Dan Olsen

Dan Olsen is a prominent product management trainer, consultant, author, and speaker, known for his expertise in Lean Startup principles. He is the founder of Olsen Solutions, a consulting firm established in 2005 that specializes in helping companies build effective product teams and launch successful products. His clientele includes major corporations such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Walmart, as well as various startups.123

Professional Background

Olsen has a diverse professional background. He previously worked at Intuit, where he led the Quicken product team to significant sales and profit achievements. He also held product leadership roles at Friendster and co-founded YourVersion, a personalized news startup that won a TechCrunch award. His early career included designing nuclear-powered submarines, showcasing his technical expertise.134

Education

Dan Olsen holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Northwestern University, an MBA from Stanford University, and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech. His education in industrial engineering focused on Lean manufacturing principles, which laid the groundwork for his later work in product management.14

Publications and Contributions

He is the author of The Lean Product Playbook, published by Wiley, which has been recognized as a comprehensive resource for product management and Lean Startup methodologies. Additionally, he organizes the Lean Product & Lean UX Meetup in Silicon Valley, where he engages with other professionals in the field.123

Olsen's approach combines technical, product, marketing, and business skills, enabling him to deliver tailored consulting services to his clients, ranging from strategy to tactical execution.24