Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth

Laura Schaffer, VP of Growth at Amplitude, shares her journey from leading teams at Twilio to her current role. She discusses how customer insights have powered her career growth, and reveals surprising A/B testing strategies that boosted conversion rates. Laura emphasizes the importance of balancing qualitative and quantitative data in decision-making while tackling the challenges of user onboarding. She also dives into the intricacies of selling to developers, advocating for a deeper understanding of user needs in growth strategies.

Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO of Stripe, shares her journey of scaling the company from startup to powerhouse. She discusses the crucial role of personal leadership and self-awareness for effective management. Claire highlights the importance of establishing clear operating principles and structured frameworks for growth. She offers tactical advice on improving internal communication and decision-making processes, emphasizing the need for a strong organizational foundation. Insights from her experiences at both Stripe and Google provide a roadmap for aspiring leaders.

Gustaf Alströmer, a Group Partner at Y Combinator and former Airbnb growth team leader, shares insights from working with over 600 startups. He discusses the critical traits that lead to founder success, emphasizing internal motivation and effective communication. Gustaf highlights common startup pitfalls and the transformative role of office hours in offering support. He also dives into the booming climate tech sector, outlining its potential and innovations aimed at combating climate change. Expect valuable tips for aspiring entrepreneurs!

Annie Pearl, Chief Product Officer at Calendly and former CPO at Glassdoor, discusses her journey in product management and the evolution of Calendly's strategy. She shares insights on transitioning from product-led growth to incorporating a sales team and the importance of strategic hiring. Annie emphasizes mentorship, networking, and practical experience as key to breaking into product roles. She also explores building collaboration between product and sales teams, fostering a user-centric culture, and the challenges in establishing effective Associate Product Manager programs.

Upasna Gautam, a product manager at CNN Digital and meditation coach, takes listeners behind the scenes of CNN's product development. She discusses the intricate balance between building new features and maintaining systems, especially amid high-pressure events like elections. Upasna highlights the importance of mindfulness and effective communication in product management and shares how meditation practices can enhance team dynamics. Listeners also hear about the challenges faced in the fast-paced world of journalism and insights on fostering collaboration between editorial and product teams.

Patrick Campbell, the founder and CEO of ProfitWell, shares his journey of bootstrapping a $200 million business. He emphasizes the importance of aligning team values, effective pricing strategies, and customer retention. Campbell discusses the critical role of customer research in driving growth and offers practical advice for scaling SaaS companies without losing sight of their core values. He also highlights the need for face-to-face interactions to better understand customer needs, along with the significance of navigating cultural assessments in hiring.

Christine Itwaru, Principal Strategist at Pendo, shares her insights from over 12 years in product management. She sheds light on the growing field of product operations, discussing its vital role in enhancing collaboration and efficiency. Learn what makes a great fit for product ops and the red flags to watch for. Christine emphasizes the importance of community and transparency, and explores how product ops can automate routine tasks and facilitate strategic initiatives, ultimately shaping the future of product development.

Lauryn Isford, a product growth leader with experience at Airtable and Facebook, shares her expertise in optimizing onboarding flows. She reveals how a revamped onboarding process boosted Airtable's activation rate by 20%. Discussion includes the importance of North Star metrics, the transformative effects of personalized user experiences, and innovative concepts like reverse trials. Lauryn emphasizes balancing user experience with metric analysis, and how focusing on user growth can drive long-term engagement and strategic decision-making.

Keith Yandell, a seasoned leader from DoorDash with a rich background in legal and HR, shares his insights on leading with empathy. He discusses the WeDash program, which encourages employees to deliver food to better understand customers. The conversation delves into the significance of transparency in leadership and effective one-on-one meetings for career development. Yandell emphasizes the power of empathy in decision-making, especially when balancing profitability and growth, and offers valuable advice for founders on team dynamics and resource allocation.

Marily Nika, an AI Product Leader at Meta and previous Google expert, dives into the evolving landscape of AI in product management. She emphasizes the future necessity for Product Managers to embrace AI tools and coding skills. Marily shares insights on navigating AI's rapid advancements and its impact on product strategies. The conversation touches on the importance of collaboration with data scientists and the challenges AI product managers face. She also highlights the benefits of her AI Product Management course and suggests essential resources for aspiring PMs.