That data helps you iterate, but only vision and clearly articulated strategy (and luck on timing) help you leapfrog. Both are important, but neither is sustainable on its own.

It requires incredible self-awareness, humility, and courage to change org models, business models and product object models. These “Re-inventers” are the true “unicorns.”

The truly experienced product builders are like Bonsai masters, they prune and cut the most beautiful branches to strengthen the trunk.

you should never outsource your story or any component of your competitive advantage.

a prototype is worth a hundred meetings, and almost all product meetings that aren’t grounded with a prototype are a waste of time (or worse).

consumer (and prosumer) products ultimately succeed because of how people feel about themselves using them. Ego analytics, surprise and delight, and hooks to appeal to our laziness, vanity, and selfishness in the first mile of product experience are the biggest secret in product.

We’re all busy and skeptical of anything new. All products must (at least initially) capitalize on this truth rather than try to defy it.

That perceived performance matters more than actual performance (perception is reality when it comes to UX!), and can be achieved as much by designers than engineers.

the best way to review a product experience is to ask 3 questions on EVERY screen: “how did I get here?” “what do I do now?” “where do I go next?” — these questions will reveal flaws in object model, UX, onboarding, and orientation.

if you just keep telling, polishing, and retelling your strategy and story, you end up with the gem of the idea, the gem of the value prop for customers, and the core of what your product needs to be.

Disruptive products tend to be simple point solutions that doing one thing incredibly well. And then customers want to bring point solutions together (for value, for perceived benefits of integration…). And then 10x better (and simpler) point solutions emerge.

the most powerful (and affordable) driver of product growth is surprise, delight, and intrigue.

The argument to “just get something out there and start learning” is flawed in two critical ways: (1) You’ll burn early adopters fast if you don’t polish the few things that distinguish your product the most before launch, and (2) The natural tendency of every product team is to iterate around the MVP.

Launch the minimal required experience for everything but the parts that distinguish your product the most. Remember, a great MVP favors top customer needs, very few customer wants. Optimize for the problems you want to have.

Most product leaders and founders I admire have partnered with a few incredible designers throughout their career, and doing so made all the difference.

you only get what you inspect, not what you expect.

Share the news when you want it to be news, but don’t agonize over the timing. In fact, you don’t want all of the attention when something launches…you want it when you’re ready for it.

the best new products ultimately take us back to the way things once were, but with more scale and efficiency.

New technologies that provide some sensation from the past while enjoying the benefits of the modern world (cities, travel, remote working etc) tend to succeed.