#17: In this episode, Axel chats with Rhiannon White, who's CPO at Clue, a female-founded, female-led period tracking and reproductive health app for women and people with cycles worldwide.

We cover the topic of driving product based on business and product outcomes, the importance of having a strong understanding of business model and how to leverage financial understanding to drive decision-making for growth.

Rhiannon has a wide range of experience from multiple industries across the globe. After four years working in politics, becoming Director of Communications and Research for former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, she then went on to work in the media field for companies including the BBC in London and Shazam in Silicon Valley, and more recently was the Chief Product Officer for Vend where she was part of the team that led the exit.

Where to find Rhiannon

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhiannon-white-5422a111

Where to find Axel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/axelsooriah/

About Panash

We provide training and coaching programs to help product professionals unlock their true potential and become high performers.

You can learn more about our programs here: https://www.panash.io/

Our blog contains articles and free resources on key topics for product managers and leaders.

Check it out here: https://collection.panash.io/

Referenced in this episode

Inspired by Marty Cagan: https://www.svpg.com/books/inspired-how-to-create-tech-products-customers-love-2nd-edition/
Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
The Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto: https://www.barbaraminto.com/concept.html
Of Strategies, Deliberate and Emergent by Henry Mintzberg: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2486186
McKinsey's Structure Performance Model: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/enduring-ideas-the-scp-framework
7 rules of power by Jeffrey Pfeffer: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/
Susan Colantuono on Career advice and Leadership: https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get/transcript

Show notes and highlights

(01:38) Rhiannon's background

(05:25) Vend's exit from the perspective of product

(07:08) You need to have a BFF in Finance

(10:03) How do you evaluate product folks have the right skills

(12:22) How does clarity on business outcomes help in solving the right problems

(17:43) Do you align squads with product outcomes and if so, how?

(21:13) P&L is revealed strategy

(23:47) Rhiannon's learnings from working at Shazam, in the Valley

(27:40) You're not bringing enough insight

(34:05) Influence = engagement + gravitas

(35:30) The half-life of trust

(43:08) The dirty secret of management

(46:20) Rhiannon's Treasure Chest

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