From Start-Up to Scale-Up: Growth Stage Wisdom From Tommi Forsstrom, CPO at Workstep

CRAFTED. | The Tech Podcast for Founders, Makers, and Innovators

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“Their revenue growth is stalling. Their cost of mistakes is going up, and everything is stalling and slowing and getting harder.” For most people that doesn’t sound like a job opportunity with much appeal, but it’s the point where Tommi Forsstrom usually joins a startup. Tommi is a product management executive who specializes in helping companies navigate “the growth stage,” that adolescent era of startup development where a company has found product-market fit and needs to scale – and to do that they need to make some hard choices.

On this episode, Tommi walks us through the awkward years just after a startup becomes a scale-up, and breaks down how he shepherds a company to the next level. Tommi will share his framework with us, how hard it is to “shove rabbits back into hats” and kill products, and the tough choices he made as VP of Product at Teachable. Plus, how he’s building software to help frontline workers as Chief Product Officer at Workstep. We also hear how Tommi approaches career growth, with practical tips for job seekers.

This is Crafted from Artium: a show about great products, and the people who make them. At Artium, we help startups and enterprises build incredible products, recruit high-performing teams, and achieve the culture of craft they need to build great software long after we’re gone. Check us out at thisisartium.com

Mentioned on the show:

- How To Choose a Job Like a Real Product Person, from Tommi’s blog.
https://medium.com/@forssto/how-to-choose-a-job-like-a-real-product-person-a90d59248886

Help improve CRAFTED. Please take this quick 5m survey. You might win a prize. Thanks!