Find Product-Market Fit Like an OpenAI PMM
Finding product-market fit is like striking gold—when you hit it, your product practically sells itself. But how do you know when you’re onto a winner, or when you might be barking up the wrong tree?
I recently chatted with incredible product marketer Pranav Deshpande, whose journey through Twilio, Modern Treasury, and now OpenAI offers a treasure map for this elusive quest. At Twilio, he saw both stunning success and timing missteps. At Modern Treasury, he learned the power of a laser-focused customer profile. Now at OpenAI, he's riding the wave of perfect product-market fit with ChatGPT.
In our conversation, we dive into the signals that show you've struck gold: repeatable sales patterns, evolving customer feedback, and the delicate balance between being your product's champion and critic. Plus, we analyze Notion's AI strategy—brilliant in execution but sometimes missing the mark in messaging.
Perhaps the most important insight? Product-market fit isn't a destination but a moving target. Markets evolve, competitors emerge from nowhere, and customer needs shift constantly. What fits perfectly today might need serious adjustment tomorrow—making the journey more marathon than sprint.
Actionable Takeaways
Schedule regular "reality check" sessions to honestly assess your product-market fitStudy your happiest customers like they're rare specimens—what makes them tick?Know your pivot triggers before you need them—what market signals would make you change course?Remember that even revolutionary products need solid execution—brilliance without follow-through is just a good ideaAccept that finding product-market fit is an ongoing journey of tweaking and refining, not a one-time achievementLINKS
Notion: https://www.notion.com/Connect with Pranav:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranav808/
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Product Marketing Adventures
Product Marketing Adventures is the only PMM show that goes beyond theory and into the real execution of product marketing. In each episode, experienced product marketers co-host two segments of the show: first a case study example of their work, followed by a messaging critique of companies we admire. Listeners enjoy a fun conversation packed with practical guidance to leverage in your product marketing career.
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