Navigating the Complexities of Product Management: Insights from JC Landivar

In the latest episode of Product Led Growth Leaders, host Thomas engages in a thought-provoking conversation with JC Landivar, a seasoned product professional with extensive experience in product management, executive coaching, and consulting. The discussion explores JC’s journey from project management to product leadership, the evolving relationship between product management and user experience, and the critical role of user research in driving innovation and growth. Throughout the episode, JC provides insights into balancing execution with strategy, understanding customer needs, and making informed decisions that lead to successful products.

JC’s Journey into Product Management

JC’s career began in the financial services sector, where he worked with large enterprises like AIG and Invesco. Initially focused on project management, he developed strong execution skills but soon realized that he lacked a deep understanding of user needs and product validation. This realization led him to transition into product management, where he built his expertise through continuous learning, reading books, taking courses, and seeking mentorship. Over time, he refined his approach to balancing execution with strategic decision-making, ensuring that products were both well-built and aligned with market demands.

The Intersection of Product Management and User Experience

The conversation highlights the increasing overlap between product management and user experience (UX). JC shares his own experience grappling with whether to pursue a career in product management or UX, ultimately choosing product management due to its alignment with his existing trajectory. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration between product managers and UX professionals, as both disciplines aim to create products that resonate with users and drive engagement. Successful product teams understand the value of user-centric design, ensuring that products not only function well but also deliver meaningful experiences to customers.

Navigating Challenges in Product Management

One of the biggest challenges for product managers, particularly in larger organizations, is balancing execution with strategy. JC explains that many product managers start by focusing on execution—delivering projects on time and coordinating cross-functional teams—before they are trusted with more strategic responsibilities. This reality can be frustrating for those eager to engage in high-level decision-making, but JC advises that demonstrating strong execution skills is often a prerequisite for gaining influence within an organization. He also emphasizes the importance of context, as every company operates differently, and product managers must adapt their approach accordingly.

The Importance of Discovery and User Understanding

JC underscores the critical role of discovery and customer research in product development. He shares an example of a company struggling with user adoption of its AI-driven personal training platform. Through a series of discovery sessions, JC and his team identified a more promising market—physical therapy—where the technology could provide greater value. This pivot highlights the importance of engaging in deep conversations with customers to uncover true needs and pain points, rather than making assumptions about what users want.

Selling the Need for Early Due Diligence

A recurring challenge in JC’s coaching work is convincing clients of the importance of early due diligence and user research. Many companies, confident in their expertise, resist the idea of conducting additional research. To address this, JC employs coaching techniques that encourage clients to reflect on their assumptions and consider alternative perspectives. He stresses that while intuition and experience play a role in product development, rigorous research is often the key differentiator between successful and unsuccessful products.

Strategic Decision-Making and Innovation

JC discusses the importance of reassessing core value propositions when making strategic decisions. He shares the example of Sports Lab 360, a company initially focused solely on soccer. After in-depth discussions with the CEO, they realized that their true value lay in youth sports education, not just soccer. This shift in perspective allowed the company to expand into other sports like basketball, opening new growth opportunities. This example illustrates the importance of periodically evaluating a product’s core value to ensure that it aligns with broader market opportunities.

The Coaching Process with Clients

When working with clients, JC tailors his coaching approach based on their specific needs and challenges. He begins by assessing where they are stuck and identifying the root causes of their struggles. Whether coaching executives, product teams, or startups, his goal is to help clients move forward by breaking down complex problems into manageable steps. In some cases, he collaborates with other experts to provide well-rounded support, ensuring that clients receive comprehensive guidance on both strategic and operational challenges.

Conclusion

In this episode, JC Landivar shares valuable insights into the world of product management, emphasizing the importance of user research, strategic decision-making, and the evolving relationship between product management and UX. His journey from project management to product leadership underscores the need for adaptability in an ever-changing field. Through his coaching work, JC empowers clients to embrace discovery, challenge assumptions, and explore new avenues for growth. By fostering a culture of experimentation and open-mindedness, he helps organizations navigate the complexities of product management and achieve lasting success.

For product managers and aspiring professionals, the key lessons from this episode include the importance of continuous learning, the need for strong collaboration between product management and UX, the value of balancing execution with strategic thinking, and the necessity of engaging in deep discovery sessions with users. Additionally, JC’s experiences highlight the importance of early due diligence, being open to strategic pivots, and tailoring coaching approaches to the specific needs of clients. By incorporating these insights into their practice, product managers can navigate challenges more effectively and drive successful outcomes for their organizations.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Product Led Growth Leaders – JC Landivar