There’s a subtle but powerful shift happening in our stakeholder conversations. For years, we’ve championed the gospel of user-centricity, armed with engagement metrics, DAU/MAU ratios, and glowing qualitative feedback. We’ve focused on solving real user problems, assuming that value creation would eventually lead to value capture.
But the economic headwinds are changing the narrative. The C-suite is asking harder, more direct questions. The focus is increasingly shifting from ‘Are users engaging?’ to ‘Are users paying?’. The pressure is on to tie every single roadmap item directly to a revenue outcome—new ARR, expansion revenue, or improved retention. We’re being asked to think less like traditional PMs and more like ‘Revenue PMs’ or P&L owners.
While this commercial focus is crucial for business sustainability, it introduces a real tension. How do we protect the space for long-term bets, foundational improvements, or delightful details that build user love but have a fuzzy, indirect path to the balance sheet? It’s a difficult balancing act between short-term commercial targets and the long-term health of the product and user relationship.
How are you navigating this shift? How do you balance the intense pressure for direct revenue impact with building a product users truly love?