1 minute read: Top 10 Favorite Products
This week's newsletter takes a slightly different direction from my usual content.
Typically, Protégé Pulse focuses on the tactical aspects of product management, from day-to-day operations to zooming out to overarching frameworks and strategy that drive success within product teams.
These discussions have sparked conversations among the Product Protege community and a recurring question I encounter is,
"Which products do you currently use that I should know about?"
So, this week, I'll share my current top 10 favorite products.
I'm continually experimenting with various physical and digital products, quickly noticing hat my professional life in product management influences my personal life and how I make choices when choosing products. I’m often testing recipes and dinner preparations (my brisket analogy w/ recipe) , testing different ways to compose music with my band Drive 22, to reading every review and watching the deep cuts of youtube to finding the all the quirks about these products which is part of the fun and also helps make sure I’m getting the most value.
Top 10 Products I’m Actively Using
Spans digital products and hardware - let’s jump in…
iPhone 15 Pro
(see reviews here) This isn't my first iPhone, and perhaps controversially, I appreciate how Apple minimally interferes with user habits. Despite minor changes over generations, the core functionality remains consistent. This year's removal of the volume/mute toggle was initially disappointing for some, but it introduced greater flexibility. For instance, I configured the "Action Button" to quickly access the voice memo app, appreciating the flexibility they have allowed. While some argue Apple should introduce groundbreaking features annually, I find value in the iterative improvements. Comparing an iPhone 7 to an iPhone 15 is the easiest way to see the vast improvement in speed and usability that are easy to overlook.
Do you use “Siri Remind me…” ?
For me, Siri for reminders, such as "Hey Siri, remind me to get ready for the soccer game at 9 AM this Saturday," is indispensable.
Future me is successful because of Siri Remind Me
Additionally for content creators, the camera is incredible.
I recently spent 15 hours working with a mirrorless camera (Canon EOS R10 RF-S18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens Kit) and paired it with an Elgato 4k Cam Link to quick connect to my computer. Head to head against the iPhone, the Canon could not match the quality of the auto-zoom and ability to make most of the lighting. I’m sure if you are a “camera-person” you’d recommend lenses to purchase, but spending a few thousand dollars to beat the iPhone (and probably by not much) just proves that this iPhone is a workhorse and can extend its use beyond just a phone/messaging/music player.
Bonus - the phone case I use, has a stand and allows for magnetic charging.
Fiverr
(link) As a solo entrepreneur who founded a product management company, Fiverr has been instrumental in my journey. It allows me to collaborate with skilled professionals to achieve quality outcomes without needing to become an expert in every field. My experience with Fiverr has been overwhelmingly positive, with a success rate of 90% in finding the right talent for my projects. This one is not an ad, just generally appreciate the vast amount of jobs you can hire for on this platform.
Tangent: While I enjoy the cycle of progressing from a minimal understanding of something (say, 1/10) to a more moderate level (like 6/10)—for instance, I knew nothing about chess, then played with a friend, downloaded Chess.com, and played a few hours a day for a month, reaching about a 5/10 in understanding. I then reduced the number of games and focused on improving the quality of my moves over the next month, which brought me up to a 6/10. At this point, the value of this was enjoying learning a new skill, thinking strategically, and letting my competitive side get humbled…However, I realized that the time investment required to reach an 8/10 would be quite high, and I questioned whether this was something I really wanted to excel in to the level of 10/10. Perfection is an elusive goal, implying a lifetime of pursuit. I'm content with the fact that I learned a new skill, can hold my own against an average player, and enjoyed the journey. But for me, that's enough. The idea here is, as a business owner, I could spend time being the designer, getting expert at SEO, or spend countless hours and iterations of designing my own logo… or I can hire it out and keep focusing on the areas I can be most effective with my time.
Elgato Stream Deck
(see reviews here) This device offers a seamless integration of hardware and software, providing quick access to frequently used computer functions. I use it for various tasks, such as managing online course recordings, muting my microphone during meetings, and navigating to my most-visited websites (IE Monday morning analytics report, my google workspace, product protégé website). Its drag-and-drop functionality and digital store for additional software integrations make it an essential tool for content creators and those working from home.
Evoluent Mouse:
(see reviews here) After suffering a wrist injury in 2012, I discovered the Evoluent Mouse, which features a vertical design that promotes a natural hand and wrist position, reducing strain. Its design has been a game-changer for me, especially given the amount of time I spend using a computer.
Nomatic Backpack 20L
Imagine being the product manager tasked with entering a bag market that is already saturated with long-standing competitors dominating both digital and physical shelves, yet managing to break through.
That is precisely what I believe the Nomatic team accomplished by introducing their backpack, which addresses many customer problems and offers solutions. For most, it's just another bag, but for someone who leans towards organization, who is thirsty for pockets and carries tech daily, the organization-optionality, weight, and zippers are exactly what I looked for in a bag.
To provide around how I found it…I dove in for about 2 weeks, watched 20+ hours of YouTube bag reviews (2x speed is key here!), and had multiple conversations with friends in my network to find the best backpack, and I believe I found it!
There are some concerns about scratching the material, but in terms of warranty and the durability of the zippers and pockets, it does an incredible job. The features I like most include hidden pockets, zipper quality, the ability to carry it as a backpack or briefcase (you can hide the backpack straps!), and three sleeves in the back pocket that can hold your 16-inch MacBook, iPad, and documents. Lastly, I love that it can expand from 20L to 30L for weekend trips. If I'm traveling for 2 days or less, I can fit everything in this backpack when expanded to 30L.
Evernote
(more info) I've been an Evernote user for over 10 years, so there might be some bias, but I've attempted to switch to OneNote and other platforms in the past but kept coming back.
It’s a simple organizational feature that I find most important: the ability to have a top folder, then a secondary folder, and then notes within the secondary. For example, "Product Protege" - "Online Classes" - and then "Chapter 1 - What is Product Management?"
This hierarchy of information aligns with how I organize my thoughts, and Evernote facilitates this perfectly. The search functionality has improved over the years, and the synchronization between devices is a significant time-saver.
Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt
(see reviews here) A few features I love about this door lock include its compatibility with Apple HomeKit, the instant experience of unlocking your door by simply bringing your Apple Watch or iPhone close to the lock, the ability to provide temporary or recurring access codes, and the fact that it operates on 4 AA batteries, lasting 5-6 months.
It just works.
I've had many door locks that required extensive setup and typically died quickly due to their use of both WiFi and Bluetooth. However, the product team at Schlage has managed to optimize battery usage while achieving the fastest response time I've seen in the industry so far. I have been particularly enjoying the safety feature that automatically locks the door on a timer.
Splitwise App
(learn more) You've probably heard of this one if you've been on a bachelor or bachelorette trip recently. It's an app that allows a group of people to share expenses when traveling together, and makes it easy to pay them back with totals of who owes who at the end of a trip. I've seen others use it for roommates or to manage ongoing shared expenses. The initial hurdle is getting everyone to download the app, but that 30 seconds of upfront effort proves incredibly useful for situations like
"I'll get the Uber and add it to Splitwise,"
"No need to split the bill 10 ways, I'll just add it to Splitwise, we can sure up later”
We settle up after the trip, allowing us to focus on enjoying the moment and settling shared expenses accurately later. The ease of use, I believe, is due to the valuable push notifications you receive, the integrations with payment apps, and the fact that there's usually someone else in the group who has used it before and found it helpful.
Google Sheets / Microsoft Excel
I keep returning to Sheets or Excel to explain things to teams I’ve lead virtually to use as a whiteboard when I don't have one, to analyze personal budgets, to set up forecasts for my business, and generally to capture some of the more important organized information in my life.
I’m a 5/10 in excel in terms of keyboard navigation and understanding the most efficient formulas to get the job done but partnering this with ChatGPT to describe in words what I need and to get a formula to use is super helpful.
Be careful when looking up Excel tricks on YouTube; you might end up falling down a rabbit hole where YouTube starts recommending two-hour coverage of the Excel Championships.
Kamado Joe Big Joe ii
(see reviews here) If you're looking for a brand of Kamado style grills, I recommend Kamado Joe (opt for the Big Joe II or III if you have the space and need to feed a lot of people).
The versatility of this Japanese-inspired grill allows you to
cold smoke cheeses at 190 degrees,
slow-cook meats that require a long time to break down the fat at 225 degrees for up to 58 hours (I've tested this!),
sear steaks or veggies at 550 degrees,
Even make pizzas in 2 minutes at 900 degrees! (Your gaskets might not recommend doing this too often, but if you do, ensure you use dough that contains little to no water, or you'll end up with some burnt crust).
You can literally smoke, cook, grill, and bake anything on this (I've even made bagels on it that turned out incredible). I've created a few YouTube videos showing some of the ways you can smoke with it (chicken wings, ribs - sous vide vs. smoker).
I'm seriously considering making a video about starting a fire and using that same fire to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
That’s the list!
Let me know if you also use one of these products and if there is a unique insight you’d like to share in the comments!
These types of posts won't come often (unless you all express more interest in the things I frequently use), but when they do, just a heads up: I receive commissions for purchases made through some of the links in this post. Fortunately, I've only included products that I truly believe in!
Next week we dive back into all things tactical digital product management.
Until next week!
