Successful products are the result of collaboration of people from across the organization. However, getting others to help make the soup requires creativity, proactive collaboration, and a dash of self promotion. The trick is to get others to want to help, just as Marcia Brown’s hungry traveler.

In technology, with constant updates and new features, product management is indispensable. However, all products need to be managed. Product management is involved in the entire product lifecycle from initial concept to end of life. Just as you would not embark on a family road trip without a plan, embarking on the entrepreneurial journey without a product plan and roadmap may not get you where you planned to be. Whether you product is software, hardware, services, or consumer goods, a good product manager will keep you on track.

Satisfied customers start with understanding their wants, desires, and dreams. People buy solutions not things. When you take time to understand your customer and what they really need, you can then create solutions to solve their problems.