TEI 003: Innovation Lessons-Learned Creating StudioPress – with Brian Gardner

Global Product Management Talk is pleased to bring you another episode of The Everyday Innovator.

The podcast is all about helping people involved in developing and managing products become more successful, grow their careers, and STANDOUT from their peers.

Brian Gardner is the founder of StudioPress, creator of the Genesis Framework and Themes for WordPress, and Chief Product Officer at Copyblogger, the company that teaches business owners how to do online marketing that works. He is an ideal example of a product innovator and business creator.  Brian saw a need and created a solution that people valued and were willing to pay for. He continues to be the “idea guy” behind product innovations at StudioPress.

Highlights from the discussion include:

• Test the feasibility of product concepts with customers before beginning development. As an example, Brian asked people if they would buy a WordPress theme before he started creating it
• Innovative products are often borne out of necessity to solve problems and create value for customers
• As an example of innovation, Brian shares the creation of the Genesis Framework to separate WordPress theme functionality from theme layout and style
• A familiar user experience increased acceptance of Brian’s products
• Always listening to the customer community and being responsive to feedback leads to product improvements and new products customers want
• Learning takes place through trying things for yourself and experimenting
• Observing what is working for others is a good source of ideas
• Project management and customer service experiences prepared Brian for creating his own company
• Just-in-time-learning of what you need to know quickly increases your value
• Innovation takes a team of people with different strengths to be successful