CPO Rising Series: Checkr CPO on Building Customer-Centric Product Innovation

What are the secrets of transformative product leadership? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, Checkr Chief Product Officer Ilan Frank will be speaking on driving customer value through innovative product strategies. Ilan shares his 28-year journey from engineer to product leader, revealing how companies can balance rapid innovation with meaningful customer solutions.

Join us for new conversations with leading product executives every week. Roll through the highlights of this week’s podcast below, then head on over to our Events page to see which product leaders will be joining us next week.

Show Notes:

1. Product leadership has evolved from being project managers to strategic team quarterbacks
2. AI is transforming product development, similar to the cloud transition but at a much faster pace
3. Customer-led growth is more important than sales-driven or product-driven approaches
4. Innovation is directly correlated with speed and team autonomy
5. NPS scores are critical indicators of delivering genuine customer value
6. Product leaders must balance metrics across three key buckets: company goals, customer requests, and product delight
7. Successful product teams require alignment, not just approvals from leadership
8. Background checks and enterprise services can be revolutionized through technical innovation
9. Product managers should understand business dynamics beyond just feature development
10. Customer advisory boards are crucial for transitioning from product-led to sales-led growth
11. Transparency, humility, and collaboration are key cultural elements for high-performing product teams
12. Iterative improvement is more effective than massive, infrequent changes
13. Product leaders must be comfortable operating at both strategic and tactical levels
14. Understanding total addressable market (TAM) and competitive landscape is essential
15. Metrics should drive product decisions, but not be followed religiously without context
16. Successful products solve real customer pain points
17. Product teams need to be educated on business metrics, not just technical details
18. Quick customer feedback loops are critical for continuous improvement
19. Leadership is about creating alignment and trust, not micromanaging
20. Mission-driven companies attract talent and create more meaningful product experiences