How Instagram proved that customer requests can be the worst product strategy I spent half an hour last week listening to a product manager defend their latest feature update. “But the users keep requesting it,” she insisted, scrolling through dozens of support tickets and forum posts. “Look — they’re literally telling us exactly what they want.” That’s when I told her about Instagram’s chronological feed fiasco. For years, Instagram users demanded the return of chronological feeds. They...
1 day ago • 2 min read
Why 78% of your customers are lying to you (and you’re buying it) Last month, a client showed me their customer survey results with obvious excitement. “Look at this — 82% of our customers say sustainability is extremely important when choosing products like ours. We’re launching our eco-friendly line next quarter.” I’ve seen this movie before. It doesn’t end well. What happens? The same thing that’s happening across every industry right now. Your customers are lying to you. Not...
3 days ago • 2 min read
The missing link between great features and great revenue I just published one of my favorite podcast episodes ever. My guest is Heather Inocencio, a product strategist who’s driven some incredible growth stories — like taking The RealReal from $100M to $400M in revenue (leading to a $1.6B IPO) and scaling Haute Look to 4M members before Nordstrom acquired it for $270M. But our conversation wasn’t about growth hacking or scaling tactics. We talked about something much more fundamental: why...
4 days ago • 2 min read
Innovators and inventors are exceptionally optimistic by nature. They have to be. You can’t dream up world-changing products without believing impossible things can become inevitable. That relentless optimism fuels the persistence required to turn wild ideas into reality. But those same rose-colored glasses often become their Achilles heel. Optimism bias — the tendency to overestimate positive outcomes and underestimate risks—plagues product development at every stage. Inventors consistently...
5 days ago • 2 min read
How the galaxy’s most beloved franchise just made QR codes — and Coke — more fun The Force is strong and sweet with this marketing campaign. Coca-Cola just launched an experience that lets Star Wars fans create their own hologram transmissions — you know, like Princess Leia’s “Help me, Obi-Wan” message from A New Hope. All you need is a limited-edition Coke bottle featuring Luke, Vader, Grogu, or The Mandalorian, plus your smartphone camera. Scan the QR code, record yourself, and BOOM —...
6 days ago • 2 min read
A new Peloton-Fitbit partnership email landed in my inbox this morning, offering members $40 off a Fitbit Charge 6 for “real-time heart rate tracking, powered by Fitbit.” At first glance, it looks like your usual cross-promotion between fitness brands. But it’s really something much more strategic. Remember that Peloton-Hyatt hotel partnership I wrote about a few days ago? That was about maintaining workout continuity while traveling — keeping customers connected to their routines away from...
7 days ago • 2 min read
Happy Fourth of July to all my American readers! As a Canadian experiencing your independence day from the sidelines, I’m reflecting on something I’ve observed working with American product makers for three decades. There’s a uniquely American trait that goes far beyond patriotic spirit: It’s how differently American consumers approach new products compared to … well, pretty much everywhere else in the world. I don’t think an American could see it as clearly as someone outside your borders...
7 days ago • 2 min read
Years ago, I had a crash while cornering on my bike that left me with a fractured arm and some nasty road rash. The physical injuries healed within weeks, but something else lingered way longer. Every time I approached a corner at speed, my body would tense up. I’d brake earlier than necessary, take wider lines, and generally ride like someone expecting disaster at every turn. The fear of crashing again was controlling my behavior long after my body had fully recovered. This is exactly what...
9 days ago • 2 min read
Last week I was giving a reader feedback about the website for his B2B startup. His company helps entrepreneurs navigate complex bureaucratic processes — the kind of paperwork nightmare that keeps business owners awake at night worrying about compliance, deadlines, and whether they’re doing everything correctly. The service works brilliantly. Customer reviews are STELLAR. The process is streamlined and reliable. But growth had plateaued. I spotted this immediately: they were marketing their...
10 days ago • 2 min read
