Jeremy D. Horn

When working on larger projects and / or those with high outcome uncertainty, many org cultures (surprisingly pervasive even in many startups) tend to prioritize tackling low-hanging fruit or default to taking a consensus path ironically termed "the path of least resistance". This approach of solving easy sub-problems ("known unknowns" as Donald Rumsfeld fmr. US Sect of state, would have termed it) builds in sunk costs & illusions of progress, creating inertia to course correct. Most modern project or program operations turn out to be successful if we view them as a portfolio of risks (sorted by highest impact, high uncertainty to lowest impact, high uncertainty). Tackle the ones at the top first. Prove or disprove your hypotheses. Source of image: First round review #product #bets #operating #principles

8

What Really Happens To A Founder After They Fail -- I'll walk you through each stage and how to get past all of them in my new article for Inc. Magazine https://lnkd.in/e-ngs9PT #startup #entrepreneur #failure #work 

6

4 Comments

The Net Promoter Score had transformed how we measure customer sentiment. In 2003 the creators of NPS have shown"scientific proof" that this is the "One Number You Need to Grow". 20 years later NPS is still very dominant. But the reality is far less clear-cut. Here's the fascinating story of how NPS came to be, and why you may not want to fully trust it.

21

2 Comments

“If there is no clear owner, then it’s the PM that owns it.” I sat down with Esteban Contreras from #ProductState to discuss Product leadership, or Prioritization process at Productboard. We also dug into the concept of Extreme Ownership, which is a principle I firmly believe in. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eVN47mWn #productmanagement #productexcellence #ownership

59

4 Comments

 Are the same faces at every networking event? It's time to break free and connect with a wider network of professionals who can take your career to the next level. That's where BlinkConnect comes in. BlinkConnect is the ultimate networking app designed for: Job Seekers: Find the right connections to land your dream job. Discover hidden opportunities and connect with hiring managers and industry professionals who can give you a leg up. Entrepreneurs and Freelancers: Build your brand and expand your client base. Network with potential collaborators and clients to get your business noticed. Career Changers: Pivot your career path with ease. Connect with professionals in new industries, gain valuable insights, and find mentors who can guide you. But what makes BlinkConnect different? Here's what sets us apart: Smart Networking: Find the perfect connections with intelligent search filters that go beyond titles and companies. Meaningful Interactions: Engage in direct messaging, participate in exclusive networking events, and foster real relationships. Industry Insights: Stay ahead of the curve with curated content, discussions, and expert advice from industry leaders. A Growing Community: Join a vibrant network of professionals from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Here's a sneak peek of what you can expect with BlinkConnect: Personalized profile: Showcase your skills and experience to attract the right connections. Advanced search features: Find professionals based on specific criteria like industry, location, and expertise. Direct messaging: Connect with individuals and nurture relationships through private chats. Exclusive events: Attend online and offline networking events to expand your network in real-time. Knowledge sharing: Access valuable content and discussions on current industry trends and career development. Ready to unlock the power of professional networking? Download BlinkConnect today and start building your dream career network! In addition to the points above, you could consider including: A user quote or success story to illustrate the app's benefits. A call to action with a special offer or a free trial period. Links to download the app on various platforms. High-quality visuals that showcase the app's user-friendly interface and features.

1

What are founders reading? Issue #18 --> https://lnkd.in/ecTEmBxq These are our 6 recommended readings on Product-Market Fit, Marketing, Metrics, and Product Discovery. What we've learned about product-market fit. By Andy Vandervell From Zero to $1 million ARR, lessons we've learned along the way. By Chris Duell The Customer-Led playbook for bringing empathy into your marketing. By Kevan Lee In defense of 'Tarpit Ideas'. By Anu Atluru Read past issues and subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gB3fZAqM At Foundcy we follow hundreds of founders, product designers, growth marketers, and VCs to hand-pick the best articles they read.

9

Stop throwing a North Star Metric at your team without any context. It doesn't work. A NSM is not a concept that will create immediate alignment. "Here's the metric, now go optimize the product to improve the metric." Product teams need more to figure out what is influencing the NSM. And management needs more to prove its value. The CoCoCo for successful North Star Metric implementations 💃🏻 1️⃣ CONTEXT 2️⃣ CONNECTION to business value 3️⃣ CONNECTION to user value AND 💫 BONUS 1 - Co-creation 💫 BONUS 2 - Co-ownership With a shout-out to Amplitude and Daniel Schmidt. A comparison of Amazon vs. Patagonia. And the evolution of Netflix’s NSM over time - with a surprise, if you haven't heard it yet. 👉 Ask Me Anything: Drop your NSM questions in the comment 👇

126

17 Comments

Consulting for public companies, it was pretty easy to benchmark equity burn rate and equity plan size. All of the data you need are available in 10Ks. Private companies need to benchmark their equity plans and equity usage as well. It's just good governance, but the data can be hard to come by. That's why I'm super excited that we're now making option pool size and equity burn rate benchmarks available in Carta Total Compensation. These benchmarks are built off of the entire Carta equity dataset, which means you're not going to find these types of benchmarks anywhere else built on as robust a sample. Kudos to everyone involved in bringing these much needed benchmarks to life!

36

1 Comment

A very useful report if assessing which LLM to use in your business or product

2

Product roadmaps shouldn't be treated like a to-do list. They're living documents that tell the story of your product's evolution and adapt with customer needs. 🌱 I learned this lesson the hard way. Early in my career, like many founders and product folks, I viewed roadmaps as rigid plans to execute against - plugging items into project management tools and checking off boxes each quarter. While this felt satisfying, this output-based approach missed the point entirely. 😬 Here’s the roadmap philosophy I live by today: The art of roadmapping isn't about the output - it's about the process. 🏗️ Or, as Winston Churchill offers, "Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential." When viewed through this lens, startup roadmaps are a tool that helps you: 🗣️ Articulate your vision clearly to different stakeholders 🎯 Prioritize work that moves you toward that vision 🛞 Adjust quickly based on customer feedback 🤝 Unite teams around shared goals For early-stage companies, I’ve found the best way to do this is to create and maintain three versions of the roadmap, each for a distinct audience: 1️⃣ Annual roadmaps for investors: Focus on major milestones and market opportunities 6-12 months out. This shows your strategic thinking and excites investors about long-term potential. 2️⃣ Quarterly roadmaps for customers: Share concrete value coming in the next 3-4 months. This builds excitement while maintaining flexibility to pivot based on feedback. 3️⃣ Internal roadmaps for teams - Break down the work into specific problems and experiments to tackle this quarter. This connects daily tasks to bigger goals (which we manage in Linear). For each version, the key is focusing on the problems you're solving rather than features you're building. This shift in mindset leads to better products, more engaged customers, and teams that understand the "why" behind their work. ❤️ The best roadmaps aren't about checking off feature boxes - they're about delivering value by aligning your team, customers, and investors around a shared vision for the future. If you’d like to dive deeper into my thoughts around this topic, I’ve written up a post on creating your first roadmaps as a startup founder on the Clarify blog. I’ll drop the link in the comments 👇

67

12 Comments

Worthy Read: The Art of Decision-Making by Joshua Rothman In the Product Talk newsletter, I recommended the book Farsighted: How We Make the Decisions That Matter Most by Steven Johnson. In this New Yorker article, author Joshua Rothman considers many of Johnson's arguments (and those of other experts on decision-making) through a lens that most people can relate to—the decision of whether or not to have children. Check it out here: https://buff.ly/2soAWHC ❓ Reflecting on Joshua Rothman's article, how have your most significant life decisions—whether personal or professional—shaped who you are today? Can you share a specific decision that led to a major transformation or new understanding of yourself? #prodmgmt #ux #engineering

6

Venture Capital Contact Compilation. Explore a detailed list of 1,250+ VC firms, 7,400+ professionals in the VC space (including partners and principals), and 6,400 email contacts. https://payhip.com/b/cs7UQ #startup #startups #vc #venturecapital #investmentbanking #privateequity #managementconsulting #b2b #founders #entrepreneurs

1

1 Comment

I think it's right that there is a dip in manager comp -- it reinforces the right behaviors if you say "managers" are different from "ICs" not better. I'm assuming there are more than 3 ICs levels (Lenny Rachitsky?) What I'm seeing more and more of, and what we advocate for is more pay parity between the IC and Manager paths, up to Sr. Director level. That's putting your money where your mouth is in terms of "there are two tracks" -- if individuals can make as much as managers all the way up until exec track, then there are actually two tracks. Love the data Lenny, thanks for sharing. It's good that Sr. IC is on pay parity to somewhere between Sr. Manager/Director level, but fully aligned would be my vote!

7

Here's a verbatim review from last month's cohort: "Tom's class is the only one on Maven thus far that I wholeheartedly rate a full 10 out of 10. Through fun assignments, we got hands-on practice on dealing with ambiguous, high-stake reviews. Beyond product reviews, Tom's extensive insights have been enormously helpful for a mid-career PM like me." I've got a new cohort starting in a few days for my 5-star rated, interactive, live, small-group workshops. Learn more and enroll here https://lnkd.in/gFFuUYpu #productmanagement

10

Ship fast, ship often. The advantage of first to market should not be underestimated.

3

"In product, we're bombarded by high-level concepts like empowerment, data-driven, product-led, customer-focused, accountability, getting into the details, and high agency. But teams have trouble putting these ideas into practice. Why? And what can you do about it? When I ask people to describe the behaviors these things might entail—what I would observe (see and hear) if these things were happening—I often get blank stares." https://lnkd.in/gFCpYZ7A

56

6 Comments

📈 Looking for insights into the #InsurTech sector? Our curated list of funded startups includes essential info like HQ, funding rounds, and LinkedIn profiles. Get the details you need to stay ahead! 🔗💼 Check it out: https://lnkd.in/dHcPpVME #startup #startups #venturecapital #funding #vc #managementconsulting

1

Think you know your best product image? Data might surprise you. Discussion with George Barnett Reid 👀 , GB Media - Testing images can often lead to surprising results. Even when you have a favorite, data might reveal a different winner. - Personal opinions don't always align with customer preferences, that's why testing tools like PickFu are invaluable. - The true measure of success in product listings comes from the data, not personal bias. - Designers often aren't the target customers, so relying on opinions can be misleading. - The data always wins, and it is the most reliable way to make informed decisions on visuals and product listings. #Amazon #AmazonSeller #Ecommerce #AmazonFBA #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #DigitalMarketing #Marketing #Technology #Startups #Sales #Creativity #Entrepreneurs #Management #Productivity

12

9 Comments

When debating prioritization or scope, the question isn’t “yes or no”, it’s “instead of what”. Same with strategy, by the way. Strategy is about defining a choice, “this instead of that”, not “also”.

13

3 Comments