Avoiding Common Professional Pitfalls

Few Lessons from Deploying and Using LLMs in Production Deploying LLMs can feel like hiring a hyperactive genius intern—they dazzle users while potentially draining your API budget. Here are some insights I’ve gathered: 1. “Cheap” is a Lie You Tell Yourself: Cloud costs per call may seem low, but the overall expense of an LLM-based system can skyrocket. Fixes: - Cache repetitive queries: Users ask the same thing at least 100x/day - Gatekeep: Use cheap classifiers (BERT) to filter “easy” requests. Let LLMs handle only the complex 10% and your current systems handle the remaining 90%. - Quantize your models: Shrink LLMs to run on cheaper hardware without massive accuracy drops - Asynchronously build your caches — Pre-generate common responses before they’re requested or gracefully fail the first time a query comes and cache for the next time. 2. Guard Against Model Hallucinations: Sometimes, models express answers with such confidence that distinguishing fact from fiction becomes challenging, even for human reviewers. Fixes: - Use RAG - Just a fancy way of saying to provide your model the knowledge it requires in the prompt itself by querying some database based on semantic matches with the query. - Guardrails: Validate outputs using regex or cross-encoders to establish a clear decision boundary between the query and the LLM’s response. 3. The best LLM is often a discriminative model: You don’t always need a full LLM. Consider knowledge distillation: use a large LLM to label your data and then train a smaller, discriminative model that performs similarly at a much lower cost. 4. It's not about the model, it is about the data on which it is trained: A smaller LLM might struggle with specialized domain data—that’s normal. Fine-tune your model on your specific data set by starting with parameter-efficient methods (like LoRA or Adapters) and using synthetic data generation to bootstrap training. 5. Prompts are the new Features: Prompts are the new features in your system. Version them, run A/B tests, and continuously refine using online experiments. Consider bandit algorithms to automatically promote the best-performing variants. What do you think? Have I missed anything? I’d love to hear your “I survived LLM prod” stories in the comments!

3 tax myths costing you real money: I see founders overpaying every day. Here's what I know after 15 years of building businesses: 1. "Safe deductions = smart business" Wrong. The average business owner leaves $15K on the table yearly from fear. • Vehicle expenses • Home office • Travel • Equipment Reality: Documentation matters more than deduction type. Take what's yours. 2. "DIY = Hustle" This costs you twice: • Time studying tax code instead of closing deals • Missed industry-specific deductions you don't know about Think about it: Every hour learning tax law is an hour not spent on: • Product development • Sales calls • Team building • Strategy That's expensive pride. 3. "December tax planning" Simple truth: Every business decision is a tax decision. Waiting until Q4 means you've missed 9 months of optimization on: • Equipment purchases • Contractor hiring • Payment structures • Growth investments The fastest-growing companies don't track expenses. They build tax strategy into every decision. Here's the framework that works: 1. Document religiously 2. Get industry-specific expertise 3. Make tax strategy part of daily operations Everything else is noise. I use Intuit TurboTax Business for this. (#ad - but I actually do) #TurboTaxPartner #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness https://lnkd.in/d6bCQgr2

Over the past decade, I’ve interviewed hundreds of Product Managers, and 99% fail for the same reason: they bomb the case interview. Here’s a classic scenario I present: “If you were tasked with creating an instant grocery app, what would you do?” What happens next? Most candidates enthusiastically dive into frameworks, user flows, and feature ideas. They meticulously explain how they’d build it. That’s when I know—they’ve missed the point. ---------------------------------------------------- ‼️ The Problem‼️ I’m not looking for someone who just knows how to build things RIGHT. I’m looking for someone who first asks: Are we even building the RIGHT THING? Here’s the MAJOR difference: A BUILDER says: “Here’s the PRD, the user flow, and the timeline.” A LEADER asks: “Do people even want this product?” “What’s the size of the market opportunity?” “What problem are we solving, and why would users choose us?” A good PMs validate the idea before drafting a single requirement. They focus on impact, not just execution. ---------------------------------------------------- 🗒️ The Big Miss Many PMs focus on details—features, tech stacks, or UI—without asking the big question: Does this product even make sense? Without a clear understanding of the user, the market, and the business value, they risk building something polished that nobody needs. ---------------------------------------------------- Great PMs think strategically. They don’t just build the product—they ask why it should exist. 💡 Next time you’re in a PM interview, take a moment before diving into solutions. Step back, think big, and focus on solving the real problems. That’s how you stand out as a true product leader.

7 BIG mistakes I made as a new manager: (so you don't have to) I've learned these lessons over 2 decades of leading teams. If you're struggling with any of these below, you're not alone. Here's what I wish I'd known right away: ❌ Assuming silence meant agreement: ↳ Don't mistake silence for support. Create space for every voice to be heard. ❌ Underestimating the impact of small wins: ↳ Celebrate all victories. They lead to bigger successes and motivate the team. ❌ Waiting too long to address performance issues: ↳ Don't avoid difficult conversations. Face them head-on with empathy and curiosity. ❌ Not setting clear expectations: ↳ Ambiguity creates frustration. Be clear about what success looks like. ❌ Not managing up: ↳ Make your impact known. Regularly share your progress, especially if you don't interact with your manager often. ❌ Trying to solve every problem myself: ↳ Let your team shine. Support and empower them to step up and grow. ❌ Not setting boundaries for myself: ↳ Burnout helps no one. Prioritize your well-being and the healthy habits you've built. You don't need to have it all figured out. You are more than capable. Trust yourself. ♻️ Repost to help someone. 🔔 Follow Dora Vanourek for more.

Don’t hire Product Managers to do Project Manager work. It happens too often. Companies hire Product Managers but treat them like Project Managers. If you need someone to manage tasks, timelines, and processes, that’s fine. Hire a Project Manager. Just don’t confuse the two roles. Here’s the difference: → Project Managers focus on execution: managing deadlines, deliverables, and keeping things on track. → Product Managers focus on strategy: defining the vision, solving user problems, and aligning with business goals. A good Product Manager drives the “why” behind your product: - Why are we building this? - Who are we building it for? - How does it align with our long-term goals? They bridge the gap between customer needs, team capabilities, and business objectives to create something meaningful. Here’s the thing: when you box them into project work, you’re missing out on their biggest value. You limit their ability to think strategically. And worse, you’re likely to frustrate them and burn them out. So, if you’re hiring a Product Manager, ensure they have the opportunity to focus on vision, strategy, and outcomes. Your team and products will thank you. Your thoughts? -- P.S. Wanna master your English speaking skills? Try my app: https://getfluently.app

Even the best leaders make mistakes. The ones who genuinely care. Who want the best for their team. And sometimes that desire to help is exactly what trips us up. Here are 10 communication missteps we all make (and how to fix them): 1. When someone brings you a problem → Your instinct: Jump straight to solutions → Better: "Tell me more about what you're experiencing" 2. Your team only hears from you when something's wrong → They start bracing for bad news → Fix: Weekly appreciation check-ins 3. That conversation you keep postponing → It gets harder each day → 48-hour rule: Address it or it addresses you 4. You're multitasking while they're talking → They notice. It matters. → Close the laptop. Give 5 minutes of full attention. 5. You interrupt because you relate → "Oh, I know exactly what you mean..." → Let them finish first. Then connect. 6. They're nodding but something feels off → Agreement doesn't mean understanding → Ask: "What questions do you have?" 7. Your phone buzzes during their update → That quick glance? They saw it. → Phone down = respect up 8. "Do your best" isn't helpful → Vague expectations create stress → Try: "Success looks like X by Friday at 3pm" 9. Their body language shifted → Crossed arms, silence, leaning back → "I'm sensing some concerns. What's on your mind?" 10. "Great job, but..." → Everything before "but" disappears → Use "and" instead: "Great job, and for next time..." Good leadership isn't about avoiding these moments. It's about recognizing them and adjusting. Your team needs a leader who notices, learns, and corrects course. That's how trust gets built. One conversation at a time. P.S. Which one do you catch yourself doing? 📌 Save this for when communication feels off-track. ♻️ Repost if this could help a leader on your team. 👉 Follow Desiree Gruber for more tools on storytelling, leadership, and brand building.

Losing 7 lacs as an agency owner taught me what not to do. Starting out, I made mistakes that drained both my energy and my bank account. And looking back, it all came down to three big lessons that I wish I’d learned sooner: 1️⃣Saying “yes” to every client, even the low-paying ones. I thought more clients meant more growth.  But the reality? Low-paying clients drained my energy and filled my schedule with endless demands, leaving no room for high-quality clients who actually valued my work. Lesson learned: Fewer, high-quality clients will always beat spreading yourself thin for the wrong ones. 2️⃣Running without systems in place. In the early days, I thought I could keep things organized without a process. But things quickly spiraled into chaos—miscommunications, missed deadlines, and frustration for both me and my clients. Lesson learned: Systems are essential. Having clear processes for communication, project tracking, and task management keeps everything running smoothly. 3️⃣Trying to do it all myself. I thought doing everything alone gave me control, but it actually hurt quality. My work suffered, deadlines slipped, and clients started noticing. Lesson learned: Delegation is key. Letting go and trusting a team allows you to focus on growth without sacrificing quality. The takeaway? Taking on every client, skipping structure, and refusing to delegate are surefire ways to lose both money and momentum. If you’re an agency owner, take it from me: Choose your clients wisely, set up solid systems, and let go of the need to do it all yourself. What’s one lesson you learned the hard way in business? Share below—I’d love to hear! 👇

LLC ≠ Tax Classification Client: “I have an LLC.” Tax Professionals: “Cool, but how is it taxed? Is it an S-Corp, C-Corp, Partnership or disregard entity?” Blank stare. 5 seconds later… Client: ”No, It’s just an LLC” This is one of the most common conversations I have with new prospects who just formed an entity and have a major misconception about how business structures are taxed. An LLC is a legal structure, not a tax status. Tax wise, an LLC can be: • Disregarded (default if single-member) • Partnership (default if multi-member) • S-corp (via 2553) • C-corp (via 8832 or on the EIN app) The part we don’t talk about enough is that filing an LLC through LegalZoom or any online service without a plan doesn’t mean you’ve structured your business, it just means you filled out a form. As professionals, we need to educate clients on what actually happens after the LLC is formed (ideally before) because that’s where the structure really starts. Because structure drives tax. And “I thought it was just an LLC” isn’t a great start. #TaxTips #LLC101 #SmallBusinessTax #CPAlife #EntityClassification #IRSrules #BusinessStructure #Ccorp #Scorp #DisregardedEntity #TaxPlanning

I've worked with 1,000+ leaders over the last 3 years. Most make the same common mistakes. Except for the best ones. → They build on the lessons of others. → They build empowered teams. → They build lean systems. Because the best mistakes? Are the ones you avoid. Here are the 9 that trip managers up constantly. Drowning in Work → You're working 60+ hours and have no time for your team → Fix: Daily "Power Hour" - 60 mins of editing and delegating Staying in The Spotlight → You're still doing the work instead of enabling others to excel → Fix: Track time coaching delegating each week Ineffective Feedback → Your feedback creates defensiveness instead of growth → Fix: Use SBI method (Situation-Behavior-Impact) + clear next steps Missing Early Warning Signs → Problems explode because you spot them too late → Fix: Triangulate: review metrics, talk to one customer and one skip-level No Management System → Your days are chaotic and reactive instead of structured → Fix: Three non-negotiable: expectations, 1:1s, feedback Excluding Teams from Decisions → You make quick decisions alone that fail in execution → Fix: "Co-Author" rule - team proposes, you refine, everyone owns Tolerating Toxic Talent → High-performing a$$holes are driving away good team members → Fix: Monthly culture impact reviews alongside performance metrics Information Hoarding → Critical knowledge lives only in your head → Fix: Weekly lunch-and-learns plus Leadership Loom wrap-ups Reactive Calendar Management → Your calendar runs you instead of serving you → Fix: Time-block using 40-40-20 rule: team time, deep work, flexibility These mistakes are all too common. They're also 100% avoidable. Simple systems consistently outperform good intentions. What mistakes did I miss? Or what fix are you going to try? Please repost ♻️ to help other leaders and follow Dave Kline 🔔 for more.

Companies hire PMs for “relevant experience.” Then spend the next 6 months telling them to forget everything they learned. “At our company, we do things differently.” Every company thinks its product challenges are unique. Most aren't. The same retention problems. The same stakeholder dynamics. The same technical debt battles. Just different logos. But here's the real issue: The PM with 10 years at one company knows one way deeply. The PM with 2 years at five companies knows patterns. Yet we optimize for the first one. Job postings ask for: ”5+ years in fintech” (Why? So they know the regulations?) ”Experience with B2B SaaS” (What does this even mean?) Meanwhile, the best product insights come from outsiders who ask, “Why do you do it that way?” The fresh eyes see what the experienced ones have learned to ignore. We have confused domain knowledge with product skill. We are hiring people who already know our answers. Then wondering why we are not getting better questions. If you are hiring: Try one PM from a completely different vertical. You might be surprised. If you are a PM: Stop apologizing for your "irrelevant" background. It's probably your biggest asset. #ProductManagement #Hiring #CareerAdvice #PMLife