From the pen of Spencer

There is a cost to over-prioritizing growth

One article I recommend all product folks read is Cory Doctorow's original "Enshittification of TikTok" where the term was coined. As we see capitalists rise further to prominence, there's a drive in the industry for "growth at all costs." What Doctorow helps outline, though, is that there is and will be a cost. The more […]

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Product Operations

What follows is an article I have rewritten for various teams over and over again for the last 4 years to help them understand Product Operations. I hope it helps you as it has them! The most recent iteration borrows heavily from the recent Product Operations book by Melissa Perri. Intro Product Ops is basically […]

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Product aphorisms

As you scale teams, impact, and scope, adding new products and features, it's important to remember a few things: 1️⃣ Every feature carries operational debt. When you build something, you’re not just responsible for its launch—you own its lifespan. 2️⃣ No one cares about your feature. They care about their problem. Products don’t matter—outcomes do. […]

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The Elements of Product Design

I've spoken and written at length about what Product Design is in the past. Product Design says "Yes, and," to all of what UX and UI roles do. This role can be a true unlock to business success when enabled and unleashed in the right direction with the right team to collaborate with. Unfortunately, many […]

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The paradox of tolerance

I've been chatting with way too many people lately about what I would boil down to tolerance. The thing is, I think we can easily look to history, the microcosms of various businesses, and other countries, as examples, and they all seem to eventually point to the same insight Karl Popper tried to teach us […]

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January is for prioritization

I see January as a time for reflection and redirection. It’s an opportunity to pause, evaluate, and realign both personal and professional goals. Here are a few key questions I ask myself during this period: These questions guide my prioritization. Setting goals is only part of the process—the methods we use to achieve those goals […]

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Corporate Espionage vs. Healthy Competition

Competition is inevitable. It drives innovation, keeps us sharp, and ultimately benefits customers. But what happens when the spirit of competition gives way to deception, sabotage, or unethical practices like corporate espionage? Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed unsettling instances of espionage—employees planted by competitors (yes, really), competitors joining demos under false pretenses, and even one […]

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The Power of Diversity: Building Better Products for Everyone

I've shared before that I believe the systems we create should invite and embrace a diversity of personal identities, ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds. Whether it’s a product, a service, or a process, diversity isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a critical factor for reducing harm, increasing value, and minimizing risk. So why does diversity matter in product […]

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Empowerment via enablement

There's a critical misconception I'm seeing in a lot of product circles around empowerment. Many leaders and teams struggle to empower their teams and end up experiencing chaos as a byproduct. Here's the thing: empowerment without structure, enablement, guidance, and support can lead to disorganization, misalignment, and frustration. On the other hand, strong enablement, coaching, […]

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We need to stop idolizing billionaires

LinkedIn is rife with posts idolizing Elon Musk, Bezos, Bloomberg, Gates, and Warren Buffett, among other billionaire oligarchs. Success isn’t inherently bad, and yes, some of these figures have made meaningful contributions. But turning them into untouchable icons is dangerous—for us, for society, and for democracy itself. Why is this dangerous? What’s the alternative? Values, […]

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