About me
"Great products start with deep listening, not loud opinions. Radical honesty + deep customer understanding = confidence in your next move."
-Vicky Lee
Principles
Hi, I’m Andrew, a passionate web designer with a love for creating visually stunning experiences. With a strong background in design and front-end development, I specialize in crafting responsive websites that not only look great but also provide interactions across all devices.
Hi—I'm Vicky!
If I had to describe myself in one sentence: A curious soul obsessed with adventures and lifelong learning.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, I've left footprints across the USA, Europe, and Asia over the past 10 years. Working and living in completely different cultures bred my obsession with languages and "cultural communication." You'll find me learning languages in my free time (I speak 6), or reading books trying to understand why feedback culture is so different for Americans, Swedes, and Vietnamese. 😄
This obsession led me to become a digital nomad last year—rotating countries every few months. You might find me learning Muay Thai in Thailand, studying Japanese in Kyoto, or mastering authentic tacos in Mexico.
Another thing you should know: I'm a wild soul. I mean it.
I'm a huge believer in growth mindset and trial-and-error. I graduated with a degree in geography (you didn't read that wrong), but I've worked in law firms, banks, schools, NGOs, and FMCGs—doing sales, marketing, fundraising, and project management—before pivoting into tech.
When I discovered product management, I fell in love immediately. It's the perfect blend of tech, UX, and business—and every day the learning curve is steep. That's what drives me. I went from sales intern to Head of Product within 2 years, which only reinforced my belief: you can achieve anything if you commit.
Since product is all about people, I expanded horizontally into coaching, therapy, and public speaking—on a mission to figure out the most effective way to make people actually listen. That's when I discovered the power of deep listening. Turns out, all the "deep listening" I thought I was doing? Not even close. True listening is a completely different level.
If you're still reading, you're probably wondering: Why did you leave the corporate PM world to do this?
Truth is, I didn't leave—I just showed up in a different role after 10 years of figuring out who I truly am.
I work fast. I care about time (the most important asset) and delivery. In companies, timelines stretch because of cross-functional bureaucracy and endless back-and-forth. I don't want to be limited by that. I know I can deliver in half the timeline—or a quarter—so I knew I had to jump out.
I'm also very assertive. I say what I think without softening it to protect egos. Fair warning: I've been called "the assertive harsh truth-teller" at every company I've worked at—and instead of hiding it, I'm proud of it. Business needs truth. The faster you learn something won't work, the faster you can pivot.
So here I am—launching a PM advisory that blends my zero tolerance for bureaucracy, my refusal to accept excuses, and my bravery to speak the truth, even when it hurts.
Okay, enough warmth. Let's get to the cold, effective stuff.
I help founders hear the truth they need—even when it kills their favorite idea.
Most product consultants will validate your roadmap and write you a nice strategy doc.
I won't.
I'm here to tell you what your customers are actually saying—not what you want to hear. And most of the time, that means I'll tell you to stop building what you're building.
Here's why that matters:
In my 8 years as a product leader across startups, scale-ups, consulting, and corporate, I've watched too many companies waste months—sometimes years—building products nobody will pay for.
Not because the founders were stupid. But because everyone around them was too polite to say: "This isn't working."
I'm not polite. I'm honest.
The moment that shaped how I work:
At a B2B scale-up project, the sales and marketing team spent a year researching a new market segment. They talked to 50+ prospects. Everyone said it was validated. Leadership was ready to invest.
Then I did 10 customer interviews.
What I found: Yes, the pain existed. But it wasn't painful enough for anyone to pay or switch software. The "opportunity" was a mirage.
I told the C-suite we needed to stop. Immediately.
That recommendation meant "wasting" a year of work. But it saved the company from wasting another year (and hundreds of thousands of euros) building something that would never generate revenue.
The CPO later told me: "I couldn't get the founders to listen. Your customer insights gave me the evidence I needed to kill it."
That's what I do. I uncover the truth founders can't see because they're too close to their product—or too emotionally attached to their vision.
What makes my approach different:
Most PMs ask surface-level questions and check boxes. I dig deeper.
I'm ICF-certified in coaching with 200+ hours of training in deep listening. That means when I talk to your customers, I'm not just collecting feature requests—I'm hearing what they're not saying.
The unspoken frustrations. The workarounds they've built. The real reason they churn (or never buy in the first place).
In one discovery sprint, a founder told me: "I wish my team could conduct interviews like you do. It's so authentic and structured—you pulled out things I didn't even know myself."
That's because I don't treat customer interviews as a research task. I treat them as a collaborative space where truth emerges—even when it's uncomfortable.
What I've learned across startup → scale-up → corporate:
From startups: Get scrappy when you need to. Move fast. But don't confuse speed with skipping validation.
From scale-ups: Culture is the hardest thing to maintain as you grow. And founders need to release control—or become the bottleneck.
From corporate: Systems and structure unlock scale. But rigid processes kill agility. The best companies know when to be flexible and when to be disciplined.
I bring all three lenses to early-stage founders. I know when to move fast and when to slow down and validate. I know when to build systems and when to stay scrappy.
Who I'm for (and who I'm not for):
You're a fit if:
✅ You're stuck on a high-stakes decision and need evidence, not opinions
✅ You're willing to kill your favorite idea if customers don't validate it
✅ You want an outside perspective who'll tell you the truth, not what you want to hear
✅ You're ready to act on the insights (not just collect another report)
✅ You believe in being resourceful and connecting with experts who've done this before
✅ You want someone who speaks with data and customer evidence, not opinions
You're NOT a fit if:
❌ You need validation for a decision you've already made
❌ You're not comfortable hearing radical honesty
❌ You want a consultant who'll execute your plan without questioning it
❌ You can't afford to invest €6.5K in strategic clarity right now (no judgment—come back when you can)
❌ You expect me to write a strategy based only on what you already believe
I'm assertive. I'm direct. I only speak with data and customer findings.
And most of the time, that means I'll tell you this is the wrong direction.
What founders say about working with me:
"I thought I knew my customers. Vicky uncovered pain points I didn't even realize existed—and invalidated assumptions I'd been building on for months. It saved us from a costly mistake."
"People think she's harsh because she's direct. But her honesty was exactly what I needed to finally make a decision I'd been avoiding."
"She doesn't do things by the book. She picks the best tools for your specific situation and delivers clarity fast."
The transformation I offer:
Before working with me: You're chaotic. Guessing. Building on gut feel. Unsure if you're going in the right direction.
After working with me: You have a product compass. You know how to navigate—by deeply listening to customers. You stop over-building. You start saying no to features. You make decisions with confidence.
My guarantee:
I care more about getting you to the right answer than protecting your ego.
If you're ready to stop guessing and start knowing, let's talk.
About me
"Great products start with deep listening, not loud opinions. Radical honesty + deep customer understanding = confidence in your next move."
-Vicky Lee
Principles
Hi, I’m Andrew, a passionate web designer with a love for creating visually stunning experiences. With a strong background in design and front-end development, I specialize in crafting responsive websites that not only look great but also provide interactions across all devices.
Hi—I'm Vicky!
If I had to describe myself in one sentence: A curious soul obsessed with adventures and lifelong learning.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, I've left footprints across the USA, Europe, and Asia over the past 10 years. Working and living in completely different cultures bred my obsession with languages and "cultural communication." You'll find me learning languages in my free time (I speak 6), or reading books trying to understand why feedback culture is so different for Americans, Swedes, and Vietnamese. 😄
This obsession led me to become a digital nomad last year—rotating countries every few months. You might find me learning Muay Thai in Thailand, studying Japanese in Kyoto, or mastering authentic tacos in Mexico.
Another thing you should know: I'm a wild soul. I mean it.
I'm a huge believer in growth mindset and trial-and-error. I graduated with a degree in geography (you didn't read that wrong), but I've worked in law firms, banks, schools, NGOs, and FMCGs—doing sales, marketing, fundraising, and project management—before pivoting into tech.
When I discovered product management, I fell in love immediately. It's the perfect blend of tech, UX, and business—and every day the learning curve is steep. That's what drives me. I went from sales intern to Head of Product within 2 years, which only reinforced my belief: you can achieve anything if you commit.
Since product is all about people, I expanded horizontally into coaching, therapy, and public speaking—on a mission to figure out the most effective way to make people actually listen. That's when I discovered the power of deep listening. Turns out, all the "deep listening" I thought I was doing? Not even close. True listening is a completely different level.
If you're still reading, you're probably wondering: Why did you leave the corporate PM world to do this?
Truth is, I didn't leave—I just showed up in a different role after 10 years of figuring out who I truly am.
I work fast. I care about time (the most important asset) and delivery. In companies, timelines stretch because of cross-functional bureaucracy and endless back-and-forth. I don't want to be limited by that. I know I can deliver in half the timeline—or a quarter—so I knew I had to jump out.
I'm also very assertive. I say what I think without softening it to protect egos. Fair warning: I've been called "the assertive harsh truth-teller" at every company I've worked at—and instead of hiding it, I'm proud of it. Business needs truth. The faster you learn something won't work, the faster you can pivot.
So here I am—launching a PM advisory that blends my zero tolerance for bureaucracy, my refusal to accept excuses, and my bravery to speak the truth, even when it hurts.
Okay, enough warmth. Let's get to the cold, effective stuff.
I help founders hear the truth they need—even when it kills their favorite idea.
Most product consultants will validate your roadmap and write you a nice strategy doc.
I won't.
I'm here to tell you what your customers are actually saying—not what you want to hear. And most of the time, that means I'll tell you to stop building what you're building.
Here's why that matters:
In my 8 years as a product leader across startups, scale-ups, consulting, and corporate, I've watched too many companies waste months—sometimes years—building products nobody will pay for.
Not because the founders were stupid. But because everyone around them was too polite to say: "This isn't working."
I'm not polite. I'm honest.
The moment that shaped how I work:
At a B2B scale-up project, the sales and marketing team spent a year researching a new market segment. They talked to 50+ prospects. Everyone said it was validated. Leadership was ready to invest.
Then I did 10 customer interviews.
What I found: Yes, the pain existed. But it wasn't painful enough for anyone to pay or switch software. The "opportunity" was a mirage.
I told the C-suite we needed to stop. Immediately.
That recommendation meant "wasting" a year of work. But it saved the company from wasting another year (and hundreds of thousands of euros) building something that would never generate revenue.
The CPO later told me: "I couldn't get the founders to listen. Your customer insights gave me the evidence I needed to kill it."
That's what I do. I uncover the truth founders can't see because they're too close to their product—or too emotionally attached to their vision.
What makes my approach different:
Most PMs ask surface-level questions and check boxes. I dig deeper.
I'm ICF-certified in coaching with 200+ hours of training in deep listening. That means when I talk to your customers, I'm not just collecting feature requests—I'm hearing what they're not saying.
The unspoken frustrations. The workarounds they've built. The real reason they churn (or never buy in the first place).
In one discovery sprint, a founder told me: "I wish my team could conduct interviews like you do. It's so authentic and structured—you pulled out things I didn't even know myself."
That's because I don't treat customer interviews as a research task. I treat them as a collaborative space where truth emerges—even when it's uncomfortable.
What I've learned across startup → scale-up → corporate:
From startups: Get scrappy when you need to. Move fast. But don't confuse speed with skipping validation.
From scale-ups: Culture is the hardest thing to maintain as you grow. And founders need to release control—or become the bottleneck.
From corporate: Systems and structure unlock scale. But rigid processes kill agility. The best companies know when to be flexible and when to be disciplined.
I bring all three lenses to early-stage founders. I know when to move fast and when to slow down and validate. I know when to build systems and when to stay scrappy.
Who I'm for (and who I'm not for):
You're a fit if:
✅ You're stuck on a high-stakes decision and need evidence, not opinions
✅ You're willing to kill your favorite idea if customers don't validate it
✅ You want an outside perspective who'll tell you the truth, not what you want to hear
✅ You're ready to act on the insights (not just collect another report)
✅ You believe in being resourceful and connecting with experts who've done this before
✅ You want someone who speaks with data and customer evidence, not opinions
You're NOT a fit if:
❌ You need validation for a decision you've already made
❌ You're not comfortable hearing radical honesty
❌ You want a consultant who'll execute your plan without questioning it
❌ You can't afford to invest €6.5K in strategic clarity right now (no judgment—come back when you can)
❌ You expect me to write a strategy based only on what you already believe
I'm assertive. I'm direct. I only speak with data and customer findings.
And most of the time, that means I'll tell you this is the wrong direction.
What founders say about working with me:
"I thought I knew my customers. Vicky uncovered pain points I didn't even realize existed—and invalidated assumptions I'd been building on for months. It saved us from a costly mistake."
"People think she's harsh because she's direct. But her honesty was exactly what I needed to finally make a decision I'd been avoiding."
"She doesn't do things by the book. She picks the best tools for your specific situation and delivers clarity fast."
The transformation I offer:
Before working with me: You're chaotic. Guessing. Building on gut feel. Unsure if you're going in the right direction.
After working with me: You have a product compass. You know how to navigate—by deeply listening to customers. You stop over-building. You start saying no to features. You make decisions with confidence.
My guarantee:
I care more about getting you to the right answer than protecting your ego.
If you're ready to stop guessing and start knowing, let's talk.
About me
"Great products start with deep listening, not loud opinions. Radical honesty + deep customer understanding = confidence in your next move."
-Vicky Lee
Principles
Hi, I’m Andrew, a passionate web designer with a love for creating visually stunning experiences. With a strong background in design and front-end development, I specialize in crafting responsive websites that not only look great but also provide interactions across all devices.
Hi—I'm Vicky!
If I had to describe myself in one sentence: A curious soul obsessed with adventures and lifelong learning.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, I've left footprints across the USA, Europe, and Asia over the past 10 years. Working and living in completely different cultures bred my obsession with languages and "cultural communication." You'll find me learning languages in my free time (I speak 6), or reading books trying to understand why feedback culture is so different for Americans, Swedes, and Vietnamese. 😄
This obsession led me to become a digital nomad last year—rotating countries every few months. You might find me learning Muay Thai in Thailand, studying Japanese in Kyoto, or mastering authentic tacos in Mexico.
Another thing you should know: I'm a wild soul. I mean it.
I'm a huge believer in growth mindset and trial-and-error. I graduated with a degree in geography (you didn't read that wrong), but I've worked in law firms, banks, schools, NGOs, and FMCGs—doing sales, marketing, fundraising, and project management—before pivoting into tech.
When I discovered product management, I fell in love immediately. It's the perfect blend of tech, UX, and business—and every day the learning curve is steep. That's what drives me. I went from sales intern to Head of Product within 2 years, which only reinforced my belief: you can achieve anything if you commit.
Since product is all about people, I expanded horizontally into coaching, therapy, and public speaking—on a mission to figure out the most effective way to make people actually listen. That's when I discovered the power of deep listening. Turns out, all the "deep listening" I thought I was doing? Not even close. True listening is a completely different level.
If you're still reading, you're probably wondering: Why did you leave the corporate PM world to do this?
Truth is, I didn't leave—I just showed up in a different role after 10 years of figuring out who I truly am.
I work fast. I care about time (the most important asset) and delivery. In companies, timelines stretch because of cross-functional bureaucracy and endless back-and-forth. I don't want to be limited by that. I know I can deliver in half the timeline—or a quarter—so I knew I had to jump out.
I'm also very assertive. I say what I think without softening it to protect egos. Fair warning: I've been called "the assertive harsh truth-teller" at every company I've worked at—and instead of hiding it, I'm proud of it. Business needs truth. The faster you learn something won't work, the faster you can pivot.
So here I am—launching a PM advisory that blends my zero tolerance for bureaucracy, my refusal to accept excuses, and my bravery to speak the truth, even when it hurts.
Okay, enough warmth. Let's get to the cold, effective stuff.
I help founders hear the truth they need—even when it kills their favorite idea.
Most product consultants will validate your roadmap and write you a nice strategy doc.
I won't.
I'm here to tell you what your customers are actually saying—not what you want to hear. And most of the time, that means I'll tell you to stop building what you're building.
Here's why that matters:
In my 8 years as a product leader across startups, scale-ups, consulting, and corporate, I've watched too many companies waste months—sometimes years—building products nobody will pay for.
Not because the founders were stupid. But because everyone around them was too polite to say: "This isn't working."
I'm not polite. I'm honest.
The moment that shaped how I work:
At a B2B scale-up project, the sales and marketing team spent a year researching a new market segment. They talked to 50+ prospects. Everyone said it was validated. Leadership was ready to invest.
Then I did 10 customer interviews.
What I found: Yes, the pain existed. But it wasn't painful enough for anyone to pay or switch software. The "opportunity" was a mirage.
I told the C-suite we needed to stop. Immediately.
That recommendation meant "wasting" a year of work. But it saved the company from wasting another year (and hundreds of thousands of euros) building something that would never generate revenue.
The CPO later told me: "I couldn't get the founders to listen. Your customer insights gave me the evidence I needed to kill it."
That's what I do. I uncover the truth founders can't see because they're too close to their product—or too emotionally attached to their vision.
What makes my approach different:
Most PMs ask surface-level questions and check boxes. I dig deeper.
I'm ICF-certified in coaching with 200+ hours of training in deep listening. That means when I talk to your customers, I'm not just collecting feature requests—I'm hearing what they're not saying.
The unspoken frustrations. The workarounds they've built. The real reason they churn (or never buy in the first place).
In one discovery sprint, a founder told me: "I wish my team could conduct interviews like you do. It's so authentic and structured—you pulled out things I didn't even know myself."
That's because I don't treat customer interviews as a research task. I treat them as a collaborative space where truth emerges—even when it's uncomfortable.
What I've learned across startup → scale-up → corporate:
From startups: Get scrappy when you need to. Move fast. But don't confuse speed with skipping validation.
From scale-ups: Culture is the hardest thing to maintain as you grow. And founders need to release control—or become the bottleneck.
From corporate: Systems and structure unlock scale. But rigid processes kill agility. The best companies know when to be flexible and when to be disciplined.
I bring all three lenses to early-stage founders. I know when to move fast and when to slow down and validate. I know when to build systems and when to stay scrappy.
Who I'm for (and who I'm not for):
You're a fit if:
✅ You're stuck on a high-stakes decision and need evidence, not opinions
✅ You're willing to kill your favorite idea if customers don't validate it
✅ You want an outside perspective who'll tell you the truth, not what you want to hear
✅ You're ready to act on the insights (not just collect another report)
✅ You believe in being resourceful and connecting with experts who've done this before
✅ You want someone who speaks with data and customer evidence, not opinions
You're NOT a fit if:
❌ You need validation for a decision you've already made
❌ You're not comfortable hearing radical honesty
❌ You want a consultant who'll execute your plan without questioning it
❌ You can't afford to invest €6.5K in strategic clarity right now (no judgment—come back when you can)
❌ You expect me to write a strategy based only on what you already believe
I'm assertive. I'm direct. I only speak with data and customer findings.
And most of the time, that means I'll tell you this is the wrong direction.
What founders say about working with me:
"I thought I knew my customers. Vicky uncovered pain points I didn't even realize existed—and invalidated assumptions I'd been building on for months. It saved us from a costly mistake."
"People think she's harsh because she's direct. But her honesty was exactly what I needed to finally make a decision I'd been avoiding."
"She doesn't do things by the book. She picks the best tools for your specific situation and delivers clarity fast."
The transformation I offer:
Before working with me: You're chaotic. Guessing. Building on gut feel. Unsure if you're going in the right direction.
After working with me: You have a product compass. You know how to navigate—by deeply listening to customers. You stop over-building. You start saying no to features. You make decisions with confidence.
My guarantee:
I care more about getting you to the right answer than protecting your ego.
If you're ready to stop guessing and start knowing, let's talk.