(Internal facing) Communication is the single most obvious and important aspect entrepreneurs and product managers under invest in, although it is essential for their products' success. In my talk @stockholm startup day 2014, I tried inspiring the crowd to invest in communication starting now. I hope I was successful! You can find the video of the talk here: http://video.startupday.se/video/9773152/product-development-for-start-ups

1. The power of
communication in Product
Development
@yuvalsamet, Chief Product Officer

2. Some Klarna facts
Since 2005...
• Grew to 7 markets organically: Nordics, Germany, Austria,
Netherlands
• Processed almost 90 million transactions so far
• Processes more than 30% of the Swedish eCommerce
• Backed by great investors such as Sequoia, General Atlantic, DST
and Atomico
• Recently acquired SOFORT
!
With SOFORT...
• 1,000 employees
• 25,000,000 consumers
• 43,000 merchants
• Will process around 10% of the Northern European eCommerce
during 2014

3. Why is communication so important?

4. A Swede, Dutch, French, English, Spanish,
American, Israeli, Finnish & German
successfully delivered Klarna Checkout in
Germany
!
A very complex project, very tight deadline, a
vertical team
!
English is not our native language
!
Very different culture and backgrounds

5. Entrepreneur? You already decided - you must
be a fabulous communicator to make your
customers happy!

6. Find your own unique way to become a great
communicator

7. Crystalizing and
breaking gender
stereotypes
passionately
Authenticity,
influence and
humble confidence
A credible genius
with a great likeable
smile
Accessible by
taking selfies with
tourists (or hyper
island students)

8. Establish common language and values

10. Inspire your team: Start with WHY

11. Clarity of WHY

12. Co Location
!
Our management team
spends 60 days a year in
the same room
Impact Mapping
!
Reach fast and
meaningful alignment
Buy In
!
Getting buy in from
individuals before
pitching to a wide
crowd
Repeat your vision
relentlessly
!
Engineers are the most
rewarding crowd

13. Discipline of HOW

14. Create Design
Principles
!
In order to embed the
purpose in every
product decision you
take
Amplify
your Engineers
!
Evangelize to engineers
and empower them to
solve difficult business
problems
Outcome vs
Output
!
Optimize your work
towards meaningful
business goals

15. Consistency of WHAT

16. SIMPLIFY
BUYING
Co Location
!
The product manager
must sit with the
engineers, the
stakeholders should
sit nearby
Reference
customers
programs
!
Obsess with making your
reference customers
happy, spread the
word
The power of the
poster
!
Initiatives are promoted
using posters, making
the value tangible

17. Nurture your inner communicator.
Establish common language within your team.
Pitch the purpose relentlessly, make it tangible.
Just do it, it is that simple.

18. THANKS!
@yuvalsamet
yuval.samet@klarna.com