Product Management Philosophies: How a Zebra could Rise from a Unicorn’s Fall

Product Management Philosophies: How a Zebra could Rise from a Unicorn’s Fall

A good product team doesn't feel like a mechanical assembly line — it feels like a group of friends excited about making stuff together. This sense of camaraderie and collaboration is essential for creating successful products. However, it's important to remember that you can't please everyone. Someone will always dislike a given product decision. While it's crucial to consider their feedback, allowing criticism to erode your confidence in your decisions can be detrimental. Instead, always focus on the minimum viable product (MVP). Ask yourself, what's the fastest and cheapest way to test a hypothesis about what a customer will find valuable? Building stuff is easy, but figuring out what to build is difficult. Take the time to gather insights, conduct user research, and prioritize features based on customer needs.

In contrast to the winner-take-all fantasy of the unicorn, Zebras build startups that are diverse, practical, and accountable to the people they claim to serve. Zebras Unite, a community of like-minded individuals, has long admired Meetup as an example of a Zebra company that sits at the intersection of for-profit and for-purpose. Meetup embodies a belief in the good of humanity, a sense of possibility in bringing people together, a commitment to staying mission-focused, and a love for the serendipity that happens when passionate people align. Zebras Unite believes that genuine diversity will not come from more diversity programs in status-quo companies. Instead, it requires rethinking how startups work, how they are funded, and what and who they are built for.

So, how can we take the philosophies of product management and the principles of Zebra companies to create a better future for Meetup and its community? Here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Exit to community: In our vision, organizers and individual members would help shape the pricing structure and be rewarded for the paid use of the platform by receiving dividends. This approach ensures that the community has a voice in the platform's evolution and benefits directly from its success.

2. Pioneer a democratic model of data ownership: Instead of users paying with their data for the free use of services, we would build features that allow users to get paid for their data and decide to whom they want to lease it. This empowers users to have control over their data and be compensated for its use.

3. Build for the community, by building on it: Meetup has the potential to become a platform that not only facilitates community connections but also builds collective power. By involving the community in the development process, leveraging their insights and ideas, Meetup can become an even more valuable resource for its users.

By combining the philosophies of product management with the principles of Zebra companies, Meetup can evolve into a platform that truly serves its community. It's essential to foster a sense of collaboration, prioritize the needs of the users, and create a sustainable and accountable business model. With these actionable advice in mind, Meetup can rise from a unicorn's fall and become a powerful force for good in the startup ecosystem.

In conclusion, the key to successful product management lies in creating a collaborative and enthusiastic team, focusing on the MVP, and remaining open to ideas from anyone, anywhere, anytime. By incorporating the principles of Zebra companies, such as diversity, accountability, and purpose, Meetup can transform itself into a platform that not only brings people together but also empowers and rewards its community. Let's reimagine the future of Meetup and create a space where genuine connections and collective power thrive.