Ruth Guthoff-Recknagel discusses how product teams and marketplaces are like rock bands that need to appeal to multiple audiences. She draws parallels between a rock band's need to work on "anthems," "riffs," and "instruments" to engage audiences and a marketplace's need to provide value to both merchants and customers through constant improvement, testing, and innovation. She emphasizes that a marketplace relies on both parties finding it a good place to do business and will fail if it does not meet the needs of merchants and customers.

1. What ZZ Top and Albert
Einstein can teach us about the
challenges of a market place
Ruth Guthoff-Recknagel

2. 5 things you need to know about me
• I craft things and yet I’ve never actually built anything.
• I ask the question “why”. A lot.
• I lead by example, energy is infectious.
• I am one of 5 bass guitarists in a 60-member band.
• I love Käsekuchen

3. THE RP ROCK BAND(S)

4. Our journey since 2005

5. The good old days
2005
2007 2016
2015 2017

6. How Einstein’s theory of special
relativity can help explain our
two audiences…

7. 2005
2012-16
2017
Desktop Mobile
Audience 1: our tradespeople

8. 2005
2012-16
2017
Desktop Mobile
Audience 2: our homeowners

9. Why a product team is like a rock band
You need to work like a rock band and see what your
audience thinks/wants! This comes in three flavours:
• Work on anthems (the projects that everyone needs to
know)
• Try out new riffs (a day to day testing strategy, enabling
constant improvement)
• Introduce new instruments (to deliver the bold, step
changes to your product)

10. What’s the motivation?
A marketplace relies on 2 parties wanting to be there.
Just like the marketplaces of old, you need your
merchants (for us, this is tradespeople) and customers (our
homeowners) to think the marketplace is a good place to
get what they need.
If we don’t make the marketplace an attractive proposition
for both, the whole system breaks down and we’re left with
the memories of what used to be, while other marketplaces
become busier with the trade of our old customers.

11. What does the future
hold for us?

12. NEW RIFFS(Incremental improvements)

13. Push notifications

14. In-app messaging

15. (Our bold step change agenda)
NEW
INSTRUMENTS

16. Automation

17. Crossing the chasm

18. • Data and metrics are only helpful when the business is
ready to listen
• You need new riffs (constant willingness to tweak what
you’re doing to drive performance)
• You need to add new instruments and be prepared for
when they sound terrible. Be ready to spot those that
play the right tune.
• Not every song needs a lead singer – create anthems
where everybody knows the words.
What have we learned?

19. C R E D I T S
Presenter
Editor
Visuals
Ruth Guthoff-Recknagel
Jon Paget
Dave “Papa Carlito” Carter