Things I Learned From 10 Years In Silicon Valley | Sisun Lee (1/2)

TL;DR

Sisun Lee, a former product manager at Facebook, Uber, and Tesla, shares his experiences and lessons learned in building his own companies.

Transcript

I think great things are never built by people who knew how to do things all along, but by those who have the resilience and grit to try, fail, iterate towards their mission. I think part of it is that's always gives me assurance, which is when you see something great done by great people, it's basically, Oh, you work really hard to do this. It's ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🍗 Great things are achieved by those who have the resilience to try, fail, and iterate.
• ❓ Understanding the audience and market firsthand is crucial for product success.
• 🏢 Building a product-driven referral model and optimizing e-commerce are effective growth strategies.
• 👨‍💼 Prioritization and conserving cash flow can help businesses survive crises.
• 🪛 Transitioning from a tech-driven to a sales-driven organization requires the right leadership and passion.
• 👶 Exploration and novelty are valuable in discovering new opportunities.
• 🥺 Taking time off to regain energy and gain perspective can lead to new career paths.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Sisun Lee's internship at Facebook shape his career path?

Sisun Lee's internship at Facebook as a data analyst made him fall in love with the company and influenced his decision to pursue a career as a product manager.

Q: What was the most impactful lesson Sisun Lee learned as a product manager at Facebook?

The most impactful lesson for Sisun Lee was realizing the importance of understanding the audience and market firsthand. His mentor encouraged him to visit Africa and gain insights directly from the target market.

Q: What challenges did Sisun Lee face while working at Tesla?

Sisun Lee faced the challenge of finding new growth opportunities for Tesla once the company had saturated the market with flagship stores. He focused on optimizing e-commerce and building a product-driven referral system.

Q: How did Sisun Lee's company, Morelabs, deal with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Morelabs initially faced a 90% drop in revenue during the pandemic, which affected their chances of raising funds. However, through ruthlessly prioritizing and conserving cash flow, they were able to recover and secure an investor's support.

Key Insights:

• Great things are achieved by those who have the resilience to try, fail, and iterate.
• Understanding the audience and market firsthand is crucial for product success.
• Building a product-driven referral model and optimizing e-commerce are effective growth strategies.
• Prioritization and conserving cash flow can help businesses survive crises.
• Transitioning from a tech-driven to a sales-driven organization requires the right leadership and passion.
• Exploration and novelty are valuable in discovering new opportunities.
• Taking time off to regain energy and gain perspective can lead to new career paths.
• Building a successful company requires continuous learning and adaptability.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Sisun Lee attended Waterloo University, where he discovered his love for working in tech through an internship at Facebook.

• He joined Facebook as a Rotational Product Manager and worked on projects focused on emerging markets like India and Africa.

• Later, he became a Staff Product Manager at Tesla, where he focused on e-commerce growth and building a product-driven referral model.