Hi there, it’s Jill!

In a recent conversation between Chris Williamson and Naval Ravikant, Naval mentioned a deceptively simple two-word formula for success: “Productize Yourself.”

That phrase hit me — because it’s not just about building a business. It’s a framework that helps you think about your career, your value, and your identity in an intentional, high-leverage way.

Today’s post on 4-steps to productize yourself is about how to apply this idea to your career — whether you’re just starting out or thinking about your next pivot.

Let’s dive in.

When we think about products, we ask:

You can ask the same questions of yourself:

This is the starting point for “productizing” yourself. It’s not about pretending to be something you’re not — it’s about getting crystal clear on your most valuable assets.

A useful analogy: think of your strengths like a tripod. What are the three (or more) “legs” that support your value? Maybe you’re a strong generalist who learns quickly. Maybe you’re a storyteller with analytical chops. Maybe you’re technically sharp and a great cross-functional communicator.

Don’t worry if this isn’t obvious yet — especially if you’re early in your career. The goal is to keep experimenting and paying close attention. It will clarify over time.

Here’s a trap I see often: people misjudge what a job actually requires.

From the outside, you might assume a great data scientist is all about modeling and stats. But internally, what separates great from good might be curiosity, strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and the ability to tell a compelling story.

Similarly, portfolio managers are not just technical investment pros — they’re also strong communicators and persuasive client advisors.

This means: once you define your value, don’t just look for roles that sound like they’d be a fit. Do the deep work to understand what those roles really demand.

That’s where networking comes in — information from insiders helps you match your tripod of strengths to a job’s true needs, even if your resume isn’t a perfect match on paper.

Here’s where product thinking really shines:

Positioning yourself is no different. You want to craft a clear, compelling value proposition:

Those extras — a cross-functional perspective, a niche project, an unusual background — are the difference between being qualified and being memorable.

Ask yourself:

“What’s the smallest, clearest version of what I offer that delivers value fast?”

In the digital age, visibility creates leverage. People need to see how you think and what you do.

Here are some ways to do that:

The key is consistency. You don’t need to go viral — you just need to become visible to the right people, in the right way.

If you learn to productize yourself, your career trajectory changes dramatically:

Productizing yourself is about taking full ownership of your value — and communicating it in a way that connects with what the world actually needs.

When you deeply understand:

…you don’t just grow your career. You build a system around your value. You create leverage. And you own your growth.

So go ahead — productize yourself. It might just be your next superpower.

— Jill

Founder of Anchor Growth Newsletter

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