Learn to design, build, and scale products consumers can’t get enough ofHow do today’s most successful tech companies―Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Tesla―design, develop, and deploy the products that have earned the love of literally billions of people around the world? Perhaps surprisingly, they do it very differently than most tech companies. In INSPIRED, technology product management thought leader Marty Cagan provides readers with a master class in how to structure and staff a vibrant and successful product organization, and how to discover and deliver technology products that your customers will love―and that will work for your business.With sections on assembling the right people and skillsets, discovering the right product, embracing an effective yet lightweight process, and creating a strong product culture, readers can take the information they learn and immediately leverage it within their own organizations―dramatically improving their own product efforts.Whether you’re an early-stage startup working to get to product/market fit, or a growth-stage company working to scale your product organization, or a large, long-established company trying to regain your ability to consistently deliver new value for your customers, INSPIRED will take you and your product organization to a new level of customer engagement, consistent innovation, and business success.Filled with the author’s own personal stories―and profiles of some of today’s most-successful product managers and technology-powered product companies, including Adobe, Apple, BBC, Google, Microsoft, and Netflix―INSPIRED will show you how to turn up the dial of your own product efforts, creating technology products your customers love.The first edition of INSPIRED, published ten years ago, established itself as the primary reference for technology product managers, and can be found on the shelves of nearly every successful technology product company worldwide. This thoroughly updated second edition shares the same objective of being the most valuable resource for technology product managers, yet it is completely new―sharing the latest practices and techniques of today’s most-successful tech product companies, and the men and women behind every great product. Read more

Every industry revolves around Key People of Influence. Their names come up in conversation. They attract opportunity. They earn more money. Many people think it takes decades of hard work, academic qualifications and a generous measure of good luck to become a Key Person of Influence. This book shows that there is a strategy for fast-tracking your way to the inner circle of the industry you love. Your ability to succeed depends on your ability to influence. Start now by reading this book. This book is your invitation to the inner circle of your industry. Read more

"If you haven't had the good fortune to be coached by a strong leader or product coach, this book can help fill that gap and set you on the path to success."- Marty CaganHow do you know that you are making a product or service that your customers want? How do you ensure that you are improving it over time? How do you guarantee that your team is creating value for your customers in a way that creates value for your business?In this book, you'll learn a structured and sustainable approach to continuous discovery that will help you answer each of these questions, giving you the confidence to act while also preparing you to be wrong. You'll learn to balance action with doubt so that you can get started without being blindsided by what you don't get right.If you want to discover products that customers love-that also deliver business results-this book is for you.About the AuthorTeresa Torres is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and coach. She teaches a structured and sustainable approach to continuous discovery that helps product teams infuse their daily product decisions with customer input. She’s coached hundreds of teams at companies of all sizes, from early-stage start-ups to global enterprises, in a variety of industries. She has taught over 8,500 product people discovery skills through the Product Talk Academy. What People Are Saying“Teresa Torres shows how to truly – and continuously – include customers. This is a must read for every CEO and product team out there.” - Phil Terry, Founder, Collaborative Gain; co-author, Customers Included“Teresa's work in product discovery is a constant and critical reminder that job number one for a product team is to understand who you are building for and what value you can create for them. Her methods inspire rigor similar to a workout coach - product discovery is a regular, consistent practice, that's measurable and impactful.” - Jocelyn Mangan, CEO, HimForHer“It’s no secret that regularly engaging with customers helps you discover better opportunities to serve them - yet we all struggle to do it well. This book is an indispensable guide to making this critical activity a continuous habit.” - Martin Eriksson, Co-Founder & Chairman, Mind the Product“Teresa has helped our product teams shift from a focus on outputs to delivering outcomes by helping us understand our customers better. We are building better solutions that get used more often and provide more value for our customers.” - Mike Herrick, SVP Technology, Airship“Teresa has mastered the art of helping product teams adopt a continuous cadence to their discovery work. Reading this book is like having her by your side, guiding your work, helping you find success, while developing your expertise.” - Hope Gurion, Product Leader & Team Coach, Fearless Product Read more

What is it about the top tech product companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Netflix and Tesla that enables their record of consistent innovation?  Most people think it’s because these companies are somehow able to find and attract a level of talent that makes this innovation possible. But the real advantage these companies have is not so much who they hire, but rather how they enable their people to work together to solve hard problems and create extraordinary products. As legendary Silicon Valley coach--and coach to the founders of several of today’s leading tech companies--Bill Campbell said, “Leadership is about recognizing that there's a greatness in everyone, and your job is to create an environment where that greatness can emerge.” The goal of EMPOWERED is to provide you, as a leader of product management, product design, or engineering, with everything you’ll need to create just such an environment. As partners at The Silicon Valley Product Group, Marty Cagan and Chris Jones have long worked to reveal the best practices of the most consistently innovative companies in the world. A natural companion to the bestseller INSPIRED, EMPOWERED tackles head-on the reason why most companies fail to truly leverage the potential of their people to innovate: product leadership. The book covers:what it means to be an empowered product team, and how this is different from the “feature teams” used by most companies to build technology productsrecruiting and coaching the members of product teams, first to competence, and then to reach their potentialcreating an inspiring product vision along with an insights-driven product strategytranslating that strategy into action by empowering teams with specific objectives―problems to solve―rather than features to buildredefining the relationship of the product teams to the rest of the companydetailing the changes necessary to effectively and successfully transform your organization to truly empowered product teamsEMPOWERED puts decades of lessons learned from the best leaders of the top technology companies in your hand as a guide. It shows you how to become the leader your team and company needs to not only survive but thrive. Read more

The authors of the international bestseller Business Model Generation explain how to create value propositions customers can’t resistValue Proposition Design helps you tackle the core challenge of every business ― creating compelling products and services customers want to buy. This highly practical book, paired with its online companion, will teach you the processes and tools you need to create products that sell.Using the same stunning visual format as the authors’ global bestseller, Business Model Generation, this sequel explains how to use the “Value Proposition Canvas” to design, test, create, and manage products and services customers actually want.Value Proposition Design is for anyone who has been frustrated by new product meetings based on hunches and intuitions; it’s for anyone who has watched an expensive new product launch fail in the market. The book will help you understand the patterns of great value propositions, get closer to customers, and avoid wasting time with ideas that won’t work. You’ll learn the simple process of designing and testing value propositions, that perfectly match customers’ needs and desires.In addition the book gives you exclusive access to an online companion on Strategyzer.com. You will be able to assess your work, learn from peers, and download pdfs, checklists, and more.Value Proposition Design is an essential companion to the ”Business Model Canvas” from Business Model Generation, a tool embraced globally by startups and large corporations such as MasterCard, 3M, Coca Cola, GE, Fujitsu, LEGO, Colgate-Palmolive, and many more.Value Proposition Design gives you a proven methodology for success, with value propositions that sell, embedded in profitable business models." Read more

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER WITH OVER 500,000 COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE.IN ‘HOOKED’, NIR EYAL REVEALS HOW SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES CREATE PRODUCTS PEOPLE CAN'T PUT DOWN.‘Hooked changed my life. It's essential reading for anyone who wants to better understand their actions and habits.' – Steven Bartlett, investor, BBC Dragon and host of The Diary of a CEO podcast*****Why do some products capture our attention while others flop? What makes us engage with certain things out of sheer habit? Is there an underlying pattern to how technologies hook us?Nir Eyal answers these questions (and many more) with the Hook Model – a four-step process that, when embedded into products, subtly encourages customer behaviour. Through consecutive "hook cycles," these products bring people back again and again.Eyal provides readers with practical insights to create user habits that stick; actionable steps for building products people love; and riveting examples, from the iPhone to Twitter, Instagram and Google.WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:‘A great book for the modern marketing or business professional but [also] a great read for anyone interested in the psychology of habit and how it shapes our lives, our personalities and products.’‘Whether you are an entrepreneur just getting started, a psychologist seeking depth or an avid reader wanting to know more about the world around us, you’ll love this book!’‘Ironically, I was hooked on to this book! A must read for people looking to know the psychology behind tech giants like Facebook and Pinterest.' Read more

"If you haven't had the good fortune to be coached by a strong leader or product coach, this book can help fill that gap and set you on the path to success."- Marty CaganHow do you know that you are making a product or service that your customers want? How do you ensure that you are improving it over time? How do you guarantee that your team is creating value for your customers in a way that creates value for your business?In this book, you'll learn a structured and sustainable approach to continuous discovery that will help you answer each of these questions, giving you the confidence to act while also preparing you to be wrong. You'll learn to balance action with doubt so that you can get started without being blindsided by what you don't get right.If you want to discover products that customers love-that also deliver business results-this book is for you.About the AuthorTeresa Torres is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and coach. She teaches a structured and sustainable approach to continuous discovery that helps product teams infuse their daily product decisions with customer input. She’s coached hundreds of teams at companies of all sizes, from early-stage start-ups to global enterprises, in a variety of industries. She has taught over 8,500 product people discovery skills through the Product Talk Academy. What People Are Saying“Teresa Torres shows how to truly – and continuously – include customers. This is a must read for every CEO and product team out there.” - Phil Terry, Founder, Collaborative Gain; co-author, Customers Included“Teresa's work in product discovery is a constant and critical reminder that job number one for a product team is to understand who you are building for and what value you can create for them. Her methods inspire rigor similar to a workout coach - product discovery is a regular, consistent practice, that's measurable and impactful.” - Jocelyn Mangan, CEO, HimForHer“It’s no secret that regularly engaging with customers helps you discover better opportunities to serve them - yet we all struggle to do it well. This book is an indispensable guide to making this critical activity a continuous habit.” - Martin Eriksson, Co-Founder & Chairman, Mind the Product“Teresa has helped our product teams shift from a focus on outputs to delivering outcomes by helping us understand our customers better. We are building better solutions that get used more often and provide more value for our customers.” - Mike Herrick, SVP Technology, Airship“Teresa has mastered the art of helping product teams adopt a continuous cadence to their discovery work. Reading this book is like having her by your side, guiding your work, helping you find success, while developing your expertise.” - Hope Gurion, Product Leader & Team Coach, Fearless Product Read more

Learn to design, build, and scale products consumers can't get enough ofHow do today's most successful tech companies¯Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Tesla¯design, develop, and deploy the products that have earned the love of literally billions of people around the world? Perhaps surprisingly, they do it very differently than most tech companies. In INSPIRED, technology product management thought leader Marty Cagan provides readers with a master class in how to structure and staff a vibrant and successful product organization, and how to discover and deliver technology products that your customers will love¯and that will work for your business.With sections on assembling the right people and skillsets, discovering the right product, embracing an effective yet lightweight process, and creating a strong product culture, readers can take the information they learn and immediately leverage it within their own organizations¯dramatically improving their own product efforts.Whether you're an early-stage startup working to get to product/market fit, or a growth-stage company working to scale your product organization, or a large, long-established company trying to regain your ability to consistently deliver new value for your customers, INSPIRED will take you and your product organization to a new level of customer engagement, consistent innovation, and business success.Filled with the author's own personal stories¯and profiles of some of today's most-successful product managers and technology-powered product companies, including Adobe, Apple, BBC, Google, Microsoft, and Netflix¯INSPIRED will show you how to turn up the dial of your own product efforts, creating technology products your customers love.The first edition of INSPIRED, published ten years ago, established itself as the primary reference for technology product managers, and can be found on the shelves of nearly every successful technology product company worldwide. This thoroughly updated second edition shares the same objective of being the most valuable resource for technology product managers, yet it is completely new¯sharing the latest practices and techniques of today's most-successful tech product companies, and the men and women behind every great product. Read more

DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH YOUR WORK/LIFE BALANCE? Do you like the idea of running a lifestyle business, rather than putting in 15-hour days, day-after-day?If so, then this is the book for you.John Lamerton used to work 100+ hours a week, as he strived to become the next Alan Sugar or Richard Branson.Then he had kids, and everything changed - he now works part time, 20 to 25 hours per week as a self-styled "lazy entrepreneur".If you want to grow your small business, without having to learn complex marketing strategies, and without being told to simply “work harder than everyone else”, then “Big Ideas... for Small Businesses” could be the “lightbulb moment” you’ve been waiting for...This book is a collection of the lessons, failures and successes that John now uses to coach and mentor hundreds of small business owners, teaching them to think bigger, work less, and design their business around the lifestyle they want.SOME OF THE “BIG IDEAS” THAT YOU WILL DISCOVER:-Why the “Dragons” hate lifestyle businesses, and why you should love them- How almost anyone could become a millionaire in their lifetime, given just £200 a month.- Why John blames Richard Branson for his early failures- How to get clarity on your business strategy, and bring that into your daily routine.- How to sell a dozen eggs for over £500- The ONE thing that truly transformed John’s business- How to find, hire, (and fire!) your first employee.- Why every Luke Skywalker needs a Yoda.- EXACTLY how he made over £100k from ONE marketing campaign.- The five magic ingredients for success in almost any given field. JOHN LAMERTON is a lazy entrepreneur and investor. He mentors fellow ambitious lifestyle business owners, teaching them how to design their business around their lifestyle. He's the co-host of the Ambitious Lifestyle Business podcast, and a regular on BBC Radio. John is a down to earth businessman who is candid about the mistakes he made and why he believes he made them.Buy this book if you want to have a lifestyle business that gives you a better work/life balance... Read more

Value-creation in Middle Market Private Equity by John A. Lanier holistically examines the ecosystem relationships between middle market private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Small business is the job creating engine in the US economy, and consequently is a prime target market for private equity investment. Indeed, private equity backs over six of each 100 private sector jobs. Both the small businesses in which private equity firms invest, and the private equity firms making the investments, face inter- and intra-company fiduciary leadership challenges while implementing formulated strategy. The architecture of each private equity firm-portfolio company relationship must be uniquely crafted to capitalize on the projected return on investment that is memorialized in the investment thesis. Given the leveraged capital structure of portfolio companies, the cost of a misstep is problematic. Individual private equity professionals are typically members of multiple investment teams for the firm. Not only may each investment team have its own unique leadership style, but its diverse members have to assimilate styles for each team in which they participate relative to a specific portfolio company. Acquisitions and their subsequent integrations add exponential complexity for both private equity investment and portfolio company leadership teams; indeed, cultural integration ranks among the most chronic acquisition obstacles. Accordingly, the stakeholders of private equity transactions do well to embrace leadership best practices in applying value-creation toolbox best practices. The perspectives of both the private equity investment team and the portfolio company leadership team are within the scope of these chapters. Read more

The User Experience Team of One prescribes a range of approaches that have big impact and take less time and fewer resources than the standard lineup of UX deliverables. Whether you want to cross over into user experience or you're a seasoned practitioner trying to drag your organization forward, this book gives you tools and insight for doing more with less. Read more

This is the book for professionals in the payments industry. Written in an engaging and accessible style, it enables new and experienced payments practitioners alike to understand the fundamentals of the various payment ecosystems, and to quickly get up to speed on developments in the industry.From cards to bank and alternative payments, the jargon is debunked and myths are busted. For each ecosystem, a simple framework is used: mechanics, economics, risks, and future outlook, enabling comparison and the evaluation of the best applications in different scenarios. The book also provides an overview of the global regulatory landscape. Drawing on real examples throughout, it weaves together the underpinning ecosystem principles, legislation, and key stakeholders. It offers readers practical advice regarding, and insights into, the key disciplines and equips them with an understanding of the key issues and opportunities. Also including an extensive and comprehensive glossary of terms – the first of its kind in the payments industry – this book will be used as an essential reference for years to come. Understanding Payments will enable payments practitioners, private sector corporations, and regulators to keep up with a fast-evolving and extremely competitive industry. It can be used across businesses to help train staff and as part of continuing professional development, and will be useful to those involved in mergers and acquisitions, investors wanting to understand the industry, professional services firms, law firms and consultants, and policy makers. Read more

There is no single methodology for creating the perfect product-but you can increase your odds. One of the best ways is to understand users' reasons for doing things. Mental Models gives you the tools to help you grasp, and design for, those reasons. Adaptive Path co-founder Indi Young has written a roll-up-your-sleeves book for designers, managers, and anyone else interested in making design strategic, and successful. Read more

Discover how to build your wealth with this recession-proof business idea in 7 easy steps.Are you tired of living in the draining loop of work-eat-repeat?Do you want to leverage a new opportunity that can open the doors to more financial control and stability?Are you interested in making a legacy that can serve several generations to come?If you dream of living on your own terms, then you’ve come to the right place – you are about to discover how you can turn your expertise into a successful money-making model in just 7 easy steps!The global consulting industry is currently valued at nearly $132 billion, with revenues growing like clockwork in the last decade… and there’s no better time than now to dip your hands in this ocean of opportunities.What’s more encouraging is that the consulting industry is in dire need of more opportunists, and there’s plenty of room for you to hop on the bandwagon.Excited already? Well, we’ve just begun!Peppered with intriguing facts about the consulting industry and armed with practical strategies to succeed in the business, this guidebook will help you lay your path to success.Inside, you’ll discover:7 powerful strategies for setting up a lasting consulting business from scratchPowerful tips on achieving a winning mindset – uncover why only 1% of people succeed while others keep struggling for successA mini-guide on charting your course to success – assess and execute a bullet-proof business plan for achieving financial stabilityFull coverage on money-making tips in the consulting business – recommended by expertsKey highlights of the formalities you should consider when setting up your consulting business to avoid legal pitfallsHow to win your first clients – and how to build loyal relationships that last a lifetimeHow to start your own consultancy when you are low on finances (you can have your business up and running for less than $10,000!)And so much more!The consulting business has helped millions reach their goals, and you too can use it as the springboard for success!And what’s exciting is that you don’t even need to be an expert in the industry to strike success – simple, working knowledge of the industry coupled with the right business strategies will suffice.And with this guide by your side, you can multiply your chances of achieving your goals!So, what are you waiting for? Get geared towards building a fortune today!If you want to take control of your life by building a solid income source for yourself, then scroll up and click the “Add to Cart” button right now. Read more

We all tell stories. It's one of the most natural ways to share information, as old as the human race. This book is not about a new technique, but how to use something we already know in a new way. Stories help us gather and communicate user research, put a human face on analytic data, communicate design ideas, encourage collaboration and innovation, and create a sense of shared history and purpose. This book looks across the full spectrum of user experience design to discover when and how to use stories to improve our products. Whether you are a researcher, designer, analyst or manager, you will find ideas and techniques you can put to use in your practice. Read more

The authors of the international bestseller Business Model Generation explain how to create value propositions customers can’t resistValue Proposition Design helps you tackle a core challenge of every business — creating compelling products and services customers want to buy. This practical book, paired with its online companion, will teach you the processes and tools you need to succeed.Using the same stunning visual format as the authors’ global bestseller, Business Model Generation, this sequel explains how to use the “Value Proposition Canvas” a practical tool to design, test, create, and manage products and services customers actually want.Value Proposition Design is for anyone who has been frustrated by business meetings based on endless conversations, hunches and intuitions, expensive new product launches that blew up, or simply disappointed by the failure of a good idea. The book will help you understand the patterns of great value propositions, get closer to customers, and avoid wasting time with ideas that won’t work. You’ll learn the simple but comprehensive process of designing and testing value propositions, taking the guesswork out of creating products and services that perfectly match customers’ needs and desires.Practical exercises, illustrations and tools help you immediately improve your product, service, or new business idea. In addition the book gives you exclusive access to an online companion on Strategyzer.com. You will be able to complete interactive exercises, assess your work, learn from peers, and download pdfs, checklists, and more.Value Proposition Design complements and perfectly integrates with the ”Business Model Canvas” from Business Model Generation, a tool embraced by startups and large corporations such as MasterCard, 3M, Coca Cola, GE, Fujitsu, LEGO, Colgate-Palmolive, and many more.Value Proposition Design gives you a proven methodology for success, with value propositions that sell, embedded in profitable business models. Read more