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Scaling Product with Precision: Lessons from Amazon to High-Growth Startups
Manage episode 484133280 series 3611787
In this episode of the Intentional Product Manager Podcast, Shobhit Chugh sits down with Ajit Thupil, a seasoned product leader whose journey spans Amazon, McKinsey, and several high-growth startups—most recently as Chief Product Officer.
Ajit shares a refreshingly honest look into what it really takes to scale product with precision, whether you’re operating inside a tech giant or leading growth at a startup. He unpacks the frameworks, mindset shifts, and hard-won lessons that helped him evolve from an engineer to a product executive—and what aspiring PM leaders often get wrong when chasing their next role.
You’ll learn:
- What Amazon taught Ajit about focus, metrics, and decision-making
- How to align product, go-to-market, and revenue in fast-paced environments
- Why storytelling and strategic communication matter more as you grow
- How to navigate the leap from IC to product executive—and avoid common traps
- Advice for PMs who want to stand out and lead with impact
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 – Introduction to Ajit Thupil
00:59 – Thoughts on remote vs. in-office work in a post-pandemic world
02:48 – Lessons from stepping into the CPO role for the first time
03:57 – Ajit’s winding career path and the inflection points that shaped it
05:53 – Moving from business development to product management
11:17 – Key takeaways from working at Amazon
15:41 – How to connect product strategy with go-to-market and revenue
19:13 – Advice for aspiring product leaders: what to build, how to grow
27:21 – Rapid-fire questions and wrap-up
Connect with Shobhit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shobhitchugh/
Connect with Ajit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajitthupil/
www.intentionalproductmanager.com
Chapters
1. Introduction to Ajit Thupil (00:00:00)
2. Thoughts on remote vs. in-office work in a post-pandemic world (00:00:59)
3. Lessons from stepping into the CPO role for the first time (00:02:48)
4. Ajit’s winding career path and the inflection points that shaped it (00:03:57)
5. Moving from business development to product management (00:05:53)
6. Key takeaways from working at Amazon (00:11:17)
7. How to connect product strategy with go-to-market and revenue (00:15:41)
8. Advice for aspiring product leaders: what to build, how to grow (00:19:13)
9. Rapid-fire questions and wrap-up (00:27:21)
39 episodes
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