Gokul Rajaram

Guest: Gokul Rajaram - Product and Business Leader at DoorDash. Gokul is a seasoned leader with experience at Google, Facebook, Square, and as a board member at Coinbase and Pinterest. He is also a prolific angel investor, known for his deep understanding of product management and startup ecosystems. Key Takeaways: Hiring First PM: Hire your first PM when you have about 8-10 engineers. Ideally, promote from within to ensure cultural fit and trust. Product Development Process: Start with weekly plans at early stages, and evolve to quarterly and annual plans as the company grows. Keep tools simple and focus on solving customer problems, not just shipping features. Building a Product Team: Ensure PMs report to a functional product leader once the team grows to four or five PMs to maintain a strong product culture. Hiring Leaders: Identify best-in-class companies in your space and target their lieutenants for leadership roles. This approach leverages proven expertise and cultural fit. Angel Investing: Focus on founder-centric investments. Look for authenticity in the founder's motivation and their ability to attract talent. Topics Covered: Product development process, hiring first PM, building product teams, hiring leaders, angel investing, career growth, operational excellence at DoorDash, importance of serendipity and paying it forward.