Ep 35 | Rethinking Partnerships: A Product Leader’s Playbook

Elena Leonova, Chief Product Officer at Spryker, joins Unlearn to discuss how product leaders should rethink their approach to partnerships. She explains why transparency in product roadmaps is critical, how developer ecosystems drive platform success, and why product managers need to integrate partners into their strategy. This episode is packed with insights on structuring partnerships for scale, and positioning partnerships at the executive level.

Chapters:

01:33 - The Role of Partnerships in Platform Products

04:26 - Structuring Partner Success & Developer Enablement

07:29 - Transparency in Product Roadmaps for Partners

12:58 - The Journey from Product to Platform

18:48 - How to Sell Partnerships to Product Leaders

22:05 - Why Product Managers Should Care About Partners

32:25 - The Role of Ecosystem Risk in Product Decisions

41:05 - CEO-Level Conversations About Partnerships

48:42 - Staying Aligned with Partners Over Time

50:08 - AI’s Impact on Product-Partner Strategies

Key Takeaways

Product leaders need to shift their mindset—Partnerships aren’t just a go-to-market strategy; they’re a core part of a scalable product strategy.

Transparency is key—Sharing product roadmaps with partners fosters trust and helps them build complementary solutions.

Developer experience matters—A strong developer ecosystem increases platform adoption and partner engagement.

Partnership decisions need a framework—Having a clear “build, buy, or partner” philosophy helps streamline product decisions.

Ecosystem risk is real—Companies must account for partner stability and evolving technology trends when integrating third-party solutions.

Key Quotes

"Product leaders often don’t realize that partnerships can extend product capabilities without adding internal complexity." - Elena Leonova

"If a product roadmap doesn’t make space for partners, it’s missing a massive opportunity for scale." - Asher Mathew

"Product managers care about adoption—partners can help increase product stickiness and usage." - Kelly Sarabyn

Final Thoughts

Partnerships are a growth strategy that requires alignment between product, business, and developers. Whether you’re a product manager, a partner leader, or an executive, this episode is a masterclass in structuring partnerships for long-term success.

#ProductLeadership #Partnerships #TechEcosystem #SaaS #PlatformStrategy