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Every startup wants to get to the elusive product-market fit.
But unlike PMs at established companies, startup founders often have an extra layer of ambiguity to navigate — zeroing in on the target customer.
In this episode, Ian O’Donnell (Director of Design & Validation at Menlo Labs) shares his practical process to help startup founders get to product-market fit. He shares how he conducts product discovery calls and quantitative ad testing alongside founders to hone in on the target industry, user and buyer.
All of Ian’s advice is grounded in first-hand startup stories, in which he’s helped to shape their trajectory.
Chapters:
00:00Introduction to Product Discovery and Ian O'Donnell
01:56Ian's Journey into Design and Innovation
09:02The Role of Qualitative and Quantitative Research
10:41Case Study: Squint's Journey in Manufacturing
24:02Deep Dive into Manufacturing Needs and Insights
34:31Adoption Challenges and the Role of AI
36:49Squint's Journey to Success
37:55The Menlo Labs Experience
43:56Challenges in Manager Training
47:10Exploring New Directions
55:06Navigating Customer Discovery
01:01:56Advice for Founders
Where to find Ian:
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