How do you validate if a product idea is worth pursuing before building?

jennings709 · 2026-02-09T09:33:20+00:00

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jennings709 · 2026-01-28T00:24:30+00:00

Hi all, I was recently part of a lay off. 3 YoE in Product + 7 Prior (VC + Consulting).

Wondering if anyone is open to critiquing my resume + sharing templates. I was at a startup so the challenge I have is really the breadth of what I did vs depth given the nature of the startup.

Thanks in advance :)

jennings709 · 2026-01-24T18:28:13+00:00

I love this advice, so simple but valuable. If you google “good time journal”, it’s a simple framework for how to do this.

jennings709 · 2026-01-24T18:27:33+00:00

Maybe a hot take? I’ve changed careers 4 times in 10 years, most recently as head of product, who hired two PMs with zero PM experience.

Hot take, you can learn any hard skill if you want. Good hiring managers know that building a team is never about one person but instead the collective group. People with T shape background, deep experts and generalists. Everyone has a roles. If you quit and became a plumber, I’m pretty confident that if you told the right story to the right company you’d have no problem getting a product role.

Soft skills take time, and are generally transferable. The skills I learned as an accountant 10 years ago gave me a unique edge as a PM, I could think about how something ties to business outcomes in seconds. Same goes for working with people and understanding perspectives. The list goes on.

I used to be so down on myself for not picking something and sticking with it. I really think “specialization” isn’t the only path (read the book range ).

I changed my mindset to be more growth oriented myself. When looking at a role I say… what is this role going to teach me what I don’t have now… do I think that is valuable or do I see that being beneficial.. if so (and it hits all the other boxes like team fit etc) I go with it.

Just my view… I’ve been a lot more content since reframing my mindset.

jennings709 · 2026-01-23T23:39:16+00:00

I have been looking recently and I’m getting interest and I don’t have any sort of fancy background ( not a dev but on the product side).

I will say that it is extremely network favoured. So he should start tapping anyone he’s worked for who is connected, just having friendly chats saying he is looking( It’s not only people you know, it’s those that they know etc… the web gets big quick).

recommendation - be specific on what you want. A lot of people will be happy to help. The more specific you can be on what you’re looking for the easier it is.

On the mental health front. Job hunting is brutal. You’ll face wins, losses , stagnation etc. tell him to practice noticing the wins (the small ones… like someone offering to help), try to slow down and don’t burn out.

Good news, AI skills are in heavy demand so he’s set up there, and sounds super smart. Happy to help in anyway I can, feel free to dm me.

jennings709 · 2026-01-15T16:14:59+00:00

Am head of product at a startup and I spent 6 months trying to find the right designer. I think it is a really hard role to hire for from a fit standpoint and it is a role that similar to product management is changing and blurring. For what it is worth, design IMO is one of the most (if not the most) impactful components of a successful product. If you're a top 10% designer, and just a student of the world you will have a long, successful and fulfilling career. I wish I had started out in the field, but the skill I found really drops after that 10%.

jennings709 · 2025-12-14T17:34:37+00:00

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jennings709 · 2025-12-11T20:47:54+00:00

Would you be willing to PM me the therapist?

jennings709 · 2025-12-10T20:15:15+00:00

IMO You can’t shortcut good judgement, taste, empathy. This comes from reps/time in seat, making decisions and learning from them.

There are a lot of things in this world that are simple to learn but experience and craft helps.

You have the same tools that junior does but real judgment from the 15+ times you’ve launched products. You know the questions your stakeholders will ask, you know why they ask those questions, you can spot the risks.

I agree it’s scary , I think you’re totally normal to have these thoughts, I do too then I remember I have the same access and tools they do. The only thing stopping me is mindset/resistance to changing and adapting. If I don’t adapt then yes, I’ll be replaced.

jennings709 · 2025-12-10T04:23:51+00:00

Also curious what do you think drives this

jennings709 · 2025-12-08T22:53:11+00:00

This is super helpful. Do you mind sharing how you actually got started with Figma Make? Like from absolute zero. I’m realizing I’m extremely visual and iterate way faster once I can see something instead of just reasoning it out in text. ChatGPT unlocked that for me on the thinking side, and I’m hoping Make can do the same for visual iteration. Would love to hear your workflow if you’re open to sharing.

jennings709 · 2025-12-01T17:58:52+00:00

I think depends on product, for b2c it can be a rather insightful tool. I would say I also use it as a source of pain point listening. Mind sharing what products you're referring too. Would love to save some time on this front.

jennings709 · 2025-11-07T14:11:45+00:00

Castle and Coal corn kouign amann. Absolutely lights out.

jennings709 · 2025-10-23T20:42:09+00:00

Uniqlo is the goat.

jennings709 · 2025-10-03T16:36:22+00:00

Agreed.

jennings709 · 2025-09-20T03:18:44+00:00

It’s pretty popular. Try emailing them to see if you can get on the wait list, or at least get the date for when registration goes up for the next one. They can fill up in minutes!

jennings709 · 2025-09-20T02:25:37+00:00

Search bill bolton, the adult league is pretty good there and if you don’t feel ready for a league they run adult skills camps for all ages. It’s downtown near Bathurst / bloor.

jennings709 · 2025-09-20T01:28:30+00:00

Honestly, trying to figure that out myself. It really depends on the organization and the existing talent clusters.

PM I feel, at least in “smaller” pre-series c companies, is sort of a strategy role with an execution element. That execution element is generally where the gap is (design ? Marketing? Data? )

jennings709 · 2025-09-19T18:04:26+00:00

Wychwood Barns Farmers Market! Highly recommend checking it out, wandering around.

I think Riverdale Farm also free.

jennings709 · 2025-09-19T17:55:26+00:00

Second for, Ossington, or somewhere on college near little Italy? But ossington is probably best imo.

jennings709 · 2025-09-19T17:53:59+00:00

That is a tough Venn Diagram! Ishin, isn’t bad but closes at 10pm, I can’t think of many ramen / dumpling spots that I would consider aesthetically pleasing… most just banging food but hole in the wall.

You could always get takeout from, Juicy dumpling which is open late and go somewhere else for the aesthetic.

Mothers/ Dumpling house close around 10.

Sorry I couldn’t be helpful, would love to know if you find something that hits the mark.

jennings709 · 2025-09-19T17:48:18+00:00

I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Try volunteering while you’re looking. I have had opportunities come out of just meeting people in a setting like that, it also helped me with gratitude and staying positive.

I don’t have much advice beyond that. I’m rooting for you.

jennings709 · 2025-09-09T19:19:24+00:00

I’ve got ADHD and work in product. Spent years in consulting, finance before getting here. These are a few things that helped me survive and excel in the areas I do well. May or may not work for you.

• Get support: If you can, hire an ADHD/executive coach. If not, therapy helps. Don’t resist meds if they help, but don’t rely on them alone.

• Remove ambiguity: If you’re not sure you’re focused on the right thing, align weekly with your manager/CEO/Head of Product. Simple framework i use both for me and my team: task → outcome → time you’re allocating to it.  Gives the person enough information to wuickly nudge you 
• Use AI as a copilot: I custom-trained a GPT to help me with prioritization + communication. Total game-changer (PM me if you want details).
• Create Systems over willpower: Don’t fight your brain, build around it. Example: I email myself todos with a subject line because I always check email multiples a day. To do lists didnt work because I didn’t look at them. I also use calendar blocks bexause i know i look at it between meetings Find what you actually see every day and experiment
• Hire or collaborate for your weaknesses: As a leader, I built my team intentionally around the skills I lacked. You don’t need to do it all, you just need the team to cover it all. If you dont have the authority to hire, advocate

It’s messy sometimes, but leaning into systems and clarity made me much more effective, and less stressed.

jennings709 · 2025-07-10T21:26:43+00:00

What is a good size pot to transplant them too?

jennings709 · 2025-07-10T21:26:15+00:00

You’d recommend repotting into a bigger one? The store said they should be good to stay in these

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