Building a product can help your business scale to incredible heights, but too many teams get stuck in what Janna Bastow calls the Agency Trap. In this talk, she’ll share signs you’re veering into this trap, and actionable guides on how to get out and stay out!
About Janna
Janna Bastow is co-founder of ProdPad , product management and roadmapping software for product people. Janna is also co-founder of ProductTank and Mind the Product, a global community of product managers. She often starts and stops conversations with the question: “What problem are you trying to solve?”
8. Hi there!
I’m Janna Bastow
linkedin.com/in/jannabastow
@simplybastow // janna@prodpad.com
Always open for a chat about product!
Get the slides
bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
9. The power of
product vs agency
What we’ll talk about
Sign you’re veering
into agency mode
How to get out!
Reasons you’ll get
pulled off track
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
21. Every minute of time a client buys
to have you work on their problems
is a minute you can’t spend
discovering and solving
the bigger problems in the world
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
22. You know you’re veering
into agency mode when…
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
23. A roadmap can be a diagnostic tool
for the state of the company
24. A bad roadmap is a
symptom of underlying
issues in a company
30. Interviewing?
Ask to see the roadmap!
Photo credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/cat/comments/aa6rt6/job_interview_ready/
31. How to escape
the agency trap
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
32. ● Acknowledge it and have tough conversations
● Set your ideal outcome
What kind of company do you want to be?
● Separate agency work and charge accordingly
● Decrease dependence on project delivery cash
● Ditch your sales led roadmap
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
How to escape the agency trap
34. Discovery led roadmap
Objective
Immediate problem to
be solved, currently in
development
Now Next Later
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
Objective
Immediate problem to
be solved, currently
being prototyped
Potential next
problem to tackle
Objective
Potential next
problem to tackle
Objective
Potential next
problem to tackle
Objective
Potential next
problem to tackle
Objective
Problem likely months
away, but aligns with
vision
Objective
Other future problem
to consider
Objective
Other future problem
to consider
Objective
36. Get in the
sandbox!
Try ProdPad’s free Sandbox,
a pre-loaded account that
shows you what a typical
lean roadmap and OKR
set-up looks like.
Get in and play around!
prodpad.com/sandbox
37. You don’t have to go product
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
38. Don’t fall prey to this
common startup killer!
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
39. What kind of company do
you want to grow up to be?
Product Agency
janna@prodpad.com // @simplybastow // slides: bit.ly/agency-trap-slides
41. Thanks!
Ask me anything, or reach out if I
can help with anything at all.
linkedin.com/in/jannabastow
@simplybastow // janna@prodpad.com
Always open for a chat about product!
Get the slides
bit.ly/agency-trap-slides