Product Strategy Mock Interview with Eashan Kadam, Product Manager at Exponentia.ai

Summary

In this insightful video, Ishaan Kadam, a product manager at Exponential AI, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the billboard industry. He identifies the industry as under-monetized and suggests innovative solutions to enhance its reach and efficiency. Ishaan leverages his tech background and passion for product design to explore strategies that could revolutionize billboard advertising, emphasizing the importance of understanding both supply and demand dynamics in the market.

Takeaways

• 😀 Isshaan Kadam is a product manager at Exponential AI, a tech startup, and has a passion for solving product management interview questions.
• 🏢 The discussion revolves around identifying opportunities in the billboard industry, which is considered under-monetized.
• 📊 The industry is fragmented with various stakeholders, including real estate owners and big brands interested in advertising.
• 📈 The main pain points identified are scheduling inefficiencies, information asymmetry, lack of pricing transparency, and a non-uniform auction process.
• 📝 The process of booking a billboard involves a bidding mechanism, which can be complex due to the lack of a centralized system.
• 📊 Google's capabilities, such as Adsense, Maps, and traffic data, are suggested as tools to address the industry's challenges.
• 🛠️ Suggested features for a solution include a campaign manager integrated with Google's ecosystem, location-based recommendations, bid price transparency, and a calendar view for campaign management.
• 🔑 Prioritization of features is crucial, starting with registration for billboard providers and then building out the platform for brands.
• 📈 Metrics for success include the number of billboard providers registered, days booked out in a year, and the creation of new Adsense accounts.
• 🤝 The importance of understanding client needs and goals in a B2B context is highlighted, emphasizing the need for personalization and feedback.
• 💡 The session underscores the complexity of improving an existing ecosystem and the need for a nuanced approach to product management.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the video?

The main topic of discussion is the exploration of the billboard industry's under-monetization and the potential for improvement, particularly from a product management perspective.

Who is Ishaan Kadam and what is his current role?

Ishaan Kadam is a guest in the video and a friend of the host from ISB. He is currently working as a product manager at a tech startup called Exponential AI.

What is the issue with the current billboard industry according to the discussion?

The issue is that the billboard industry is under-monetized, possibly due to inefficient selling, lack of awareness about the business, or other unidentified problems.

What is the proposed approach to identify the reasons for under-monetization in the billboard industry?

The approach involves identifying pain points for each stakeholder in the industry and considering the core competencies of a company like Google to address these issues.

What are some of the key stakeholders in the billboard industry mentioned in the script?

The key stakeholders include billboard real estate owners, big brands interested in advertising, and possibly unicorn startups.

What is the process for booking a billboard as described in the script?

The process involves a number on the billboard that interested parties can call, followed by a bidding mechanism where multiple parties can place bids for booking the billboard for a certain period.

What are some of the pain points identified for the billboard real estate providers?

Some pain points include scheduling difficulties due to unpredictable demand, information asymmetry, lack of pricing transparency, and the absence of a uniform auction process.

How does Ishaan suggest leveraging Google's ecosystem to address the billboard industry's challenges?

Ishaan suggests using Google's Adsense for campaign management, Maps for location data, and leveraging Google's traffic and demographic data to provide insights for advertisers.

What features does Ishaan propose for the campaign management tool for brands interested in billboard advertising?

Proposed features include a map locator for billboards, integration with existing campaign management tools, bid price recommendations, and a calendar view for campaign planning.

What success metrics does Ishaan discuss for evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed solutions?

Success metrics include the total number of billboard providers registered, the number of unique locations registered, the number of days a billboard is booked out in a year, and the number of bids and campaigns processed.

How does Ishaan differentiate between performance metrics and goal-oriented metrics in his role as a product manager?

Ishaan differentiates by focusing on sales closures and feature demand for performance metrics, while goal-oriented metrics involve understanding client needs, customer satisfaction, and engagement, often gathered through direct client feedback and interactions.