Lenny’s Podcast193 min
Eric Ries · Oct 29, 2023
Key learnings- Treat a startup as an experiment: state the hypothesis, identify the leap-of-faith assumptions, and design the cheapest test that…
- An MVP is defined by the hypothesis being tested, not by a fixed level of stripped-down quality; it can be a brochure, a…
- Quality is defined by the customer, so teams that don't know their customer can't really know what a quality bar means; get early…
Lenny’s Podcast136 min
Eric Ries, Lean Startup author · May 10, 2026
Key learnings- Protect your company's mission structurally from day one; waiting for success or later fundraises makes these protections…
- Check your own corporate charter and governance documents, since most founders never read them and may have signed away mission…
- Consider filing as a public benefit corporation with a specific purpose statement; it's a simple filing that defends against…
Product Talk · Teresa TorresDec 6, 2011
Dec 6, 2011 · 3 min
Teresa Torres argues that great product management means thinking from the whole business's perspective: a product must not only please customers but also earn money from them, which is the hardest part. She recommends…
SVPG · Marty CaganJun 1, 2010
Jun 1, 2010 · 3 min
Marty Cagan introduces four thought leaders whose blogs he finds valuable for product people, many of whom were relatively new voices in 2010. He profiles Ben Horowitz, Eric Ries, Steve Blank, and Fred Wilson…
SVPG · Marty CaganOct 13, 2011
Oct 13, 2011 · 5 min
Marty Cagan reviews Eric Ries's book "The Lean Startup" and argues it is one of the best product books in years, relevant to both new and experienced product people and not only early-stage startups. He notes Ries…
SVPG · Marty CaganJun 30, 2026
Jun 30, 2026 · 4 min
Marty Cagan argues that great products are necessary but not sufficient for a great company, because a company known for strong products attracts predatory investors and executives who strip value for quick financial…
SVPG · Marty CaganAug 24, 2011
Aug 24, 2011 · 3 min
Marty Cagan argues that the term minimum viable product is used so inconsistently that it confuses product teams, and proposes a clearer working definition. He defines an MVP as the smallest product that is valuable…
Product Talk · Teresa TorresMay 24, 2013
May 24, 2013 · 3 min
Torres argues that all-time totals, like lifetime registered users, are rarely useful because they only go up and hide whether a product is improving or declining. The right measure depends on choosing a time increment…
Product Talk · Teresa TorresJan 30, 2014
Jan 30, 2014 · 4 min
Teresa Torres argues that once a product's success funnel converts well, the next step is growth, but only after that funnel is healthy; otherwise acquiring users just wastes time, energy and money. She introduces two…
SVPG · Marty CaganDec 11, 2011
Dec 11, 2011
Marty Cagan argues that popular product measurement tools, such as product scorecards and Eric Ries's 'innovation accounting', are valuable for focusing on outcomes but are insufficient on their own. Measuring only…
Lenny’s Newsletter · Free post♥ 75
Oct 29, 2019 · 10 min
This weekly Q&A from Lenny Rachitsky covers three reader questions: how to communicate a failed MVP to leadership, how a product manager can persuade a founder to change a core idea under board pressure, and what to…
Product Talk · Teresa TorresMar 16, 2022
Mar 16, 2022 · 7 min
Teresa Torres argues that effective product teams should pair two discovery activities every week: continuous customer interviewing to find opportunities, and assumption testing to evaluate solutions. Visualizing this…