How to See What's Next | What's Your Process

It's the season one finale of "What's Your Process?" and yes... we're wearing mullets!

Melissa Rosenthal (Co-Founder, Outlever) teaches us all about disruption and being on the cusp of what's next. From employee #10 at BuzzFeed to Cheddar to ClickUp and now, as Co-Founder of Outlever, Melissa has proven time and again her ability to spot where the industry is headed and how to stay ahead as everything around us changes.

Melissa discusses the impact personal branding has had, how AI will shape the job market, and the power of combining technology with human relationships. She also reveals her thoughts on creating a sustainable competitive advantage and how you can do it too.

The Process

1. Intro + wait… are those mullets? (0:00)

2. What is one thing you're world class at? (3:21)

3. Look around and trust your gut (10:00)

"Try to find the things that irk you."

First and foremost, trust your instincts. Use your real life experience to assess what's happening and where it's going.
Create Venn diagrams of things that excite and terrify you about the future to identify interesting trends
Constantly write down your thoughts and ideas then revisit them for inspiration

4. Start building and do what you can (17:25)

"You just have to go into market and hear what people are saying and get the feedback. That motivates you to keep going and it encourages and inspires you."

Collect feedback as early as you possibly can because that'll give you the desire to keep pushing and do more
Use networks like Linkedin to share ideas, collect feedback, and build your personal brand—which will never hurt you
Feedback and iteration compound over time so keep going because it all adds up

5. AIs effect on what’s next (23:12)

"I believe AI embedded within organizations and products to make people faster and more efficient at their jobs is the future of where AI is."

AI will significantly disrupt the job market and replace many roles which is why you need to be in control of your own career
Going forward AI will be a tool to enhance productivity and efficiency within organizations
At some point soon there will be a consolidation of AI tools similar to what happened with other software
The biggest opportunities lie in the intersection of technology and human relationships

6. What's your moat? (29:50)

"I don't believe in moats really because I think that they're just like, there's a moat until you don't have one. But I will say that I think my moat is my experience."

Melissa believes her unique combination of B2B SaaS and media experience is her moat. What's yours?
The technical complexity of Outlever serves as a barrier to entry for competitors
Melissa's way of thinking about the product is difficult to replicate which is why having a unique POV is so important

How to See What's Next with Melissa Rosenthal