Currently I am working as a product manager in a SME I'm avoiding naming the company to allow me to speak openly without having to go through compliance to post due to working in a heavily regulated sector.
The problem the company faces is the same as many of its size, it's enjoyed good growth but it is stalling as it breaks into a larger size.
Whilst they have some talented managers they are all experienced either small highly profitable companies or vast highly profitable companies. I find both of these sets of experience have a inherent dislike of defining process as both find it bloat that gets in the way.
Unfortunately some defined process is just what they need to be able to expand a small company in the big time without the need to micro manage.
To this end I am trying to introduce some of the light touch process of the lean startup.
Unfortunately I don't have the clout to do this in a single swoop so I have to do it under the radar.
Recently I had the pleasure of attending #SMR5 on product Saturday (unsurprisingly) . Silicon milkroundabout is billed as a jobs fair for 120 start-ups to interact directly with potential candidates. It also has lightning pitches from the start-ups for them to sell themselves and their products to potential clients and new staff followed by a Q&A with leaders in the field.
Whilst not actively seeking to change job it did seem a little silly not to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to network with other product manager, ensure the CV is up to date, meet some fantastic new companies and its always good to be prepared as you never know whats around the corner.
I had a great time talking to all the startups, made some great contact and recieved some excellent feedback
The Q&A also gave me the reassurance that the problems I have faced are the same across the industry and got some excellent advice on solving them!
The event was well organised with 2 large rooms full of startups as well as free fruit, coffee, sweets and beer! it also had a bizarre pirate theme but as anybody who knows me will tell you I love pirates. It also had a reasonably sized area for the lighting talks and Q&A although it could have done w
ith slightly more amplification and some more seating but both were minor annoyances. The only real comment I would make was that for some of the startups it was unclear what positions they where looking to fill and as the day progressed hastily produced signs appeared in true lean startup way.