Diana Stepner's Profile
Diana Stepner
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#productcohort-diana - April 21, 2025 at 04:01 PM
Hi! If you are building a product with AI, here are a few interesting quotes from a with the CPO of OpenAI re: how to build for the future...
• When you're talking about databases, I bet the database you used this year is probably 5% better than the database you used two years ago, but that's not true at all with AI. It's like every two months computers can do something they've never been able to do before and you need to completely think differently about what you're doing.
• Everything we're used to with computers is about giving a computer very defined inputs. You're confident that if you do the same thing three times, you're going to get the same output three times. LLMs are completely different from that. You probably get spiritually the same answer for the same question, but you don't get the same answer every time.
• We point ourselves in a direction so that we have some rough sense of alignment. I don't for a second believe that what we write down in the roadmap documents is what we're going to actually ship three months from now, let alone six or nine. But that's okay. It's like the Eisenhower quote, "Plans are useless. Planning is helpful,". We're going to throw out the roadmap halfway because we will have learned new things. The moment of planning is helpful even if it's only partially.
• We use ensembles of models much more internally than people might think. If we have 10 different problems, we might solve them using 20 different model calls, some of which are using specialized fine-tuned models, using custom prompts for each one. You want to break the problem down into more specific tasks versus some broader set of high level tasks. And then you can use models very specifically to get very good at each individual thing. And then you have an ensemble that tackles the whole thing.
#10_brandmarketingcohort-lysle - April 17, 2025 at 12:00 AM
#10_brandmarketingcohort-lysle - April 16, 2025 at 07:18 PM
doesn't work for me. I already have the Zoom app downloaded as well. no luck
#10_brandmarketingcohort-lysle - April 16, 2025 at 07:02 PM
Zoom is being funky ... hope to be in the call soon...
#productcohort-diana - April 09, 2025 at 03:56 PM
There is so much happening in the product space today. A great from Andrew Chen from A16Z highlights how important your product is today. Quotes [especially Product is (unfortunately) King] that stood out to me were:
• So I have bad news: Your product actually has to be very good. I wish I lived in a world where you could have amazing marketing and growth strategies, have a shitty product, and you would win. Then marketers would run tech, and they do not. It’s the people visionaries that create the products that run tech, and that’s a good thing!
• The reason is that even if you do a ton of work to acquire a bunch of users, it won’t matter if they leak out of the DAU (daily active user) number. I’ve come to think of great marketing strategy as a multiplier effect on your inherent product quality. If you have a great product, you will multiply that into greatness. If you have a shitty product, you will multiply that into… well, you get it.
#03_events - April 07, 2025 at 05:52 PM
Thank you for sharing the slides. Sorry I missed the session. Great points!
#productcohort-diana - March 31, 2025 at 04:48 PM
After a great call with <@U08CN7ATAD8>, I wanted to share an article on product sense. It's a mysterious skill every product leader needs but few can define. I wrote an article on what it actually is, how you develop it (spoiler: it's not overnight!), and why it needs constant refreshing to stay relevant.
At its core, product sense combines two critical abilities:
1. Customer empathy – deeply understanding what makes a high-quality product for your specific users
2. Creative judgment – having strong, validated opinions about what solutions will succeed
It's the skill that helps you:
- Identify important customer problems worth solving
- Build compelling strategies to address those problems
- Know which features to prioritize in new products
- Enhance existing products to better meet user needs
- Interpret data to achieve product-market fit
To learn more visit
#10_brandmarketingcohort-lysle - March 24, 2025 at 06:18 PM
A friend shared an article which includes the power of Brand. Sharing as it aligns with the impactful sessions we've experienced with @Lysle Wickersham -->
#08_advice-questions - March 14, 2025 at 07:04 PM
Well connected group. 🙂 I'm a leadership coach and tend to focus on people in & around product. Happy to chat with your client. I'm and
#productcohort-diana - March 11, 2025 at 01:49 AM
Have you heard of Vibe Coding? Here is an intro and what It means for Product
• What is it?
◦ Vibe coding is a new way of building software using AI, where people give simple instructions (like "make the button bigger" or "add a login page"), and the AI generates the code automatically. This means that building software is becoming faster, easier, and more accessible—even for people who don’t know how to code.
• Why It Matters?
1. More People Can Build Software
◦ AI will handle most of the coding, meaning more non-technical people will be able to create software.
◦ Just as social media made everyone a content creator, AI-powered coding will allow more people to build apps and tools.
2. From Coding to Visual Building
◦ Today, vibe coding mostly happens with text-based commands, like chatting with ChatGPT.
◦ In the future, it will shift to visual tools, where PMs and designers can simply describe the experience they want, and AI will build it with no engineering required.
3. Software Becomes Disposable & Customizable
◦ Instead of relying on standard tools and libraries, AI will generate custom code for every project, making software more adaptable.
◦ Imagine tweaking an app like you edit a Google Doc, making changes in real-time without needing an engineer.
4. The Role of PMs Will Evolve
◦ Less focus on “how” things are built (since AI handles the code).
◦ More focus on defining the right problem and desired outcomes (e.g., “make signup easier” instead of “add a progress bar”).
◦ Software will adapt itself based on user behavior rather than following fixed rules set by engineers.
5. Changes in Team Structures
◦ If AI makes coding cheaper and faster, engineering-heavy teams may shrink, while roles like PMs and designers could become even more critical.
◦ However, demand for software could explode, leading to even more engineers building at a much faster pace.
6. AI in Marketing & Sales
◦ Just as AI can generate code, it can also automate marketing and sales.
◦ Imagine giving AI a simple goal like “market our app to Gen Z,” and it automatically creates social content, buys ads, and runs influencer campaigns.
7. Challenges & Risks
◦ AI-generated software is still messy—handling complex business rules, security, and edge cases is difficult.
◦ Many early AI-built products feel low quality, but just like AI images/videos improved quickly, software will get better fast.
• What This Means for the Future
◦ Less time managing engineers, more time guiding AI tools to build products.
◦ Faster prototyping and iteration, making user feedback even more important.
◦ A shift from shipping features to defining goals and letting AI optimize them.
AI-driven development won’t replace PMs, but it will change how we work. Instead of asking engineers to build things, we may soon describe what we want, let AI create it, and refine it based on user feedback. 🚀
#08_advice-questions - February 13, 2025 at 08:26 PM
Building on the respecting their time comment --> start and end meetings on time.
Capture notes + actions. Send the actions the same day in which the meeting occurred.
Provide the client with visibility into the running action list -- review during each call.
Identify what tools the client uses already. When possible use the client's tools to make sharing and communication as seamless as possible. e.g. if they do not use WhatsApp, find out what they use instead.
#productcohort-diana - February 13, 2025 at 12:23 AM
If you feel stuck when building or maintaining a product, have you considered your team may not be aligned? They hear the same words, but the interpretation might differ from what you expected.
Prompt --> How can you ensure your team members are aligned?
Teams often lack a shared goal, context, and language when being formed. This can be devastating later on, if not resolved.
The Team Alignment Map, created by Stefano Mastrogiacomo, is a visual tool that allows participants to prepare for action: hold more productive meetings and structure the content of their conversations. It can help teams have more productive kickoffs, with better engagement and increased business success.
Each building block illustrates essential information to be discussed with your team. Identifying perception gaps early on can prevent you from being misaligned without even knowing it.
A copy is attached. Enjoy!
#10_brandmarketingcohort-lysle - February 13, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Excited as well!!!
#productcohort-diana - January 28, 2025 at 03:01 AM
Insight to wrap up January and begin February. It's a preview of our discussion for May - Innovation Roundtable Session 5 - Foundation for Product Development.
Successful product development hinges on three core elements: observation, action, and feedback.
1. Observation
a. Start by studying successful products and leaders in your category (there are always competitors) to understand their approaches
b. Gather diverse perspectives from customers and stakeholders.
2. Action
a. Embrace rapid prototyping and iteration rather than seeking perfection - quality emerges from quantity of attempts.
b. Break complex features into smaller, testable steps and focus on critical (most risky) needs first.
3. Feedback
a. Create tight feedback loops by sharing examples and getting real user feedback.
b. Both products and product skills develop in phases - from initial understanding, through experimentation, to optimization
c. Be prepared to unlearn and adapt strategies as customer + market needs evolve.
#00_announcements - January 17, 2025 at 04:56 PM
Not sure how to respond to this as I'm a product leader 😉
#10_brandmarketingcohort-lysle - January 16, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Loved the session @Lysle Wickersham. Looking forward to the next one in February! It's saved in my calendar 🙂
#08_advice-questions - January 08, 2025 at 09:09 PM
Hi! I am using Notion to document / capture everything. I'm also a fan of Jasper and Granola for note capturing w/o a bot.
Other folks really like
For me, I'm a fan of starting each day by identifying what is the ONE work thing I must do today.
#local-bayarea - January 08, 2025 at 05:00 PM
Hi! If you're in town next Wednesday (Feb 15th), you're invited to a book launch. We're celebrating the launch of my book - . Looking forward to seeing you there!
#productcohort-diana - January 08, 2025 at 04:00 PM
My first BIG NEWS to kick off 2025! I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my new book, , written in collaboration with two incredible co-authors, is now live on !
Sharing this news with you all as I'm a start-up founder too. The product is "me". Get excited to apply the upcoming branding expertise from @Lysle Wickersham to the product your startup is delivering - whether it be a service, software, or something else.
Looking forward to learning together!
#productcohort-diana - January 06, 2025 at 04:28 PM
Welcome to 2025! As we look ahead to the year, keep in mind building a business is like building yourself - both are products of your experiences. Instead of waiting for a year end of a new year to reflect, get started today. Why? The most successful products - whether businesses or personal growth - are built through deliberate, incremental improvements (aka consistent small steps).
I was reading recently (I built my business on Saturdays while working full-time), and he posed a powerful question:
"What's the most obvious thing I could do today to make my business better?"
This reminded me of product development. We often overlook small improvements because they seem too minor. But these tiny changes compound over time. The same applies to personal growth. You are a product - constantly evolving, learning, and improving through experiences.
Here's what I've learned:
• Your business is your product - it reflects your learnings, experiences, and passions.
• Your goal is to solve problems and improve lives - whether through your business or personal growth.
• Both paths have ups and downs. Both require consistent small improvements.
So choose a question to ask yourself today:
• What's one small experiment you could run to improve your customer experience?
• What minor enhancement have you been postponing because it seemed too small?
• What tiny step could you take to improve yourself?
#08_advice-questions - December 23, 2024 at 06:56 PM
@Austin Lortie - thank you so much for the recommend. Charles sounds perfect. 🌟 Greatly appreciated!!!!
#08_advice-questions - December 20, 2024 at 09:43 PM
Hi! Does anyone have a lawyer they recommend who is familiar with the healthcare space? A startup friend is hoping to speak with a lawyer who is familiar with home health, health insurance and regulatory requirements. Thank you!!!
#productcohort-diana - December 19, 2024 at 08:58 PM
Hi! As we get ready to wrap up 2024, I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Holidays! 🎉 I'm excited to kick off our product community journey together in the New Year! This channel is all about learning how to discover, define, develop, and deliver you product. We'll focus on on the sweet spot where customer needs meet business value.
My background spans 20+ years of product management across various industries, from emerging media to education technology. I've led teams through digital transformation, built products from 0 to 1, and navigated enterprise organizations. Currently, I write a , coach product people + leaders, and advise startups on building customer-centric, scalable products.
Until our product sessions kick off later in 2025 🌟, I'll be sharing product info in this channel to kick off the learning and discussions, covering topics like:
- Creating effective company + product strategy stacks
- Navigating the balance between empowerment and execution
- Incorporating AI thoughtfully into your product development
What excites me most about this channel is the opportunity to learn from each other. Product is a team sport - we go farther together. Whether you're just starting your journey or looking to level up your knowledge, this channel will provide a place to grow together. Reach out with any product questions that come to mind. Thanks!
Have specific product challenges you'd like to tackle? Topics you want to explore? Drop them in the comments below or reach out directly at [email]. Let's shape this learning journey together!
Looking forward to exploring the art and science of product management with you all!
ProductLeadership #ProductManagement #CommunityLearning
#03_events - November 05, 2024 at 07:39 PM
Hi! A reminder about an event next week, I'm running an Innovation Roundtable on "Time Management and Mental Health". Definitely well timed! To register . We'll start with a bit of a share out and then dive into questions such as...
• What specific time management techniques have you found most effective in balancing your work and personal life as a founder? Can you share a particular method or tool that has significantly improved your productivity?
• What has been the most difficult part of your professional journey the past 12 months?
• Do you incorporate any mindfulness or mental health practices, such as meditation, exercise, or therapy, into your daily routine? How do these practices influence your overall productivity and well-being?
Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday, November 12 from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PST!
#08_advice-questions - October 04, 2024 at 07:14 AM
@Christine Blyth Hi! I also have some resources from my coaching program that I'd be happy to share with you. They start by be diving a bit deeper into yourself to then surface where you would like to focus. DM if you'd like me to send them over to you and/or do a chat. Thanks!
#04_resources - September 17, 2024 at 07:59 PM
Very very cool and exciting!!!
#03_events - August 15, 2024 at 11:09 PM
Hi! Not yet, stay tuned 🙂
#03_events - August 15, 2024 at 06:51 PM
Wonderful to see everyone who joined the August Innovation Roundtable today. Big thank you to @Nathan Bucci @Brian Bohley and @Trevor Robinson for capturing highlights from each breakout group.
SUMMARY
• We voted, then discussed the top two topics.
• Key takeaways for each topic were:
◦ (1) Brand Building and Storytelling:
▪︎ Recognize the distinct challenges between building a brand from scratch and entering an established market
• When building a marketplace, balance addressing existing market interests with introducing new value propositions
▪︎ Craft compelling narratives that resonate with your target audience to attract high-quality leads
• Consider geographic challenges, especially with distribution and financing
◦ (2) Identifying Optimal Revenue Channels:
▪︎ Deeply understand your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) to inform your marketing and channel strategies
• Personal experience with your target market can be a significant advantage
• Consider not just profitability, but also your preferences for working with certain channels
▪︎ Align your milestones with specific channel requirements
• Factor in customer retention and quality of service when selecting channels
• Some channels require a critical mass before they become effective, so timing is crucial
◦ General Insights:
▪︎ When pivoting, consider moving towards markets or problems you understand well or have personal experience with
• Avoid the "spray and pray" approach in marketing; instead, focus on identifying and targeting those who resonate with you and your brand
▪︎ Revenue channel selection involves multiple considerations and should align with your overall business strategy
• The choice of industry and vertical can significantly impact your success
#local-bayarea - July 12, 2024 at 08:35 PM
San Francisco - near the baseball stadium
#02_general - June 28, 2024 at 02:07 PM
Hi! From the Andromeda innovation cohort meet & greet yesterday, one top of mind topic is mental heath / wellbeing for ourselves and our teams. Although they aren’t the same thing, psychological safety and wellbeing are strongly connected, even interdependent. As you grow your organization, consider how you can build both, and know that efforts to improve one should also improve the other. Doing so will create workplaces where we’re all far more likely to thrive, both personally and professionally. To read the full post check out Enjoy!
#01_introductions - May 29, 2024 at 02:32 AM
Great name @Diana Martins 🙂
#06_social - December 29, 2023 at 06:21 PM
How about all the above / all the emojis 🙂
#05_opportunities - October 29, 2023 at 04:01 PM
@Peter Pellizzari Hi! I'm looking forward to the discussion too 🙂 I will note, my background is in Higher Ed from Pearson and now K12 with CZI. As you noted, workforce readiness is definitely a theme that crosses throughout.
#03_events - July 25, 2023 at 01:49 AM
Hi! Can we share the LinkedIn event with friends who would be great Gildre members 🙂
#06_social - July 21, 2023 at 01:02 AM
Lean into your strengths. Everyone is unique. Everyone has super powers.
#01_introductions - June 14, 2023 at 02:15 AM
Thank you!
#01_introductions - June 08, 2023 at 01:50 AM
Hi! Great to be part of the Gildre Community. I'm Diana Stepner and am based in San Francisco. My background is in Product Management and Product Leadership. I'm excited about the opportunity mentor and give back to the community.