It should be easy for app users to give feedback. Like, really easy. A couple clicks- boom boom. But in order for it to be most valuable for Product, that feedback must come stapled with awesome context and data.| ben-mini
Back in high school, I remember receiving an email for a study guide from a friend. Instead of the PDF coming attached, it was a link to a site called Dropbox.| ben-mini
I’m confused. In my 6-year career, all three of my employers have considered themselves “platforms”:| ben-mini
I recently finished reading Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. The book explains the various missteps taken by the U.S. government that led us to where we are today: a bureaucratic sludge of policies and regulations that’s caused ambitious projects to go over budget (e.g., Healthcare.gov) or remain unfinished (e.g., California High-Speed Rail). Klein and Thompson propose a renaissance of our public institutions- an invigorated era where government “gets out of the way” of itsel...| ben-mini
A while back, I wrote a post titled “What is a Platform?”. I defined what a platform is and why tech companies are so determined to become labeled as one. My definition of a platform is a tool that allows users to define and build their own things, which can be used by other users. Tech companies wish to own platforms, as they are the engines that propel the flywheel toward infinite growth.| ben-mini
In 2021, I found myself sitting with some new customers at a sushi bar in Austin, TX. The waitress came to our table and placed a bottle of sake that looked like this:| ben-mini
I just finished listening to Lenny’s conversation with Nan Yu, Head of Product at Linear, about what it takes to build a great SaaS product.| ben-mini
Quick Update: I updated my domain to ben-mini.com! All old URLs and the RSS feed under ben-mini.github.io will automatically redirect, so no changes are needed on your end.| ben-mini
I just finished reading The Inner Game of Tennis by Tim Gallwey. Originally published in 1974, the book explores how the thoughts of an athlete affect their game. It’s lauded as being at the forefront of what we now call “sports psychology”. Although my competitive sports days are over, I was still intrigued to read it in context of my current life as a startup professional, rec basketball player, and coach.| ben-mini
Two days ago, I decided I want to buy my first house. My goal is to purchase it before the summer of 2025.| ben-mini
I had one month to find a place to live in Manhattan. I reached out to friends for tips, and nearly all of them pointed me to StreetEasy, the Zillow-owned NYC real estate search platform. Some of my more Type-A friends gave me extra helpful advice:| ben-mini
Between 2009 and 2012, Apple iPhones and iPod Touches included a feature called “Send to YouTube” that allowed users to upload videos directly to YouTube from the Photos app.| ben-mini