Snapchat and Discord product chief drops unfiltered GTM wisdom

The Gist

• Peter Sellis shares hard truths on product management and growth strategies
• Growth almost always comes from the core product, not peripheral features
• Snapchat’s ads business never reached its potential due to misaligned priorities

• Growth almost always comes from the core product, not peripheral features.
• The median product manager is ineffective, highlighting a quality gap in PM roles.
• Snapchat's ads business never reached its full potential due to strategic missteps.
• Great product management involves balancing three oxymoronic qualities (unspecified in preview).
• Teams should be designed with extreme focus and agility, likened to 'terrorist organizations' in structure.
• Top performers should be heavily relied upon ('ridden hard') to drive disproportionate impact.

• Double down on core product improvements rather than chasing peripheral growth levers.
• Audit your PM team's effectiveness and invest in raising the quality bar for product roles.
• Structure teams for extreme agility and mission-focus, even if it means unconventional organization.
• Identify and empower your highest performers to take on disproportionate responsibility.