The Importance of Off-the-Record Conversations with Engineers

The Importance of Off-the-Record Conversations with Engineers

By Cindy Alvarez (Head of Products and Customer Development, KISSmetrics) Do you talk to the engineers you work with? I mean, outside of specs, user stories, and meetings to review specs or user stories? If you aren’t, you’re leaving a lot of untapped potential on the...
Customer Development Tip – Poke Your Bruises

Customer Development Tip – Poke Your Bruises

By Cindy Alvarez (Head of Products and Customer Development, KISSmetrics) When you hear a customer complain about your product, do you: Change the subject? Immediately promise that you’ll fix it? Focus instead on the positive feedback and the parts of your product...
3 Ways to Request and Get a Face-to-Face Meeting

3 Ways to Request and Get a Face-to-Face Meeting

By Cindy Alvarez (Head of Products and Customer Development, KISSmetrics) True or false? If you’re asking a favor of someone, it’s best to give them plenty of freedom in terms of how and when they do it. I mean, it seems awfully presumptuous to not only ask for a...
6 Female Founders at Ignite SF: Lean Startup (May 21)

6 Female Founders at Ignite SF: Lean Startup (May 21)

By Sarah Milstein (Organizer, Ignite: Lean Startup) Join us for an evening of Lean Startup talks with a twist. Each brave presenter gets five minutes and 20 slides — which advance automatically every 15 seconds. Fast-paced, thought-provoking and social, this...