‍AppyHour was a daring startup venture, aiming to redefine the landscape of advertising within the adult beverage industry. My team of eight and I developed an application designed to assist users in discovering nearby Happy Hour deals. The primary objective was to deliver personalized and targeted ads that would enable local small businesses to effectively promote their establishments.

As the Founder and Product Manager of AppyHour, I assumed a multitude of roles - from sales and marketing to accounting - demonstrating the breadth of my responsibilities. I spearheaded the initial seed funding round and successfully assembled a diverse team of engineers and marketers to embark on this innovative journey.

My experience with AppyHour solidified my passion for Product Management as a career path. The thrill of launching a product and witnessing its usage by end-users is an unparalleled experience.

Key Insights:

1. Defining Scope: Being an early product in my Product Management career, AppyHour underscored the importance of clearly defining the scope of a project. I learned how to balance the vision of a 'perfect world' product against the practicality of developing a successful Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

2. UX Enhancement: The project refined my understanding of User Experience (UX), enabling me to work from inception to completion with a skilled team to drive the product vision forward.

3. Startup Environment: AppyHour provided me with firsthand experience of operating within a startup, imparting lessons about how funding impacts decision-making and the importance of managing budgeting & burn rate in a lean environment.

4. Networking: I harnessed my innate ability to connect with others, strengthening my professional network and securing mentorship from industry veterans and CEOs.