Clement Kao, Product Teacher — Turning Product Thinking into Small-Business Momentum
Clement Kao is the founder of Product Teacher and a former product manager who’s obsessed with helping people build offerings customers actually love. From UC Berkeley molecular & cell biology grad to management consultant, user researcher, and PM who helped a company through IPO, Clement has lived the full product lifecycle—and now teaches it in plain English for operators and aspiring PMs alike.
Why he matters: Clement makes product management accessible. He shows small-business owners that “product” isn’t just software—it’s the entire end-to-end customer experience, from parking lot to purchase, and the discipline that turns ideas into results.
Key Takeaways from the Episode:
Product vs. Project: Project managers minimize risk and hit scope; product managers maximize upside, take smart risks, and drive value creation end-to-end.
Your whole experience is the product: For local businesses, everything—from the parking lot to checkout—is part of the product, not just what’s on the shelf.
Define your runway (with rules): Write down time-boxed milestones and “stop/reevaluate” gates so you stay motivated without betting the farm.
Market first, then build: Validate pains, pick a focused customer segment, and pursue product-market fit before scaling.
Sales & marketing matter: Great products don’t sell themselves anymore—positioning and communication are as critical as features.
👉 Watch the full episode now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMIKg1YhJRU
Memorable Quote:
“Product management is all about maximizing upside.”