Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

In this insightful discussion, Kayvon Beykpour, former Head of Product at Twitter and the mastermind behind Periscope, shares his journey from leading product changes to facing abrupt layoffs after Elon Musk's acquisition. He delves into the challenges of revitalizing Twitter's stagnant culture, the intricate balance between innovation and copying successful models, and the lessons learned from Periscope’s rise and fall. With candid advice on building consumer products, he emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs over rigid frameworks.

Carole Robin, a Stanford GSB professor known for her influential "Touchy Feely" course, shares insights on building meaningful relationships. She discusses the transformative power of vulnerability and introduces the '15% rule' to stretch comfort zones in communication. Carole highlights the impact of early mental models on relationships and explains her 'three realities' framework for enhancing feedback. She also candidly reflects on her experiences with long COVID, emphasizing empathy and genuine connections as keys to effective leadership.

Mihika Kapoor, a design-engineer-PM hybrid at Figma and a former Meta product lead, shares her insights on launching new 0-to-1 products. She discusses crafting a compelling vision and the role of intuition in product management. Emphasizing vulnerability and feedback, she also delves into balancing strong opinions with collaboration. Kapoor highlights the significance of passion in team culture and the impact of AI on product development, encouraging adaptability and grace during pivots. Her experiences reflect a commitment to fostering innovation and a positive work environment.

Dalton Caldwell, Managing Director at Y Combinator, shares invaluable insights from his extensive experience with over 1,000 startups. He discusses the mindset of resilience for founders and the pitfalls of 'tar pit ideas.' Caldwell highlights when to pivot a startup and the importance of maintaining direct customer engagement. He also warns about common reasons for failure, emphasizing market size and product fit. With practical advice, he underscores that understanding these dynamics is vital for entrepreneurial success.

David DeSanto, Chief Product Officer at GitLab, shares insights from the world's largest remote-only company. He explores the unique culture of transparency, emphasizing recording team meetings and the extensive public employee handbook. The discussion includes GitLab's 'short toes' philosophy, encouraging collaboration over ego, and the importance of kindness in remote work. Hilariously, he highlights using humor in high-stakes negotiations and offers valuable career advice for product managers navigating remote challenges.

Todd Jackson, a Partner at First Round Capital and former product leader at Dropbox, Twitter, and Facebook, shares his insights on achieving product-market fit. He introduces a four-level framework to assess product-market fit, discussing how companies can identify where they stand and what changes to implement. Todd emphasizes the importance of adapting the 'four P's'—persona, problem, promise, and product for success. He also highlights real-world examples of startups navigating through these critical stages to enhance growth and adapt to challenges.

Claire Vo, Chief Product Officer at LaunchDarkly and founder of ChatPRD, shares her journey from copywriter to CPO. She emphasizes the importance of clarity in career goals and embracing your unique skills. The conversation touches on maintaining efficiency in large organizations while addressing the challenges women face in tech. Claire also explores the evolving role of AI in product management and discusses the creation of ChatPRD, a tool designed to revolutionize product documentation. Tune in for valuable insights on leadership and navigating the tech landscape!

In this engaging dialogue, Dharmesh Shah, Co-founder and CTO of HubSpot, shares insights from building the $30B company. He emphasizes the power of leveraging personal strengths and humor in public speaking. Dharmesh reveals his innovative decision-making approach, including the 'debate, decide, unite' framework, to empower teams. He discusses his contrarian views on product development and the significance of a transparent culture code. The conversation delves into challenges in the SMB landscape and the transformative impact of AI on decision-making.

In this engaging conversation, Matt Abrahams, a communication expert and Stanford professor, shares his expertise on speaking with confidence and clarity. He discusses the concept of 'daring to be dull' and how visualization can ease speaking anxiety. Abrahams introduces practical frameworks like the WHAT structure for toasts and the ADD approach for Q&As. He also emphasizes breathing techniques and the importance of reframing negative self-talk. With insights into mastering spontaneous speech, Matt equips listeners with tools for impactful communication.

Kunal Shah, CEO and founder of the fintech success CRED, shares his insights on the evolving Indian startup landscape. He discusses why Indian companies often excel at gaining users but struggle with monetization. Kunal introduces the Delta 4 framework for product efficiency and explores leadership dynamics in Indian startups. The conversation highlights the importance of curiosity, second-order thinking, and learning from failures in navigating challenges. He also emphasizes crafting meaningful experiences for personal growth and success.