Product Talk

Every entrepreneur dreams of turning their big idea into a real business. That said, 85 percent of startups end up failing to get off the ground. What should future leaders of "the next big thing" focus on to build success? Product Guru Bruce Cleveland talks about bridging the "Traction Gap" - providing a prescriptive how-to guide focused on market engineering techniques to enable startup success.

Now more than ever, it's critical for products to connect with their customers on a personal level. That said, marketing tactics have shifted toward impersonal and intrusive ways of building rapport with target users. How can businesses stay rooted in their customers' values while scaling for success at the same time? HYP3R CEO Carlos Garcia shares the secret to building successful products at scale - while never losing focus of delivering customer delight.

To produce meaningful solutions, product managers must be user-focused. That said, they must also keep their business at the forefront of the decision-making process. How can product managers connect with customers in ways that also benefit the bottom line? GetUpside CEO Alex Kinnier discusses the Business of Product - from building value for users and businesses on equal terms, to the importance of hustling to get a new product of the ground.

The tech world may be flourishing with new innovation every day - but it is behind in the times when it comes to equal opportunity for under-represented groups. How can we increase opportunities for everyone to get into tech? As part of our Diverse Voices series, Pivotal Labs fmr Product Lead Michael Fisher talks about what it means to be a black man in tech and how to truly break barriers to enhance representation in the tech world.

Product managers often focus on reimagining a tool or solution from scratch. However, there's plenty of disruptive innovation that comes from incremental changes over time. What is the best way to make an impact with subtle tweaks to a solution? As part of our Product Lifecycle series, Instagram Product Lead Alex Plutzer on how to make your mark with gradual product enhancements. Plus, he talks about the importance of solving the right problem & effectively managing the product lifecycle.

It's easy to look at a simple product and think that it can't be hard to make. However, the simplest interfaces often require the most demanding development. What does it take to bring simplicity to life when facing complexities? As part of our Diverse Voices series, SpotHero Product Lead Jenny Wanger talks about lessons learned as a line cook, optimizing simple interfaces and what it takes to get ahead as a product manager.

In product management, we hear about the importance of data all the time. That said, not every product manager understands what to make of every data set they review. What does it take to make informed product decisions using data? As part of our Product Lifecycle series, Google Product Lead Dacheng Zhao talks about moving from retail management consulting into big data products, why data products stand out from the crowd & what it takes to become a great product manager.

Every product manager's journey takes them on a different path to find the perfect role. Often, this involves using skills from other industries to influence their product decisions. What are the best ways for "product outsiders" to apply these learnings to building great products? As part of our Diverse Voices series, Venmo Product Lead Ashley Phillips talks about how her journalism career ultimately got her into product management, moving from large companies to startups and her personal definition of great products.

Every product manager starts out in a variety of entry points. What does it take to build a long-term career - and most importantly, how do you create value for customers and your business? BioDigital CPO Vivian Chang talks about going from project manager to CPO - along with the importance of being user-focused throughout the product lifecycle and how to scale with revenue-driven products.

Click here to read more about Vivian's story: http://bit.ly/2FbTROq

Dating apps have completely turned social interaction upside down - re-engineering how people meet and how we open up to others. How do product managers continue to enhance opportunities for people to find "the one?" Hinge CPO Tim MacGougan talks about the evolution of his product career - leading into the current state of dating apps and what we can expect in the near future.

Click here to read more about Tim's story on our blog: http://bit.ly/2Q2P2ru