Welcome back, in this, the final conversation of this series, where I explore the intersection of technology and business strategy with technology expert and good friend Tim Palmer, Founding Partner of Blue Hat Associates.
This show covers a range of topics from a leading engineer's viewpoint, such as the importance of product leadership, the value of fractional roles, the technical savviness of your commercial team, the role of sales engineers, and balancing honesty and salesmanship.
We discuss an emerging concept in my mind around what it takes to develop a product-market fit mindset, along with strategies for selling to technical people and finding a technical co-founder.
As I mentioned in my close, I would love to hear from you about the topics you'd like me to explore in the next series. Please drop me a line at phil@revcelerate.com or via LinkedIn.
I've looked forward to having this conversation with Tim for a while, and I'm sure you'll find his insight compelling. Please rate this episode if you like what you hear.
Thank you.
Phil
Key Takeaways
In the early stages of building a product, it is crucial for technical people to be in the room and listen to the needs and problems of potential customers.
Product leadership is essential for shaping the product and ensuring it meets market needs. This role can be filled by someone with an engineering background or someone with a commercial background who understands the market and customer needs.
Fractional roles, where experienced professionals work on a part-time or project basis, can be a cost-effective way to bring in expertise and accelerate growth.
The commercial team should have a basic understanding of the technology underlying the product, especially in complex technical products. Sales engineers can play a crucial role in bridging the gap between technical and commercial teams.
Balancing honesty and salesmanship is important in sales conversations. Sales engineers should be honest about the capabilities and limitations of the product while still presenting a compelling value proposition. Address concerns and build credibility by addressing questions and concerns honestly and transparently.
Avoid product misalignment and wasted capital by ensuring that the product being built aligns with the market's needs and strategic goals.
Develop a product-market fit mindset by understanding the problems your target customers are facing and continuously iterating and testing to find the right solution.
When selling to technical people, timing is crucial, and it's important to approach them with ideas and solutions to their specific problems.
Finding a technical co-founder can be done through meetups and events where technologists with ambition beyond their day jobs are likely to be present.
For more information:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipguest/
Website: https://www.revcelerate.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilGuesty