Hello,
I’m thrilled to share the latest episode of our podcast series, featuring an enlightening conversation with Andrew McGlinchey. In this episode, Andrew dives deep into the challenges and intricacies of building and scaling products in Southeast Asia, a region often misunderstood by many.
Here’s what you can look forward to:
Southeast Asia: Not a Monolith Andrew passionately argues that "Southeast Asia doesn't exist" as a single, homogenous market. Each country within the region has its own unique market dynamics and consumer behaviours, making a one-size-fits-all approach ineffective.
Real-World Success Stories Learn how regional companies like Grab and PropertyGuru have successfully tailored their products to meet the specific needs of different countries within Southeast Asia. Andrew shares insightful examples of their strategies and adaptations.
Scaling and Flexibility Andrew emphasises the importance of re-architecting platforms to build flexibility into product design. This flexibility is crucial for accommodating the diverse needs of Southeast Asian consumers while maintaining consistency across multiple markets.
Generative AI in Product Development Discover Andrew's thoughts on the potential of generative AI to transform product development and how product managers can leverage AI tools to enhance their offerings.
Empowering Local Teams Andrew stresses the importance of giving local teams the tools to grow independently and the need for clear communication and execution in product management.
Avoiding the 'Big Home Market Disease' Understand why it's essential to avoid the pitfalls of assuming Southeast Asia is a single market and the importance of recognising and adapting to the unique characteristics of each country within the region.
Sound Bites:
"I don't think Southeast Asia exists."
"Every single place in Southeast Asia has got different gotchas."
"Southeast Asia is a figment of the imagination of boardrooms in Silicon Valley."
"It's very hard to make a really successful business in Southeast Asia, whereas in India or in China or somewhere, even with a lot of diversity, just the prize is bigger."
"Somehow pay the minimal cost for making things work across multiple markets and maximize the scalability."
"Communicate super clearly at the right level and get things done."
I hope you find this episode as fascinating and insightful as I did. Your feedback is always appreciated, so feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or reply to this email.
Stay tuned for more episodes and exciting content!
Best regards,
Vasanth.
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