Consumer Web and Mobile Product Experience

I have spent twenty years, conceiving, designing, launching, and refining consumer web and mobile businesses.  Throughout my career I have developed both the high level value proposition and the product strategy and gotten into the details of user experience and design.  In addition to managing product teams, I have managed software development teams and designers and have a deep understanding of the partnership among product, design, and technology.  Below is a sampling of my experience developing product strategy and building and launching products both as a product owner and as a consultant.

Director and Category Leader, Digital Music: Amazon.com.  I spent over five years conceiving, building, and running the Amazon MP3 business.  I drove a clear value proposition: sell DRM-free music that will play on all devices including the iPod, at a great value.  Create a seamless customer experience by automatically bringing that music into the customer’s library management software of choice, eg. iTunes or WMP.  I drove the product plan and roadmap, which included: Amazon MP3 in (US, UK, DE, FR, and JP), Amazon MP3 for Android, Blackberry, and Palm; and Cloud Drive and Cloud Player for web and Android, including the ability to upload your entire collection to the cloud.

Director and Category Leader, Digital Video Games:  Amazon.com. I developed a two year product road map for the team that supported Digital Video Games, Kindle Fire Game Center, and parts of the Amazon App Store.  Products I released in this role included the ability to interact with a streaming virtual version of an app before deciding to buy it; the ability to buy game currency on Amazon.com and have it pushed to a third-party game account; and the ability to pre-order digital video games.  Other products included game center for Kindle Fire, and the App Store Analytics platform.  I also licensed digital distribution rights for major game titles.

Co-founder and CEO: RedEnvelope.  Founded in 1997, the company was originally called 911Gifts.com.  I developed the concept in 1997 when eCommerce was young and most gift-centric retailers were just getting their feet wet on the Web.  We focused on last minute gift solutions, making it clear that if you ordered by 5pm, your gift would be delivered the next day.  At the time it was a clearly differentiated value proposition, but within a couple of years we could see that the operational advantage would erode. We pivoted the brand to RedEnvelope, positioning ourselves as an aspirational brand along the lines of Williams Sonoma.  Our website design was called out as exemplary in several books on web design.  RedEnvelope went public in 2004.

Director, Product Management for e-Commerce: America Online.  I was at AOL from 1995-1997, a time of hyper growth for the company.  I launched a number of new products, including electronic greeting cards, a software download store, and a self-service web based storefront for sellers.

Consultant to  Apple Computer.  In the mid-nineties I helped Apple launch its foray into online services, called e-World.  I later helped create a multimedia CDROM based shopping product called en Passant, within the Apple Multimedia Group.

Co-founder, Director of Product Management and Operations: 2Market, Inc.  2Market was a pioneer in combining rich media and the benefits of online connectivity to create an online shopping service that brought brands like Williams Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, and Sharper Image into the eCommerce era. 2Market was acquired by AOL in 1995.

Consulting Experience

The Boston Consulting Group. Worked on top level strategy projects for clients in a diverse set of industries, including: personal computers, electronics, and credit cards.

Crimson Consulting. Developed a strategic opportunity assessment and go-to-market strategy for a division of HP evaluating a new product line launch.

Independent Consultant.  I have worked as an independent consultant for years helping both large and small companies evaluate opportunities, launch new business ventures, and focus their value propositions where necessary.  I have also advised startups around product, user experience, and fund raising.

More about me at my LinkedIn Profile.

Reach me at:  Peter.Baltaxe@gmail.com

Thanks for tuning in… -Pete