Navigating Success in Tech with Ben Foster: Lessons from Prodify’s Co-founder
2024-05-06
Ben Foster is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at Prodify. He is convinced that product is the single, most important success driver for tech companies, which is why he founded Prodify, to share what he learned from being an advisor to over 50 tech companies and to continue helping others realize their full potential. Foster has led successful technology products for the last 25 years. He cut his teeth at eBay during its heyday, then moved to product leadership roles at Opower, GoCanvas, and most recently as CPO of WHOOP. He has been featured on several product podcasts, spoken at top product events, lectured at HBS, and co-authored the book Build What Matters.
[00:00] Introduction – Phil Better introduces the episode and special guest, Ben Foster.
[00:01:49] Guest Highlight – Phil Better outlines Ben Foster's experience and career.
[00:02:07] Ben's Background – Ben Foster shares his journey in the technology and Silicon Valley ecosystem.
[00:04:19] Entry into Silicon Valley – Ben discusses how he stumbled into the Silicon Valley world and his early roles.
[00:06:52] Transition to Prodify – Ben explains why he co-founded Prodify and shifted to advising tech startups.
[00:09:26] Advice to Younger Self – Ben reflects on advice he would give to his 10-year-old self.
[00:11:10] Business Authenticity – Ben applies lessons from his past to the business world.
[00:17:10] Being a Disruptor – Ben explains how to effectively disrupt a market through customer focus.
[00:21:07] Establishing a Gold Standard – Ben talks about building a reputable consultancy and customer relations.
[00:24:09] Consulting Wisdom – Ben offers advice for entrepreneurs in consulting about spreading reputation and word-of-mouth.
[00:25:11] Future Goals – Ben shares his long-term mission of imparting knowledge to the next generation of product managers.
[00:27:04] Writing Build What Matters – Discussion about Ben's book and the motivations behind writing it.
[00:30:05] Closing Remarks – Ben provides contact information and Phil Better concludes the episode.
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