Emails are a primary target for malicious actors seeking to deceive users and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The startup’s team recognized the pressing need for a robust, Intelligent email security analysis tool to combat phishing attacks effectively. However, existing solutions were inadequate or overly complex, failing to provide individuals and organizations with a seamless, user-friendly experience.

 

To address this critical issue, they sought to develop an innovative Email Analysis solution that would automatically analyze suspected phishing emails reported by users (via Email Reporter). The goal was to create a cutting-edge tool to identify contextual commonalities and indicators of phishing (IoPs) with precision and efficiency. They aimed to empower users to proactively detect and thwart phishing attempts, fortifying their digital defenses and safeguarding sensitive data from potential cyber threats.

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My Main Mission: 

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As a Product Consultant, I was entrusted with a pivotal role in a stealth startup, working to establish their first-ever product team and lay the foundation for their long-term product vision and strategy. My initial focus was swiftly onboarding and delivering immediate value by setting up the essential elements for the product team to scale effectively.

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1. Product Strategy through Discovery:

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Collaborating closely with the tech team and founders, my primary mission was to develop a comprehensive product strategy aligned with the startup's ambitious long-term goals. This involved conducting a rigorous Discovery process, encompassing in-depth customer research, market analysis, and competitor benchmarking. These efforts allowed us to gain invaluable insights into the target audience and identify lucrative areas of opportunity.

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2. Addressing Pain Points and Building the MVP:

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In collaboration with the Business Team, I diligently identified the most significant pain points faced by users. Here are the key accomplishments:

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• Created User Flows: I crafted detailed user flows for the entire product journey, from downloading and adding the email analysis web extension to outlining features for enterprise admins. These user flows proved pivotal in identifying pain points and opportunities, providing a robust framework for future opportunity assessment.

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• Built the MVP: Employing the RICE framework, I assessed the potential impact, reach, confidence, and effort required for the initial proposed features of the product's first versions. This strategic approach ensured that we prioritized addressing the most significant user problems, enabling the startup to monetize the product early while also considering implementation feasibility.

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• Developed a Pain-Points Backlog: I curated a comprehensive backlog of pain points that required attention based on the user needs identified during our product discovery initiatives. This backlog served as an invaluable long-term roadmap for the team, guiding future product development efforts.

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