It felt so sad to leave the amazing team at myToys.
But the business had to close down, and our journey together came to an end - at least for the time being. Some of my team, along with other colleagues, have been kind enough to share their thoughts and impressions of me as a product leader and mentor.
Reviews
Jean Kim, Product Owner, myToys.de
I was lucky enough to work in Mike’s team at myToys, and I never met anyone who is so passionate and inspiring about product. It’s also rare to have a leader who is a great coach and mentor too. He always wanted us to succeed, supported us, but also challenged us to grow and stay curious.
Even in the most difficult and insecure times, Mike had the impressive ability to keep the team motivated and engaged. Retention of employees is a key success factor for every company and I’m sure that anywhere Mike is hired as a manager he will positively influence the employee experience. He truly understands what ‘new leadership’ means.
Furthermore, he shaped the company to become more product-oriented, constantly thinking about how to make the product better. He is a fierce advocate for the customer, helping us to understand the value of product discovery, ensuring maximum value is delivered, and creating an environment that allowed us as product owners, UX designers, and researchers to do our best work.
I’ve loved the experience of working with Mike, and I know that anyone else who is going to work with him will too.
Jessica Haase, Senior Product Owner, myToys.de
Mike is a fantastic leader. He successfully motivates his team through his positive mindset and approach, even during challenging times. For me personally, he is also an amazing mentor who sees, develops and promotes my strengths. He always has a sympathetic ear and is there to give advice and support whenever it’s needed.
I like that he proactively pushes things forward and always thinks one step further than expected, while involving his team to open up even more perspectives.
Mike has always given us the feeling that the team comes first for him, and that has made us, together with him as the lead, a really strong team. I am very grateful to work with him!
Kevin De Silva, Transformation Lead, myToys.de
During an incredibly challenging time for the business, Mike has not only demonstrated exceptional leadership skills but has also been a significant asset to the company in terms of driving growth, innovation and shifting the focus to the essentials.
As a role model, he has been instrumental in empowering people within the company. By creating a culture of collaboration and openness, he has encouraged all employees he worked with to share their ideas and insights, regardless of their job title or level of experience. This has resulted in a much more engaged and motivated workforce, where everyone feels valued and invested in the success of the company.
Furthermore, Mike has brought a new spirit to the company by fostering a sense of innovation and creativity. As Head of Product he has been unafraid to take risks and successfully implemented new approaches, which has led to some truly value-driven product developments. His willingness to embrace change and challenge the status quo has inspired the entire team and further colleagues (me included) to think outside the box and come up with new and exciting ideas.
Finally, I have been impressed by Mike’s level of professionalism. He has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the industry, as well as a keen eye for detail, business value and a commitment to excellence. Mike is always striving to improve himself and the company. The dedication to his work is truly admirable and I am confident that he will continue to lead future companies to new heights soon.
Anja Kuplich, Junior Product Owner, myToys.de
Mike has a strong focus on innovation and always encourages the team to create new products with a visionary mind. This fosters creativity in each one of us and lets us think out the box.
Additionally, he always puts the needs of the team first and supports us if needed.
He has an extraordinary knowledge in product management and is always willing to provide us with valuable insights. It is extremely precious to have a mentor who can guide you both personally and professionally. Mike is doing an outstanding job as a team lead and his passion for innovation and dedication to the team's success make him a valuable asset to our organisation.
Katrin Behrens, CTO MyToys, MYTOYS Group Managing Director
Mike is a very inspiring leader with high expertise in product thinking and bringing product organisations alive. I appreciate his entrepreneurial mindset and understanding how to create a fantastic customer experience. He is a great driver of topics, very collabarative and encouraging for people to develop and grow.
His inspiration combined with a high sovereignty and clarity makes him an exceptional leader even in tough situations.
I really enjoyed and appreciated the 7 months of working together with Mike and I definitely hope we will have the opportunity to do so again in the future.
Mariah Barone, Senior UX Designer, myToys
Mike has exceptional leadership skills. He joined myToys as Head of Product during very troubled times, and he quickly started to mentor a complete product team, understanding everyone’s skills, interests and challenges.
He was able to bring a common understanding about product and to transform the way people were working inside an outdated corporate environment. His excellent communication skills have transcended the core team and impacted the organisation on a higher level.
To me, Mike was a mentor and I feel extremely lucky our paths crossed. He is very focused on empowering people and making them believe they are capable of achieving great things. He is a wonderful listener and always provides an interesting and new way to look at challenges.
After working with Mike, I have changed my standards of what I look for in a leader. Now I will be looking for “new Mikes”: People who will believe and listen to you, people who will give you the net so you can catch the fish. And furthermore, people who will be there to cheer when you do it.
Thank you so much, Mike. It was an absolute pleasure to learn from you.
Stefano Mateucci, Product Owner
Mike has been an incredibly good mentor for me. Probably one of the best I have ever had!
He has been able to provide me constant support during my first practical experience as a Product Owner. And always approached me with a smile, clear guidelines, very useful frameworks, as well as direct and concise feedback. All of this allowed me to significantly improve my understanding of product management and be able to deliver strong results in a very short period of time.
Not only he is a strong and natural leader, but also a great mentor both on professional and personal topics.
I wish I could work with him again and again!