Growthmates: Create and Grow Meaningful Products & Careers (Kate Syuma and experts from TOP tech companies)

We were talking about building happy teams, growing as a Product manager in Growth, how to create the best partnership with product designers, and how to shift the mindset of the company to be more growth-oriented.

Here's what we covered:

[02:34] Willie's story of becoming a Growth PM

[06:02] Coming back to Dropbox and shift to Growth mindset

[16:48] How to keep up the high energy in the team

[26:15] Collaboration between Product Manager and Product designer

[37:20] Successful experiments are not always the most "sexy" solutions

[43:35] Building and defining happy teams

[53:02] Shaping the culture of Core teams to Growth

[1:00:00] Start applying the atomic habits

Where to find Willie Tran:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willietran/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

Website: https://katesyuma.com/

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

Reach out to us for feedback or a potential podcast partnership → growthmates@googlegroups.com

Joey Thompson is a Product Designer, Growth at Miro. Joey shared his personal growth story with us, transition from an opera singer to UX designer and how he developed his passion for behavioural design.

Our discussion turned into a thought-provoking roundtable where we explored cognitive psychology principles, dark patterns, and bright patterns, and discussed examples from products like linking Duolingo, TikTok, and many more.

What's inside:

[02:57] Joey's transition from opera singer to UX and Growth designer

[14:36] What is Behavioural design?

[17:30] How Duolingo is using "boost" principles

[30:16] Discussing "Hick's law" as one of behavioural principles

[36:26] Where you can find "Dark patterns"

[49:37] Bright patterns: Procreate, TikTok, Midjourney

[1:03:00] Recommendations for inspiration

Where to find Joey Thompson:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephfordthompson/

* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jfordthompson

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Twitter: https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

Where to find Oscar Torres:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

Resources mentioned:

* Hooked by Nir Eyal: https://www.amazon.nl/-/en/Nir-Eyal/dp/0241184835/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3NEVI274VXSF6&keywords=hooked&qid=1680364867&sprefix=hooked%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-2

* Growth.design | The Psychology of Design: https://growth.design/psychology

* Engaged: Designing for Behavior Change by Amy Bucher: https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/engaged-designing-for-behavior-change/

Reach out to us for feedback or a potential podcast partnership → growthmates@googlegroups.com

Ioana Teleanu is a UX Manager at Miro, founder of UX Goodies Community and ex. founder of Mento Design Academy. Ioana shared with us her fascinating story of building a personal brand, creating and sunsetting her own businesses and growing through that experience.

We delved into topics such as finding balance between side projects and a full-time job, growing a design community to over 220k people, the process of growing and exiting a design school, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance amidst it all. Additionally, we explored the impact of AI on the design world. Tune in to discover insights and inspiration from this engaging conversation!

[07:23] Staring the design community

[08:40] Sunsetting your own business

[13:57] Balancing work and side projects

[15:58] Work-life balance in tech

[18:30] Building yourself as a brand and dealing with vulnerability

[30:00] Journey at UiPath

[36:00] What role do you think AI will play in tech

[47:52] Where to find inspiration

Where to find Ioana:

* UX goodies: https://www.instagram.com/uxgoodies/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ioanateleanu/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Twitter: https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

Where to find Oscar Torres:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

Resources mentioned:

* Ben's bites newsletter: https://www.bensbites.co/

* Visual Explanations, Edward R. Tufte: https://www.amazon.com/Visual-Explanations-Quantities-Evidence-Narrative/dp/1930824157

Reach out to us for feedback or a potential podcast partnership → growthmates@googlegroups.com

Priya Bhatia is a Growth Product Manager at 7Shifts. We started our conversation with unpacking her story of becoming a Product Manager in Growth, and discussed collaboration with product design and how to make it impactful. Then we landed on some crucial topics such as maintaining wellbeing and mental health in a high-paced environment, and even reflected on our recent experience of practicing silent meditation and vipassana.

We hope that this part of our conversation can inspire you to try out some of the practices that can help you grow, feel well, both personally and professionally.

Where to find Priya:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyabhatia0210/

* Newsletter:

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

* Twitter: https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Oscar Torres:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends, and give us a good review or send us your feedback to growthmates@substack.com.

Allen shared with us his journey into design, starting more than 20 years ago and working in top companies such as Google, Facebook, Apple and Ebay. He's been for 4 years now at Pinterest, where he manages the growth design team. We also dived into the current state of Growth Design on tech companies and talked about the future of this role.

On the second half of our conversation, Kate and Allen shared the challenges they both faced when transitioning from IC’s to Managers, and dived into some of the learnings they've made so far.

Where to find Allen:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenjordan/

* Website: http://allenjordan.com/

* Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.es/allenjordan

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

* Twitter: https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Oscar Torres:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends, and give us a good review or send us your feedback to growthmates@substack.com.

In this episode we had Zander Whitehurst, Founder of Memorisely, ex. UX Designer at HotJar and an owner of an enormous design community. If you've seen his "Supafast" reels on Instagram — You know this is Zander.

During our discussion, Zander shared his remarkable journey and the challenges he encountered when transitioning from a comfortable full-time job to a Founder role, and how his design background played a pivotal role in establishing his own business.

Furthermore, we dove into the future of education and explored the significance of bootcamps within it. We also talked about effective methods for continuous learning, personal growth, and the cultivation of community throughout this journey.

Where to find Zander:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zanderwhitehurst/

* Memorisely: https://www.memorisely.com/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zanderwhitehurst/

Resources mentioned:

* The power of now: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808

* Just enough research: https://www.amazon.com/Just-Enough-Research-Erika-Hall/dp/1937557103

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer (Growth) at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends, and give us a good review or send us your feedback to growthmates@substack.com.

In this episode we have none other than Lex Roman, the founder of Super Easy Digital and the Growth Tracker community, but most important, Lex is one of the true pioneers in the field of Growth Design.

We dived into Lex's inspiring transition from a comfortable job in the tech industry to embarking on the path of solopreneurship. Leaving behind the security of established companies such as Invision, Carbon five and The Black Tux to name a few.

Lex shared with us the importance of focusing on real problems and what should the term "Delightfulness" actually mean when it comes to create user experiences.

Learn more about Lex at https://supereasydigital.com

Take Lex’s course on getting clients and use code GROWTHMATES for a special discount https://supereasydigital.com/getmoreleads

Become a Growthtracker: https://supereasydigital.com/growthtrackers

Follow Lex on Instagram @supereasydoesit https://instagram.com/supereasydoesit

Resources mentioned:

* Lex article about Growth Design written in 2018: https://medium.com/criticalpath/what-is-a-growth-designer-1b342d55a358

* The story of Slawsa: https://www.sharktankblog.com/business/slawsa/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends, and give us a good review or send us your feedback to growthmates@substack.com.

Today we're going to dive deep into the topic of UX research and explore how it plays a crucial role in driving growth within Miro.

We’re happy to welcome a man which we have the pleasure to work with, Andrej Balaz, UXR at Miro who will share with us some of the fascinating insights and practices he employs to conduct UX research in the growth field.

Stay with us to hear about building a UXR culture in an Hyper-growth stage company, what are those unique things about running research at Miro, and some tips and best practices in that field.

Resources mentioned:

* www.elicit.org

* Book: On the Self Regulation of Behavior – Charles S. Carver and Michael F. Scheier

* Book : The New Economics - W. Edwards Deming

Where to find Andrej Balaz, Staff UX researcher at Miro:

* Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrejbalaz/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends, and give us a good review or send us your feedback to growthmates@substack.com.

Today we had a very deep and balanced conversation Verna Bhargava, Senior Experience Design Manager at Growth in Adobe. We unpacked the topic of vulnerability for leaders and individuals who are constantly trying to achieve high results for themselves and their companies

Join this conversation to hear about how Growth is organised at Adobe, what frameworks help to find space for innovation, and how vulnerability can help you build a stronger team culture.

If you enjoy this episode, don't forget to share it with your friends and give us a good review.

Resources mentioned:

* The Emergence of a Growth Designer: https://adobe.design/stories/leading-design/the-emergence-of-the-growth-designer

* Radical Candor, Kim Scott

* The Making of a Manager, Julie Zhuo

* Dare to Lead, Brene Brown

* Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert

* The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron

Where to find Verna Bhargava, Sr. Experience Design manager, Growth at Adobe express:

* Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verna-bhargava/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends, and give us a good review or send us your feedback to growthmates@substack.com.

In this episode, we go beyond the surface and dive deep into the art of balancing velocity and quality when it comes to designing digital products. As part of one of the industry-leading tech companies, Adam Furness, our Guest today has a wealth of experience in navigating the intricate landscape of design and development.

One of the highlights of our conversation is Adam's unique framework called "Good, Better, Best," where he reveals how Atlassian prioritizes what to ship next. This invaluable approach allows them to strike the perfect balance between shipping fast while optimizing for business and customer value.

But that's not all! Adam generously shares the frameworks he employs for his personal growth within the company. Whether you're a seasoned designer or just starting your journey, these insights are sure to leave you with a fresh perspective on continuous improvement and career development.

This is the last episode of Growthmates seasson 1. We want to thank everyone who listened to us, sent us feedback and gave us reviews in Apple podcasts and of course, to the 10 amazing guest we had on this first seasson.

We'll be back at the end of September with season 2. Please, keep sending us your feedback to growthmates@substack.com so we can improve the format of the podcast.

Resources mentioned:

* Atomic habits - James Clear

Where to find Adam Furness

* Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfurnessdesign/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Head of Growth Design at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Blog: https://medium.com/@kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.com/

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends, and give us a good review or send us your feedback to growthmates@substack.com.

About a year ago, we launched Growthmates to connect with like-minded folks and share personal and professional growth stories. Since then, we published 10+ episodes with fantastic leaders from Dropbox, Miro, Pinterest, Adobe, Atlassian, and season 2 is coming in January 2024!

As we wrap up this year, we created a special episode where Oscar and I dive into a genuine, reflective conversation — something we've never done before on the podcast. We'll spill the details on:

* who we are today

* how 2023 transformed us personally and professionally 

* new habits we've adopted to support wellbeing

* reflection on my last 6 years at Miro

* my move from Miro to a solo journey

* and our aspirations for 2024.

It's a raw, open dialogue that I believe is crucial to carry into the next year and the future of our podcast. 

After the holidays, we'll be back with Season 2, featuring fantastic leaders from Amplitude, Canva, Coda, Dropbox, Intercom, HubSpot, and more.

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Website: https://katesyuma.substack.com/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katusyuma/

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

We’re happy to welcome you on the Season 2 of the Growthmates podcast where we will dive into insightful conversations with leaders from Amplitude, Canva, Intercom, Coda, HubSpot, and more to come. If you enjoy our show — subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

—

In this episode, I talked to Jenny Chang, interim Head of Design at Amplitude, who shared her insights and experiences on transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager and the mindset shifts required to become a leader. In the first part of the conversation, we discussed the key challenges we encountered while transitioning from IC to a Manager and emphasized on the importance of maintaining well-being during career growth. Later in our conversation, we discussed the role of data in decision-making, the need for a data-informed culture, and the collaboration between stakeholders and data teams. Jenny also provides tips for making data meetings engaging and suggests questions that designers should ask their data analysts to build a more informed user experience. Jenny concludes by recommending books and resources for further exploration that you can find below in the episode description.

Some Takeaways:

* Transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager requires a mindset shift and the ability to let go of hands-on work.

* Maintaining well-being is crucial during career growth, and prioritizing health can lead to better career outcomes.

* Data should be used by everyone in a product team, not just data analysts, and collaboration between stakeholders and data teams is essential.

* Engaging data meetings can be achieved by incorporating visualizations, session replay tools, and creating a collaborative environment.

* Designers should ask data analysts about the most engaged users and their actions within the product to better inform the user journeys.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Follow the podcast updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Jenny Chng, interim Head of Design (Amplitude):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejennychang/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: https://katesyuma.substack.com/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Introduction and Background

06:11 Transitioning from IC to Manager

14:20 Mindset Shifts for Becoming a Leader

18:12 Maintaining Well-being During Career Growth

25:13 Data-Informed Culture and Who Should Use Data

29:22 Collaboration Between Stakeholders and Data Teams

36:00 Engaging Data Meetings

46:24 Data Questions for Designers

49:22 Surprising Data Insights

51:36 Recommended Resources

51:53 Conclusion and Contact Information

Resources referenced:

* Julie Zhuo Zhou, “The Making of a Manager”: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Manager-What-Everyone-Looks/dp/0735219567

* Scott Belsky, “The Messy Middle”: https://www.amazon.com/Messy-Middle-Finding-Through-Hardest/dp/0735218072/

* C. Pam Zhang, “Land of Milk and Honey”: https://www.amazon.com/Land-Milk-Honey-Pam-Zhang/dp/0593538242/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and get all new episodes right in your inbox.

We’re happy to welcome you on the Season 2 of the Growthmates podcast where we will dive into insightful conversations with leaders from Amplitude, Canva, Intercom, Coda, HubSpot, and more to come. If you enjoy our show — subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, Iain Dowling, Growth Design Leader at Canva, shares insights into his career path and the culture at Canva. He discusses the growth of Canva and the significant changes he has witnessed during his 6 years at the company. Iain also explains the transition from individual contributor to manager and the importance of coaching at Canva. He highlights the 4 pillars of Canva's growth and development framework and the training provided to coaches. Iain discusses the influence of designers on Canva's culture and the role of the “Vibe Team” in creating a positive work environment. He also shares insights into hiring for growth teams and the importance of effective one-on-one meetings. In this conversation, Iain discusses the importance of effective communication and provides valuable insights on building strong relationships, active listening, non-verbal communication, and overcoming communication challenges.

Some Takeaways:

* Canva has experienced significant growth over the years, but has maintained its core values and culture.

* Coaching is an integral part of Canva's leadership approach, focusing on the growth and development of team members.

* Canva's growth team is organized around key metrics, such as monthly active users (MAU) and annualized recurring revenue (ARR).

* The “Vibe Team” at Canva plays a crucial role in creating and maintaining a positive and engaging work culture.

* Hiring for growth teams requires individuals with a data mindset, an interest in user flows, and a focus on impact and iteration. Effective communication is crucial for personal and professional success.

* Building strong relationships requires open and honest communication.

* Active listening and empathy are essential skills for effective communication.

* Non-verbal communication plays a significant role in conveying messages.

* Overcoming communication challenges requires patience, understanding, and adaptability.

Follow Growthmates podcast updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Iain Dowling, Growth Design Lead at Canva:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idowling/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: https://katesyuma.substack.com/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:20 Becoming a Growth Design Leader at Canva

02:26 The Growth of Canva

04:41 Transitioning from Individual Contributor to Manager

06:21 The Role of Coaching at Canva

08:30 The Four Pillars of Canva's Growth and Development Framework

09:25 Training for Coaches at Canva

10:41 The Influence of Designers on Canva's Culture

15:59 The Growth of Canva

18:36 Establishing the Growth Team at Canva

21:55 Organizational Structure of the Growth Team

25:16 The North Star Metrics for the Growth Team

28:10 Introducing Magic Studio and AI at Canva

35:19 The Role of the Vibe Team in Creating Canva's Culture

38:53 Factors for High-Performing Growth Teams

42:56 Recognizing Growth Talent and Hiring for Growth Teams

47:51 Effective One-on-One Meetings and Team Bonding

51:36 Favorite Book on Team Culture

54:12 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

02:30 The Importance of Effective Communication

10:00 Building Strong Relationships

20:00 Active Listening and Empathy

30:00 Non-Verbal Communication

40:00 Overcoming Communication Challenges

50:00 Conclusion

Resources referenced:

* Simon Sinek, “Leaders Eat Last”: https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/

* Sam Harris’s “Waking Up” app: https://www.wakingup.com/

* "Growth and Development 12 Skills" framework — coming soon in a follow-up article!

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

We’re happy to welcome you on the Season 2 of the Growthmates podcast where we will dive into insightful conversations with leaders from Amplitude, Canva, Intercom, Coda, HubSpot, and more to come. If you enjoy our show — subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this conversation we invited Thom Rimmer, a design leader at Intercom, to discuss the importance of a design-led culture and user-centricity. Thom provides insightful perspectives on the pivotal role of design principles and rituals in the creation of top-tier products like Intercom. Thom also explains Intercom's transparent roadmap and how it helps create a company-wide commitment to customer satisfaction. The conversation delves into the shift toward product-led growth and the challenges of experimentation and optimization. We also explored the adoption of AI and machine learning, with a focus on leveraging these technologies to enhance customer service. Finally, Thom emphasizes the significance of mentorship and leadership in personal and professional growth. The conversation covers topics such as building internal connections and mentorship, inspiring advice and quotes, books for building a design culture, and fun team rituals to maintain a thriving culture.

Some Takeaways:

* Design-led culture and user-centricity are essential for creating products in a highly competitive market.

* Transparent roadmaps help to create a company-wide commitment to customer satisfaction.

* The shift towards product-led growth requires deeper attention to product quality.

* AI and machine learning can enhance customer service and improve efficiency.

* Mentorship and leadership are valuable for personal and professional growth. Building internal connections and mentorship is important for designers within an organization.

* Anyone can be a mentor, regardless of their level of experience.

* Having someone outside of your company to mentor you can provide a fresh perspective.

* Setting weekly goals and holding yourself accountable can help build a strong design culture, and there’s an Intercom approach that Thom also shared in the episode.

Follow Growthmates podcast updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Thomas Rimmer, Design Director at Intercom:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-rimmer-73903030/

* Website: https://www.thomrimmer.co.uk/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: https://katesyuma.substack.com/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Introduction and Design-Led Culture

06:01 Design Principles and Culture at Intercom

08:15 Emphasis on Quality and Unique Rituals

11:12 Roadmap Transparency and Customer Commitment

15:08 Shared Understanding of Quality Bar

17:34 User-Centricity and Customer Exposure

19:30 Involving Engineers in User Research

22:56 Shift to Product-Led Growth

32:18 Adapting to AI and Machine Learning

43:06 Mentorship and Leadership

46:10 Building Internal Connections and Mentorship

48:36 Lightning Round

49:10 Inspiring Advice and Quotes

49:43 Books for Building Design Culture

50:39 Fun Team Rituals

53:21 How to Connect with Thom Rimmer

Resources referenced:

* Roger Martin, “The Design of Business”: https://rogerlmartin.com/lets-read/the-design-of-business

* Tim Brown, “Change by Design”: https://www.amazon.com/Change-Design-Transforms-Organizations-Innovation/dp/0061766089

* Reed Hastings, “No Rules Rules”: https://www.amazon.com/No-Rules-Netflix-Culture-Reinvention/dp/1984877860

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new episodes and support my work.

Exciting announcement! If you're keen on Mastering Product Growth and User onboarding, join the upcoming course in April. You will get personal guidance to create a stellar onboarding experience and frameworks to turn it into live. Get a 15% discount for your team (most value for PM + Product Designer together).

Learn more and get early access → https://maven.com/forms/2c51cc

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this conversation, we invited Phil Vander Broek, Co-Founder at Dopt, previously Head of Growth and Business Platform Design at Dropbox. We decided to talk about User Onboarding and unpack all the truth we know about it. From this episode, you can learn:

* How Dropbox approached User Onboarding and what they learned from experimenting with that

* How Growth and Core teams collaboration looked at Dropbox

* What Rituals can help in building a Growth Culture

* and Best practices for User Onboarding from research with more than 80 companies. 

Beyond the Dropbox story, Phill shared his transition to becoming a Co-Founder at Dopt,  and how his design background helped him play a founder role. 

If you find it valuable, please share it with your network and leave us a good review. 

Follow Growthmates podcast updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Phil Vander Broek, Co-Founder at Dopt:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipvanderbroek/

* Website: https://www.dopt.com/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: https://katesyuma.substack.com

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

What we’ve covered in this episode:

01:20 Approach to User Onboarding at Dropbox

04:12 Surprising Behavioral Insights from User Onboarding Experiments

11:57 Collaboration between Growth and Core Teams

13:23 Rituals for Alignment and Building a Growth Culture

21:44 Industry Trends in User Onboarding

34:05 Transition to Entrepreneurship and Creating DOPT

44:07 Insights and Learnings as a Founder

46:28 The Connection Between AI and User Onboarding

47:16 Favorite Example of User Onboarding

47:29 Interactive Guides

50:10 Tooltips vs Checklists

51:10 Recommended Resources

53:08 Conclusion

Resources referenced:

* Product Led Onboarding playbook: https://blog.dopt.com/product-led-onboarding-playbook

* The State of User Onboarding — report from 80+ companies: https://onboard.report/

* The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick: https://www.momtestbook.com/

* How to determine your activation metric from Lenny Rachitsky

* I bet you are doing product activation all wrong from Elena Verna

* Mike Maples playbook: https://www.joincolossus.com/episodes/61719/maples-a-playbook-for-startups?tab=transcript

* Get early access to the Maven course on Onboarding and Activation (15% discount for teams): https://maven.com/forms/2c51cc

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

Exciting announcement! If you're keen on Mastering Product Growth and User onboarding, join the upcoming course in April. You will get personal guidance to create a stellar onboarding experience and frameworks to turn it into live. Get a 10% discount before 15 March.

Learn more and get early access → https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding

This time we talked to Emily Wang, CEO of Bento, previously Product Manager on Growth Team at Intercom.  Emily shared her authentic story of becoming a founder, the role of leadership, creating a company culture, and building a strong team. Our conversation went beyond that, and we also discussed: 

* What’s The Right Time to Introduce Experimentation

* Why Killing Features is necessary to grow and evolve your product 

* Why the PLG model sometimes is not the right fit, and what we all should be aware of in the current market landscape 

If you find our show valuable, please share it with your colleagues and friends, and leave us a good review.

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Emily Wang, CEO of Bento:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyyidanwang/

* Website: https://www.trybento.co/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: https://katesyuma.substack.com

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Oscar Torres, Product Designer at Miro:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscartorrestryme/

* Website: https://www.oscartorres.me/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscar_towers_/

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Emily's Mission to Start Bento

03:46 Emily's Personal Mental Model Shift

05:00 The Importance of Building a Company

10:00 Understanding Different Parts of a Company

12:14 The Right Time to Introduce Experimentation

15:00 The Role of Leadership in Company Building

16:44 Killing Features and Simplifying the Product

17:12 Balancing Product and Design Team Priorities

20:00 Creating a Company Culture

22:32 Product-Led Growth and Finding the Right Fit

25:00 Building a Strong Team

30:00 Effective Communication within a Company

34:47 Shifts in the Macro Environment and Impact on Product Growth

40:00 Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

47:33 Onboarding vs Everboarding

45:00 Conclusion

51:03 Where to Connect with Emily

Resources referenced:

* Get a 10% discount for the Maven course on Onboarding and Activation before 15th March: https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding

* Behind the Cloud, Mark Benioff: https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Cloud-Salesforce-com-Billion-Dollar-Company/

* Leadership and Self-Deception, The Arbinger Institute: https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Self-Deception-Getting-Out-Box/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

This episode is supported by Appcues — make your product adoption easy!

Appcues is the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences. Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption, and you can use it for free. 

Check out the “5-step Growth Flow Review” template which I created to help companies connect growth hypotheses with behavioral patterns to uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside the template and apply it to review any growth flows.

Get a 15% discount for my Self-Service Onboarding course

If you're keen on Mastering Product Growth and User onboarding, join the upcoming course in April. You will get personal guidance to create a stellar onboarding experience and frameworks to turn it into live. Get a 15% discount before 15 March. Learn more and get early access → https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding

This time we talked to Matt Woods, a Product Manager focused on Product-led Growth, who helped companies like Coda increase key activation metrics by 60%, and introduce personalization experience that combines great UX and business impact. Matt also contributed to Reforge artifacts to share examples of his work as one of the earliest contributors to their program. Being a Product Manager, Matt has a fantastic website built with Coda full of insightful case studies. I personally learned so much from Matt, and if you listen to this episode, you will learn about:

* The process of defining activation and aha-moment with examples from Coda

* How connection to customers helped to uncover meaningful wins

* The secrets behind collaboration between product managers and designers in Growth

* and much more

If you find our show valuable, please share it with your colleagues and friends. To receive all episodes right in your inbox — Subscribe to katesyuma.substack.com, your support means a lot. 

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Matt Woods (Product Leader, ex-Coda):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewchristopherwoods/

* Website: https://portfolio.mattwoods.io/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Introduction and Website Creation

03:11 Learning and Mission Statement

07:12 Coda's Success Factors

10:07 Product-Led Growth and Experimentation

14:32 Defining Activation and User Behavior Insights

34:33 Building a Partnership

35:23 Challenges in Working Together

36:23 Trust and Inclusion

37:34 Understanding Motivations

38:31 Embracing Collaboration

39:44 Overcoming Communication Issues

42:25 Fostering Creativity

50:26 Building Healthy Partnerships

56:25 Favorite Artifact: $100 Voting

58:41 Favorite Book: Setting the Table

Resources referenced:

* Reforge Artifact “Weekly outcomes update message at Coda”: https://www.reforge.com/artifacts/weekly-outcomes-update-message-at-coda

* Welcome doc onboarding: https://portfolio.mattwoods.io/case-studies-how-i-work-3

* 100-Dollar Voting Exercise: https://coda.io/@lshackleton/100-dollar-voting-exercise

* “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott: https://www.amazon.com/-/en/Kim-Scott/dp/1250103509

* “Managing Humans” by Michael Lopp: https://www.amazon.com/Managing-Humans-Humorous-Software-Engineering/dp/1430243147

* “Setting the Table” by Danny Meyer: https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Table-Transforming-Hospitality-Business/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

This episode is supported by Appcues — make your product adoption easy!

Appcues is the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences. Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption, and you can use it for free. 

Check out the “5-step Growth Flow Review” template which I created to help companies connect growth hypotheses with behavioral patterns to uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside the template and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Get a 15% discount for my Self-Service Onboarding course

If you're keen on Mastering Product Growth and User onboarding, join the upcoming course starting on the 15th of April. You will get personal guidance to create a stellar onboarding experience and frameworks to turn it into live. Get a 15% discount with promo code “growthmates”. Learn more and get early access → https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding

This time we talked to Rob Litterst who is leading HubSpot media and Building an insightful newsletter about Pricing in SaaS. We discussed his journey from sales to writing, the emerging trend of employee-generated content and a lot of things connected to user-centric pricing. If you listen to this episode, you will learn about:

— Unethical pricing practices we should avoid

— Why companies started shifting from Freemium to speed up monetization

— And a dozen newsletters that Rob recommends to stay informed on important industry news

If you find this show valuable, please share it with one of your colleagues or friends — it gives huge support to continue creating it. To receive all episodes right in your inbox — subscribe to katesyuma.substack.com 

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Rob Litterst (HubSpot media):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roblitterst/

* Newsletter: goodbetterbest.substack.com

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:30 The Importance of Pricing in SaaS

06:17 Employee-Generated Content

11:15 Creating the Newsletter Good Better Best

16:35 Introducing Newsletters in Companies

34:14 Issues with Amazon Prime and Black Friday Strategies

36:15 Ethical Pricing Practices

38:04 Transparency in Pricing

42:55 Trends in Pricing Pages

50:05 The Rise of Subscription Models

Resources referenced:

* 15% discount for Self-serve Onboarding course (starts on 15th of April!): https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding?promoCode=getteamdiscount

* “Good Better Best” Newsletter: goodbetterbest.substack.com

* Ben Thompson's Stratechery: https://stratechery.com/

* Packy McCormick Newsletter: https://www.packym.com/newsletter

* Alex Kantrowitz Big Technology Newsletter: bigtechnology.com

* James Clear's “The 3-2-1 Newsletter”: https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1

* Chris Black's “How Long Gone” podcast

* Pulling Weeds With Chris Black: https://www.gq.com/about/pulling-weeds-with-chris-black

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption, and you can use it for free. Check out the template which I created to help companies connect growth hypotheses with behavioral patterns to uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

This time we talked to Mohammed, formerly a Product lead on Apple Siri, Product Marketing Manager at Google, and currently a Co-founder of DesignPro. Mohammed shared his journey from studying at Stanford to building innovative products, and reflected on his time at Google and Apple, highlighting the different cultures and approaches to innovation. 

I felt so inspired after this conversation, especially when Mohammed shared how Steve Jobs entered their room to acquire Siri, how he embraced trial and error and be okay with failure, and how he uncovered that creativity is a fundamental aspect of human nature and should be prioritized in product development. Here are some highlights you can find in the episode:

— Embrace trial and error and be okay with failure in the process of product design and development.

— Customer obsession and understanding their desires and needs are crucial for successful innovation.

— Timing is key in launching products, and being able to tell a compelling narrative is essential for engaging customers.

— Creativity is a fundamental aspect of human nature and should be prioritized in product development.

— Combining the disciplines of product design and product management can lead to more successful and innovative products.

If you find this show valuable, please share it with one of your colleagues or friends — it gives huge support to continue creating it. To receive all episodes right in your inbox — subscribe to katesyuma.substack.com 

Share this episode with your like-minded colleagues and friends!

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Mohammed Abdoolcarim (DesignPro, ex-Apple & Google):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mscarim/

* DesignPro: https://designpro.ai/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

What we’ve covered in this episode:

01:26 Studying at Stanford University

03:09 Creating Products at Stanford

04:44 Working at Google

08:14 Building Siri and Joining Apple

12:29 Apple's Unique Culture

13:57 Combining Product Design and Product Management

19:16 Apple's Approach to Building Products

22:14 Adapting to the Trend of AI

26:38 Transitioning to a Founder Role

29:35 Creating DesignPro

35:05 Balancing Creativity and Operational Tasks

40:42 Fulfilling Creative Routine as a Founder

43:09 Memorable Moments at Apple

45:14 Book Recommendation: Shoe Dog

Resources referenced:

* 15% discount for Self-serve Onboarding course (starts on 15th of April!): https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding?promoCode=growthmates

* How Innovation Works by Matt Ridley: https://www.amazon.com/How-Innovation-Works-Serendipity-Technology/dp/0062916599

* Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull: https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-Inspiration/dp/0812993012

* Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight: https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Memoir-Creator-Nike/dp/1501135929

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Quick update 🥳 Now the Growthmates newsletter and my other posts will be sent on Tuesdays (inboxes are packed with newsletters sent on Sundays). Hope you will enjoy the episode and listen to it throughout the week!

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

This time I talked to Tom Scott, a founder at Verified, an invite-only design network. We revealed the myth that TOP-1% of talent includes only FAANG companies, and uncovered emerging challenges in talent acquisition, such as finding designers with strong business literacy. My favorite part was exploring the differences in hiring for early-stage startups, Series A+, and Scale-up, where we shared advice to founders who are looking for talent, as well as for anyone who is exploring a career shift. 

Beyond that, we discussed the future of work in the tech industry, including the rise of fractional roles and the importance of flexibility. 

If you find this show valuable, please share it with one of your colleagues or friends — it gives huge support to continue creating it. To receive all episodes right in your inbox — subscribe to katesyuma.substack.com 

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Key highlights from this episode:

* The top 1% of talent varies depending on the needs of different companies and is not limited to individuals from well-known companies (like FAANG 😉)

* Designers need to have strong business literacy and keep up with new technologies to be successful in the current market.

* The “businessification of UX” requires designers to have a growth mindset and understand the impact of their work on the organization.

* Alternative career paths for designers include transitioning to product or engineering roles, working in HR or VC, or starting their own businesses (YES 🙌)

* When hiring design talent, it is important to consider their mindset, soft skills, and growth potential, rather than just their job title or previous company.

* When hiring for scale-ups, it is important to hire people who have experience working on larger teams and can navigate the politics.

* The future of work in the tech industry is moving towards fractional roles and increased flexibility.

* Companies should look beyond big names and focus on hiring for potential and cultural fit.

For the 1st year of Growthmates, we’ve collected from dozens of leaders from Dropbox, Amplitude, Canva, Coda, Atlassian, and now I need your take.👉 Take a 10-min survey and get the first copy of “The PLG Playbook“🎁

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Tom Scott, founder at Verified:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomscottt/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:40 Defining the Top 1% of Talent

06:32 Challenges in Talent Acquisition

10:56 The Businessification of UX

20:07 Role Models and Inspirations

23:09 Hiring Design Talent at Different Company Stages

33:10 Hiring for Scale-Ups

35:34 Embedding Design in Large Organizations

36:24 Challenges in Transitioning from Startups to Scale-Ups

38:23 Design Leadership in Scale-Ups

42:15 The Future of Work in the Tech Industry

48:55 Advice for Job Seekers and Companies

58:00 Lightning Round

Resources referenced:

* Rachel Kobetz — Design Leadership at Scale Course on Maven: https://maven.com/rachel-kobetz/design-leadership-at-scale

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Quick update 🥳 Now the Growthmates newsletter and my other posts will be sent on Tuesdays (inboxes are packed with newsletters sent on Sundays). Hope you will enjoy the episode and listen to it throughout the week!

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

This time I talked to David Hoang, a VP of Design and Marketing at Replit, previously Head of Design and Weblow. David currently is an Executive focused on Design, Marketing, and Growth (sounds like a dream job!  )

We started by discussing non-linear career trajectories, and how David combines all these disciplines as an executive. Then we talked about the importance of design in the future of Product-Led Growth, how to leverage templates for Growth and practical examples from Webflow, and finally how to align the whole company around quality.

I loved how David emphasized the need to prioritize craft for product growth. I hope that by the end of this episode, you will feel the same way, and will take away some inspiration on building a non-linear career and advice to uplift the quality bar for your product.

If you find this show valuable, please share it with one of your colleagues or friends — it gives huge support to continue creating it. To receive all episodes right in your inbox — subscribe to katesyuma.substack.com 

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Key highlights from this episode:

* Merge Design with Marketing for Customer Insight: David Hoang, as VP of Design and Marketing, underscores that combining these fields focuses on optimizing the customer experience and adding value. Treat this intersection as a strategic asset to guide customer journey improvements.

* Value Nonlinear Career Paths in Design: Embrace diverse career trajectories in design to enhance versatility and innovation within your team. This approach enables designers to contribute uniquely to various aspects of the business, particularly in product-led growth.

* Foster Collaboration Between Teams: Effective growth requires seamless collaboration between growth and core teams. Prioritize end-to-end customer experience management, using cross-functional teamwork to identify and address customer friction points.

* Utilize Community and Templates Strategically: Leverage community-led initiatives and templates to accelerate user acquisition, activation, and monetization. Recognize these tools as essential components for scalable growth strategies.

* Commit to High-Quality Design Standards: Establish non-negotiable quality principles for design, ensuring it's ready for general availability. Incorporate design critiques as a regular practice to uphold quality, align the team, and foster continuous improvement over perfectionism.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

For the 1st year of Growthmates, we’ve collected from dozens of leaders from Dropbox, Amplitude, Canva, Coda, Atlassian, and now I need your take.👉 Take a 7-min survey and get the first copy of “The PLG Playbook“🎁

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find David Hoang, VP of Design and Marketing at Replit (ex-Weblow):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhoang2/

* Newsletter: www.proofofconcept.pub

* Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidhoang

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Nonlinear Career Trajectories

03:52 Role of a VP of Design and Marketing

07:35 Nonlinear Career Trajectories for Designers

10:31 Design as the Future of Product-Led Growth

20:10 End-to-End Experiences and Horizontal Focus

23:46 Collaboration between Growth and Core Teams

26:10 Leveraging Templates for Growth

29:28 Community-Led Growth

29:55 The Role of Design in Growth

30:59 Defining Quality and Making it Actionable

32:28 Emphasizing Craft and Quality

33:21 The Stigma Against Growth Designers

36:00 Non-Negotiable Quality Principles

38:41 Treating Design as if it's Going to GA

40:18 Defining Quality Standards

41:37 Design Crit as a Space for Quality Discussions

44:08 Aligning the Whole Company Around Quality

46:38 Companies that Execute High-Quality

47:11 Quality Principle: Iteration over Perfectionism

48:47 Quality Principle: Iterate Smart

51:25 Recommended Guests for the Show

Referenced:

* David’s Newsletter: www.proofofconcept.pub

* The Future of PLG is Design: www.proofofconcept.pub/p/the-future-of-plg-is-design

* "The Humane Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems" by Jef Raskin: https://www.amazon.com/Humane-Interface-Directions-Designing-Interactive

* "Org Design for Design Orgs: Building and Managing In-House Design Teams" by Peter Merholz and Kristin Skinner: https://www.amazon.com/Org-Design-Design-Orgs-Managing

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

This time I had a chat with 2 fantastic leaders from SurveyMonkey — Brad, currently Director of Product, and Erica, who was a VP of Design and Research and recently started a new role at Intuit. 

Both Erica and Brad spent more than 7 years in the company, and we explored the evolution of Growth at SurveyMonkey over these years, and discussed significant chapters in the company's growth journey, including their legendary transition to a product-led growth model.

My favorite part of the conversation was when Brad and Erica shared their expectations of ideal partnerships with each other, and how to build and maintain that partnership at a huge scale over the years.

If you find this show valuable, please share it with one of your colleagues or friends — it gives huge support to continue creating it. To receive all episodes right in your inbox — subscribe to katesyuma.substack.com 

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Key highlights from this episode:

* Optimization of Key Touchpoints: SurveyMonkey's significant growth was driven by the optimization of survey end pages and the homepage, which were critical in enhancing user engagement and conversion rates.

* Product-Led Growth Transition: The company successfully transitioned to a product-led growth model, focusing on refining trial experiences, optimizing pricing structures, and improving conversion flows to better meet user needs and drive growth. Brad shared the evolution of Growth at SurveyMonkey since the time he joined and learned from Elena Verna.

* Integral Role of Design and Research: Design and research functions were crucial in providing insights that drove the company’s strategic decisions, fueling innovation and idea generation essential for growth.

* Collaboration Between Product and Design Teams: Erica and Brad openly shared expectations towards each other on the episode — listen to this part!

* Cultural Emphasis on Collaboration: we discussed the importance of incorporating collaborative practices like design rituals, which include peer critiques and shared design systems, to maintain alignment and visibility across teams.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find our guests:

* Bradley Belford, Director of Product at SurveyMonkey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-belford/

* Erica Weiss Tjader, ex-SurveyMonkey VP of Research and Design: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericatjader/

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[02:14] Welcoming Erica & Brad

[06:02] SurveyMonkey Growth Chapters and Pivotal Moments

[08:11] Transition to Product-Led Growth

[10:15] Every Team as a Growth Team

[17:19] Role of Design and Research in Strategic Moments

[28:59] Product and Design Collaboration at Scale

[37:10] Aligning User and Business Outcomes

[43:41] Fostering Relationships Between Product and Design Functions

[47:36] Balancing Deadlines and Iteration in Growth Initiatives

[50:18] The Importance of Collaboration and Design Rituals

[51:28] Resources and Key Takeaways

Resources Referenced:

* "Inspired: How To Create Tech Products Customers Love" by Marty Cagan: https://www.amazon.com/Inspired-Create-Tech-Products-Customers/dp/1119387507

* "Continuous Discovery Habits" by Teresa Torres: https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Discovery-Habits-Discover-Products/dp/1736633309

* "Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products" by Marty Cagan: https://www.amazon.com/Empowered-Ordinary-Extraordinary-Products-Silicon/dp/111969129X

* UX Collective Community: UX Collective — a platform for product designers and UX practitioners to share insights, articles, and resources (I also published 2 articles on their Medium).

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates — the place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Subscribe to get all episodes right to your inbox on katesyuma.substack.com.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Janie Lee, Head of Product at Loom. 

We explored the evolution of Loom’s growth strategy, especially post-acquisition by Atlassian. 

By the end of this episode, you can learn how to start performing as a new leader and build the Growth function, how to hire for Growth and Core product roles, and my favorite insight about the most impactful experiment for Loom in the last year.

If you find this show valuable, please share it with one of your colleagues or friends — it gives huge support to continue creating it. To receive all episodes right in your inbox — subscribe to katesyuma.substack.com 

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Key highlights from this episode:

* Strategic Use of Product Critiques at Loom: Janie Lee describes how Loom conducts strategic product reviews to evaluate high-stakes projects, using tools like Loom for efficient communication and decision-making, highlighting the importance of structured feedback.

* Building Loom's Growth Team: Janie narrates the evolution of the growth team at Loom, starting from small-scale initiatives to establishing a dedicated growth team focused on customer journeys and business metrics, demonstrating the iterative process of growth strategy implementation.

* Data-Informed Culture and Customer Insights: She discusses embedding a data-inforemd decision-making culture at Loom by creating a growth dashboard and prioritizing customer insights, which align product development closely with user needs and business objectives.

* Core and Growth Teams: discussing differences in hiring approach and how both Core and Growth collaborated on some initiatives at Loom.

* Most successful Growth experiment at Loom in the last 12 months: We discussed a significant growth experiment at Loom that adjusted anonymous viewer interactions, showcasing the trade-offs between enhancing user engagement and satisfying content creators, reflecting the nuanced decisions involved in growth strategy.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guests:

* Janie Lee, Head of Product at Loom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janiejlee/

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[01:11] A Day in the Life of a Product Director

[03:27] Strategic Product Critiques

[04:55] The Joy of Management

[06:20] Path to Leadership

[08:30] Early Days at Loom

[11:33] Data-Driven Insights

[19:39] Significant Impact Changes

[23:01] Product-Led Acquisition Insights

[24:52] Core vs. Growth Product Teams

[28:34] Successful Partnerships in Product Development

[31:15] Hiring for Product and Growth

[37:31] Adapting to Acquisition by Atlassian: Growth Perspectives

[41:34] Maintaining a Growth Mindset in Large Organizations

[44:11] Navigating the New Corporate Landscape

[46:38] Lightning Round: Unexpected Inspirations

Resources Referenced:

* How to make an impact in your first 90 days by Kyle Poyar on Lenny's Newsletter:

* Various Reforge courses: https://www.reforge.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with your colleagues and like-minded friends. For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to ekaterinasyuma@gmail.com.

Subscribe to get more episodes right in your inbox: katesyuma.substack.com

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates. This is Kate Syuma, Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. 

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

To celebrate the first Growthmates anniversary, we prepared a gift to our community — “The Holistic Playbook for Growth Teams”. It’s a reflection of industry trends, in-depth interviews with our guests, and insights gathered from a hundred companies. You can get this playbook for free on our new website → growthmates.club.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Andrew Capland, Coach for Heads of Growth, previously Director of Growth at Wistia, and one of the most supportive people I’ve recently met in the advising community. 

We explored some burning questions I recently used to survey 100 companies. I asked some of these questions to Andrew to get his wisdom.

By the end of this episode, you can learn about new rituals to introduce in your Growth teamwork, the most impactful experiment on pricing from Wistia, and more ways to uncover Growth opportunities if you feel stuck.  

If you find this show valuable, please share it with a colleague or friend — it greatly supports our efforts to continue creating it for you. To receive all episodes directly in your inbox, subscribe to growthamtes.club 

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Key highlights from this episode:

* Challenges in Product-Led Growth: We discussed key growth challenges with Andrew from the recent industry research I facilitated with 100+ companies. He shared a bunch of insights and his practical experience from Wistia and works with clients.

* Building Growth Processes: A practical ritual Andrew recommends is "Full Story Fridays," where teams review user interactions to identify valuable improvements.

* Driving Monetization: At Wistia, Andrew led pricing experimentation efforts, which involved diverse strategies to adjust pricing structures and packaging (listen more in a full episode).

* Acquiring New Users (No Sign-Up Required): Andrew cites examples of products that have interactive versions on their websites, allowing potential users to engage with the product directly and enhancing the conversion rates dramatically .

* Improving Activation and User Onboarding: To define the "aha" moment in user onboarding, Andrew suggests starting with qualitative insights from users who have recently engaged meaningfully with the product or upgraded.

* and much more!

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”:

https://growthmates.club 

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guests:

* Andrew Capland LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/

* Andrew’s Newsletter “Delivering Value” on Substack

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:00 Journey from Growth Leader to Growth Coach

08:49 Challenges and Successes in Product-Led Growth

15:10 Building Growth Processes for Success

25:38 Acquiring New Users and ICP

25:53 Improving Activation and User Onboarding

26:39 Navigating Growth Challenges: Defining Metrics and Research Methods

31:42 Uncovering Growth Opportunities: Strategies and Tools

36:41 The Role of Advisors and Consultants in Growth

39:47 Building Growth Processes and Driving Monetization

Resources Referenced:

* “The Holistic Growth Playbook” with insights from 100+ companies, expert takes from Dropbox, Amplitude, Loom, and more: growthmates.club/playbook

* "The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries: https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898

* "Crossing the Chasm" by Geoffrey A. Moore: https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-Marketing-High-Tech-Mainstream/dp/0060517123

* "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal: https://www.amazon.com/Hooked-How-Build-Habit-Forming-Products/dp/1591847788

* "Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love" by Marty Cagan: https://www.amazon.com/Inspired-Create-Products-Customers-Love/dp/0981690408

* Andrew’s Newsletter “Delivering Value” on Substack: media.deliveringvalue.co

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favourite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates. This is Kate Syuma, Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. 

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, I met with Behzod Sirjani — a leader in Research space who worked in companies like Slack and Facebook, and currently supporting the broader community as an Advisor and Reforge partner

Research is one of my favourite topics, and we discussed how different companies should approach: from Startup to Scale up. By the end of this episode, you can learn how to get customer insights even in a small team, when it’s the right moment to bring a dedicated researcher, common mistakes, and how to scale the research forward.

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Key highlights from this episode that you can implement right away 👇

1. User Research Evolution:

* Startup phase: Founders act as first researchers, focusing on problem validation and customer understanding.

* Growth phase (Series A): Consider hiring a dedicated researcher when research tasks start overwhelming the team.

* Scale-up/Enterprise phase: Implement research ops and scalable processes.

2. Early-stage Research Methods:

* Interviews are crucial for understanding customer decision-making.

* Usability testing helps identify user expectations vs. actual experiences.

* Deeper partnerships with customers (e.g., design partners, diary studies) provide ongoing feedback.

3. When to Hire a Dedicated Researcher:

* When research tasks start taking too much time from other responsibilities.

* Ideally, before there's a full-time workload, allowing time for infrastructure setup.

4. Integrating Research into Teams:

*  New researchers should map the organization's research needs and current practices.

* Implement a mix of direct research, partnering with other teams, and supporting self-service research.

* Use office hours to provide guidance and support to non-researchers.

5. Scaling Research:

* Implement research ops to protect customers, the business, and improve efficiency.

* Standardize processes and tools across teams (e.g., survey templates, question banks).

* Focus on high-leverage activities that raise the floor of research quality.

6. Common Mistakes in Research at Scale:

* Using research only for validation rather than exploration.

* Researchers working in silos or "throwing research over the fence."

* Forgetting that growth is everyone's job, including researchers.

7. Key Research Skills:

* Asking "why" and "how" questions to gain deeper insights.

* Understanding the business context and how research drives growth.

8. The Role of Research in Growth:

* Research should directly contribute to acquisition, retention, and monetization.

* Researchers need to understand how their work impacts business growth.

And one more thing 🎁

To celebrate the first Growthmates anniversary, we prepared a gift to our community — “The Holistic Playbook for Growth Teams”. It’s a reflection of industry trends, in-depth interviews with our guests, and insights gathered from a hundred companies. You can get this playbook for free on our new website → growthmates.club.

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club 

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Behzod Sirjani:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/behzodsirjani/

* “Yet Another Studio” Website:

https://yetanother.studio/

* Effective Customer Conversations Reforge course: https://www.reforge.com/courses/effective-customer-conversations/details

What we’ve covered in this episode:

00:34 Meeting Behzod Sirjani: Research Leader

02:09 The Importance of User Research

02:51 Behzod's Journey: From Facebook to Slack

09:20 Building Research Practices at Slack

14:42 Founding “Yet Another Studio”

22:40 Research Strategies for Startups

32:49 Investing in Facebook Video

33:29 Building from Scratch with Big Companies

34:06 Recognizing Startup Situations in Big Companies

35:23 Scaling Up: When to Hire a Dedicated User Researcher

35:51 Balancing Research and Decision Making

38:03 The Role of a User Researcher

45:46 The Importance of Office Hours

46:26 Scaling Research in Large Companies

51:50 Common Mistakes in Research at Scale

55:14 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Resources Referenced:

* "The Field Study Handbook" by Jan Chipchase : https://www.amazon.com/Field-Study-Handbook-Jan-Chipchase/dp/1939727065

* Upcoming book "Research at Scale" by Kate Towsey : https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/research-that-scales/

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favourite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates. This is Kate Syuma, Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. 

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, I met Bruno Berger — a VP of Design and Product Management who worked in companies like Google, Metabase, and now he’s teaching “Design for PMs” on Reforge. We discuss Bruno's career journey, the integration of design and product management, and best practices for improving collaboration between designers and PMs. We also explored Bruno's strategies for combining design and product management to enhance team collaboration and project success.

By the end of this episode, you can learn how to make your PM and Design collaboration better by adjusting the ways of working, building trust, and how to align faster to make it the most rewarding thinking partnership.

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Key highlights from this episode that you can implement right away 👇

* Generalist Career Journey: Bruno’s transition from product design and engineering to design leadership at Google and his current role at Metabase combining design and product management.

* Integration of Disciplines: The benefits of combining product design with product management and the evolution of design roles over time.

* TOP-3 Collaboration Challenges: Common issues between PMs and designers, such as late involvement of designers, lack of context, and misaligned expectations.

* Best Practices for PMs: Importance of regular communication with designers (set up your Weekly 1:1!), clarifying goals, and providing project context to align expectations.

* Advice for Designers: Develop curiosity about business and technical aspects, engage in strategic conversations, and understand business metrics.

* Leadership Insights: The need for product leaders to understand designer motivations, include design leadership in strategic planning, and bridge the gap between goal-oriented PMs and craft-focused designers.

* Future of Design Discipline: Prediction that future design roles will require well-rounded skill sets with increased integration of business and technical understanding.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube(new!).

And one more thing 🎁

To celebrate the first Growthmates anniversary, we prepared a gift to our community — “The Holistic Playbook for Growth Teams”. It’s a reflection of industry trends, in-depth interviews with our guests, and insights gathered from a hundred companies. You can get this playbook for free on our new website → growthmates.club.

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club 

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Bruno Bergher:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunobergher/

* "Design for PMs" course on Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/courses/design-for-pms/

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Introduction

[00:41] Career Journey

[01:36] Combining Design and Product Management

[03:07] Leadership Transition

[06:41] Teaching at Reforge

[10:17] Collaboration Challenges

[16:46] Best Practices for PMs

[27:00] Advice for Designers

[40:07] Importance of Business Acumen

[54:47 ] Future of Design Discipline

Resources referenced 📕

* Bridging the Gap Between Design and PM - An article that discusses the intersection of design and product management: https://www.reforge.com/blog/product-manager-product-designer-collaboration

* Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Strategy-Bad-Difference-Matters/dp/0307886239

* High Output Management by Andy Grove - Provides insights into making processes efficient and effective: https://www.amazon.com/High-Output-Management-Andrew-Grove/dp/0679762884

* Wonder by R.J. Palacio – A story about a boy with a genetic condition, offering a perspective on empathy and understanding: https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-R-J-Palacio/dp/0375869026

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favourite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates. This is Kate Syuma, Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. 

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, I met Lena Kul — a seasoned design recruiter with vast experience at companies like N26, Miro, and now a User Researcher. Lena shares her journey from design recruitment to user research, providing valuable insights for anyone looking to shift careers or land a job in the current competitive market.

By the end of this episode, you'll learn how to make your job search more effective, craft a compelling portfolio, and negotiate your worth confidently 💪

P.S. Lena is launching a new course, and I’ll be also there hosting a life session. It starts on the 5th of August (and she has just 2 spots left 🏃‍♀️).

This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmates

Key highlights from this episode that you can implement right away 👇

1: Networking Strategies: Lena's tips on leveraging your network and reaching out to connections to stand out in a crowded job market.

2: Portfolio Best Practices: The importance of adding a personal touch, maintaining a clear structure, and showcasing the impact of your work.

3: Interview Preparation: The significance of asking insightful questions and demonstrating your process and thoughtfulness during interviews.

4: Negotiation Tips: Starting salary discussions early, understanding your worth, and confidently pitching your value during the negotiation phase.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

Early birds 🎁 Get a 100€ discount on my Self-Service Onboarding course!

Have you ever wondered — why some people start using the product, but never come back after the first session? The problem is that they can’t easily uncover the value that your entire team has been working hard on. 

We created a course intending to help you design the most valuable Onboarding experience. The course is filled with best practices we gathered from over 80 companies and frameworks that will help you uncover improvements in your onboarding, run user research, and create a fresh roadmap of new experiments. 

The new cohort starts already on the 2nd of September, and for dear listeners, we provide a discount of 100€ with the promo code “Growthmates”.  I would like to interact with each participant directly, and hope to see you there!

— The early bird discount is valid till the 14th of August

— The course is limited to 25 seats, feel free to invite your colleagues! 🏃‍♀️

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”:

* https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Lena Kul:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-kul/

* Lena’s Course: https://maven.com/lena-kul/master-your-product-design-and-ux-research-job-search

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Introduction

[00:41] Career Journey

[01:36] Shifting from Recruitment to User Research

[03:07] Design Recruitment Insights

[06:41] Evolving Role Requirements

[10:17] Importance of Storytelling

[16:46] Networking Strategies

[27:00] Portfolio Best Practices

[40:07] Interview Preparation

[54:47] Negotiation Tips

📕 Resources Referenced

* Hiring Criteria — Chapter I, “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club/playbook

* Elvis Obanya, Design Portfolio:

https://www.elvisobanya.com/

* Angela Laspriella, Design Portfolio: https://www.figma.com/deck/SDjeNkM7d1BrBhJSPirlxb/Portfolio?node-id=2-26&viewport=111%2C-67%2C0.65&t=JAKIHkMT6yiwUf2m-1&scaling=min-zoom&content-scaling=fixed&page-id=0%3A1

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. 

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

—

In this episode, I chat with Jochem Van Der Veer, co-founder and CEO of TheyDo, about his journey from UX design to leading a successful B2B SaaS company. We dive into the triple diamond framework, customer obsession, and key strategies for scaling a product. By the end, you’ll gain actionable insights on how to align business goals with customer outcomes and effectively grow your company.

By the end of this episode, you'll learn about the triple diamond framework for design thinking, the importance of customer obsession, and practical strategies for scaling a B2B SaaS company 💪

—

Brought to you by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template to uncover meaningful improvements with an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside: appcues.com/growthmates

—

Self-Serve Onboarding course is coming back! Get 100€ off 🎁

We open enrollment for the new cohort of the Self-Serve User Onboarding course. As an early-bird gift, we give all subscribers a discount of 100$ with a promocode “growthmates”. Reserve your spot now and join me on live sessions starting from September 16, 2024 (the cohort is limited to 20 participants): https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding

Key highlights from this episode 👇

1: Triple Diamond Framework: Learn how to apply the triple diamond approach to design thinking, from problem discovery to solution delivery, and how it can be used to design not just products, but entire organizations.

2: Customer Obsession: Discover the importance of aligning your business with customer journeys and how customer obsession can drive significant impact and transformation in your organization.

3: Opportunity Prioritization: Understand how to identify and prioritize opportunities within customer journeys to maximize business impact and improve customer experiences.

4: Enterprise Growth Strategies: Gain insights into scaling a B2B SaaS company, from targeting enterprise clients early on to leveraging product-led growth strategies that drive long-term success.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Jochem:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jochemvanderveer/

* TheyDo: https://www.theydo.com/

—

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Introduction

[00:39] From UX Design to CEO: Jochem’s Career Journey

[01:45] The Transition from Design to Founding TheyDo

[03:28] Building a Customer-Obsessed Organization

[07:15] The Triple Diamond Framework Explained

[12:02] Prioritizing Opportunities in Customer Journeys

[18:34] Strategies for Scaling a B2B SaaS Company

[26:11] Overcoming Challenges in Enterprise Sales

[37:50] Maintaining a Customer-Centric Culture in a Growing Company

[50:18] Practical Advice for Founders and Design Leaders

—

📕 Resources Referenced

* Triple Diamond Framework: Learn more about the triple diamond approach and how it can be applied in various contexts to drive better design and business outcomes: https://www.launchnotes.com/blog/the-triple-diamond-design-process-a-comprehensive-guide

* Demand-Side Sales by Bob Moesta - Explore the decision-making journeys of customers and how to leverage this understanding for better product development and marketing: https://www.amazon.com/Demand-Side-Sales-101-Customers-Progress/dp/1544509987

* TheyDo: Discover more about TheyDo's journey management platform and how it can help your organization align around customer journeys effectively:

https://www.theydo.com/

* Airbnb Customer Journey announcement by Brian Chesky: https://x.com/bchesky/status/1654137863007612930?s=46&t=klJygKLXesDml2L3gDokgg

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. 

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

—

In this episode, I chat with Amy Bucher, Chief Behavioral Officer at Lirio and author of Engaged. We delve into the world of behavioral design, exploring how understanding human behavior can lead to more ethical and effective product development. Amy shares her journey from academia to leading behavioral design teams, and how frameworks like the COMBEE model and Behavior Change Wheel are essential tools for influencing user behavior.

By the end of this episode, you'll learn how to apply behavioral science principles to your product, understand the importance of ethical design, and gain insights into leveraging AI for personalized user experiences 💡

—

Brought to you by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.

Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template to uncover meaningful improvements with an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside: appcues.com/growthmates

—

Self-Serve Onboarding course is coming back! Get 100€ off 🎁

We open enrollment for the new cohort of the Self-Serve User Onboarding course. As an early-bird gift, we give all subscribers a discount of 100$ with a promocode “growthmates”. Reserve your spot now and join me on live sessions starting from September 16, 2024 (the cohort is limited to 20 participants): https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

1: Behavioral Design Defined: Understand the fundamentals of behavioral design and how it differs from traditional UX/UI design.

2: COMBEE Model and Behavior Change Wheel: Learn how capability, opportunity, and motivation drive behavior change and how to apply these concepts in product design.

3: Ethical Design: Discover how to avoid dark patterns like over-gamification and notification fatigue.

4: AI and Personalization: Explore how AI can be used to create personalized and effective user experiences.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Amy Bucher:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybucher/

* “Engaged”: Designing for Behavior Change: https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/engaged-designing-for-behavior-change/

—

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Introduction

[00:39] Amy Bucher’s Journey: From Academia to Chief Behavioral Officer

[02:08] Defining Behavioral Design and Its Importance

[06:52] The COMBEE Model and Behavior Change Wheel

[13:20] Understanding and Driving Internal Motivation

[17:36] Ethical Considerations in Design: Avoiding Dark Patterns

[22:32] Meeting Psychological Needs: Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness

[30:57] Writing Outcome Stories and Designing for Growth

[42:24] Leveraging AI for Behavioral Design and Personalization

[46:03] Lightning Round: Society’s Behavioral Gaps and Recommended

—

📕 Resources Referenced

* “Engaged”: Designing for Behavior Change by Amy Bucher: https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/engaged-designing-for-behavior-change/

* “The Holistic Growth Playbook” by Kate Syuma: https://growthmates.club/playbook

* Behavioral Insights by Elspeth Kirkman and Michael Halsworth: https://www.amazon.com/Behavioral-Insights-Press-Essential-Knowledge/dp/0262539403

* Actionable Gamification by Yukai Chu: https://www.amazon.com/Actionable-Gamification-audiobook/dp/B06XSWX7BN/

* Power and Prediction by A.J. Agrawal, Joshua Gans, and A.V.I. Goldfarb: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Prediction-Disruptive-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1647824192

* Subtract by Lydie Klotz: https://www.amazon.com/Subtract-Untapped-Science-Leidy-Klotz/dp/1250249864

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. 

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, I chat with Enzo Avigo, CEO of June.so. We delve into the journey of product management and the shift from being a Product Manager at companies like Zalando and Intercom to becoming a Startup founder. Enzo shares his insights on the key differences between product management in large companies and startups, and how that experience shaped his approach to building June.so, a platform for B2B SaaS companies that provides customer analytics for product-focused teams. We discuss positioning, product-market fit, and how to align multiple aspects like brand, marketing, and product into what Enzo calls "Position Market Fit."—

By the end of this episode, you’ll gain insights on:- The transition from PM to Founder  

- The role of design and user experience in creating a strong product position  

- How to build a memorable product experience that stands out  

- Practical examples of positioning, including how Enzo applies it at June.so  

- Lessons learned on when to outsource brand work and when to handle it in-house

—

Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs: https://command.ai/

—

Self-Serve Onboarding course is coming back! Get 100€ off 🎁

We open enrollment for the new cohort of the Self-Serve User Onboarding course. As an early-bird gift, we give all subscribers a discount of 100$ with a promocode “growthmates”. Reserve your spot now and join me on live sessions starting from September 16, 2024 (only 5 spots left): https://maven.com/growth-course/self-serve-onboarding

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

1. From PM to Founder: Enzo discusses the dream many Product Managers have of founding their own company and why it's so challenging to take the leap.

2. Key Differences Between Large Companies & Startups: Enzo dives into why traditional product management techniques don't always translate into startup success.

3. Position Market Fit: We discuss the metaphor of aligning multiple "planets" (product, brand, marketing, pricing, etc.) to achieve Position Market Fit, a crucial aspect for startups today.

4. Importance of Memorable Experiences: Learn how creating a distinct and memorable product experience helps cement your product in users’ minds.

5. In-House vs. Agency: Enzo shares the pros and cons of working with an agency for brand and product design versus keeping it in-house, with real-life examples from June.so.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Enzo Avigo: 

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/enzoavigo/

* June Website: https://june.so

—

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Introduction  

[00:39] Enzo Avigo’s journey from Product Manager to Founder  

[02:08] Differences between product management in large companies vs. startups  

[06:52] What is Position Market Fit?  

[13:20] How user experience and design drive a product’s position  

[17:36] The role of memorable product experiences  

[22:32] In-house vs. Agency branding — when to choose which  

[30:57] Aligning multiple elements (product, brand, marketing) to achieve Position Market Fit  

[42:24] Lightning Round: Memorable experiences, brands, and recommendations

—

📕 Resources Referenced

* Position Market Fit article on Aakash Gupta Newsletter: 

* June.so — Enzo’s B2B SaaS company, Customer analytics for product-focused teams: https://june.so

* “The Holistic Growth Playbook" by Growthmates with insights from 100+ companies on Growth and UX: https://growthmates.club/playbook

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. 

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, I chat with Jason Giles — a VP of Product Design at UserTesting.com. We dove into his journey, from working as an electronic musician to becoming a leader in the tech industry. Jason shares his unique story about transitioning into the UX field during his time at Microsoft, his experiences with design leadership, and how human-centered design became his foundation. We also dive into the importance of research, debunking 3 myths about its cost and time, and Jason’s insights into democratizing research within organizations.

—

Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs: https://command.ai/

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

- How Jason transitioned from music to UX design;- The role of human-centered design in successful products;- Revealing 3 myths about User Research and sharing actionable tips:

* Research takes a lot of time, it’s expensive, and we basically don’t have resources for that. 

* Research doesn’t give any measurable impact and it’s impossible to to measure

* It’s risky to democratize research, as it can become a weapon in the “wrong” hands

- Quantifying the ROI of user experience research- Democratizing research across teams for better user insights—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”:

https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Jason Giles (VP of Product Design at UserTesting):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaygiles/

—

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Introduction and welcome to the conference[00:07] Jason’s journey: From electronic musician to UX designer[00:20] Joining Microsoft and the early stages of his career in UX[03:00] Joining UserTesting and how the mission aligns with his personal goals[05:30] The myths about UX research and the challenges of starting with limited resources[09:30] Conducting research with minimal budget and engaging customers[12:41] Measuring the ROI of UX research[16:00] Case study: Saving $1.2 million by using validated designs[20:00] The role of democratizing research within teams[24:00] How leadership can support a user-centric mindset[26:30] Audience Q&A: Advice on how to involve the entire team in UX research[31:00] Final thoughts and closing remarks

—

📕Useful Resources for User Research

* “The Holistic Growth Playbook" by Growthmates with insights from 100+ companies on Growth and UX: https://growthmates.club/playbook

* “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654

* UserTesting.com — the platform for user research to transform how you build products and experiences: https://www.usertesting.com/

* Advanced Techniques: Continuous Discovery by Aakash Gupta:

https://www.news.aakashg.com

🎙️ More Growthmates episodes on User Research

* Making Decisions with User Research from Startup to Scale-up | Behzod Sirjani (Advisor & Partner at Reforge, ex-Slack): https://katesyuma.substack.com/p/making-decisions-with-user-research

* Running UXR in Growth teams | Andrej Balaz (UXR at Miro):

https://katesyuma.substack.com/p/running-uxr-in-growth-teams-andrej-9df

* Driving a Positive Behavioural Change with Your Product | Amy Bucher (Lirio, Author of "Engaged"): https://katesyuma.substack.com/p/driving-a-positive-behavioural-change

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, we chat with Randy, Head of Design at Notion. Join us as we explore Randy's incredible journey from crypto and coffee startups to becoming the Head of Design at Notion. He shares how he blends craftsmanship, simplicity, and user-centered design into Notion’s core values. Randy also provides valuable insights into the balance of functionality and emotional design, his approach to building talent-dense teams, and how to foster creativity within high-performing groups.

—

Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs:

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

-Design for Emotion: Randy explains how Notion prioritizes emotional connection in user experiences.

-Craftsmanship with Efficiency: The importance of talent density and focusing on fewer resources for more impact.

-Marketplace Insights: How working in multi-sided marketplaces influenced Randy’s approach to product design.

-Visual Design Mastery: Randy’s tips on typography and user interaction to improve design quality.

-Creative Collaboration: Discover how Notion encourages team improvisation and shared creativity, much like a jazz ensemble.

How to make your collaboration more creative? 🎨

* Improvisation and Team Dynamics: Notion encourages team members to express their creativity, similar to a jazz ensemble, fostering spontaneous collaboration that leads to innovative solutions.

* Cross-Functional Teams: By promoting collaboration across different functions, Notion leverages diverse perspectives to enhance the design process.

* Regular Feedback: Open communication and constructive feedback sessions help refine ideas and improve team dynamics.

* Design Sprints: Quick prototyping and testing through design sprints allow teams to iterate rapidly while staying aligned with user needs.

* Empowerment: Team members are encouraged to take ownership of projects, boosting morale and encouraging boundary-pushing creativity.

* Utilizing Notion's Tools: The product itself is used as a collaboration platform, enhancing documentation, feedback, and progress tracking

—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Randy Hunt (Head of Design at Notion):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyjhunt/

—

What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Introduction[00:06] Randy’s Career Journey[01:12] Working at Notion[02:19] Transitioning from Coffee Startup to Tech[04:04] Leadership at Etsy[05:00] Music and Entrepreneurial Spirit[06:09] Notion’s Craft and High Standards[07:33] Talent Density at Notion[09:16] Interview Process at Notion[13:27] Side Projects and Passion[19:54] Design and Product Collaboration at Notion[24:20] Prototyping and Ideation Process[29:55] Design Execution and Strategic Influence[36:33] Simplicity and Systems Thinking[41:51] Jam Sessions and Design Reviews[43:17] Final Thoughts and Lightning Round

—

📕Useful Resources from this episode:

*  The Lean Product Playbook by Dan OlsenA comprehensive guide on how to apply lean principles to product management and design: https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Product-Playbook-Innovate-Products/dp/1118960874 

* The Design of Everyday Things by Don NormanThis book offers insights into user-centered design and how good design can enhance usability and user experience: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654/ref=sr_1_1

* Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love by Marty CaganThis book discusses how successful product teams work and how to build products that meet user needs: https://www.amazon.com/INSPIRED-Create-Tech-Products-Customers/dp/1119387507/ref=sr_1_1

* Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir EyalA guide to understanding user behavior and how to create products that encourage habitual use: https://www.amazon.com/Hooked-How-Build-Habit-Forming-Products/dp/B00HZY1N0K/ref=sr_1_1 

* Lean UX: Designing Great Products with Agile Teams by Jeff Gothelf and Josh SeidenThis book emphasizes collaboration and the importance of user experience in agile development: https://www.amazon.com/Lean-UX-Designing-Products-Agile/dp/1491953608

* Design Sprint: A Practical Guidebook for Building Great Digital Products by Richard Banfield, C. Todd Lombardo, and Tracey W. K. McCaffertyA detailed guide on how to run design sprints to solve problems and validate ideas: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Sprint-Practical-Guidebook-Building/dp/1491923172

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthmates.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, we chat with Emily Campbell, VP of Design at HackerRank. Emily shares her fascinating journey, from starting in economics to leading design at HackerRank, where she focuses on creating design systems that integrate AI while maintaining a human-centered approach. She is also the founder of Women in AI and The Shape of AI, where she explores how AI is reshaping design, creativity, and human interaction. In this conversation, Emily dives deep into how AI can augment human potential, the ethical implications of AI in social media, and why maintaining a human-centered approach is critical as AI evolves.

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Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs:

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

* AI can be your design co-pilot, not your replacement: While AI is becoming more integrated into design workflows, it shouldn’t replace human creativity. Emily emphasizes that AI works best when it augments human decision-making, allowing designers to focus on the more meaningful, creative aspects of their work. AI can automate the mundane, but the heart of design remains human.

* Creativity thrives on curiosity: Emily’s journey highlights the power of relentless curiosity. Whether exploring the history of cybernetics or diving into AI’s role in product design, she underscores that staying curious is essential for innovation. Cultivating curiosity helps you see problems differently, driving fresh solutions and creative breakthroughs.

* The ethics of AI are urgent, not optional: As AI technology evolves, its societal impact grows. Emily stresses that designers and developers have a responsibility to ensure that AI is used ethically. This includes transparency around algorithmic decisions and addressing the biases that can emerge in AI-driven systems. Regulation is critical to ensure AI benefits society rather than exacerbating existing problems.

* AI adoption takes time—but that’s okay: Many companies, including HackerRank, are integrating AI tools, but widespread adoption takes time. Users often need guidance and clear use cases to embrace AI features. Emily discusses the importance of building trust with users by showing how AI can improve their workflows without feeling intrusive or overwhelming.

* Design systems must evolve to accommodate AI: As AI becomes more embedded in products, design systems need to adapt. Emily explains that traditional patterns of interaction may break down in AI-powered experiences, requiring designers to rethink how users engage with digital products. The key is designing flexible systems that evolve with new technologies while keeping the user’s experience intuitive.

* Fostering diverse collaboration sparks innovation: Cross-disciplinary collaboration is critical in today’s fast-evolving tech landscape. Emily emphasizes how diverse teams—comprising engineers, designers, and AI experts—can generate more innovative and inclusive solutions. Diversity in thought and expertise leads to better products and stronger teams.

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Follow Growthmates updates on:

* NEW! Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://katesyuma.substack.com/podcast

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Emily Campbell (VP of Design):

* LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emily-campbell

* Website: emilycampbell.co

* Substack: https://shapeofai.substack.com

* Women in AI: https://womeninai.xyz

* Shape of AI: https://www.shapeof.ai/

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What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Cybernetics and AI history[00:28] The importance of AI regulation[02:19] Emily's career journey and inspirations[02:19] Transitioning from Coffee Startup to Tech[06:09] Improvisation and AI-driven design[13:00] The ethical deployment of AI in social spaces[19:54] How AI can unlock creativity and reduce friction[36:33] AI, human patterns, and society

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📕Useful Resources from this episode:

* Cybernetics: Second Edition by Norbert Wienerhttps://www.amazon.com/Cybernetics-Second-Control-Communication-Machine/dp/026273009X

* The Shape of AI: Navigating the Future of Design in Tech by Emily Campbell

https://www.shapeof.ai

* AI Superpowers by Kai-Fu Leehttps://www.amazon.com/AI-Superpowers-China-Silicon-Valley/dp/132854639X

* The Fourth Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwabhttps://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Industrial-Revolution-Klaus-Schwab/dp/1524758868

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthmates.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, we chat with Yuriy Timen, Advisor Ex-Growth Gramnarly. Yuriy shares his inspiring journey from corporate roles to becoming a sought-after growth advisor. With eight years at Grammarly, Yuriy helped scale the company to half a billion in revenue, leading a team of over 40 people in marketing and growth product. Since moving into advisory roles, he’s worked with over 35 companies, like Airtable, Canva, Whimsical, Flo Health, bringing invaluable growth insights. In our conversation, Yuriy delves into the challenges of shifting from corporate to advisory work, the importance of setting boundaries, and the mindset shifts essential for independent success.

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Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs:

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

* Embracing Focus in Advisory Work: Transitioning from a corporate role to an advisor meant Yuriy had to shift from multitasking to a more focused approach. He now dives deeply into fewer projects at a time, fostering a more meaningful impact. This journey away from the “corporate hustle” was driven by a desire to keep learning and make a direct impact.

* Setting Boundaries as an Advisor: Yuriy discusses how he quickly learned to set clear boundaries in his advisory role. Without these boundaries, his time risked being overextended. Establishing expectations has been essential in balancing his work with personal life and enhancing the quality of his engagements.

* Unlearning Corporate Habits: One of Yuriy’s biggest adjustments was unlearning some corporate habits, like reliance on large teams for delegation. In his advisory role, he learned to focus on projects that energized him, rather than draining him, and adopted new ways to work independently, including thoughtful delegation when needed.

* Finding Your Unique “Why”: Yuriy and Kate reflect on the importance of defining a personal “why.” For Yuriy, this clarity helped shape his positioning and differentiate him as an advisor. Knowing what drives you is key to building trust with clients and bringing authenticity to advisory roles.

* Managing the Pressure of Advisory Work: Yuriy talks about the high stakes of providing strategic advice, where a mistake could significantly impact a client’s growth. He shares how aligning expectations and focusing on data-driven decisions helps him manage this responsibility without feeling overwhelmed.

* Non-linear Career Paths as a Strength: Yuriy’s career showcases the value of a non-linear path, from corporate roles to fractional advisory. This diverse experience has helped him bring unique perspectives to growth challenges, reinforcing the idea that embracing a range of experiences can lead to profound personal and professional growth.

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Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://www.growthmates.news/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Yuriy Timen (Growth Advisor, ex-Grammarly):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuriytimen/

* Website: https://www.yuriytimen.com/

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What we’ve covered in this episode:

[00:00] Opening by Kate[00:13] Yuriy’s journey from corporate to fractional advisor[02:19] His career highlights and insights from Grammarly[05:00] The leap into independent advisory work[10:25] Importance of setting boundaries[18:41] Relearning delegation and independence[28:21] Shifting from multitasking to focused work[36:33] Managing the stakes of advisory work[42:15] Reflecting on teamwork and corporate dynamics

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📕 Useful Resources and other Podcasts with Yuriy:

* I was known as the “intense guy” - with Yuriy Timen on Delivering Value with Andrew Capland

https://media.deliveringvalue.co/p/i-was-known-as-the-intense-guy-yuriy-timen

* Leah Tharin in & Yuriy Timen on “Product Tea”

https://www.leahtharin.com/p/season-2-plg-episode-6-leah-and-yuriy?utm_source=publication-search

* What is a good activation rate by Yuriy Timen and Lenny Rachitsky

https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/what-is-a-good-activation-rate

* Yuriy Timen: Lessons from the busiest Growth Advisor in the industry on @TheGrowthloop by Eugene Segal

https://www.thegrowthloop.io/p/e02-yuriy-timen-lessons-from-the

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Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthmates.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, Kate speaks with Benjamin Humphrey, founder of Dovetail, who opens up about his shift from corporate design roles to the challenges and rewards of startup life. Benjamin's story began as a designer at Atlassian before taking the leap into the unknown to create Dovetail, a user-focused product built to simplify research and UX processes. He delves into the defining moments that guided his journey, as well as the challenges of moving from a structured corporate environment to the entrepreneurial world.

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Dovetail’s mission is to improve the quality of every thing through the power of customer insights. In only six years, Dovetail has grown to drive research innovation at over 3,700 organizations including big brands like Harvard Business, Universal, Deloitte, Porsche, Starbucks, Shopify, Atlassian, Shell and more. Dovetail was deployed early at global design software company Canva, who set up its customer insights hub. Canva’s product team has used Dovetail since the very beginning to analyze customer research data, uncovering insights that improve their product’s user experience. Try out and start collecting your insights here → www.dovetail.com

—

Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs:

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

* From Designer to Founder: Benjamin shares his path from the corporate world of Atlassian to founding Dovetail. Leaving a stable, rewarding job to pursue a personal vision, he discusses the mental shift required to step into a startup's uncertain world.

* Leadership and Team Building: Starting Dovetail required Benjamin to learn new skills quickly, from securing funding to making critical business decisions. Unlike his past roles where teamwork and large-scale collaboration were paramount, as a founder, he had to adapt to the demands of a smaller, more agile team.

* The Value of Progressive Disclosure in Design: Benjamin introduces the principle of progressive disclosure—gradually revealing features to users as they explore. He emphasizes that this approach not only optimizes user experience but also aligns with Dovetail's vision of helping users discover tools contextually, when they’re most needed.

* Insights on AI and the Future of Dovetail: With the release of Dovetail 3.0, enhanced with AI capabilities, Benjamin discusses the challenges and opportunities AI brings to his product. He shares his vision for responsibly integrating AI, ensuring it complements users’ research without sacrificing transparency or control.

Special announcement 🚀 Join the Design Career Accelerator on December 2-6!

How do you decide where to grow? IC vs Manager, in-house or solo? There are so many paths. For years, I’ve collected frameworks that helped me and my coaching clients from Loom, Intercom, and more. This year I want to share these practices with Senior IC Designers, Leads, and Managers who are on a cross-way in planning the next career step. To help you dedicate time for that at the end of the year, we created a special 1-week Design Career Accelerator — learn more about the program and grab your slot before December 2!

—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):

https://www.growthmates.news/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest — Benjamin Humphrey (Co-founder and CEO of Dovetail):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/humphreybc/

* Website: https://dovetail.com/

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Episode Timestamps:

[01:18] Introduction by Kate[02:28] Benjamin's Journey[03:49] Leaving the job at Atlassian[05:19] Command AI[07:24] Deciding to go in another direction with Dovetail[09:38] If you wanna go fast, go alone[12:16] What was extremely challenging for you didn’t have your skill set as a designer[14:26] How you uncovered the problem that your product is currently serving for[20:06] Product-led model for Dovetail[24:07] Progressive disclosure[33:03] Core values of the product[34:53] How to speed up time and get to the aha moment[35:52] Future of Dovetail and the element of AI[40:57] What one piece of advice would you like to give?[44:40] Outro

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📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:

Revealing 3 myths about User Research and start easy | Jason Giles (VP of Product Design at UserTesting)

Making Decisions with User Research from Startup to Scale-up | Behzod Sirjani (Advisor & Partner at Reforge, ex-Slack)

Driving a Positive Behavioural Change with Your Product | Amy Bucher (Lirio, Author of "Engaged")

"How Dovetail CEO Benjamin Humphrey Scaled an Australian Startup to Global Success" on Fund/Build/Scale: Listen here

"Product Management with Benjamin Humphrey" on UI Breakfast Podcast: Listen here

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthmates.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode, Kate speaks with Chetana Deorah , a seasoned design leader who shares her journey across renowned companies like Yahoo!, Netflix, and Coursera, along with her transition to building a community-driven vegan pizza initiative. Chetana opens up about navigating the intersection of creativity, leadership, and self-reflection while balancing corporate and personal passions.

—

Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs:

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

* From Binge Watching to Binge Learning: Chetana reflects on her career’s evolution—from binge-watching at Netflix to binge-learning at Coursera—and how aligning with personal values reshaped her path.

* Belonging vs. Fitting In: Drawing from @Brené Brown’s work, Chetana shares insights into workplace culture and how recognizing the difference between belonging and fitting in shaped her professional growth.

* Balancing Creativity with Corporate Leadership: Creative professionals often feel stifled in structured environments. Chetana provides strategies to thrive without losing your creative spark.

* The Power of Mentorship and Self-Reflection: Chetana emphasizes the importance of mentorship and learning to ask yourself the right questions to unlock growth opportunities.

* From Corporate to Community: Discover how Chetana co-founded Pizza Valley, a vegan and sustainable initiative that fosters community and connection.

—

⭐️ Special announcement — Join the Design Career Accelerator, coming in January ❄️

How do you decide where to grow? IC vs. Manager, in-house or solo? For years, I’ve collected frameworks that helped me and my coaching clients from Loom, Intercom, and more. This year I want to share these practices with everyone who are on a cross-way in planning the next career step. To help you dedicate time for that at the end of the year, we created a special 1-week Design Career Accelerator — learn more about the program and grab your slot in December with 120$ discount: https://maven.com/lena-kul-kate-syuma/product-design-career-accelerator?promoCode=growthmates

—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):

https://www.growthmates.news/p/what-4-years-of-advising-35-companies

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find our guest

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chetanadeorah/

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What we covered:

[00:00] Introduction[03:42] Career journey[07:41] Pizza business[12:19] Work culture[15:15] Fitting in[29:26] Mentorship[35:08] Recharge & reflect[37:58] Yoga asana[42:05] Lifestyle[48:52] Favorite app[52:22] Chetana suggestion[53:49] Outro

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📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:

The Culture Map by Erin Meyer – A guide to navigating cultural differences in global business.The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin – Insights into nurturing creativity and finding inspiration in life.Dare to Lead– Brené Brown’s podcast exploring leadership, values, and human connection.

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together!

For sponsorship and other inquiries reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthmates.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.

Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).

In this episode: We’re wrapping up this incredible season with a special twist! For the first time, host Kate Syuma switches roles and becomes the guest. Kate is interviewed by her friend and former colleague, Lana Kul, in an honest and vulnerable conversation about her first year as a solopreneur.

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Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs:

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

Reflections on a Transformational Year:

* Recognizing the importance of building social capital and meaningful connections.

* Taking time for reflection by blocking off two weeks to recharge and reassess priorities.

* Acknowledging gratitude for support amidst challenges and moments of rejection.

* ⭐️ “End of Year” Reflection framework: https://growthmates.notion.site/End-of-Year-Reflection-framework-15fadc80326980178cbff3754b6932b1?pvs=4

This reflection framework includes five elements: Results, Gratefulness, Goodbyes (limiting beliefs), Dreams, and Priorities. Use it to structure your reflections and create a meaningful plan for the year ahead.

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👉 Plan your 2025 with us — Join with 150$ discount before 31 Dec 🎁

How do you decide where to grow? IC vs. Manager, in-house or solo? For 6+ years, we have supported career growth and hired 10+ people at Miro, helped with coaching and mentorship people from Loom, Intercom, Mentimeter, and more. Now, we want to share these practices with everyone who are on a cross-way in planning the next career step. For that, we created a special 1-week Design Career Accelerator (promo “endofyear”, valid by 31 December): https://maven.com/lena-kul-kate-syuma/product-design-career-accelerator?promoCode=endofyear

—

Embracing Creativity and Personal Growth:

* Creativity stems from making space, allowing boredom, and trusting intuition.

* Identifying limiting beliefs through self-reflection and aligning personal interests with professional goals.

* Recognizing the importance of courage, consistency, and commitment in personal and professional endeavors.

Navigating Professional Aspirations:

* Combining growth advising and user experience to align with authentic goals.

* Revisiting and redefining dreams regularly while accepting the evolution of aspirations.

* Creating a structured approach to prioritize focus, recovery, and sustained creativity.

Building Community and Expanding Horizons:

* Building meaningful connections through community-driven initiatives.

* Enhancing cultural understanding through conscious traveling experiences.

* Leveraging platforms like podcasts to create unexpected opportunities and broader impact.

Balancing Professional and Personal Priorities:

* Prioritizing personal growth alongside professional aspirations for a well-rounded life.

* Emphasizing recovery and self-care to sustain long-term productivity and creativity.

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⭐️ Some exciting plans for Growthmates’ next season:

“In the Company of Women,” premiering in January 2024. This season will spotlight amazing women leaders, like Elena Verna, Marie Martens, Jennifer Phan and explore their journeys in building groundbreaking products and organizations.

—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):

https://www.growthmates.news/p/what-4-years-of-advising-35-companies

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates_/

Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Growthmates website: https://growthmates.club/

* Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/

Where to find — Lena Kul:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-kul/

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What we covered:

[00:00] Introduction & Reflection on GrowthMates[03:02] One Year as a Solopreneur[06:12] Building Social Capital & Unlocking Creativity[09:49] Planning for the Future[13:11] Support Systems and Gratitude[15:06] Lessons Learned from Challenges[18:06] Embracing Courage and Consistency[21:14] Turning Negatives into Positives[34:04] Dreams and Aspirations: A Year in Reflection[38:55] The Impact of GrowthMates: Stories of Connection[45:04] Overcoming Limiting Beliefs and Embracing Change[54:01] Prioritizing Personal and Professional Growth [01:03:38] Exciting Announcements and Future Directions

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📕 Useful Resources:

* ⭐️ “End of Year” Reflection framework: https://growthmates.notion.site/End-of-Year-Reflection-framework-15fadc80326980178cbff3754b6932b1?pvs=4

This reflection framework includes five elements: Results, Gratefulness, Goodbyes (limiting beliefs), Dreams, and Priorities. Use it to structure your reflections and create a meaningful plan for the year ahead.

* Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés – A powerful guide on reconnecting with intuition and creativity. https://www.amazon.com/Women-Who-Run-Wolves-Archetype/dp/0345409876

* In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney – A collection of stories from 100 inspiring creative women. https://www.amazon.com/Company-Women-Inspiration-Artists-Entrepreneurs/dp/1579655971

* Slow Productivity by Cal Newport – Insights on balancing work and intentional living. https://www.amazon.com/Slow-Productivity-Accomplishment-Without-Burnout/dp/0593544854

* The Art of Accomplishment Podcast – A favorite for personal development and building a supportive system. https://www.artofaccomplishment.com/podcast

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💫 Before the new season — check our featured 2024 episodes:

* The Role of Design in PLG: Embracing Quality and Non-Linear Paths with David Hoang (ex-Webflow, VP at Replit): https://www.growthmates.news/p/the-role-of-design-in-plg-embracing

* Top 1% Talent Tactics: Navigating Startup & Scale-up Hiring | Tom Scott, Founder at Verified: https://www.growthmates.news/p/top-1-talent-tactics-navigating-startup

* How to Get Your Dream Job and Stand Out in the Crowd | Lena Kul (ex-Miro): https://www.growthmates.news/p/how-to-get-your-dream-job-and-stand

* Unpacking a New Growth Playbook with Andrew Capland (Growth Coach, ex-Wisia): https://www.growthmates.news/p/unpacking-a-new-growth-playbook-with

* Making Decisions with User Research from Startup to Scale-up | Behzod Sirjani (Advisor & Partner at Reforge, ex-Slack): https://www.growthmates.news/p/making-decisions-with-user-research

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights. If you find this valuable, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and subscribe to this show on your favorite platforms to get new episodes. Let’s keep growing together, and see you back in 2025!

For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

This episode is brought to you by Amplitude — сheck new Guides and Surveys to deliver helpful, well-timed messages: https://amplitude.com/guides-and-surveys

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Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.

Growthmates is a place to connect with inspiring leaders and help you grow—personally and professionally. Learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and more build world-class products and growth cultures.

In this episode, Kate Syuma and Elena Verna dive into a conversation about career evolution, growth strategies, and navigating transitions. With experience at SurveyMonkey, Miro, Dropbox, Reforge, and Malwarebytes, Elena shares her journey from leading growth at major companies to building a successful solopreneurship and transitioning back to a full-time role.

They explore the non-linear career shifts, defining your "superpower zone," and setting boundaries for sustainable success. Elena also breaks down how companies can move from product-led growth to product-led sales, sharing insights on recognizing early signals and layering strategies for long-term growth.

🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.

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🚀 User-centric Product-Led Growth Course starts on 24th March!

Level up your growth with a 3-week cohort-based course with proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off and create a growth roadmap with feedback from Kate: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates

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Key highlights from this episode 👇

* From full-time to solopreneur: Elena shares her first shift from a full-time role at SurveyMonkey to starting building a solopreneurship career (for 5 years!), highlighting the lessons learned about balancing work, life, and boundaries.

* How to define Superpower zone: Elena discusses how identifying her "superpower zone" of deep expertise and passion has been key to making impactful career decisions and maintaining sustainable growth.

* Boundary-setting for long-term success: Elena talks about the importance of establishing non-negotiable boundaries — like no work after 6pm and prioritizing fitness — to avoid burnout and stay productive in both personal and professional spheres.

* From product-led growth to product-led sales: Elena explains the shift many companies are making from PLG to a hybrid model with product-led sales and offers advice on how to recognize when it’s time for this change.

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Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery): https://www.growthmates.news/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Kate Syuma:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com

Where to find Elena Verna:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaverna/

* Newsletter: https://www.elenaverna.com/

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What we covered:

[00:00] Introduction & Meet Elena Verna[01:11] From Corporate to Solopreneurship[03:12] Why “Try Before You Buy” Works for Jobs[09:45] Setting boundaries in a workspace[12:15] Work-Life Boundaries: Saying No to CEOs[26:55] How to find your superpower zone[46:40] Advice for product leadership[50:00] Future of AI for your career

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📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:

* “10 growth tactics that never work” on Lenny Rachitsky Podcast: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/10-growth-tactics-that-never-work-elena-verna

* “(How to) Growth Solopreneur” on Leah Tharin Podcast: https://www.leahtharin.com/p/s2e17-leah-and-elena-verna-how-to

* “What is Product-led Growth?” on Leah Tharin Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RrgQCkl53Q&ab_channel=ProducTeawithLeah

* Why product-led growth is the future on Lenny Rachitsky podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTmFuSZfJ9U&ab_channel=Lenny%27sPodcast

* “Why I’m Unquitting Full-Time Roles” on Elena Verna Newsletter: https://www.elenaverna.com/p/why-im-unquitting-full-time-roles

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Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜

For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Let’s keep growing together!

In this episode, Kate Syuma dives into a conversation with Marie Martens, co-founder of Tally, to explore the journey of building a profitable business around a product that is 99% free.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

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This episode is brought to you by Amplitude — сheck new Guides and Surveys to deliver helpful, well-timed messages: https://amplitude.com/guides-and-surveys

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One more special update for you 🎓 Level up your growth with a 3-week cohort-based course with proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off and create a growth roadmap with feedback from Kate: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates

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Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.

Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.

Marie and her co-founder Fillip — who is also her life partner — took the road less traveled, bootstrapping Tally after their first startup idea collapsed during Covid. Instead of chasing VC funding, they built a thriving product with no ads, no sales team, and no outside investment. She also dives into budget-friendly marketing tactics, lessons from scaling a startup without external investment, and the mindset shifts needed to make bootstrapping work.

Tune in to hear Marie’s firsthand experience on building a sustainable business by focusing on users, not investors.

🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.

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In September, I focused on a few key conferences, prioritizing quality over quantity. While one event had 700 attendees, the smaller one with 150 offered a much higher ROI. The best part was meeting like-minded founders, Marie and Filip from Tally.so, whose journey from a failed idea to a bootstrapped success was truly inspiring.

Their community-driven approach resonated with me and made the entire experience worthwhile. One of those connections made the entire emotional investment of speaking at that event worth it. So, I invited Marie to my podcast, and here we are.

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Key highlights from this episode 👇

* From a travel marketplace to a bootstrapped success: Marie started with a travel marketplace before pivoting to Tally. She shares how COVID reshaped their vision and led to a form builder loved by thousands.

* Bootstrapping a $2M ARR business with no external funding: Marie and her co-founder bootstrapped their way to $2M ARR, relying on product simplicity, word-of-mouth, and community-driven growth.

* Balancing parenting, life partnership, and building a startup: Marie shares how she balances entrepreneurship, parenting, and working with her life partner — plus the key habits that keep it all together.

* Growing without ads: Instead of paid marketing, Tally scaled through influencer partnerships and organic community growth. Marie reflects on their Product Hunt launch and what she’d do differently today.

* What makes Tally a "lovable" product? Simplicity, intuitive UX inspired by Notion, and transparent pricing (just one tier!)—Marie explains the key design and business decisions that made Tally stand out in a crowded market.

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Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):

https://www.growthmates.news/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Kate Syuma:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/

Where to find Marie Martens:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariemartens/

* X (Twitter): https://x.com/MarieMartens

* Tally.so: https://tally.so/

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What we covered:

(00:00) Introduction & Meet Marie Martens (07:00) Starting Business in 2020 (15:29) Building Boundaries (20:46) Sacrifices To Be Made (30:53) Launching on Product Hunt (48:00) Zooming Out Is Important (53:00) Why Bootstrapped?

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📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:

* Marie Martens shares How We Bootstrapped to $50k MRR with Team of 2 at SaaSOpen 2023 in NYC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70uUNfpnWuI&ab_channel=NathanLatka

* Marie Martens Tally's Product Hunt Launch: Our Checklist for Success: https://blog.tally.so/product-hunt-launch/

* Bootstrapping to $150K MRR by doing less, better: https://blog.tally.so/bootstrapping-to-150k-mrr-by-doing-less-better/

* Tally’s Bootstrapped Journey to 500,000 Users and $160K MRR:

https://knowledge.gtmstrategist.com/p/tallys-bootstrapped-journey-to-500000-users

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜

For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Let’s keep growing together!

In this episode, Kate Syuma dives into a conversation with Mallory Contois, Head of Community & Mercury Raise at Mercury, and founder of The Old Girls Club, to explore her journey from Pinterest to building a thriving community. Mallory shares how overcoming cancer shaped her perspective, how her psychology background influences product and community growth, and why empathy is the key to creating meaningful connections in tech.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

—

This episode is brought to you by Amplitude — сheck new Guides and Surveys to deliver helpful, well-timed messages: https://amplitude.com/guides-and-surveys

—

One more special update for you 🎓 Level up your growth with a 3-week cohort-based course with proven strategies, behavioral science insights, and real-world examples. Use promo code "growthmates" for $100 off and create a growth roadmap with feedback from Kate: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates

—

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.

Growthmates is where top product and growth leaders share real strategies and insights to help you turn ideas into successful products. Learn from experts at Dropbox, Adobe, Amplitude, Canva, and more in deep dive interviews with Kate Syuma, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design and founder of Growthmates.

Mallory took an unconventional path, transitioning from a career in tech to founding Old Girls Club — a community-driven space for women in the industry. Her journey was shaped by resilience, from overcoming cancer to navigating diverse roles at major companies like Pinterest. Instead of following traditional playbooks, she built a movement centered on authenticity, connection, and the power of psychology in product and community growth.

She also shares insights on fostering engaged communities, redefining success beyond corporate ladders, and using empathy as a tool for innovation.

Tune in to hear Mallory’s perspective on building with purpose, leading with heart, and creating impact through community.

🔗 Find more insights on growthmates.club and follow on your favorite platforms for more episodes.

—

Key highlights from this episode 👇

* Turning trauma into a movement: "If you died tomorrow, what would people say?" Mallory revealed how surviving cancer at 25 shaped her legacy-first approach to work: rejecting stability, embracing fast failures, and prioritizing urgent impact over traditional career paths.

* The "funeral test" framework: Mallory shared how a moment of career panic— feeling overwhelmed after raising $25M — led her to a raw LinkedIn post. This vulnerability sparked an organic movement, growing into the 2,100-strong Old Girls Club for women in male-dominated industries.

* Why communities fail when brands act like corporations: Mallory challenges brands to treat digital interactions like real-life conversations: "Would you say this to someone at a coffee shop?" Her rule? Avoid “salesy” tactics — build trust through human-centric design, not referral bribes or forced funnels.

* Redefining "job hopping" as intentional sprints: From Pinterest’s early days to gaming startups, Mallory reframes rapid career shifts as strategic impact sprints. Her focus? Loyalty to people and missions, not logos—a blueprint for thriving in today’s fluid tech landscape.

* Launching terrified? Do this first: Mallory’s counterintuitive tactic for validating communities: Charge $10/month immediately. This filters casual joiners, surfaces true believers, and lets the community co-build its value — even before you feel ready to lead it.

—

Follow Growthmates updates on:

* Growthmates website with “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

* Substack Newsletter (for instant inbox delivery):

https://www.growthmates.news/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmates-podcast/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmates/

* X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/kate_syuma

Where to find Kate Syuma:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/

* Newsletter: https://www.growthmates.news/

Where to find Mallory Contois:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorycontois/

* Personal page: https://www.mallorycontois.com/

* X (Twitter): https://x.com/mallorycontois

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What we covered:

(00:00) Introduction

(08:15) From Psychology to Tech

(16:40) Pinterest Years

(25:30) The Cancer Journey

(34:15) Birth of Old Girls Club

(43:20) Building Community

(52:10) Psychology in Product Design

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📕 Useful Resources and other related Podcasts:

* The Old Girls Club: https://www.jointheogc.com/

* Mallory’s course “Community-led Growth”: https://bit.ly/4gZUjwy

* Kate’s course: “User-centric Product-led Growth” with 100$ discount: https://maven.com/growthmates/user-centric-product-led-growth?promoCode=growthmates

* “The Holistic Growth Playbook”: https://growthmates.club

—

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the show on growthmates.club and get the free playbook with frameworks and insights.

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you 💜

For sponsorship and other inquiries, reach out to hello@growthmates.club

Let’s keep growing together!

Growthmates with Kate Syuma is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.