Lessons From Director of Product of Truebill Lauren Flickinger
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Hi everyone 👋
Sorry for posting this month’s episode late! Missed the deadline by 2 days.
I recorded the February interview last Monday and didn’t have time to prepare the episode for release until this weekend. I promise to be on time next time.
I’ll call that a failure on my side, but we learn and grow from those. 💥🥊
This conversation is with Lauren Flickinger
I’m excited to introduce Lauren Flickinger! Lauren graduated college as a Political Science and English Major and almost 10 years later is the first product hire and Product Director of Truebill.
Main Takeaways
Make sure to think broadly about the whole product. Don’t tunnel vision into your one piece of the product.
Strategy is about figuring out what to do next and executing on it
This requires a hypothesis that can be tested and rallying the team together to buy into the hypothesis as well.
As the first product hire
You will need to balance between building a team, but also executing on your day-to-day product management responsibilities.
The first 6 months should really be understanding your data, your customers, and your longterm product vision.
A handful of Truebill’s product managers were people who reached out to the founders without an existing job posting up.
“If there’s a company you really admire and want to work for just reach out.” -Lauren Flickinger
If you’re super passionate about the company’s mission and think you have the necessary skills you could end up getting hired anyways.
Truebill has an amazing “choose your own price” feature
Most customers hit the midpoint that they would have set anyways, but it leaves a lasting impression on customers and they love talking about it (like myself).
A super simple innovation that will likely be copied by other companies in the future.
What do you look for in hiring PMs?
Being okay with ambiguity and making a decision with that information since you will never have perfect data
Being able to make a decisive objective decision from different points of feedback and data points from customers and internal stakeholders
“Freaking out will only make people feel bad or upset at the end of the experience. And you can’t think clearly if… the house is burning down.“
- Lauren Flickinger
A sense of calm to be able to get through difficult situations and keep the team’s morale up. Issues are going to inevitably come up, so you need to be glue for the team to stay together.
Mindfulness is really helpful as a leader
Lead by example to maintain a balance in your life.
Take the time you need to handle your personal life and your teammates will as well to take of their needs.
“I’m not going to be my best self if I show up to work today. And just making that [acceptable], makes other people feel like its okay too.” - Lauren Flickinger
Joining as a remote employee
Reach out to the people you will be regularly working with and build those relationships early on.
You have to force it now that you are remote. You won’t have the spontaneous interactions of walking by someone’s desk or chatting with people at lunch anymore.
Talk to as many people as you can.
Show your authentic self and maybe get other people excited about it as well even if it’s something as silly as a diet coke obsession.
10 min highlight reel
There is a ton more information in the full interview. To listen to the full 30 minute interview on your favorite podcast platform click below 👇🏽
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Thanks to Lauren Flickinger for always being generous with his time and being the first interview of Lessons From Failures.
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