Rocky Sharma (@rockyrunz) is Founder & CEO of ProductLedCEO, ProcurementAI, and Luxeo Platforms — 3x Head of Product, Stanford GSB alumnus, and Forbes Thought Leader
Product managers play a critical role in a company. Customers experience the company’s culture through its products—and product managers shape that experience through their behaviors and decisions. Hence, product culture is extremely important, as it can impact not only a company’s products but also teams and business outcomes.
I believe product managers can learn a number of lessons by examining Japanese culture, which I experienced through a recent trip to the country.
People in Japan tend to follow an unwritten commuter culture. For example, in many parts of the world, people often wear bags on their backs or shoulders on public transportation, but this can sometimes cause inconveniences if the bag keeps poking others due to it being out of sight for the wearer. I noticed many commuters in Japan, however, wore their bags to the front, which kept their things in their line of sight and minimized inconvenience to other passengers.
When you commute via local trains in some cities, there is often a lot of noise, with people playing music, eating, speaking over the phone and cracking jokes with their friends. As part of Japanese train etiquette, I’ve found that riders generally don’t talk on their phones and speak at low volumes to respect other passengers.
Additionally, on train platforms in many metro cities, I often see people who do not honor the yellow safety lines that are placed as a barrier when train doors open and close, which is dangerous. But in Japan, I noticed commuters largely respected this boundary, and some even politely raised their hands to prevent others from breaking the rules.
Lastly, in some regions, when people are in a hurry and trying to catch a train or get off, commuters don’t always follow the allocated lanes for walking while climbing stairs or escalators. However, I noticed this wasn’t the case in Japan; many commuters did not show signs of hurry and followed defined lanes at the stairs and escalators.
A healthy product culture in a company needs to follow similar practices. It is not just what is written in policies, nor is it just how you behave when the boss is around. Product managers should hold others accountable when proper procedures or product culture are not followed. That defines real culture. The first violation should be a gentle reminder. The second violation could be a genuine warning. The third violation may need to be about separation. Otherwise, this could negatively impact business outcomes.
Food is treated as a visual medium in Japan. Just like jewelry stores display items in showrooms to attract shoppers, many Japanese restaurants display replicas of their dishes outside to attract diners.
I also noticed that many Japanese shops provide a pre-packed wet tissue or warm towel complimentary for customers who are buying snacks or food, and most dine-in restaurants have a mesh bag at each table to cater to the comfort of people dining in. This is in contrast to restaurants I’ve visited outside of Japan, where diners with shopping bags or handbags might need to keep their things on the table or in a seat, which can make the experience congested.
Apart from focusing on local delicacies, many Japanese establishments also offer their own take on non-Japanese foods to cater to tourists or locals who crave their home country’s cuisine.
Product managers can learn a few things from these examples of Japanese culture, mainly that culture should not be enforced. Rather, it should be experienced at every touchpoint. Every member of a product team—starting from the head of product management all the way to product interns—should demonstrate the product culture. This ensures the culture becomes part of the work-life experience. Processes, systems and policies should be ingrained into the DNA of employees, the product and the organization. This is again directly aligned with business outcomes, as constant slips can impact the product team’s morale.
Japan’s culture also highlights the value of taking a customer-centric approach, as well as prioritizing agility and empathy. Like how many Japanese food establishments provide wet tissue, a mesh bag at tables or non-Japanese food options, a product management team must be able to cater to differentiated needs. Otherwise, they risk customers not engaging with the company.
In most places where English is not the first language, English-speaking travelers might struggle when trying to communicate with locals, which can lead to friction. In Japan, I observed many local businesses use technology to bridge language barriers.
I also saw differences in sales tactics. Negotiation while purchasing is a standard occurrence in many parts of the world, wherein you haggle with the shops about a better price. In Japan, I found shopping establishments to be forthcoming with their best price, so there was no room for negotiation. Additionally, in some shops and malls around the world, you might encounter salespeople announcing deals and pushing for attention to attract shoppers. By contrast, I found salespeople in Japan often stood straight with a smile on their faces and looked attentive. If someone needed help, the staff would step in naturally and provide quality customer service. Actions like this can boost culture.
Even in moments where a consumer doesn’t directly interact with a salesperson—like using a vending machine, which is very common throughout Japan—companies make the experience memorable through unique offerings, like cake inside a can.
From a product management standpoint, I believe one of the key lessons leaders can learn from Japan is that culture is not automation. Rather, it’s about how you use technology to create memorable experiences for customers, employees and investors. This requires emotional connection, the human touch and expertise.
Ultimately, I believe product managers can take inspiration from Japan’s transportation, food and shopping culture. Product managers should remember that building a strong product culture requires more than setting a few rules; members of product teams must also hold one another accountable, demonstrate the culture in everything they do and use technology to build memorable experiences for customers.
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This article also appeared in Forbes.
Rocky Sharma (@rockyrunz) is Founder & CEO of ProductLedCEO, ProcurementAI, and Luxeo Platforms — 3x Head of Product, Stanford GSB alumnus, and Forbes Thought Leader
When it opened its doors in 2005, the Georgia Aquarium was the world’s largest. Today, it no longer holds that distinction, but it remains an immense aquarium. I had the opportunity to visit it twice, once in 2008 and once in 2024.
Both times, I found myself in an environment that was alien to me. Watching fish of various colors and sizes floating, I wondered about what life was like on the other side of the glass. Fish are attuned to their immediate environment, not what lies beyond them. In some ways, I believe, we can look at product management from the perspective of being a fish in an aquarium. Product managers and leaders can learn several lessons from fish in an aquarium.
My first trip to the Georgia Aquarium was in 2008, during the financial crisis. Many people were concerned about their financial situation, as the overall economic outlook was bleak.
Watching a group of moon jellyfish that day, I thought about how they were completely oblivious to what was happening beyond their environment. What was happening in the outside world could very well affect them. For instance, families dealing with job loss would likely decide to cut back on unnecessary expenses, including aquarium visits, leaving the aquarium with fewer funds.
My second trip to the aquarium was in 2024, when generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) was the focal point of many conversations, with some fearing the ramifications it would have on jobs.
Once again, I found myself watching a group of moon jellyfish floating and glowing. I had the same thought as last time—they were totally oblivious to what was happening beyond their immediate environment, despite the reality that events unfolding in the outside world could impact them. For instance, research published in 2025 by Common Sense Media found that for children eight years of age and younger, “there has been a shift in how screen time is being used. Gaming time has surged 65% in four years, and traditional TV viewing has declined, while short-form video platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts are on the rise.”
Additionally, consider this from a 2024 Wired article: “There’s a whole new way to get rich on the internet—at least according to a rush of YouTube tutorials touting the money to be made using AI to generate videos for kids. Searching for how to create kids content or channels on YouTube now pulls up tutorials offering roadmaps for creating simple animations in just a few hours.” What if, in the next few years, some children start preferring watching AI-generated videos of fish, versus visiting aquariums in person? If fish are the product and this becomes the case, then 2008 would be akin to the maturity stage in the product lifecycle, while 2024 would resemble the product decline stage with a tectonic shift in customer behavior.
The takeaway? The product lifecycles of AI products can disrupt industries seemingly overnight.
By the time of my 2008 visit, I was observing some product leaders explore how networking-based solutions could be used in their products and startups. Network-based companies were emerging, such as Facebook (2004) and Airbnb (2007). Others, such as Uber (2009) and Instagram (2010), would follow.
For the aquarium, I thought while I observed beluga whales doing acrobatics, that could mean more visitors outside of Georgia buying tickets due to potentially less expensive accommodation costs—they could opt to stay in an Airbnb versus a hotel.
But in 2024, as I observed the beluga whales, I thought about how the aquarium was navigating changes to product marketing, such as many people leveraging large language models (LLMs) like search engines.
So, I predict that the tectonic shift to product marketing could be that the focus will be more on impressing AI tools rather than people, as it’s the AI tools that collect and present the information to people. Perhaps AI tools won’t necessarily gather and present the information that aquariums want people to see, leading to a decline in visits.
The takeaway, in my view, is that product marketing will shift toward impressing AI tools and not just people.
In my 2008 visit to the Georgia Aquarium, I watched the penguins. From my observations, the aquarium staff were there to provide a wholesome experience to visitors while maintaining a safe distance between the penguins and people.
2008 also happened to be the year when the iPhone was in its infancy. In my view, the iPhone was one of the cornerstone products that signaled an increased focus on creating better user experiences to entice customers.
In 2024, as I moved across the aquarium, I came across the penguins again. It was astonishing to observe the way the penguins walked and played. I saw the penguins and people emotionally connecting.
Emotional connection is something that, I believe, AI can’t really replicate currently. When I remember those penguins and people interacting, I can’t help but think that moving forward, emotional connection might be a differentiating factor in the product experience.
I believe the takeaway is that product managers and leaders should double down on creating emotional connections via their products, as it’s something that AI can’t currently create well.
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This article also appeared in Forbes.
Rocky Sharma (@rockyrunz) is Founder & CEO of ProductLedCEO, ProcurementAI, and Luxeo Platforms — 3x Head of Product, Stanford GSB alumnus, and Forbes Thought Leader
Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, is the world’s largest beer festival, attended by over 7 million people in 2023 and taking place for more than 200 years. Oktoberfest coincided with my sixth marathon within 12 months in Berlin, Germany. Hence, I decided to experience Oktoberfest even though I don’t drink.
Teufelsrad, which translates to “Devil’s wheel,” has been a popular sporting event at Oktoberfest for many years. Scores of people sit around a giant wheel. As the wheel rotates and picks up speed, obstacles are thrown at participants, who fall off one by one until we have one winner. Many of the participants wear Dirndl, which is the traditional dress worn over a century ago.
Let’s see what we can learn about product management and business from Teufelsrad/Devil’s Wheel.
When it was time for about 20 participants to sit on the wheel, there was a rush to sit at the center of the wheel, and others sat on leftover spots in circles. When the wheel started rotating, participants on the outer edge of the circles started falling off due to the speed.
The participant at the center (let’s call them X) had a natural defense as X was shielded from falling by participants in the outer circles, whether they wanted to offer such support or not. I noticed the participants on the outer edge of the wheel are typically merry, not as serious and having fun—and they are the first ones to fall.
When you build and launch a product, and it is a new category (meaning nothing like it exists in the market—think of AirBnB or iPhone), it allows the product an uncrowded path to the center of the market (as there was hardly any market or demand).
Once a product starts earning engagement, competition follows, and often, even established players try to enter that space. But the market lead can be huge, and constant innovation often keeps the players at the center of the wheel, providing a natural defense/advantage. While non-serious products keep failing.
Hence, product managers should not be fearful of walking on the path less taken just because there is no market or need. It can always be created if the product addresses pain areas in a unique manner. And a new business model can create network effects for continued market lead and growth.
At some point in the game, half the participants have fallen off, and the remaining participants are trying to stay on the wheel. The speed of the wheel keeps increasing; there are sudden jerks, and the participants clinch to the wheel with no natural support, hoping that they don’t fall off the wheel.
Hope is not a strategy in games or in the real world; hence, participants keep falling. Those who don’t fall into what’s now the outer circle are sometimes offered a lending hand from others in the circle.
In the business world, think of such people offering a lending hand as professional coaches, investors and friends. Entrepreneurs can often hold on longer and keep their products in the game when they lean on others for product advice, funding or support.
Everyone except two participants has fallen off the wheel. This is a fist fight, except the fist is a palm as both participants are trying to hold the flat surface of the wheel so they maintain their position.
Now is the time for obstacles that are thrown at the final two participants, such as ropes and small sandbags to knock them off balance. Both participants try to fend off external attacks while still trying to outsmart the other person. Maneuvers and cheers may or may not work. They are being patient until one makes a mistake or delivers the knockout punch, as there is only one winner.
In business, think of the Internet search market: Google is the dominant player with over 80% of the market share. While in the CPG market, you have Pepsi and Coca-Cola competing for the same audience.
Obstacles could include market downturns, failed product launches, funding crunch, competition from new players, government regulations, or company- and people-related controversies. This is where coaches, stakeholders and others who are deeply invested in the company’s success can offer a helping hand.
Many participants wear a traditional dress called “Dirndls,” a common working outfit in the 19th century. These outfits are often uncomfortable while on the wheel.
Many companies, especially for customer-facing roles, have employees wear company attire that represents employees as the brand ambassador.
Uniforms present a sense of belonging, showing that everyone on the team is representing the mission of an organization and is doing their part to meet organizational goals. Uniforms also help in simplifying customer experience, especially in customer-facing in-person roles, as customers are easily able to identify from the uniform that they represent the organization.
Many other countries have started their own versions of Oktoberfest and customized them based on their own cultural aspects. However, there is only one original.
We also see this in business. For example, DoorDash launched before competitors like UberEats, and there were several copycat versions in various countries where DoorDash did not operate, which is more of a business opportunity rather than making a difference in people’s lives through radical innovation.
There are a few ways in which Teufelsrad or Devil’s Wheel is different from reality in product management. For example, most participants are there for fun. They are with close friends and having the time of their lives, with no ties to any business outcomes or output. There is no monetary award when you win Teufelsrad/Devil’s Wheel, except for bragging rights and social media coverage.
Additionally, there’s no natural cushion in real life: When participants fall off the wheel, they slide at top speed and are stopped by a barricade of cushions so they do not get hurt.
In real life, in product management, there are no such cushions: Your product is a success or a failure.
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This article also appeared in Forbes.
Rocky Sharma (@rockyrunz) is Founder & CEO of ProductLedCEO, ProcurementAI, and Luxeo Platforms — 3x Head of Product, Stanford GSB alumnus, and Forbes Thought Leader
Many product leaders aim to achieve quick business results at minimal cost by hoping to stumble upon a viral moment that boosts product attention. However, relying on virality alone is a risky strategy. Let’s explore what product managers can learn from viral moments and how to apply these insights effectively.
A viral moment captures immediate attention and is widely circulated by the public across social media. It is extremely difficult to manufacture such a moment with millions of views unless you are already a celebrity with a large social media following, such as the Oscars selfie taken by Ellen DeGeneres.
Let’s consider virality from the perspective of individuals who do not have millions of followers and how these lessons can apply to product management:
A viral video featuring 8-year-old twins (Gen Alpha) complaining about the price of ice cream is a prime example. The young girls did not seek attention; their response to the overpriced sweet treat was unrestrained, shockingly funny and depicted their genuine character. People related to it because their commentary touched upon rising prices, identified a gap and was humorous.
A viral moment should include (a) authenticity, (b) shock and awe and (c) genuineness. Similarly, product leaders should prioritize authentic, genuine interactions with customers, addressing their problems with solutions that exceed their expectations. By offering products that deliver a perceived value greater than the actual cost and innovatively focusing on customer outcomes, product leaders can create memorable experiences that bring smiles to their customers’ faces.
Consider the Gen-Z influencer who, even with millions of followers, could not sell 36 T-shirts. Her followers showed interest in potential merchandise but did not purchase it once available, indicating a mismatch between influencer and follower intent.
There is a huge difference between promise to pay and intent to pay, especially when the influencer is not a proven subject matter expert in that field. Virality is of limited use unless it can be channeled to generate revenue/public good.
In contrast, the Tesla Cybertruck’s “unbreakable” window shattering during a demonstration still generated a sold-out waitlist. Elon Musk’s consistent efforts and authentic connection with his followers helped achieve this. His personality and transparent journey, including failed attempts, appealed to his audience, even leading to the sell-out of limited edition red satin shorts in just minutes.
Authentic connections and consistent efforts toward helping your target customers build repeatable paying customers. This is something I’ve personally learned over the years. Regardless of seniority, speaking with customers and focusing on their needs fosters loyalty and support for your product. Many customers become champions and even join customer advisory boards to offer genuine feedback pre-product launch.
A memorable unplanned viral story involved a Millennial mom posting a live video wearing a Chewbacca mask. Her infectious laugh, honest comments and relatable nature got her national attention, TV show invites, a scholarship, a book deal and a blog contract. Despite the internet critics, she was genuinely funny and relatable and used that to find success and dream even bigger.
From a product management standpoint, being relatable and having personally experienced the problems customers face can create a strong connection. Additionally, lies are often spread in the face of success, and one of the rational solutions is to work with a public relations/marketing professional who can turn negativity into showcasing the human behind the influencer mask.
For your product goals, dare to dream big, fend off naysayers (unless it rationally makes sense) and nurture your product like a newborn baby to earn profitable product success in the long run.
In summary, product leaders should focus on authenticity, consistent efforts and genuine connections with customers. These strategies, rather than hoping for a viral moment, are more likely to yield sustainable success.
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This article also appeared in Forbes.
Rocky Sharma (@rockyrunz) is Founder & CEO of ProductLedCEO, ProcurementAI, and Luxeo Platforms — 3x Head of Product, Stanford GSB alumnus, and Forbes Thought Leader
I am not a fan of pizzas. Nevertheless, I’m going to address what I’ve learned about product management from my experience visiting Naples and trying various restaurants.
When I first moved to a new country by myself, I couldn’t cook and had no car. The food in the new city offered limited options. Food in the office cafeteria was not to my liking, and the office was on the outskirts of the city. There was a huge retail store near my office that had a pizza parlor inside. Hence, I had pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner for three months. That’s when I learned to cook by myself and didn’t eat pizza for over a decade.
I was watching a rerun of a famous 1990s television show wherein the protagonist from New York was forced by his family to visit their ancestral place in Italy. A single pizza bite cured his sickness and grumpiness. He started to enjoy the Roman holiday. That’s what led me to experience Italy.
Naples is considered the home of pizza. Rather than visiting the tourist favorite places listed on the internet, I decided to speak to locals and seek their recommendations. People in Naples were down to earth, happy, helpful and fascinating. This got me thinking about the origin of pizza and how it would have satisfied the hunger of people with limited time and money.
The first place I visited in Naples was where the world’s first-ever pizza was created. It was in a neighborhood that had nothing fancy about it. The restaurant itself wasn’t open but instead offered pizza slices on a stand outside. I found this fascinating, as in North America, when a shop is closed, it is closed. I bought a slice and asked if I could sit inside to order a bigger pizza.
The design of the place was not user-friendly and unintuitive. The downstairs had no seating, was crammed, and had a cashier’s counter. The price was 5x the price served outside. This was a new experience for me as it communicated that the price differed based on service and quantity, keeping it affordable for people from all strata of society.
With over 200 years of pizza’s invention and so many people having incorporated improvements, I did not find the taste out of this world. And while the owner did not speak any English, and I did not speak Italian, I was still able to gather from English-speaking staff that the place has no other locations, franchisees or any partnerships within and outside Naples. Was this a missed opportunity to capitalize on the place that invented pizza?
The second place was known as the best place for gelato and cappuccino in Italy. I was inspired to visit here through a famous U.S. talk show and was instantly dazzled. The place was clear, brightly lit, had a huge queue depicting demand and the design was user friendly.
I noticed the same theme wherein the pricing and service were different based on your purchasing power. One can purchase on the go and the prices were economical, while one can dine in with a five star experience. Original plaster of paintings from 1860 still hung on the walls. Managers spoke English, catering to a diverse audience. Strangely enough, managers had never heard of the place that invented the first pizza ever based in Naples, which I found odd. Was this some sort of competition or lack of acknowledgment?
I couldn’t help but compare the two establishments. One was likely barely bootstrapped, while the other had good initial capital that led to where they are today. However, the one with good capital capitalized on expanding the same experience while the other did not. Both establishments had no further locations and seemed content and happy with what they were delivering and earning. Was this not a missed opportunity to expand and have an expanded set of customers experience the service?
From a product management standpoint, here are the key takeaways I gathered.
You need good mentors who can guide you toward expanding the mission statement/goal to an expanded customer segment. Mentors should be people who are experienced in the field to offer advice on what you are missing out. Mentors could also be people who have no experience in your industry and are able to offer thought leadership, especially in areas in which there is no industry playbook, as the venture is innovative and untested. Asking people to be your mentor is not the recommended way. Prepare a list of people who could help you, reach out to them for advice with a specific question they specialize in, and showcase your passion for the problem during the initial meeting. Mentors would offer to remain in touch and offer any additional help as, at this point, they have skin in the game.
If the goal is to be content, happy and profitable by staying small, then this is a personal choice. However, investors typically stay away from such a product as there is not enough margin and scale for investor’s cut. If that is your goal, avoid capital-intensive businesses that can survive on profits and areas where typically investors stay away due to growth restrictions.
Offering different versions of the product based on diversified customer segments, propensity to pay, time, design and customer experience is helpful from a revenue, margin and NPS standpoint. This could be done by gathering inputs from your hard core customers, testing the suggestions with a larger sample group, then adjusting and implementing the revised approach.
The key point is to share your unique story on why your product exists, find prospects who relate with it and have propensity to pay to grow any product.
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