Scandinavian Product Podcast #25 Building products in different contexts: big tech, scaleups, and startups | Melissa Mills (Ardoq, Kahoot!, Google)
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Dec 5, 2024 Melissa Mills, VP of Product at Ardoq, shares her wealth of experience from leading product teams at Kahoot! and Google. She discusses the unique challenges of product management in big tech versus startups and scale-ups, highlighting essential skills for different company stages. Mills emphasizes the importance of domain knowledge in B2B environments and the need for effective collaboration between product and sales teams. She also contrasts the work cultures of Silicon Valley and Norway, shedding light on how each influences product development strategies.
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Product Management Across Company Stages
- Product management in big tech requires deep specialization and dependence on other teams, while startups demand wearing many hats with a shallower scope.
- Scale-ups offer a balance, allowing for deeper product focus while still requiring broad product knowledge and collaboration with specialized departments.
Finding the Right Fit
- Melissa Mills found Google's highly defined processes didn't suit her and preferred the freedom of a Series A startup, though the risk was high.
- She ultimately prefers the balance of a scale-up, where she can focus on product management fundamentals and collaborate with a team.
Cultural Differences: US vs. Norway
- American work culture, both in big tech and startups, often involves long hours and a competitive, workaholic lifestyle.
- Norwegian work culture, at least in established companies, allows for more work-life balance and flexibility, with long hours being a choice, not an expectation.
