Blockchain is Product Management

Brian Tubergen, Head of Product at CoinList and former Director of Product at AngelList, explains the basics of blockchain technology, the challenges and opportunities in building blockchain products, and the strategy behind starting CoinList at AngelList and spinning it out as a separate company.

You can’t read the news without seeing headlines about blockchain, bitcoin, and ICOs. But what exactly is a blockchain? And what opportunities does it present for product managers?

Brian is the Co-Founder and Head of Product of CoinList, one of the hottest companies in the space. CoinList spun out from AngelList to become the financial services company for the next generation of technology companies, with an initial focus on token sales.

Brian provides a simple and concise explanation of this powerful new technology: A blockchain is a decentralized database that’s stored and maintained by an independent network of computers. Data is stored in chunks, called blocks, that are ordered and linked to form a chain. A token, then, is a unit of value that’s tracked and exchanged on a blockchain to incentivize network participants.

Brian then shares the markets that are best suited for blockchain solutions and advice for product managers who want to be successful with the technology. You’ll learn a lot from this episode about exploring new market opportunities, building new business units, and blockchain technology.

Here are the highlights:

• Brian explains the basics of blockchains and tokens (6:10)
• The strategy behind building CoinList and spinning it out from AngelList (9:55)
• The product management challenges associated with blockchain technology and what product managers need to do to be successful in the space (14:00)
• Brian describes the markets that present the best opportunities for blockchain applications (21:35)
• Brian’s approach to product leadership (30:10)