Making an impact through authenticity and curiosity | Ami Vora (CPO at Faire, ex-WhatsApp, FB, IG)
23 Jun 2024 (3 months ago)
Ami’s background
- CTO of Meta mentioned Ami's ability to have profound disagreements and respond with curiosity.
- Sublimating ego and prioritizing outcomes over being right is important in the working world.
- When creating metaphors or analogies, consider the desired user feeling to ensure consistency.
- The hill climb metaphor illustrates the difference between local and global optimums, with the summit representing the ultimate goal.
- Strategy is about making choices and trade-offs, not just coming up with ideas.
- Good strategies are clear, concise, and actionable.
- Strategies should be based on data and insights, not just gut feelings.
- Strategies should be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances.
- When disagreeing with someone, focus on the issue at hand, not the person.
- Be respectful and listen to the other person's point of view.
- Try to understand why the other person disagrees with you.
- Be willing to change your mind if the other person presents a strong argument.
- Women in tech should not be afraid to speak up and share their ideas.
- Women in tech should support each other and create a network of mentors and allies.
- Women in tech should not be discouraged by setbacks and should persevere in their careers.
- Metaphors and imagery can help to make complex ideas more understandable.
- Metaphors and imagery can help to create a shared vision and inspire your team.
- Metaphors and imagery can help to build trust and rapport with your team.
- Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
- Goals should be challenging but not impossible.
- Goals should be aligned with your overall strategy.
- Goals should be communicated to your team and tracked regularly.
The myth of perfection in success
- Ami Vora, the former employee at WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, and current CPO at Faire, emphasizes the importance of authenticity and embracing imperfections in achieving success.
- She encourages individuals to acknowledge their messy and imperfect nature and challenges the notion of "superwomen" who seem to have everything figured out.
- Vora recommends finding a work environment that feels like home and working with people who feel like friends, rather than striving for a predetermined end state.
- She suggests surrounding oneself with extraordinary peers for career growth and mentions the benefits of joining a private leadership program called "Sidebar" for unbiased opinions, diverse perspectives, and raw feedback.
- Anvil is a document SDK that helps product teams get to market faster by providing an all-in-one solution for building document workflows.
- Anvil's document SDK includes an AI-powered web form builder, the ability to route data to backend systems and PDFs, and a white-labeled e-signature feature.
- Anvil is customizable, with a drag-and-drop builder for non-technical users and flexible APIs and easy-to-understand documentation for developers.
Emotionally connecting with the job
- Ami Vora emphasizes the importance of emotional connection when choosing a job rather than relying solely on logical analysis.
- She suggests imagining what it would be like to do the job, including thinking about the commute, colleagues, and problems to be solved.
- This emotional response is more indicative of success and job satisfaction than a calculated plan.
- Feeling at home and trusting the people around her are key factors in Ami Vora's job selection process.
- Ami Vora believes authenticity and curiosity are essential qualities for success.
- Authenticity involves being true to oneself and one's values, even in challenging situations.
- Curiosity drives the desire to learn and grow, leading to continuous improvement.
- Both authenticity and curiosity contribute to building trust and strong relationships with colleagues.
- Ami Vora encourages individuals to embrace their authentic selves and cultivate curiosity to thrive in their careers.
Embracing curiosity in moments of challenge
- Curiosity helps overcome challenges and leads to better outcomes.
- Curiosity involves genuinely wanting to understand others' perspectives, even if they differ greatly from one's own.
- Curiosity breaks down barriers between viewpoints and fosters collaboration.
- The speaker initially struggled with curiosity as they valued being right and knowledgeable.
- Curiosity requires setting aside ego and acknowledging that others may have valuable insights.
- Curiosity allows for continuous learning and growth.
- Approaching interactions with a curious mindset makes work and life more interesting.
- The speaker initially prioritized being right, which hindered their ability to find the best solutions.
- Curiosity involves recognizing that others may have valuable information and perspectives.
- Curiosity leads to better outcomes and allows for continuous learning.
- Curiosity involves genuinely wanting to understand others' perspectives, even if they differ greatly from one's own.
Thinking in feedback loops
- Curiosity about different perspectives leads to better outcomes and positive feedback.
- Sublimating ego and focusing on the outcome is important for effective feedback.
- Feedback loops can help improve outcomes and relationships.
- Different interpretations of the same information can be fascinating and insightful.
- Curiosity helps in understanding how people see the world.
- People often have a visceral reaction to opposing views, but it's important to reframe this as an opportunity to learn.
- Taking a pause before responding allows for a more thoughtful and productive response.
The “dinosaur brain” metaphor in product reviews
- The speaker uses the metaphor of a "dinosaur brain" to describe how executives can only hold a limited amount of information at a time.
- Product reviewers should focus on making recommendations rather than presenting all the information, as executives are better at pattern matching and providing context.
- Recognizing that executives and product reviewers have complementary skills can help improve communication and decision-making.
- The speaker emphasizes the importance of managers and product reviewers having complementary roles.
- Managers should provide context and information, while product reviewers should make recommendations based on their deep understanding of the product.
- This division of responsibilities allows for more effective decision-making and collaboration.
Strategies for conducting effective product reviews
- Product reviews should focus on understanding trade-offs, target audience, timeline, and risk level, and should result in principles, not just answers.
- Keep product reviews short, pointed, and informal, with a small cross-functional team.
- Trust your team to present their work effectively, reducing stress for managers.
- Record or broadcast decision-making principles to ensure everyone is aligned.
- Product pitching is necessary, especially for significant changes, even in senior roles.
- Early-career professionals should bring forth recommendations with conviction and build that conviction for themselves.
- Metaphors and imagery can effectively convey ideas and make them easier to understand.
Using metaphors and imagery to communicate your vision
- Ami Vora uses metaphors and imagery to communicate her vision and rally her team.
- The hill climb metaphor illustrates the difference between a local optimum and a global optimum.
- When you reach a local optimum, you may see a higher mountain in the distance that represents a global optimum.
- Climbing down into the valley and up the other side to reach the global optimum is risky and requires trade-offs.
- The summit represents a better way of doing things, and the journey through the valley is worth it when you reach the top.
- This metaphor helps set expectations that there will be challenges and slowdowns, but the ultimate goal is worth it.
The power of having a shared narrative
- Metaphors and analogies can be powerful tools for creating a shared narrative and understanding.
- Building "emulators" for different leaders can provide fresh perspectives and approaches to problem-solving.
- A shared narrative can carry significant weight and help guide decision-making and product development.
- Creating a story that everyone agrees on can help people know what to do without needing to be told exactly what to do.
- A shared narrative can help create a consistent and cohesive product or experience without the need for micromanagement.
WhatsApp: an example of metaphor in action
- The metaphor used for WhatsApp was face-to-face communication.
- The goal was to make everyone feel connected, regardless of their location or device.
- The app was designed to create intimate spaces that felt familiar and easy to use.
- Small details like typing indicators and message disappearing features added to the feeling of being there.
Emulating people that inspire you
- Emulating people you admire can help you become more interesting and well-rounded.
- It involves putting yourself in their shoes and thinking about how they would react to situations.
- This can give you new perspectives and tools to solve problems.
- The most frequently emulated person is Rob Goldman, who emphasizes the importance of looking at the dashboard.
WhatsApp video calling
- Ami Vora shares an example of using a metaphor to rally a team and get things done.
- The metaphor used was "sitting around in your family room" when thinking about how to make video calling work.
- The idea was to create a lightweight, joinable call that feels like the space exists even when you're not there.
- This metaphor helped the team agree on the feeling they wanted to create and what to build.
- Ami Vora's personal experience using WhatsApp video calling with her mom while they were traveling to Italy exemplified the desired feeling.
Why execution is greater than strategy
- Execution is more important than strategy because customers care about the product in their hands, not the strategy behind it.
- With great execution, even a good enough strategy can lead to learning and improvement, while poor execution prevents learning and winning.
- Execution involves the unglamorous work of bringing the strategy to life, such as looking at dashboards, rewriting specs, and fixing bugs.
- Execution leads to customer outcomes and satisfaction.
Time allotment for strategy vs. execution
- Spend 20% of time on strategy and 80% on execution.
- As you get more senior, spend more time on strategy but still focus on execution.
- Constantly improve the system you are building.
- Strategy should lead to changes in customer outcomes.
- Prioritize products and allocate resources based on the strategy.
- Strategy should result in doing things differently.
How to become a better strategic thinker
- Ami Vora often received feedback to think bigger and be more visionary.
- She struggled with self-confidence and impostor syndrome when it came to declaring a strategy.
- Vora found that talking to customers and building an "emulator" for them helped her feel confident in her opinions.
- Working through different product iterations and asking for opinions from the leadership team also contributed to her strategic thinking.
- Vora emphasizes the importance of being comfortable having an opinion about how the world will develop and being open to change based on customer feedback.
The intricacies of implementing feedback
- Received feedback that being likable was more important than being smart.
- Tried to be more likable by shrinking herself and not being opinionated.
- This approach worked for a while, but it became difficult to lead a team when she wasn't expressing her opinions.
- Realized that she needed to find a way to be herself while still working with a broader range of people.
- Discusses the tension between authenticity and likability in the workplace.
- Argues that it is not necessary to be completely authentic in the workplace, but that it is important to be able to work with a variety of people and styles.
- Suggests that people should develop new tools and skills to unlock different doors and become more powerful and expansive.
Being a female leader in tech
- Women in tech receive feedback that focuses on their style rather than the content of their role.
- It's important to interpret and respond to feedback thoughtfully, not reacting immediately to all of it.
- The advice to find a mentor or sponsor puts an unnecessary burden on women.
- Women should recognize the generosity and support they receive from others, even if it doesn't come in the form of a traditional mentor.
Advice for young women in tech
- Don't try to be the next someone else, focus on being the best version of yourself.
- Don't diminish your strengths or shrink yourself, continue to grow and expand your skills.
Setting goals and aligning incentives
- To avoid "toddler soccer," assign different objectives to teams that contribute to the overall customer impact, rather than focusing solely on output metrics like GMV.
- Focus on input metrics that reflect customer engagement and lead to GMV, such as the number of visitors, conversions, and repeat customers.
- Acknowledge and view disagreements as a sign of healthy tension and knowledge sharing, encouraging open communication and collaboration to resolve them.
- Effective collaboration requires acknowledging good intentions and agreeing on the desired outcome, viewing disagreements as opportunities for rational discussions rather than personal attacks.
- Have explicit and transparent discussions to avoid misunderstandings and hidden agendas.
Acknowledging hard truths
- As you get more senior, the problems you face become increasingly unsolvable.
- The best decisions you can make are often the least bad options.
- It's important to normalize and acknowledge these hard truths to avoid feeling like a failure.
- The impact of being able to serve customers and be part of a team makes it worthwhile to be visibly terrible at everything.
- Early ICPMS should understand that there are limited options and no decision will be optimal.
- Authenticity is about being true to yourself and your values.
- Curiosity is about being open to new ideas and experiences.
- Both authenticity and curiosity are essential for making an impact in the world.
- Authenticity helps you build trust and credibility with others.
- Curiosity helps you learn and grow, and to come up with new and innovative ideas.
- When you combine authenticity and curiosity, you create a powerful force for positive change.
Lessons from transitioning to Faire
- Ami Vora's decision to join Faire was driven by her belief in the people and the mission of the company.
- She had personal connections to the wholesale and local retail industry, which Faire operates in.
- Vora emphasizes the importance of patience and learning when transitioning to a new role, as it takes time to build up the necessary knowledge and network.
- Joining Faire presented a steep learning curve for Vora as it involved a new business model, customer problems, and people.
- Vora's successful transition to Faire and her ability to lead change in a new environment has helped her overcome her insecurity about only being successful within Meta.
- No relevant information to summarize.
The importance of a good CPO/CEO relationship
- Having a great relationship with the CEO is crucial for a CPO's success.
- Open communication and a growth mindset from both the CPO and CEO are essential.
- Regularly sharing observations, ideas, and potential changes can build trust and credibility.
- A supportive CEO who takes suggestions seriously fosters a positive working environment.
Vetting heads of product and maintaining customer focus
- Founders should spend time with potential CPOs to assess compatibility and trust.
- Founders need to determine the level of seniority required for the role based on their needs and vision.
- Sometimes, a founder's vision and knowledge may be sufficient, and they may only need someone to build the product rather than scale the team or build systems.
- A complementary relationship between the founder and CPO is crucial for effective collaboration.
How Ami went from intern to leading major products at Meta
- Quit her last job in 2007 to be involved in the tech industry in Silicon Valley.
- Traveled and lived a carefree lifestyle in New York before deciding to find a job.
- Wanted to work at Facebook due to the positive impact of its products on people's lives.
- Convinced an acquaintance at the company to introduce her to everyone in the office.
- Despite not being qualified, she was offered a temporary position to review press releases.
- Eventually got hired full-time and rose to leadership positions for major products like Facebook Ads and WhatsApp.
- Authenticity is crucial for building trust and credibility with others.
- Curiosity drives her to constantly learn and explore new things.
- Believes that authenticity and curiosity are essential for personal and professional growth.
- Encourages others to embrace their authentic selves and cultivate a curious mindset.
The one thing you should do to be successful in product
- The best way to be successful in product is to focus on the customer.
- Prioritize talking to and advocating for customers, even when it means sacrificing short-term metrics.
- Customer value and company value are usually aligned in the long term.
- Metrics should be about long-term customer impact.
Lightning round
- Ami Vora recommends the book "Year of Yes" by Shonda Rhimes, which encourages embracing new experiences and self-expression.
- For comfort, Ami enjoys rewatching familiar workplace comedies like "The Office" and "30 Rock."
- Ami's recent discovery is a Fellow's electric kettle, enhancing her daily tea and coffee rituals.
- Instead of a life motto, Ami follows the advice, "You can either have more energy or less ambition," guiding her approach to achieving impact and success.
- Ami enjoys telling jokes and shares examples, demonstrating her sense of humor.
- The podcast aims to showcase authenticity and the imperfections of successful individuals.
- Ami Vora writes a blog called "The Parts of Growth" on Substack, discussing challenges in working for great companies.
- To be helpful to Ami, people can practice kindness, be nice, and contribute positively to the world.