Ramli John

Author of Product-Led Onboarding (+30K copies sold) | First Round Fast Track Mentor | Content Director at Appcues.

⭐️ Follow me for helpful tips to onboard, delight, and keep your customers coming back to your product.
📔 Author of Amazon #1 bestselling book "Product-Led Onboarding." 👉 𝙎𝙀𝘼𝙉 𝙀𝙇𝙇𝙄𝙎, Founder of GrowthHackers.com: "Product-Led Onboarding is 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 embarking on the critical activity of improving their user onboarding." 


⚡️ I use my multi-disciplinary skills in marketing, design, and software development to help product-led SaaS companies analyze their whole customer's journey and funnel to identify growth opportunities to 2-3X their MRR. 

Often, that means designing and implementing experiments to increase activation rate (trial-to-paid or free-to-paid conversions), decrease churn rate, or increase average revenue per user (ARPU)

If you asked my friends and colleagues how they would describe me, they'd say I'm resourceful, proactive, and entrepreneurial

►► CONTACT INFO
▷ Send a connection request
▷ Write me a note at ramli [at] ramlijohn.com

Founder

A weekly show and newsletter for marketers looking to level up their marketing and career. I interview world-class marketers to uncover the secrets, strategies, and frameworks behind their wins. In each episode, guests reveal three things:  (1) a marketing power-up,  (2) a real-world example of that in action, and (3) a power-up that’s helped them take their career to the next level.

Ramli "RJ" John

I just hired my first full-time employee. Not an assistant. A Chief of Staff. And it's my wife, Joanna Ruth! Here's why:

For 1.5 years, I resisted hiring. I wanted to stay solo as long as possible—full control, no coordination costs, just me and clients.

Then I wrote down the job description for what Delight Path actually needs this year.

Someone who can:
→ Create content and community systems
→ Bring the vision to life (not just execute tasks)
→ Scale the impact for product leaders I had in mind

I realized: this isn't an assistant role. It's 2nd in command.

And Joanna is perfect for it:

1. She's built more than I have!

Joanna's self-published over 47 Montessori education books (I need to catch up)! She's a proven system-builder, not just an idea person.

2. She follows instructions when I wing it (let's talk about building IKEA furniture!) 

Joanna forced me to create SOPs for everything. She's started documenting processes I've been running on instinct. Business became transferable, not just in my head.

3. She connects deeper to people than I do

People call me emotionless sometimes (fair). She cares about people on a level I don't naturally access. It's why she studied early childhood education focused on autism and behavioral science. 

Community needs that energy, not just my frameworks

Transitioning Delight Path from 100% consulting revenue to 50% media + community requires coordination I can't do alone.

Before hiring, I asked:
→ Am I hiring for tasks or for leverage?
→ Can this person make decisions without me?
→ Will this free me to do what only I can do?

If it's not yes to all three, it's an assistant role (nothing wrong with that, but not what I needed).

What's Next:

Joanna starts immediately with partnerships and community for Product Leaders Lab. As we scale, she moves into the Integrator (EOS) role, and I move into the Visionary role.

The onboarding forced me to document everything—SOPs for content, client work, and community management. Business became a system, not just me.
I'm excited to build something meaningful together again (we organized a large youth church conference before we got married).

Please join me in welcoming Joanna to Delight Path.

What's been your experience bringing someone into your solo business?

PS. If you're thinking about staying solo versus hiring, Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell has been super helpful. Changed how I think about the business.

Building a community for product leaders (VP and Director-level). Founder @ Delight Path. 2x best-selling author. New book “Eureka” now available. Author of “Product-Led Onboarding” (+40K copies sold).

Most podcasts are interview-style. That won't cut it in 2026! It's why I'm doing a high-production narrative format for my new show: Product Leaders Lab (coming in Feb).

I turned my living room into a recording studio this Monday. Shot the intro and teaser with my creative producers, Carlo and Justine. 

Here's how it works:

Two veteran product leaders. Same impossible scenario. Completely different approaches.

One episode breaks down their decisions, what worked, what didn't, and the lessons that actually matter.

Episode 1 premieres February 24th: "The AI Adoption Pressure"

Netali (VP of Product) and Greg Leach (Senior Director of New Business) faced the same problem: their teams were drowning in prompt engineering.

Netali's solution? She created a new role, "Prompt Ops," to centralize AI expertise and protect PM capacity.

Greg's approach? He became the chair of the company's AI committee to remove red tape and encourage the adoption of internal AI tools. Over 100 people attended the first demo (out of 230 employees).

Two leaders. Two strategies. Both worked.

I've already recorded:

→ Christine Itwaru (VP of Product at Userflow): "The Launch Recovery" - How protecting her team after a launch disaster became her defining leadership moment.
→ Michelle Green (Director of Product at Coley): "The Strategy Misalignment" - When customer success and product saw the same problem completely differently.
→ Nesrine Changuel, PhD (Author of "Product Delight," former PM at Google, Spotify, Skype): "The Competitive Moment" - How she became Google Meet's first PM for Delight during the pandemic and chose benchmark against, "If we were all in a physical room, how would the experience be better?"

I'm scheduled to record with other amazing product leaders:
Betsy Shaak, Joseph King, Chris Downey, Jason Knight, Gabrielle Bufrem, Lauren Schuman, Deepti Pradeep, Angela Sze, Lilach Yaniv, Warren Dombowsky, Nick Cust, Purnima Bihari, and Aakash Gupta.

I'm looking for more VPs, Directors, or Heads of Product who want to share their defining leadership moments.

DM me or tag someone below.

PS. Bookmark this for when you're stuck on an impossible decision and need to see how other leaders navigated it. First episode drops February 24th.

2025: The year I learned focus has a price tag. Turned 40. Ran my first half marathon. Doubled my income while working fewer hours.

But here's what nobody tells you about Year 1 of consulting:

The wins are incredible. The valleys are brutal.

Some months hit $50K. Others dipped to $2K. I got ghosted after proposals. Had deals go sideways. Watched summer dry up completely.

Before I left my job, April Dunford told me: "Don't try to do too many things at once. Focus on one thing and get REALLY good at it."

So I said no to:
→ Newsletter sponsorships (even when I needed the money)
→ Course launches
→ Content creation I actually loved

The result? My biggest deal ever—with a Fortune 100 company.

But it came at a cost: I didn't create anything I'm truly proud of last year. No podcasts. No creative projects. Just focused execution.

That changes in 2026.

I'm launching Product Leaders Lab—a community + media brand for VPs, Directors, and Heads of Product. Already have 22 founding members and $60K in sponsorships locked.

Also launching a documentary-style podcast: One impossible scenario. Three veteran product leaders. Three completely different approaches. 20-25 minutes, not 60+ minute rambling.

First episode launched in Feb 2026: "The AI Ambush" - Your CEO announces an AI pivot without telling you. Product team panics. Board meeting in 48 hours. What do you do?

And I'm also running the Chicago Marathon in October to raise $2,500 for a close friend fighting stage 4 cancer.

2025 was depth. 2026 is reach.

What's one thing you're most proud of from 2025?

PS. Full year-in-review in the newsletter.

2025 has been the most transformative year of my life. Not just professionally, but personally, emotionally, and physically. Just like my review of 20

Open article: 2025 in review: the year everything changed by Ramli John • 9 min read

2025 in review: the year everything changed

In this live workshop, Becki Floyd will share how to turn user feedback into working AI prototypes within a day.  

Engineers can now use AI to ship in hours, not weeks. If UX can't keep pace, product decisions happen without user input.

Becki redesigned her entire UX process to work at AI speed:

✅ Async video research + AI analysis = user insights in hours (not weeks)
✅ Morning feedback → afternoon prototypes using Replit and ChatGPT
✅ High-fidelity prototypes that developers can ship immediately
✅ Process that keeps UX leading when speed matters most

This isn't about adding more tools to your stack. It's about rebuilding how UX works when AI-powered devs are shipping code faster than traditional research cycles allow.

This is her framework:

1. Gather insights in hours (async video + AI synthesis)
2. Build working prototypes the same day (tools that compress design-to-dev)
3. Lead product direction at AI speed (process over perfection)

We kick off the workshop tomorrow (Wednesday, January 21) at 9 AM ET

Bring your PMs, designers, and developers. This is for teams trying to stay user-led when everything moves faster.

Register: https://luma.com/9bwpea6x

What's your biggest challenge in keeping UX involved when dev cycles get compressed?

Harness

Senior Customer Marketing Manager

Zylo

• Lead Zylo’s global customer marketing strategy, overseeing all customer communications, advocacy, engagement programs, and lifecycle initiatives.
• Established and manage a Customer Advisory Board (CAB), creating a forum for customer feedback and product collaboration that drives satisfaction and innovation.
• Develop and execute customer communication strategies—including newsletters, emails, and in-app messaging—to deliver timely updates, increase engagement, and build deeper relationships.
• Launch and optimize upsell and cross-sell campaigns, driving incremental revenue and expanding customer lifetime value.
• Drive customer storytelling through references, case studies, and podcasts, highlighting impact and strengthening community.

Director of Customer Marketing 

• Took on additional responsibility for Zylo’s global events strategy, overseeing the planning and execution of the company’s flagship annual event.
• Owned end-to-end event management—including agenda development, speaker sourcing, attendee registration, vendor coordination, and onsite logistics—delivering record-breaking attendance and revenue impact.
• Led cross-functional teams to align events with go-to-market goals, elevating brand awareness, generating pipeline, and reinforcing Zylo’s position in the market.
• Analyzed event performance to drive improvements, measure ROI, and report impact to senior leadership.
• Managed and mentored an Event Manager to execute exceptional experiences that educated, inspired, and engaged customers.

Director, Customer Marketing and Events

• Joined Zylo to build and scale the customer marketing function, focused on increasing customer engagement and supporting retention and growth.
• Launched foundational programs, including customer newsletters, lifecycle communications, and cross-functional alignment with CS and Product Marketing.
• Partnered with sales to create early reference and testimonial programs, showcasing customer value and driving credibility with prospects.
• Identified key customer segments and developed targeted messaging strategies to support adoption and satisfaction.

Director of Customer Marketing

Tealium

• Build meaningful relationships directly with clients, inspiring them to be a part of Tealium’s success through co-marketing opportunities, including speaking at conferences, providing referrals, testimonials and references. 
• Work closely with customer success, sales, product marketing and communications teams to identify and craft stories of our most strategic customers to support our go-to-market initiatives. 
• Create dynamic and engaging cross-sell and upsell campaigns to support expansion in our top-level accounts. 
• Lead and manage customer engagement and communication programs, such as monthly customer newsletters, in-app messaging, product announcements, and ongoing nurture campaigns.

Global Customer Marketing Lead

• Responsible for overseeing global user conferences for Tealium customers, prospects and partners in Europe, Americas, Australia and Japan. 
• Work with global teams to organize event details from beginning to end including customer speakers and content, venue selection, registration management, overall logistics and theme, marketing and messaging, outside vendors and budget while maintaining a cohesive global brand and message.

Director, User Conferences

Unbridled

• Provided full-service meeting planning to Unbridled clients including, but not limited to, timeline management, hotel contract management, pre-event planning, vendor negotiations, offsite sourcing, and on-site event implementation.
• Oversaw programs from start to finish while maintaining accurate budgets and implementing cost savings whenever possible.
• Communicated between multiple in-house and external vendors on behalf of the client to offer a seamless event experience for our clients. 
• Juggled multiple clients and events at any one time to create unique and cutting-edge attendee experiences for a multitude of different industry events.

Senior Event Project Manager

ChiroTouch

• Managed all company, tradeshow, training and client events, including but not limited to over 100 trade shows throughout the United States, 4 user conferences and 5 company events. 
• Oversaw Event department budget while driving positive ROI to increase sales and customer satisfaction.
• Grew relationships with continuing education providers, coaching experts, technology partners and state associations to help maximize ROI.
• Analyzed events for effectiveness and provided innovative strategies to improve ROI and maximize lead capture.

Event Marketing Manager

TRM Oncology

• Managed overall operations of all logistical components of project activities from inception to conclusion, adhering to timeline and budget limitations in accordance with the approved scope of work. Sample project types include, Community Advisory Boards, Physician Advisory Boards, Ancillary Congress Events, Steering Committees and Internal Events. 
• Partnered with Account Lead to ensure execution and implementation of all projects are in adherence to agreed internal LEAN processes.  
• Supported on development of internal logistics-related operating procedures and processes to improve efficiency, reduce redundancy and costs; and to enhance productivity, innovation, and quality.

Event Project Operations Manager

AirWatch by VMware

• Planned and coordinated logistics with the Connect Team for over 100 one-day events and one large annual multi-day event by overseeing venue sourcing, date selection, contracting A/V and catering, website creation, monitoring registrations, prepping speakers and staff, securing travel accommodations, maintaining contact with attendees, attending events, ensuring follow up and budgeting.
• During Spring, launched Connect Local series in five countries with four different languages in Asia by ensuring language appropriate agendas and registration, scheduling weekly calls over multiple timezones and maintaining country-specific etiquette for business meetings.  
• Utilized proficiency in Spanish to host four events in four different countries in Latin America by communicating in Spanish with attendees and speakers and coordinating all other event logistics while focusing on local customs, languages and business procedures.
• Worked as part of the cohesive NAM Events team to coordinate logistics (including travel, booth design, onsite assistance, etc.) for tradeshows and conferences throughout the United States and Latin America in an effort to represent VMware AirWatch at as many industry-relevant events as possible.

Event Coordinator, Connect Events

National Center for Science and Civic Engagement

• Designed, planned, implemented and oversaw several national and regional events hosted in different cities throughout the United States. Managed event budget and contract negotiations between vendors, including hotel partners, audio/visual companies, catering and on-site staffing. 
• Coordinated and facilitated multiple conferences for the SENCER-ISE project. Acted as point of contact for new members, the general public, and vendors. Collaborated with outside contractors to develop and maintain an online presence via social media and a (newly created) project website.

Network and Events Coordinator

• Responsible for planning of NCSCE events which included several two-day, four-day and six-day conferences in various parts of the United States. Corresponded with participants, vendors and facilitators in an effort to implement successful events ranging in 20 – 350 attendees and provide on-site supervision at meetings. 
• Facilitated NCSCE’s newest grant, Great Lakes Innovative Stewardship through Education Network (GLISTEN), assisting with the application and selection process of funded recipients, creation of the GLISTEN website and logo, and administration of all grantees’ activities after funding. 
• Assisted with the hiring and management of the office summer intern. Correspond with the NCSCE community via email, phone and bi-weekly eNews articles.

Program Assistant/Program Associate

LIFT

• Analyzed existing grants and researched potential opportunities for the development of new institutional funding strategies.
• Managed and updated donor database, maintained contact with donors throughout Close the Gap campaign.

Development Intern

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

• Assisted with planning and preparation for fundraising events.
• Performed administrative tasks such as donor phone calls, thank you letters and emails.
• Attended fundraisers, coordinated tasks relating to silent auction, donor interaction and volunteer recruitment.

Fund Development Intern

Experienced Customer Marketing professional with a proven record of driving engagement and revenue growth. Skilled in establishing Customer Advisory Boards, crafting compelling customer communications, and executing targeted upsell campaigns. Proficient in orchestrating successful flagship events and user conferences, with expertise in event planning, logistics management, and budgeting. Demonstrated ability in analyzing event metrics, optimizing experiences, and showcasing ROI. Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Amanda Peacock

✨ New year. New opportunity at Harness. ✨

We’re hiring a Customer Marketing & Community Manager to join my team and  help grow our EngineeringX community and bring real customer stories to life. 

This role is for someone who:
• Loves building and running communities that actually engage
• Executes — not just plans (things ship here)
• Is deeply customer-obsessed and thinks from the customer’s POV
• Can juggle programs across community, events, and content with confidence

It’s hands-on, high-impact, and ideal for someone who likes seeing their work in the wild.

Bonus points if Taylor Swift references feel like a perfectly reasonable form of communication 😜 

Know someone great? Drop a comment, tag them, or share with your network. 

(full JD in the comments!)

AI-Driven Customer Marketer | Top 100 CMA Strategist

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The Battle

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