What I love about product management is also what draws me to the best players of my favorite game, Survivor. These players form alliances based on shared goals, pivot strategies when needed, and always stay focused on their objective: winning the game. Product management requires the same skills — building partnerships, staying adaptable, and driving toward success no matter the challenge. These qualities have shaped how I solve complex issues, as the following stories illustrate.At Popsixle, I led a pivot that turned a struggling business into a success story. Shortly after I joined the company, our fundraising fell through and we only had four months of runway left. After conducting user research, I identified an opportunity in enhancing ad performance for ecommerce brands. I persuaded leadership to shift focus and repurpose an internal tool into our core offering. Within six months, we had 100+ clients, achieved $500K ARR and established a sustainable business model.Building on this momentum at Popsixle, I then tackled a revamp of our onboarding experience, which had been frustrating both customers and our support team. Onboarding took up to seven days and required excessive manual touchpoints. Initially concerned about job impacts, I rallied the support team by showing how improved onboarding would free them to focus on new initiatives. We built a new self-serve onboarding experience, and reduced onboarding time from seven days to less than two. Manual support interventions dropped by 50%, saving the company $100K annually.Outside of work, I run a fan edition of Survivor (see banner). 20 of my friends and family spend a weekend competing in challenges, forming alliances, and voting each other out at tribal council. It’s always a summer highlight, and I enjoy brainstorming ideas to enhance the game each year. I once played in a surprise bachelor party edition, only to get voted out at the final 3 after losing a balancing challenge (luckily I’ve not been voted out of my marriage!). I’m also passionate about housing policy, a cause that has fascinated me since living in Tokyo. That experience ignited my belief in the power of walkable cities with dense, accessible housing. Today, I participate in a housing advocacy group, working with city officials and attending council meetings to push for more housing. While my enthusiasm for housing might bore some of my family to tears, it’s something I really love.If you’re interested in discussing product management, swapping Survivor strategies, or talking about housing policy, feel free to connect!