Product Management: Challenges, Strategies and Nuances | Deep Nishar | SparX Silicone Valley Part 2
Dec 10, 2023
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In this episode of SparX, Mukesh Bansal interviews Deep Nishar, Managing Director at General Catalyst. They discuss Deep's experiences as a teacher at Stanford University, his early days as a Product Manager, the basics of a good product, the Librarian Mindset vs Poet Mindset, and the evolution of Product Management. They also explore the challenges of hiring and retaining talent, the lack of formal education in product management, the pitfalls of constantly adding features, and the influence of AI in building successful companies.
Identifying basic human needs and designing products to satisfy them is crucial in product management.
Product managers have evolved from owning the product to being caretakers, valuing simplicity in product building.
Data-driven decision-making and growth engineering are essential for making products stand out in a crowded market.
Deep dives
The importance of understanding needs and building products
Needs are universal, products are not. It is crucial to identify a basic human need and design a product to satisfy that need.
The shift from product ownership to product stewardship
Product managers are no longer the owners of the product, but rather concierges or caretakers. Simplicity is valued in product building.
The evolving role of growth engineering
Growth engineering has become a science that focuses on making products stand out in a crowded market. Data-driven decision-making plays a crucial role in product growth.
The importance of simplicity in product building
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication in product building. It is essential to avoid clutter and continuously evaluate features to ensure a streamlined and user-friendly experience.
Investing Behind People in Venture Capital
One key insight in venture capital is the importance of investing in the right people. Evaluating individuals can be challenging as people are complex and difficult to judge. VCs cannot simply rely on immediate impressions, as they would in a dating scenario, but need to look for both positive and negative signals to assess compatibility. References and background checks are crucial, helping to understand the character and qualities of founders. Moreover, VCs should provide support and guidance to entrepreneurs, offering expertise in areas such as leadership, future success planning, product strategy, and capital structure. By investing behind the right people and understanding their unique needs, VCs can play a crucial role in helping startups thrive.
Building the Indian Tech Ecosystem
The Indian tech ecosystem has been evolving over the years, going through multiple versions. In the early stages, founders focused on achieving a certain level of success and then selling their companies. However, the mindset shifted as successful entrepreneurs and their achievements became an inspiration for others, demonstrating the potential for building large-scale companies in India. With each generation of entrepreneurs, the ecosystem has grown stronger, spawning new startups and creating a thriving environment. India's success lies not in trying to replicate Silicon Valley, but in being the best version of itself. Capitalizing on its world-class digital public infrastructure, such as UPI, and adapting profitable business models to suit the Indian context. Additionally, fostering a culture of structured governance and rethinking profit generation strategies that align with the country's unique dynamics are key factors for further progress.
In this Episode of SparX, Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra & Cult.Fit) is in conversation with Deep Nishar, Managing Director at General Catalyst. He joined LinkedIn in 2009, and served as the Senior Vice President of Products and User Experience until 2014. Deep has also worked at Google from 2003 to 2009, where he held a number of Senior Executive roles including heading the Mobile Products Division and Product Strategy for the Asia-Pacific region.
Discover Deep's unique insights gained as a teacher at Stanford University and his early days as a Product Manager. We uncover Deep’s experiences at LinkedIn, nuances of working with people, and his level of involvement with different product stages. From discussing Digital Public Infrastructure to Deep's thoughts on Artificial Intelligence, this episode is sure to be a comprehensive overview of entrepreneurship, industry insights, and the future of technology.
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00:00 - 3:43 Deep Nishar’s stint as a teacher at Stanford University 3:44 - 8:13 Starting out as a Product Manager 8:14 - 12:52 Why has Product Management not considered as rigorous science? 12:53 - 17:56 Form & Function - Basics of a Good Product 17:57 - 22:12 Minimal Viable Product (MVP) 22:13 - 26:10 Librarian Mindset vs Poet Mindset 26:11 - 27:10 Thoughts on the Amazon Mindset 27:11 - 34:10 Evolution of Product Management 34:11 - 42:31 Navigating entrepreneurship as easy stage founders 40:34 - 43:44 From Google to LinkedIn 43:45 - 55:13 Deep’s experience at LinkedIn 55:14 - 57:30 Extremities & Nuances of people 57:31 - 1:03:35 Level of involvement with Product Stages 1:03:36 - 1:09:20 A Silicon Valley in India? 1:09:21 - 1:13:31 Digital Public Infrastructure in India 1:13:32 - 1:22:40 Deep’s thoughts on AI 1:22:41 - 1:24:21 - Recapping the Episode!
About SparX by Mukesh Bansal
SparX is a podcast where we delve into the cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth. We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us.
In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career. This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you.
Follow us on Instagram: @sparxbymukeshbansal Website: https://www.sparxbymukeshbansal.com You can also listen to SparX on all audio platforms
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