Favorite Parts of Being a Head of Product as an Independent Consultant
Addy, a Head of Product at an independent consultant, thrives on the "ambiguity" and fast-paced challenges of working with startups, where actions have immediate and tangible consequences. The opportunity to build impactful products that directly improve customers' lives is a key motivator, adding meaning and fulfillment to their career.
Ambiguity and Problem-solving, Impact and Accountability, Startups and Fast-paced Environments, Product Development, Leadership and Executive Roles
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Addy Spiller
Head of Product
Independent Consultant
UC Berkeley
MBA from NYU Stern School of Business
Economics
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing), Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Scholarship Recipient
Video Highlights
1. Working with startups offers constant challenges and ambiguity, which can be exciting.
2. There's a high level of accountability in a startup environment, where mistakes are immediately felt and impact is clear.
3. The ability to make a tangible difference in customers' lives by building needed products is incredibly rewarding.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your current role?
There's so much that I love about my job. I love the challenge of working with startups; their worlds are changing so fast.
It's like they're trying to build an airplane while flying it, without an actual map and knowing where they're going. That ambiguity is really exciting to me and so much fun.
I also really love that what I do matters. At small startups, if you mess up, the company feels it. I can't pretend it didn't happen or just say, "Oh, it's a rounding error."
There's an accountability to working at a small company that really fuels me. And then, maybe most importantly, what I love about working in startups, specifically impact-driven startups, is that they are making an impact on customers' lives. They build products that people need and that will make their lives better. That feels really amazing.