Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan are founders, angel investors, and product leaders who host the podcast Aarthi and Sriram’s Good Time Show. They have both held leadership roles at major technology companies including Meta, Twitter, Snap, Microsoft, and Netflix.
Aarthi and Sriram share their lessons from past failures, their experience building communities, and their techno-optimism, and Sriram offers his hot take on the Jobs to Be Done framework.
Specific objectives
Instead of relying on the Jobs-to-be-Done framework, businesses should focus on specific objectives that benefit the user, like Facebook’s goal of getting users to have 10 friends in 14 days, to achieve success.
Putting yourself out there and taking risks can open up unexpected and valuable opportunities, as demonstrated by Sriram Krishnan and Aarthi Ramamurthy’s experience hosting Elon Musk on their podcast after cold messaging him on Twitter.
Tips for career success and opportunities
- Technology has uplifted people’s careers and lives, democratized access to information and communication, and is the best way to get ahead. It is also important to have structured thoughts and networking skills to build a personal brand.
- Building genuine relationships and highlighting your strengths can lead to more opportunities and career success. Don’t just focus on doing your job well; also focus on building a personal brand and determining your values and goals.
- Dedicate time each week to connecting with peers and being genuinely curious about their interests. Create value through your work and outreach efforts, and success and valuable connections will naturally follow.
Building a community
- Building a community is like hosting a party, curating the right mix of people, and creating rituals to build a sense of belonging. It takes time and effort, but it can be incredibly rewarding.
- To build a strong community, choose the right people, actively participate, and share your knowledge and experiences. Don’t let fear hold you back; prioritize your physical and mental wellbeing through diet and exercise.
- Practice every day; don’t worry about talking about your journey and what you’re learning; be relatable; don’t censor yourself; persevere and improve; but also acknowledge areas where you need to grow.
Imposter syndrome
When battling imposter syndrome, retreat to a place where you feel mastery and start building from there. Don’t compare yourself to others, focus on doing the work, and gain credibility and respect to combat feelings of inadequacy.
Embrace your strengths, communicate well, and don’t let weaknesses hold you back. Overcome imposter syndrome by realizing others are not constantly scrutinizing you. Learn to lead by studying successful executives.
Aarthi Ramamurthy
The best way to build your personal brand is to be authentic and consistent. You have to share your thoughts and opinions, your wins and losses, your learnings and insights. You have to be yourself and show your personality.
Meeting the CEO
When meeting with a CEO or team, clarify the purpose of the meeting, practice good hygiene, articulate opinions clearly, be willing to be overruled, and have regular rhythmic meetings for less stressful decision-making.
Keep your business on track and avoid distractions by staying focused on your customers and what works for your product, rather than getting sidetracked by trendy ideas that don’t fit your business model. Have a clear exit strategy and be willing to pivot or pull the plug on experiments if they aren’t working out.
Build a social media platform
Social networks can greatly benefit by attracting high-status individuals who are underserved by existing platforms. By doing so, others will join to listen and engage with them, leading to more users and establishing the network.
To build a successful social media platform, focus on identifying unique and underserved high-status individuals with a specific set of skills rather than relying solely on established celebrities from other platforms. Foster home-grown talent to cultivate a culture of techno-optimism.
Building a strong network
Building a strong network involves doing great work, being curious about others, showcasing your talents, creating value, and bringing interesting people together to learn from and support each other; it is more than just attending networking events.
When starting an online community, focus on finding a small, passionate niche group and consider monetization. Foster trust and connection with intimate groups, but ensure clarity about the community’s purpose.
Navigating the tech industry
When navigating the tech industry, remember that the market is bigger than any individual or team. Trust your intuition, especially when it goes against more senior employees. Follow the market rather than fighting it.
Product success is complicated, and the jobs-to-be-done framework oversimplifies the process. Listen to your instincts and consider all parameters and trade-offs when building a product.
The best way to work with Zuck is to be prepared and direct. You have to know your data, your goals, and your trade-offs. You have to be clear about what you want, what you need, and what you expect
You have to see how technology can solve problems, create opportunities, and improve lives. You have to believe that the future can be better than the present.
Focus on your strengths
- Create content that showcases your true expertise and interests, and avoid projecting a false persona. Start small by writing about niche topics you know well and continue improving your skills over time. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.
- Instead of fixing weaknesses, identify and focus on your strengths to build confidence and a sustainable business. Feedback should emphasize and build upon your strengths rather than solely focusing on areas for improvement.
