Women in Product Breakthrough Interviews — Ezinne Udezue (VP Product @ BazaarVoice)
“Being a successful product leader involves pulling people together and accomplishing something that many may have thought to be daunting.”
Her Journey
> Systems Software Engineer @ Nokia
> Senior Systems Engineer @ Motorola
> Product Management & Strategic Partnerships @ T-Mobile
> Director of Product @ Discovery Communications
> Vice President New Product Strategy & Platforms @ Time Inc.
> Principal @ ProductMind
> Founding Partner @ Kernel Fund
> Vice President of Product @ BazaarVoice
Her Story
Ezinne Udezue is Head of Product for Brands at Bazaarvoice, a SaaS company that powers major brands and retailers shopping experience with CGC (ratings and reviews). She is responsible for driving growth with new product solutions and innovation and building the data analytics platforms.
Prior to joining Bazaarvoice, Ezinne served as Vice President of Innovation and Platforms at Time Inc (NY), a media company with over 30 US brands, and was responsible for new content platform solutions and monetization. Prior ro Time Inc., and she ran Product Mind, a Product Consulting firm that worked with organizations as large NY Public Radio, Dialexa Consulting and startups of all sizes. She spent 9 years at T-Mobile USA and launched several products from physical hardware to mobile apps and experiences that have scaled to millions of users.
Ezinne is a Founding Partner at Kernel Fund and is also honored to serve on several boards including Divinc, a startup accelerator focused on improving outcomes for minority founders and teams. She is also a mentor at Techstars. Originally from Nigeria, she holds an MBA from Berkeley-Columbia Executive program, an MSc. and Bsc. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford and UT-Arlington respectively. She recently moved from NY to Austin with her husband and two kids and is making Austin home.
AP: How have you defined “breakthroughs” in your career?
EU: A breakthrough is about taking ownership about the things you want. It is about setting one’s eye on a goal and finding the energy, resilience and the right people to attain that thing. For me breakthroughs requires intent.
When I was a PM at T-Mobile many years ago, I knew I wanted an MBA and I was going to pursue one no matter what. At that time, executive education was not available to non-directors. Even though I had done very well making the company a lot of money and spearheading new initiatives, I recognized that I wouldn’t get promoted quickly enough to get sponsored for my degree. However, before accepting the outcome I didn’t want, I decided to ask why. I tried to understand the source and reasons of the Director rule. It came down to business impact.
One of my coaches taught me an important lesson during this time: “Fair does not mean equal.” Equality means that everyone at the VP-level gets access to higher education. Fairness means that if you worked hard and surpassed the curve, then you deserve to be the exception to the rule.
Ultimately, after finding sponsors within T-Mobile and making a case for myself, the company sponsored me to go to business school. My goal wasn’t out of my reach; I just had to find the people who believed in me to support my breakthrough.
AP: You are known for your incredible skill as an intrapreneur. How do you compare intrapreneurship with entrepreneurship?
EU: The real difference is there is no safety net. You can do the same things inside and outside the safety of a larger org; but when you’re outside, failure has sharp edges, even consequences for your family.
I have mad respect for entrepreneurs. There’s an appetite for risk that you need to embrace to be an entrepreneur, especially if you are trying to do something big; not just seeking a lifestyle company. I’ve watched this journey up close, as a spouse and it can be harrowing.
I might do my own startup or join a super early stage startup some day. So far I haven’t uncovered something I love enough to take the ultimate risk.
AP: What was your inspiration behind starting the Kernel Fund?
EU: I have a passion for community building and had built a strong network of first generation immigrants, specifically Africans in tech. In Seattle, the Bay Area and New York, the growth and explosion of large tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon meant there were people who had created wealth from African descent. My husband and I wanted to be a part of channeling the knowledge and experience that the network had amassed into something impactful.
My partners and I founded Kernel Fund to support entrepreneurs in Africa and Southeast Asia. We aren’t just in it to invest — we hope to promote diversity in founders and connect entrepreneurs with the ecosystem they need to succeed. During our diligence process, we roll up our sleeves and go into coach mode. One of our objectives is to ensure that every encounter with the founder or founding team leaves them more informed. We hope to improve their chances of succeeding or getting funded even if they aren’t right company for us to invest in.
