Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the CEO of Foundersuite, Nathan Beckord. Venture capital is not a game of chance; it's a strategic decision-making process guided by a VC's thesis. This thesis is the bedrock of their investment choices, influenced by industry trends, personal expertise, and market predictions. Nathan shed light on the importance of aligning your startup with a VC's thesis to increase your chances of securing funding. He emphasized that demonstrating traction, customer acquisition, and solid unit economics are key to proving your startup's worth to potential investors.Learn more about Nathan's work HERE.Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the CEO and Founder of TRG International, Rick Yvanovich. Rick's journey is nothing short of remarkable. He discussed his experiences from the early days of computing, a time when technology was in its nascent stages, to the current era dominated by cloud computing and Software as a Service (SaaS). His story is a testament to the transformative power of technology and the foresight needed to stay ahead of the curve.Learn more about Rick's work HERE and HERE.Connect with Rick on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Compliance Ambassador and Senior Business Advisor of SAP, S V Prasad Gandhikota. Prasad's professional odyssey began in 1995 after graduating with a technology degree from Bombay University, India. His early career was rooted in supply chain management and manufacturing, which laid a solid foundation for his subsequent MBA in marketing and information technology. With an industry-leading SAP certification, Prasad transitioned into SAP consulting, where he has been instrumental in advising companies on their digital and business transformation journeys.Learn more about Prasad's work HERE.Connect with Prasad on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the President of The Authenticity Alliance, Wes Kussmaul. In 1981, long before the term "social media" entered our lexicon, Delphi Corporation began an ambitious project to create a digital encyclopedia. Wes Kussmaul recounted the company's fascinating evolution from a knowledge repository to a social media platform, complete with bulletin boards, email, and chatrooms. Delphi's strategic partnerships with computer hobbyist magazines and its competition with industry giants like CompuServe and Reader's Digest were instrumental in its success.Wes took us on a journey back to a time when graphics were limited by modem speeds, and the internet was still a project under the National Science Foundation. He shared anecdotes about the pre-internet X25 protocol and networked BBS systems, painting a vivid picture of the social networks of the 1980s. It was a time of rapid evolution, leading to the commercialization of the Internet in the early '90s.Wes introduced us to "Moai," an innovative concept representing "My Own Information." This personal information vault empowers individuals to control their data, allowing them to license specific information to entities like tire vendors or insurance companies while maintaining their privacy. He explained the role of Osman's attestation officers in verifying identities under legitimate circumstances, ensuring protection and control for users.Learn more about Wes's work HERE.Connect with Wes on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Board Director of RemotelyMe, Bill Reed. Bill broke down marketing into three distinct areas: demand generation, product marketing, and strategic marketing. Demand generation encompasses social media, advertising, email marketing, and SEO, all aimed at creating awareness and attention. Product marketing, on the other hand, focuses on understanding market needs, and competition, and ensuring the right messaging. Strategic marketing, often at the executive level, involves long-term planning and direction for the company.For a product to achieve success, it's crucial for marketing to play an integral role in its development. Bill emphasized the importance of product marketers being in sync with the product management team. This collaboration ensures that the company's offerings are aligned with customer feedback and market trends. Creating a messaging guide is a pivotal step in this process, as it ensures consistent and effective communication of the product's value proposition.Learn more about Bill's work HERE.Connect with Bill on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Founder of Product Houston, Wade Pinder. Wade's path into product management is a testament to his dedication to the Houston community. He shared the unique challenges and solutions that the city presents, highlighting the differences in product management methodologies. But what stood out was the emphasis on storytelling in product management—a skill that can make or break a product's success.Wade shared his belief in experience-led growth, noting that even century-old companies in Houston share a common thread—the user or customer experience. He gave a relatable example of trash collection, an often-overlooked service, yet one that provides a customer experience at every interaction. Wade's insights underscored the potential for improvement in every product experience, no matter how mundane it may seem.Wade's passion for community building shone through as he described his efforts in fostering the Houston product community. He applied product thinking to create a space for product managers to connect and share knowledge. His key performance indicator for the community's success? Whether meaningful connections and interactions occur.Connect with Wade on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the VP of Product and Design of Hubilo, Shailesh Hegde. Shailesh's story is particularly inspiring. Starting with an engineering degree, Shailesh cut his teeth in the software testing realm, working for giants like Siemens and Nokia. Shailesh's pursuit of growth led him to a master's degree in the US and a stint at a startup that was later acquired by Cisco. It was during this time that Shailesh discovered his passion for product management.The transition from a testing role to product management wasn't a walk in the park. Shailesh embarked on an 18-month course while working at Blue Jeans, a startup that eventually offered him a role as a product manager. This was the beginning of his love affair with the challenges and excitement of product management. From owning small parts of a product to handling larger segments, speaking on stages, and collaborating with marketing teams, Shailesh's experiences have been diverse and enriching.Now, as the VP of Product and Design at Hubilo, Shailesh is at the forefront of innovation in the virtual events space. Hubilo isn't just another webinar tool; it's a platform designed to make webinars more effective for marketing teams. While there are numerous webinar tools focused on execution, Hubilo aims to enhance the outcomes—be it lead generation or content repurposing.Learn more about Shailesh's work HERE.Connect with Shailesh on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Senior Director of Digital Product and User Experience of Kendra Scott, Brad Power. Brad's journey into the realm of product management is a testament to the power of customer-centric thinking. His career began in a call center, where he honed his skills in customer retention. This experience laid the foundation for his marketing roles and eventually led him to the intersection of technology, customer needs, and business goals. As a director of digital product at Kendra Scott, Brad now leverages his background in technology, UX, and product management to drive the company's success.Learn more about Brad's work HERE.Connect with Brad on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Founder of Funnelytics, Mikael Dia. Mikael's journey with Funnelytics started when he was running a marketing agency. He identified a clear market need for a tool that visualizes marketing strategies and data while tracking the intricate paths customers navigate across various online platforms. This led to the inception of Funnelytics, a software designed to map out traffic sources, pages, and conversions, providing a detailed view of the customer journey.Mikael emphasized the importance of visualization in understanding customer behavior. Funnelytics sets itself apart as an analytics tool that seamlessly integrates with other platforms, enabling users to link their CRM and page builders to track customer activities. This integration means businesses can incorporate Funnelytics without the need to abandon their existing tools, such as HubSpot or ClickFunnels.Learn more about Mikael's work HERE.Connect with Mikael on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Product Operations Lead of iGaming of Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, Thomas Palaio. Thomas's career trajectory is a testament to the evolution of a tech professional. Starting with hands-on roles such as help desk support, he quickly moved into the realm of DevOps and cloud technologies at a time when continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) were just gaining momentum. His passion for solving complex problems and creating value for both customers and businesses led him to the product space. The satisfaction derived from the feedback loop of identifying and resolving issues is what keeps him motivated in his current role.As the COO overseeing product strategy and operations for the online casino division at Caesars Entertainment, Thomas is responsible for delivering iOS, web, and Android casino experiences across five states in North America. He highlighted the unique challenges of working within a heavily regulated industry, where every product move must be approved by state boards and comply with longstanding laws.One might assume that innovation is stifled in such a regulated environment, but Thomas provided a different perspective. The online gaming industry is relatively young, and there's a wealth of product development opportunities before hitting regulatory constraints. His focus is on delivering significant value to customers through innovation within the existing framework.Learn more about Thomas's work HERE. Connect with Thomas on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Director of Product Management of Applied Systems, Vijay Rengarajan. Vijay's journey began in programming and evolved through a business analyst role at Tata Consultancy Services. His experience in the insurance domain laid the foundation for his customer-centric approach. In 2016, he transitioned to product management, where he could apply his skills to both new product development (0 to 1) and scaling existing products (1 to n).The first step in product development is recognizing a genuine need. Vijay shared an example of creating a network management system for insurance agencies, where no existing product met their unique requirements. The key was to conduct extensive user research and engage directly with potential users to understand their pain points.Connect with Vijay on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Owner and Creative Director of Viim, Steph Hilfer. Steph spoke on what heart-centric branding truly means. It's an approach that goes beyond the transactional aspects of business and focuses on creating a genuine connection with consumers. Heart-centric branding is about tapping into the authentic core of a brand and sharing that truth with the world. It's not just about selling a product or service; it's about resonating with customers on a deeper level, through shared values and beliefs.When asked for an example, Steph highlighted industries where trust is non-negotiable, such as financial advising or healthcare. In these fields, heart-centric branding can be the differentiator that builds trust by authentically communicating a business's values and mission. This approach isn't just about what you offer but who you are as a business and how you connect with the needs and values of your clients.A key takeaway from the discussion was the importance of internal alignment within an organization. Steph emphasized that a staggering 80% of brand work should be focused internally. The rationale is simple: for a brand to be perceived as genuine, the people within the company must live and breathe the same values that the brand projects to the outside world. This internal-external consistency is what makes every customer interaction feel authentic.Connect with Steph on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Product Management Consultant of Slalom, Charles Jessup. Charles' entry into product management was somewhat serendipitous, beginning with his work in building digital products for an oil and gas company. His career trajectory took an exciting turn when he transitioned to product coaching and consulting at Slalom, guiding new product teams to understand the multifaceted role of a product manager.One of Charles's notable projects involved a pharmaceutical company's transition from a project-based to a product-based approach. He detailed the challenges of empowering product owners to make decisions that create value for users and customers. It's a testament to the importance of organizational changes and incentives that support such a significant shift.Connect with Charles on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Product and Technology leader, Justin Hunter. Justin's story is a testament to the fluid nature of career paths. Initially setting his sights on events management, he found himself drawn to the structure and impact of infrastructure and project management. His transition was not just a change in job titles but a fundamental shift in mindset. Justin emphasized that to thrive in product management, one must adopt a product mindset. This involves aligning vision, setting clear priorities, and fostering a deep understanding of the end-user.Justin referenced a pivotal book that reshaped his approach to product management. The book's core message, focusing on outcomes over outputs, became a guiding principle for him. It's about driving behavioral change, not just delivering features. This insight is crucial for product managers who aim to create products that truly resonate with their users.Connect with Justin on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas' work at 3Leaf Consulting.

Your host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the President of EPS Optic(s), Ryan Weiss. Ryan's product is a testament to the powerful synergy between people and process. He shared the foundational vision of his SaaS solution, which is to seamlessly integrate these two elements. The goal? To create a platform that not only functions efficiently but also aligns with the users' needs.Transitioning from a mere concept to a scalable product is no small feat. Ryan candidly discussed the initial hurdles they faced, emphasizing the need to simplify the user experience. It's a common pitfall for SaaS products to become overly complex, but Ryan's focus was clear: streamline the process to make it as user-friendly as possible.One of the most impactful strategies Ryan implemented was leveraging customer feedback. This wasn't just about listening to what customers had to say but actively incorporating their insights into the product development process. By using their system to document processes, Ryan's team revitalized the customer journey, leading to a more engaging and satisfying user experience.Learn more about Ryan's work HERE. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. Learn more about Thomas' work at 3Leaf Consulting.

In the inaugural episode of Product Led Growth Leaders, Josh Elledge of UpMyInfluence interviews the show's host and creator, Thomas Watkins. Thomas, a UX practitioner, plans to share insights from product leaders and encourage innovative thinking. Josh and Thomas invite listeners to subscribe, share, and even apply to be guests on the show. He also shares his experience working with diverse clients, from large industry players to startups, across sectors like video gaming, crypto, NFT, and industrial verticals. Learn more about Thomas's work at 3Leaf HERE. Connect with Thomas on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.