Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

An operator’s guide to product strategy | Chandra Janakiraman (CPO at VRChat, ex-Meta, Headspace, Zynga)

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Jan 26, 2025

Chandra Janakiraman, CPO at VRChat with a rich history at Meta and Headspace, shares his insights into effective product strategy. He breaks down his five-step process for developing a product strategy, emphasizing clarity and collaboration. Discover the significance of team alignment and how to transform problems into opportunities. Chandra also discusses the impact of AI on future product strategies and offers a personal anecdote from his time at Headspace that reshaped his approach to strategy. Tune in for a masterclass in strategic thinking!

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ANECDOTE

Headspace Strategy Impact

Chandra Janakiraman, upon joining Headspace, realized their team lacked a clear understanding of the product's direction.
Developing a product strategy led to a 4x subscriber boost and his promotion to CPO.

INSIGHT

Democratizing Strategy

A strategy "gene" isn't real; anyone can develop strategy skills.
Chandra aims to democratize strategy development with a repeatable process.

INSIGHT

Strategy's Position and Purpose

Product strategy sits between vision/mission and the roadmap.
It helps choose where to invest limited resources for the greatest impact.

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