Hey cool buddy,

I’m Mike Else.

I’m a Product Manager

and a Dad

and a musician

and a traveler

I live in Portland, Oregon
with my wife,
our two little girls,
and our french bulldog, Giblet.

About Me

With a decade of experience in Product Management, I specialize in transforming complex ideas into successful B2B SaaS products.

I excel in building relationships with teams, customers, and stakeholders to drive innovation and growth.

I have a proven track record of developing strategic initiatives, managing cross-functional teams, and leveraging data & analytics to optimize operational and business performance.

My expertise includes partnership integrations, content creation, internal tooling, CRMs, and analytics, making me a versatile leader adept at delivering measurable results.

My Work Experience

Jellyvision is a software company known for creating interactive solutions that simplify complex topics, such as employee benefits and financial planning, through engaging user experiences.

Their flagship product, ALEX, is a virtual benefits counselor that helps employees understand and make informed decisions about their benefits.

Jellyvision’s approach combines humor and interactivity to enhance user engagement and comprehension.

Senior Product Manager

2014 - 2021

At Jellyvision, I led the development of Talentshow, a proprietary internal content creation and management tool designed to address the scalability challenges faced by ALEX Benefits Counselor.

The existing manual, labor-intensive processes hindered our ability to efficiently manage multiple enterprise client implementations.

Recognizing these inefficiencies, I spearheaded the initiative to automate and streamline workflows, introducing reusable templates and transitioning from Adobe Flash to HTML5.

This shift not only reduced the manual workload and error rate but also future-proofed our content delivery.

By bridging the gap between creative and technical teams, I ensured Talentshow met the growing demands of our enterprise clients, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and user satisfaction.

HealthJoy is a platform designed to simplify healthcare navigation through a mobile application that helps users understand and utilize their healthcare benefits effectively.

The platform features AI-driven chat support, telemedicine services, and personalized healthcare guidance to enhance user experience and engagement.

By streamlining access to healthcare information and services, HealthJoy aims to improve overall healthcare utilization and satisfaction.

Senior Product Manager

2021 - 2022

At HealthJoy, as a Senior Product Manager, I spearheaded the development of TPA+, a product designed to integrate Third Party Administrators into our platform to enhance healthcare optimization.

I defined and executed the product vision, establishing regular data feeds for preauthorization records and medical claims, and standardizing this data for proactive outreach.

Leading a team of three engineers, I built a robust data mapping system, which allowed our Healthcare Concierge team to offer cost-effective healthcare solutions, directly impacting employees’ lives.

This initiative not only streamlined operations but also generated $1.3 million in net new revenue in the first year, showcasing the transformative potential of data-driven healthcare solutions.

ACT! is a comprehensive customer relationship management and marketing automation solution designed to help businesses manage customer relationships, streamline sales processes, and enhance marketing efforts.

With over 35 years of experience, ACT! combines powerful CRM capabilities with intuitive marketing tools to attract, engage, and retain customers.

The platform serves over 800,000 users globally, offering flexibility and reliability to support diverse business needs.

Senior Product Manager

2022

During my tenure at ACT! CRM, I was tasked with transitioning their 30-year-old Windows desktop application into a web-based SaaS product.

Faced with existing customers’ reluctance to switch due to their reliance on the comprehensive features of the legacy system, I conducted extensive customer interviews to understand their needs.

Realizing that a seamless migration was unrealistic, I proposed a dual-product strategy that maintained support for the legacy application while marketing the new SaaS product to attract new customers.

This strategic shift, which I successfully influenced executive leadership to adopt, ensured customer retention and positioned ACT! for future growth.

Vyne Medical provides software solutions that capture, manage, and exchange critical patient information to enhance communication and improve care coordination in healthcare settings.

Their products streamline administrative processes, ensure regulatory compliance, and facilitate efficient information sharing among healthcare providers.

Vyne Medical aims to improve patient care and operational efficiency through innovative technology solutions.

Senior Product Manager

2022-2024

At Vyne Medical, I was responsible for guiding product development for the Voice and Refyne Connected Care solutions.

My role involved ensuring seamless integration with existing healthcare systems and meeting stringent regulatory requirements.

By collaborating with stakeholders to understand market needs and constraints, I led the development of features that addressed these needs while maintaining compliance.

My efforts resulted in a 15% increase in adoption rates, improved care coordination among healthcare providers, and positive feedback for enhancing patient data management and communication.

Who I Am

I am empathetic, sociable, and driven by a strong sense of purpose.

I value creating positive change and am dedicated to understanding and helping others.

My natural leadership abilities and passion for collaboration make me a motivator and guide in both personal and professional settings.

The Way I Am

I approach problems with strategic thinking, balancing customer needs with business growth.

My decision-making is driven by empathy and understanding, ensuring that solutions are effective and people-centered.

I thrive in collaborative environments, leveraging teamwork and constructive communication to drive meaningful change.

My Skills

Frameworks for Strategy

  • Objectives & Key Results

  • Customer & Business KPIs

  • User Personas

  • User Story Mapping

  • Usability Testing

  • Qualitative / Quantitative Analysis

Product Experience

  • B2B SaaS platforms

  • SMB to Enterprise

  • Partnership Integrations

  • Internal tooling

  • CRMs

  • Analytics & ROI Modeling

Tools For Planning

  • Jira, Confluence

  • Gitlab / Github

  • Asana

  • Aha!

  • ProductPlan

Tools For Design

  • Figma / Figjam

  • LucidChart / LucidSpark

  • Apple Keynote / Google Slides

Tools For Data & Analytics

  • PostgreSQL / MySQL

  • Snowflake

  • Domo

  • Looker

  • FullStory

  • Pendo

  • Amplitude

  • Excel / Google Sheets

  • SalesForce

Education & Music

  • 2011 BA Music Composition, Columbia College Chicago

  • Music composer & producer for video games, films, commercials since 2007

Personality Type

  • ENFJ-T: Protagonist

  • Enneagram Type 1: Reformer

Great People I’ve Worked With

Emily Owaki

Senior Software Engineer

“Mike's ability to communicate technical ideas in human terms is what sets him apart from the rest - I'm always impressed when he's able to whip up with the perfect analogy to talk through a complicated concept.

As an intermediary, he's able to explain the importance of the work that the dev team is currently doing while also ensuring that results get delivered to stakeholders.

I've seen him work seamlessly across multiple teams while also making sure that each group is equally valued in terms of contribution, input, and recognition. I can't say enough good things about working with Mike, any team would be lucky to have him!”

Janel Hull

Senior Communications Advisor

“[Mike] managed all logistics to facilitate hands-on technology workshops for underserved high school girls. This leadership position required volunteer management, technical literacy, partnership building, project management, empathy for youth, effective communication with partners, and so much more.

Mike managed all of these facets of the leadership position with positivity and optimism. He successfully planned and executed a workshop on Agile Development in partnership with CDK Global and managed a hardware building workshop at Uncorked Studios.

Mike built positive relationships with both partners and high school girls. His adaptability, positivity, enthusiasm, and project management skills made him a huge asset to ChickTech! “

Patrick Cravens

Vice President of Product

“Mike has a natural talent for product development and of all the recommendations I have given, I put my recommendation for Mike at the very top.

He always keeps his cool and most importantly, he builds authentic relationships with everyone – developers, business teams, executives, external contacts, etc.

Mike is great at understanding the business needs for a product and the development and maintenance of products. He scales down requirements in a way where the end product remains highly valuable to the business but scaled back enough so that it can get built in a reasonable amount of time.”

Under Construction

I’m in the process of building out a site for myself that features aspects of my previous work as not only a Product Manager, but as a designer, researcher, presenter, and all-around cool guy.

Meanwhile, feel free to take a look at my LinkedIn or send me an email directly. Don’t worry, I’m working on this.