Driving great product outcomes for B2B companies since 2015
I founded theProductPath to work with early stage startups and growth stage software companies and guide them through the many challenges associated with creating great product offerings and successfully bringing them to market.
As a seasoned Product and Technology executive, I bring hands-on expertise drawn from two decades of experience leading B2B and SaaS product development at every stage of the product development lifecycle—from product discovery and creation to go-to-market launch and operations—ensuring strategic alignment and robust execution all along the way.
Early-Stage Expertise
In the earliest phases (seed through Series A), I specialize in building and scaling the product and design teams from the ground up. I focus on defining the product vision, leading concept-to-launch efforts, and establishing repeatable product development processes. With a commitment to innovation and adaptability, I develop multi-horizon product strategies that align closely with business goals and the partner ecosystem.
Growth-Stage Excellence
For companies in later, high-growth stages, I align and scale cross-functional product teams, drive portfolio investment analysis, and create value through new pricing and revenue models. My work involves initiating customer-centric R&D and UX research programs, refining go-to-market strategies, and spearheading growth strategies based on emerging market opportunities. I also bring a strong track record in communicating the company vision effectively to internal stakeholders and the market.
Whether you need executive-level counsel, fractional product leadership, or product team coaching, I will drive product excellence within your organization.
Featured Articles
I have authored over 50 product management articles based on my own experiences delivering enterprise software.
“Steven is a great listener and thoughtful processor. In a very short period of time he was able to lead me to some insights that were helpful and enlightening for how to prioritize our backlog against our strategy.”
EXCLUSIVE: A Year in the Life of a PM
What is Product?
Have you ever wondered what a Product Manager actually does? Here's your chance to find out.
Every week for an entire year, I contributed a new article that highlighted a major decision I made in my role as the Product Leader of a Chicago-based SaaS company. In this unprecedented body of work published here on theProductPath, I provide insights on 50 different product decisions that highlight the challenges and triumphs of running a product organization.
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January 2015
- Jan 5, 2015 Jotting down the product path
- Jan 11, 2015 Create a shared space for departmental wish lists
- Jan 16, 2015 Pump the brakes on a customer 1-off request
- Jan 24, 2015 Campaign for early Product Roadmap support
- Jan 31, 2015 Reset expectations around Engineering capacity
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February 2015
- Feb 7, 2015 Create a reference application for our software platform
- Feb 14, 2015 Repave the road...map
- Feb 24, 2015 Make Product Decisions Like Cagan
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March 2015
- Mar 3, 2015 Present a Product Roadmap to the Board using the 3 Horizons Model
- Mar 10, 2015 Create an in-person event to engage your customers
- Mar 17, 2015 Upgrade the Product...team
- Mar 24, 2015 Network with other Product Managers
- Mar 31, 2015 Deliver a more compelling product status update to the troops
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April 2015
- Apr 7, 2015 Publish and promote a more consumable product roadmap
- Apr 16, 2015 Pull a large MVP-less feature from the next release
- Apr 21, 2015 Getting ready to groom
- Apr 30, 2015 Evaluate a product integration with a potential partner
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May 2015
- May 5, 2015 Assess the Product Portfolio
- May 12, 2015 Head off a new product idea before it gains any more steam
- May 19, 2015 Find a good stopping point for a postponed feature
- May 27, 2015 Cut down the scope of the initial product by 20%
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June 2015
- Jun 2, 2015 Recalibrate product priorities for the next 6 months
- Jun 9, 2015 Clarify win-loss speculation with post-mortem interviews
- Jun 16, 2015 Unveil new product at company event
- Jun 23, 2015 Sit with customers for product training
- Jun 30, 2015 Write the Release Notes
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July 2015
- Jul 7, 2015 Build a quick proof of concept
- Jul 14, 2015 Complete an Opportunity Assessment for proposed new product
- Jul 21, 2015 Triage an almost bungled feature upgrade
- Jul 28, 2015 Fire up the Sales team
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August 2015
- Aug 4, 2015 Guide and advise fellow Product Managers
- Aug 12, 2015 Initiate a few modest R&D projects
- Aug 18, 2015 Prep teams for upcoming trade show
- Aug 25, 2015 Respond to unhappy customers
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September 2015
- Sep 1, 2015 Conduct high-priority product research
- Sep 8, 2015 Showcase roadmap to advance a large deal
- Sep 16, 2015 Speak on products in a public forum
- Sep 23, 2015 Take time off to recharge
- Sep 29, 2015 Brainstorm a product solution for customers
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October 2015
- Oct 6, 2015 Celebrate product wins big and small
- Oct 13, 2015 Call in reinforcements to advance product initiatives
- Oct 20, 2015 Restore product credibility over time
- Oct 27, 2015 Sync up with Product Marketing
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November 2015
- Nov 3, 2015 Practice humility in product pursuits
- Nov 13, 2015 Product-ive roadmapping for the holiday slowdown
- Nov 19, 2015 Build the prototype to aid in new product discovery
- Nov 27, 2015 Convey the Product Vision to outside influencers
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December 2015
- Dec 2, 2015 Wind down current product initiatives before starting new ones
- Dec 9, 2015 Evaluate the available data for making better product investment decisions
- Dec 15, 2015 Reach out to the local product community for growth
- Dec 24, 2015 Balance give and take, yes and no, push and pull with products
- Dec 30, 2015 Create a year-end Product progress report
- January 2016
As we approached the half-year mark, I recognized that I needed to regroup with my internal stakeholders to make adjustments around what we would be delivering for the second half of the year.
The Product Decision: Organize and facilitate a product strategy summit with all the department leaders to revisit and rebalance priorities.