Founder Mode Lessons from Instagram, Airbnb, and Coinbase | Sanchan Saxena
Oct 13, 2024
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Sanchan Saxena, SVP at Atlassian and former collaborator with founders of Instagram, Airbnb, and Coinbase, shares invaluable insights. He discusses the critical traits he seeks in exceptional product managers, emphasizing the importance of individual decision-making over committees. Sanchan reveals how 'unconstrained thinking' fuels Airbnb’s innovation and explains the balance between metrics and craftsmanship. He also highlights key lessons from each founder's journey, showcasing how prioritizing user experiences can lead to extraordinary product development.
Airbnb's product management focuses on integrating marketing and development to create seamless user experiences, enhancing customer satisfaction.
Instagram's early success stemmed from prioritizing intuition and strategic simplicity over metrics, illustrating the power of visionary product leadership.
Coinbase's Brian Armstrong champions a clear decision-making process, emphasizing individual accountability to foster trust and encourage innovation in teams.
Deep dives
Cohesive Marketing and Product Management
Airbnb's approach to product management emphasizes a tight integration between marketing and product development, diverging from traditional practices where teams frequently work in silos. By designing user experiences first and then challenging teams to meet those expectations, Airbnb ensures that every release aligns with a cohesive narrative that enhances the user journey. This method contrasts with the common practice of letting multiple teams produce fragmented components that ultimately lead to a disjointed user experience. This proactive stance allows Airbnb to craft a unified customer experience, which is paramount for retaining trust and satisfaction.
Lessons from Early Instagram
In the early days at Instagram, the focus was on strategic systems thinking, as exemplified by founder Kevin Systrom. By emphasizing simplicity and execution, Instagram was able to build a successful monetization framework from the ground up, growing from zero to significant revenue within a year. This strategic focus also highlights that intuition and vision often trump data-driven decisions; for instance, the introduction of Instagram Stories was rooted in a strong vision rather than A/B testing metrics alone. This underscores the need for product leaders to balance analytical insights with visionary thinking to create impactful products.
Insights into Coinbase Leadership
Brian Armstrong's leadership style at Coinbase exemplifies a hands-on approach combined with a focus on detailed problem-solving. His ability to break down complex issues into manageable tasks allows teams to execute effectively and fosters a culture of trust without micromanagement. Armstrong’s strong emphasis on a single decision-maker for each problem counteracts the pitfalls of committee decision-making, which often dilutes responsibility and accountability. By establishing clear lines of authority and encouraging ownership, he cultivates a work environment where innovation can thrive without the frustration often associated with corporate bureaucracy.
Creative Thinking at Airbnb
Brian Chesky's vision for Airbnb underscores the significance of unconstrained thinking, where creativity leads the design of customer experiences. By challenging standard product management practices that prioritize Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), Chesky pushes for an idealized, customer-first approach that directly addresses user needs. A real-world implementation of this was the concept of Airbnb lounges, where the focus was placed on creating exceptional experiences rather than settling for adequate renditions of potential products. This innovative mindset not only guarantees passionate customer engagement but also sets the stage for sustained growth and loyalty.
Cultivating Superpowers in Product Management
To excel in product management, it is crucial to develop the ability to balance analytical and creative skills, allowing leaders to think strategically while executing effectively. This duality helps in navigating the complexities of team dynamics and organizational politics, ultimately leading to impactful decisions. As individuals advance their careers, sharpening soft skills, understanding company culture, and recognizing unspoken rules becomes essential for professional growth. Ultimately, this capability to operate at the intersection of multiple competencies defines the most effective leaders in today’s fast-paced tech landscape.
My guest today is Sanchan Saxena, SVP at Atlassian.
Sanchan worked directly with 4 of the best founders out there — Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger (Instagram), Brian Armstrong (Coinbase), and Brian Chesky (Airbnb). In our chat, he shares what we can learn from each founder’s superpowers and the 4 traits he always looks for when hiring exceptional PMs.
(00:00) The secret product approach that sets Airbnb and Apple apart
(01:21) Inside Instagram's early days at 100 employees
(03:07) Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger's superpowers
(04:54) How "do the simple thing first" led to Instagram Stories' success
(07:15) The single common trait shared by the greatest founders
(08:50) Brian Armstrong's golden rule, "No decision by committee"
(13:36) "Unconstrained thinking" with Brian Chesky at Airbnb
(18:21) What Brian Chesky learned from Disney movies and storytelling
(23:29) Why obsessing over metrics kills product quality
(27:43) Shifting focus to prioritize customers and craft in your company
(30:55) Climbing the ladder From PM to product director and VP
(33:38) Mastering the yin and yang of product management
(42:02) How to set yourself up to get lucky in your career
Get the takeaways: https://creatoreconomy.so/p/sanchan-instagram-airbnb-coinbase
Where to find Sanchan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanchans/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@therealsanchan
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