Featuring:  

Kim Phelan, VP of Product at ChargeLab

Paul Sham, Lead Product Manager at Glassdoor

The Toronto Product Management Association (TPMA) hosted its November event, "Product Predictions: From Corporate Theatre to Strategic Tool," in partnership with Electric Mind, who shared their inspiring journey of evolving from a deep engineering focus to offering holistic product solutions, aligning perfectly with TPMA’s mission to elevate product management craft across the GTA.

The evening featured thought-provoking discussions, insightful keynotes, and invaluable networking opportunities, thanks to our venue sponsor, Electric Mind, and event sponsors The Product Recruiter and Lightster.
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Welcome & Introductions

Electric Mind highlighted their commitment to bridging strategy, design, and engineering, emphasizing collaboration with the product community. TPMA welcomed both returning and new members, spotlighting its diverse initiatives, including the mentorship program, educational bursaries, and the newly introduced Community Builder membership—offering exclusive perks like discounts on coaching, events, and more.

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Keynote 1: Kim Phelan – Debunking Product Predictions Myths
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Kim Phelan, VP of Product at ChargeLab, brought 25 years of product management expertise to the stage, shedding light on two common myths:
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1. Predicting Financial Impact
   Kim illustrated the pitfalls of overconfident financial projections with real-world examples:some text
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   • Validation is Key: Engage users with early betas to ensure they’ll adopt and pay for your product.
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   • Data-Driven Funnels: Break down user journeys into funnels to identify incremental improvement opportunities, as she did at Loblaw Digital’s Marketplace team.
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   • Avoid Over-Optimism: Product success takes time, iteration, and continuous learning.

Her example of creating a Salesforce integration at Achievers emphasized the gap between customer interest and actual purchase decisions, stressing the need for rigorous validation before committing resources.
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2. The Roadmap Predictability Trap
   Kim shared strategies for balancing flexibility and structure:
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   • The Rocks and Jars Framework: Focus on the “big rocks” (critical projects), while leaving room for “pebbles and sand” (smaller initiatives) that can flex.
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   • Outcome-Based Thinking: Transition to roadmaps that prioritize measurable goals over arbitrary deadlines.
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   • Building Trust: Demonstrate consistent results to earn stakeholder confidence and move toward more flexible planning.
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Kim’s engaging examples, such as managing Marketplace features for Loblaw Digital and pioneering e-commerce initiatives, showcased her pragmatic approach to delivering impactful results in complex environments.
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Keynote 2: Paul Sham – Painting the Future Amid Uncertainty
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Paul Sham, Lead Product Manager at Glassdoor, reflected on leading innovation during the integration of Fishbowl. Tasked with launching video capabilities to attract broader audiences, Paul outlined a framework for navigating uncertainty:
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1. Building Trust: Paul emphasized the importance of transparency and collaboration. Through consistent communication with leadership, engineering, and design teams, he aligned stakeholders around a shared vision.
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2. Launching a Bold Bet: Glassdoor’s shift from text-based content to video required significant strategy shifts. Paul’s team relied on small experiments, alpha/beta testing, and rapid iteration to validate assumptions and refine the product.
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3. Managing Scope: Delivering a true MVP was critical. Paul advocated cutting scope until it hurt, focusing only on essential features for the initial launch while building a foundation for future iterations.
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4. The Tension Exercise: To align teams, Paul led an innovative exercise comparing current and desired product approaches. This collaborative activity helped define where Glassdoor could win in the competitive landscape, fostering alignment across teams.
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Paul’s story of introducing video at Glassdoor highlighted the importance of balancing calculated risks with agility, showcasing how bold moves can drive meaningful innovation.

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Key Takeaways

• Outcome-Focused Roadmaps: Both Kim and Paul emphasized the importance of delivering measurable results rather than adhering to rigid timelines.
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• Trust & Transparency: Trust is a currency in product leadership. Earn it by delivering consistently, communicating clearly, and engaging stakeholders in meaningful ways.
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• Iterative Innovation: Whether refining funnels or launching new features, success stems from small, data-driven iterations that build toward larger goals.

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Thank You to All Attendees and Volunteers!
We extend our gratitude to Electric Mind for hosting and to the incredible TPMA volunteers who make these events possible. Your feedback shapes our future programming—let us know what you’d like to see next year.

Until next time, keep building, iterating, and innovating!
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