Navigating Product Leadership: Maximizing Your Performance with Dawn Figueroa

Introduction — Working Smarter, Not Harder

Rina Alexin | 00:00–01:12

Hi everyone and welcome to another episode of *Productside Stories*. I’m your host, **Rina Alexin**, and this is the podcast where we explore the real and raw lessons learned by product leaders around the world. I’m joined today by **Dawn Figueroa**, and we’re going to be discussing how to work smarter, not harder, by leveraging frameworks in your product management career.

Dawn has an incredible career spanning Southwest Airlines and Quicken Loans, and she’s even mentored one of our own consultants here at Productside. Dawn, welcome!

Dawn Figueroa | 01:12–01:25

Thank you so much for having me, Rina. I’m really happy to be here and to talk about product management from both the scars and the wins.

Dawn’s Journey into Product Management

Dawn Figueroa | 01:12–03:25

I always like to say it was fate. In college, I was sitting in a business strategy class doing SWOT and PESTEL analysis when I realized — this is what I want to do forever. I started my career at **Southwest Airlines** in their vacation division as an Associate Product Manager and stayed for 18 years. It was an incredible journey — watching the digital transformation of the travel industry, building eCommerce portals, and designing new revenue models. Later, I moved into fintech at **Quicken Loans** and led the team that built **Rocket Mortgage**.

Lessons from Quicken Loans and the Power of Failure

Dawn Figueroa | 03:25–07:40

At Quicken Loans, during the 2010s, interest rates were low and refinancing was booming. But we struggled with **home purchase loans** because we didn’t have strong relationships with real estate agents. We decided to launch a mobile app to engage consumers through their home search process — it was beautiful, but it flopped.

Why? Because it wasn’t built around what users actually needed. Buying a home is emotional — people know instantly if a house feels right. We designed the app from the inside out, not the outside in.

Understanding Customer Pain Points and Missed Opportunities

Rina Alexin | 07:40–08:55

That story resonates. Many teams try to increase customer touchpoints without realizing that more touchpoints aren’t always better — it’s about meaningful value.

Dawn Figueroa | 08:55–10:28

Exactly. We tested usability but never validated the core value proposition. We didn’t ask, “Is this solving a real problem?” That’s where we failed.

Frameworks for Product Discovery and Validation

Dawn Figueroa | 10:28–13:10

Two frameworks changed how I build products: **Jobs-to-be-Done** and the **Problem Assumption Hypothesis Canvas**. Both force you to pause and test assumptions early.

The Jobs-to-be-Done and Forces of Progress Frameworks

Dawn Figueroa | 13:10–18:35

*Jobs-to-be-Done* helps identify the underlying need a user is fulfilling with an action. The *Forces of Progress* model explains how habits, anxiety, and motivation affect behavioral change. Together, they help product teams understand why users switch (or don’t).

Applying Frameworks to Sales Enablement and Adoption

Dawn Figueroa | 18:35–21:10

When sales teams understand user motivation, they can position products effectively. Product managers must consider emotional and social factors influencing purchase decisions — especially in B2B settings where “doing nothing” often feels safest.

Overcoming the “Do Nothing” Status Quo in Product Strategy

Rina Alexin | 21:10–23:00

That’s so true. Sometimes the biggest competitor isn’t another company — it’s inaction.

Dawn Figueroa | 23:00–25:05

Yes! If the pain of staying in the status quo isn’t real, people won’t change. It’s on us to validate the *depth of the problem* and make progress irresistible.

Navigating Relationships with Sales and the C-Suite

Dawn Figueroa | 28:11–33:20

Two relationships can make or break a product: sales and executives. With sales, start by listening — ask for their pain points and objections. With executives, prepare intentionally. Know what they care about and bring them new insights tied to business objectives.

The Value of Curiosity, Diligence, and the Product Diary

Dawn Figueroa | 37:45–42:10

I keep an Excel-based “trend diary” to log daily market, competitor, and consumer insights. I score their impact and link them to ongoing initiatives. It helps me stay proactive instead of reactive.

Risk Assessment and Decision-Making Frameworks

Dawn Figueroa | 42:10–47:15

To manage decision-making, I use a **Risk Assessment Matrix** — it helps determine when to move fast and when to pause for validation. This keeps teams from over-analyzing or rushing into mistakes.

Coaching Product Managers to Use Time Wisely

Dawn Figueroa | 47:15–51:05

Curiosity can lead to analysis paralysis. The best PMs strike balance — validating big assumptions but acting decisively on low-risk ideas.

Advice for New Product Managers

Dawn Figueroa | 51:05–54:20

My best advice? **Schedule time for your own growth.** Develop your communication skills, study frameworks, do UX research, and keep up with technology. The industry moves fast — staying still means falling behind.

Closing Thoughts and How to Connect with Dawn

Rina Alexin | 54:20–End

Thank you, Dawn, for joining us and sharing such valuable insights.

Dawn Figueroa | End

Thank you for having me! You can connect with me on **LinkedIn** — I always love chatting with fellow product professionals.