Today’s episode of Next Gen Builders is all about trust. In a conversation that goes far beyond the surface of product design, Francois invites Alexis Baird, Head of Product Experience at Thumbtack, to explore the intricacies of creating digital products that not only meet but exceed the expectations of modern users—users who demand both convenience and authenticity.

Thumbtack is a digital marketplace where homeowners can match with skilled professionals to confidently and easily accomplish their honey-do lists. Alexis shares how the company prioritizes building trust by creating a holistic home maintenance platform, detailing that trust is earned by genuinely caring for user needs, even when it doesn’t immediately benefit the business. This approach has helped Thumbtack extend beyond just connecting users with professionals to supporting them as they tackle home tasks on their own.

Alexis highlights the importance of a beginner’s mindset and continuous learning in product management. Her liberal arts background enables her to synthesize diverse inputs and approach problems with fresh perspectives. For product managers, fostering seamless user experiences and empowering both homeowners and pros is crucial for long-term success and operational efficiency.

Finally, Alexis touches on leadership and team management, emphasizing the importance of personalized coaching and recognition. She believes in adapting management styles to individual team members' needs to create a positive work environment. By focusing on empathy and growth, product managers can build innovative products that truly meet user needs while fostering a thriving team culture.

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Guest Bio

Alexis has been working on products for the past 16 years, looking at the world through her customer's eyes, to build features that make a real impact for them. She is currently leading the experience teams at Thumbtack.

Before her current role, she spent almost three years at Lyft, leading the teams building the rider experience and later, Lyft Healthcare which included their concierge products.

She has also worked as a Senior and Group Product Manager at LinkedIn. She worked on the Talent Solutions, Content, Slideshare as well as LinkedIn Profiles and data product teams. Her first product position was as a PM for the Captions Metrics team at Microsoft Bing.

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Guest Quote

“We wanted to create a really holistic, all-in-one place that homeowners could go to care for their home, regardless of whether they decide to use a Thumbtack Pro or not. Maybe it doesn't directly serve our business, but we believe this is the right experience to create for customers. And ultimately that creates the right trust, that right long term relationship with customers.” – Alexis Baird

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Time Stamps

00:00 Episode Start

01:52 What is Thumbtack?

02:53 The unique path that led Alexis to Product

04:48 Having a learner's mindset

07:35 Serving the specific needs of each side of the business

11:21 Why home maintenance can feel so daunting

13:35 Building trust with your users digitally and physically

16:57 How Thumbtack superpowers local business

21:36 Measuring success

27:20 Alexis' Oh Shit Moment

32:31 Investing back in your employees

35:48 Alexis' most recent home project

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Links

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Benjamin Francis Leftwich (2024)