VP Product Feature Approval

MEETING PREP BRIEF: Linda (VP Product) - New Feature Approval

=== KEY CONTEXT ===

Linda’s Communication Style:

• Data-driven: Lead with metrics, evidence, benchmarks
• Direct: No fluff, get to the point quickly
• Decision-focused: Come prepared with clear ask

Previous Commitments:
(None to track)

Hot Buttons to AVOID:
(None identified - clean slate)

=== ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS ===

Q: “What data supports this feature?”
A: “Provide specific metrics: customer requests (number, revenue impact),
market analysis (competitor offerings, adoption rates), usage projections
(based on similar features), and revenue impact (ARR, retention improvement).”

Q: “What’s the ROI?”
A: “Show clear numbers: development cost vs projected revenue/retention benefit,
time to break-even, customer acquisition or retention improvement percentage.”

Q: “What’s the timeline?”
A: “Give specific dates: development start, milestone checkpoints, beta launch,
general availability. Example: ‘Start June 1, beta August 15, GA September 30.’”

Q: “What are the risks?”
A: “Identify 2-3 key risks with mitigation plans: technical complexity (mitigation),
resource constraints (mitigation), market timing (mitigation).”

Q: “How does this fit our strategy?”
A: “Connect feature to product roadmap priorities, company OKRs, or strategic initiatives.
Show alignment with existing direction.”

=== TALKING POINTS ===

Lead with the ask:

• “Requesting approval for [Feature Name]”
• “Development timeline: [X weeks], resources: [Y engineers]”
• “Projected impact: [revenue/retention/acquisition metric]”

Support with data:

• “Customer demand: [X requests representing $Y ARR]”
• “Market gap: [competitors offering this, adoption data]”
• “ROI: Break-even in [timeframe], [X]x return within [timeframe]”

Show you’ve thought it through:

• “Key risks: [Risk 1], [Risk 2] with mitigations in place”
• “Success metrics: [specific, measurable outcomes]”
• “Resource impact: [who, how long, tradeoffs]”

=== THINGS TO BRING ===

📄 Feature Specification (one-pager with clear scope)
📄 Customer Evidence (requests, revenue at stake, quotes)
📄 Competitive Analysis (who has this, market adoption)
📄 ROI Model (costs vs benefits, timeline to value)
📄 Resource Plan (team allocation, timeline, dependencies)
📄 Risk Assessment (top risks with mitigation strategies)

=== SUCCESS CRITERIA ===

✅ Primary: Get explicit approval to proceed with development
✅ Critical: Alignment on scope, timeline, and resources
✅ Important: Clarity on success metrics and checkpoints

Fallback: Conditional approval pending specific data points,
or approval to build MVP/prototype for validation before
full commitment.

=== MEETING TONE ===

DO:
✓ Start with bottom line (the ask)
✓ Use specific numbers and dates
✓ Show clear business case
✓ Be ready to answer tough questions

DON’T:
✗ Bury the ask in background
✗ Use vague language (“pretty soon”, “lots of customers”)
✗ Focus on technical details over business impact
✗ Come unprepared with data

CONFIDENCE: HIGH if you bring solid data, clear ROI, specific
timeline, and thoughtful risk analysis. Linda appreciates
preparation and directness.

ESTIMATED TIME: 30 minutes