Archive - The Hard Parts of Growth

To build trust in complexity, offer small choices and fast feedback

I strongly believe product simplicity and predictability are a superpower. They give the user a sense of control, which is a gift when the world feels…

Jul 9 •

June 2025

Making progress on controversial problems

Have you ever been pulled into a controversial strategy or team problem — one where every person involved has an opinion, no one agrees, and no one has…

Jun 4 •

April 2025

Owning my wins means learning to own my failures

“I wouldn’t do it.

Apr 30 •

Use leadership reviews to get principles, not (just) answers

How many times have you been in a brainstorm or jam session and heard someone say “Let’s take this idea to a leadership review!

Apr 2 •

March 2025

The 3 biggest mistakes leaders make when hiring their first PMs

One of the most common questions I get asked by founders is: "What should I look for in my first PM?"

Mar 19 •

The “red pen” trick to improving my writing

I once had a manager who reviewed my work in an unusual (and honestly kind of frustrating!) way.

Mar 5 •

February 2025

An introvert’s 3 secrets to networking

I hate networking.

Feb 19 •

Unlocking simplicity: Customer empathy as a (not-so-secret) weapon

My last couple posts have been about how simplicity in strategy and design is a competitive edge.

Feb 5 •

January 2025

Simplify your product design — borrow familiar patterns

Last week’s post was about how simplicity is a competitive advantage when the world feels so complicated.

Jan 30 •

Simplifying your product strategy is a competitive advantage

One of my most important lessons from years of working on WhatsApp is that simplicity isn’t just a design choice — it’s a competitive advantage.

Jan 22 •

October 2024

Seeing Yourself through Others’ Eyes (guest post by Deb Liu)

How to view yourself the way your advocates do

Oct 30, 2024 •

How to stop getting interrupted (aka, turn the worst offenders into the best defenders)

“I have an idea here,” I said. “If we choose 5 of our largest customers to pilot a new program with—”

Oct 9, 2024 •

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