Lenny Distilled

Lessons from one of the world's top executive recruiters

November 03, 2022

Featuring: Lauren Ipsen (Executive Recruiter, General Catalyst)

5 quotes · 5 insights

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Success requires both doing and storytelling

We're always looking to see where people moved the needle, especially on the product side, where their fingerprints were, what they can actually point to that they did and are proud of during their time there.
Lauren IpsenExecutive Recruiter, General Catalyst 00:42:55

Impact solves all PM career problems

We're always looking to see where people moved the needle, especially on the product side, where their fingerprints were, what they can actually point to that they did and are proud of during their time there.
Lauren IpsenExecutive Recruiter, General Catalyst 00:42:55

Make your impact visible or it doesn't exist

If you built something within the organization that you're proud of but no one knows about it, then that's more difficult to have as your stamp of approval for what you are able to accomplish there. But if you did something that cross-functional leaders were speaking to, that your team all sings the praises of, then that is something that you can put a feather in the cap.
Lauren IpsenExecutive Recruiter, General Catalyst 00:43:35

The best PMs have T-shaped skills - deep in one, broad in many

I think breadth is incredibly important. It's so critical, especially if someone has an end goal of wanting to step into a product leadership role to have been able to have touched lots of different components, as opposed to specializing in one specific thing.
Lauren IpsenExecutive Recruiter, General Catalyst 00:37:51

Your career is longer than you think - play accordingly

You want to be in a position where you're never running out the door looking for what's next, but rather being able to be super selective about the things that you have in front of you. And that comes with time and network building and relationship building over years.
Lauren IpsenExecutive Recruiter, General Catalyst 00:38:12

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