ProductLed Podcast

Get ready for an exciting twist today as we dive into a reverse interview featuring Mariam and Wes. This episode is a real treat as Wes takes on the role of the guest, chatting with Mariam, the CEO of Softr.  Here's the big question: what ties all of these “no code” tools and AI together? Throughout this episode, we'll unlock the connections between these categories, uncovering the common threads and patterns that bring them together. By understanding their similarities, you'll gain valuable insights on how to adapt to these trends and seize the many opportunities they present. Key Takeaways [3:52] ProductLed represents the future of purchasing, shaping how people will make their transactions. [7:01] The engagement factor brings about significant transformations within companies, altering their culture in the process. [8:22] Key questions to consider before implementing product-led growth as a strategic approach. [14:54] It's crucial to align your business model with the success of your users. [18:41] How can you effectively segment your users and empower them to achieve success? [26:12] Your success is intertwined with the success of your users. [27:35] The transition from traditional to modern tools within the organization. [31:25] What’s ProductLed going to look like for the next ten years? About Wes Bush Wes Bush is an exceptional entrepreneur, renowned bestselling author, and the unparalleled authority on product-led growth. With an unwavering dedication to his craft, Wes has transformed the lives of over 500,000 individuals worldwide, captivating them through his groundbreaking books, captivating podcast, and influential thought leadership on the subject of product-led growth. Profile  ProductLed Wes Bush on LinkedIn

As the AI sphere continues to gain momentum, many companies are quick to join the bandwagon for convenience, often neglecting the quality of their branding in the process. Although AI software is a great tool that can help, we should not tolerate “creative procrastination” in terms of content marketing. Instead, we must strive for creative solutions that enhance our company's performance. In this episode, Maja and Alex take a deep dive into the realm of realistic expectations when building organic channels. They explore how you can seamlessly incorporate ProductLed content into your brand and product, fostering organic growth and engagement. Key Takeaways [2:33] Getting your entrepreneurial engine revved up [5:37] Managing realistic expectations for organic channels [9:41] Enhancing content strategy and research tools optimization [14:52] Prioritizing quality over quick results [19:47] Uncovering the crucial "who" behind content, instead of relying solely on AI tools and accepting creative procrastination [27:43] Fueling your content's success with ambition and passion for SEO [31:25] Identifying key indicators of organic trends [43:55] Combining manual reviews and AI tools for improved speed and accuracy About Alex Birkett Alex Birkett is a prominent figure in the field of content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO). As the co-founder of Omniscient Digital, a highly regarded content marketing and SEO agency, Alex has helped numerous businesses establish a strong online presence and achieve remarkable growth. Profile Omniscient Digital Alex's website

In this exciting episode, we are thrilled to introduce to you a groundbreaking initiative that we have been developing. Get ready to dive into our brand-new Founder Community, a dynamic platform designed to connect ambitious and experienced founders within the industry. Whether you're just starting out or have already achieved great success, this community is tailor-made to provide you with invaluable connections and insights. Join us as Laura, Director of Content at ProductLed, and our host, Wes, take the stage to share all the exciting details and opportunities this community holds. Get ready to embark on a transformative journey fueled by the expertise and experiences of fellow founders in this thriving ecosystem.   Key Takeaways [1:24] Why did we choose to establish a dedicated community specifically for ProductLed founders? [2:34] Observing the imbalance between valuable information and noise within the PLG Slack Community [3:00] Establishing a unique space exclusively for founders to share and connect with each other [4:42] Emphasizing the significant impact on building a ProductLed business by focusing on founders [9:48] Grasping the fundamental objective behind the Founder Community [14:47] Collaboratively shaping and cultivating the community [17:14] The three qualifications that make you eligible to join the Founder Community About Laura Kluz Laura Kluz is a highly accomplished professional serving as the Director of Content at ProductLed, a leading company specializing in product-led growth strategies. With a passion for empowering businesses through effective content strategies, Laura has made a significant impact in the field of product-led growth. Links ProductLed Growth Slack Community ProducLed Growth on LinkedIn ProductLed Website

Today we are pleased to invite Heidi Gibson for the PLG False Start series with Mario Araujo. Heidi shares some untold stories about the successes and failures of PLG implementations, and we dive deep into phenomenal failures and learnings from Heidi and her team.  Besides that, Heidi explores how they tackled the challenge of dealing with a broken revenue channel, how they successfully rebounded from a 25% drop in revenue, and how they transitioned from a free trial to a freemium model after three years in the making. Don't miss this insightful and valuable episode! Key Takeaways [3:33] Growth entails enabling more customers to derive greater value from their chosen products. [5:00] Heidi's success story and her journey through both successes and failures across her career. [8:49] Discovering the right customers and achieving goals were accomplished by Heidi and her team. [12:49] As a product manager, you lead your team, regardless of whether your team members report to you or not. [15:51] When customers are pleased with your product, it results in higher conversion rates. [20:00] Acknowledging your errors and taking responsibility for them is a powerful way to build trust. [29:39] In the long run, Freemium business models will outperform Free Trial models. [32:18] It takes approximately six months to determine whether your conversion rates will eventually reach break-even point. [38:06] Heidi shares her top three takeaways/lessons learned. About Heidi Gibson Heidi Gibson is a multifaceted leader passionate about entrepreneurship, small business advocacy, and building high-performing teams. As an experienced product and growth team leader, she is dedicated to creating products that customers love to use and fostering a positive work environment where team members thrive. Heidi's commitment to sharing her knowledge and experience is evident in her involvement with Reforge, Product School, and the Product Talk podcast from Products That Count. She is passionate about educating students and followers on the valuable lessons she has learned throughout her career. Profile Heidi Gibson’s LinkedIn BILL The Product Talk Podcast Reforge

Looking to learn how to effectively lead and operationalize product-led growth (PLG)? If so, you're in the right place! In this episode, Ari Schapiro from Okta/Auth0 will guide you through the process of doubling down on a self-serve product and leveraging it to achieve massive growth through PLG.  By following his insights, you'll learn how to build a team with the right strategies and support to propel your product forward, and gain valuable insights into his company's experiences and the tactics they've used to operationalize their team and break down their process. Key Takeaways [1:29] How do you lead and operationalize Product Growth in one of the fastest growing companies? [2:03] How Okta brought their way to becoming product led [14:29] The beginning of how they establish self-served in their company [17:25] How to build a healthy pipeline for sales? [24:23] Difference between "activation" and "engaged" [28:14] How do they define activation as a team? [33:03] What are the steps that they had to consider to get to their leverage point [40:35] What structure did they change throughout the years?  [43:33] Explaining the core values of their business About Ari Schapiro Schapiro is responsible for leading Okta's mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and strategic planning initiatives. He has been instrumental in driving Okta's growth and expansion into new markets through strategic acquisitions, such as the acquisitions of Auth0 and Azuqua. Profile Ari Schapiro in LinkedIn Okta Auth0

In this episode of our “deep dive series,” we are thrilled to be joined by Greg Leach, a seasoned tech growth leader who has a proven track record of developing and implementing business growth models and strategies that can scale.  Greg shares his insights on launching a Product-Led pricing page, the associated challenges that come with it, and how to optimize its features for maximum impact. If you want to check out his article on the same topic, you can view it here → https://productled.com/blog/how-to-build-a-saas-pricing-page Key Takeaways [2:02] Crafting a Winning Product-Led Pricing Page [4:32] Overcoming Challenges when Launching a New Product [7:00] Gain Market Insight to Drive Success [8:44] Conduct User Validation with Product Feature Surveys [10:06] Make Pricing a Top Priority [11:19] Designing Your Pricing Page for Maximum Impact [12:54] Launching and Fine-Tuning Your Pricing Page for Optimal Results [20:06] Validating Your Pricing Page through Signup and Conversion Rates [26:03] Set Up KPIs and Data Measurement Tools Before Launching [28:43] Expert Tips and Best Practices for Optimizing Your Pricing Page About Greg Leach: Greg is an exceptional leader, innovator, and perpetual learner who continuously embraces new experiences. With his analytical mindset and data-driven approach, he fearlessly takes on challenges and constantly seeks honest feedback to drive his growth. Greg's unwavering passion for innovation and willingness to experiment with new ideas sets him apart as an inspirational leader. Profile Greg’s LinkedIn Link ProductLed Book

Katya Rozhko from Amplitude is joining us for the next episode of our PLG False Starts Series with Mario Araujo. This series shares the stories behind PLG implementations and failures. In this interview, we explore key lessons learned while building the PLG powerhouse Amplitude, including the pitfalls of perfectionism and how it can hinder experiment implementation timelines with diminishing returns.  Kayta also shares valuable insights on the importance of time and how to find creative solutions to problems and she also discusses optimization strategies and the importance of considering future plans in the PLG arena. Key Takeaways [1:41] Katya’s brief background story [4:35] The convenience of having data readily available without relying on a data scientist is invaluable [8:05] Launching successful product campaigns [10:20] Adapting your workflow is crucial for achieving upgrades [13:27] Flexibility should be prioritized when running campaigns [16:49] Consider the entire customer journey and what comes after [18:50] Embrace experimentation and novelty without fear [22:41] If possible, strive to become proficient in "Do It Yourself" tasks instead of waiting [26:25] Key takeaways for listeners to maintain growth and development, as shared by Katya. About Katya Rozhko Katya Rozhko is a Ukrainian-American with a non-standard background. She studied foreign languages and literature in Ukraine before moving to the US at the age of 19 with just $60 and limited English proficiency. Katya worked as a ballroom dance instructor and competed professionally in Latin American ballroom before co-founding a marketing agency in NYC that focused on user acquisition and growth. She later landed her first growth product role at Kinjo, an ed-tech startup in Austin, TX. Katya went on to become the second lifecycle manager at Rippling and eventually joined Amplitude's growth and monetization team. Currently based in San Francisco, CA, Katya is passionate about growth and development. Profile Katya Rozhko on LinkedIn Kayta Rozhko on Twitter Kayta Rozhko’s Newsletter Links  Amplitude Visit marioaraujo.co and productledstack.co.

In today’s episode of the CEO series, our guest is sharing her experience with building a successful product-led company in just 3 years through strategy and innovation.  We’re thrilled to invite May Habib, the CEO and founder of Writer, a powerful full-stack AI writing platform that is customized for every kind of client! If you’re currently leading a product-led team, this episode might be just what you need to bring your company to the next level! Join us for a riveting episode on how to craft a strategic plan from scratch, landing on your laser-focus target demographic, and creating a solution for the entire user journey. With their unique propositions and scaling strategy, Writer has succeeded in rising above their tech competitors.     So if you’re interested in learning about the winning secrets to a successful PLG company, don’t miss out on this episode! May’s experiences are incredibly enlightening as walks us through how Writer chose free versus paid trials, overcame low activation rates, and increased their net revenue retention (NRR). Key Takeaways [1:40] What Makes Writer.com So Special [3:45] How Writer Addresses The Limitations of Current AI [6:00] Protecting The Data Privacy Of Users [13:50] Scaling To 100 Enterprise Customers In 14 Months [18:10] How To Build A Succesful PLG Strategy [22:45] Building A Broad Footprint For Use Cases [26:30] Why NRR Is One Of The Most Important Metrics [30:10] Optimizing Your Pricing and Packaging Strategy [34:55] How To Determine Free Vs. Paid Functions  [36:30] Framing Team Problems In PLG [39:30] Overcoming Low Activation Rates [42:55] When Is The Best Time For Sales Outreach [46:20] May’s Best Advice For Fellow PLG CEOs  About May Habib May Habib is co-founder and CEO of Writer, an AI writing assistant for teams. May graduated with high honors from Harvard, is a member of the World Economic Forum, and is a Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Profile May on Twitter Writer on Twitter Writer website Writer on LinkedIn

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