Need someone to lead product management at your software company? I build high-craft software and the teams that build it. I'm looking for my next opportunity. Check out my resume and get in touch.

Adam Kalsey

This is the blog of Adam Kalsey. Unusual depth and complexity. Rich, full body with a hint of nutty earthiness.

Currently Reading

Daily Reading from October 14, 2008

14 Oct 2008

Links to what I’ve been reading recently.

  • Economics of Online Video 2: Unit Cost Structure — "After performing a detailed analysis of the economics of streaming video, we continue to believe it is a very tough business--with high capital costs and low profit margins.  In the first installment of this series, we explored the ramifications of ..."
  • Let's Get Practical — "Having lived through an aggressive downturn when the Internet bubble burst, I'm going to spend the next "chunk of blog posts" trying to give you - the entrepreneur, CEO, or executive of a startup - some practical suggestions about how ..."
  • Advice On Partnering With The Big and Powerful: Don't — "Big companies have something you don’t.  Time.  They can commit one or more people to the ongoing task of “exploring partnership opportunities”.  You probably can’t.  You have a day job (and probably a night job too).  As such, the mere ..."

Recently Written

Decoding Product Leadership Titles
Mar 18: Not all product leadership titles mean what they sound like. ‘Head of Product’ can mean anything from a senior PM to a true VP. Here’s how to tell the difference.
What branding can teach about culture
Jan 8: Culture is your company’s point of view in action—a framework guiding behavior, even in the unknown. You can’t copy it; it must reflect your unique perspective.
Think Systems, not Symptoms
Dec 15: Piecemeal process creation frustrates teams and slows work. Stop patching problems and start solving systems. Adopting a systems thinking approach helps you design processes that are efficient, aligned with goals, and truly add value.
Your Policies Aren’t Your Culture
Dec 13: Policies guide behavior, but culture is the lived norms and values of your team. Policies reflect culture -- they don’t define it. Netflix’s parental leave shift didn’t change its culture of freedom and responsibility. It clarified how to live it.
Lighten Your Process Burden
Dec 7: Everyone hates oppressive processes, but somehow we keep managing to create them.
Product Add-Ons Are An Expansion Myth
Dec 1: Add-ons can enhance your product’s appeal but won’t drive significant market growth. To expand your customer base, focus on developing standalone products.
Protecting your Product Soul when the Same Product meets New People.
Nov 23: Expand into new markets while preserving your product’s core value. Discover how to adapt and grow without losing your product’s soul.
Building the Next Big Thing: A Framework for Your Second Product
Nov 19: You need a first product sooner than you think. Here's a framework for helping you identify a winner.

Older...

What I'm Reading