Kickstarter's Comeback | Mahesh Guruswamy, CPTO (Kickstarter)

Today, we’re talking with Mahesh Guruswamy, CPTO at Kickstarter.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How daily reflection on hard moments helped him grow as a leader—and led to his widely praised book How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away with It.
• How Kickstarter went from “printing money” and experiencing “insane” PMF to plateauing - and how they created urgency and competition to quickly turn it around
• The actual process Kickstarter used to activate its creator and backer communities to shape a better UX, build real loyalty, and re-ignite growth

Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maheshguruswamy/
Website: https://www.maheshguruswamy.com/
Substack: https://maheshguruswamy.substack.com/

Resources

How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away with It: A Manager's Guide, By Mahesh Guruswamy: https://www.amazon.com/How-Deliver-Bad-News-Away/dp/B0D7FHTTNN
Tell Your CEO They're Wrong (And KEEP Your Career) | Steve Nash, Dir. Product (GumGum): https://youtu.be/oeEBy8mJfB0

Chapters

00:00 Intro
01:09 Mahesh's Background and Kickstarter Connection
02:08 The Power of Writing and Self-Reflection
04:28 Publishing a Book: How to Deliver Bad News
05:53 Effective Communication and Feedback
06:46 Navigating Tough Conversations
11:03 Kickstarter's Evolution and Challenges
14:16 Listening to Customers and Adapting
19:36 Navigating Market Shifts and Growth
20:34 Prioritizing Customer Feedback
25:59 Building and Engaging the Community
29:54 Competitive Strategies and Organizational Culture
34:05 Leadership and Legacy
37:03 Conclusion and Future Prospects

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Special Guest: Mahesh Guruswamy.