Embarking on my journey as a Stern Venture Fellow (SVF) has been an incredibly enriching experience. As I work on my company, PressKit.ai, a media relations SaaS focused on AI-enabled reporter outreach and list creation, the insights and support I’ve received through the SVF program have been invaluable.
One of the standout moments for me so far has been a recent talk by Professor Andrew Breen on product prioritization. I had the pleasure of taking the popular Tech Product Management course with Professor Breen last Spring at NYU Stern, so I was already familiar with his teaching style and the depth of his knowledge. However, this session was particularly impactful as it delved deeper into how to decide on which features to dedicate resources to, a topic crucial for the current stage of PressKit.ai’s development.
At PressKit.ai, we face the challenge of determining which features to focus on amidst a plethora of possibilities. Media relations SaaS is a field with diverse needs and offerings, and our goal is to create a product that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our users. By concentrating on AI-enabled reporter outreach and list creation first, we are honing in on two critical aspects that can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of media relations for our current and future clients.
However, implementing this focus is not without its challenges. One of the most difficult aspects has been balancing our long-term vision with the immediate feedback and demands from our current and potential customers. Professor Breen’s session reinforced the necessity of this balance and highlighted the importance of iterative development and continuous user feedback. His advice to engage with customers daily has become a cornerstone of our approach during the SVF program.
Another invaluable experience has been the guidance from Belinda Di Giambattista, who shared her insights on KPIs and her experience with Butter Beans, a company she successfully exited. Her emphasis on understanding which metrics truly matter has helped us define and track the most relevant KPIs for PressKit.ai. Her advice has reinforced the importance of user engagement and data integration, ensuring that we measure our success effectively and make data-driven decisions.
As we prepare to launch our AI tool live at the end of the summer following its beta trial, we are also focusing on a key KPI: the extent to which users match their personal data with our data in shared and saved lists. For example, users can create saved lists of reporters and enrich these lists with additional data such as cell phone numbers, alternative emails, or personal notes about reporters. This KPI will measure how much data users are inputting and integrating with our system. High engagement in this area indicates that users find value in our platform and are more likely to continue using it. The more data they input, the more friction there will be for them to leave, as they will have invested significant time and effort into curating their lists.
In conclusion, the first few weeks as a Stern Venture Fellow have been a period of significant learning and development for both me and the PressKit.ai team. The strategies and insights gained from Professor Breen and Belinda Di Giambattista have been particularly impactful, providing a framework for product prioritization and KPI measurement that we are actively applying to our development process. As we move towards our goals, the emphasis on customer feedback, iterative improvement, and rigorous focus on our key KPI—user engagement through data integration in saved lists—will continue to be our guiding principles. This approach will ensure that PressKit.ai evolves into a product that truly meets the needs of its users and achieves sustainable growth.
