B2B shipping isn't just "B2C with invoices." Buying committees, implementation, and retention economics change the game. Here's how I'd approach it.
What I'd design for
- Multiple personas: user, champion, economic buyer, IT/security
- Longer cycles—discovery must include sales and CS reality
- Configuration and integration debt as first-class product work
- Packaging/pricing as product decisions, not afterthoughts
- Launch = enablement, not only a blog post
A shipping loop I'd trust
- Problem proof — pain severe enough to budget for
- Solution sketch — MVP that a champion can demo internally
- Security & IT path — don't discover SSO/compliance at week 11
- Pilot design — success criteria, timeline, expansion plan
- GA readiness — docs, support playbooks, sales collateral
- Post-ship learning — usage, expansion, churn reasons
Pitfalls I'd avoid
| Pitfall | Better move |
|---|---|
| Building only for the loudest enterprise | Segment and design for the ICP you can win |
| Ignoring implementation time | Measure time-to-value |
| Feature parity chasing | Differentiate on workflow outcomes |
| Sales throwing every custom ask | Intake + roadmap discipline |
Partner early with sales engineers and CS—they're your distribution system. Strengthen general PM craft with a PM Certification if you're new to B2B motions. More operator notes in the newsletter.