Carry1st

Associate Product Manager

Cashingames

• Utilized data-driven insights from Product Analytics softwares and customer interviews to enhance productdecision-making and feature prioritization, resulting in a 20% improvement in decision accuracy.

● Collaborated with the marketing team to develop go-to-market strategies for products, resulting in a
20% increase in customer acquisition and a 15% decrease in churn

● Orchestrated dynamic live operations strategies, implementing real-time in-game events and content
updates in a mobile game. This resulted in a notable % increase in player engagement by 25%,
fostering a thriving and constantly evolving gaming community

● Led the successful development and release of critical customer-facing features and process
improvements, leading to a 25% increase in customer satisfaction and reduced churn by 40%

● Ideated, conceptualized, and guided the development of a mobile game that garnered 1000+ userswithin the first quarter of launch, with a weekly active user (WAU) rate of 30% among the existing
customer base.

● Implemented Agile methodologies and frameworks to streamline development processes and
optimize resource allocation, resulting in a 15% increase in overall team productivity.

Product Manager

Side Hustle

Elvaridah 

- Created and curated engaging content ideas, resulting in a daily posting schedule on Instagram and LinkedIn, increasing social media engagement by 25%.
- Authored an e-book that served as a lead generation tool, generating 100 qualified leads within the first month of its launch.

- Developed a comprehensive social media approach tailored to the target audience, resulting in a 15% increase in website traffic and a 10% growth in customer conversions.

- Implemented content strategies and scheduled postings on the website, resulting in a 20% increase in organic search traffic and a 30% improvement in website visibility.

- Provided art direction for website and social media graphics, resulting in a cohesive visual brand identity and a 40% increase in social media followers.

Content Strategist

Tech4Dev

I was under the product management learning track of the Digital Skills for Employability programme organized by Tech4Dev. 

I also led a multi functional team of engineers, designers, cyber security professionals and data scientists to drive a product (CoinShare) from ideation to launch.

During the product development process, I created user stories, PRDs, product roadmaps and use cases for proper documentation and reference purposes.

SheLeadsAfrica.Org

Programs Intern

Hello and welcome! 👋🏽

 I'm a B2C Product manager and Game Producer with a passion for steering games and edtech products development towards success and profitability.

Currently, at Carry1st, I'm involved in publishing and scaling mobile games across Africa. I also play a role in exploring monetization opportunities while ensuring player satisfaction of published games. Ultimately, I leverage my expertise in product management and production to drive our games’ success.

Previously, at Cashingames, I led diverse teams in bringing 'GameArk,' a hyper-casual mobile game, from idea to launch. Additionally, I spearheaded growth and monetization strategies for a real-money game, enhancing retention and profitability through pivotal feature development from a data-driven approach. 


I'm dedicated to crafting engaging experiences and driving games toward their fullest potential. I believe that understanding player behavior via data analytics, gathering qualitative customer feedback, building gaming communities and innovation are the key ingredients to take a game from zero to 💯.


I also write about product management, supporting aspiring PMs in landing their first role and excelling within it. I enjoy sharing insights on early-career success and how to initiate a promising professional journey.

If any of these piques your interest, Let's connect.

The first few months in my initial role as a product manager were frustrating.



I had acquired a lot of theoretical knowledge about SDLC, Agile methodologies, Lean Canvas, and many other things that didn't prove significant enough in my role as a PM.

I was misinformed, just like many of you reading this may have been or still are.

 A product manager's role far exceeds mere knowledge of theories, templates, and notions. 

It's more crucial to develop skills that revolve around meeting customer needs through a solution addressing the pain points, generating revenue for the business by monetizing that solution, and scaling the product in its market. 


A product manager's role revolves more around strategy than mere steps and measures to accomplish tasks. 

It's about understanding what is vital and what not to do in moving the product forward, rallying the team to accomplish the vital stuff in a defined manner, and then iteratively releasing it to customers while iterating based on data drawn from the product usage and customer feedback.

Understanding this, I had to cleanse my mind, focusing less on the unimportant details and prioritizing what truly matters.



You should do the same.

Seyi Jesuloluwa

It's my birthday!

The past year has been one of so much growth, and I am so thankful to God for that!

Really looking forward to greater things with the new age 🎊🥳

I think the picture below is a bit flawed. Let me explain.


A Product Manager's role is more aligned to business than tech. 

While understanding the technical side fosters better communication with the tech team, it's not the entire focus. Except when clearly stated that you’re a technical product manager. That’s a different ball game. 

But on a more general note, We're problem solvers and business builders. 

Our main job is to understand the pain points our product addresses, understand the market dynamics and come up with strategies to balance customer satisfaction with profit. 

That's what we're here for.

How can you get better at it?
1. Own your product - Use it as much as you can to understand what needs improvement. Be a master advocate of your product. If you don't enjoy it, what's the guarantee that others will?

2. Listen to your customers - This cannot be overemphasized.

3. Leverage on data - Understand user behavior by studying trends in product usage data. 

What are your thoughts?

At the start of 2024, I set big goals for my LinkedIn presence, but I lost momentum and lost track by March.

Typically, when I lose my momentum in something, I tend to give up and try again later. However, this time, I won’t be doing that.

I’m simply going to pick up where I left off, as if I never stopped. So, expect to see more of my content this month! 🤗🤗

Just like before, I'll share my thoughts on product management and offer early-career tips for young professionals like myself.

In addition to that, I'll be sharing my insights into the gaming industry and game production as I dive deeper into learning about it.

If any of these topics interest you, stay tuned! 


Do you have any other topics you’d like me to cover? Let me know in the comments.

Happy new month And Happy Easter Folks!

How do you answer the “What are your weaknesses” question in an interview?


When you're asked about your strengths and weaknesses in an interview, it's important to handle it carefully, especially when discussing weaknesses.

Before we dive into that, let's understand why they ask this question: Interviewers want to see if you can honestly assess yourself and know where you excel and where you need to improve.

It's not about confessing major flaws like being late or having a short temper. Instead, it's about mentioning smaller weaknesses while showing that you're actively trying to get better to do your job well.

For example:

- One thing I'm working on is handling lots of tasks at once. To deal with this, I make a list of what needs to be done first, so I can focus on the most important things.
  
- Sometimes, I forget things. To fix that, I use my calendar a lot to make sure I remember everything I need to do.

- I'm not great with numbers, but I know they're important for my job. So, I team up with people who are good with data to learn from them.

Feel free to repost if you find this helpful!

Had a great conversation with Isa Muhammad and PocketGamer.biz about the explosive growth and potential of the gaming industry in Africa, and how Carry1st is working hard to support this thriving ecosystem by nurturing local talent and forging partnerships that bring the biggest titles to the continent. It's been an incredible journey so far, and 2024 is shaping up to be even more exciting 🚀 

Full interview here: https://lnkd.in/ecrP-vQR

pocketgamer.biz • 9 min read

"The continent is shattering stereotypes about 'emerging' markets. The African gaming market has already emerged"

Trying to transition into a new industry as product manager? Do these to start on a strong foot:


🎯 Choose 2-3 products within your desired industry.

🎯 Regularly use them to grasp the customer journey, product features, key moments, and areas for improvements.

🎯 Engage with customers, including friends and family who use these products, to gather their feedback.

🎯 Document your insights and share them publicly.

🎯 Gain industry knowledge by reading from experts

🎯 Put yourself in the shoes of the product manager for each product. Identify the main pain points and decide what to prioritize solving first, considering the insights gained.


PS: I mentioned 2-3 products because competitor analysis is crucial in product management. Understanding points of differentiation can aid in product enhancement.

Building product sense is an ongoing process; keep exercising it.

Repost to help someone.

Photo Credit: Lennysnewsletter.com

How can you measure your growth as a product manager?

Product management leans more towards soft skills than technical ones like coding, making it challenging to quantify progress. Nonetheless, here's how I approach it:

1. Assessing Proficiency: I gauge improvement by evaluating tasks that were previously challenging. Have they become easier to handle?

2. Evaluating Product Success: While success isn't solely attributed to me, I analyze my contributions' impact on key business metrics and goals.

3. Soliciting Feedback: I actively seek input from managers and colleagues. Feedback helps me pinpoint areas for improvement and recognize areas of growth.

How do you measure your growth as a PM?

Short and sweet rules to always remember as a Product Manager working with Engineers: 

1. Explain why you need something. Be clear on what needs to be done but always give the reason or objective.

2. Decide quickly; don't add unsure features to the plan.

3. Understand how engineers work best, and be nice.

4. Be clear about who does what.

5. Be friendly and allow for small talks sometimes. 

Anything else to add?

The best advice I have ever received in my career is to stay curious, and never stop learning.

It may look like you’re just piling up a lot of knowledge that may not even be important at this point in your career, but trust me, the learnings might still serve you well in the future.

Stay hungry for knowledge.

Don’t get satisfied. 

There’s always more to know.

The best product decisions are those guided or backed by data insights.

This is why product analytics is a very big deal.

3 ways Product analytics can impact your business:

1. User insights: better understand the effectiveness of your business strategies and optimize ROI by understanding what parts of the products are used and by whom.

2. Growth experimentation - Product analytics unlocks metrics by which experiments/hypothesis are made.

3. Successful digital transformation - Product analytics enables teams to analyze existing workflows to help inform even internal decisions.

What’s your most preferred product analytics tool?

“You’ll stop worrying what people think about you when you realize how seldom they do” 

- David Foster Wallace

In a newsletter I read yesterday, I saw this quote and I’ve been reflecting on it ever since.

We tend to inflate the perceptions or opinions of others about what we do, when in reality, they don’t care that much.

Your anxiety tells you the world is going to laugh at you for embarking on that goal when in reality, everyone’s too busy trying to get their lives together.

Stop overthinking and just take action. This is for you as much as it applies to me also.

Feel free to repost if this resonates with you.

As PMs, the thrill of creating new features can be enticing but sometimes the magic lies in refining already existing features.

Here’s a technique to refine existing features:

1. Assess: Look closely at the feature. Talk to users, check data, and ask your team what they think.

2. Evaluate: Decide how well the feature is doing. Does it help users? Does it fit with what we want to achieve?

3. Promote: Share your ideas for making the feature better with your team. Explain why the changes are needed and how they will help.

Sometimes, all it takes to move the needle is to increase the awareness and stability of an existing feature rather than building something new from scratch. 

Thoughts?

I remember the games I played when I was a kid, like Mario on Sega and Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat, and God of War on PlayStation.

Nowadays, I play mobile games more. 

Games are fun, but they also involve a lot of hard work.

Ever thought about how your favorite games are made?

Well, there are three main steps:


1. Pre-production:In this initial phase, the groundwork for the game is laid. Ideas are brainstormed and refined, and a clear vision of the game is developed. 

Tasks include concept creation, storyboarding, and prototyping. This phase is crucial for determining the feasibility and direction of the game before full-scale development begins.

2. Production:Once the pre-production phase is complete and the game's blueprint is established, production begins. 

This stage involves the actual creation of the game, including designing the game mechanics, developing assets such as artwork and sound, and coding the software. It's a hands-on phase where all the elements of the game start coming together.

3. Post-production:After the game is built, it enters the post-production phase, which focuses on polishing and refining the product. 

This includes extensive testing to identify and fix any bugs or issues, as well as optimizing performance and balancing gameplay. Additionally, preparations are made for the game's launch, including marketing strategies and distribution plans.

These three phases encompass the entire journey of game production, from conceptualization to finalization, ensuring a well-crafted and successful end product.

So, what game did you love playing when you were a kid and what game is your current favorite?

There’s a lot that traditional products can learn from games in terms of customer satisfaction and retention.

FTUE is an acronym commonly used in gaming that means First Time User Experience. 

Every game development team understands the importance of the first session of a user in a game and places a lot of focus on ensuring that the tutorial and game navigation are efficient in educating the user about the game. 

Next time you install a new game, I want you to pay more attention to your first moments in the game; you’ll understand better.

Another lesson is gamification. Although traditional products are already implementing some components of this, gamification goes beyond just achievement bars and reward systems. 

It's about balancing a sense of achievement and pleasure to encourage users to complete more tasks within a product. 

Games provide expert learning in this that products can still benefit from.

Next time you try out a new game or interact with a traditional product, take a moment to observe your initial experience. Pay attention to how it welcomes you and keeps you engaged. 

You might just uncover valuable insights into the power of user-centric design and engagement strategies.

Struggling to reach your goals?

Try the "2-Day Rule."

Just don't skip two days in a row. 

Consistency is key for forming lasting habits. 

Missing two days can start a trend that leads to quitting. 

Pick your goals, start small, and do something daily, even if it's just 10 minutes.

Use a basic calendar or journal to track your progress. Mark off each day you complete your task.

This visual cue will keep you motivated to keep going.

Happy Sunday Folks!

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I used to struggle with speaking confidently. There’s been good improvement but I am still a work in progress. 

I listened to this podcast below and the speaker Matt Abrahams, gave a lot of interesting insights on public speaking and confidence.

Here are some takeaways:

🎯 Harnessing visualization techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and boost confidence. Here’s how:
 Prepare: Visualize yourself in the speaking environment.

 Detailed imagery: Picture yourself confidently delivering your presentation and receiving positive feedback.

Rehearse: Mentally rehearse every aspect of your presentation going smoothly.

Virtual tools: Consider using virtual reality tools for a more immersive experience.

🎯 Ease the pressure of spontaneous speaking by “daring to be dull.” Rather than fixating on communicating brilliant insights, provide just enough information to answer questions or make points. By engaging in the conversation rather than the content, the exchange becomes more about collaboration and less about your performance.

🎯 Strive for connection over perfection. Focus more on creating a strong and genuine connection with your audience rather than obsessing over the flawless delivery of content.

🎯 Shifting your internal dialogue from self-doubt to self-assurance through positive affirmations like “I have value to add” or “I’ve got this” can boost confidence significantly.

Here’s the link to give it a listen:

Podcasts are valuable sources of knowledge. You pick up useful lessons and experiences that you might not find in a regular course.

Here are 5 Podcasts from Lenny's Newsletter that I believe every Product Manager should listen to (Or listen again - there’s so much to learn!)

1️⃣ Mastering product strategy and growing as a PM with Maggie Crowley  - https://lnkd.in/dMGpyahq

2️⃣ Product Management Theater with Marty Cagan  https://lnkd.in/dzJ3vyCb

3️⃣ How to create a winning product strategy with Melissa Perri  https://lnkd.in/dwCsqHV2

4️⃣ Picking sharp problems, increasing virality and unique product frameworks with Oji Udezue  https://lnkd.in/dTCwEEgT

5️⃣ Thinking Beyond Frameworks with Casey Winters https://lnkd.in/df4UdAF7


Feel free to recommend others in the comments!

Carry1st is looking for passionate and excellent BE Engineers to join our Payments Team. If you would like to work with me and my team (or know someone who does) then get in touch! 💰🎮🌍

(No agencies or 3rd parties please)

#payments #africa #gaming #carry1st

https://lnkd.in/eF4r5PFi

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