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- SI3 - Looking Forward
Hi friends! I'm back with another round of Shipping Impact. Since launching in October, this newsletter has grown 3x. That's thanks to YOU!
I've got some big things in store for 2023. 🚨This is where I need your help 📣 If you have a product question or want to contribute to Shipping Impact - drop me a line.
Onward we go to trends we love to see in 2023!
— Lenae
The Rise of Responsible Product Management
Martin Harrysson, McKinsey & Company
Others in the world of tech share my beliefs - product management will play a key role in sustainable, responsible technology. In a recent podcast, McKinsey partner Martin Harrysson and associate partner Rikki Singh discuss this topic.
According to Harrysson, we’re reaching a “third wave” in product management. Product managers will need to “incorporate inclusion, privacy, and sustainability into their products.” But current product leaders haven't yet prioritized responsible stewardship in their product efforts.
More context: Research by McKinsey shows that more customers, shareholders, and regulators demand a greater focus on impact and stewardship. Unfortunately, product managers and teams aren’t equipped to meet these demands.
Takeaway: Moving toward responsible product management will be a norm across industries and sectors. As company performances - think the environmental and social responsibility - begin to include impact metrics, tech products and organizations will also need to work toward these priorities.
Starting now: Product leaders are best positioned to elevate one or more impact dimensions in strategy planning. Product managers are best suited for using impact-based prioritization as part of their product approach and product development lifecycle. But tools, frameworks, and training will be necessary to meet future responsible tech opportunities.
Keep pitching your impact
As impact-focused entrepreneurs and product people, pitching is part of the startup process. As some of you look to fundraise in 2023, consider two things: 1) alternative paths to funding outside of traditional VC exist, and 2) the 2023 funding landscape will be competitive - strong pitches will be key.
Pitch Perfect 2012, Gold Circle Films Brownstone Productions
Pitching and storytelling are crucial skills for a founder (and also product managers!). I know firsthand the value and difficulty of putting together a solid pitch deck. Before I even open up that Google Slides app, I write a narrative. Here’s a quick sample outline I use:
Your mission/purpose - including your theory of change
The customer
Their problem
Your solution
The Opportunity/Bets
Other solutions/competitors
Why now
Business/revenue model
Why you/your team
This outline is the starting documentation of any new venture or product concept. It's also evergreen and something you will evolve as your startup or product grows and evolves.
You can now craft a concise, compelling pitch deck. You might use all or some of the narrative sections you wrote. Framing your pitch is audience dependent - remember that. Check out OpenCollective and 14 other social enterprises for inspiration and examples.
Holding the line (and vision) on Social Impact in 2023 @ your organization
We’re seeing tough times between layoffs and companies closing shop in the tech world. It’s time to cowgirl up and stay the impact course. With an uncertain economic outlook and tightening budgets, social impact work is even more critical for organizations, their employees, and the communities they serve.
Admas Kanyagia offers impact leaders actionable advice on how to lean into social impact work in challenging economic times. One way impact leaders can do this is by building resiliency in impact programs. Kanyagia's team at DigitalOcean provides free and discounted cloud infrastructure to non-profits. This helps the team learn new insights and use cases that also help them better serve their small to mid-size business customers.
Kanyagia notes that social impact programs can help organizations identify and serve underserved markets and customers, which leads to new, untapped business verticals. Linking impact programs to value creation helps show how the work contributes to core business needs.
Feeling inspired: If there is someone to leave you motivated, empowered, and readied to deliver impact in 2023, it's Admas Kanyagia.
📝 Impact Job Board
Impact job board graphic
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
Product people and impact technologists - consider taking your tech skills to the government. Multiple roles are hiring right now, including product roles!
Additional rollup posts about gov tech jobs - shout out to Rebecca Heywood for the collection! 🙌🏽
Also, consider attending this Tech to Gov webinar on Jan 18th - the free virtual event is for Technologists - from Individual contributors to senior leaders - looking to transition to digital Roles within the US government.
That's all for this round of Shipping Impact! Thanks for reading, and happy shipping!
Lenae 👋
Shipping Impact is a newsletter produced by Lenae Storey. It highlights impact-driven people and ventures and how they approach product and service delivery differently. It also provides advice and resources on applying product thinking and product management in purpose-driven organizations.
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