5 key product management tips every early-stage tech startup needs to know

When I meet people, and they ask what I do, I say I’m a product manager. If they aren’t in the tech circle, they’ll squint and politely ask “what’s that?!”. Bless you.

Quick to catch on that something isn’t quite working, I began introducing myself as a janitor. Three things — it gets the conversation going, it’s part truth, and if the person is cute, he might think I’ve got some wit. The truth is that to this day, my friends and family do not really get what it is that I do for work.

Similar for an early stage tech startup, you may squint at the mention of product management, not understanding what product management is and how it can help you create a great product. Understandably that you’ve got a million things on your to-do list, product management doesn’t always make the cut for top spot.

In the next 4 minutes, I’ll shed some light on product management for early stage tech startups, developed through years of designing and building some great and not-so-great web and mobile products.

1. Waste nothing

You’ve heard it before — go lean. Don’t be obsessed trying to develop a perfectly polished first product. You’ll burn out quicker, lose your temper easier, and as a result of that, probably go bald sooner.

Your mission for an MVP is to validate your idea, test the waters, gain feedback, and decide your next course of action and build as you go along. Have a high-level action roadmap but avoid over-planning for something that may or may not ever be built. Time is money.

If you need 3 core features for your first version, don’t try to squeeze in 5 just because you can. Focus on the 3 and do it extremely well.

2. Build for the customer

It doesn’t matter if you have a special liking for navy blue — will your users like it? They are the ones who would be using the product and paying for it, aren’t they?

Remember that it’s not the customer’s job to tell you what they want. That’s your job, and your product is supposed to answer what they need. Talking to users gets you there. Get out of the building and observe how your potential customers behave. Maximise your user testing efforts by making sure you don’t ask questions like “would you use my product?” or “do you think this is a good idea?”. They’ll likely say “yes” because they are nice people. You’ll need to dig deeper than that.

If you have a hand-drawn sketch on paper, that’s all you need to begin talking to people about your idea. Never stop talking to your customers, unless you intend to lose them. Their experience of your product (or the lack thereof) is what’s going to bring them back (or not). Build features to enhance the user experience of your product, not the other way around.

3. Break things down into smaller chunks

For a young startup with a small team (enough to count with your right hand), it is crucial to make sure that everything you do is manageable. Keep tasks small and estimate them in hours if you can. Breaking things down into smaller chunks makes it easier to estimate.

You don’t want to wear shoes too big for your feet and drown in them, no matter how pretty it looks. While it’s wise to plan ahead, but it is key to realise that many of the things you will plan for in a startup will change. Think of all the time you would have wasted if planned features or designs has to be thrown out.

Concentrate your efforts on the things that will ensure today’s success but keep laser focused on the larger vision for your product.

4. Make data-driven decisions

It’s great to have a hunch that something will work out. Put that hunch to a stress test and let the numbers prove your assumptions. Numbers coupled with a good dose of your gut is the key to making better product decisions.

Be metrics obsessed from day one. Launch your product with at least Google Analytics in place. Doing this is like having good running shoes on, ready for a great race.

5. People matter