Meet the Writer: HackerNoon Contributor Anna Lazutkina Talks About Product Management

So let’s start! Tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests.

Aloha! I am Anna Lazutkina. I’m a passionate traveler, extreme sport-addicted person, and absolute cat lover. When I have free time between surfing and snowboarding, I manage digital products. I’ve worked in tech for more than 10 years.

My career started in the role of web developer, then I transferred to business analysis and then to product management. I know the inside and out of both startups and mature businesses and have lots of experience in online travel and e-commerce.

This experience started to overload me recently and turned into a series of articles here on HackerNoon. Hope you enjoy them!

Interesting! What was your latest Hackernoon Top story about?

My Hackernoon Top story was devoted to the product team structure and the way it depends on the maturity of the business itself. I have found an interesting correlation between the way the product team is organized and the stage of the business.

What’s even more useful – I have listed common misconceptions and mistakes to avoid at different stages. It should be really useful both to product managers and CEOs.

Do you usually write on similar topics? If not, what do you usually write about?

My articles are fully based on my own experience; that’s why I usually write on topics connected with product management. I try to select the topic that is either actual to me or looks hot in the media and social media.

That’s really important to me to see that people can use my knowledge and experience in their everyday life, not just entertain themselves with some cool reading.

Great! What is your usual writing routine like (if you have one?)

When it comes to writing, I’m a person of inspiration. That’s why I don’t have a routine. On the contrary, I try to pull myself out of a routine in order to create a new masterpiece.

It can be done with the help of really simple steps: working at the kitchen table instead of the desk, going to my favorite cafe, or turning on music.

One of the main rules I use is the following: if you are stuck and don’t know what to write – just leave it for a while, there is no use in squeezing the material out of you; wait for the inspiration and it will come.

Being a writer in tech can be a challenge. It’s not often our main role, but an addition to another one. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to writing?

Being a product manager, the main challenge you have is to find free time for everything you want to do. And writing is not an exception. It is really hard to feel inspired when your day is full of meetings, and you feel exhausted when all of them are finished.

That’s why I try to plan some free time that I can devote to writing.

What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career?

Never hope, only plan :) Right now, I plan to get more international experience, so it looks like there’s going to be articles on it.

Wow, that’s admirable. Now, something more casual: What is your guilty pleasure of choice?

Chocolate and fun cat videos really help me to fuel my engine quickly.

Do you have a non-tech-related hobby? If yes, what is it?

I have so many hobbies that I hardly manage to fit my job into this busy schedule. My recent passion is wakesurfing, but I adore all types of boards. In order to compensate for my logical part, I also draw sketches.

And, as I have recently moved closer to the sea, I started to practice freediving; it’s a great way to meditate in the water!

What can the HackerNoon community expect to read from you next?

I have a great article coming on product hypothesis and the way to formulate it effectively.

What’s your opinion on HackerNoon as a platform for writers?

HackerNoon is a great space to share your thoughts, knowledge, and experience with a devoted audience. The writing is so easy here that I just can’t stop doing it!

Thanks for taking time to join our “Meet the writer” series. It was a pleasure. Do you have any closing words?

Thanks for reading! And if you are the one with lots of thoughts to share – don’t be scared and start writing here; it is really exciting!