ProductLed Podcast

Integrating PLG motions into your company never has a one-size-fits-all solution, but taking notes from previous success stories can be incredibly insightful. In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Jesús Requena, a highly experienced Growth and Marketing professional who previously worked at successful companies such as Unity, Figma, and Falcon. Today, we’re thrilled to hear about his extensive experience in leading teams and companies to grow through best practices and case studies in product-led growth! Tune in as Maja and Jesús discuss how to identify the best-fit PLG motion for your business model, reach your ideal customer, and how to actually nurture a strong and supportive community of users. If you’re passionate about optimizing your acquisition and activation processes, then this episode is perfect for you! Join us for an episode jam-packed with realistic advice, tried-and-tested strategies, and a wealth of experience to learn from our esteemed guest.  Key Takeaways [0:40] The Beginning of Jesus’ Story [3:15] Which PLG Motion Is Best For Your Company [7:50] The Secret to Identifying Convertable Customers [11:15] High-Level Case Studies From Jesus [14:55] How To Find Your Target Customer [19:10] The Easiest and Most Effective Way To Collect Data [22:05] The Problem With Traction Channels [25:05] Which Metrics You Should Be Tracking [30:10] How To Achieve High Organic Acquisition  [31:43] How To Know If Affiliate Programs Are Right For Your Brand [33:15] Nurturing A Community For Long-Term Support [38:45] The Key To Testing Out Hypotheses  [44:25] Shift Your Perspective On Failure About Jesús’ Requena Jesús’ Requena is currently Marketing + Growth at Hex and previously served as the VP of Growth Marketing at Figma. He’s passionate about helping companies grow and focus on user value to attract, activate and convert users to paying customers. Profile Jesús on LinkedIn

False starts in PLG might seem disheartening, but our guest today shares a unique perspective that might change the way you see failure. In today’s episode, Mario is joined by Andrew Capland, founder of Delivering Value. Over at DV, Andrew coaches small to mid-sized SAAS companies on how to scale product-led businesses. With 1:1 coaching for heads of growth, PLG advising for SaaS teams, and insightful digital products, Delivering Value is dedicated to helping early-stage tech companies avoid common mistakes and scale much faster. If you’re a first-time founder or a team leader in the product-led space, then this episode might be just what you need! In this episode, we discuss Andrew’s experiences with failure and how his passion for experimentation paved the way to his success. Based on his past experiences and advice from mentors, Andrew shares his invaluable insights on being an effective leader amid false starts, enabling growth in your teams, and even tips on finding the best work environment for you to thrive in.  Key Takeaways [1:20] Andrew’s Career Journey [3:25] How Andrew Delivers Value [6:25] What Most People Struggle With [8:05] Andrew’s Advice On Taking Growth Roles [10:15] How To Stand Out In The Interview Process [12:55] Enablers vs. Diminishers Of Growth: Which One Are You? [15:55] Rewire Your Perspective On Failure [20:20] Micromanaging: Yay or Nay? [24:50] Why Experimentation Can Be Exponentially Helpful [27:55] How Managers Can Better Facilitate Learning And Growth About Andrew Capland Meet our growth expert with over 15 years of experience in B2B SaaS, having served as a 2x Head of Growth. With an impressive journey that includes leading growth efforts at HubSpot, Wistia, Postscript, and several other startups, this individual has developed a reputation for thriving in the gray area between marketing, product management, and business intelligence. About Mario Araujo Mario Araujo is a B2B Growth advisor and interim leader. He was an early employee of OutSystems and left close to its 9.6B valuation, and later joined Softr. You can find out more about his work at marioaraujo.co or visit his side project at productledstack.co. Profile Andrew Capland on LinkedIn Andrew on Twitter Delivering Value Podcast

When your current sales model seems to be working, why bother rocking the boat? But what if we told you that you could implement a product-led motion alongside your current sales motion? In this week’s episode, we’re talking with Tami Reiss, a Product Leader Coach who helped JustWorks roll out their highly successful self-serve model. JustWorks helps companies manage four business essentials on one simple platform: payroll, compliance, benefits, and HR. Join us as Tami talks about how she helped boost JustWorks’ sales through simple PLG steps. With over two decades of experience helping tech companies strengthen and deploy product strategies for growth, Tami shares her wealth of knowledge on achieving PLG goals for both small and big businesses. Key Takeaways [1:55] What Started The Shift For Justworks [4:10] Managing Resistance From Sales Teams [6:15] How to ACTUALLY Start A PLG Shift [10:10] Sales People = Nudging People [11:55] How Self-Service Topped The Leaderboard [14:05] How Justworks’ Self-Service Funnel Works [17:00] Helping Small Businesses Grow [22:50] The Importance Of Digital Efficiency [27:10] How To Motivate Your PLG Team [29:45] Get Product Led Coaching From Tami! About Tami Reiss Tami Reiss is an experienced product executive who works with tech product leaders and teams to realize their potential by focusing on their strengths to advance toward their goals. Profile Tami Reiss on LinkedIn Tami on Medium Other Podcast Appearances: https://productleadercoach.com/podcast-speeches  Justworks Website Justworks on LinkedIn Justworks on Twitter

User onboarding is one of the most crucial elements of a product-led growth strategy. In this insightful episode of the ProductLed Podcast, Joshua Waldman and Trevor Hatfield from Inturact, share their process of mapping out the user onboarding journey.  They also provide insight into how you can approach team alignment, and the key metrics companies should monitor during the entire process based on their years of experience helping Silicon Valley and Fortune 500 companies increase their revenues by as much as 200%. Watch the video in Youtube GRAB A COPY of Team Scorecard Template here ⇨ https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KDv4IIfkj5_wTyYNnANeX5s4qsO-77AFJFfJQA7YNa8/edit#gid=0 Get the Customer Journey Map here ⇨ https://inturact.innertrends.com/customer-journey-metrics/1676494765ad25246167f7df15 Key Takeaways [1:10] The Origin Story Of Inturact [2:30] A Sample User Onboarding Map [3:15] The Three Most Important Metrics [6:25] What Happens When Companies Don’t Have A Plan [9:05] Where Does User Onboarding Even Begin And End [14:50] Understanding The Difference Between User Onboarding Vs. Customer Onboarding [16:40] Inturact’s Secret Ingredient  [25:00] Diving Into A Case Study With Inturact [28:30] Final Tips For Aligning Your Teams About Trevor Hatfield ​​Trevor Hatfield is the CEO of Inturact whose focus is to align your web-marketing with your sales objective using the latest methodologies and technological solutions to expand your reach, build your brand, and increase your revenue. Inturact has run successful campaigns for startups up to fortune 500 brands. Trevor’s specialties cover SaaS & Product Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Growth Hacking, Web Design Development, Content Marketing, Graphic Design and Data Analysis – everything you need to turn your web presence from an immovable object to an unstoppable force. About Joshua Waldman Joshua Waldman is currently the Client Account Manager of Inturact. With more than 13 years as an entrepreneur and product leader, his passion for product management and customer empathy has driven him to write a For Dummies book, self-publish, and contribute to publications like Forbes and HuffPost. Guest Resources: Check out Trevor’s socials! Trevor on Twitter Check out Joshua’s socials! Joshua on LinkedIn Learn more about Inturact: Inturact Website

This is the first episode in our PLG False Starts series with Mario Araujo. Pivoting your company towards a product-led motion can be challenging. As upper management, how can you address friction happening within your organizational structure and your external business strategies? As the founder of Sherlock and current Head of Product and Engineering at Copper, Derek shares his wealth of knowledge and experiences. Tune in for this week’s episode with Mario Araujo as Derek shares three powerful learning experiences in creating an organizational culture and structure optimized for PLG.  We also dive into the warning signs that your company is in a false start, the potential ways you may be harming the growth of your Sales team, and how to marry the PLG values with the goals of your Sales teams. Show Notes [1:20] Introduction to Derek Skaletsky and Copper [4:18] Looking Back On Copper’s False Start [8:20] Identifying The Warning Signs Of A False Start [9:30] The Anatomy of a Cross-Functional Team [13:25] How Misaligned Sales Incentives Can Hinder Growth Dd [18:05] Pivoting a Sales Commission Model [19:55] Side Effects of the Customer [21:30] Handling An Influx In Customer Leads About Derek Skaletsky Derek is the founder of Sherlock and current Head of Product and Engineering at Copper, the only Google-recommended CRM that helps teams build better relationships to drive lasting revenue. Profile Derek on Twitter Derek on LinkedIn Copper Website

This is the second episode in our PLG Founder Story series. Making the shift from a sales-focused business to a product-led company can be challenging, but the results make the journey worth it. In this week’s episode, Clate Mask is here to share how Keap succeeded in making the jump to PLG. As the co-founder and CEO of Keap, Clate is dedicated to helping millions of small businesses automate their processes and focus on exponential growth. With more than 20 years of experience, Clate is excited to share his experiences and expertise in pivoting Keap into a product-led company. Tune in for this week’s episode as we talk about managing the ups and downs of a transition to being product-led, working through internal tensions, and identifying organizational strategies to align with PLG. Show Notes [1:00] The Origin Story of A $100 Million Business [3:40] Pivoting To A PLG Company [11:13] Setting Expectations Across the Board [12:43] Steps for Planning a Shift to PLG [15:18] Making Your Product Free Vs. Free Trial [23:50] How Keap Overcame Roadbumps In The Rollout Phase [29:00] Integrating The Role Of Sales In PLG  [35:22] Organizational Strategies to Achieve PLG Values [38:10] Cultural Changes to Expect  [40:50] Celebrating Wins Over At Keap About Clate Mask Clate Mask is the co-founder and CEO of Keap, the leading all-in-one sales and marketing software built for small businesses. Clate has also authored a New York Times best-selling book, Conquer The Chaos: How to Grow a Successful Small Business Without Going Crazy. Profile Clate on Twitter Clate on LinkedIn

We record our remote interviews with Riverside. Try it out here and use code PRODUCTLED for 15% off! -- Every startup struggles with growth somehow, but it doesn’t always have to be so difficult. In this week’s episode, we talk to Anuj Adhiya, an esteemed growth advisor for more than 100 startups. His previous roles in Sophya, The Predictive Index, and Growth Hackers means he has extensive experience in perfecting the approaches to growing a successful company. Tune in as we dive into the importance of identifying assumptions and setting goals – the right way. By taking a look at the current landscape of product-led growth and analyzing the DNA of successful startups, Anuj shares his invaluable expertise on how you can reimagine growth for your company. Show Notes [1:05] Anuj’s Passion For Growth [5:00] How To Give Users a Wow Moment [8:20] Delivering on Your Promises [12:30] What Startups Need to Focus On [15:30] How You Could Be Setting Goals Wrong [19:35] PLG Approaches for New Startups [21:20] The Importance of Identifying Assumptions [22:57] A Must-Try Exercise for All Stage Companies [25:35] What Can We Learn From Successful Growth Stories [27:32] Where Marketing Teams Can Learn From [31:10] Making Data-Driven Decisions as an Organization [33:39] How the Product-Led World Is Changing About Anuj Adhiya Anuj Adhiya is the author of 'Growth Hacking for Dummies' (Wiley & Sons, April ’20). As a renowned startup mentor, educator, and growth advisor, Anuj is committed to helping companies. As a Growth Mentor at Seedstars and Marketing Specialist at Harvard Innovation Labs, he helps startups uncover their best growth opportunities and solve early growth challenges. Before this he was the Category Growth Lead at The Predictive Index where he owned the site that successfully launched the talent optimization category. He was also the Director of Engagement and Analytics at GrowthHackers where he grew the world's largest growth community working directly with Sean Ellis, the godfather of growth hacking. Profile Anuj on Twitter Anuj on LinkedIn Growth Hacking for Dummies

We record our remote interviews with Riverside. Try it out here and use code PRODUCTLED for 15% off! -- Join us as we kick off a series of interviews with the founders of successful product-led companies at different stages of their growth. In this week’s episode, Tim Geisenheimer shares an insider look at how his team at Correlated designed a tool that allows you to leverage your customer data to find customers who are most likely to buy your product. Tune in as we talk about Correlated’s journey from its product ideation, market research, and team expansions. Learn more about how the founding team approached validating their problem and eventually raising $8 million dollars in their seed funding stage. ShowNotes [1:40] Tim’s Aha! Moment [4:40] How Correlated Can Identify Which Users Are Most Likely To Convert [5:55] A Behind The Scenes Look at Correlated [8:50] Breaking Down Team Structures Of An Early Stage Startup [13:25] The Power of Market Research [18:10] On Correlated’s 2nd Year [20:10] When’s the Best Time to Invest in Go-To-Market Methods? [23:46] Correlated’s Strategies To Win [26:57] Predicting The Future Landscape of PLG [30:10] How To Create A Focused Workplace Culture [39:05] Words of Wisdom From Tim About Tim Geisenheimer Tim Geisenheimer is the current CEO and Co-Founder at Correlated. Correlated is committed to delivering crucial insights from your customer data in order to connect your sales teams to the right buyers. Profile Tim on Twitter Tim on LinkedIn Correlated Website Sponsor Resources Website: https://riverside.fm/  Promocode: productled

Working in product management can be overwhelming, but with the right tools and mindset you can truly stand out and make a difference in the product space. In this episode, we’re joined by the current Head of Product at Vowel, Anna Marie Clifton. As a product veteran from Asana, Coinbase, and Yammer, Anna Marie shares with us her wealth of knowledge about product management and debunks common misconceptions about the job. Join us as she dives into the nitty-gritty of succeeding in product management, such as knowing how to build trust within teams and effectively manage the different needs of every department.  If you'd like to try out Vowel, Anna and her team are offering ProductLed listeners three months of the Business Tier for free. Just enter the code PRODUCTLED at checkout. Show Notes [1:45] What Being a Product Manager Is Really Like [3:33] The Crucial Role of Product Among Departments [6:20] Handling Friction Like A Boss [10:05] How to Build Trust With Design Teams [11:50] Shifting Perspectives on Scope Cuts [14:55] Mindset Shifts to Excel in Product [17:33] The Secret to Succeeding as a PM [22:35] Building Soft and Hard Skills in Product [27:00] Anna Marie’s Secret Key to Collaboration [32:45] A Hack to Communicating Effectively Within Teams [35:20] Taking Clues From Body Cues [38:35] The Most Exciting Thing About Product Management  [41:15] Learn More About Anna Marie and Vowel! About Anna Marie Clifton Anna Marie is the current Head of Product at Vowel, a groundbreaking tech company committed to making remote meetings 10x more productive. She regularly appears in product-related podcasts and publishes think pieces on the future of tech and product. Profile Anna on Twitter Anna on Medium Anna on LinkedIn Vowel Website

In today’s social media-driven world, it’s harder than ever to hold a client’s attention long enough for conversion. With endless distractions and competition to look out for, how can product-led companies optimize their time-to-value (TTV) metric Tune in for this week’s episode as the CEO of UserGuiding Osman Koc shares his practical advice for designing an onboarding experience that communicates your laser-focused unique selling point in just a matter of seconds. If your company is looking to convert more interested clients, then this episode is jampacked with must-try methods, experiments, and design tips to convince clients to take key actions as quickly as possible Show Notes [2:15] Learning More About UserGuiding [3:10] The Secret to an Outstanding Onboarding Experience [6:40] Now or Never: On the Most Important Three Minutes [10:28] Which Companies Have Successfully Done It? [11:43] Is Segmentation Necessary? [14:08] Key Metrics Every ProductLed Company Should Monitor [17:35] Osman’s Must-Try Strategies [21:03] Words of Advice From The CEO of UserGuiding About Osman Koc Osman is the Co-Founder and CEO of UserGuiding, an innovative, no-code software that allows teams to scale up user onboarding and product walkthroughs. Learn more about his company and his work below: Profile UserGuiding Website Osman Koc on Twitter Osman Koc on LinkedIn