Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Vision, conviction, and hype: How to build 0 to 1 inside a company | Mihika Kapoor (Product at Figma)

Apr 21, 2024

Mihika Kapoor, a design-engineer-PM hybrid at Figma and a former Meta product lead, shares her insights on launching new 0-to-1 products. She discusses crafting a compelling vision and the role of intuition in product management. Emphasizing vulnerability and feedback, she also delves into balancing strong opinions with collaboration. Kapoor highlights the significance of passion in team culture and the impact of AI on product development, encouraging adaptability and grace during pivots. Her experiences reflect a commitment to fostering innovation and a positive work environment.

01:40:40

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Mihika Kapoor

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Quick takeaways

Crafting a compelling vision is crucial for guiding team progress in product development cycles.

Developing strong conviction aids in navigating challenges and fostering collaboration within the team.

Building hype around a product involves creating forward momentum and inspiring confidence among team members and users.

Operationalizing insights and fostering a close relationship with sales are key for driving product development and user engagement.

Deep dives

Crafting a Compelling Vision with User Involvement

Creating a vision is crucial, anchoring the team's progress on it through the unpredictable product development cycle. Interact closely with users and team, ensuring a strong understanding of their needs for crafting a compelling vision. Utilize research insights, design prototypes, and engineering feasibility to iterate and communicate the vision effectively.

Cross-Pollination of Ideas in Crafting a Vision

01:26

Building Strong Conviction and Product Sense

02:56

Understanding Product Strategy Disagreements

01:10

The Keeper of the Flame

01:43

Intro

5min

Navigating the Path to Product Management

14min

Delivering Vision: Transforming Ideas into Reality with AI and Collaboration

3min

The Power of Conviction in Product Management

10min

Inspiring Vision and Team Engagement

19min

The Importance of Passion and Assumptions in Product Development

4min

Igniting Passion and Culture in Teams

12min

Embracing Adaptability in Design Innovation

23min

Cultivating Team Culture and Creativity

11min

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

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