Product Growth Podcast How He Became a Series C VP of Product in 10 Years: Mike Davey
Feb 11, 2025
Mike Davey, VP of Product at Raptor Maps, shares his decade-long journey in product management. He discusses the golden age of feature factories and how PMs can reclaim authority. Mike also emphasizes the importance of field research and using Opportunity Solution Trees for effective product development. Additionally, he explores the energy impact of AI on climate issues and offers career growth strategies within startups. Recruitment techniques, especially in niche industries, are also spotlighted for aspiring product leaders.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Golden Age of Feature Factory
- Easy-to-use AI tools empower anyone to create prototypes, accelerating product development.
- This can lead to a "golden age of the feature factory," where unvetted features get prioritized, bypassing product vision.
Reclaiming Authority
- PMs should demonstrate how to use AI prototyping effectively within a healthy product development process.
- Establish clear hypotheses, user value, and business impact for each prototype.
The Ideal Leader
- Acknowledge the good intentions of HiPPOs but guide them towards empowering the team, not dictating solutions.
- Leaders should broaden the team's perspective and remove bottlenecks, not prescribe solutions.