AMA: Dandy Director of Product Marketing, Jesse Lopez on Stakeholder Management

Leveraging external-facing teams like sales, account management, and CX is one of the best ways to bring diverse opinions to the table and gain influence with other teams. * For example, I’ve worked with sales leadership to build a win/loss analysis program that identifies the biggest product gaps and assesses the potential TAM or revenue opportunity tied to each gap. This isn’t just a one-time exercise—it’s an ongoing voice-of-customer program where insights are presented to product teams on a quarterly basis. By rooting feedback in data and prioritization, it shifts the conversation from being a laundry list of requests to a focused discussion about the biggest opportunities. * Account management teams can provide similar value by quantifying product requests from top-tier customers. This helps highlight what matters most to our most valuable accounts and can be a powerful way to advocate for product improvements that drive retention and growth. * CX teams are also key partners—they’re closest to the day-to-day issues customers face. By working with them to quantify the most common problems, you can bring actionable data to the table that helps prioritize fixes and reduce churn.

Three key tips for keeping stakeholders informed effectively regularly include: Establishing meeting rhythms to keep momentum: I’ve found that keeping stakeholders informed is all about building the right communication rhythms. For bigger launches or complex projects, I set up dedicated working teams that meet regularly—weekly or biweekly—to ensure alignment and momentum. It’s a great way to keep people engaged and address challenges early. Tailoring updates to maximize engagement: One thing that’s worked well for me is creating a clear list of stakeholders categorized by their role in the project: who needs to be informed, who needs to be involved, and who has final approval. This keeps communication relevant and ensures no one feels overwhelmed with unnecessary updates. Using a RACI framework (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) helps me define these roles clearly and avoid confusion. Continuous feedback to improve process: I also create a shared project workplan that lays out owners, timelines, and deliverables. Weekly updates are key for me—sharing highlights, blockers, and next steps keeps everyone aligned and focused. Once the project wraps, I make it a point to celebrate wins and run a retrospective to learn and improve.

When the product team stalls, I see it as my opportunity to step in and bring the customer’s voice front and center. I make it a habit to regularly interview our most valued customers and prospects to dig into their pain points, needs, and what they wish we’d solve for them. These conversations are incredibly insightful, but I also know that qualitative insights need to be backed by data. Beyond surveys, I analyze other sources like CX feedback, comments in the support center, input from account managers, and win/loss feedback from sales. These channels help me quantify the importance and impact of specific issues or opportunities. For example, if customers repeatedly mention a missing feature in both CX tickets and win/loss reports, I can use that data to build a strong case for prioritizing it. I also love pulling cross-functional teams together—product, sales, AM, CX—for brainstorming sessions. By grounding the conversation in customer feedback and market trends, we generate ideas that are practical, impactful, and sometimes even game-changing. My focus is always on advocating for the customer and making sure we’re addressing what truly matters to them.

Balancing feedback and getting buy-in from different stakeholders is always tricky, especially when opinions differ. I’ve found that using a clear decision-making framework like Gokul Rajaram's SPADE makes a big difference. SPADE helps me structure decisions by defining the situation, identifying stakeholders, presenting multiple options, and evaluating the pros and cons of each before driving alignment. For example, when I was working on a pricing and packaging recommendation at Square for my product (Square Invoices), we needed to decide how to commercialize a feature-based paywall. Opinions varied—some teams wanted to prioritize revenue growth, while others were concerned about potential churn from existing customers. Using the SPADE framework, I presented multiple options for the paywall, outlining how each would impact business goals like revenue and retention. This process helped me guide leadership toward a recommendation that struck the right balance: driving growth while protecting our existing customer base. What I love about SPADE is that it forces the leader to clearly articulate both the decision and the reasoning behind it. In this case, it helped stakeholders understand the logic, ensured their input was considered, and aligned the team toward a shared outcome. It’s a simple way to make complex decisions feel structured and transparent.

When resolving conflict between team members, I believe in tackling it head-on and fostering open communication. Here’s how I typically approach it: 1. Address the conflict directly: I start by setting up a meeting with the individuals involved to understand their perspectives and identify the root cause of the tension. The goal isn’t to assign blame but to figure out what improvements can be made to resolve the conflict and prevent it from recurring. 2. Lead by example: I make a point to model the behavior I want to see in the team. Whether it’s being collaborative, actively listening, or acknowledging different viewpoints, I show that mutual respect and understanding lead to better outcomes. When team members see this in action, it encourages them to follow suit. 3. Provide proactive feedback: I believe in addressing potential issues before they escalate. If I notice friction starting to form, I’ll have one-on-one conversations with the individuals involved to share observations and provide constructive feedback. Sometimes people aren’t even aware of how their actions might be perceived, and a little nudge can go a long way in improving dynamics.