Sam Montoya

Customer interviews aren't optional. 🗣️ They're your product's secret weapon. Why? 1. They uncover hidden problems 2. They validate (or shatter) assumptions 3. They spark groundbreaking solutions Customer interviews are not interrogations. They're conversations. Ask questions, listen intently, and build with empathy. Prioritize them. Always. Listen. Adapt. Build. Then, you create products that customers crave. P.S. How often do you do customer interviews? #CustomerInterviews #ProductDevelopment #UserResearch #ProductIteration

6

2 Comments

The Key to Measuring Product Market Fit: Why Retention Matters More Than Satisfaction I often get asked, “how can I determine if I have Product Market Fit (PMF).” For any new product launch, accurately gauging PMF is critical. A powerful indicator of this fit is customer retention, which often provides deeper insights than mere satisfaction metrics. Understanding and measuring retention offers a clear view of how well your product resonates with your target audience. Retention goes beyond the initial excitement of a new customer. It delves into the ongoing relationship your customers have with your product or service. For instance, consider a mobile gaming app. Here, retention isn’t just about downloads but how often players return to the game. This return rate is a tangible measure of the game’s relevance and appeal to its audience. Moreover, retention can be a telling predictor of long-term business viability. It’s not just about customers using your product, but how they integrate it into their daily or weekly routines. How should you measure retention? Let’s break it down with a simple method: cohort analysis. This technique tracks groups of customers over a period to see if they continue using your product. The goal is to observe a stable or ‘flattening’ retention curve, suggesting that customers find lasting value in what you offer. Imagine you own a coffee shop. To understand how well your shop retains customers, you can use a method called cohort analysis. This method involves grouping customers based on when they first visited your shop and tracking their return visits over time. Read the full article here for examples and how to bring this to life: https://lnkd.in/ggFEbJSZ

3

In product management careers, ignore these truths at your own peril. Operating at our fullest capacity means confronting these truths and making necessary changes. Here’s what I’ve learned from coaching over a thousand product managers: 1. Resolve to Solve Your Problems: Many product managers are stuck in a cycle of working long hours, feeling unappreciated, and watching peers get promoted. They often aren’t ready to solve their problems. You must decide to make changes, no matter what. 2. Market Your Work: Believing that hard work alone will get you noticed is a fallacy. Your work must be marketed. People don’t get promoted for their achievements; they get promoted for the achievements others recognize. 3. Think Ahead: Your career is like a chess game. Always think several steps ahead. Focus on long-term goals and take on projects that showcase your skills. 4. Sow the Seeds: Don’t give up too quickly. Advocate for solutions and make the necessary effort, even if initial reactions are adverse. Persistence is key. 5. Take Shortcuts: Career shortcuts exist. Invest in learning them from someone experienced. Coaches can accelerate your progress and help you navigate your career path efficiently. 6. Fuel Your Journey: Performance psychology is as crucial as strategy. Even the best plans won’t get you far without the right mindset. 7. Become the Reward: The real reward is the person you become. Your worth should come from your ability to learn and grow, not just from your job title or position. --- Thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed this: 1. Save it 2. Repost it to share with others 3. Comment with your favorite takeaway Then hit follow → @shobhitchugh for more posts on product management.

22

1 Comment

I wanted to give a shout-out to David Pereira for his first book Untrapping Product Teams (I was a beta reader). The book is grounded in reality, and full of actionable insights that are based on David own experience. David covers a lot of ground in a concise and compelling manner, using his typical no-nonsense style and real-world examples. If you're a product person, I'm sure you'll find much value in the many insights, frameworks, and tools the book provides. https://a.co/d/01Sn4LFH

58

3 Comments

Check yourself before you wreck a product manager’s career. Is a PM on your team struggling? Before writing them off, take a look at systemic issues. This isn’t just about fairness; it is essential to ensure you aren’t going to repeat the same problem with your next hire. Some organizational issues to watch out for include: * Is the PM role clearly defined and understood in your org? * Does the PM have the resources they need to execute effectively? * Has the PM received enough support as they ramped up? * Does your org communicate effectively across departments? * Do you have clear product-market fit, or are you still searching? And some tough questions to ask yourself: * Have you put in the time to establish a relationship with the PM? * Have you made it safe to come to you with problems and questions? * Were you clear about what it takes to succeed on your team? * Have you provided the air cover they need to make tough calls? If you answered 'no' to many of these questions, consider whether the issues you observe in a PM’s performance may actually be symptoms of more fundamental organizational problems. (Check back in the comments soon for a longer article on this topic.)

16

1 Comment

Don't get distracted by feasibility & resource constraints when building a vision. The product manager's primary function is to facilitate discovery of what *should* be built, not what *can* be built.

5

2 Comments

In August, I'm hosting several more product discovery events. These are all free to join. 🗓 The What & Why of Continuous Discovery Tues, August 6, 2024, 9am-10am PDT In this webinar, I’ll introduce participants to the continuous discovery framework I outlined in my book Continuous Discovery Habits. We’ll cover: ✅ The difference between discovery and delivery ✅ My definition of continuous discovery ✅ Why continuous discovery matters ✅ What a good continuous discovery team does week over week ✅ How you can develop your own discovery habits This webinar is for folks in product, design, or engineering who are new to my work or just looking for a fresh burst of inspiration. It’s also an excellent opportunity to introduce colleagues to the concepts of continuous discovery. Register here: https://lnkd.in/g4auG2Vv 🗓 Product Discovery Discussion Sessions for Senior Leaders Thurs, August 8, 2024, 9am-10am PDT I’ve been hosting monthly product discovery discussion sessions for senior leaders (think executives, VPs, CPOs) about the challenges they face managing continuous discovery teams. If you’d like to join, you can apply here: https://lnkd.in/giBhAk6F 🗓 Continuous Interviewing: Unlock the Power of Story-Based Customer Interviews Tues, August 13, 2024, 9am-10am PDT This webinar is designed to help you better understand what a good customer interview looks like. We’ll cover: ✅ Why most of the advice you read online about customer interviews isn’t adequate ✅ The cognitive biases that make it hard to get reliable feedback from everyday customer conversations ✅ A simple (but not always easy) technique that will help you get more out of your customer interviews ✅ Ways to practice and build your skill with conducting effective interviews This webinar is for product managers, designers, engineers, and their leaders, or anyone else who is working on building their continuous interviewing habit. Register here: https://lnkd.in/g_fuGHEm 🗓 Identifying Hidden Assumptions: The Key to Faster Discovery Cycles Tues, August 20, 2024, 9am-10am PDT Every week, I hear from people who doubt that product teams can test multiple ideas in just one week. This skepticism usually comes from those who are still navigating a project-based approach to idea testing. In this webinar, I’ll dive into: ✅ Why testing multiple ideas at the same time is critical to product success ✅ The key to unlocking faster discovery cycles ✅ Five different tactics for how to break your ideas into their underlying assumptions ✅ Some simple ways to get started This webinar is for product managers, designers, engineers, and their leaders—or anyone looking for a quicker way to determine which ideas will succeed and which won’t. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ghtwxAAR Reply in the comments to let me know which ones you'll be joining.

560

47 Comments

I'm loving this debate between John Cutler and Ed Biden - both are thinkers and leaders I deeply admire. Zero-interest PMs were hired by zero-interest Product Leaders, who were probably hired by zero-interest CEOs. It's turtling all the way up 🐢 Are they all incompetent? Nah, they are just a product of the environment. It would've been foolish to not take advantage of the zero-interest capital. The key question is whether these people - at all levels from the CEO to the PMs - are capable of adapting to the current environment where profit margin and sustainability are key. Everyone needs to 'sober up' after years of being drunk and high with cash. Zero-interest leaders focus on acquisition at all costs. Sober leaders focus on bringing solid value that leads to retention and sustainable growth. Zero-interest leaders double, triple, even quadruple the size of their team. Sober leaders realize that team size != productivity, that spending hours in alignment meetings for a small feature isn't any fun. Running lean is the way forward. Zero-interest leaders build or even acquire aggressively, trying to capture as much market as possible. Sober leaders are thoughtful in choosing just 1 or 2 things to do. Zero-interest leaders care about framework and rules "This is the only correct way to do product." Sober leaders care about results, knowing that those frameworks and rules are merely vehicles to achieve results. Ultimately, sober leaders are accountable for business performance, not just acting like consultants in suits talking big words and making pretty slides. It's not easy to sober up - but it's adapt or die.

49

8 Comments

Here are 4 Friday tips for product leaders and fractional executives: First up, don't just focus on product development - think about the bigger picture. Dive deep into market research to understand customer needs and trends, allowing you to make strategic decisions that drive growth. 💡 Next, leverage your network to collaborate with other departments and stakeholders. By fostering strong relationships, you can ensure alignment across the organization and drive successful product launches with cross-functional teams. 🌐 When it comes to prioritizing tasks, think like a CEO. Focus on high-impact initiatives that bring value to both customers and the business. This strategic mindset will set you apart as a top-notch Fractional Product Manager. 🎯 Lastly, don't be afraid to take risks and innovate. Embrace failure as a learning opportunity and continuously iterate on your products to stay ahead of the competition. Remember, fortune favors the bold! 🌟 Are you ready to level up your Product game? #FractionalProductManager #ProductManagement #Innovation #StrategicThinking #CareerDevelopment #ProductLaunch #MarketResearch #SuccessMindset #ProductStrategy

8

🚀 Everyone in product development understands the importance of aligning with business strategy. Product Enablement is not just about doing more with less—it’s about doing the right things right. Whether you’re looking to enhance cross-team collaboration, streamline processes, or boost efficiency, dive into what Product Enablement really means in our latest blog post 👇

1

Cut through the BS and confusion surrounding #productmanagement in this insight-packed podcast episode with Ksenia Boyer, an Independent Consultant and facilitator. She shares actionable tips, tools, and resources to help you make the most of your career as a Product Manager. The most vital elements to success in this competitive space are community, skills, and values. Clarity is key in a fast-paced, ever-evolving, and demanding role. Tune in now to clearly understand what you know, what you don't, and how to thrive in this in-demand field. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gMDD78uJ

6

1 Comment

Most Director to CPO Product Leadership roles are never posted - here's how to find them. The hidden job market for product leadership roles is a reality that many aspiring Directors, VPs, Heads of, and CPOs may not be aware of. We interviewed 7 external Executive Recruiters, 2 internal big tech Executive Recruiters, 2 VC talent teams, and 12 CPOs/ VPs about the product leadership job search. Here’s what we’ve found: At least 80% of Chief Product Officer roles are never publicly advertised and even 30%-50% of (Sr.) Director roles get filled without cold applicants. This means that solely relying on job boards, you're missing out on a significant portion of available positions. Companies post these roles much less often for a variety of reasons: 🚫 They don’t want the press to speculate 🚫 They don’t want the current leaders to know 🚫 They don’t want to waste time on lots of low quality applicants 🚫 They don't think the best candidates will apply Remember that reputation matters as much as your resume when you become a leader. So how do you find the roles? 1️⃣ Executive Recruiters They run a high percentage of leadership searches at top startups and public companies. Exec Recruiters have helped me get more than half of my Director, VP, and CPO offers. 2️⃣ VCs VC firms, especially those with talent arms, know which portfolio companies (even public ones) are hiring and want to deliver valuable candidates. They can direct you to executive recruiters or directly to the companies. 3️⃣ Your Network To sniff out opportunities, tap your network of tech executives, past bosses and skip managers, founders, and other product leaders. Shift your mindset from a reactive job seeker to a proactive opportunity seeker. While it may require more effort, the payoff is big. The difference between a great and a bad product leadership role can mean 5-10x outcomes in your career. Of course, leaders have landed roles by applying online at the Director/Sr. Director level, but almost never without a connection. 💬 Comment with your experience and any questions. Follow to learn more about finding, landing, an negotiating product leadership jobs. Find the full deep dive into the product leadership job search I wrote with Aakash Gupta in the comments.

13

1 Comment

Advance Your Career with a Product Manager's Mindset! If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I stand by the idea that “Everything is a Product, Even You”. Just as product managers strategize and execute plans for successful product launches, you can apply the same principles to your own career trajectory. From setting a vision for your future to understanding your current state and identifying strategic focus areas, in this article, I detail actionable steps to take your career to new heights through thinking of yourself as a product: https://lnkd.in/ecUy9n3k But doing it alone is hard. So imagine having access to ongoing mentorship, personalized guidance, and a supportive community dedicated to your success. That's exactly what you'll find in the Sidebar Personal Board of Directors, where I serve as a facilitator. Join me and fellow experts on a journey of growth, learning, and achievement. Reach out to me today to learn more and take the first step toward realizing your professional goals. #CareerGrowth #ProductLeadership #PersonalDevelopment

2

What really changes on the journey from a "Product Manager" to a "Principal Product Manager?" Two things: ambiguity and scope. Let's dig in. At the product manager level, you're handed a problem and a rough solution. Your task? - Dive deep into the business and customer issues. - Polish the solution and test its viability. - Launch, measure, refine. Moving up to senior product manager, the problem is clear, but what is the solution? Not so much. Your role expands to: - Define the solution from scratch. - Drive alignment. - Execute as you did at the product manager level. At the principal level, things get murkier. The problem isn't well defined. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: - Identify the problem. - Drive alignment. - Repeat the Senior Product Manager process. - Have a point of view beyond your own scope. As you ascend the professional ladder, ambiguity becomes a fascinating and ever-present challenge, your constant companion. But here's the good news: If you can demonstrate to your manager and stakeholders your adeptness at handling any ambiguous problem of increasing scope, you can accelerate your journey to success and professional growth.

74

How to Organize and Drive an Effective Launch Team... 👉 Check out my blog post -- https://wix.to/98qbWAp #GTM #productlaunch #launch #productmarketing #productmanagement

1

As product folks, we spend so much (too much?) time focusing on what to build next. The product roadmap is heavily skewed towards the shiny future. Our customer comms is focused on upcoming feature messaging. Teams obsess over the adoption of new capabilities. We over-index seller and support enablement on the latest and greatest. But if you step back and think about your product portfolio holistically, what’s already out there vs yet-to-be-built-and-released probably follows an 80/20 split. In a way, your existing product is buried treasure. And it’s being buried by your future product. read more on my blog 👇

88

6 Comments

Reflecting on my conversation with Divya AL, Lead Experimentation Engineer at Target, I loved this clip! I asked her for a compelling reason to get started with A/B testing if you're not already... Her answer might be a little surprising but insightful. The TL;DR? It's a powerful way to debug issues and find code errors. Who knew A/B testing could be such a versatile tool? (heavy on sarcasm) For more takeaways, check out our Substack page. https://bit.ly/3L51uWR Subscribe if you haven't already—I’ve got upcoming interviews this week with Nike, British Airways, Comcast, and more! Curious how many of you used A/B testing for debugging? Share your thoughts! #engineering #experimentation #abtesting

8