Weekly Product Hits: Reframing Networking, Negative Ideas, Little Marketing Channels
Product Hits: July 21, 2025Every week, I share three great product resources from a variety of perspectives. Let's dive in! Networking, Reframed by Deb Liu Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry.com, reframes networking as long-term community-building rooted in generosity and consistency, rather than selfish short-term transactions. When PMs invest early in authentic relationships, they can draw on that trust when it’s time to seek support. Avoid incepting negative ideas by Wes Kao Wes Kao, co-founder of Maven, advises against introducing doubt through negative framing. She suggests using positive language to maintain momentum and confidence in discussions. Every marketing channel sucks right now by Andrew Chen Andrew Chen, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, argues that traditional marketing channels are tapped out. Instead, early-stage traction now comes from scrappy, creative “Little Channels.” For PMs, this means prioritizing experimentation over “best practices” to unlock growth. Behind the Scenes Hey there, it’s Clement! It’s been a few weeks since my last newsletter, as I’ve been deep in home repairs lately. (That's how you know this newsletter is authentic and not AI-generated, as many newsletters seem to be these days...) So, I think this is a timely reminder to share: investing in your support systems is product work, even when it doesn’t feel like it! Take our sprinkler system. It was outdated, inconsistent, and made it impossible to water our plants in the early morning, which is the only time that makes sense during a California summer with back-to-back heat waves. We’d either have to wake up absurdly early, or we'd have to water during the hottest part of the day (a great way to waste water and stress the plants). Swapping out sprinkler systems was honestly pretty annoying and time-consuming, and we had been putting it off because we were chasing "other priorities." But once we committed and paid down that "systems debt"? We sleep in, the plants thrive, and we’re not manually adjusting knobs every morning. The time investment paid off, not in speed, but in sustainability. Whether at home or at work, sometimes the best ROI doesn’t come from pushing forward! Many times, it comes from fixing the systems that are quietly holding you back. Where can you invest in infrastructure this week: for yourself, your team, or your product? With love, Let's do more together!
|
Product Teacher
In-depth essays and thought-provoking reads for product managers.
Product Hits: June 30, 2025 Every week, I share three great product resources from a variety of perspectives. Let's dive in! Saying No Is a Strategy, Not a Sacrifice by Noa Ganot Noa Ganot, founder of Infinify, argues that trying to please everyone is the fastest path to mediocrity. She urges PMs to treat “no” as a strategic tool (not a reluctant compromise!) because focus and trade-offs are what make a product truly valuable to the right customers. 6 Principles for Structuring...
Product Hits: June 16, 2025 Every week, I share three great product resources from a variety of perspectives. Let's dive in! You’re more free than you think by Linda Zhang Linda Zhang, founder of Product Lessons, argues that remote and asynchronous work have unlocked new levels of career freedom. She encourages product managers to embrace flexibility, focus on learning, and build resilience by seeking out rejection. One Foot in Front of the Other by Deb Liu Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry.com,...
Product Hits: June 9, 2025 Every week, I share three great product resources from a variety of perspectives. Let's dive in! The Right Principles of Agile by Noa Ganot Noa Ganot, founder of Infinify, explains that Agile succeeds when teams focus on core principles like flexible planning, continuous assessment, and early value delivery. She urges product managers to prioritize learning and adaptability, even if the broader organization isn’t fully agile. Know Your Weaknesses by Victor Cheng...