Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth

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.

Luc Levesque, Chief Growth Officer at Shopify and former executive at Meta and TripAdvisor, shares insights on building effective growth teams. He emphasizes the importance of hiring well and finding great growth advisors to enhance company impact. Luc discusses the transformative power of SEO strategies and adapting to the evolving digital landscape. With anecdotes from Facebook, he reveals vital lessons on recruitment and achieving product-market fit, while also encouraging continuous self-improvement and the balance of personal and professional life.

Nikhyl Singhal, VP of Product at Meta, shares insights from his impressive career at major tech firms and startups. He emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking in career progression and warns against the pitfalls of short-term decision-making. Nikhyl discusses the unique challenges faced by product managers, including the need for mentorship and community support. He also offers wisdom on navigating promotion hurdles and the significance of building a compelling career narrative while adapting management skills as one evolves from individual contributor to leader.

Jeremy Henrickson, SVP of Product at Rippling and former Chief Product Officer at Coinbase, dives into scaling product teams across continents and navigating high-stakes growth. He challenges the notion of MVPs and discusses the unique concept of 'compound startups.' With insights from his Coinbase tenure, he emphasizes the need for localized understanding in global product strategies. Henrickson also shares key hiring practices for nurturing young product managers and the importance of hands-on leadership in fostering a culture of urgency.

Nancy Duarte, CEO of Duarte Inc., has transformed how major organizations like Apple and TED present their ideas. In this discussion, she highlights the power of empathy in storytelling and shares practical tips for creating captivating presentations. Nancy explains strategies to combat nerves, the importance of understanding your audience, and the concept of 'torchbearer' leadership. She also reflects on her journey landing Apple as a client and how effective communication can elevate both personal and professional interactions.