In an effort to bring into the spotlight various perspectives and inspirational experiences from the world of product management, Apollo AI Technologies was represented by Mihaela Onofrei, CEO of the company, at the Start-Up Community Meet-Ups event – #2: Product Development in Start-ups and Companies, organized by RubikHub.
An inspiring discussion:
With an avid and enthusiastic audience, the discussion moderated by Mircea Serediuc explored with passion and depth the topic of product development within startups, but also consolidated companies. Mihaela Onofrei, CEO and co-founder of Apollo AI Technologies, shared with the participants her experience in the world of technology startups and how product development is approached in this company. While Georgiana Olaru, Product Manager at Wiley, discussed the challenges and strategies of product management from a consolidated company perspective.
The Central Role of the Product Manager:
Mihaela Onofrei emphasized the essential importance of the role of Product Manager in a start-up, having the responsibility to translate the company’s vision into tangible products and functionalities. Thus, a Product Manager must be able to define product strategy, manage its lifecycle, and communicate effectively with internal teams and customers.
Navigating through the Product Landscape:
Mihaela Onofrei and Georgiana Olaru highlighted the differences in approach between startups and consolidated companies in terms of production processes. Startups are characterized by agility and adaptability, being able to react quickly to market changes, while consolidated companies can focus more on improving existing products.
Challenges and Resources:
In terms of challenges and resources, Mihaela was honest in acknowledging the difficulties encountered within the startup, but also the invaluable resources she had at her disposal, including a dedicated team and a strong vision.
Success Measurement and Inspiring Recommendations:
Ending the discussion on an inspirational note, Mihaela emphasized that success can not only be measured in terms of revenue or number of users, but also in the positive impact that the product has on the lives of its users. She also encouraged perseverance, focus and continuous development of a quality and user experience-oriented product:
“The key to success in developing technology products lies in the ability to turn vision into reality with agility and determination. It’s essential to remember that a good idea is only a small part of a company’s success puzzle. Perseverance, focus and development of a quality product are crucial, and focusing on user experience when using the product is fundamental to achieving goals.”
The RubikHub community meeting was a great opportunity to bring to the forefront inspirational perspectives and ideas from the world of product management. By revealing Apollo AI Technologies‘ strategies and experiences, Mihaela Onofrei offered a behind-the-scenes look at the product development process within an AI technology start-up.
