Alex Streid, Chief Product Officer of Cerebral, finds solace in the workweek compared to the exhaustion of weekends with young kids. She is a mom first but also strives to help people reach their goals through her work at WeightWatchers, Ellevest, and now Cerebral. In an interview, Alex discusses how she has used behavioral design to assist her users one step at a time, emphasizing that there are no quick fixes on the road to success. She believes in the importance of commitment and dedication in both products and careers, drawing inspiration from the children’s book “The Mountain That Loved a Bird” to remind us that growth takes time and patience.
At Cerebral, Alex and her team have leveraged behavioral design strategies to address mental health concerns. They created a program called The Cerebral Way, where users can purchase 90-day packages to find the right care team, attend weekly therapy sessions, set goals with their therapists, and start feeling better. The focus is on making one decision at a time, starting with a commitment to care, and avoiding overwhelming users with too much at once. This approach has resulted in more users scheduling and completing visits, highlighting the effectiveness of behavioral design in facilitating positive outcomes.
As a product leader, Alex recognizes that getting buy-in from stakeholders can be a significant barrier to progress. She emphasizes the importance of understanding each stakeholder’s concerns, presenting a solid plan, and working through differences to move the product forward effectively. She also believes that many product managers overlook the daily lives of their customers when developing strategies. By incorporating behavioral insights into product design, managers can better understand and address the complex, multifaceted needs of their users, ultimately enhancing the user experience.
Looking ahead, Alex sees product management evolving over the next five years to prioritize profitability over growth in the increasingly competitive start-up landscape. Product teams will play a crucial role in helping companies achieve profitability, requiring a focus on ruthless prioritization and value creation for customers. She hopes that this shift in focus will enable start-ups to own their destinies through disciplined product management practices. For aspiring product leaders, Alex advises making mundane tasks easier for clients and taking credit for the hard work on their behalf, ultimately fostering customer retention and loyalty.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Alex enjoys paddle boarding, tennis, and spending time with her two young daughters, Juliette and Isla. With a background in creating digital offerings, wealth management platforms, and financial coaching, Alex remains dedicated to democratizing mental healthcare through her work at Cerebral. She embodies a thoughtful and dedicated approach to product leadership, emphasizing the importance of commitment, empathy, and behavioral design in driving positive outcomes for users and businesses.
