Masterclass: Product Agencies by Mirela Mus | Founder at Product People, 12+ Years of PM Experience
Sep 13, 2024
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Mirela Mus, the founder and CPO of Product People, the largest Fractional Product Agency, shares her extensive experience in product management. She explores the evolution and rapid growth of product agencies, emphasizing their unique advantages over freelance work. Mirela highlights the importance of interim support during organizational changes and the value of structured collaboration. Additionally, she discusses how to effectively communicate with clients and leverage customer feedback, offering invaluable insights for those interested in fractional product roles.
Understanding the distinct roles of interim and fractional product work is vital for companies to address their unique challenges effectively.
Successful product agencies thrive by creating a strong referral network and positioning themselves to meet increasing demand for interim product management services.
Companies aiming for substantial product support should ideally engage with product agencies after achieving product market fit to ensure alignment with their needs.
Deep dives
The Importance of Product Market Fit
Finding product market fit is crucial for startup success, as 42% of startups fail due to this lack. It is emphasized that early founders with product experience can significantly reduce the risk of failure by ensuring that the product aligns with market needs. Additionally, understanding the cost structure of digital products can help companies maintain a healthy contribution margin; 80% of these costs come from personnel. This highlights the need for strategic hiring and operational efficiency in order to sustain profitability in the long term.
The Role of Product Agencies
Product agencies offer specialized interim product management services, addressing the needs of companies that require additional product expertise. Unlike traditional consulting firms that often bundle product recommendations with development services, product agencies focus solely on product management. This distinction sets them apart and allows them to cater specifically to businesses facing staffing challenges or transitional periods. By establishing a niche as the go-to agency for product management, these agencies can effectively support clients during critical moments.
Understanding Interim vs. Fractional Work
Interim and fractional product work serve different needs, though they can overlap in specific scenarios. Interim work typically involves temporary engagement in a full-time capacity, while fractional work is characterized by part-time commitments, often less than five days a week. Companies frequently seek interim support during major transitions, such as leadership changes or significant project demands, while fractional engagements may arise when immediate, but not permanent, assistance is needed. Understanding these distinctions helps clients determine the best approach for their unique challenges.
Scaling a Product Agency Successfully
The rapid growth of product agencies is often driven by a combination of market demand and strategic positioning. Agencies that successfully capitalize on the need for interim product management find a wealth of opportunities, particularly during volatile economic times. The tendency for past clients to move between companies, bringing the agency with them, has proven beneficial for continued growth and client acquisition. This reliance on past relationships creates a strong referral network, sustaining the momentum of the agency in a competitive landscape.
The Ideal Client Type for Agencies
Companies seeking to engage a product agency should ideally be at a post-product market fit stage, as this signifies a readiness for more substantial product support. Digital-first organizations that need specialized roles, such as a product manager stepping away temporarily, are prime candidates for these services. Additionally, agencies tend to avoid working with firms whose intentions may not align with promoting positive societal impacts, such as gambling companies. By focusing on clients with strong ethical foundations and clear goals, product agencies can ensure mutually beneficial partnerships.
As a PM, you must’ve wondered about working on new products every few months. Mirela had a similar story that inspired her to start a Product Agency for Interim Product Work.
In this episode, Mirela helps in breaking down everything about Interim and Fractional Product work, the Product Agency business and the key differences between working at such agencies compared to working as independent freelancers.
Mirela is the founder and CPO of Product People, the largest Fractional Product Agency. Mirela has 12+ years of Product Management experience at places such as WHO and Zalando.
In today’s episode, we cover:
Overview of Product Agency Market | 02:04
How did Product People Scale so Quickly? | 25:06
Working Fractionally Alone vs at an Agency | 32:15
How to Succeed at a Fractional Product Agency | 39:31
Who Should Hire a Fractional Product Agency | 48:13
Brought to you by:
Zeda.io: Discovery platform to turn your Voice of Customer into product insights