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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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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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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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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 Three Takeaways from Product at Heart 2024
Product Development Francesca Cortesi 9/19/24 Product Development Francesca Cortesi 9/19/24

My Three Takeaways from Product at Heart 2024

Going beyond productxplaing, understanding product ops, and reflecting on innovation. Here are my takeaways

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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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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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Operate like the best or operate like the rest?
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 7/4/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 7/4/24

Operate like the best or operate like the rest?

Navigating the heated debate on companies’s approach to product development. My take is striving for excellence while adapting principles to fit real-world contexts.

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Customer-Focused vs. Disruption-Driven: Identifying Your Innovation Drivers
Product Development Francesca Cortesi 6/6/24 Product Development Francesca Cortesi 6/6/24

Customer-Focused vs. Disruption-Driven: Identifying Your Innovation Drivers

Identify what drives your innovation—solving customer problems or staying ahead of disruptions.

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Refocus Your Prioritization Matrix Towards Time to ROI
Product Development Francesca Cortesi 5/15/24 Product Development Francesca Cortesi 5/15/24

Refocus Your Prioritization Matrix Towards Time to ROI

Why It's Time to Redefine Your Prioritization Matrix Toward ROI

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Redefining Productivity: what insights from remote work and speed layers can teach us
Product Development Francesca Cortesi 4/29/24 Product Development Francesca Cortesi 4/29/24

Redefining Productivity: what insights from remote work and speed layers can teach us

My key takeaways on the future of remote work, and how to best balance speed and planning in a product organization.

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Dogmas: can your company unspoken truths limit its innovation?
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 3/21/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 3/21/24

Dogmas: can your company unspoken truths limit its innovation?

Do you ever stop to question the unspoken truths that surround you?

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Time to market: balancing speed and confidence
Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 2/27/24 Latest, Product Development Francesca Cortesi 2/27/24

Time to market: balancing speed and confidence

Speed or confidence, what is your Northstar for product execution?

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