Gopal Shenoy shares 20 lessons from his 20 years of experience in product management. The document outlines four pillars of product management: customer knowledge, selling your idea, networking, and career building. It then provides brief lessons and tips related to each pillar, such as the importance of customer knowledge, executing well over having a perfect strategy, and continuously learning. The overall message is that passion and a focus on customers, ideas, networking and career development are keys to success in product management.

1. 20 lessons, 20 years of
Product Management
Gopal Shenoy
Senior Director, Product Management
care.com

2. About me
• 20 years - software products

3. About me
• $0 to $350MM revenue
• 1,000 to 2,000,000+ users
• 6 years B2C
• 14 years B2B
• Blogger at productmanagementtips.com
• Instructor at General Assembly, Boston

4. One man’s opinion

5. Four Pillars
1. Customer Knowledge
2. Selling your idea
3. Networking
4. Career Building

6. Four Pillars
1. Customer Knowledge
2. Selling your idea
3. Networking
4. Career Building
Your Job
You

7. Four Pillars
1. Customer Knowledge
2. Selling your idea
3. Networking
4. Career Building

8. No one in your office will buy
your product
#1

9. You can never know enough
about your customer
#2

10. “Like” vs. “Buy” - Beware
#3

11. It is about people, not products
#4

12. Market vs. Marketing
#5

13. Four Pillars
1. Customer Knowledge
2. Selling your idea
3. Networking
4. Career Building

14. Customer Capital
=
PM’s Credibility
#6

15. In God we trust, everyone
else bring data
#7

16. Perfection is the enemy
of the good
#8

17. Great execution
>
Perfect Strategy
#9

18. You will never get it right
the first time
#10

19. Meetings before the
meeting
#11

20. #12 Elevator Pitch
Details

21. Four Pillars
1. Customer Knowledge
2. Selling your idea
3. Networking
4. Career Building

22. #13

23. Give 10 times before you
ask once
#14

24. Four Pillars
1. Customer Knowledge
2. Selling your idea
3. Networking
4. Career Building

25. Ask to do more
#15

26. Know your gaps more
than your strengths
#16

27. Never stop learning
#17

28. Hiring is the most
important thing you do
#18

29. Best product, biggest
smile?
#19

30. Biggest Mistake, Biggest
Lesson?
#20

31. Love what you do, let the
passion show
And one last thing ….

32. Thank you
gopal.shenoy@gmail.com