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Brian Tolkin, Head of Product @Opendoor: How to Hire the Best Product Teams | E1257

Brian Tolkin is the Head of Product @ Opendoor where he has spent the last 6 years and is responsible for product strategy and product and design teams. Before Opendoor, Brian spent an incredible 5 years at Uber through their wildest growth periods. ---------------------------------------------- In Today’s Episode We Discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:44) Lessons from Launching Uber China Pool (04:18) Worst Product Decision at Uber (05:55) How AI is Changing the Role of Product Managers (08:15) How AI is Transforming Product Development (11:55) Balancing Growth vs. Technical Debt at Series A (13:23) Should the CEO Also Be the CPO? (13:51) Lessons in Expanding from Single to Multi-Product (17:16) The Power of Simplification: Finding the Kernel of Truth (21:35) Are People Naturally Suited for Certain Company Stages? (23:34) Speed vs. Taste: What Matters More in Product Development? (28:07) Dictatorial Product Leadership vs. Collaborative Decision-Making (32:32) Lessons from Hiring Mistakes (36:54) The Best Backgrounds for Hiring Great PMs (40:24) Managing Momentum as a Product Leader (41:39) The Case for Staying Longer at One Company (43:13) Quick-Fire Round ---------------------------------------------- Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3j2KMcZTtgTNBKwtZBMHvl?si=85bc9196860e4466 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twenty-minute-vc-20vc-venture-capital-startup/id958230465 Follow Harry Stebbings on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarryStebbings Follow Brian Tolkin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianTolkin Follow 20VC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/20vchq Follow 20VC on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@20vc_tok Visit our Website: https://www.20vc.com Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.thetwentyminutevc.com/contact ----------------------------------------------- #20vc #harrystebbings #briantolkin #uber #venturecapital #product #hiring #headofproduct #startups #teambuilding

Harry StebbingshostBrian Tolkinguest
Feb 7, 202546mWatch on YouTube ↗

CHAPTERS

  1. 0:00 – 0:44

    Intro

  2. 0:44 – 4:18

    Lessons from Launching Uber China Pool

  3. 4:18 – 5:55

    Worst Product Decision at Uber

  4. 5:55 – 8:15

    How AI is Changing the Role of Product Managers

  5. 8:15 – 11:55

    How AI is Transforming Product Development

  6. 11:55 – 13:23

    Balancing Growth vs. Technical Debt at Series A

  7. 13:23 – 13:51

    Should the CEO Also Be the CPO?

  8. 13:51 – 17:16

    Lessons in Expanding from Single to Multi-Product

  9. 17:16 – 21:35

    The Power of Simplification: Finding the Kernel of Truth

  10. 21:35 – 23:34

    Are People Naturally Suited for Certain Company Stages?

  11. 23:34 – 28:07

    Speed vs. Taste: What Matters More in Product Development?

  12. 28:07 – 32:32

    Dictatorial Product Leadership vs. Collaborative Decision-Making

  13. 32:32 – 36:54

    Lessons from Hiring Mistakes

  14. 36:54 – 40:24

    The Best Backgrounds for Hiring Great PMs

  15. 40:24 – 41:39

    Managing Momentum as a Product Leader

  16. 41:39 – 43:13

    The Case for Staying Longer at One Company

  17. 43:13 – 46:52

    Quick-Fire Round

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