Samantha Strauss (Sam)

Insatiably Curious + Driven to Make A Positive Impact through Tech, Mindfulness, and Purpose-Driven Products I Prev: Twitter PMM, Founder, Journalist

[Samantha Strauss (Sam) @sfsam22]

Instead of instantly continuing to fuel the fires of misinformation and aggression:
1. Take a breath.
2. Verify that the info/image you see is from a current legitimate source (blue checks sadly no longer guarantee this)
3. Recognize the power of your words and post with intent.

[Tony Fadell @tfadell]

Most tech companies break out product management and product marketing into two separate roles: Product management defines the product and gets it built. Product marketing wires the messaging- the facts you want to communicate to customers- and gets the product sold. But from my experience that's a grievous mistake. Those are, and should aways be, one job.

There should be no separation between what the product will be and how it will be explained- the story has to be utterly cohesive from the beginning. Your messaging is your product. The story you're telling shapes the thing you're making.

I learned story telling from Steve Jobs. I learned product management from Greg Joswiak. Joz, a fellow Wolverine, Michigander, and overall great person, has been at Apple since he left Ann Arbor in 1986 and has run product marketing for decades. And his superpower- the superpower of every truly great product manager- is empathy. He doesn't just understand the customer. He becomes the customer.

So when Joz stepped into the world with his next-gen iPod to test it out, he fiddled with it like a beginner. He set aside all the tech specs- except one: battery life.

The numbers were empty without customers, the facts meaningless without context.

And, that's why product management has to own the messaging. The spec shows the features, the details of how a product will work, but the messaging predicts people's concerns and finds way to mitigate them.

- #BUILD Chapter 5.5 The Point of PMs

[Samantha Strauss (Sam) @sfsam22]

"The ambition is not the point. The caring is." Yes!

We live in a world of constant overstimulation and excessive content consumption - being present is not about complete consumption, it's about choosing the right deep dives based on what you actually care to build.

[Jaclyn Konzelmann @jacalulu]

A Norwegian business student asked me how I stay on top of everything in AI.
I used to say I read things and attended events. Midway through my answer last week I realized I didn't believe it anymore.
Here's what I actually think:

Start by building.

Doing leads you to the right reading. Reading alone just leads to more reading.

When you're inside a real project you hit walls. Those walls send you looking for specific things. That search sticks - you apply it within days and know immediately if it's useful. When you're just reading, everything feels equally important and equally distant.

Also - "start building" doesn't mean go find a big ambitious idea. That's where most people get stuck. It just needs to be something you genuinely care about. Something personal. Small enough to actually begin.

The ambition is not the point. The caring is.

Wrote about the side projects teaching me this right now - including a three-legged cat who refuses to lose his fourth leg - link in replies 👇

[Samantha Strauss (Sam) @sfsam22]

@thechelleshock @thechelleshock So exciting! As a former journalist, I know that "Context is King" - AI needs to understand the big picture to ask the right questions to provide truthful, high-value intel. I would love to help your team solve these high-impact challenges. Can we connect further?

[Samantha Strauss (Sam) @sfsam22]

@jacalulu Love this! As a former Googler, I’ve been following the Gemini evolution closely. The Sr. TPM role for the app aligns well with my background and recent work in GenAI. Would love to connect if you’re open to a chat! LMK :)

[Samantha Strauss (Sam) @sfsam22]

@jacalulu 🙌 Awesome! This is the Gemini feature I've been hoping for. Instantly generated customizable templates in Slides = less time spent formatting, more time spent telling your story and refining your messaging 🎨✨

[Samantha Strauss (Sam) @sfsam22]

@simpsoka @daniel81419277 I completely agree with you, and appreciate you sharing this! This is how I’ve felt when working at organizations that can have positive global impact, and why I continue to pursue those types of opportunities! Perhaps we can collaborate soon…

[Melinda French Gates @melindagates]

As a world-renowned ethologist and conservationist who spent more than 65 years studying wild chimpanzees, Dr. Jane Goodall fundamentally changed the way we understand the world—and our place in it. She was also an extraordinarily powerful advocate, inspiring young people all over the world to stay curious, compassionate, and committed to building a brighter future for people, animals, and the environment. What a force she was.

[Zak Williams @zakwilliams]

Today would have been my dad’s 74th birthday.

This season carries gravity. Father’s Day, his birthday, and the anniversary of his passing all fall within 60 days.

For me, grief has no straight path. It revisits, reshapes, and rises when I least expect it.

But alongside it lives a legacy built on generosity and kindness.

He made people feel seen. Gave permission to feel deeply and to laugh through pain. That mission continues.

To those carrying loss right now: you’re not alone.

Happy birthday, Dad. Love you forever.

[James Lucas @JamesLucasIT]

Robin Williams would’ve turned 74 today

This thread will brighten up your day 🧵

1. His improvised scene in Good Will Hunting made the cameraman laugh so hard the camera started shaking. Matt Damon's reaction is authentic.

[Joanna Stern @JoannaStern]

The tech industry needs more mums!

[Gavin Newsom @GavinNewsom]

If you incite violence or destroy our communities, you are going to be held accountable.

Thanks to our law enforcement officers and the majority of Angelenos who protested peacefully, this situation was winding down and was concentrated in just a few square blocks downtown.

But that’s not what Donald Trump wanted.  He again chose escalation; he chose more force.

[Gavin Newsom @GavinNewsom]

California will keep fighting on behalf of all our people including in the courts.

If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe.

Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there. Trump and his loyalists thrive on division because it allows them to take more power and exert even more control.

[The Hollywood Reporter @THR]

Chills....the cast of #Hamilton come together for the 10-year anniversary at the 2025 #TonyAwards

[Allie K. Miller @alliekmiller]

Parents, teachers, and students should read this Anthropic report on AI usage.

Let’s break it down 🧵

[Acyn @Acyn]

Obama: Imagine if I had done any of this. Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps. Imagine if I had said to law firms that were representing parties that were upset with policies my administration had initiated, that you will not be allowed into government buildings. We will punish you economically for dissenting from the Affordable Care Act or the Iran deal. We will ferret out students who protest against my policies.

It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me, or a whole bunch of my predecessors.

[Justine Moore @venturetwins]

I love how you can watch every Salesforce ad and still have no idea what the company does

[Pop Base @PopBase]

“DEI is not a threat. It’s a gift.”

— Alicia Keys accepting the Global Impact Award at the #GRAMMYs.

[Disney+ @DisneyPlus]

Experience unforgettable performances by iconic artists as they come together to raise funds for critical wildfire recovery and prevention efforts.

#FireAidLA is streaming LIVE from Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum tonight on #DisneyPlus and #Hulu at 10ET | 7PT.

[Samantha Strauss (Sam) @sfsam22]

Watch to understand the scale of devastation of the #CaliforniaWildfires and the consequences of misinformation. No government is 100% prepared for a natural disaster of this magnitude and speed. Placing blame during active destruction and suffering is cruel. Embrace empathy 🙏

[The View @TheView]

POLITICAL BLAME GAME OVER CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: #TheView co-hosts weigh in on the slew of controversy surrounding the response from local and state leaders to the Los Angeles area wildfires.