Product Habits - The people worth investing in

When and How To Take Big Swings

Most people probably view growth teams as optimization squads, constantly running experiments to test and tweak minor variables. But the best growth teams go beyond this role and know when to take "big hits" that produce a step function change in desired results. It requires a proactive strategy with resource allocations, opportunity selection, and result validation. Check out this multi-part "big swing" strategy.

Are All of These Tech Developments Good or Bad?

We've seen rapid technological change over the past several years. Many are quick to label these developments as good or bad, but as with most things, the changes fall somewhere in the middle. I appreciate the idea of technorealism, which is less about championing or dismissing technology and more about understanding and applying it in ways that align with human values. These are the eight underlying principles.

Being Respectful to Your Coworkers Is Good for Business

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone without a lousy work story. Work conflicts don't always seem like a big deal, but their impact on individuals—and the team as a whole—is profound. I thought this was a fascinating TED Talk about incivility's effect on a team. This will make you think twice about the small exchanges you have with people at work. 

A Bad Product Decision

I wish more of us would talk about our failures. It's so helpful to read articles like this one, which details one PM's mistake while at FreshBooks. You can see how assumptions about user behavior can lead to big problems down the road if you're not careful. What lessons have you learned from mistakes made at work?

You Can't Buy Integration

Integration tools have their place, but their value can sometimes be exaggerated. This article presents an interesting argument that the real goal of integration shouldn't be to connect systems but rather create clean interfaces between capabilities. Do you agree?

How To "Think Different"

Behind every excellent marketing decision is a deep understanding of human psychology. One of the most powerful tools you can use is reframing, which effectively helps you turn a perceived problem into a solution. If you want to think differently about your marketing challenges, try using reframing and some of these other psychology concepts. 

How To Create a Product Content Strategy

When it comes to creating products, teams treat content as an afterthought at the end of the development process. But to create truly exceptional products, content needs to be at the center of the design process. When you combine high-quality UX, writing, and business context, the results can be astounding. Here's a process you can use to build a solid product content strategy. 

How Freshworks Rewrote the SaaS Growth Playbook

With so much competition, it was hard to see how Freshworks was going to differentiate itself and have a breakthrough a few years ago. But an IPO in September valued the company at $8.9 billion. Many factors led to Freshworks' success, but a big one was leading a product-led growth strategy targeted at an underserved segment of a large market, not typical big enterprises. Here are three other decisions that set it on an upward growth trajectory. 

Budget Planning 2022: Product vs. Sales

Organizational budgeting decisions are rarely straightforward. Knowing where to invest resources and how much you should allocate is a guessing game, but these guidelines are helpful. In short, for PLG, investing in your product is the quick answer. For high-growth companies, the answer depends on your company size.