In this engaging discussion, Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry and former VP at Facebook, shares her insights on navigating a successful career as an introvert. She emphasizes treating your career like a product, complete with intentional 30-60-90 day plans for new roles. Liu reveals how to turn setbacks into growth opportunities and the importance of resilience. She discusses the challenges introverts face in the workplace and offers practical strategies for self-promotion and inclusion, highlighting the value of adaptability and curiosity in career development.

Do you put as much time into your career planning as you do into your product planning? Deb Liu has had an extraordinary career path, from Ebay and PayPal, to Facebook, and now Ancestry. She’s sat in on, mentored, and managed hundreds of product managers. In this episode, she shares poignant advice on how to intentionally find growth opportunities and drive your career forward. Join us.—Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-own-your-career-growth-and-become-a-powerful-product-leader-deb-liu-ancestry-ex-facebook-paypal/#transcript—Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible:• Flatfile: https://www.flatfile.com/lenny• Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/• Makelog: https://www.makelog.com/lenny—Where to find Deb Liu:• Twitter: https://twitter.com/debliu_• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahliu/• Substack: https://debliu.substack.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—Referenced:• Take Back Your Power: 10 New Rules for Women at Work (Deb’s Book): https://www.amazon.com/Take-Back-Your-Power-Rules/dp/031036485X• How To Change Your Life Through Resolutions: https://debliu.substack.com/p/resolve-to-progress—In this episode, we cover:[04:32] What it was like when eBay acquired PayPal[07:31] Quirky culture clashes as the companies merged[09:46] How incentives drive employee behavior[14:43] How Deb took on a product management role at a young age[17:51] PayPal’s hiring strategy for early growth[20:03] How to succeed as an introverted leader[25:29] What sets successful Product Managers apart from one’s who plateau[27:09] Specific tactics for unlocking growth in your Product Management career[32:06] How to find and create mentorship circles[36:30] The most important skill for early Product Managers to focus on[43:58] How to grow your confidence in communication[46:55] Deb’s upcoming book "Take Back Your Power"[50:35] One tactical tip from Deb’s upcoming book on how to improve your Product Management[52:09] How to get involved with Women In Product[57:11] How companies can recruit more diverse Product Managers[1:00:04] How Deb built Facebook marketplace from scratch[1:06:03] The blessing and curse of gaining a lot of users quickly Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry and former VP at Meta, dives into the real challenges of being a working parent. She shares how to combat parenting guilt and create a strong '60-60 relationship' with your spouse. Deb emphasizes the importance of authentic family conversations and managing stress during hectic mornings. She discusses the often overlooked struggles of the sandwich generation and provides insights on raising resilient kids while balancing career demands. Her candid advice promises to resonate with anyone juggling family commitments.

There is arguably nothing that impacts our daily lives more than consumer technology. This technology can drive our ability to change careers, build an audience, or feel understood. And in this episode, listeners get a sneak peek into our new consumer series, Field Notes, where a16z’s very own Connie Chan speaks with the builders, creators, and investors behind the technology that shapes our daily lives.If you like these segments, you can find the full episodes at a16z.com/fieldnotes.Topics Covered:00:00 - Introduction02:13 - Chris Schroder08:15 - Brian Wong15:35 - Tracy Sun23:03 - Deb Liu30:56 - Susan PlagemannResources: Find the full series: https://a16z.com/fieldnotesFind Connie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/conniechanDeb's Part 1:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is2pm06MNt8Deb's Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osJp6S66u2UChris's episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zux1wVirUjs Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry.com, discusses family histories, practical leadership, and the early days of Silicon Valley. Topics include uncovering family histories, the influence of the past on entrepreneurship, challenges for women in the workplace, living a life of faith, and personal reflection.