Episodes
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Namrata (Nam) Sarmah, Chief Product and Technology Officer, and the Founder of Women in Product, UK and CPO Track Communities discusses her career journey and the importance of building great products and strong teams. She emphasizes the need for products that solve real human problems and shares her experience with TransferWise as an example. Nam also highlights the value of building communities and the changing dynamics of leadership in the digital age. She recommends books like 'Ride of a Lifetime' by Bob Iger and 'Discover Your True North' by Bill George for leadership insights.
Building great products involves solving real human problems Communities play a crucial role in personal and professional growth Leadership is about being hands-on and building strong relationships The dynamics of leadership have changed in the digital age Recommended books: 'Ride of a Lifetime' and 'Discover Your True North'Chapters/Timestamps:
Introduction to Building Great Products (00:00:05)
Discussion on the Venturis mindset combining product thinking, adaptability, and engagement.Guest Introduction (00:00:37)
Namrata Sarmah introduced as a diverse expert in product management and community building.Namrata's Career Journey (00:02:06)
Nam shares her transition from engineering to product management and her educational background.Early Career Experiences (00:03:39)
Nam recounts her formative years at Wipro and her early career opportunities in Boston.Transition to Product Management (00:04:55)
Nam discusses her shift to product management during its nascent stages in the UK.Defining a Great Product (00:08:30)
Nam explains that a great product solves real human problems, using TransferWise as an example.User Experience Importance (00:11:59)
Discussion on user experience and its critical role in product design and community building.AI and Human Skills (00:14:24)
Nam emphasizes the growing importance of human skills in an AI-driven world and community relevance.Corporate Culture Changes (00:16:16)
Nam reflects on the decline of corporate culture post-COVID and the need for community connections.Building Relationships in Communities (00:18:12)
Nam highlights the importance of relationships in professional communities for personal and business growth.Creating a Culture of Leadership (20:06)
Discussion on the importance of hands-on leadership in building a strong community and product.Hyperscale vs. Organic Growth (20:30)
The advantages of scaling a product organically versus hyperscaling with a large team.Leadership Philosophy and Values (22:06)
Exploration of the Venturis mindset emphasizing focus, adaptability, and engagement in leadership.The Reality of Leadership Quality (23:08)
Commentary on the prevalence of poor leadership and the ease of becoming a good leader.Impact of COVID on Leadership Dynamics (24:02)
How the pandemic transformed corporate relationships and communication methods.Generational Expectations in Leadership (26:01)
Discussion on how different generations, especially Gen Z, have unique leadership expectations.Balancing Technology and Product Management (27:59)
Insights on managing the intersection of technology and product delivery effectively.The Importance of Skills in Leadership Roles (29:53)
The necessity of having the right skills for leadership roles in today’s market dynamics.Influential Leadership Books (32:24)
Recommendations for impactful books on leadership, including insights from personal experiences.Using Adversity for Growth (35:50)
Discussion on how personal challenges can shape effective leadership and resilience. -
Summary
Rajeev Shah and Puneet Shetty, CEO and Head of Product respectively at Celona, discuss product thinking, mindset, and entrepreneurship. They emphasize the importance of user centricity and deep empathy for end users in the early stages of a product. They also highlight the unique skill set of product managers, who must be able to think about P&L, communicate effectively, and shift between different functions. The guests discuss the challenges of building a winning team and the need for adaptability and emotional maturity. They also share the story behind the name Celona.
Keywords
product thinking, mindset, entrepreneurship, user centricity, empathy, product managers, P&L, winning team, adaptability, emotional maturity, Celona
Takeaways
User centricity and deep empathy for end users are crucial in the early stages of a product. Product managers have a unique skill set and must be able to think about P&L, communicate effectively, and shift between different functions. Building a winning team requires adaptability and emotional maturity. The name Celona was inspired by a conversation about private networks in Barcelona.Sound Bites
"User centricity and having a conviction on how you will resolve pain points can only come from deep empathy for end users." "Product managers are an extraordinarily unique breed of people who can shift between different functions." "Once a product person, always a product person. It's a growth process and an incredible learning experience."Chapters
00:00Introduction and Background of Salona
05:14The Winning Ingredients for Startups
11:51The Role of Conviction and Stand-Up Comedy in Product Management
16:30Defining Product Thinking and User Centricity
19:37The Holistic Approach of Product Thinking
22:03Balancing Strategy and Execution in Product Leadership
22:32The Importance of Flexibility and Creativity in Product Management
22:47The Challenges of Product Management and Hiring Good Product Leaders
23:41The Importance of Adaptability in Building a Winning Team
26:29Working as a Product Person for a CEO Who is Also a Product Person
32:54The Story Behind the Name 'Celona'
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Episodes manquant?
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The ICC T20 cricket world cup just concluded and Team India emerged as the champions. So, this gives us the perfect backdrop to talk about our favorite topic - applying lessons from the world of sports to building great products. And that’s not all - to talk about this, we have a very special guest joining us today. We are thrilled to be joined by Palash Somani, a Product Leader at Dream11 for this conversation. The occasion demanded that we do something special So, here we are - we are bringing you a conversation straight from the heart. Whether you are a cricket fan or a product person, looking to pick up some lessons on what it takes to build great products, we promise you that there is going to be something in this conversation for you.
Timestamps:
The venturis mindset (00:00:05) Defines the mindset encompassing focus, adaptability, mojo, and engagement required for building great products.
Introduction of Palash Somani (00:02:33) Palash Somani, the Director of Product at Dream11, shares his unconventional journey to product management and his focus on growth and hustle mindset.
Indian cricket team's adaptability (00:04:38) Discussion on the adaptability of the Indian cricket team and its parallels to the adaptability required in product management.
Building great products and innovation (00:08:25) Emphasizes the importance of strategy, vision, and irrational belief in the potential of products for successful innovation.
Understanding user needs (00:13:49) Importance of understanding the underlying user needs and innovating beyond what users explicitly request.
Adaptability in product management (00:16:15) The need for product managers to wear many hats and constantly evolve with user needs and market trends.
Practice and preparation (00:19:32) The importance of practice and preparation in achieving collective goals, drawing parallels to the dedication and hunger of the Indian cricket team.
Being Reliable (00:21:19) Importance of reliability in product management, drawing parallels with the Indian cricket team's consistency.
Clarity of Role (00:21:39) Emphasizing the need for clarity of roles, inspired by the Chennai Super Kings, and its relevance in product management.
Conflict Management (00:22:14) The significance of effective conflict management in fostering healthy debates and decision-making in product teams.
Celebrating Small Wins (00:23:01) Highlighting the value of celebrating smaller wins and their impact on team morale and engagement.
Belief in Everybody (00:23:21) The importance of fostering a belief in the impact of individual contributions on the team's success.
Future of AI in Product Management (00:24:33) Discussion on the role of AI in the future of product management, focusing on its potential as a tool for efficiency and user experience enhancement.
Data and Context in AI Product Management (00:25:53) Exploring the relationship between data and context in AI product management and the potential for co-creation of a new framework.
Conclusion and Gratitude (00:26:56) Closing remarks, expressing gratitude for the conversation and the opportunity to share insights and perspectives.
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This is a replay of a conversation, originally aired on the podcast “Charleh With Friends”. Gaurav was a guest on this show and shared his personal life journey, how a life changing incident became the driving factor around finding our Ikigai and the driving force behind Venturis. We ofcourse also talked about our frameworks and the secret of building great products. Charleh is a seasoned Marketing leader, a skilled podcast host and also a crossfit athlete. For more of such authentic conversations, do subscribe to her show.
Link to the original episode on Charleh's show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQvVOj7PeUs
Original LinkedIn post about appearance on Charleh's show: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gaurav-vaid-product-thinker_businesspodcast-entrepreneur-smallbusiness-activity-7209940176960147456-VvWD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
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In this heartfelt episode of "Venturis Stories," Gaurav and Arjun explore the intersection of sports, innovation, and business through their talent and mindset framework. Drawing inspiration from recent events like Roger Federer's Dartmouth Commencement speech, the Roger and Rafa interview for Louis Vuitton, the French Open, and the T20 Cricket World Cup, they discuss how the mindset required for sports success parallels business innovation. They emphasize the importance of feedback, continuous iteration, and a growth mindset. Highlighting their two-by-two matrix framework, they stress the need for both high talent and a strong mindset to achieve success in any field.
Roger Federer Speech Highlights: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gaurav-vaid-product-thinker_rogerfedrer-leeadership-attitude-activity-7206254210185654272-LUn0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
Luis Vitton , Rogerand Nadal Interview: LouisVuitton, Roger Federer e Rafael Nadal
Venturis Talent xMindset Framework: https://www.venturisinc.com/post/talent-x-mindset-matrix-sports-business-innovation-parallels
Roger Federer FullSpeech at Dartmouth Commencement: Roger Federer CommencementAddress at Dartmouth
Timestamps:
The secret to unlocking innovation (00:00:05) Discussion on the combination of product thinking and mindset for achieving innovation in both startups and mature companies.
Introduction to the episode (00:00:42) Acknowledgment of feedback on previous episodes and a preview of the sports and innovation discussion.
Sports events and talent mindset framework (00:01:18) Reflection on the French Open and T20 cricket matches, introduction of the talent mindset framework developed by Gaurav, and the parallel between sporting mindsets and business innovation.
Application of sporting mindset to business (00:02:41) Discussion of the alignment between the mindset of sports champions and the Venturi mindset, emphasizing the importance of mindset in addition to core product skills.
Talent and mindset framework explanation (00:04:39) Explanation of the two by two matrix of talent and mindset, and its application to successful businesses and sports champions.
Defining the quadrants in the matrix (00:06:37) Explanation of the four quadrants in the talent and mindset matrix, defining the top right quadrant as where champions reside and discussing the bottom right quadrant.
Transition from veterans to champions (00:09:44) Discussion on transitioning from a high talent fixed mindset environment to the champions quadrant in the business context, referencing a previous framework for entrepreneurs in a similar situation.
Rising stars and consistent champions (00:11:03) Exploration of the playbook for transforming rising stars with motivation/mindset into consistent champions in business, emphasizing the importance of mindset and guidance.
Market focus on large tech companies (00:13:19) Emphasis on large tech companies' success in creating the right talent and providing a mindset and ecosystem for growth, and the need to apply the methodology to more companies.
Continuous iteration and feedback (00:14:18) Encouragement for continuous iteration, feedback, and questions from companies and individuals, highlighting the importance of feedback in refining frameworks and advising companies.
Carol Dweck's growth mindset and feedback request (00:14:53) Reference to Carol Dweck's growth mindset and its impact on the Microsoft turnaround, with a request for feedback and questions from listeners.
Conclusion and call to action (00:14:56) Summary of the discussion on talent and mindset framework, encouragement for entrepreneurs to reach out for partnership, and a call to action for feedback and questions.
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In this episode of the Venturis Stories podcast, hosts Arjun and Gaurav delve into the their journey and illustrate the application of the Venturis Product Market Fit Framework - P-M Squared, applied to the Venturis Inc. The P-M Squared framework is about Purpose - Product - Market and Money. Gaurav and Arjun discuss the Purpose and starting with the Why, framed around this concept of Ikigai and the deeply personal story of how Gaurav has used that concept to guide his recovery from a stroke that he suffered in 2020 (you can read about the details in a linked in post - link below). The Product Journey is set in the context of a High Agency Mindset and inspired a post by Shreyas Doshi on this topic (Link to his post below which is highly recommend reading). The Market story is based on anecdotes of customer and market discussions that the hosts have had over the last 12 months and finally it is about "Show Me the Money" set in the context of a journey of "Productizing the services" that is captured as the 5 ways to engage Venturis Inc on the Services page of the website (Link below):Link to the Ikigai Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gaurav-vaid-product-thinker_stroke-of-purpose-my-why-revealed-and-activity-7193600501014228993-xT8S?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Link to Shreyas Doshi's post on High Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/high-agency-its-importance-how-cultivate-shreyas-doshi?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via Link to the 5 ways to Engage Venturis Inc: https://www.venturisinc.com/services
Timestamps:
Purpose (00:01:21)
Gaurav shares his personal journey and the concept of Ikigai, emphasizing the importance of finding purpose in life and work.
Product Agency and Talent (00:08:06)
The hosts discusses the concept of product agency and talent, highlighting the importance of creating a high agency environment to foster innovation and success.
Market Segmentation and Creating New Markets (00:14:49)
The hosts discuss the challenges of creating and exploiting markets, including scaling existing businesses, exploiting adjacencies, and creating new markets.
Revenue Generation (00:20:34)
The hosts explore how they plan to create revenue for their venture, emphasizing the importance of aligning the team's purpose with the business goals.
Product Market Fit Framework (00:23:53)
Gaurav discusses the framework's application to their services and offers a discovery call to demonstrate its relevance to different situations.
Problem-Centric Innovation (00:23:53)
Gaurav emphasizes the importance of starting from the problem and iterating, rather than creating a solution looking for a problem.
Opportunities to Innovate (00:23:53)
Gaurav mentions the abundance of ideas and opportunities for innovation, highlighting the need to align solutions with real problems.
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In this episode of Venturis Stories, Gaurav and Arjun chat with Chris Paterson, an Innovation Champion and a seasoned Product Leader, who shares our passion for demystifying Product Management. Chris focuses on helping organizations develop a corporate/product strategy and executive Coaching Services. Chris is a believer in Structured Creativity (sounds like an oxymoron? Well, it is the critical product management skill -learn more about it in the episode). This is conversation between 3 Product Nerds. We loved it. Take a listen. Besides the usual Q&A, there is a section where all 3 of us share our views on why Product Management is one of the most misunderstood disciplines in the corporate world today and what it takes to be a great product manager. Chris can be found at: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispaterson7777/ • YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdM6dXJ0siEX1bLfo48mQyw @chrispaterson_Product • Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chrispaterson_product?igsh=NGliZXl5OXZ6amJu&utm_source=qr • TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@chrispaterson_product?_t=8lds1KGbNoU&_r=1
Timestamps:
**Introduction to Product Management (00:00:05)**
Discussion on the combination of product thinking and mindset in product management.
**Chris Paterson's Career Journey (00:01:33)**
Chris Paterson's career progression and experiences in product management and strategy.
**Design Thinking and Product Roadmaps (00:06:58)**
Discussion on the importance of design thinking and its integration into product roadmaps.
**Mentorship and Career Influence (00:14:33)**
The impact of mentors on career development and the role of mentorship in giving back.
**Private Equity and Innovation (00:18:22)**
Exploring the role of private equity in driving innovation and its impact on companies.
**Strategy and Execution in Product Management (00:22:44)**
The importance of aligning strategy with execution and its impact on successful product management.
**Strategy and Execution (00:23:39)**
Discussion about the book "Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done" and its importance in aligning strategy and execution.
**Iterative Strategy Planning (00:25:32)**
Importance of iterative long-range strategy planning exercises and being ready for events and pivoting as needed.
**Misunderstood Discipline (00:26:48)**
Discussion on the blog "Zen and the Art of Product Management," highlighting the challenges and evolving nature of the product management role.
**Evolution of Product Management (00:28:40)**
Comparison of the evolution of product management to the evolution of industrial design, emphasizing the role's consumer focus and leadership requirements.
**Product Manager's Role (00:30:41)**
Explanation of the product manager's role, focusing on understanding market variables, distilling insights into a roadmap, and leading collaboratively.
**Yin and Yang of Product Management (00:34:52)**
Emphasizing the importance of marrying analytics with narratives and the need for a venturis mindset in product management.
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In this episode of Venturis Stories, Gaurav and Arjun chat with Jim Verquist, founder of Engine 2 Innovation, about fostering innovation in large, established companies. Jim shares his experience, ranging from U.S Marine Corps, to 3 silicon valley startups to large mature companies and stresses that innovation isn't just for startups. He discusses the common failure of internal venture teams, the importance of trusting experts, and the need for an environment that supports unfiltered experimentation. The concept of swarm intelligence is explored, highlighting how any employee can spark innovation. Jim also outlines a playbook for creating new growth curves within big companies, advocating for a dual focus on current operations and exploring new, scalable business models.
Jim Verquist, LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verquist/
Engine2 Innovation: https://engine2.us/
Timestamps:
The secret to unlocking innovation (00:00:05)
Discussion on why startups succeed in innovation and the challenges faced by mature companies.
Introduction to Jim Verquist (00:01:29)
Gaurav introduces Jim Verquist, founder at Engine 2 Innovation, and his passion for innovation.
Culture shock in big companies (00:02:25)
Jim shares his experience transitioning from startups to big companies and his mission to energize and innovate large companies.
The playbook for building new S-curves (00:17:44)
Discussion on the challenges faced by GMs and product managers in mature companies and the playbook for building and launching new S-curves.
Implementing swarm intelligence (00:14:55)
Jim explains the concept of swarm intelligence and how to unleash the innovation potential of regular employees.
Balancing innovation access and risk (00:08:24)
Discussion on balancing swarm intelligence with risk appetite and the resentment created by innovation access disparities.
Laws of innovation (00:04:10)
Jim explains the laws of innovation and the differences in approach between startups and big companies.
Mimicking Silicon Valley in large companies (00:18:31)
Jim presents a playbook that mimics the exploration and exploitation phases of startups within successful companies.
Bureaucracy and Innovation (00:22:44)
Discussion on the role of bureaucracy and the challenge of balancing innovation in large companies.
Steve Jobs' Approach (00:24:21)
Exploration of Steve Jobs' perspective on innovation and the importance of focusing on content and the big picture.
Career Journeys and Innovation (00:25:13)
Speakers' personal experiences in large companies and the challenges and opportunities for innovation.
Innovation in the US Marine Corps (00:27:12)
Insights into innovation in the US Marine Corps and the experience of driving change in a large organization.
Shrinking Portfolio and Innovation (00:30:46)
Discussion on the journey from working in large companies to startups and the catalyst for innovation.
Framework for Innovation (00:32:17)
Reflection on the potential for innovation in various organizational settings and the importance of a basic framework for mature companies.
Contact Information (00:33:04)
Information on how to connect with Jim Verquist and Engine 2 Innovation.
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In this episode of Venturis Stories, hosts Gaurav and Arjun interview Kaitki Agarwal, co-founder and president of A5G Networks. They discuss the integration of AI and autonomous systems in telecom, as highlighted at the Mobile World Congress. Kaitki shares her journey in the industry, the challenges she faced, and the significance of self-motivation. The conversation covers the necessity of open networks, data management, and the use of AI for network optimization. Kaitki stresses the iterative process of product thinking to solve customer issues and the continuous learning mindset, drawing inspiration from authors like Clayton Christensen and Michael Dell. The episode wraps up with Kaitki expressing enthusiasm about Intel's startup program and the potential for future collaborations.
The secret to building great products (00:00:05)
Introduction to the podcast theme and the significance of product management in building great products.
Kaitki Agarwal's career journey and background (00:02:03)
Kaitki Agarwal discusses her career journey, upbringing, and early experiences that shaped her as a self-learner and entrepreneur.
Challenges and learnings in Kaitki Agarwal's career journey (00:04:01)
Kaitki Agarwal shares her experiences, challenges, and learnings, emphasizing the value of practical experience and networking.
Transition to discussing autonomous networks and AI in telecom (00:07:08)
Transition from personal background to discussing the concept of a network of networks and the potential of autonomous networks and AI in telecom.
Challenges and opportunities in current networks (00:08:00)
Discussion about the limitations of current closed networks and the need for open networks to drive innovation and efficiency.
Demonstrating AI in telecom at MWC (00:12:52)
Kaitki Agarwal shares insights into the demonstrations and functionality of AI in telecom showcased at the Mobile World Congress.
Product thinking and addressing customer problems (00:16:06)
Discussion on addressing customer problems, creating new business value, and the iterative process of product thinking.
Recommendations for reading and learning (00:19:52)
Kaitki Agarwal shares her favorite books and the impact they had on her entrepreneurial journey and learning.
Adaptability and contextual intelligence (00:22:35)
Insights into the importance of adaptability and contextual intelligence, emphasizing the value of asking good questions and maintaining an open mind.
Kaitki Agarwal and A5G's inclusion in Intel's startup program (00:25:27)
Discussion about Kaitki Agarwal and A5G's inclusion in Intel's startup program, highlighting the significance and benefits for her startup and team.
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A Conversation with Michel Gannage, CEO of Ecrio and Stephen Spellicy, recently listed in CIO Look Magazine as amongst "The 10 Most Influential Leaders in Telecom Industry, 2023" about Product Thinking and how applying that lens has allowed Ecrio to unlock trapped value in Messaging and Voice Technology. The core technology and software solution has been around for a long time however applying a fresh perspective to this has placed Ecrio in a unique position to unlock the full potential of Human to Machine Communication in the Industrial Metaverse where Voice and Messaging are going to play a key role as Private Networks are built out for various verticals. The conversation is just in time for the telecom industry's annual tradeshow, Mobile World Congress, held in one of our favorite cities in the world, Barcelona.
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This episode is about Left Brain and Right Brain Thinking coming together. We often get asked on why do we include "Venturis Mindset" and FAME (Focus, Adaptability, team Mojo and Emgagement) in our core mission as Product Thinkers driving Innovation and Business Transformation. This episode offers you more than a glimpse on exactly why we care so deeply about the Product Culture. We are joined by Erin Diehl, the Founder of Improve It, a Keynote Speaker, a seasoned podcast host, improviser and most recently the author of her book "I See you: A Leader's Guide to Energizing your team through Radical Empathy". Join us for this engaging conversation as we dive into why the most effective leadership and product culture requires a combination of analytics and instinct, a bit of yin and yang together.
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Customer Success/Customer Centricity and how that ties into driving Business Value
In this episode, we dive into the Customer/User Centricity pillar of the Product Thinking. The discussion focuses on cross functional alignment across the Product and the Go To Market (GTM) teams and how that plays a critical role in things like Product Market Fit. Elizabeth Italiano, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at GTM Advisors and a "Top 100 Customer Success Thought Leader 2023" shares her views on the topic. Her insights on Customer Success and how Customer Success plays a key role in this cross functional alignment and the evolution of the role are not to be missed. She was walking this talk before this became main street in the quest of recurring revenues and SaaS models. For the Product Thinkers out there, you will find enough nuggets of information in there to apply in real-world situations to drive Product Market Fit or simply - build Products that delight your end customers. You will of-course find the usual discussion around podcasts/books and sports analogies and a discussion around the pillars of the Venturis Mindset (FAME - Focus, Adaptability, Team Mojo and Engagement). Customer Success and Business Value (00:00:00)
Discussion on the importance of customer success and customer centricity in driving business value.
Elizabeth Italiano's Passion for Customer Success (00:01:55)
Elisabeth Italiano shares her career journey and passion for customer success, emphasizing its role as a revenue generator.
Evolution of Customer Success (00:04:49)
Discussion on the evolution of customer support to customer advocacy and then customer success as a revenue generator.
Customer Interactions and Work Environment (00:06:38)
Humorous references to "The Office" and the evolving work environment in customer interactions.
Challenges in Achieving Product-Market Fit (00:09:27)
Discussion on the challenges in achieving and maintaining product-market fit and the impact on revenue.
Voice of the Customer Initiatives (00:13:00)
The importance of voice of the customer initiatives in understanding customer needs and creating value-driven product roadmaps.
Structural Sales Evolution and Customer Alignment (00:15:02)
Discussion on the evolution of sales and the importance of customer alignment in product development.
Customer Success as a Revenue Center (00:17:09)
Elizabeth Italiano's views on customer success as a revenue center and the ideal structure for customer success and sales alignment.
Apple, Amazon, and Tesla (00:21:10)
Comparison of customer success strategies among Apple, Amazon, and Tesla.
Customer Experience (00:22:43)
Discussion on the delightful customer experience provided by Apple, Amazon, and Tesla.
Recommendations for Listeners (00:22:32)
Elisabeth Italiano's recommendations for podcasts, books, and thought leaders.
Adaptability in Business (00:28:46)
Elizabeth Italiano's personal experience with adaptability and its application in business.
Macro-level Adaptation (00:32:00)
Comparison of macro-level adaptation in countries like Singapore and Taiwan, and its relevance to business strategies.
Conclusion and Thanks (00:32:57)
The hosts express gratitude to Elizabeth Italiano for her insights on customer centricity and cross-functional collaboration.
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Title: Data OS: Entrepreneurial Journey to Creating a new Category of "The Data Product Platform" In this special video podcast episode of "Venturis Stories", recorded specially for the Entrepreneur Ignite Summit at COMSNETS 2024, hosts Gaurav and Somali Chaterji and guest Srujan Akula, CEO of Modern Data Company, discuss the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship. Srujan shares insights into his company's creation of Data OS, an operating system for data aimed at simplifying business decision-making. He emphasizes product excellence and strategic fundraising for startups. Somali joins later and continues the conversation as Srujan explores investor appeal and the concept of a minimum sellable product (MSP). The conversation provides valuable advice for budding entrepreneurs, highlighting the importance of grit, perseverance, empathy along with the traditional concepts of product-market fit and customer satisfaction in building a successful business.
The introduction and setting the context (00:00:02) Gaurav introduces the special video podcast, the Entrepreneur Ignite Summit, and the absence of his usual co-host, Arjun.
Srujan's entrepreneurial journey and vision for Modern Data Company (00:01:13) Srujan introduces himself, his company, and the platform they have developed. He shares the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey.
Discussing fundraising strategy (00:05:28) Srujan shares his view on fundraising for budding entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of having a strong product and understanding the investor's perspective.
Product thinking in the data space (00:09:34) Srujan explains the concept of product thinking in the data space and how it differs from traditional approaches, focusing on outcomes and purposeful data pipelines.
Attracting talent in a competitive space (00:13:38) Srujan discusses attracting talent to startups, emphasizing the importance of a compelling vision and aligning with the higher purpose.
Sharing the vision for Modern Data Company and future advice (00:20:51) Srujan shares his vision for the future of data products and offers advice to budding entrepreneurs at the Entrepreneur Ignite Summit.
Commoditizing Data Infrastructure (00:21:4) Srujan discusses the potential for data infrastructure commoditization and its impact on market adoption over the next 3 to 5 years.
Advice for Budding Entrepreneurs (00:22:49) Srujan emphasizes the importance of honesty, persistence, and belief in one's product for budding entrepreneurs.
Attributes for Deep Tech Startups (00:23:55) The unnamed guest asks Sujan about the attributes and accomplishments that enhance a deep tech startup's appeal to investors.
Minimum Sellable Product (00:24:57) Srujan shares his perspective on the importance of early customer satisfaction and the concept of a minimum sellable product (MSP) over a minimum viable product (MVP).
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In this episode of the Venturis Stories podcast, hosts Arjun and Gaurav delve into the venture mindset, discussing its key elements: focus, adaptability, team culture or 'mojo' and engagement (FAME). Using sports analogies, they highlight the importance of having clear goals, intense focus, and the ability to adapt in both sports and business. They share personal experiences from their careers, emphasizing the importance of a unified team culture in overcoming challenges and achieving success. The hosts conclude that the venturis mindset, combined with strong team values and engagement, is crucial for startups to compete with larger competitors.
Focus [00:04:27] The importance of establishing a north star and continuously iterating, using the example of clean energy and the electric car revolution.
Adaptability [00:07:38] The significance of adapting to changing conditions in both sports and business, with examples from cricket and personal experiences of disagreement and learning from each other.
Team Mojo or Culture [00:10:35] Exploring the importance of team culture and how it relates to product thinking, using the example of Team India's dominance in the cricket world cup and their eventual loss to Team Australia due to better adaptation.
The importance of team culture and engagement [00:11:22] Culture voodoo, the importance of team culture and engagement in both sports and business.
Overcoming corporate tribalism [00:13:07] The challenges of corporate tribalism in larger organizations and how to overcome it to build an overarching team culture.
The importance of team mojo and replicating it in business [00:16:13] The significance of team mojo in sports and business, and how it can be replicated to create a strong team culture.
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In this episode of Venturis Stories podcast, our theme in "Innovation and the Intrepreneur Way". We are delighted to be joined by someone who probably has more experience being an Intrapreneur than most - Colin Kincaid. Colin is currently the Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Casa Systems. Colin shares his career journey and insights on Intrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He discusses the convergence of technologies in the networking industry and the importance of recognizing and projecting true value propositions in the market. Colin also emphasizes the need for understanding customer needs at a deeper level, using his experience at Cisco as an example. In our segment on "Doses of Product Insights", we further delve into the significance of market understanding, risk-taking, agility, and adaptability in Intrepreneurship/Entrepreneurship, drawing from our personal experiences.
The Journey of an Intrepreneur (00:01:14) Colin Kincaid shares his career journey, including his experience with startups and his time at Cisco.
Stepping Away and Coming Back (00:03:35) Colin Kincaid discusses his decision to take a break from work and his experience returning to a leadership role in a different-sized company.
Chasing Markets vs Chasing Customers (00:06:48) Colin Kincaid explains the difference between developing products based on market needs versus technology-driven solutions and the importance of market-driven innovation.
The convergence story (00:10:46) Discussion on the convergence of different subscriber management approaches in the telecommunications industry and the potential for virtualization to enable platform-level convergence.
Recognizing value proposition (00:13:27) Exploration of the importance of recognizing and projecting the core value proposition of a product or service, using the example of Blackberry's secure email system.
Thinking differently through cross-training (00:15:00) Recommendation to watch TED Talks as a way to engage the brain in different types of thoughts and broaden understanding, particularly for entrepreneurs and innovators.
The importance of understanding customer needs (00:21:02) Colin discusses the importance of understanding the root cause of customer requests and how it can be different from what was initially assumed.
The challenges of market understanding in a large company (00:22:05) Colin explains why entrepreneurship is harder in a big company and the need to approach market understanding from a different lens.
The value of experimentation and taking risks (00:23:18) Gaurav shares a personal story about taking a risk and experimenting with writing a protocol stack, which led to cost and time savings.
Agility and Adaptability and Intrepreneurship (00:25:29) Arjun shares his experience from his first start-up and spinning it back into Cisco and the agility and adaptability lessons through this experience
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In this episode of the Venturis Stories podcast, Miguel Carames, Chief Product Officer at Mobileum and our Leadership Advisor, discusses adaptability in product thinking. He shares his experiences from Motorola and Verizon, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, structure agnosticism, and seizing opportunities. The conversation also covers breaking bureaucratic structures and the early days of Netflix as an example of adaptability. The episode introduces a new segment called “Doses of Product Insights” where real-world examples of core product thinking principles are shared. The importance of anticipating market changes and customer requirements is also discussed.
Being Flexible (00:01:22) Miguel discusses the importance of being flexible and adaptable in a constantly changing market, customer base, and technology.
Being Structure Agnostic (00:02:30) Miguel shares his experience with organizational structure and how being structure agnostic can lead to growth and opportunities within a company.
Seizing the Opportunities (00:05:32) Miguel shares a real-world example of seizing an opportunity by accepting an assignment in a different country and adapting to the new environment and challenges.
Netflix's Adaptability [00:11:01] Discussion on how Netflix adapted to changes in their business strategy and regained market share.
Adaptability in Sports (00:11:40) Exploration of how athletes in sports adapt to changing circumstances and lessons that can be learned from their mindset.
The New Segment: "Doses of Product Insights" (00:15:09): Agile Methodology: Explanation of the agile methodology and its importance in product development, including the need for discipline and clear vision. This is Followed by a Gaurav sharing a real world example of how User-Centric Adaptation made Starent Networks successful.
Surviving market changes (00:20:24) Arjun discusses the importance of being paranoid about market changes and customer requirements for successful adaptation.
Making set plays before change happens (00:20:24) Arjun references Miguel's earlier statement about making set plays before market changes occur, using the example of the Spanish soccer team's coach. This highlights the need for product managers to anticipate and adapt to market dynamics in advance. -
In this podcast episode, Praerit Greg, Chief Product Officer and EVP of Engineering at Smartsheet, discusses the impact of generative AI and customer focus. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer pain points and using technology to address their needs. Praerit also shares his approach to balancing his role as a technologist with being customer-centric, highlighting the importance of creating human impact. The conversation touches on the importance of diversity of thought in building a complementary team. The episode explores Praerit's Growth Mindset and how he looks for books that he terms as “framebreakers” when building his reading list. We discuss his views on lessons from team sports and his belief that “Business is a Team Sport”.
The hype cycle of generative AI (00:01:15)The discussion revolves around generative AI and how enterprises can keep the innovation customer-focused.Striking a balance between being a technologist and customer-centric (00:05:07) Praerit talks about how he balances his role as Chief Product and Technology Officer, focusing on creating human impact and serving customers while also staying updated with technology trends.The learning mindset and the power of books (00:11:34)Discussion on the importance of staying away from shiny objects, delivering purpose, and the value of continuous learning through books.Business is a team sport (00:15:27)Exploration of the parallels between sports and business, emphasizing the need for a complementary team, trust, and diverse skill sets.Applying lessons from sports to business (00:17:11)Drawing lessons from sports like cricket and the Seattle Seahawks to highlight the importance of teamwork, specialization, and strategic thinking in business and product development.
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In this episode, Praerit shares his career journey starting from BITS, Pilani, the fictitious “P&G Software”, Purdue, Microsoft, the first entrepreneurial foray and the associated learnings through Symform, going back to a larger company like AWS and currently at SmartSheet. We talk about the Product Culture, Bootstrap Mentality and Servant Leadership as the key recipe for the elusive “product culture”. You will learn about “mental models”. Come back and Tune in for the concluding part of this conversation in our next episode - it only gets better :)
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We continue our conversation with Eugina Jordan, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Telecom Infrastructure Project (TIP). We talk about building communities, cross-organizational innovation - “Humans of Telecom” as Eugina likes to put it. We discuss Customer Centricity and the role it plays in driving monetizable outcomes. And last but not the least, we give you a sneak peek at FYUZ’23 and what to expect there.
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