# Serge's User Manual

## What Is This?

This is an introduction to me and how I like to work. Reading it should give you a strong sense of how best to collaborate with me. It's not a dogma — I expect to adapt and change as I grow.

## Hours & Communication

- I typically schedule meetings between 10am – 5pm ET, leaving the start and end of the day for catching up — though I'm almost always available earlier or later as needed.
- I try to keep Tuesdays & Thursdays heavier with meetings and Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays lighter for focus time. I don't mind back-to-back meetings on meeting days and actually prefer it. I don't hold this sacred though — happy to meet any day.
- You can always find me on Slack. Never worry about messaging me outside of working hours — I check frequently and respond as quickly as I can.
- If I'm busy or inspired, I'll work early or late. I schedule any messages and don't expect others to be working outside normal hours.
- I typically check email only a few times per day. Slack with links to docs or other context is my preferred mode of communication.
- Feel free to edit or move my calendar invites around without asking — my meeting invites are modifiable by default.

## Expectations for Working with Me

- I can be very passionate, energetic, and enthusiastic — but never let that stop you from pushing back on ideas, raising issues, or pointing out failure modes. There is no such thing as a bad idea or stupid question, and silence is often the greatest cause of problems.
- I enjoy brainstorming and talking through half-baked ideas. Talking through things is an important part of my ideation process — I'm generally more of a verbal & visual learner.
- I like to learn by seeing, talking through it, and doing. I generally communicate less well via reading & writing (something I'm working on).
- I'm not a great note taker — I like to record user interviews and important conversations so I can listen back later.
- I like to take the time to make things look good. You'll see that I like to format my docs and heavily use emojis.
- I like to work in Figma to wireframe and prototype — although my designs might look higher fidelity at times, **always** consider them a wireframe or prototype.
- I like to work in quick, agile iteration and delivery cycles. I like to test & get/give feedback as early & often as possible.

## Things I Can Find Frustrating

- When people aren't willing to talk through problems & brainstorm solutions together in an informal & iterative way. Great ideas can stem from anywhere, and I often find that the perfect solution comes from refinement of the craziest ideas.
- When the opportunity to give feedback or start testing comes too late into a project.

## How I Like to Receive Feedback

- The most important thing is that I receive the feedback — I'm less picky about how.
- If there's something you think I could be doing better, please just tell me. I aspire to always be getting better and improving.
- Showing me what good looks like and letting me emulate has always been a great way for me to grow and improve in short amounts of time.
- I really like to hear positive feedback as well, particularly when I'm new to a team or area. Positive reinforcement works for me.

## About Me

- I was previously:
  - A Senior Product Manager at Stella Connect by Medallia where I joined as a 50 person startup in November of 2019 and watched it get acquired by Medallia in 2020 and then subsequently watched Medallia get taken private by a PE firm in 2021.
  - Co-founder of an on-demand room-by-room home cleaning app called Zyp, which we sold in 2019.
- I live on the upper east side on 89th Street & 1st Avenue.
- My wife's name is Michelle — we've been dating since we were 15.
- We have a son, Greyson, who was born in July 2025.
- I love to ski, scuba dive & golf.
- I'm learning to kiteboard.
- I love photography and take hundreds of photos every month (mostly of our son).
- I love to fly my drone and enjoy making vacation videos.
- I made a few podcast episodes with one of my best friends during COVID.
- I love playing Microsoft Flight Simulator.
- I love board games.
- My first concert with my parents was Billy Joel & Elton John at MSG & my first with friends was Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour at MSG.
- My favorite sport to watch, follow and attend is Hockey (although I can't skate) and my favorite sports team is the New York Rangers.
- My favorite plays/musicals are Hamilton, Aida & The Six.
- My favorite movies are Lord of War, War Dogs, A Few Good Men, Back to School, 21 Jump Street.
- My favorite TV shows are Band of Brothers, Narcos, Ted Lasso, For All Mankind, The Circus.
- My favorite books are Competing Against Luck, JTBD Interview Handbook, Learning to Build, Inspired, Empowered, Demand Side Sales, Shape Up.
- Favorite artists: ~~Kanye~~, Drake, Macklemore, Wiz Khalifa, Kygo, Chance the Rapper, Post Malone & TOMI.
- Favorite albums of all time: 1) Graduation — Kanye 2) Nothing was the Same — Drake 3) Burn after Rolling — Wiz Khalifa 4) The Heist — Macklemore 5) Paper Trail — T.I.

## Why User Manuals?

- [Writing a user manual at work makes teams less anxious and more productive](https://qz.com/1046131/writing-a-user-manual-at-work-makes-teams-less-anxious-and-more-productive/)
- [Five steps to create a personal user manual](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130129140453-201849-five-steps-to-create-a-personal-user-manual/)