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In this episode, I share another 10 must-read essays that continue to shape how I think about product, startups, and career.

Whether you’re scaling a startup, leading a team, or sharpening your thinking, this episode will expand your perspective and give you practical tools you can use immediately.

Listen now:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lennysreads

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lennys-reads/id1810314693

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IIunA06qMtrcQLfypTooj

Substack: https://lennysreads.com/

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why solving the right problem for the right audience is obvious - yet essential

• Why leaders must take full responsibility for any communication discrepancies

• How to use the SCQA (Situation, Complication, Question, Answer) framework for concise, persuasive messaging

• Why sales, often overlooked, is critical to your product’s success

• A tremendously clarifying way to think about your market

• The four types of “fit” every startup needs

• What we get wrong about our definition of a startup

• How to start giving away your Legos

• How reframing what you’re selling can strengthen your positioning

• What “Schlep blindness” is - and how founders can avoid it

References:

References:

• Building Products: https://medium.com/the-year-of-the-looking-glass/building-products-91aa93bea4bb

• Communication is the Job: https://boz.com/articles/communication-is-the-job

• Distribution: https://a16z.com/distribution/

• Eigenquestions: The Art of Framing Problems: https://coda.io/@shishir/eigenquestions-the-art-of-framing-problems

• Executive Communication: https://www.heavybit.com/library/video/executive-communication/

• Give Away Your Legos: https://review.firstround.com/give-away-your-legos-and-other-commandments-for-scaling-startups/

• How to Work with Designers: https://medium.com/the-year-of-the-looking-glass/how-to-work-with-designers-6c975dede146

• Product Management Mental Models for Everyone: https://blackboxofpm.com/product-management-mental-models-for-everyone-31e7828cb50b

• Schlep Blindness: https://www.paulgraham.com/schlep.html

• Startup = Growth: https://paulgraham.com/growth.html

• The Four Fits: https://brianbalfour.com/four-fits-growth-framework

• The Market Curve: https://medium.com/sequoia-capital/the-market-curve-44097b626f6d

• The Next Feature Fallacy: https://andrewchen.com/the-next-feature-fallacy-the-fallacy-that-the-next-new-feature-will-suddenly-make-people-use-your-product/

• We Don’t Sell Saddles Here: https://medium.com/@stewart/we-dont-sell-saddles-here-4c59524d650d

• What Makes a Strong Product Culture?: https://www.bringthedonuts.com/essays/what-makes-a-strong-product-culture/

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Essential reading for product builders—part 2

Lenny's Reads