About

I’m a systems problem solver who leads organizations of designers, engineers, and product managers. I love to synthesize complex information into coherent solutions, and I’m at my best when playing with others. I focus on using design thinking and systems approaches to help companies transform emerging technologies into innovative products that provide value to everyone involved. My experience is centered on complex products with multiple integrated systems, and I’m pretty good at helping people understand these systems and balance the tradeoffs of making them.

A Houston native and alum of Olin College and Stanford’s Design Program, I’m always happy to chat about the differences between hardware and software development, why B2B is more fun than B2C, or why parents make great product managers. Also about things with wheels, baseball, or home improvement during quarantine.

While I love thinking and working in systems, I recharge through crafting simple physical objects. At any point, you’ll find me with a tool in my hand or happily running around with my incredible kids.

I often won’t have all the answers you need, but I will get you asking more of the right questions.

I’ve been fortunate to have my work repeatedly covered by the press, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, Engadget, Treehugger, and others.

Currently
// Director of Product Management | Principal Product Manager
// Mentor, Capital Factory
// Instructor, Product School

Past
// (some form of) Product Manager/Leader, DISCO, RetailMeNot Labs, IBM Design, MIOX, Noribachi
// Instructor on the Circular Economy, Stanford d.school
// Founder, Combine Coworking and AwoogaLabs
// Schmidt-MacArthur Fellow in the circular economy
// Alum, Stanford’s Joint Program in Design and Olin College

Contact

Reach me at joe @ jkendall.net
Find me on Twitter @jkendall
Some writings on Medium jkendall
See a resume on LinkedIn