October 6, 2014
Selling to the Unpredictable Customer
Customers are an oxymoron today. They are more knowable than ever before but harder to actually understand. Constantly on-the-go and hard to pin down, it’s more difficult than ever…
Aha! Blog
October 3, 2014
10 Things to Do at a Startup Every Friday
I’m a closer. As I mentioned earlier in the week, I’m a “goals first” guy and I generate lists that help me do my best. But I am also a guy who will run through walls to get the…
October 2, 2014
Aha! Now Integrated With HipChat
Aha! is now integrated with Atlassian HipChat to keep the entire team aligned and informed on product decisions in real-time. HipChat provides a group chat platform for agile…
September 30, 2014
3 Tips to Surviving a Toxic Startup Job
I have worked in toxic environments and survived. It was not easy and I struggled to believe I could keep going in the face of hostility and a belligerent boss, but I survived. The…
September 30, 2014
10 Things To Do Every Monday
I have always been focused on achievement. I’m a “goals first” guy and I generate lists that help me do my best. A to-do list gives me a sense of control and makes me feel…
September 24, 2014
The Product Manager vs. The Engineering Manager
I am not a smoker. But, early in my product management career, my engineering management counterpart was. To find time on his fully packed calendar I would take “virtual” smoking…
September 23, 2014
20 Things Developers Should Stop Saying
Most engineers I know pick up jargon and abstract-talk as a way of fitting in or standing out in the bullpen. Sometimes the ‘technobabble’ is used to obfuscate what is really…
September 23, 2014
This is Where Product Management Confidence Comes From
I love to cook. It’s satisfying, challenging and fun. I enjoy planning a meal, shopping for fresh ingredients and the process of bringing all the components together to make…
September 22, 2014
How to Cry at a Startup
All types of crazy things have happened to me on the job. A guy ran by me holding a 9mm gun at his side, I worked for a former CIA operative who told me to watch my back, a plane…
September 17, 2014
Great Product Managers Build Walls
One of the best product managers I ever worked with created a physical boundary in her cube by placing a rug on the floor. When anyone (especially pesky sales folks) would start to…