Hi Product people,

How do we build a strong foundation for startups while navigating the complexities of co-founder dynamics and strategic roadmaps?

This week on Product Thinking, I had the pleasure of speaking with Julia Austin, founder of Good For Her and a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School. Julia brings a wealth of experience from her three decades in the startup world, and we delved into the importance of laying a solid groundwork before rushing into development.

"Put 80% of your time into laying the foundation and doing solid discovery work. Really understand the problem you're trying to solve and for whom. If you don't, you'll end up spinning your wheels and wasting time."

We explored how transitioning to outcome-based roadmaps can drive focus and align teams towards common goals. Julia also shared insights on the evolving role of AI in product development, emphasizing the necessity of balancing tech efficiency with human interaction to truly understand user needs.

Whether you're a seasoned founder or just starting, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you and your team build and scale effectively.

Have you faced challenges in setting a strong foundation for your startup? I'd love to hear your experiences. Reply here or join the conversation on LinkedIn!

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Apple | Spotify

Looking forward to hearing from you!

See you soon,

Melissa Perri

Founder Product Institute, Board Member, and Teacher

You’ll hear us talk about:

05:20 - Understanding Foundational Work in Startups

Julia Austin discusses why startups should spend 80% of their time on foundational work and discovery, emphasizing the importance of understanding the problem and target audience before developing solutions.

12:45 - Transitioning to Outcome-Based Roadmaps

Melissa Perri explains how product managers can shift from feature-based roadmaps to outcome-based ones, focusing on connecting outputs to outcomes and effectively communicating with stakeholders.

24:10 - Advice for First Product Managers in Startups

Julia provides tips for new product managers on building trust with founders by understanding the company's history and aligning with the founders’ vision to help structure the startup's roadmap and priorities.

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