Today in Costa Coffee Almaty I met my old american friend who lived in KZ 6 years ago. And recently came back to Almaty for a few days.
I asked, do you see many changes and our great progress? He said actually he expected the innovations in KZ will happen faster. Not like today.
1. On B2B Go-to-Market Strategy
- The critical focus for a B2B Product Manager is the Go-to-Market strategy.
- A key metric of success is the ability to convert a user from a Proof of Concept (PoC) stage to a paying customer.
2. On the Kazakhstan Tech & Innovation Scene
- Some advice or solutions offered by local players are considered too simplistic for complex business needs.
- A common issue is that many founders in Kazakhstan may not understand the relentless, continuous nature of a Product Manager’s work. It’s a role that requires constant effort and iteration.
- There is a critique of a certain “old guard” of founders who achieved success in a different era but whose methods may now be outdated.
- A dangerous trend was noted: some companies have very high, “celebrity-level” valuations that are disconnected from their actual business metrics, such as a declining Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR).
3. On Competing in the US Market
- Founders from Kazakhstan often only see the glamorous surface of US startup life (“jogging by the ocean”) and don’t see the intense work behind it.
- Be warned: local US competitors have an intense work ethic and will likely out-work you. The dedication required is immense, referencing the “9-9-6” (9am-9pm, 6 days a week) culture.
- The most critical question for a foreign founder is: “What is your unique advantage?” You must have a clear answer to this to even have a chance.
4. Actionable Advice for me
I asked. If I will build a project based on chinese open source. Will I then have problems when scaling to US/UK? He said – yes I will have problems. Given all the trends
I showed him my project I am working on. He nodded but said it can be an OK local project. He also noted there are still unsolved problems, pointing to opportunities in
He reiterated the importance of tools like Attio for managing customer relationships (CRM).
His final point was a reminder that to succeed, you need to perform at a much higher level than the average person.
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