Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Geoff Charles, VP of Product at Ramp, shares insights from his experience building one of the fastest-growing SaaS startups. He discusses how a culture of velocity drives Ramp’s success and how effective writing enhances clarity and creativity. Geoff emphasizes empowering product teams through context sharing and encouraging a first-principles approach to problem-solving. He also reveals unique hiring strategies that contribute to Ramp's innovation and offers advice for those looking to break into product management.

Nicole Forsgren, a developer productivity and DevOps expert currently at Microsoft Research, digs into the intricacies of measuring developer productivity. She discusses frameworks like DORA and SPACE, shedding light on the benchmarks of excellence and frequent pitfalls to avoid. Nicole emphasizes the importance of a healthy developer experience, and her Four-Box framework provides a unique approach to analyzing data relationships. Listeners can expect actionable strategies to enhance team culture and productivity, all while embracing the evolving tech landscape.

Ronny Kohavi, a leading expert in A/B testing with a rich history at Airbnb, Microsoft, and Amazon, shares invaluable insights into the world of experimentation. He emphasizes how fostering a culture of experimentation can lead to significant product innovations. The discussion covers common pitfalls in A/B testing, including sample ratio mismatches, and highlights the importance of trust and data integrity. Ronny also shares surprising results from his experiments and best practices for optimizing testing processes, making data-driven decisions essential for growth.

Noah Weiss, Chief Product Officer at Slack, formerly at Foursquare and Google, shares insightful strategies for product managers. He discusses the top traits that great PMs should possess, from communication to decisiveness. Weiss highlights the unique 'complaint storms' approach at Slack for fostering empathy. He also dives into how AI is reshaping product development and the importance of staying customer-aware, but not obsessed. Valuable lessons on team dynamics and innovative user engagement are also key takeaways from this engaging discussion.

Hari Srinivasan, VP of Product at LinkedIn Talent Solutions and a former CEO, shares his journey in product management. He discusses LinkedIn’s transformation from a networking site to a comprehensive platform focused on skills-based hiring. Hari reveals strategies for job seekers to enhance their visibility to recruiters and emphasizes the importance of networking. He also dives into the complexities of managing interconnected products and offers insights on decision-making processes at LinkedIn, along with tips for newcomers in product management.

Julia Schottenstein, Product lead at dbt Labs and an angel investor, shares her journey from venture capital to product management. She provides invaluable advice for founders on improving M&A outcomes and assessing competition. Julia dives into the significance of aligning product features with customer needs and discusses the challenges of open source versus proprietary elements. With insights on effective pricing strategies and the importance of networking, she emphasizes that building strong relationships can lead to better acquisition deals.

Paige Costello, Head of Core Product at Asana, previously led teams at Intercom and Intuit. She shares insights on Asana's unique product development approach and the evolution of teamwork within tech. Paige emphasizes the double-diamond framework, the value of curiosity and openness in product management, and the importance of authentic communication in building trust. She also highlights strategies for effective feedback using impact statements, along with the significance of mentorship in personal and professional growth.

Jiaona Zhang, SVP of Product at Webflow and a Stanford lecturer, shares insights from her extensive experience at top companies like Airbnb and WeWork. She emphasizes the importance of creating 'minimum lovable products' that resonate with users. Discover how effective roadmaps and storytelling can drive product success, along with tips for early-career PMs on setting ambitious OKRs. Jiaona also reflects on leadership challenges during her time at WeWork, offering valuable lessons on empathy and strategic planning.

Sri Batchu, a growth leader at Ramp and former team member at Instacart and Opendoor, shares invaluable insights on scaling businesses. He discusses Ramp's surprising early growth tactics and the innovative strategies that propelled it to the forefront of the SaaS and fintech sectors. Sri emphasizes the importance of failing conclusively and utilizing a data-driven approach for metrics and measurement. He also advocates for employee autonomy over rigid hours and preferring payback periods over CAC for ROI assessment, revealing essential elements for cultivating rapid growth.

Melissa Tan, a growth expert with a stellar track record at Dropbox, Canva, and Webflow, shares her insights on building high-performing teams. She discusses the importance of first-principles thinking and how it can drive innovation and creativity. Tan also emphasizes effective hiring strategies, including fostering mentorship and clear communication within teams. From her experiences at Dropbox, she reveals key pitfalls companies face in growth strategies and highlights the significance of a strong culture of ownership and collaboration.