Product Therapy: On career chapters, the death of knowledge work and good hangs
Dispatches from June 2025
Two Way Doors
May marked two years since I left the corporate world to become a coach. It’s hard to capture the journey, but I tried. In my post, I hinted at a big transition and I’m finally ready to share.
An old manager once taught me about one-way vs. two-way doors. One-way doors are irreversible; two-way doors let you try something, then pivot back if needed. One way doors are limiting, two-way doors preserve optionality. And IMO they’re strategic.
Leaving corporate never felt like a one-way door. It was a leap into a new chapter1, one that’s been expansive, grounding and necessary.
In this past chapter, I’ve built a steady coaching practice, launched communities, and designed gathering spaces that light me up. In the process, I’ve realized I’m most energized by crafting human experiences: the kind that require thoughtful curation, intentional facilitation and a deep understanding of how people connect. I’ve been talking about it for awhile. And, it’s become my passion.
So when an opportunity at Hampton came my way, it felt serendipitous. Hampton is a private community for high-growth founders. I’ll be leading Core — their flagship product: small, facilitated groups that support growth and connection. It’s the kind of work I’ve grown to love. Now, I’ll have more scale and support behind me to do it.
This means I’m taking my “soloprenuer” hat off. I’ll continue running Product Leader Breakfasts, Coaching Corner, and working with a small number of clients.
As for this space? My beloved Product Therapy lives on. Expect a broader lens: grounded in product, but expanding into leadership, startup life - baby’s first start-up - and the human work I’m diving deeper on.
Careers (if you’re lucky) have many chapters.
I’m ready to start my next one.
I couldn’t be more excited.
Events
I don’t have any Product Breakfasts on the calendar but I’m featuring a Chicago Product Event in June and an event I’m cohosting with CPO Track in July on our Product Breakfast calendar here.
Product Reads
This month I reflect on two years as a coach, how to keep up with the AI of it all and investing in your people over your technology.
I loved this piece by Joe Hudson. I read it right after I published that piece I wrote on people over technology and it really drove home everything I was trying to say.
Culture Clicks
This month I plowed through 📘 Unreasonable Hospitality and 📺 Overcompensating. I caught 🎭 All Nighter before it finished its run, but, I’m devastated that 🎭 The Culture Awards are in LA this year.
I hit up 🥗 Shukette (incredible food, speedy service), Mam (it’s giving Bourdain and Obama), (both on NYT’s Best Restaurants List) and had a particularly incredible pasta on my 500th trip to Rucola (the Campanelle). Elevated entertaining is putting this jar of cheese on the table with a spoon. And if you find yourself out east this summer, Springs Pizza slaps.
Amy Poehler’s 🎙️Good Hang is bringing me an unreasonable amount of joy (the Rachel Dratch bit had me crying). I also loved Miley’s guest appearance on 🎙️ The Interview.
Shoutout to 🛒 cord organizers. They make the world go round.
Hi - I’m Jori and I’m a Product Coach. If you’re Product Leader or on a Product team looking for support - drop me a note.
I was inspired by The 100-Year Life and by the many people I spoke to when I left corporate about the concept of career chapters. I live by it now.
I loved the Miley interview too! Appreciated her sharing about her experience with emdr
Excited for you on this new chapter! Congrats!