sales solutions. Pete got his start in product at VMware and then dove deep into the art and science of sales . In today’s episode, we talk about the importance of founder-led sales and how to methodically scale a sales department. He explains the difference between old-school sales and modern sales, which focuses on human connection and solving problems for customers. He also shares actionable tips to improve your sales technique and explains how to use data to monitor your success at different milestones in the sales process. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/founder-led-sales-pete-kazanjy-founding — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • Vanta — Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny • Flatfile — A CSV importer that says yes instead of error: mismatch : https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Merge—A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app: http://merge.dev/lenny — Where to find Pete: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kazanjy • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kazanjy/ • Website: https://kazanjy.svbtle.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • Founding Sales: The Early Stage Go-to-Market Handbook : https://www.amazon.com/Founding-Sales-Go-Market-Handbook-ebook/dp/B08PMK17Z1 • Brianne Kimmel’s SaaS school: http://briannekimmel.com/saas-school/ • Modern Sales Pros: <a target="_blank" href="https:
Sun, December 11, 2022
How Notion leveraged community to build a $10B business | Camille Ricketts (Notion, First Round Capital)
Camille Ricketts began her career in journalism, at the Wall Street Journal , in 2006. In 2010 she joined Tesla, where she worked in communications alongside Elon Musk. She transitioned into marketing and became the Head of Content and Marketing at First Round Capital and then went on to become the very first marketing hire at Notion. In today’s episode, we dig into community-led growth—what it is, and when and how to pursue it. We get super-specific on how Notion championed their most loyal users and built a passionate community, and the incredible outcome it had for the company’s growth. We also talk about how to create great content, and how content can drive growth for your business and brand. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-notion-leveraged-community-to — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this podcast: • Eppo — Run reliable, impactful experiments: https://www.geteppo.com/ • Flatfile — A CSV importer that says yes instead of error: mismatch : https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Vanta — Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny — Where to find Camille: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/camillericketts • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillericketts/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — People referenced: • Ivan Zhao: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivanhzhao/ • Simon Last: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-last-41404140/ • Lexie Barnhorn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisbarnhorn/ • Ben Lang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmlang/ • Claire Butler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairetbutler/ • Jessi Crai
Thu, December 08, 2022
The art and science of pricing | Madhavan Ramanujam (Monetizing Innovation, Simon-Kucher)
Madhavan Ramanujam is a senior partner at Simon-Kucher, where he works with tier-one tech companies like Uber, Asana, and LinkedIn to help them develop their pricing and monetization strategies. He’s also the author of the most widely read book on pricing strategy, Monetizing Innovation. In today’s podcast, we talk about all the elements that go into your pricing strategy. Madhavan gives real-life examples of having conversations about “willingness to pay,” how segmentation should impact your pricing, and when to start thinking about pricing. He also shares tips on how behavioral pricing impacts your thinking, how to restructure your pricing during a downturn, and much more. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-art-and-science-of-pricing-madhavan — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Lemon.io—a marketplace of vetted software developers. Get your match within 48h: https://lemon.io/lenny • Mixpanel—product analytics that everyone can trust, use, and afford: https://mixpanel.com/startups • Miro—a collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: https://miro.com/lenny — Where to find Madhavan Ramanujam: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/madhavansf • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhavan-ramanujam-1533063/ • Website: https://www.simon-kucher.com/en-us/leadership — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • Monetizing Innovation : https://www.amazon.com/Monetizing-Innovation-Companies-Design-Product/dp/1119240867 • It’s Price Before Product. Period: https://review.firstround.com/its-price-before-product-period • Rahul Vohra on NFX podcast: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J
Sun, December 04, 2022
How to hit revenue targets in a recession | Sahil Mansuri (Bravado)
Sahil Mansuri is the CEO of Bravado, the world’s largest online sales community. Sahil is passionate about sales, and his experience dates all the way back to 2008, working for Obama’s presidential campaign. During his time at Glassdoor, Sahil was able to close some incredible accounts, including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. In today’s podcast, we talk about why sales is a crucial part of any business and how to continue selling successfully through a recession. We get super-specific on building a conservative plan for the near future and cover everything from where to place your best salespeople to restructuring comp plans. The episode is full of great advice about how to shift with this market, improve agility, and perhaps grow an even stronger business with happier customers. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-hit-revenue-targets-in-a-recession-sahil-mansuri-bravado/#transcript — Where to find Sahil Mansuri: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/svmansuri • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahilmansuri/ • Email: sahil@bravado.co — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Merge: http://merge.dev/lenny • Miro: https://miro.com/lenny — Referenced: • Bravado: https://bravado.co/ • Stumbling on Happiness : https://www.amazon.com/Stumbling-Happiness-Daniel-Gilbert/dp/1400077427 • All-In podcast: https://www.allinpodcast.co/ • How I Built This podcast: https://www.npr.org/series/490248027/how-i-built-this • The Blacklist on Netflix: <a target="_b
Thu, December 01, 2022
The ultimate guide to SEO | Ethan Smith (Graphite)
Ethan Smith is the CEO of Graphite, a boutique growth agency that’s helped companies like MasterClass, Thumbtack, Robinhood, Medium, and Honey develop and execute their SEO strategies. SEO is one of the least-understood levers for growth, while also one with the biggest payoff. This episode is a true master class on all things SEO. Ethan shares a wealth of information, including when you should begin investing in SEO, how to build an SEO team, and the three main buckets of SEO. He explains the difference between topics and keywords, gives the exact heuristics and tools to help you be successful in developing and implementing your own SEO strategy, and also goes deep on how to deal with roadblocks and advocate for resources. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-seo-ethan-smith — Where to find Ethan Smith: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ethan_l_s • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanls/ • Graphite: https://www.graphitehq.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Coda: https://coda.io/lenny • Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/startups • Lemon.io: https://lemon.io/lenny — Referenced: • Product-Led SEO: The Why Behind Building Your Organic Growth Strategy https://a.co/d/2wkN4dx • Topical Authority Analysis: https://bit.ly/topical-authority-tool • SEO Link Analysis: https://bit.ly/diagnostic-internal-links • SEO Links API: https://bit.ly/graphite-internal-links-api • Screaming Frog: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/ • Brandon Lee of Power: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.
Sun, November 27, 2022
How to be the best coach to product people | Petra Wille (Strong Product People)
Petra Wille is an independent product leadership coach who’s been helping product teams expand their skill sets since 2013. She’s also the author of Strong Product People, which she published in 2021. Alongside her freelance work, Petra curates and co-organizes Mind The Product Engage Hamburg. She started her career as a software developer and in 2008 went to work at Xing, a German social media site, where she learned from two incredible product leaders: Marty Cagan and Jason Goldberg. In today’s podcast, we talk about Petra’s book, and how to help your team grow as a product leader. Petra also shares how to improve your storytelling skills, get better at public speaking, and why community is so important for product managers. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-be-the-best-coach-to-product — Where to find Petra Wille: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/loomista • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-wille-b8b1329/?originalSubdomain=de • Website: https://www.petra-wille.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/startups • AssemblyAI: https://www.assemblyai.com/?utm_source=lennyspodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=nov27 — Referenced: • PMwheel framework: https://www.strongproductpeople.com/pmwheel • Marty Cagan’s assessment: https://www.svpg.com/coaching-tools-the-assessment/ • PM Daisy: https://pmdaisy.com/ • The Eisenhower matrix for prioritization: https://www.pr
Sun, November 20, 2022
What it takes to become a top 1% PM | Ian McAllister (Uber, Amazon, Airbnb)
Ian McAllister is the Senior Director of Product for Vehicles at Uber. Before moving to Uber, Ian spent over a decade directing teams at Amazon, where he created and led Amazon Smile. He was also Director of Product Management at Airbnb, where I was lucky enough to have worked alongside him. In today’s episode, we discuss Ian’s famous document about the essential attributes of the top 1% of product managers. Ian outlines the most important skills to focus on for entry-level PMs and how to broaden your experience and diversify skills as you move up the ladder. He also shares what he learned working with Jeff Wilke, Jeff Bezos, and other leaders at Amazon, and goes in depth on Amazon’s working-backwards framework. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/what-it-takes-to-become-a-top-1-pm-ian-mcallister-uber-amazon-airbnb/#transcript — Where to find Ian McAllister: • Newsletter: https://ianmcallister.substack.com/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ianmcall • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmcallister/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/startups • Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lenny • AssemblyAI: https://www.assemblyai.com/?utm_source=lennyspodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=nov20 — Referenced: • What distinguishes the top 1% of product managers from the top 10%, on Substack: https://ianmcallister.substack.com/p/what-distinguishes-the-top-1-of-product • What distinguishes the top 1% of product managers from the top 10%, on Quora: https://www.quora.com/What-distinguishes-the-Top-1-o
Thu, November 17, 2022
Leaving big tech to build the #1 technology newsletter | Gergely Orosz (The Pragmatic Engineer)
Gergely Orosz writes the #1 technology newsletter at Substack, called The Pragmatic Engineer. He started his career as a software developer in the U.K., spent three years at Skype, and followed that role with four years as an engineering manager at Uber before deciding to leave big tech and work for himself. Gergely began pursuing his newsletter full-time in September 2021 and in just one year has amassed 200,000 subscribers. He now makes more money than he did at his salaried tech job, and with freedom and flexibility. In today’s podcast, Gergely shares why he left his well-paying job at Uber, how he got his first 1,000 subscribers, why this kind of work can be stressful and lonely (but ultimately rewarding), and why it takes hard work to build authority and become a great writer. Working solo can be challenging, and in this episode, both Lenny and Gergely offer tips for structuring your unstructured time and finding your focus. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/leaving-big-tech-to-build-the-1-technology — Where to find Gergely Orosz: • Website: https://www.pragmaticengineer.com/ • Newsletter: https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/GergelyOrosz • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gergelyorosz/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Lemon.io: https://lemon.io/lenny • Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ • Vanta: https://vanta.com/lenny — Referenced: • Gergely’s books: https://blog.pragmaticengineer.com/books/ • Centered: https://www.centered.app/ • The Pomodoro technique: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryancol
Sun, November 13, 2022
An inside look at how the New York Times builds product | Alex Hardiman (CPO at The New York Times)
Alex Hardiman is Chief Product Officer at the New York Times, where she oversees the company’s news, cooking, games, audio and advertising products. Previously, Alex was Chief Business & Product Officer at The Atlantic, and before that she was Head of News Products at Facebook. We discuss how engineers and product people work with writers to create impactful stories, how teams build the incredible visualizations and experiences for NYTimes.com, how product teams are structured within the New York Times, and the good and bad about working at a company like the New York Times versus a FAANG tech company. We also talk about the details behind the New York Times’s acquisition of Wordle and uncover what the Times is dreaming up for its product over the next 10 years. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-inside-look-at-how-the-new-york — Where to find Alex Hardiman: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/alex_hardiman • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrahardiman/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Miro: https://miro.com/lenny • Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lenny • Vanta: https://vanta.com/lenny — Referenced: • Jodi Kantor: https://www.nytimes.com/by/jodi-kantor • Wordle: https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/ • Wordle Is a Love Story: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/03/technology/wordle-word-game-creator.html • Josh Wardle on Twitter: https://twitter.com/powerlanguish • Eric Kim’s recipes: https://cooking.nytimes.com/ourcooks/eric-kim/ • Wirecutter: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nyti
Thu, November 10, 2022
How to fire people with grace, work through fear, and nurture innovation | Matt Mochary (CEO coach)
Matt Mochary, CEO of Mochary Method, is a full-time executive coach who has worked with some of the biggest names in tech and finance, including investor Naval Ravikant and the CEOs of Notion, OpenAI, Coinbase, Reddit, and many others. In today’s podcast, we talk about the skill of firing people, why it’s so important, and Matt’s framework for approaching layoffs. We go deep on recognizing emotions like anger and fear, and what to pay attention to when you feel angry or fearful. He also shares how to build new products within a larger company, important tips on how to make sure everyone in the organization feels valued and heard, carving out time for your top goal, and how an energy audit can help you eliminate tasks that are draining your energy. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-fire-people-with-grace-work — Where to find Matt Mochary: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattmochary • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mochary-34bb4/ • Website: http://www.mochary.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • AssemblyAI: https://www.assemblyai.com/?utm_source=lennyspodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=nov10 • Lemon.io: https://lemon.io/lenny • Vanta: https://vanta.com/lenny — Referenced: • The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building : https://www.amazon.com/Great-CEO-Within-Tactical-Building-ebook/dp/B07ZLGQZYC • Mochary Method: https://mocharymethod.org/ • Leo Polovets on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lpolovets • High Output Management : <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/High-Output-Management-Andrew-Grove/dp/06
Sun, November 06, 2022
How Snyk built a product-led growth juggernaut | Ben Williams (VP of Product at Snyk)
Ben Williams is VP of Product at Snyk, an industry-leading security platform for developers, last valued at $8.5b. He’s also a product and growth advisor with over 20 years of experience building and scaling high-performing product and growth teams. Through product-led growth, product-led sales, and community, Snyk rapidly scaled and won over the lucrative developer audience. In today’s episode, Ben shares the successful growth levers that helped Snyk get started, all of the details of how Snyk has structured their growth, product, and marketing teams and set them up for success in terms of cross-collaboration—and also how their initial plan for self-serve monetization fell flat. We go into Ben’s many useful tips for product-led growth, including his thoughts on free vs. paid versions, trials, and how to build amazing growth teams. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-snyk-built-a-product-led-growth — Where to find Ben Williams: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/semanticben • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/semanticben/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Coda: https://coda.io/lenny • Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lenny • Vanta: https://vanta.com/lenny — Referenced: • Snyk: https://snyk.io/ • Weekly Team Impact & Learnings Review Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GibNaJ4aONgp5Kg824NCionr1citHIDk3FLvMdkpX_Q/edit?usp=share_link • Monthly Group Impact & Learnings Review Template: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nQ18OTuRtc8urBnUWEObD_BlfdGDKlDDMFg8-G2GK7E/edit?usp=share_link • Experiment Plan Template: <a target="_blank" href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/18LiGXKphG
Thu, November 03, 2022
Lessons from one of the world’s top executive recruiters | Lauren Ipsen (Daversa Partners, General Catalyst)
Lauren Ipsen is one of the most well-known and respected executive recruiters in the industry, having placed over 90 senior product leaders at companies including Twitter, Reddit, Opendoor, Postmates, Nextdoor, and many others. She is currently the Director of Executive Talent at General Catalyst, and prior to that was a senior leader at Daversa Partners. In today’s podcast, Lauren shares advice for founders on hiring senior product leaders, tips for product leaders on finding better opportunities, and the most common mistakes recruiters make. She talks about how to play the long game of networking to find the best talent and about recruiting best practices, and we also dive deep on market mapping, LinkedIn, and how to approach reference checks. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-one-of-the-worlds-top — Where to find Lauren Ipsen: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-ipsen-6a5a84113/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Retool: https://retool.com/lenny • Miro: https://miro.com/lenny • Vanta: https://vanta.com/lenny — Referenced: • Gokul Rajaram on Lenny’s podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/gokul-rajaram-on-designing-your-product-development-process-when-and-how-to-hire-your-first-pm-a-playbook-for-hiring-leaders-getting-ahead-in-you-career-how-to-get-started-angel-investing-more/ • The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment : https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808 • You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment : https://www.amazo
Sun, October 30, 2022
Building Substack | Sachin Monga (Substack, Facebook)
Sachin Monga is the Head of Product at Substack, a platform that I personally use every day, and love. Before Substack, Sachin co-founded an app called Cocoon, which he ended up selling to Substack. Before that, he spent over seven years at Facebook as a PM working on video and camera products, building out the developer platform, and leading the ads growth team. In today’s episode, we dive deep on all things Substack. Sachin shares what it’s like transitioning from a large product team at Facebook to a small growth team. He discusses how to work with a hands-on founder and why you must be comfortable with rapid change in a PM role. He also shares unique features of Substack that make it an optimized experience for readers and writers, how he’d like to see it improved, and tips for anyone wanting to get started writing online. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-substack-sachin-monga-substack — Where to find Sachin Monga: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/sachinmonga • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinmonga/ • Email: Sachin@substackinc.com — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Retool: https://retool.com/lenny • Stytch: https://stytch.com/lenny • Vanta: https://vanta.com/lenny — Referenced: • Substack: https://substack.com/ • Matt Taibbi on Substack: https://taibbi.substack.com/ • Bill Bishop on Substack: https://sinocism.com/ • Jasper: https://www.jasper.ai/ • DALL-E 2: https://openai.com/dall-e-2/ • 1000 True Fans : https://www.amazon.com/1000-Tru
Thu, October 27, 2022
Category creation and brand building | Barbra Gago (Pando, Miro, Greenhouse, Culture Amp)
Barbra Gago is the founder and CEO of Pando, where she’s democratizing career progression. Previously she worked as the Chief Marketing Officer and Global Head of Marketing at Miro, where she helped create an entirely new software category for the space, and also served as VP of Marketing at Greenhouse, where she led go-to-market strategy. In today’s episode, we cover three main topics: category creation, branding and rebranding, and building opinionated software. Barbra discusses how she was able to rebrand Miro and launch a whole new category—and why her attempt to do that at Greenhouse failed. We cover the benefits of building your own category, and when it makes sense to do so and when it doesn’t. She also shares the importance of getting to know your users, why a great brand is informed by its values, and why Pando is built in an opinionated way. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/category-creation-and-brand-building-barbra-gago-pando-miro-greenhouse-culture-amp/#transcript — Where to find Barbra Gago: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbragago • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbragago • Pando: https://www.pando.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • AssemblyAI: https://www.assemblyai.com/?utm_source=lennyspodcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=oct27 • Stytch: https://stytch.com/lenny • Vanta: https://vanta.com/lenny — Referenced: • G2: https://g2.com/ • Software Advice: https://www.softwareadvice.com/ • Marketo: https://www.marketo.com/ • HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/ • Gainsight: <a target="_blank" href="ht
Sun, October 23, 2022
How to build trust and grow as a product leader | Fareed Mosavat (Reforge, Slack, Instacart, Zynga, Pixar)
Fareed Mosavat is Chief Development Officer at Reforge, where he leads production, content, and new-product experiences. Previously, he led growth and product teams at Slack and Instacart, was a GM at Zynga, and also served as VP of Product at RunKeeper. Before all of that, Fareed’s fascinating career began in engineering for Pixar, where he learned the art of storytelling and collaboration. In today’s episode, we talk about how his time at Pixar influenced the way he thinks about product, why it’s so difficult to become a better PM, and how to avoid the “manager death spiral.” Fareed shares important insights on how to earn the trust of your manager and coworkers, the four types of product work—and why you need to understand all four. He also provides solid examples of how to generalize your learnings and explains why this will expand your options, make you a better PM, and boost your chances of moving into a leadership role. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-establish-credibility-and — Where to find Fareed Mosavat: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/far33d • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fareed/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Coda: http://coda.io/lenny • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Vanta: https://vanta.com/lenny — Referenced: • Naval Ravikant’s Twitter thread about specific knowledge: https://twitter.com/naval/status/1002104865919664128 • Merci Grace on Lenny’s podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/merci-grace-ex-head-of-growth-at-slack-on-plg-interviewing-storytelling-building-a-diverse-team-hiring-salespeople-building-a-growth-team-and-much-more/ • “Crossing the Canyon: Product Manager to Product Leader,” by Fareed Mosa
Thu, October 20, 2022
Humanizing product development | Adriel Frederick (Reddit, Lyft, Facebook)
Adriel Frederick is VP of Product Management at Reddit X, where he helps incubate and scale new products. He is a former Product Lead at Facebook, as well as a former PM and Director of Product at Lyft. In today’s episode, we focus on what it takes to become a better product leader. Adriel shares anecdotes from his time at Lyft and Facebook, insights about how to lead through tough times, why there isn’t an algorithmic solution to everything, why R&D teams need to be a part of the core mission, the tangible benefits of working on diverse teams, and his thoughts on the future of AI. He also introduces the concept of cannonballs, why you should focus on the marginal user, why organization and empathy are the most important PM skills, and so much more. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.podpage.com/lennys-podcast/humanizing-product-development-adriel-frederick-reddit-lyft-facebook/#transcript — Where to find Adriel Frederick: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/drellf • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrielfrederick/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Linear: https://linear.app/lenny • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Referenced: • Jules Walter on Twitter: https://twitter.com/julesdwalt • Jules Walter’s guest post on Lenny’s newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/product-sense • Mark Zuckerberg on The Joe Rogan Experience : https://open.spotify.com/episode/51gxrAActH18RGhKNza598 • Sam Harris’s TED Talk on AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nt3edWLgIg • Facebook’s 7 friends in 10 days: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-chamath-palihapitya-dramatica
Sun, October 16, 2022
Building better product roadmaps | Janna Bastow (Mind the Product, ProdPad)
Janna Bastow is a former product manager, and currently the CEO and co-founder of ProdPad. She also co-founded Mind the Product, a community for PMs, which has grown to 300,000 members across the world. In today’s podcast, Janna discusses the limitations of timeline-based Gantt charts and her “Now/Next/Later” framework. She also shares stories about hosting conferences and gives some great tips on how to improve your presentation skills and cope with performance anxiety. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/building-better-product-roadmaps-janna-bastow-mind-the-product-prodpad/#transcript — Where to find Janna Bastow: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/simplybastow • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jannabastow • The ProdPad newsletter: https://www.prodpad.com/newsletter/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Formsort: https://formsort.com/lenny • Coda: http://coda.io/lenny • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ — Referenced: • Mind the Product: https://www.mindtheproduct.com/ • The Trouble with Traditional Roadmaps: https://www.prodpad.com/resources/guides/ditch-the-timeline-roadmap/the-trouble-with-traditional-timeline-roadmaps/ • ProdPad’s Sandbox: https://www.prodpad.com/sandbox/ • Geoffrey Moore’s product vision template: https://www.prodpad.com/blog/product-vision-template/ • The Art of Profitability : https://www.amazon.com/Art-Profitability-Adrian-Slyw
Thu, October 13, 2022
How to build a high-performing growth team | Adam Fishman (Patreon, Lyft, Imperfect Foods)
Adam Fishman has decades of experience building and scaling some incredible businesses, like Lyft, Patreon, and Imperfect Foods. He is currently an Executive in Residence at Reforge and an advisor to numerous companies on growth, product, strategy, and company building. In today’s episode, Adam shares his growth PM competency model to help founders identify specific skills when hiring growth leaders, how to structure feedback, and how to identify gaps in your growth team. He also discusses the role of onboarding in retention and how to evaluate a company as a prospective employee. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-build-a-high-performing-growth — Where to find Adam Fishman: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/fishmanaf • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ • Website: https://www.adamfishman.com/ • Adam’s newsletter: https://www.fishmanafnewsletter.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Linear: https://linear.app/lenny • Coda: http://coda.io/lenny • Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Referenced: • Stream Super Pumped on Showtime: https://www.sho.com/super-pumped • Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber : https://www.amazon.com/Super-Pumped-Battle-Mike-Isaac/dp/0393652246 • HitRecord: https://hitrecord.org/ • Adam’s growth competency model: https://www.reforge.com/blog/the-growth-competency-model • Adam’s LinkedIn series: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adamjfishman_ive-now-published-my-complete-series-on-activity-69791987939928
Sun, October 09, 2022
Developing a growth model + marketplace growth strategy | Dan Hockenmaier (Faire, Thumbtack, Reforge)
Dan Hockenmaier is an expert on marketplace strategy and growth. He was previously the Director of Growth at Thumbtack as well as a partner at Reforge, where he co-created the monetization track. Currently, he is the Head of Strategy and Analytics at Faire. In today’s episode, Dan shares the building blocks of a growth model, important considerations when building your growth model, and how to get started. We also chat about retention best practices, the complexity of building a marketplace, the future of marketplaces, and when it makes sense to add a SaaS business to a marketplace, and vice versa. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/developing-a-growth-model-marketplace — Where to find Dan Hockenmaier: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/danhockenmaier • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-hock/ • Website: https://www.danhock.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Referenced: • Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/ • Casey Winters on Lenny’s Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-sell-your-ideas-and-rise-within-your-company • Faire: https://www.faire.com/ • Dan’s blog post on the future of marketplaces: https://www.danhock.com/posts/the-future-of-marketplaces • Careers at Faire: https://www.faire.com/careers — In this episode, we cover: (00:43) Dan’s background (04:01) What is a growth model? (07:
Sun, October 02, 2022
Using behavioral science to improve your product | Kristen Berman (Irrational Labs)
Kristen Berman is the CEO and co-founder of Irrational Labs, where she helps companies like Google, Airbnb, PayPal, Microsoft, and LinkedIn improve their products and services through behavioral design research. She is also the co-founder of Common Cents Lab, a Duke University initiative dedicated to improving the financial well-being of low- to middle-class Americans. In today’s episode, Kristen shares the 3B Framework of Behavioral Design and uses real-life examples to illustrate what influences behavior change and the common biases that get in the way of building successful products. She also explains how to keep users engaged and how you can implement behavioral design research to drive innovation and growth. — Find the full transcript here : https://www.lennyspodcast.com/using-behavioral-science-to-improve-your-product-kristen-berman-irrational-labs/#transcript — Where to find Kristen Berman: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/bermster • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenberman/ • Website: https://irrationallabs.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Whimsical: https://whimsical.com/lenny • Lenny’s Job Board: https://www.lennysjobs.com/talent — Referenced: Learn more behavioral science: • 3B Behavioral Design Framework https://miro.com/miroverse/3b-behavioral-design-framework • Irrational Labs newsletter, with latest BE and behavioral design insights: https://irrationallabs.com/newsletter/ • Join the Behavioral Design Online Bootcamp (use code “Lenny” for 10% off): https://behavioraleconomicsbootcamp.com/ • Get the
Thu, September 29, 2022
Customer-led growth | Georgiana Laudi (Forget The Funnel)
Georgiana Laudi is the co-founder and CEO of a consulting agency called Forget The Funnel, where she helps SaaS companies scale and improve conversion rates through customer-led growth. She’s also a marketing and growth advisor to companies like MarketerHire, SparkToro, and Sprout Social. Previously, she was the VP of Marketing at Unbounce and has worked in growth marketing for over 20 years. In today’s episode, Gia speaks about how to identify your ideal customer, how to map their user flows in order to find the biggest growth opportunities, and examples of product changes she’s recommended that have led to the largest growth unlocks. She shares the exact process she works through with founders to uncover opportunities, as well as how to increase subscriptions and retention for SaaS businesses. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/customer-led-growth-georgiana-laudi — Where to find Georgiana Laudi: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ggiiaa • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgianalaudi/ • Website: https://www.forgetthefunnel.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lenny • Maven: https://www.maven.com/lenny — Referenced: • How SaaS Marketers Can Hold High-Impact Customer Research Interviews: https://www.forgetthefunnel.com/resources/saas-customer-research-interviews • Jobs To Be Done: Email Invite Template & Interview Questions by Forget The Funnel: https://docs.google.com/document/d/183PzYjQi2vsIRlPMUrtzRwZF1VdnZWNDAZsrJ4MRT4Q/edit • The Growth Framework for Customer-Obsessed SaaS Teams: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forgetthefunnel
Sun, September 25, 2022
Growth tactics, retention strategies, and becoming a better writer | Julian Shapiro (Demand Curve, Hyper, Webflow, TechCrunch)
Julian Shapiro is widely known as the founder of Demand Curve, where he’s helped thousands of companies figure out their growth strategy. He also wrote the growth marketing column at TechCrunch, was CMO at Webflow, and even created an animation engine called Velocity that’s now used in apps like Uber and WhatsApp. In today’s episode, Julian dives deep on product-led acquisition (PLA) and why he believes it’s the best way to grow your company. He shares specific marketing strategies for growth and retention and speaks about his framework for creating novel, engaging content, and how to choose topics for that content. He also discusses a framework called the Curiosity Faucet, inspired by prolific creators such as Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Taylor Swift, and Neil Gaiman, to help you unlock your own creativity. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/growth-tactics-retention-strategies-and-becoming-a-better-writer-julian-shapiro-demand-curve-hyper-webflow-techcrunch/#transcript — Where to find Julian Shapiro: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/Julian • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-shapiro/ • Website: https://www.julian.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Referenced: • Paul Graham’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulg • Julian’s guide on startup growth channels: https://www.julian.com/guide/startup/growth-channels • Topic selection: https://www.julian.com/guide/write/ideas • Product-led acquisition: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.julian.com/guide/
Sun, September 18, 2022
Building a meaningful career | Jason Shah (Airbnb, Amazon, Microsoft, Alchemy)
Jason Shah has led product teams at Amazon, Airbnb, Microsoft, and Yammer and currently leads the product team at Alchemy (one of the most important web3 infrastructure companies). In addition, he’s an advisor, investor, and two-time founder. In today’s episode, Jason discusses what it’s like to be a PM in web3, why his role at Amazon made such a big impact on his life and career, what makes a great leader, and how to hire well. He also shares his unique perspective on building a meaningful career and life. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-a-meaningful-career-jason — Where to find Jason Shah: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonyogeshshah • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonyogeshshah/ • Website: https://www.jasonshah.me/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Whimsical: https://whimsical.com/lenny • Coda: http://coda.io/lenny • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ — Referenced: • Creative Selection: Inside Apple’s Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs : https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Selection-Inside-Apples-Process/dp/1250194466 • Casey Winters on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-sell-your-ideas-and-rise-within#details • Jason Shah in Lenny’s newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/a-product-managers-guide-to-web3 • The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers : https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205 • Polygon: https://polygon.technology/ • Solana: https://solana.com/ • MoonPay: https://www.moonpay.com/ • The Vietnam War series by
Thu, September 15, 2022
When and how to invest in new acquisition channels | Adam Grenier (Uber, MasterClass)
Adam Grenier is the former Head of Growth Marketing and Innovation at Uber, where he helped build Uber’s growth infrastructure from the ground up. He is also the former VP of Product and Marketing at LambdaSchool, and former VP of Marketing at Masterclass. These days, Adam is a growth and marketing advisor to many companies, as well as a teacher through Reforge. In today’s episode, Adam shares how to determine whether a new channel is worth exploring, the rise of the growth CMO, and how improv classes can improve team bonding and create a more positive ‘yes’ culture. He also speaks candidly about his own struggles with burnout and depression and shares some incredible tools that have helped him along the way. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/when-to-invest-in-new-acquisition — Where to find Adam Grenier: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/AKGrenier • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akgrenier/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Whimsical: https://whimsical.com/lenny • Coda: http://coda.io/lenny • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ — Referenced: • OOT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-the-top_media_service • Grin: https://grin.co/ • Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers : https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-Marketing-High-Tech-Mainstream/dp/0060517123 • Hacking Marketing: Agile Practices to Make Marketing Smarter, Faster, and More Innovative : https://www.amazon.com/Hacking-Marketing-Practices-Smarter-Innovative/dp/1119183170 • Adam’s twitter thread about burnout: https://twitter.com/akgrenier/status/1285275433282359296 • Why Budd
Sun, September 11, 2022
How to build a powerful marketing machine | Emily Kramer (Asana, Carta, MKT1)
Emily Kramer led and built the marketing teams at Asana, Carta, Ticketfly, and Astro (acquired by Slack). These days, she’s the co-founder of MKT1, where she helps founders and marketers build and scale their marketing functions. Emily is also a well-respected angel investor and writes my favorite marketing newsletter ( MKT1 ). In today’s episode, she shares her insights on when to hire marketers, how to determine which type of marketing hire is best for your team, how to best work with marketing, and what red flags to look for. Emily shares actionable templates and some incredible frameworks that are sure to expand your marketing knowledge. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-build-a-powerful-marketing — Where to find Emily Kramer: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/emilykramer • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilykramer/ • MKT1 Newsletter: https://mkt1.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Lenny’s Job Board: https://www.lennysjobs.com/talent • Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lenny — Referenced: • Building an efficient marketing machine: the fuel & the engine: https://mkt1.substack.com/p/fuel-engine • The GACC Marketing Brief: https://mkt1.substack.com/p/the-gacc-marketing-brief-the-best • The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference : https://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624 • Crossing the Chasm : <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-3rd-Disr
Sun, September 04, 2022
The role of AI in product development | Ryan J. Salva (VP of Product at GitHub, Copilot)
Ryan J. Salva is the VP of Product at GitHub, where he led the incubation and launch of Copilot. Copilot uses OpenAI’s ML engine to suggest code and entire functions in real time, right from your editor, and is changing the way we build software. Ryan is an experienced developer and product manager, with over a decade of experience working for Microsoft before moving to lead the GitHub product team. In today’s episode, he shares how Copilot got its start, how it moved from prototype to live product, and how he structures R&D teams within larger companies. He also discusses the ethical questions surrounding AI use and how to build a successful product team, and shares the inside story of the development of Copilot. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-role-of-ai-in-new-product-development-ryan-j-salva-vp-of-product-at-github-copilot/#transcript — Where to find Ryan J. Salva: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryanjsalva • LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjsalva/ • Website: http://www.ryanjsalva.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lenny • Modern Treasury: https://www.moderntreasury.com/ — Referenced: • GitHub Copilot: https://github.com/features/copilot • Make It So: Interaction Design Lessons from Science Fiction : https://www.amazon.com/Make-So-Interaction-Lessons-Science/dp/1933820985 • Brief Interviews with Hideous Men : https://www.amazon.com/Brief-Interviews-Hideous-Foster-Wallace/dp/0316925195 </p
Thu, September 01, 2022
How to grow a subscription business | Yuriy Timen (Grammarly, Canva, Airtable)
Yuriy Timen was Global Head of Marketing and Growth at Grammarly, and is now a full-time growth advisor, having worked with more than a dozen companies, including Canva, Airtable, Whimsical, Otter.ai, Oyster, Flo Health, and Clay. In today’s episode, Yuriy discusses the ever-changing world of growth, emerging growth tactics, and how to find your growth engine. You’ll learn the most effective strategies for driving user acquisition, how to balance and diversify organic and paid channels, when it’s time to change plans, how to vet new growth channel opportunities, and much more.— Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/transform-your-subscription-growth — Where to find Yuriy Timen: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuriytimen/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/thetimenator — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Modern Treasury: https://www.moderntreasury.com/ • Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Referenced: • Casey Winters: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseywinters/ • Elena Verna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaverna/ • Lyka Pet Food: https://lyka.com.au/ • Ethan Smith’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanls/ • Graphite: https://www.graphitehq.com/ • Recast: https://getrecast.com/ • Measured: https://www.measured.com/ • INCRMNTAL: https://www.incrmntal.com/ • Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less : https://www.amazon.com/Essentialism-Disciplined-Pursuit-Greg-McKeown/dp/0804137382/ • Man’s Search fo
Sun, August 28, 2022
Persuasive communication and managing up | Wes Kao (Maven, Seth Godin, Section4)
Wes Kao has worked with Seth Godin (where she co-founded the altMBA and served as executive director), David Perell on his Write of Passage course, Professor Scott Galloway on Section4, and Morning Brew . Currently, she’s the co-founder of Maven, a cohort-based learning platform where I taught my own course. Wes is passionate about telling stories that stay true to the creator’s intentions while keeping your audience listening. In today’s episode, you will learn how to use state changes to keep your audience engaged, how to communicate more clearly by focusing on the how more than the why, how to manage up for success, and how to communicate your priorities to set a boundary. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/persuasive-communication-and-managing-up-wes-kao-maven-seth-godin-section4/#transcription — Where to find Wes Kao: • Website: https://www.weskao.com/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/wes_kao • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weskao/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Modern Treasury: https://www.moderntreasury.com/ • Berbix: https://www.berbix.com/start • Makelog: https://www.makelog.com/lenny — Referenced: • The Super Specific How: How to make your cohort-based course more rigorous: https://www.weskao.com/blog/super-specific-how • It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences: A Writer’s Guide to Crafting Killer Sentences : https://www.amazon.com/Was-Best-Sentences-Worst-Crafting/dp/158008740X • Guide to Better Business Writing (HBR Guide Series): https://www.amazon.com/HBR-Guide-Better-Busin
Sun, August 21, 2022
The nature of product | Marty Cagan, Silicon Valley Product Group
What are common diseases of product teams, and how do you avoid them? Why should you focus less on problem discovery and more on solution discovery? How do you maintain your product mojo? After working as a product leader for over 20 years, Marty Cagan started Silicon Valley Product Group to help product teams operate at a higher level. In this conversation, Marty shares what Steve Jobs can teach you about building product, how to structure your teams for innovation, how to improve your product culture, which trends in PM to ignore, and much more. After this, you’ll never think about building teams the same way. Join us. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-nature-of-product-marty-cagan-silicon-valley-product-group/#transcript — Where to find Marty Cagan: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cagan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagan/ • SVPG: https://www.svpg.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Whimsical: https://whimsical.com/lenny • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Modern Treasury: https://www.moderntreasury.com/ — Referenced: • The Nature of Product: https://www.svpg.com/the-nature-of-product/ • Devolving From Good To Bad: https://www.svpg.com/devolving-from-good-to-bad/ • Shreyas Doshi: https://twitter.com/shreyas • The Lost Interview: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Lost-Interview/dp/B01IJD1BES • Continuous Discovery Habits: Discover Products that Create Customer Value and Business Value by Theresa Torres: https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Discovery-Habits-Discover-Products/dp/1736633309 • Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp: https://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Solve-Problems-Test-Ideas/dp/1442397683 • Patrick Collison on User Research: https://twitter.com/patrickc/status/1443215022029619200 — In this episode, we cover: [03:46] The biggest misconceptions about what a good product team does and looks like [07:49] The qualities that separate the best product teams [16:20] The downfall of innovation in great product teams [17:43] The gap between the best and the rest [19:23] The pitfalls product teams can fall into [27:46] The role of user research in building a great product [35:26] What individual contributors can do to shift product culture [41:04] How PMs can set themselves up for success when trying to change product culture [44:06] How product management is changing [55:33] The pitfalls Marty warns to watch out for in product management — Production and marketing: https://penname.co/ Get full
Thu, August 18, 2022
The art of building legendary brands | Arielle Jackson (Google, Square, Marketer in Residence at First Round Capital)
What makes a great brand? After working at Google and Square, Arielle Jackson has spent the past eight years consulting startups on how to create powerful messaging that works. In this jam-packed episode, she shares how to pick a winning name for your company, create a brand purpose that excites your team and customers, and position your company and its products for success. You don’t want to miss this one! — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-art-of-building-legendary-brands — Where to find Arielle Jackson: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/hiiamarielle • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariellerjackson/ • Course: https://maven.com/arielle/startupbrandstrategy — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Unit: https://unit.co/lenny • Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lenny — Referenced: • Positioning Your Startup Is Vital—Here’s How to Nail It: https://review.firstround.com/Positioning-Your-Startup-is-Vital-Heres-How-to-Do-It-Right • Three Moves Every Startup Founder Must Make to Build a Brand That Matters: https://review.firstround.com/three-moves-every-startup-founder-must-make-to-build-a-brand-that-matters • What I Learned from Developing Branding for Airbnb, Dropbox, and Thumbtack: https://review.firstround.com/what-i-learned-from-developing-branding-for-airbnb-dropbox-and-thumbtack • Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind : <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Positio
Sun, August 14, 2022
The rituals of great teams | Shishir Mehrotra of Coda, YouTube, Microsoft
Shishir Mehrotra is the co-founder and CEO of Coda, and formerly head of product and engineering at YouTube. In this episode, he shares his insights on growth strategy, how he evaluates talent, a peek at his upcoming book The Rituals of Great Team s, why reference checks are the most important step in the interview process, and so much more. Join us. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-rituals-of-great-teams-shishir-mehrotra-coda-youtube-microsoft/#transcript — Where to find Shishir Mehrotra: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/shishirmehrotra • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shishirmehrotra/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Coda: http://coda.io/lenny • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Referenced: • The Rituals of Great Teams Braintrust: https://coda.io/@shishir/join-the-rituals-of-great-teams-braintrust • Bing Gordon: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/people/bing-gordon/ • Switch by Chip Heath and Dan Heath: https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Change-Things-When-Hard/dp/0385528752 • PSHE diagram: https://coda.io/@shishir/pshe • Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/1627652736 • Only Murders in the Building : https://www.hulu.com/series/only-murders-in-the-building-ef31c
Sun, August 07, 2022
How to launch and grow your product | Ryan Hoover of Product Hunt and Weekend Fund
Thousands of new products launch each year, but very few make it. Ryan Hoover has seen thousands of products launched over the course of his time running Product Hunt, and through his investing, and in this episode you’ll hear what Ryan has learned about launching products, growing products, and raising capital. Plus, we play a made up game called “What would you rather upvote?” Join us. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-launch-and-grow-your-product-ryan-hoover-of-product-hunt-and-weekend-fund/#transcript — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • RevenueCat: https://www.revenuecat.com/ • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Lenny’s Giveaway Bonanza: https://lennyspodcast.com/bonanza — Where to find Ryan Hoover: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/rrhoover • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanrhoover/ • Website: https://www.ryanhoover.me/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: [03:23] On being a tech celebrity [09:02] Using Twitter DM’s as a content machine [11:15] The questions most founders ask [14:48] When should you start a company? [18:28] Would Ryan raise money for Product Hunt if he could do it again? [21:48] When should companies launch products? [24:52] What makes a launch successful versus not? [26:27] How to get to the top of Product Hunt [30:01] What skill is most helpful for moving into investing and venture capital? [31:39] What Ryan would do differently if he could re-build Product Hunt [38:57] What matters most in life [43:13] Which ideas Ryan would upvote [48:05] What founders of consumer companies do to succeed [55:33] Deciding to serve a niche or broad market [58:03] The surprising parts of angel investing [1:02:12] Advice for folks wanting to get into angel investing Get full access t
Thu, August 04, 2022
How to own your career growth and become a powerful product leader | Deb Liu, Ancestry (ex-Facebook, PayPal)
Do you put as much time into your career planning as you do into your product planning? Deb Liu has had an extraordinary career path, from Ebay and PayPal, to Facebook, and now Ancestry. She’s sat in on, mentored, and managed hundreds of product managers. In this episode, she shares poignant advice on how to intentionally find growth opportunities and drive your career forward. Join us. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-own-your-career-growth-and-become-a-powerful-product-leader-deb-liu-ancestry-ex-facebook-paypal/#transcript — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Makelog: https://www.makelog.com/lenny — Where to find Deb Liu: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/debliu_ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahliu/ • Substack: https://debliu.substack.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • Take Back Your Power: 10 New Rules for Women at Work (Deb’s Book): https://www.amazon.com/Take-Back-Your-Power-Rules/dp/031036485X • How To Change Your Life Through Resolutions: https://debliu.substack.com/p/resolve-to-progress — In this episode, we cover: [04:32] What it was like when eBay acquired PayPal [07:31] Quirky culture clashes as the companies merged [09:46] How incentives drive employee behavior [14:43] How Deb took on a product management role at a young age [17:51] PayPal’s hiring strategy for early growth [20:03] How to succeed as an introverted leader [25:29] What sets successful Product Managers apart from one’s who plateau [27:09] Specific tactics for unlocking growth in your Pr
Sun, July 31, 2022
How to scrappily hire for, measure, and unlock growth | Crystal Widjaja, Gojek and Kumu
You don’t need lots of employees to achieve impressive growth—but you do need a unique approach to hiring and structuring your team, and accurately measuring your growth efforts. Crystal Widjaja has used scrappy tactics to unlock massive success for Gojek (a wildly successful ride-share app in South East Asia) and is currently the Chief Product Officer at Kumu. In this episode, she shares the exact strategies she’s used as a product leader to hack growth, hire the best, and perfect data collection. Join us. Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny • Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-hire-for-measure-and-unlock — Where to find Crystal: • Website: https://www.crissyw.com/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/crystalwidjaja • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalwidjaja/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • Generation Girl: https://www.generationgirl.org/ • Experiment Design Question Example: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tSrEGpvg19OMKrRg45HGvsZBGz8BkeVc/edit#gid=1841057518 — In this episode, we cover: [00:00] Crystal’s path to product [09:40] How Crystal decided to join a risky startup [11:31] Why haven't super apps emerged in the U.S.? [13:15] What startups in the U.S. can learn from companies in Asia [16:35] How to get intentionally scrappier in your organization [18:28] How to get and utilize scrappy and small data sets [21:26] How to increase retention [22:28] What does and doesn't work in growth? [25:01] The conversion rates Crytsal looks for to determine viability and success [28:03] How founders should th
Thu, July 28, 2022
How to create a winning product strategy | Melissa Perri
Every company wants to develop a winning strategy—but what are signs your strategy isn’t working, and how do you change course? Melissa Perri has worked trained PMs and product leaders at nearly all the Fortune 100 companies, and in this conversation shares how to reset a struggling strategy, align your team, and build winning strategy. Join us. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.podpage.com/lennys-podcast/how-to-create-a-winning-product-strategy-melissa-perri/#transcript — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • RevenueCat: https://www.revenuecat.com/ • Makelog: https://www.makelog.com/lenny — Where to find Melissa: • Website: https://melissaperri.com/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lissijean • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissajeanperri/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Referenced: • Melissa’s Book: https://melissaperri.com/book — In this episode, we cover: [00:00] What to expect with guest Melissa Perri [02:57] Melissa’s incredibly vast experience working with product manager’s [04:20] Melissa’s current focus: training and education of PM’s [05:59] The most common problems that product teams face [09:48] When to hire your first CPO [14:27] What to do before hiring a CPO [16:16] When to bring an interim CPO consultant like Melissa [21:26] Signs your team doesn’t have a strategy [22:59] Identifying your vision, strategy and intentions as a company [27:48] Signs you’re doing a bad job as a PM [30:30] The process of defining strategic visions [33:28] How to hone your craft as a PM [43:55] Melissa’s Book — Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value [48:43] How to avoid burnout [52:19] Where to find Melissa Get full ac
Sun, July 24, 2022
How to unlock your product leadership skills | Ken Norton, Ex-Google
Advancing as a product leader requires new skills and a new mindset. Ken Norton is an executive coach who works with some of the top people in product to help them get unstuck and find creativity again in their approach to problems and their careers. After 14 years as a Product Manager at Google, Ken brings deep experience in leadership and shares with us the lessons he most often offers his clients to unlock growth. Join us. Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Lenny’s Job Board: https://www.lennysjobs.com/talent • Unit: https://unit.co/lenny — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-unlock-your-product-leadership — Where to find Ken Norton: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/kennethn • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethnorton/ • Product Leadership Coaching: https://www.bringthedonuts.com/coaching/ — Where to find Lenny: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — Books and Resources Recommended By Ken: • Dare To Lead by Brene Brown • 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership • Mastering Leadership by Bob Anderson • Immunity to Change by Robert Kegan • Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome • Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen — In this episode, learn: [00:00] What to expect in this episode with Ken Norton[03:10] Why Ken will never get tired of donuts[05:05] Ken’s career path and what he does with executive coaching now[08:00] What Ken learned from his own executive coach[12:02] Driving a car and the metaphor of learning a new skill[16:20] How Ken’s helping leaders shift their mindset[19:41] Creative vs reactive leadership mindset[22
Thu, July 21, 2022
How to sell your ideas and rise within your company | Casey Winters, Eventbrite
The people who rise fastest in product know how to sell their ideas to customers, and also to their coworkers. Casey Winters, the Chief Product Officer at Eventbrite (previously at Grubhub, Pinterest, and advisor to dozens of companies) shares what it takes to be successful as you rise in the ranks within product. In this episode we’ll talk about how to land presentations, how to win over executives with strategic communication, the skill sets that are most in demand in product, and new growth trends. Join us. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.podpage.com/lennys-podcast/how-to-sell-your-ideas-and-rise-within-your-company-casey-winters-eventbrite/#transcript — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Coda: http://coda.io/lenny • Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/startups • Whimsical: https://whimsical.com/lenny — Where to find Casey Winters: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/onecaseman • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseywinters/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, learn: [00:00] What to expect in this episode with Casey Winters [03:23] An overview of Casey’s career [06:18] A look into the most-fulfilling and challenging roles Casey has energized [06:50] Communicating upward [11:18] How to derisk meetings [13:53] Are you properly preparing for your meetings? [19:09] Striving for perceived simplicity [24:22] Justifying non-sexy product improvements [27:47] Protecting what you’ve built vs continuously scaling [31:03] The downfall of functional ops roles [35:21] The CPO role: what it is and how to get there [40:44] The spectrum of product people [45:11] How to level up your skills [47:01] New growth trends, tactics, and strategies [50:32] Casey’s two stages of growth: kindle strategies and fire strategies [51:51] Under appreciated growth strategies [54:02] Where to find Casey Get full acce
Mon, July 18, 2022
Nickey Skarstad (Airbnb, Etsy, Shopify, Duolingo) on translating vision into goals, operationalizing product quality, second-order decisions, brainstorming, influence, and much more
Nickey Skarstad is a Director of Product Management at Duolingo, where she is leading a stealth 0 → 1 product. Prior to Duolingo, she was VP of Product at The Wing, Product Lead at Airbnb, where she led much of the Experiences product team, Product Lead at Shopify, and Director of Product Management at Etsy. — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/startups • Dovetail: https://dovetailapp.com/lenny • Unit: https://unit.co/lenny — In this episode: [3:32] An overview of Nickey’s career [7:39] What she learned from building product at Airbnb [8:42] How to maintain and operationalize product quality [9:44] Metrics that help you maintain quality [20:08] Which company has most informed her product development approach [21:57] How to structure your product org [24:47] Should you go GM vs. functional [27:18] How you set vision, translate that into goals, and then execute on it [32:30] Brainstorming advice [35:04] How to use OKRs effectively [37:57] How to get better at influence as a PM [41:23] How to know if a decision is a one-way or two-way door [42:29] Second-order decisions, and second-order thinking [46:35] Operationalizing principles [47:17] Getting your team on board with your strategy [49:39] Designing a product review meeting [54:08] Tips for working remotely as a PM [56:44] Lightning round — Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/nickey-skarstad-airbnb-etsy-shopify — Where to find Nickey: • Newsletter: https://nickey.substack.com/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nickeyskarstad • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickeyskarstad/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickeySkarstad — Referenced: • Thinking in Systems by Donella H. Meadows • Anne Helen Petersen • Superhuman • <a target="_blank" href="https://www.loom.com/"
Thu, July 14, 2022
Manik Gupta (ex-CPO Uber, Google Maps) on how to build consumer apps, why it’s useful to be optimistic about technology, creating inflections in your PM career, the changing CPO role, and more
Manik Gupta has led two of the most successful consumer products in history—Google Maps, where he was Director of product for the Maps team, and Uber, where he was CPO. After leaving Uber, he spent some time working on a product to help people avoid getting COVID called CVKey, and most recently he took on a role at Microsoft as Corporate Vice President leading many of their consumer efforts. — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/startups • Coda: http://coda.io/lenny • Unit: https://unit.co/lenny — In this episode, we cover: [3:55] Patterns for career success [7:19] Why it’s valuable to be optimistic about technology [13:54] Challenges and mistakes through Manik’s career [17:28] How you learn the most about yourself through challenges [20:25] What Manik’s learned about building successful consumer apps [26:18] The importance of company-product fit [30:02] “The consumer stack”—what your company needs to have in place to build a successful consumer product [36:22] The path from PM to CPO [39:19] Evolution of CPO role [44:40] What leads to promotions in a PM career [47:58] What creates inflections in one’s PM career [52:05] How PMs shoot themselves in the foot [55:05] What it’s like to work at Google vs. Uber vs. Microsoft [1:01:35] What he wished he built into Google Maps — Where to find Manik: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manikg/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/manikgupta Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Mon, July 11, 2022
Merci Grace (ex-Head of Growth at Slack) on PLG, interviewing, storytelling, building a diverse team, hiring salespeople, building a growth team, and much more
Merci Grace has been a founder, an investor (at Lightspeed Ventures), head of product and growth (at Slack), and is now a founder again (Panobi). She’s also one of the co-founders of Women in Product, and Fast Company named her one of the Most Creative People in 2017. — Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible: • Dovetail: https://dovetailapp.com/lenny • Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/startups • Whimsical: https://whimsical.com/lenny — In this episode, we cover: [3:41] Merci’s path to Head of Product and Growth at Slack [4:42] What Merci learned from being a VC that helps her be a better founder [6:50] How to tell a compelling story [9:43] What most people don’t know about Slack [10:27] Why Slack hasn’t created a consumer/social product [15:14] How Slack innovated the PLG motion [17:14] Slack’s early growth strategy [19:57] Slack’s activation point [22:10] Why it’s important to find connectors within a company [26:40] Lessons from optimizing Slack’s onboarding flow [32:12] Most common mistakes in going PLG [35:56] Signs you can go PLG [38:10] PLG vs. bottom-up [40:23] Importance of day-zero value in your tool [42:17] When to bring in your first salesperson [44:47] How to hire amazing people [50:21] Storytelling and Slack’s culture [51:04] How and when to build a growth team [52:08] How to build a more diverse team — Where to find Merci: • Panobi: https://panobi.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merci/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/merci • Website: https://mercigrace.co/ • Women in Product: https://www.womenpm.org/ Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Tue, July 05, 2022
Sanchan Saxena (VP of Product at Coinbase) on the inside story of how Airbnb made it through Covid; what he’s learned from Brian Chesky, Brian Armstrong, and Kevin Systrom; much more
Sanchan Saxena is VP of Product at Coinbase. Before Coinbase, Sanchan was Head of Product and GM at Airbnb, founder and Head of Product of Instagram Shopping, Director of Product Management at Yahoo, and Lead PM at Microsoft. — Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible: • Dovetail: https://dovetailapp.com/lenny • Persona: https://withpersona.com/lenny • Productboard: https://www.productboard.com/ — In this episode, you’ll learn: [3:50] How Sanchan worked his way up to VP of Product at Coinbase [6:15] Sanchan’s best advice to early-stage PMs [9:41] What to look for in a company to join [12:09] What Sanchan learned from Airbnb [16:40] Behind the scenes of how Airbnb survived the Covid downturn when travel completely stopped [21:49] How Airbnb tactically planned in two-week cycles [25:00] How to keep morale up during a disaster [29:00] What Sanchan learned from Brian Chesky, Brian Armstrong, and Kevin Systrom [36:08] How to know when to trust your gut vs. A/B testing [41:57] How Coinbase makes decisions [46:30] How teams use the RAPID decision-making process [47:00] How to operate in an ambiguous industry like web3 [49:00] How to know if you should get into web3 [51:46] How to hire and close amazing candidates [54:40] What to look for in product leaders [57:13] Lightning round — Where to find Sanchan: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanchans/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/sanchans Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Thu, June 30, 2022
Teresa Torres on how to interview customers, automating continuous discovery, the opportunity solution tree framework, making the case for user research, common interviewing mistakes, and much more
Teresa Torres is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and coach. She teaches a structured and sustainable system for continuous discovery that helps product teams infuse their daily product decisions with customer input. She’s coached hundreds of teams at companies of all sizes, from early-stage startups to global enterprises, in a variety of industries. She has taught over 11,000 product people discovery skills through the Product Talk Academy and hundreds through her coaching practice, and is the author of Continuous Discovery Habits . — Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible: • Persona: https://withpersona.com/lenny • Dovetail: https://dovetailapp.com/lenny • Stytch: https://stytch.com/ — In this episode, we cover: [3:37] How Teresa is in the top 5 people in the world who’s helped the most PMs. [5:25] What is the “opportunity solution tree framework”? [8:19] What’s an example of an opportunity solution tree, for Netflix? [14:17] Why do we usually approach opportunity finding wrong? [18:10] What should you do if your company is a feature factory? [21:00] What is continuous discovery, and why is it so important? [23:13] What do you do if your leaders tell you there’s no time for user research? [25:55] How can you automate weekly conversations with customers? [29:04] How do you stay unbiased as a PM about a potential solution? [31:23] Should a PM have more say over other functions? [35:33] What are Teresa’s best tips for how to interview customers? [39:57] What’s the most common mistake people make while interviewing customers? [40:25] How does discovery change as your company grows? [43:27] When should you do user research and when should you run an experiment? — Where to find Teresa: • Product Talk: https://www.producttalk.org/ • Opportunity solution tree: https://www.producttalk.org/opportunity-solution-tree/ • Continuous Discovery Habits : https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Discovery-Habits-Discover-Products/dp/1736633309 • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresatorres/ • Twitter: <a target="_blank" href="https://twitte
Mon, June 27, 2022
Brandon Chu on building product at Shopify, how writing changed the trajectory of his career, the habits that make you a great PM, pros and cons of being a platform PM, how Shopify got through Covid
Brandon Chu is VP of Product at Shopify, where he leads the app platform ecosystem, new initiatives group, and M&A investments. Brandon helped scale Shopify’s PM team from five to hundreds, and worked his way up from an IC Senior PM. Prior to Shopify, he was a Director of PM at FreshBooks and, before that, a founder. Brandon might be best known for his writing on the art and science of product management as part of a collection on Medium he calls “The Black Box of Product Management.” — Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible: • Stytch: https://stytch.com/ • Persona: https://withpersona.com/lenny • PostHog: https://posthog.com/lenny — In this episode, we cover: 1) Brandon’s path to VP of Product at Shopify. 2) What has Brandon found to be the most important skill set for super-successful PMs? 3) What is it like to build product at Shopify? 4) How did Shopify adjust after the shock to e-commerce during Covid? 5) How did Shopify build a one-click team offsite flight/hotel/activity booking platform? 6) How did Brandon motivate himself to start, and keep, writing? 7) As a PM, why is writing one of the highest-ROI uses of your time? 8) What’s Brandon’s favorite piece of writing? 9) What are the biggest surprises, pros, and cons about being a platform PM? — Where to find Brandon: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/brandonmchu • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonmchu/ • Brandon’s writing: https://blackboxofpm.com/ • Making Good Decisions as a Product Manager: https://blackboxofpm.com/making-good-decisions-as-a-product-manager-c66ddacc9e2b Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Thu, June 23, 2022
Elena Verna on how B2B growth is changing, product-led growth, product-led sales, why you should go freemium not trial, what features to make free, and much more
Elena Verna has led growth at some of today’s most successful B2B businesses, including Miro as CMO, Surveymonkey as SVP of Growth, and now at Amplitude as interim Head of Growth. She’s also worked closely with over a dozen companies on growth and product strategy, including companies like MongoDB, Clockwise, and Netlify (where she sits on the board of directors). Elena is undoubtedly one of the smartest people on growth strategy in the world. — Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible: • Persona: https://withpersona.com/lenny • Stytch: https://stytch.com/ • PostHog: https://posthog.com/lenny — In this episode, we cover: 1) How did Elena go from an analyst at Safeway to Head of Product at Amplitude? 2) What’s changing in B2B growth? 3) What exactly is “product-led growth,” and how can you apply it at every stage of growth? 4) How is PLG already transforming itself? 5) Why do you need to be both product-led and sales-led? 6) Why does PLG often get crushed when you move upmarket, and how do you avoid this? 7) What it looks like when your PLG motion is dying. 8) Why product-led is the future of sales. 9) Why is freemium the way to go, over trial? 10) Why should you hire internally for your first growth hire? — Where to find Elena: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaverna • Twitter: https://twitter.com/elenaverna Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Mon, June 20, 2022
Gibson Biddle on his DHM product strategy framework, GEM roadmap prioritization framework, 5 Netflix strategy mini case studies, building a personal board of directors, and much more
Before getting into teaching full-time, Gibson Biddle was VP of Product at Netflix and CPO at Chegg (a textbook rental and homework help company). He now spends his days speaking, writing, and hosting workshops on product leadership, strategy, and culture. There are very few people in the world who’ve worked with, and had an impact on, more product managers. — Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible: • Flatfile: flatfile.com/lenny • Coda: coda.io/lenny • PostHog: posthog.com/lenny — In this episode, we cover: 1) Gibson’s career path to VP of Product at Netflix, CPO at Chegg, and eventually teaching full-time. 2) The DHM model: The 3 factors of a product strategy for consumer companies, how you can apply it to your product strategy, and how Gibson used this model for decisions made at Netflix. 3) Five mini case studies of the DHM model that could be applied to Netflix’s strategy. 4) The GEM prioritization model: What are the 3 areas a company can optimize on? What is the fundamental misalignment that destroys startups? 5) How could you start building your product strategy muscle, even when you’re only two weeks into your new role? 6) Building your personal board of directors. 7) What does it take to become a CPO someday? 8) What specifics in a daily routine separate a good product manager from a great product manager? 9) What’s the one piece of advice Gibson has for product managers in their early career? — Where to find Gibson: • Ask Gib Product Newsletter: https://askgib.substack.com/ • Gibson’s baby website: www.gibsonbiddle.com • Intro to product strategy: https://gibsonbiddle.medium.com/intro-to-product-strategy-60bdf72b17e3 Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Thu, June 16, 2022
Jackie Bavaro on getting better at product strategy, what exactly is strategy, PM pitfalls to avoid, advancing your career, getting into management, and much more
Jackie Bavaro is the author of the best-selling books Cracking the PM Interview and Cracking the PM Career . She was most recently at Asana, where she joined as its first product manager and later became the head of product. Earlier in her career, Jackie was a PM at Google and Microsoft, where she worked on high-impact products such as Google Search and Microsoft SharePoint. In this episode, we cover: 1. How did Jackie become head of product at Asana? Start writing the best-selling PM books on interviews and the career ladder? 2. How and why to find a product coach. 3. What are the downsides of being a manager? How do you know if you want to go into management? 4. Can you stay an IC vs. becoming a manager? 5. What is “strategy”? What are the 3 components of a strategy? 6. What makes a good/bad strategy? 7. What are some ways to get better at strategy? 8. When should you start to invest in building your strategy muscle? 9. What are signs that your strategy is off? 10. What’s Jackie’s best piece of career advice? 11. Why is it smart to join a big company? 12. What are some of the most common mistakes PMs make early in their career? 13. What is the one thing Jackie thinks every PM should do regardless of their level? Where to find Jackie: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackiebo - Books: Cracking the PM Interview and Cracking the PM Career : https://amzn.to/3If6X9U - Medium: https://jackiebo.medium.com References: - Jackie’s book rec: Getting Things Done , by David Allen - Current favorite app, Paprika: https://www.paprikaapp.com - Favorite Twitter: https://twitter.com/hels - PEARL framework: https://jackiebo.medium.com/interview-tips-for-senior-pms-2424f7b7c967 - Eigenquestions: https://coda.io/@shishir/eigenquestions-the-art-of-framing-problems Thank you to our amazing sponsors: * Flatfile: www.flatfile.com/lenny * Amplitude: www.amplitude.com * PostHog: www.posthog.com/lenny Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at <a href="https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_
Mon, June 13, 2022
Gokul Rajaram on designing your product development process, when and how to hire your first PM, a playbook for hiring leaders, getting ahead in you career, how to get started angel investing, more
Gokul Rajaram serves on the executive team at DoorDash, where he leads the Caviar product line. Previously he worked at Square, where he was also on the executive team and led a number of key product lines, and as a product director at Facebook, where he helped the company transition its advertising business to become mobile-first. Earlier in his career, Gokul was a product director for Google AdSense, where he helped launch the product and grow it into a substantial portion of Google’s business. Gokul also serves on the boards of Coinbase, Pinterest, and The Trade Desk and is a prolific angel investor, having invested in companies like Airtable, Khatabook, and 100+ more. In this episode, you will learn: 1. How to navigate your next career - What should you focus on in order to improve your optionality? - What should you consider as you look for your next career adventure? - Why join winners in a space? - Why should people entering the workforce join mid-stage companies? - Why there are many paths to success. 2. How to build a product development process at early-stage companies - What does the best product development process typically look like at different company stages? - What are some common pitfalls when building these processes? 3. Hiring PMs - When should you hire your first PM? What should you look for? - When should you wait longer to hire a PM? - What’s the number one secret for hiring a product leader, regardless of industry? - How much time should you allocate for hiring as a founder? - How might job titles impact your company’s work culture? 4. How to start angel investing - How did Gokul start investing in startups? What would he have done differently? - What does he look for in a startup pitch? - How much time should you spend as a part-time investor? - How do you find deals as a new investor? Where to find Gokul: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/gokulr References: - Gokul’s current favorite app, Coinbase Wallet: https://www.coinbase.com/wallet - Favorite book, Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works : https://rogerlmartin.com/lets-read/playing-to-win - TED talk: TEDxConcordia - Lenny Rachitsky - Losing Serendipity — Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Flatfile: <a
Thu, June 09, 2022
April Dunford on product positioning, segmentation, and optimizing your sales process
April Dunford is the author of the best-selling book Obviously Awesome , a definitive guide to product positioning. She spent 25 years leading marketing, product, and sales teams and now runs her own consulting firm, helping companies of all shapes and sizes nail their positioning. April has worked hands-on with over 200 companies on positioning, including Google, IBM, Postman, and Epic Games. In today’s episode, you’ll learn: 1. How does April define positioning? 2. How do you assess if your product’s positioning is weak? And strong? 3. What are some examples of great products with weak positioning? 4. What are the essential five steps to figuring out your product’s positioning? 5. What is the difference between positioning vs. messaging vs. branding? 6. What’s the difference between segmentation and persona? 7. When should you bring in a professional? 8. Is it essential for a company to always figure out a differentiator and be different? 9. How does this concept help you nail sales for enterprise software? Where to find April: Website: https://aprildunford.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford Book: Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It April’s guest post: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/positioning — Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible: • Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ • Flatfile: https://flatfile.com/Lenny • Productboard: https://Productboard.com/ Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Tue, June 07, 2022
Shreyas Doshi on pre-mortems, the LNO framework, the three levels of product work, why most execution problems are strategy problems, and ROI vs. opportunity cost thinking
Shreyas Doshi is a treasure trove of knowledge and tactical insights on product, strategy, psychology, leadership, and life. Over the course of his career, he’s PM’d at Google, Twitter, Yahoo, and Stripe, where he joined as its fourth product manager, later becoming Stripe’s first PM manager and helping define and grow its product management function (from ~5 to more than 50 people). Since leaving Stripe, Shreyas has amassed a huge Twitter following in large part thanks to consistent sharing of high-quality insights on the art of product management. — Find the full transcript here: https://www.podpage.com/lennys-podcast/shreyas-doshi-on-pre-mortems-the-lno-framework-the-three-levels-of-product-work-why-most-executio/#transcript — In this episode, we’ll explore five big ideas from Shreyas Doshi: 1) How to predict and prevent problems with pre-mortems * How did pre-mortem meetings impact the culture at Stripe? * What are the best practices in running a pre-mortem meeting? 2) How to prioritize your time with the LNO framework * What is the LNO framework? How did it change the way Shreyas went about his day? * What is the two-step tactic you can apply to overcome procrastination on important tasks? 3) The three levels of product work * What are the three levels of product work? Which level should you optimize for? * How might these product work levels cause conflict or influence your company culture? 4) Most execution problems are not really execution problems * What are the common types of problems hiding behind the execution label? * What are the two traits you need to identify a fake execution problem? 5) Why ROI thinking is detrimental to product planning * What is the pitfall of ROI thinking? * What is opportunity-cost thinking and how can you apply it? — References: * Coda template: https://coda.io/@shreyas/pre-mortems-how-a-stripe-product-manager-predicts-prevents-probl * Pre-mortems: https://twitter.com/shreyas/status/1221257568510603264 * LNO framework: https://twitter.com/shreyas/status/1492345184171945984 * Three levels of product work: https://twitter.com/shreyas/status/1370248637842812936 * Execution problems: https://twitter.com/shreyas/status/1427116991274307588 * Opportunity-cost thinking: https://twitter.com/shreyas/status/1409726218438549514 * High agency: https://twitter.com/shreyas/status/1276956836856393728 — Where to find Shreyas: * Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Tue, June 07, 2022
Julie Zhuo on accelerating your career, impostor syndrome, writing, building product sense, using intuition vs. data, hiring designers, and moving into management
Julie Zhuo is the co-founder of Sundial, a company that helps builders make meaningful use of data to fulfill their mission. With over 400K followers across social media, she is one of the most influential leaders in product design, and product thinking broadly. Julie started her career at Facebook as a product designer and eventually led teams of 100+ designers as the VP of Design. Her experience leading at Facebook motivated her to publish the Wall Street Journal best seller The Making of a Manager in 2019. On the side, Julie shared her thoughts on technology, design, and leadership in The Looking Glass, the blog that inspired Lenny’s Newsletter.— Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/episode-2-julie-zhuo — In this episode, you will learn about: 1) The making of a VP * How did Julie find her way to product design? * How did she navigate through impostor syndrome given the growing responsibilities as Facebook rapidly scaled? * What are the challenges she faces as she transitions from VP to founder? 2) The impact and habit of writing * What goals was Julie able to achieve through writing? * What did she do to build a habit of writing? * Does she think tweeting is better than blogging? 3) How to develop product sense and make better design decisions * What are the three tried-and-true steps to develop product sense? * When do you choose intuition over data? * What’s the secret to facilitating great product/design review meetings? 3) How to take your first steps into management * What can you do to unblock your path to become a manager? * What’s the must-know trick in competing for design talent? Where to find Julie: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-zhuo/ * Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/joulee * Sundial: sundial.so * Book: The Making of a Manager, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079WNPRL2/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1 * Substack: https://lg.substack.com/ * Medium: https://medium.com/the-year-of-the-looking-glass Our amazing sponsors: * Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ * Productboard: https://www.productboard.com/ * Sprig: https://sprig.com/lenny Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Sun, June 05, 2022
Welcome to my new podcast!
Welcome to the very first episode of Lenny’s Podcast! Every week, Lenny Rachitsky will interview world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover concrete, actionable, and tactical advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
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