Product Growth Podcast

In this insightful discussion, Ed, an expert in product management and interim CPTO at FYLD, reveals his innovative “Snap Strategy” approach to product leadership. He debunks the myth of the 'product purist' and advocates for the concept of 'full-stack PMs.' Ed explores the importance of fostering supportive environments for product teams and the impact of effective communication in navigating challenges. He also highlights the evolving role of product managers amid AI advancements and emphasizes the rising importance of soft skills in successful product management.

Jaryd, a Director of Product Management at Backstage and author of the popular newsletter 'How They Grow', shares his insights on Product-Led Growth (PLG). He dives into the 'PLG Iceberg Framework', discussing how to identify core features and maximize user engagement. Jaryd emphasizes the importance of tailored onboarding experiences and strategic monetization. He also explores the future of PLG, advocating for thoughtful experimentation and collaboration between product and growth teams to drive sustainable success.

Maja Voje, a Go-to-Market expert and best-selling author with an impressive footprint in growth and marketing across companies like Google and Bayer, shares her insights. She discusses the ever-evolving Go-to-Market strategies, especially for AI products, highlighting the importance of GTM motions and market segmentation. Maja emphasizes understanding the ideal customer profile, the impact of early adopters, and the transition from traditional strategies to more adaptive approaches. Tune in for valuable tips on executing successful marketing moves!

Mirela Mus, the founder and CPO of Product People, the largest Fractional Product Agency, shares her extensive experience in product management. She explores the evolution and rapid growth of product agencies, emphasizing their unique advantages over freelance work. Mirela highlights the importance of interim support during organizational changes and the value of structured collaboration. Additionally, she discusses how to effectively communicate with clients and leverage customer feedback, offering invaluable insights for those interested in fractional product roles.

Sam Kawsarani, the VP of Product at Paramount Commerce with over 15 years of experience, dives into the evolving landscape of product management in the age of AI. He discusses AI's actual impact on daily PM tasks and the necessity of human insight in decision-making. Kawsarani addresses the pros and cons of AI, emphasizing the balance of efficiency and creativity. He also shares valuable tips for aspiring product managers, highlights the importance of mentorship, and reflects on navigating personal and professional challenges.

Ravi Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO of Outpace, previously CPO at Tinder and Director at Meta, shares his expertise on crafting effective product strategies. He emphasizes the importance of visual elements, like wireframes, in aligning stakeholders. The discussion covers balancing strategy with execution, using customer data wisely, and the significance of collaboration across teams. Ravi also introduces the NCT framework for goal-setting and highlights the need for flexibility in product plans, drawing insights from his rich experience in tech.

Stephanie Leue, a seasoned Group Product Manager at Ringier with over 15 years in product management, shares her insights on building high-performing teams. She reveals that only 10-20% of teams reach high performance, emphasizing trust and accountability. Stephanie discusses how emotional intelligence and support create effective teams and introduces her assessment framework using People, Processes, Purpose, and Performance. She also highlights the value of collaboration and the need for innovative approaches in product management.

Meta has one of the most unique Product Growth cultures of any company out there. In today’s episode we break down the function with Andre Nader.Andre spent 9+ years at Meta in Product Growth, and before that he was at Indeed, BuildASign, and Offers.com.In today’s episode, we cover:* How to Break Into Meta | 2:04* Meta's Unique Product Growth Function | 12:20* How Meta (and Facebook) Does Product Growth | 30:10* How to Optimize Your FAANG Compensation | 48:30* The Path to FIRE (in San Francisco) | 1:06:05Brought to you by:* June.so: Customer analytics for product focused teams* Cello: Your all-in-one platform for partner & user referrals* Attio: The next generation CRMHere are the key takeawaysThere were so many things I learned, but here is a summary of my favorites.How to Break Into MetaYou want recruiters to reach out to you. To do so, find out where people who are now in the role you are wanting worked in the past.Recruiters are constantly setting out feelers on LinkedIn, and they like go back to the same companies and teams over time — like Indeed’s growth marketing team, and Capital One’s analytics team.Meta’s Unique Product Growth FunctionEvery product team at Meta has a Product Manager, but only certain teams have a Product Growth Analyst. The Product Growth person’s job is to amplify the growth and success of the product by focusing on a specific metric.They play a hybrid data science/ product management role, and the core characteristic is they do “whatever it takes.”How Meta (fka Facebook) Does Product GrowthUnderstand, Identify, Execute is their core framework. It’s a data-driven, fast-paced approach to growth.But that doesn’t mean they use complex data science metrics. Their goal is to move a key, simple metric. And they’ll make a thousand small optimizations to get there.How to Optimize Your FAANG CompensationIt’s less about optimize and more about understand. Most people lack that basic understanding of how much they are actually getting compensated. And the ‘TC’ they share is usually bogus.But, once you do have a grip on how much you make, it does make sense to optimize your tax strategy with backdoor and mega backdoor Roth IRAs.The Path to FIRE (in San Francisco)With a 50/50 bond-stock portfolio, based on history, a 3% withdrawal rate will never run out of money. Living in San Francisco with one kid, for Andre and his lifestyle the number he needed was $5.6M.Your number may be different based on your expenses, but it might not be as high as you think. It’s worth doing the math.Check out the whole episode for many more details!We have some great podcasts coming from Stephanie Leue, Ravi Mehta, and Sam Kawsarani. I can’t wait to share them with you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.news.aakashg.com/subscribe

Jason Knight, a tech veteran with over 25 years of product management experience, shares his insights on the complexities of B2B product management. He discusses the myth of agile development in B2B, stressing the need to balance revenue pressures with thoughtful planning. Knight elaborates on building a strong product culture, prioritizing features, and navigating customer feedback. He also highlights the critical relationship between product management and sales, advocating for empathy and collaboration to drive success.

Satyajeet Salgar, a Director of Product Management at Google with over 16 years of experience, shares invaluable insights on product strategy. He discusses the critical elements of effective strategy documents, stressing the importance of adapting strategies over time. Satyajeet emphasizes the role of AI in shaping product innovations and the necessity of using unstructured data for better decision-making. He also offers advice on fostering a culture of product within teams and explores strategic risk-taking through examples from giants like Netflix and Amazon.