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Why Product Focus Drives Startup Growth More Than Sales
Show Notes:
In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with Amber Field, COO of Strudel AI, to unpack what truly drives execution, focus, and scalability inside early-stage and growing technology companies.
With a career spanning IBM, National Geographic, Capital One’s Innovation Lab, and multiple venture-backed startups, Amber brings a rare blend of technical depth, operational rigor, and practical leadership insight. She shares how her background in project management shaped her leadership style, why focus often matters more than hustle, and how founders can avoid common operational and financial missteps before they become painful.
The conversation dives deep into how early-stage companies should think about product versus sales, how to run discovery calls that actually inform growth, and why many founders overinvest in tools too early. Amber also offers a grounded, real-world perspective on using AI as a force multiplier without losing human judgment, critical thinking, or institutional knowledge.
Listeners will walk away with actionable frameworks for prioritization, time management, agile execution, budgeting decisions, and team development, along with a refreshing reminder that strategy, not shiny tools, is what sustains long-term value creation.
Bio:
Amber Field is the Chief Operating Officer at Strudel AI, a Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of the book, Agile Discovery & Delivery: A Survival Guide for New Software Engineers & Tech Entrepreneurs. She has been an executive leader in tech, agile proponent, and engineer for her entire career at a number of organizations including IBM, National Geographic, Oracle Utilities (formerly Opower), Capital One, and Singlewire Software. Amber frequently speaks at conferences and blogs at amberrfield.com. She lives in Madison, WI.
To connect with our guest, click on the links below:
https://amberrfield.com/
https://www.strudelbots.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-field-3ba796b/
Connect with me:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/
https://heatherparsons.com/links
Join the C-Suite Insiders Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders
🎁Get your free checklist to Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth https://info.thesummitcfo.com/investment-readiness-checklist
View all episodes
By Heather ParsonsShow Notes:
In this episode of C-Suite Secrets, host Heather Parsons sits down with Amber Field, COO of Strudel AI, to unpack what truly drives execution, focus, and scalability inside early-stage and growing technology companies.
With a career spanning IBM, National Geographic, Capital One’s Innovation Lab, and multiple venture-backed startups, Amber brings a rare blend of technical depth, operational rigor, and practical leadership insight. She shares how her background in project management shaped her leadership style, why focus often matters more than hustle, and how founders can avoid common operational and financial missteps before they become painful.
The conversation dives deep into how early-stage companies should think about product versus sales, how to run discovery calls that actually inform growth, and why many founders overinvest in tools too early. Amber also offers a grounded, real-world perspective on using AI as a force multiplier without losing human judgment, critical thinking, or institutional knowledge.
Listeners will walk away with actionable frameworks for prioritization, time management, agile execution, budgeting decisions, and team development, along with a refreshing reminder that strategy, not shiny tools, is what sustains long-term value creation.
Bio:
Amber Field is the Chief Operating Officer at Strudel AI, a Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of the book, Agile Discovery & Delivery: A Survival Guide for New Software Engineers & Tech Entrepreneurs. She has been an executive leader in tech, agile proponent, and engineer for her entire career at a number of organizations including IBM, National Geographic, Oracle Utilities (formerly Opower), Capital One, and Singlewire Software. Amber frequently speaks at conferences and blogs at amberrfield.com. She lives in Madison, WI.
To connect with our guest, click on the links below:
https://amberrfield.com/
https://www.strudelbots.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-field-3ba796b/
Connect with me:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-parsons-cfo/
https://heatherparsons.com/links
Join the C-Suite Insiders Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/csuiteinsiders
🎁Get your free checklist to Turn Your Business Success into Lasting Wealth https://info.thesummitcfo.com/investment-readiness-checklist