Three life lessons from 1,674 days at CB Insights
November 2015, I joined CB (ChubbyBrain) Insights, a~50 people company happily squeezed into a shared office floor.
Product management wasn’t a thing then, but I believed that data > opinion is the right way to help companies make better investment decisions; and I saw a big future for the product.
I was also impressed by how ambitious, yet down-to-earth and authentic the co-founders were.
So I decided to roll up my sleeves.
4 years and 7 months / 1,674 days later, I prepare to ship back my laptop (strange Covid-19 times). My heart warms to see that CB Insights is now a mid-sized company of 350+, a product team of 13, serving hundreds of long-term customers, and continuing on a solid growth trajectory.
Along this journey, I also learned 3 life lessons.
Lesson 1: Find your Tempo Pace
A 30–40 year career resembles many aspects of long-distance running. For example, running a marathon takes consistent hard work, discipline to keep tempo race to avoid burn out, and an openness to experience moments of highs and lows.
Tempo Pace vs. Sprints
Tempo pace is generally “fun-fast,” and not so taxing it feels like a time trial (Source: PodiumRunner)
In the running analogy, I used be a perpetual sprinter.
Working at a hyper-growth company demands that we crank it up a notch, sprint as a cohesive team, and stay ahead of competition.
As I began leading a larger team, I realized the importance of finding a challenging yet enjoyable pace for myself and for the team.
During times when we don’t need to sprint, I want myself and the team to enjoy coming to work. Taking days off ensures the whole team doesn’t burn out at once.
Set your bar high
“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” — Ray Kroc
No one thought running a marathon in under 2 hours was possible until Eliud Kipchoge did it.
When you look back on your 30–40 year career, what does it take for you to say ‘that was a worthwhile challenge?”
Lesson 2: Stay focused and fight the war in front of you.
I’ve always admired CB Insights’ disciplined approach in building the company, taking the long-term view of growing a business at tempo pace.
In our world filled with sexy stories of hyper-growth startups fueled by VC funding, the opportunity to work at a company that grows alongside its clients is rare.
Our CEO Anand Sanwal reminds us of Bill Gurley’s age old adage: More Startups Die of Indigestion than Starvation
Building a great product in this environment requires discipline and laser-focus on ‘what is the right thing to build?’
In the earlier days, candidly, we relied more heavily on instincts. As we grew, the number of ideas across stakeholders ballooned. It is easy to get distracted and try to cater to everyone’s whims. But this is recipe for failure.
So we implemented a prioritization framework. Before we get too excited about an idea we ask ourselves:
- What is the problem this idea / solution is trying to solve?
- How does this idea plot on the prioritization framework?
- How does this align with the long-term vision of the company?
If an idea doesn’t pass the stress test, then say ‘no, not now’ in a respectful way.
Lesson 3: Figure out “Why should anyone follow your lead?”
Because I run the product team is the WRONG answer 🙂
After interviewing hundreds of candidates and hiring 14 PMs in 2.5 years, the 1 common thing that attracts candidates is GOOD PEOPLE. Many PMs are on small teams, and good PMs want to continue to learn.
When I first began to grow the product team, I had the cold start problem: CB Insights isn’t Facebook, and I’m no Gibson Biddle or Marty Cagan.
Good people attract more good people. But how do I attract and retain good people in the first place?
After much thinking, I came to the conclusion that my leadership superpower is my ability and willingness to help others grow.
While this is hard work, I enjoy 1x1 and team-level coaching. I created lessons and hosted off-sites to teach a variety of topics: from UX research, competitive research, decision-making frameworks, to soft skills. I’m also willing to jump into the deep end to help the team work on a specific product, if needed.
I thought creating a culture of intellectual honesty and constant improvement could attract good talent, and was rare to find. So my answer to the ‘why should anyone follow your lead’ became:
‘We only take on A-player PMs because I will invest a lot of time in you and in growing you. If you are ready to work on a challenging and evolving product with an ambitious, open-minded, and high-performing team, this could be a fit’.
I’m also thankful for Justine, who has been a partner in crime in growing the team. In those cold start days, we hired Erroll and Jesse. Then, with good people onboard, hiring the next wave got a little easier.
ps: CB Insights is hiring.
