As a product manager, the important characteristics to have in your product practice vary depending on the stage of the company. For seed-stage companies, it's crucial to have a strong vision for the product and be able to clearly communicate that vision to potential investors and customers. Additionally, it's important to be able to quickly iterate and pivot based on feedback from early adopters. The product manager should be comfortable wearing multiple hats and be willing to take on a variety of tasks to ensure the success of the product. For companies in the Series A-C stage, the emphasis shifts to scalability and growth. The product manager should be able to balance the need for innovation with the need for stability and scalability. It's important to have a deep understanding of the market and the competition, and to be able to use that knowledge to make data-driven decisions. The product manager should also be able to build and manage a team of product designers, engineers, and other stakeholders. For enterprise-level companies, the focus shifts to meeting the needs of large, complex organizations. The product manager should have a deep understanding of the enterprise market and the unique challenges faced by large companies. They should be able to work closely with sales and marketing teams to develop targeted solutions for specific industries and verticals. Additionally, the product manager should be able to navigate complex procurement processes and build strong relationships with key stakeholders at customer organizations. Overall, regardless of the stage of the company, it's important for a product manager to be customer-focused, data-driven, and willing to take risks and learn from failures. They should be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and be able to balance short-term goals with long-term vision. In the case of Shopify, a successful product manager would need to understand the needs of small businesses and be able to develop scalable solutions that can grow with the business.
Leadership, Behavioral