
Product Mastery Now for Product Managers, Leaders, and Innovators 556: Product managers excel when they understand human patterns – with Blair LaCorte
Sep 8, 2025
In this discussion, Blair LaCorte, a seasoned leader, investor, and former CEO of AEye, shares insights from coaching 50+ CEOs. He highlights how aligning product strategy with company goals is crucial for success. Blair underscores the importance of saying no, making strategic trade-offs, and nurturing team culture. Drawing on his diverse experiences, he reflects on building effective product teams and the psychology of human behavior in business, while offering valuable advice for product managers seeking growth and purpose.
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Hire For CEO Potential
- Assess product hires by their potential to scale into CEO-level thinking and support sales.
- Prioritize product leaders who can both facilitate and drive cross-functional results.
Strategy Is Saying No
- Strategy is mostly about saying no and focusing on a few essential trade-offs.
- Pivot quickly when data shows you're wrong because delay costs money and credibility.
AEye's LIDAR Commitment
- AEye chose to 100% focus on LIDAR and integrate it with radar and cameras for highway safety use cases.
- That decision leaned on military laser experience and the need for fast reaction at high speeds.
