I use Notion to plan and manage my week and I'll take you through the process step-by-step. You can get the Notion Template here.
On Friday or Monday morning, I reflect on the priorities and goals that my team and I need to achieve. I then outline 1-3 of these goals and add them to my Notion Board. To ensure I have time and space to complete these goals, I often block out time in my calendar for them.
I add 🎯 to the goal cards so they are easil... read more

So you want to build a stronger, faster team? Here are 3 quick tips for better teamwork that you can implement today:

Show the team that it's okay to make mistakes. A good place to start is with yourself.
Share your own mistakes with your team, especially when your boss is there too. When your boss suggests an idea in front of the team, share your perspective, even if it differs.
Soon you will start gaining insights from the team much faster ab... read more

TIL. Radio stations use the Radio Data System (RDS) to send song information alongside their broadcast. RDS embeds digital data into the FM signal without interfering with the audio.

The data travels on a subcarrier frequency - a portion of the FM signal reserved for extra information. This allows song titles, artist names, and station details to display on your car's radio screen. Simple, seamless and clever.

TL;DR

Role clarity is oxygen. Let PMs own direction and PDs own experience. Protect calendars, write before debating, adjust volume by phase and track one metric that matters. Ship faster, sleep better.

1. Draw the Line Early

Product Manager (PM)

• Core focus: market and viability risk
• Typical questions: “Will people pay for this?” “Does it move the North-Star metric?”
• Key output: one-pager covering purpose, success metrics and trade-offs

Product Designer (PD)

• Core focus: usability and desirability risk
• Typical questions: “Can customers complete the task?” “Where do they stumble?”
• Key output: clickable prototype showing flow, copy and edge states

2. Guard the Calendars

Red flag: PM trapped in Figma tweaking icons.
Red flag: PD buried in cost–benefit spreadsheets.
Fast filter:

• If the task changes product vision, it belongs to the PM.
• If the task changes product surface, it belongs to the PD.

This discipline frees the roadmap and keeps creative energy high.

3. Write First, Talk Second

• PM posts a succinct one-pager to Slack outlining problem statement, success measures and known constraints.
• PD replies with a Figma link showing interactive flow, micro-copy and empty-state behaviour.
• Only then schedule a 30-minute debate. Decisions lock in, iteration time halves.

4. Phase-Based Volume Control

• Framing / Discovery – PM's voice dominates; market-sizing memo appears.
• Ideation & Prototyping – PD leads; high-fidelity Figma frames drop.
• Build & Polish – PD still loudest; design-system tokens freeze.
• Launch & Iterate – PM turns the volume back up; KPI dashboard lights up.

5. Share One Scorecard

Choose a single, public metric - activation lift, task-success rate or first-week retention. Both crafts pull the same lever, killing silos and politics.

6. Outcomes You Can Expect

• 25–40 % faster time-to-decision (anecdotal data from five Aussie SaaS teams).
• Higher designer morale: fewer context switches, deeper craft.
• Sharper product bets: PMs stay market-obsessed, avoiding “feature museum” creep.

Recommended Tools & Rituals

• Figma for rapid prototypes (PD).
• Miro/FigJam for story mapping (shared).
• Amplitude or Mixpanel for the single metric (PM).
• Weekly 15-minute “Line-Check” stand-up: confirm who owns which decisions this sprint.

Roles in product and design teams often overlap. Both product managers and product designers talk to customers, come up with feature ideas, and suggest UX improvements.
However, these overlaps can sometimes lead to conflict and frustration.
The solution is quite simple.
If you're a product manager and your product designer is doing a great job, take a step back. There are plenty of other things you can do without getting in each other's way - rev... read more

Working at a small tech business shapes your career differently.

You'll juggle strategy, customer service, product development and beyond. The small team demands versatility, immersing you in every aspect of the business. This hands-on experience accelerates learning and builds skills quicker than larger organisations ever could.

For ambitious minds craving growth and variety, nothing compares.

I used to play soccer, where running was an integral part of both training and the game.
However, I never saw the appeal of going for a jog just for the sake of it. We had to run 6km as a warm-up before training started, and that was enough for me.
Now that I've retired from soccer, the desire to run has recently rekindled within me.
At first, running for more than 15 minutes seemed boring. What do you do? Listen to music or a podcast? As my ru... read more

When you work in a small tech business or a startup, one of the pros is that you are involved in all aspects of the business, from strategy to customer service.
In our team at Backpocket, when we make a change (any change, really), we have to consider the customer experience (both B2B and B2C), the impact on the team, regulations, copy/messaging, admin area, operations, financial impact, etc.
Do you want to improve a part of the business that you... read more

If the user experience needs explaining, it's not a good one.

Clarity should be baked into design. The best experiences guide users seamlessly, answering questions before they arise and making every interaction intuitive.

Explanations only highlight what's broken. A great user experience speaks for itself.

Pedestrian crossing or not?

Tactical decisions for short-term revenue often clash with long-term strategy. They're unavoidable in business. Balancing these moments without losing sight of the bigger picture defines strong leadership.

Love this quote from "Ego is the Enemy" by Ryan Holiday as it helps stay humble and open to feedback from others.

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool.

Key Takeaways #2
Going through my notes from various books, I found this one from "The CEO Code" particularly interesting because it highlights the importance of accessibility and personal connection in leadership.
However, there's an aspect that I don't like. It implies people stayed in the office late instead of spending time with their families and taking care of their health.
David Rohlander, The CEO Code
These points (money, buzz, morale an... read more

I spoke to someone about sales-led vs. product-led organisations today. I used to be in the product-led camp, but not anymore. Today, I think differently. As with anything in the world, it's not that simple - the choice depends on the context.
Sometimes you need to be tactical and assist sales in closing deals to 'buy some time' for continuing execution on product strategy and pushing innovation forward. If you overindex on product-led too muc... read more

If you've ever felt like something's off in your team...a process dragging, communication breaking down or decisions getting delayed but didn't say anything because “it's not your job to fix it,” you're not alone. This is where most teams get stuck. The problem is visible, even painful, but no one names it.
Not everything broken is yours to fix. But seeing the cracks (and calling them out) is your responsibility.
Silence protects dysfunction. If ... read more

You might not know Tony Dinh, Danny Postma, Pieter Levels or Marc Lou.
But they are successful indie hackers and solopreneurs.
Here's what they do really well:
☑ They share their wins and losses on social media.
☑ They start small and move fast. If a product flops, they move on.
☑ They see failure as a lesson and aren't scared to change direction.
☑ They focus on quick launches and iterations. One week = one product.
☑ They automate boring tasks... read more

Dedicated QA creates more problems than it solves.

When a dev team owns quality, accountability stays in the right hands. Bugs are fewer, fixes are faster and processes tighten.

Introducing dedicated QA shifts that balance.

Developers grow complacent, relying on testers to catch mistakes. Tools diverge, creating inefficiencies. QA often duplicates what devs should already handle.

Quality isn't a separate role. It's a shared responsibility embedded in every line of code.

TIL: "Lighthouse Customers" - customers who get a better or discounted rate on your product in exchange for regular, meaningful feedback.

Lighthouse customers give you a strategic edge. These early adopters don't just use your product - they help shape it. Their feedback highlights gaps, confirms your direction, and sharpens your focus. In return, they get early access to a solution that feels designed just for them, often at a special rate.

Key Takeaways #1
Take care of your team, set goals, and help them achieve those goals.
The Effective Manager by Mark Horstman
A successful pivot often leverages existing expertise and builds on prior knowledge. You don't necessarily need to have that experience to pivot before starting the company; it could come from trying to build the company.
Successful pivots often build on prior knowledge and experience. The founders of Retool had experience... read more

Ambiguity makes people freeze. But it doesn't have to.

Not knowing what's right or what's next stalls. That hesitation drags. Pair reflection with motion - thinking and doing - and clarity shows up faster than you expect.

Track your bets. Review what worked and what flopped. But keep moving. You don't need perfect answers. Just honest ones. Then act.

I recently listened to Lenny's podcast, where he spoke to Dalton Caldwell, Managing Director at Y Combinator, and discovered a few interesting insights. Here are 10 of them:
To succeed in a startup keep going, try new things and believe in your idea.
Airbnb faced multiple challenges and setbacks before achieving success, including the possibility of shutting down several times prior to entering Y Combinator. The founders of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, ... read more