Transition to Product-Led Growth: “At bol, we innovate to stay at the top”
Behind the Screens with Félice
There’s always something new happening at bol. We’re currently in the middle of our product-led transformation. We’re talking to Félice, who is one of the leaders working on embedding this change within the organisation. In her role as Director of Product Operations, Félice is realizing her ambitions: “I’m passionate about product-led working. Since my first day here I’ve been eager to show the impact we can make with it. At bol I get all the freedom I need to implement my plans.”
A new way of working
Félice has been in product management for about 15 years, a discipline that continues to inspire her. “There are so many different facets to my role, no two days are the same. As there is no specific training that fully prepares you to become a product manager, I’ve actually learned almost everything on the job.
About a year ago, bol approached Félice. “I was enjoying my job at my previous employer Mollie, and wasn’t necessarily looking for anything new. Then I realised that bol was about to initiate a major transformation – to become a more product-led organisation. Guiding the organisation through this change together with a team would be a unique challenge for me. I didn’t hesitate to grasp this opportunity.”
Women at the top
The ambitious Félice started her new role as Head of Product, and was soon looking for more opportunities. “I’m a huge fan of product-led growth. I kind of see it as my personal mission to integrate this way of working throughout the organisation. And to make is scalable. As soon as I started at bol I realised I had a great deal of freedom to fulfil my ambitions. It wasn’t long before I was given the opportunity to advance my career and become Director of Product Operations.”
Besides her enthusiasm for the work itself, there are other factors that fuel Félice’s ambition too. “The fact that there are several women in management positions at bol, the CPO who’s also my manager, and the CEO, is really encouraging. They give me extra motivation to continue pursuing my career. In other organisations where I worked, women in management roles were in the minority. That’s clearly different at bol. And this means I can truly be myself for the first time in my career; I don’t feel the need to adapt. What’s more, thanks to the internal training courses, I now understand myself much better as a leader and as a woman, and I’m encouraged to use these qualities in the workplace.”
“Thanks to the internal training courses, I now understand myself much better as a leader and as a woman, and I’m encouraged to use these qualities in the workplace.”
A dynamic organisation
Currently, Félice works closely with engineers and product specialists. “Bol has proven to be a very strong brand, but that doesn’t mean we can sit back and relax now. As an organization, we all work hard to maintain our position at the top. That means that we keep up with market developments, we launch new products and services and, above all, we constantly listen to what our customers have to say. Product-led working is a welcome addition here, and – as far as I’m concerned – it’s indispensable.”
What can new employees expect when they join the team? “With the huge amount of customers and partners at bol, you can make big impact on their lives and create meaningful value. Product has a crucial and driving role in the product led transformation, which means that you can really make your mark with your work. Ideas and opinions are always valued and taken seriously within bol. At the moment, anyone with product-led working experience can make a valuable contribution. And remember, at bol we firmly believe in learning on the job and investing in your development. Essentially your career is just like a minimum viable product: you provide value now with the skills you have. You learn and adapt as you go, taking one step at a time and continuing to develop along the way.”