Nickey Skarstad
Product leader: director of product at Etsy, product lead at Shopify and at Airbnb (Experiences), VP of Product at The Wing, and a director of product at Duolingo; writes the newsletter Dear Builders.
Nickey Skarstad did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
Filter All topics · Newest first
-
Our reading
As AI models' capabilities converge, the model itself is becoming less of a differentiator.
Their wordsAnd let's be real: we're reaching the point where the actual AI models are becoming commoditized. GPT-4, Claude 3, Gemini, DeepSeek … they're all impressive, and they're all getting better at roughly the same rate. As capabilities converge, the tech itself becomes less of a differentiator.
↗Your AI Is too smart for normal people ☠️dearbuilders.com 1st of 2 in this piece
-
Their wordsThe winners in the AI race won't necessarily be those with the cleverest algorithms, but those who create the most intuitive, empowering user experiences. They'll be the ones who make advanced technology feel natural, even obvious.
↗Your AI Is too smart for normal people ☠️dearbuilders.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 7 days earlier
-
Their wordsThis transformation hasn't happened by accident. The business models of platforms like Instagram and Facebook depend on engagement and ad revenue, not on the quality of your friendships. And so gradually, they've optimized for content that drives monetization and engagement, not connection.
↗If NOT friend, why friend shaped?dearbuilders.com 1st of 2 in this piece
-
Their wordsI believe we're still in the early stages of this market. Just as wellness evolved from simple meditation apps to sophisticated ecosystems blending digital and physical experiences, friend-tech will mature beyond simple matchmaking to more nuanced approaches. Here's what I'm watching for: Hybrid models: The most promising solutions will blend digital connection with IRL experiences, recognizing that technology works best as a bridge to human contact, not a replacement.
↗If NOT friend, why friend shaped?dearbuilders.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 8 weeks earlier
-
Their wordsEvery time you tightly couple your system to a specific model's patterns, you're accumulating technical debt that will cost you later. Don’t optimize dev speed at the expense of operational flexibility.
- 10 days earlier
-
Our reading
Products that win long-term help users exercise agency rather than relying on addiction mechanisms.
Their wordsYour job isn't just shipping features, it's understanding how those features shape human behavior. The products that truly win long-term aren't the ones with the most sophisticated addiction mechanisms. They're the ones that help users exercise agency and become who they want to be.
- 2 months earlier
-
Our reading
Treating a product's community as genuine partners avoids revolts and builds a better product.
Their wordsRemember: Your community's success is your success. When you treat them as genuine partners in your product's evolution, you not only avoid the revolts—you build something far better than you could have alone.
- 2 weeks earlier
-
Their wordsWhat's wild, though – after years operating at top growth-stage companies, I rarely see people approach building trust strategically - even though it’s one of the most important things they can do for their career.
- 8 months earlier
-
Our reading
Personal taste is what will make products stand out in the increasing sameness of the internet.
Their wordsYour taste comes into play in this brave new world, because it is what will help you build products that stand out in the increasing sameness of the Internet. We will notice people and products that break through the monoculture.
↗Why your personal taste matters more than everdearbuilders.com
- 8 weeks earlier
-
Their wordsSomeone recently asked me why Duolingo has such an incredible product experience (in their words: “that continues to get better”) and my quick answer was pretty simple. Duolingo has a strong culture of dogfooding.