S2 - Episode #8: Tamer El-Hawari - CPO - Project A Ventures
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About Tamer:
Tamer El-Hawari is the CPO at Project A Ventures and has been with the company for 11 years. He has a background in information systems having studied computer science and business. After founding his own company and gaining valuable experience, Tamer went on to work at Rocket Internet GmbH, where he helped scale up e-commerce companies worldwide. However, he felt that the emphasis on product management and customer centricity was lacking, so, when the opportunity arose to join Project A, Tamer was eager to be part of the journey. Over the past 11 years, he has worked with around 50 different ventures across various industries, and he finds it fascinating to see how these companies operate.
Synopsis:
In this episode of The Technology Leadership Podcast, Tamer discusses Product Management and leadership. He outlines six key areas to consider when working with early stage start-ups including problem-solution fit and the competitive landscape as well as understanding user needs and motivations. He stresses the importance of having a solid Product Manager who can focus on user research, strategy, and product development plus highlight the challenges of shifting from growth to profitability.
Key Takeaways:
Learn why it's crucial to understand the user's needs and motivations to develop a successful value proposition and marketing strategy.
Hear about Tamer's six key areas to consider when working with early-stage companies: problem-solution fit, customer/user profiles, product capabilities and strategy, competitive landscape, and approach to commercialization.
Understand why when starting a company you need to focus on the problem you’re trying to solve and where unique opportunities lie through user/customer research and competitor analysis.
Follow a four-step product management framework: insight generation, direction, collaborative design, and product creation - all of which have elements that a Product Manager needs to get right to be successful.
Get insight into why collaboration is essential - Product Managers work with a variety of stakeholders and need to design effective communication channels.
Hear views on why a solid Product Manager is essential for successful product development and why they should focus on user research and strategy.
Understand why the changing market dynamics and advancements in AI present challenges for Product Managers.
Learn more about why Product Managers need to be close to the customer and have a strong product vision.
Hear how going from growth to profitability requires a change in strategy and evaluation of the roadmap.
Understand when it's important to focus on solving small problems and cleaning up the product.
Listen to views on why understanding the underlying principles behind frameworks you’re using is crucial.
Episode Outline:
[03:08] Understanding product venture capital
[05:55] How to look at early stage companies and the role of their Product Managers
[11:44] Understanding customer needs and value propositions
[14:45] Product development: how to start with a problem, figure out the differentiation factor, and carry out product management
[20:15] Four main areas for Product Managers to focus on and how to give direction to Product Managers.
[22:55] The process of creating and integrating a product and solving customer problems.
[25:00] How do you create a product strategy?
[29:05] The importance of understanding the market and Product Managers.
[31:21] The importance of understanding the underlying business principles.
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