In the 1980s, AT&T commissioned McKinsey to estimate the size of the cellular telephone market. Their report estimated that at the peak there would be 900,000 cellphone subscribers. That is a far cry from reality, today it is estimated that 85-90% of the world owns a phone. People love to bring up this example to poke fun at McKinsey a...

Jeff Bezos once said that the reason Amazon worked was that customers have an "endless supply of wants." As product managers, we live this reality every day. Customer requests come hard and fast. And they never stop. Amid this overwhelming flood, the instinct may be to build whatever they ask for. But the secret to long-term success li...

Newsletters are dead! AI is now the first and last word in the daily news. If you are a journalist or a content creator, it is time to find a new line of work. By now, you have probably heard a declaration like this in the context of every field and every job. Maybe one day, AI optimists will be correct, and computers will do everythin...

You're about to get a masterclass in writing from a guy who spent some time in the slammer. Sounds a bit wild, right? But hold up – this isn't just any ex-con. We're talking about Gary Halbert, a true legend in the world of copywriting. Yeah, his past had its rough spots, but that didn't stop him from creating some of the most killer s...

What if I told you that product management frameworks were useless? That none of them works any better than any of the rest. Product management frameworks seem to multiply by the second, there are too many to keep track of. I found all of these in about 20 minutes of searching. (Admittedly, some were taken from my blog, where I advocat...

Right off the bat, we have to talk about the title of this post. Up until I was about to hit publish, it was called “Why Doesn’t Jira Have Dark Mode?”. But as I was doing some last-minute research, I came across an update that they were finally adding a dark theme. Despite them finally doing what seemed obvious, there are still valuabl...

I have wanted to write this post ever since I found this picture of Jeff Bezos announcing the Fire Phone. As a fan of Amazon’s approach to Product, I've spent lots of time diving into their various products. Their strategy is anchored in the customer. And for each product (successful or failed), you can see the customer at the core of ...

Like most of the world, I have gotten swept up in the ChatGPT hype. I was using it a ton when it launched. Using it on personal projects, at work, and looking for ways to incorporate it into products. But as time went on the shine faded. It gave wrong answers, made things up, or I often felt I could do higher quality work without it. B...

I've been thinking a lot about the dip lately. I've known that I am there with both learning python and writing. And so fa,r I have been telling myself that it is worth getting through the dip on both. But I've changed my mind today. When I think about learning python, I have big plans in mind. I have projects I want to build. And plan...

Streaks get broken. In theory they never have to be broken. But by nature they are often broken, intentionally or unintentionally. It doesn't matter when it was broken or why it was broken. What matters is what happens after the streak is broken. Do you close up shop and go home? Or do you start tomorrow and put the first tally on the ...

Life is full of partnerships. In business. At work. In Sports. In personal relationships. But sadly most partnerships don't work or fail altogether. Why is that? Because most of us focus on what we need out of a partnership, rather than what our partner needs. This week I heard the best advice on how to make partnerships work. Make it ...

6 months ago, we had an idea. That idea has turned into 200 people. And today, 20 of those people met up. 20 people may not be a lot in the grand scheme of things. But to me, it is a huge deal. In a few years it may not seem like it's a huge deal. But for today, it is. And so I am going to enjoy it. Everyone else should do the same. We...

Another winner from Steven Pressfield today: “In my experience, when we project a quality or virtue onto another human being, we ourselves almost always already possess that quality, but we're afraid to embrace (and to live) that truth.” Great advice for anyone. Something that I definitely need to take to heart. I'm guilty of looking f...

Why are we running? Is it out of fear or love? I came across this quote from Steven Pressfield that talked about the ways to train horses: “Horses understand the whip, but I don't want a racer that runs that way. A horse that loves to run will beat a horse that's compelled, every day of the week.” This is something we should consider f...

“Over the next few days and weeks, the rapid learning you experience keeps you going. Whatever your new thing is, it's easy to stay engaged in it. And then the Dip happens. The Dip is the long slog between starting and mastery. A long slog that's actually a shortcut, because it gets you where you want to go faster than any other path.”...

Ever since I came across the idea of streaks I have been obsessed. I have been looking for more and more ways to implement them in my life. I have taken most of my daily habits and moved them from a to-do list to a streak tracker. The tracker is simply a table, that I fill out in my daily journal. But making that switch has added weigh...

There are some things I am doing right now that I couldn't be happier with. There are others where I feel let down and even embarrassed with myself. But for the good or the bad, the answer is the same. Keep going. It's the answer to everything. The good stuff will turn into great, and then one day it may become excellent. The bad will ...

Chop Wood, Carry Water. I first heard this while reading Ryan Holiday's "Stillness is the Key." As soon as I heard it, I wanted it to guide my life. There are several explanations for the origin of the phrase and several possible meanings. The simplest way I have seen it explained is as a Zen mantra. The idea is that you reach enlighte...

Am I Trading Something That I Need for Something That I Want? I heard David Rosenthal ask this on a podcast, it has stuck with me. Too often, we trade things we want (career success) for things we need (family). It's not that we shouldn't strive for both. But we need to put needs first. Putting wants first might feel good in the short ...

What matters most to you? Whatever that thing is, go do something about it. Prove to yourself that it matters. If it's your family, stop what you are doing. Go give your wife a kiss. And then, go play with your kids. If it's work, create one thing that will take your company and career to the next level. If it's your health, go to the ...

I love to push myself. I might even have a problem with it. I push myself to do as much as possible for as long as possible. I know a lot of people who are the same way. To me being driven as hell is something to admire. But if you are going to be that driven, you also have the responsibility to protect yourself. Lately, I have been fe...

One thing that has benefitted me as of late is challenging my thinking. Holding up the things I think and believe to an intense light. In some places, I have found that I have maintained my original views. In others, my mind has been changed. But either way, I am better for it. Society today is focused on insulating us from things that...

Every night I write at the same time. But after spending too much time staring at screens today, I couldn't do it. So I gave myself a break. Went for a drive and then walked around instead. I let myself break the rule of "I always write now." But I still held myself to a standard that I would write everyday. That's what I am doing now....

When I was younger, I had terrible sleeping problems. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't go to sleep. It would be three...four...five in the morning, and I would still be awake, despite desperately wanting to be asleep. I thought this would never change. But then we had a baby. And my wife bought her something called a sound machine. ...

Most things in life are a lot easier with a group of peers. People who you can rely on, bounce ideas off of, and rally together to do big things. But how do you find a group? You could try networking (whatever that means). Look online. Or just hope that somehow the group finds you. But I have found a better way... Make a group. Start t...

I had to make a tough call at work. My mind was reeling with all the possible bad outcomes. I was hesitant to pull the trigger. So many things could go wrong. But it was the right call. So I did it. And guess what? Nothing bad happened. All the things I spent time worrying about didn't come to pass. Things went as smoothly as possible....

I said before that the unlock for me in creating a personal brand, wasn’t to create at all. But rather to just be me. And find those who liked me for me. Seth Godin said this better than I ever could in his book, The Practice: ““Ultimately, the goal is to become the best in the world at being you. To bring useful idiosyncrasy to the pe...

I love content. Sometimes I surprise myself with the amount of stuff I listen to and read. And even more, I love to share the things I find. If I get value from it, then I assume others will too. But one issue I run into is I sometimes can remember an idea but not the source. Or I found it online and the sourcing is suspect at best. An...

Every day I take my dog on a walk (usually many walks). It’s supposed to be a break from work and everything else in life. But carrying a computer in your pocket makes it hard to escape. Or rather a lack of willpower makes that hard. So I have been challenging myself to go without using my phone or using my headphones. It has been an e...

I finished reading The Practice today. It was one of the best books I've ever read. And a great follow-on to The War of Art. But before I can tell you why it's so good, I have to make a confession. I used to dislike its author, Seth Godin. Years ago I bought one of his books and started listening to his podcast. I wanted to like him. B...