YOUR GUIDE

Most product teams don’t struggle to generate ideas. They struggle to decide which ideas deserve attention and investment.

Customer requests come in alongside sales input, engineering improvements, and leadership growth goals, all at the same time. Each one makes sense on its own. The problem shows up when everyt...

The product managers I know are smart, capable, and deeply committed to doing great work. During one on ones, they have confidence with the product strategy but struggle to influence the leaders or align the team. 

Product managers operate in a unique space. They lead without formal authority, align teams with di...

Most manufacturers I work with never struggle with generating ideas. If anything, they have too many.

• Engineers see improvements they want to build.
• Sales brings features customers mentioned once in passing.
• Marketing wants something new to promote.
• Leadership adds their own list of opportunities.

On the ...

In most founder-led manufacturing companies, the CEO starts out as the first product manager.

You saw the customer problem. You shaped the first product. You made the calls on development, pricing, and how to take it to market.

That hands-on focus is often what gets the business off the ground.

But as the compa...

Most manufacturing leaders I talk to feel something is off, but they struggle to see the real problem. 

• They see the revenue numbers, but sales are flat. 
• Their team is busy, but results aren’t following.
• Their new product launches are on time, but are not gaining traction in the market. 

These are symptom...

In most small to mid-sized manufacturers, the product manager doesn’t exist.

Instead, the work gets split:

• Sales brings market feedback.
• Engineering handles development.
• Marketing crafts the messaging.
• Operations manages launch.

But there is no one responsible for making sure the product itself is set up...

Manufacturers thrive on efficiency, but when it comes to bringing the right products to market, many rely on gut instinct, engineering-driven decisions, or sales pressure instead of a structured approach.

If your company is just starting to think about product management, this guide will help you avoid common pit...

When I talk with manufacturers, I often ask a simple question: What outcomes are you working toward?

The answers usually fall into two categories: big-picture business goals and specific product outcomes. While they’re connected, bridging the gap between the two is where real success happens.

Here’s what I’ve fo...