Good Fortune

Writing about sustainable startups and interviewing Impact Founders to inspire your next impact project, startup, or side hustle. 

Good Fortune will help you:
🌱 Discover sustainable businesses
🧠 Learn from Impact Founders
🌍 Meet likeminded change makers

Founder

Swinburne Design Factory Melbourne

Developing new products, services, and experiences for the innovation world.

Working with Industry, Government, and Individuals to better understand their world and design new solutions to make it a better one.

Senior Product Development Manager

Create Kaizen

I design tools, workshops, and learning programs for tech leaders to:
- Build innovative teams
- Improve creative collaboration
- Build human-centered organizations
- Create systems to navigate uncertainty
- Develop creative problem solving practices

Strategic Designer & Facilitator

Designit

- Lead discovery research, persona building, and journey mapping for transformation projects
- Designed and facilitated AI enablement workshops for exploration and implementation
- Partnered with BizDev to identify customer needs across partner orgs
- Implemented Design Thinking to tackle creative business transformation problems

Strategic Design Lead

NOBA

NOBA partners with companies to build and launch new products, services, or business models.

I supported digital, innovation, and marketing teams in different stages of the development and launch of new products:
- Defining the value propositions and business model for new products and services
- Testing and learning through business prototyping - building and launching an alpha version of the business, gathering metrics, and iterating with real customers
- Driving a soft market launch to start growing the customer base before scaling

Business Designer

NerdWallet

- Software development planning and visibility at all levels of management
- End to end quarterly planning for cross-functional pods
- Manage communication touchpoints between Product, Engineering, Design, Data
- Agile coaching for NerdWallet feature teams
- Program Management for Content Design team

NerdWallet is on a mission to provide clarity for all of life’s financial decisions. We provide consumers with expert, personalized, and actionable guidance across a range of personal finance topics. Whether you’re shopping for a new credit card or mortgage, hoping to refinance a student loan, interested in learning more about investing, or just want to stay on top of your money, we do the homework for you, simplifying complex ideas so you have the information and tools you need to make the right decision for you.

Backed by IVP, RRE Ventures, iGlobe Partners and Silicon Valley Bank, among others, NerdWallet has been certified a Great Place to Work and named one of the Best Workplaces in the Bay Area™ 2020 by Fortune. We’ve been recognized for our stellar benefits, too, from world-class health, vision, and dental insurance to our matching 401(k) program to our generous time off and parental leave policies. 

Based in San Francisco, we have more than 400 passionate “Nerds” around the country, and we’re growing every day. Whether you’re committed to helping consumers or  excited about working for a profitable tech company or interested in growing professionally—or all of the above!—we’d love to hear from you. Check out our job openings here: http://www.nerdwallet.com/careers

Program Manager

- Project manager for Content Design team, creating graphics, illustrations, animations and editorial videos
- Certified ScrumMaster, Scrum Alliance
- Refine and streamline department processes to maintain efficiency and scalability in a fast growing startup environment
- Facilitate projects for a stakeholder team of 90 Content Strategists, Assigning Editors, Copy Editors, and Writers in team operations and communication
- Develop and oversee quantitative success metrics and key performance indicators for Content and Content Design teams
- Advise Content team on institutional knowledge, the fluid inner workings of startup company operations and their position in it

Content Operations and Project Management

Interscope Records

- Coordinated photo shoots and graphic design work for 100+ artist roster
- Oversaw and refined end to end project portals for photographers, stylists, graphic designers, etc.
- Created and resolved photography and art contracts for all creative services provided to Interscope artists
- Organized and facilitated all travel, setup and production operations  for Interscope directors, photographers, producers, and stylist  teams
- Refined organizational strategy, including artist archiving, scheduling, and soliciting promotional materials

Creative Marketing

Opus Bank

- Consulted high net-worth banking clientele, managing accounts $500k-$1mm in balances
- Spearheaded sales team who aquired $50mm in deposits since inception 10.17.2011
- Integral part of opening and growing de novo banking office
- Integrated new sales, appointment, and follow up pipelines for Opus Bank de novo offices
- Generated qualified large acquisition meetings for VP/Retail Banking Manager

Client Services

Want to build a business that makes money AND makes a difference?

I break down exactly how successful impact founders are doing it.

Through conversations with founders and detailed case studies, I uncover the strategies and tactics that actually work in social impact.

At Good Fortune, I'm creating:
🎙️ Deep-dive conversations with impact founders sharing their playbook
📧 Weekly newsletters breaking down successful impact businesses
🛠️ Free, actionable tools for bootstrapped teams (like our Tactic Cards)

Everything I make is designed to help you:
- Validate your impact business idea
- Find and connect with your first customers
- Grow sustainably while maximizing impact
- Navigate the unique challenges of social enterprise

Want actionable insights for your impact business?

→ Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
→ Download free Tactic Cards
→ Listen to the latest founder deep dives


A bit more about me and why I love doing this:
🏄 I've always been an "experience channel surfer" (look at my work history)
💭 I love finding the overlap between creativity, strategy, and impact
🙏 I want to create things that enable others to do their best work

Give me a follow 🔔 for free content and learnings shared daily, or reach out if you want to talk strategy and social innovation (whatever that means to you).

Jake Carroll

Diana Stepner

Product Gold

At Product Gold, we elevate product leaders by focusing on the often-overlooked soft skills and networking abilities that complement technical expertise. Our holistic approach develops well-rounded product managers, equipping them with the intangible assets that drive career growth and industry influence

Co-Founder, Product

Next-Gen Product Management

Co-author of Next-Gen Product Management in collaboration with two esteemed experts, Teresa Cain and Dr. Bart Jaworski. A comprehensive guide on the evolving role of product management. The book combines three generations of expertise to empower aspiring and experienced product managers to future-proof their careers in a rapidly changing field and provide a practical resource for building diverse, high-performing teams and leveraging cutting-edge tools to deliver innovative products.

The book provides actionable frameworks for:
▶️ Navigating AI and emerging technologies
▶️ Building high-performing, diverse product teams
▶️ Transitioning from PM to product leader
▶️ Mastering stakeholder management
▶️ Driving data-informed decisions

Whether you're launching your product career or advancing to executive leadership, our guidance helps you thrive in today's rapidly evolving product landscape. Discover why thousands of PMs are using this practical playbook to future-proof their careers.

Get your copy today: https://www.amazon.com/Next-Gen-Product-Management-Future-Career/dp/1965428002/

Author

Tandem

Tandem works with Seed to Series C startup talent. Tandem helps individuals fast track their learning, feel less alone, and operate like an expert even when they're new to the job.

Coach

Wizly

Wizly (https://www.askwizly.ai/) is an AI-powered people knowledge platform where expertise is shared, monetized, and valued.  With Wizly, you can access the network’s knowledge base through proprietary AI technology to solve your hardest go-to-market challenges, while gaining unique access to a trusted community of top-industry talent in our referrals-only network.

Advisor

Psychological Safety, powered by Iterum

The mission of Psych Safety is to make the world of work a safer, higher performing, more inclusive and equitable place. Main aim as a moderator is to keep the community active, engaging and safe.

Psychological Safety community moderator

Diana Stepner Coaching & Advising

With over 20 years of experience as a product leader and coach, I bring a unique blend of hands-on expertise and strategic practices to foster self-awareness and translate insights into action. My focus is on coaching product managers and technology leaders to navigate transitions, team dynamics and organizational change. Known for my intuition and thoughtfulness, I enable individuals to stretch beyond their existing comfort zones.

My coaching philosophy emphasizes achieving tangible outcomes amid change, helping clients build resilient, innovative, and collaborative teams. When partnering with startups and established teams, I apply my extensive product leadership and management experience to provide personalized growth strategies that empower clients and their teams to emerge stronger, happier, and more prepared for whatever the future holds.

Product & Leadership Coach

Maven

Maven believes the best way to learn is by doing. That’s why Maven focuses on active learning through cohort-based courses offered directly to their audience. See https://maven.com/diana-stepner/product-leadership/

Member - Course Instructor (Product Leadership)

Chief

Chief is a private network built to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there. Chief is the only organization specifically designed for senior women leaders to strengthen their leadership journey, cross-pollinate ideas across industries, and effect change from the top-down.

Member

Astia Angels

Astia Angels is an international network that reviews, invests, and advises startups that include women leaders and apply to Astia.-- http://astia.org/

Member / Advisor

Ziplines Education

Clicked is a community of explorers, builders, and coaches united by a mission to make career experience accessible to all.

Advisor (Clicked, bought by Ziplines)

Launching the People who Launch Products

I'm Diana Stepner, a Product Leadership Coach with over 20 years of experience in global product management and innovation. My mission is to empower ambitious product leaders and managers to unlock their full potential, navigate career transitions confidently, and create high-performing, innovative teams.

What sets me apart:
> 20+ years of hands-on experience building and leading product teams across global tech companies, startups, and mission-driven organizations
> A unique blend of business acumen, technical expertise, and user experience knowledge
> Multiple roles as a Product executive-level leader in both large and small corporations
> A human-centered, adaptive coaching approach that evolves with you and the changing tech landscape

Who I Help:
> Product Managers seeking to advance their careers and maximize their impact
> Product Leaders and Executives aiming to create and inspire innovative, high-performing teams
> Tech professionals navigating career transitions or feeling stuck in their current roles

My Approach:
I believe every person holds untapped potential. My coaching methodology is:
> Personalized and holistic, focusing on both professional growth and personal well-being
> Resilient, organic, and fluid, adapting to your unique needs and circumstances
> Designed to foster self-awareness, align actions with vision, and embrace authentic leadership styles

What You Can Expect:
> Collaborative partnership that combines empathy with strategic insight
> Help identifying your strengths, building a growth plan, reaching your goals, and transforming both personally and professionally
> Practical guidance based on real-world experience in product leadership
> Support in discovering and activating your hidden capabilities
> Tools to lead with both empathy and resilience in the fast-paced tech world
> Strategies to confidently navigate career transitions and industry changes

Whether you're looking to unlock your full potential, create high-functioning teams, or maximize your impact in the tech industry, I'm here to walk alongside you on your journey. Let's connect and explore how we can work together to launch your career to new heights.

Next Steps:
> Ready to unlock your potential and become an exceptional product leader? Reach out to schedule a discovery session 👉 https://calendly.com/dianastepner/30min
> Sign up for my newsletter 👉 https://dianastepner.substack.com/

taplio

The Battle

Jake Carroll

Diana Stepner, ACC

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