Oliver Happy

In B2B product management, we’re taught to be client-obsessed But here’s the unspoken truth: unchecked obsession can become a liability. I’ve seen great teams bend over backward to please clients, adding one more feature, tweaking one more process, chasing one more request, until they realize they’ve drifted far from the roadmap they once believed in. I’ve also seen the opposite, teams standing their ground so firmly that they lose sight of the very people they’re building for. So what’s the balance? For me, it’s strategic empathy. When a client’s demand threatens to derail the product vision or burn out the team, I don’t start by pushing back. I start by understanding who I’m dealing with, their motivations, pressures, success metrics, and fears. Because behind every “urgent feature request” is often a deeper business concern they haven’t articulated. Once you understand that, you’re not just managing a project. You’re leading a relationship. And leadership, in product management, isn’t about saying yes or no, it’s about guiding both your team and your clients toward what truly drives value. 👉 So, how do you practice strategic empathy in your product or client relationships? Follow Rahmot for more! Repost ♻️ if you find this useful. #Leadership #Excellence #Mindset #CareerGrowth #PersonalDevelopment

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📣 VCs! Does your deal flow funnel look a bit..... homogenous? With only 2% of UK VC funding going to all-female teams and less than 0.5% going to black founders - and nearly half of all capital going to companies based in London - we thought we would put together a few suggestions based on recommendations from reports looking at increasing diversity at the top of the funnel. If your top of funnel isn’t diverse, it’s rarely because diverse founders don’t exist. It’s because many quietly self-select out. A few practical ways to widen the funnel: 🗣️ Use inclusive, specific language (clarity beats vague “exceptionalism”) 🚪 Be accessible with clear contact routes, open applications or office hours 📜 Signal commitment (e.g. Investing in Women Code, Diversity VC certification) 👭 Diversify sourcing beyond the usual universities, networks and accelerators 👥 Build balance into teams, panels and visible moments 🧰 Offer support beyond capital at the top of the funnel 📊 Track who enters your funnel and make DEI part of how you operate You don’t need to lower standards — you need to remove unnecessary friction. You can’t invest in founders you never meet. Full piece here: https://lnkd.in/eDwsgWf7 With thanks to the Invest in Women Hub, Invest in Women Taskforce, Diversity VC, UK Private Capital, European Women in VC, Level 20, Extend Ventures, The Table, Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund, Ada Ventures, Astia, Alma Angels, Social Mobility Ventures, Bethnal Green Ventures, Unconventional Ventures, Sie Ventures, Black Seed VC, Startup Discovery School, Climate Mosaic, Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, Sophie Purdom and Ramsay Siegal for your research, support and leadership. #VC #Cleantech #Climatetech #ZeroCarbon #Diversity #Inclusion

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