Entrepreneurial spirit professional with 9+ years of experience with strong emphasis in start-ups, product management & marketing. Blend entrepreneurship, market research, and analytics abilities to enable product growth.
My Mentoring Topics
- Product Management. Product Marketing , Branding , Marketing & Growth, Strategy & business development, Startup
A.
26.April 2023A session with Arpita was amazing. I was curious to learn more about her entrepreneurial experience and she walked me through her story of creating a business from scratch, running and expanding it for over 6 years. If you are someone seeking to know all the details and challenges you might face when setting up your venture - she is certainly the one to talk to!
M.
31.October 2022Thank you for your wonderful insights. I am now more confident that I am on the right track.
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Testing Business Ideas - A Field Guide for Rapid Experimentation
David J. Bland, Alexander Osterwalder
Key Facts and Insights from "Testing Business Ideas - A Field Guide for Rapid Experimentation" Experimentation is key: The central idea is that every business concept should be subjected to testing and experimentation before full implementation. Assumption mapping: This process helps identify the most uncertain and impactful parts of a business model which should be tested first. A variety of experiments: The book suggests 44 different experiment types that can be used to test various aspects of a business idea. Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop: This is a critical concept borrowed from Lean Startup methodology, emphasizing the iterative nature of testing business ideas. Risk profiles: The authors lay out four types of risk profiles which help determine the nature and extent of experimentation required. Experiment Library: A resource provided in the book that can guide entrepreneurs on how to design and conduct experiments effectively. Case Studies: The book is full of real-life case studies that illustrate the concepts and principles discussed. Field guide: It is presented as a practical, hands-on guide that can be used in real-world business settings. Collaboration with stakeholders: The importance of involving all stakeholders in the experimentation process is highlighted. Learning Cards: These are tools designed to facilitate learning from experiments and adjustments of business ideas. Detailed Analysis and Summary "Testing Business Ideas - A Field Guide for Rapid Experimentation" is a comprehensive guide for entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders. The authors, David J. Bland and Alexander Osterwalder, draw upon their vast experience and expertise in business model innovation to provide a practical and hands-on approach to testing business ideas. The authors emphasize the importance of experimentation in the early stages of business development. They argue that, too often, businesses fail because of a lack of proper verification and validation of their underlying assumptions. This is where Assumption Mapping comes in. It is a process that helps identify the most uncertain and impactful aspects of a business idea. Once these critical assumptions have been identified, the authors suggest 44 different types of experiments that can be conducted to verify and validate these assumptions. These range from simple online surveys to more complex pilot programs and minimum viable products (MVPs). The experiments are designed to provide real-world data and feedback that can be used to refine and improve the business idea. The authors borrow the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop from Lean Startup methodology to emphasize the iterative nature of testing business ideas. They argue that this feedback loop should be at the heart of all business experimentation. Another important concept introduced in the book is the four types of Risk Profiles: Market Risk, System Risk, Execution Risk, and Stakeholder Risk. These risk profiles help determine the nature and extent of experimentation required for the business idea. The book also includes an Experiment Library, a comprehensive resource that guides entrepreneurs on how to design and conduct experiments effectively. This, coupled with the real-life case studies, provides a practical and hands-on approach to experimentation. The authors also stress the importance of collaboration with stakeholders in the experimentation process. They argue that involving all stakeholders ensures that the outcomes of the experiments are understood and accepted by everyone involved in the business. Finally, the book introduces Learning Cards, a tool designed to facilitate learning from the experiments and adjustments of the business ideas. They serve as a record of what was learned from the experiment and what changes are made as a result. In conclusion, "Testing Business Ideas - A Field Guide for Rapid Experimentation" provides a comprehensive, practical, and hands-on approach to the verification and validation of business ideas through experimentation. The concepts, principles, and tools introduced in the book provide a roadmap for entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders to minimize the risks associated with new business ideas and maximize their chances of success.
ViewLost and Founder - A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World
Rand Fishkin
Rand Fishkin, the founder and former CEO of Moz, reveals how traditional Silicon Valley "wisdom" leads far too many startups astray, with the transparency and humor that his hundreds of thousands of blog readers have come to love. Everyone knows how a startup story is supposed to go: A young, brilliant entrepreneur has a cool idea, drops out of college, defies the doubters, overcomes all odds, makes billions, and becomes the envy of the technology world. This is not that story. It's not that things went badly for Rand Fishkin; they just weren't quite so Zuckerberg-esque. His company, Moz, maker of marketing software, is now a $45 million/year business, and he's one of the world's leading experts on SEO. But his business and reputation took fifteen years to grow, and his startup began not in a Harvard dorm room but as a mother-and-son family business that fell deeply into debt. Now Fishkin pulls back the curtain on tech startup mythology, exposing the ups and downs of startup life that most CEOs would rather keep secret. For instance: A minimally viable product can be destructive if you launch at the wrong moment. Growth hacking may be the buzzword du jour, but initiatives can fizzle quickly. Revenue and growth won't protect you from layoffs. And venture capital always comes with strings attached. Fishkin's hard-won lessons are applicable to any kind of business environment. Up or down the chain of command, at both early stage startups and mature companies, whether your trajectory is riding high or down in the dumps: this book can help solve your problems, and make you feel less alone for having them.
ViewZero to One - Notes on Start Ups, or How to Build the Future
Blake Masters, Peter Thiel
Key Facts and Insights Monopoly vs. Competition: Thiel asserts that monopolies - not competition - drives progress in business and society. The Power of Secrets: Thiel encourages us to look for hidden truths and untapped potentials, which he refers to as "secrets". The Last Mover Advantage: Thiel introduces the concept of "last mover advantage". This is the idea that being the last to innovate in a specific market can be more beneficial than being the first. The Role of Luck: Thiel suggests that luck plays a smaller role in success than is commonly believed. Four Essential Start-Up Ingredients: Thiel identifies a clear vision, the right timing, a solid team, and a superior product or service as the four key ingredients for a successful start-up. The Importance of Sales: Thiel stresses the importance of sales and distribution, not just product development, for a start-up's success. Future-Oriented Planning: Thiel encourages long-term, future-oriented planning rather than short-term, reactionary decision-making. Vertical vs. Horizontal Progress: Thiel distinguishes between vertical progress (doing new things) and horizontal progress (copying things that work). Seven Questions Every Business Must Answer: Thiel presents seven critical questions that every business must answer to achieve success. Thiel's Law: Thiel proposes his own law, stating that a start-up messed up at its foundation cannot be fixed. An In-depth Analysis and Summary "Zero to One," authored by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters, is a comprehensive guide to starting and running successful start-ups. Its main thesis is that start-ups should aim to create new things, rather than competing in existing markets, to achieve monopoly-like status. Monopoly vs. Competition Thiel argues that monopolies are preferable to competition both for the company and society. A monopoly can afford to think about more than its immediate survival, can plan longer-term, and can invest in its workers and products. Monopolies also drive progress as they have the resources and motivation to innovate. This is a stark contrast to the common belief that competition drives innovation. The Power of Secrets Thiel encourages us to look for "secrets," or untapped potentials and hidden truths, in our world. He believes that many areas are ripe for innovation, and it's the entrepreneur’s job to uncover these secrets. This pursuit of secrets leads to innovation and the creation of monopoly-like businesses. The Last Mover Advantage Thiel introduces the "last mover advantage" concept. He argues that being the last to innovate in a specific market can be more advantageous than being the first. This is because the last mover learns from the mistakes of those who came before them and has the chance to create a superior product or service. The Role of Luck Thiel downplays the role of luck in business success. He suggests that attributing success to luck undermines the importance of hard work, strategic planning, and innovation. Four Essential Start-Up Ingredients Thiel identifies a clear vision, the right timing, a solid team, and a superior product or service as the four essential ingredients for a successful start-up. Without these components, a start-up’s likelihood of success is significantly reduced. The Importance of Sales Thiel emphasizes the importance of sales and distribution. He argues that even the most superior product or service will flop without effective sales and distribution strategies. Future-Oriented Planning Thiel encourages long-term, future-oriented planning. He believes that start-ups should not be reactionary but plan for the future. He also argues that a long-term vision is critical to a start-up's success. Vertical vs. Horizontal Progress Thiel distinguishes between vertical progress (doing new things) and horizontal progress (copying things that work). He suggests that start-ups should strive for vertical progress to create new value and achieve monopoly-like status. Seven Questions Every Business Must Answer Thiel presents seven critical questions that every business must answer to achieve success. These questions are related to engineering, timing, monopoly, people, distribution, durability, and the secret question. Thiel's Law Thiel's Law states that a start-up messed up at its foundation cannot be fixed. This law highlights the importance of getting the basics right at the start of a new venture. In conclusion, "Zero to One" provides a unique perspective on start-up success. It challenges conventional wisdom and offers innovative ideas for creating and running successful start-ups. This book is a must-read for any entrepreneur or business leader looking to make a lasting impact.
ViewThe Lean Startup - How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses
Eric Ries
Key Facts and Insights Emphasis on Experimentation over Elaborate Planning: The Lean Startup methodology promotes experimentation over detailed planning, which allows businesses to adapt and innovate continuously. Customer Feedback over Intuition: Ries emphasizes the importance of customer feedback in shaping products and services rather than relying solely on intuition. Iterative Design: The methodology encourages iterative design, which involves making small changes in products based on customer feedback and observing the results. Minimum Viable Product (MVP): This concept is central to the Lean Startup approach, focusing on creating a basic version of a product to test market hypotheses. Validated Learning: Ries introduces the concept of validated learning, where startups learn from each iteration through rigorous testing and adjustment. Innovation Accounting: This is a method to measure progress, set up milestones, and prioritize work in a startup environment. Build-Measure-Learn Feedback Loop: This is the core component of the Lean Startup methodology, which emphasizes the iterative process of building, measuring, and learning. Pivot or Persevere: Ries introduces a decision-making process in which a startup decides whether to pivot (make a fundamental change to the product) or persevere (keep improving the current product). Continuous Deployment: The Lean Startup methodology encourages continuous deployment of updates to the product, based on the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop. Lean Management: The Lean Startup approach also extends to management, with streamlined processes and decision-making strategies. In-depth Analysis of "The Lean Startup" "The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries is a game-changing book that has reshaped the way businesses think about innovation and growth. Drawing upon his own experiences, Ries presents a new approach for startups to achieve their goals by focusing on continuous innovation and customer feedback. One of the key points in the book is the emphasis on experimentation over elaborate planning. Traditionally, businesses have relied on detailed and lengthy business plans. However, Ries argues that in the rapidly changing business landscape, these plans can quickly become obsolete. Instead, he advocates for a culture of experimentation, where ideas are tested, and changes are made based on the outcomes. This approach allows businesses to adapt to changes and seize new opportunities more effectively. A second key insight from the book is the importance of customer feedback. Ries suggests that businesses should not merely rely on intuition or assumptions about what customers want. Instead, they should engage with customers, seek their feedback, and use this information to shape their products and services. This is an integral part of the iterative design process advocated by Ries. The concept of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is central to the Lean Startup methodology. Rather than spending extensive resources developing a perfect product right from the start, Ries suggests starting with a basic version of the product, testing it in the market, learning from customer feedback, and making modifications accordingly. The MVP helps businesses to test their market hypotheses with minimal resources. Ries introduces the concept of validated learning, which is a process of learning from each iteration of the product. Through rigorous testing and adjustment based on customer feedback, startups can learn valuable insights about their product and the market. A significant concept in the book is innovation accounting, a method to measure progress, set up milestones, and prioritize work in a startup environment. This accounting system is designed to provide startups with a clear measure of their progress and inform decision-making processes. The Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop is another core concept in the Lean Startup methodology. Startups are encouraged to build a product, measure how it performs in the market, learn from the outcomes, and then build again. This iterative process fosters continuous improvement and innovation. Ries also introduces a decision-making process in which a startup decides whether to pivot or persevere. If a product is not meeting its objectives or gaining traction in the market, the startup may decide to pivot, i.e., make a fundamental change to the product. If the product is showing promise, the startup may decide to persevere and keep improving the product. Continuous deployment of updates to the product is another strategy advocated by Ries. Based on the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop, updates are made to the product and deployed continuously. This approach ensures that the product is always improving and adapting to customer needs and market changes. Finally, the Lean Startup approach extends to lean management, with streamlined processes and decision-making strategies. The goal is to create an organization that is adaptable, efficient, and focused on continuous innovation. In conclusion, "The Lean Startup" presents a new approach to business, emphasizing agility, customer feedback, and continuous innovation. It provides a roadmap for startups looking to achieve success in a rapidly changing business landscape.
ViewINSPIRED - How to Create Tech Products Customers Love
Marty Cagan
Key Insights from "INSPIRED: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love" Emphasizes that product management is a team sport, advocating for a cross-functional team approach. Illuminates the importance of discovering the right product to build before diving into the development. Reveals the role of product managers as the discoverers of the product, not simply project managers. Encourages adopting an outcome-based rather than output-based approach to product development. Highly recommends the application of prototyping and testing techniques to validate ideas before committing to full development. Asserts the necessity of continuous product discovery for sustainable success. Advises on how to establish a customer-centric culture in a tech organization. Reinforces the value of learning from product failures, not just successes. Insists on the importance of strong leadership in product management. Underlines the need for strategic alignment between the product team and the larger organization. Stresses on the significance of a shared product vision within the team. Deeper Analysis of the Book "INSPIRED: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love" by Marty Cagan, a Silicon Valley product management veteran, is a veritable guide for tech entrepreneurs, product managers, and those aspiring to create successful tech products. Starting with the assertion that product management is a team sport, Cagan underscores the necessity of collaboration among cross-functional teams. This aligns with the concept of Collective Ownership in Agile methodologies, where everyone in the team is responsible for the quality and success of the product. The book extensively discusses the role of product managers, distinguishing them from project managers. Cagan positions product managers as the discoverers of the product. This involves understanding customer needs, exploring market opportunities, and working closely with the product team to create a product that aligns with the business objectives and customer expectations. One of the notable principles that Cagan advocates for is an outcome-based approach over an output-based one. This shift in focus from simply delivering features to achieving desired outcomes is a core tenet of modern product management, emphasizing on value creation rather than just activity. In "INSPIRED", Cagan also emphasizes the importance of continuous product discovery. This is about constantly seeking to understand customers, experimenting with solutions, and validating ideas before committing to full-scale development. The principle resonates with the Lean Startup methodology, particularly the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop. Prototyping and testing are other key aspects that Cagan discusses. He advises product teams to validate their ideas with low-fidelity prototypes, conduct usability tests, and gather feedback to refine the product. This aligns with the principle of Fail Fast, Fail Often in Agile, which encourages learning through quick experiments and iterations. An essential part of creating tech products that customers love, according to Cagan, is establishing a customer-centric culture. This involves prioritizing customer needs and feedback in the product development process, which is a fundamental principle of Human-Centered Design. Cagan also acknowledges that not all product initiatives will succeed. He encourages teams to learn from product failures and to leverage these learnings to improve future products. This resonates with the concept of a Learning Organization, where failure is seen as an opportunity for learning and growth. Underpinning all these principles, Cagan stresses the importance of strong leadership in product management. He insists that leaders should inspire, guide, and empower their teams to do their best work, which aligns with the concept of Servant Leadership in Agile. Lastly, Cagan highlights the need for strategic alignment and a shared product vision. This implies that all efforts of the product team should be directed towards achieving the strategic goals of the organization, and everyone on the team should understand and be committed to the product vision. In conclusion, "INSPIRED: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love" is a comprehensive guide that offers invaluable insights and practical advice on how to create successful tech products. It should be a must-read for anyone involved in product management, as it encapsulates the collective wisdom of one of the most experienced product managers in the tech industry.
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Z.
4.December 2024Great mentor. In our 30-minute session, we covered a couple of key areas of my marketing pain points. Arpita drove home the point of my UVP and how to communicate it clearly so that my target audience could understand it without much effort. With several examples from her own experience, she clarified everything that needed clarification and helped me better understand where I needed to focus. Many thanks!