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Francesca Cortesi
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Francesca Cortesi
Blog
All posts
Product in Practice
Talks & Interviews
Books Reviews
Product Leadership
Podcast
Talks
About
Work with me
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All posts
Product in Practice
Talks & Interviews
Books Reviews
Product Leadership
Podcast
Talks
About
Work with me
Why strategy needs more than AI – lessons from Nike and scaling bold ideas
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 5/19/25 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 5/19/25

Why strategy needs more than AI – lessons from Nike and scaling bold ideas

A strategy is just an idea, until someone believes in it. Why data and AI won’t cut it.

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Innovating in ambiguity: turning your moonshots into actionable goals 
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 5/12/25 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 5/12/25

Innovating in ambiguity: turning your moonshots into actionable goals 

Innovation is messy: how do you move from vision to action when the path is not clear? Read my tips to lead through uncertainty and driving growth.

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Vote for me as Product Rising Star!
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 4/17/25 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 4/17/25

Vote for me as Product Rising Star!

What happens when you prioritize joy in your work? For me, it led to a World Product Day Awards nomination. Now, I’m in the running for Product Rising Star—and I’d love your vote!

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Sharing my story in the Unlearning Podcast
Talks & Interviews, Latest Francesca Cortesi 4/10/25 Talks & Interviews, Latest Francesca Cortesi 4/10/25

Sharing my story in the Unlearning Podcast

I sat down with Barry O’ Reilly to share how I think about unlearning as a tool for personal and organizational growth, building product excellence at scale, and creating environments where diverse teams thrive.

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What If Your Weaknesses Don’t Matter? How to Focus on What Counts
Latest, Product Leadership Francesca Cortesi 2/20/25 Latest, Product Leadership Francesca Cortesi 2/20/25

What If Your Weaknesses Don’t Matter? How to Focus on What Counts

Should I double down on my strengths or improve my weaknesses?

This is one of the development questions I get the most, and one that I used to torment myself with as well.

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My 5 Takeaways from The Mom Test
Latest, Books reviews Francesca Cortesi 2/13/25 Latest, Books reviews Francesca Cortesi 2/13/25

My 5 Takeaways from The Mom Test

If you’ve ever struggled with confirmation bias when validating ideas, this book is for you.

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More Isn’t Always Better: The Hidden Paradox of Growth
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 2/4/25 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 2/4/25

More Isn’t Always Better: The Hidden Paradox of Growth

One of the biggest mistakes I see after market fit is companies rushing to do more, only to end up achieving less.

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Short-Term Opportunities vs. Long-Term Strategy: A Product Decision Framework 
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 1/14/25 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 1/14/25

Short-Term Opportunities vs. Long-Term Strategy: A Product Decision Framework 

One of the most difficult things in product is balancing long-term strategy and short term speed. After years of trial and error,  I've developed a mental model to help product leaders make informed decisions. 

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Product Heroes Podcast: scalare senza sbagliare
Latest, Talks & Interviews Francesca Cortesi 1/4/25 Latest, Talks & Interviews Francesca Cortesi 1/4/25

Product Heroes Podcast: scalare senza sbagliare

Come affrontare la fase post Product Market-Fit: errori da evitare e strategie per scalare

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Why Growth is More Like a Wheel Than a Funnel
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 12/16/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 12/16/24

Why Growth is More Like a Wheel Than a Funnel

Growth isn’t linear—it’s a wacky wheel, full of bumps and sudden stops. From hitting walls after market fit to losing focus while chasing growth, navigating these challenges requires reassessment and adaptability. How do you keep your wheel rolling?

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Talk: Values, the product skill you didn’t know you needed -Productized 2024
Latest, Talks & Interviews Francesca Cortesi 12/10/24 Latest, Talks & Interviews Francesca Cortesi 12/10/24

Talk: Values, the product skill you didn’t know you needed -Productized 2024

What do you need to be your best self?

In this talk, I share how defining and living by your values can transform your career and collaboration. Grounded in my journey, I offer practical steps to navigate value clashes, build resilience, and find greater fulfillment at work.

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How to use AI to communicate better
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 12/2/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 12/2/24

How to use AI to communicate better

Struggling with tone in written communication? Here's how I use AI as a tone-checker to make sure my messages land right—every time.

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3 lessons I Learned for Turning a Product Into a Success
Product Development, Latest Francesca Cortesi 11/26/24 Product Development, Latest Francesca Cortesi 11/26/24

3 lessons I Learned for Turning a Product Into a Success

The secret? Positioning, distribution, and asking for help.

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A Radical Take on OKRs: Two Solutions for Better Goal Setting
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 10/17/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 10/17/24

A Radical Take on OKRs: Two Solutions for Better Goal Setting

How to define better goals and avoid creating shortsighted experiences.

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Product Strategy: Why You Don’t Always Need One
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 10/10/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 10/10/24

Product Strategy: Why You Don’t Always Need One

It is a better idea to set directions based on product and market maturity

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My 5 Main Takeaways from Transformed
Books reviews, Latest Francesca Cortesi 9/2/24 Books reviews, Latest Francesca Cortesi 9/2/24

My 5 Main Takeaways from Transformed

The key to achieving the product model? Apply principles to your context and focus on mindset shifts.

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10 product concepts I see differently now
Product Development, Latest Francesca Cortesi 8/26/24 Product Development, Latest Francesca Cortesi 8/26/24

10 product concepts I see differently now

My shift in perspective, 10 years after reading Inspired for the first time

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The ROI of Discovery: Why Skipping It Could Cost You—and How to Make Your Case
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 8/21/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 8/21/24

The ROI of Discovery: Why Skipping It Could Cost You—and How to Make Your Case

70% of the ideas I have are crap, but which 70%? The truth is, most ideas will fail if executed without discovery.

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How to succeed in product management - a conversation with Magic Feedback
Latest, Talks & Interviews Francesca Cortesi 8/15/24 Latest, Talks & Interviews Francesca Cortesi 8/15/24

How to succeed in product management - a conversation with Magic Feedback

My take on the key strategies and mindset shifts needed to successfully break into product management and thrive in the role

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You Cannot Pivot a Bad Product into a Good One
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 8/9/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 8/9/24

You Cannot Pivot a Bad Product into a Good One

A pivot is not a magic trick—it’s a calculated move based on real traction.

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