Chris Hjorth
Verified Expert in Product Management
Product Manager
Copenhagen, Denmark
Toptal member since September 30, 2019
Chris is a problem solver, a generalist with the ability to dig in and specialize when needed. Over the past 15 years, he has worked independently, founded startups, mentored other startups and individuals as well as innovated in the developing world with the United Nations World Food Programme. Chris loves turning ideas into products and taking them to scale effectively, focusing on strategy, planning, and execution through iterations.
Project Highlights
Expertise
Work Experience
Founder | Solopreneur
Elliott Says
- Built and launched an online membership and course platform from scratch on top of Remix.run leveraging AWS Lambda and microarchitecture to keep costs close to zero.
- Implemented a phase-based go-to-market strategy with innovative lead generation tactics suitable to grow toward profitability from an audience of zero with no authority and no budget.
- Leveraged AI and automation to run the business effectively without the need for human resources.
- Implemented custom trading algorithms and performed regular investment research.
- Maintained a three times weekly newsletter writing and publishing.
Freelance Product Manager
Toptal Clients
- Led the creation of an online reputation management system prototype based on NLP and sentiment analysis combined with web scraping. This allowed the client to seek funding for further service development.
- Led the integration of non-standard technologies and operations automation on top of a Shopify eCommerce solution. Hired and managed needed talent and coordinated the transition to automation with third-party providers.
- Defined and implemented the roadmap for a fashion rental startup, allowing the launch of their MVP and subsequent independent product management. Hired and managed developer talent. Created SOPs for the complex operations and set up analytics.
- Productivized a B2B influencer marketing analytics platform based on AI/ML, revamping the client-facing product and leading integrations with partner influencer marketing platforms.
- Led the creation of an MVP for a DIY fashion marketplace focused on sustainability integrating Shopify and Sharetribe and hiring custom development resources.
Owner
Chris Hjorth Creations | Freelance
- Defined multiple products and product enhancement requirements through client and end-user research and interviews.
- Designed multiple products and user experiences getting all parties in agreement through user stories and wireframes.
- Developed and launched multiple products singlehandedly, joining clients' teams and managing outsourced resources.
- Launched personal micro businesses as technology and product experiments as a lifelong learning tool.
- Contributed to client projects, including customized and faster accountancy software, real-time solar energy dashboard plugins for the web, communication platform that combines messaging and email while separating private life and work life.
- Contributed to client projects, including web-based video editing tool, web-based document review tool, educational biotech game, robot walking algorithm implementations, and multiple smartphones and tablet consumer apps.
Co-founder | CTO | Head of Product
Demoverse
- Pivoted from NFT audio streaming to custom utility NFTs to a novel promote to earn concept based on audience feedback.
- Ran multiple audience outreach and marketing experiments to guide startup direction over founder brainstorming.
- Hired UX and UI designers, blockchain developers, full stack developers, and copywriters running a lean team of contractors maximizing efficiency and speed.
- Designed multiple tokenomics models and wrote white paper drafts.
Fractional CTO
Tensho LLC
- Roadmapped and executed a founder vision for a DIY fashion marketplace aiming to leverage and support TikTok and Instagram trends.
- Led the integration of Shopify and Sharetribe for a complex product and shared marketplace MVP.
- Hired and managed developer resources to build and launch the MVP.
Product Manager
Injazat Data Systems
- Hired to take responsibility of a large scale government healthcare app behind schedule. Adapted the roadmap and followed up to achieve launch within the demanded timeline.
- Networked within and outside the company to acquire the resources needed for faster progress in a highly bureaucratic and regulated environment.
- Managed the relationships with third-party development agencies and internal departments to ensure alignment and timeline efficiency.
- Held a workshop on iterative human-centered design-based development to allow the team to proceed independently in evolving the product, maximizing product market fit in a mandated environment.
Product Manager – Digital Influencer Analysis Software
Digital Influence Inc.
- Created the B2B experience on top of a data analytics and learning tool designing and executing the roadmap.
- Participated in sales and partnership meetings as part of a go-to-market strategy.
- Designed and led an API MVP implementation, allowing partners to adopt the analytics tool.
- Hired and managed remote developer agency resources, integrating seamlessly with the existing team.
Product Manager
World of Naz
- Managed the creation of a fashion rental MVP based on Shopify.
- Defined SOPs (standard operating procedures) to streamline manual operations before proceeding to automation.
- Hired and managed developer talent in respect of client resources.
Technical Product Owner
Galton Voysey
- Automated manual operations allowing a Shopify business delivering custom printed certificates to be fully hands-off.
- Hired and managed developer talent and managed and guided existing design talent in a fully remote, global, and asynchronous team.
- Interacted with third parties to find solutions and agree on operations so that the client's business could be automated.
Technical Product Manager
B2G Global Strategies
- Discovered a much more efficient internal product solution than initially envisioned by the client, allowing the launch of a functional prototype much faster and at a much lower cost than thought.
- Created and delivered a prototype integrating existing free or low-cost tools, avoiding spending resources on software design and development.
- Delivered a prototype for non-tech-savvy business users, allowing reporting based on sentiment analysis of web articles with a roadmap and estimates on how to turn into a SaaS if wished.
New Ventures Technology Consultant at Innovation Accelerator
United Nations World Food Programme
- Designed and implemented a solution to digitalize malnutrition monitoring for children in remote developing locations with little network and electricity infrastructure.
- Traveled to remote locations, including a war zone, to gather information from users and stakeholders to ensure product success.
- Trained non-tech-savvy users in the usage of a new product.
- Managed multiple outsourced resources to ensure meeting of tight deadlines and budgets through a combination of Jira, Trello, SourceTree, and custom workflows.
- Won a GLOMO award for the digitalization of malnutrition in 2019 with the SCOPE CODA product.
- Mentored multiple startups going through the accelerator's boot camps on product strategy and development.
- Researched and advised on cutting-edge technology innovations such as blockchain and various artificial intelligence approaches and their feasibility in the scope of the innovation accelerator's operations in developing countries.
- Implemented and facilitated OKRs across the entire innovation accelerator departments teams that include different areas of work as well as locations.
Co-founder | VP of Engineering and Product
Woomio IVS
- Managed the product from inception towards product-market fit and profitability, continuously collaborating with the sales team.
- Pivoted from eCommerce omnichannel focus to influencer marketing in response to the market in the early days of the business.
- Defined the tools and methods in the company's working culture to keep operations fast and lean and improve internal communications.
- Implemented and facilitated OKRs to speed up operations.
- Hired developer and designer talent to match and fuel the company's growth.
- Launched product features as MVPs on top of core products, avoiding cannibalization and keeping existing users engaged.
- Raised funds from multiple high-profile Danish investors.
- Designed an Instagram analytics tool that spurred growth, attracting users to the Woomio platform.
Co-founder | CTO
Sharingear
- Acted as product manager researching the market and competition to identify needs and pains and eventually steering the startup towards potential product fit.
- Architected, developed, and launched a fully-featured two-sided online marketplace in three months.
- Hired developer talent and designed a developer experience and company culture that allowed junior developers to punch above their weight in a safe environment.
- Graduated from Startupbootcamp Mobile 2014 in Copenhagen.
- Received endorsement for the product from multiple known bands in the rock music scene.
Co-founder | Chief Design Officer
Snapp
- Helped clients define requested product features to be implemented to serve their best interest balancing context and available resources.
- Managed requested products and features, defining roadmaps, sprints, tests, and launches.
- Launched multiple apps and updates on existing products.
- Co-founded multiple startups as a service and part of our company offering.
- Produced user stories and wireframes, ensuring that all parties were in agreement on features to be developed.
- Worked with clients including Arla, Deloitte, and Kiloo.
Media Department Teaching Assistant
Aalborg University
- Taught students C and C++ programming languages focusing on immediate applicability.
- Introduced students to OpenCV computer vision programming.
- Adapted the programming course so that students would be equipped to create MVPs more than prototypes.
- Introduced students to OpenFrameworks graphical interface programming.
- Held a lecture on OpenCV and OpenFrameworks, allowing students to improve their projects and research work.
Project History
SCOPE CODA - Digital Malnutrition Management in Remote Locations
Led design and development of a solution that digitalizes children malnutrition management programs in developing countries.
Woomio - Influencer Marketing Analytics
Pivoted the first iteration of the product to influencer marketing analytics resulting in market fit and profitability.
Sharingear - P2P Gear Rental for the Music Industry
Took a two-sided platform from idea to market in three months with little to no resources.
The fast product launch allowed us to gather interest from bigger players that fuelled the go-to-market strategy in the music industry via influence.
Education
Master's Degree in Media Technology, Design Specialization
Aalborg University - Aalborg, Denmark
Bachelor's Degree in Media Technology
Aalborg University - Aalborg, Denmark
Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology With Specialization in Systems and Networks
University of Turin - Turin, Italy
Perito Informatico (Information Technology Specialist) in Information Technology
ITIS C. Olivetti - Ivrea, Italy
Skills
Tools
Trello, SourceTree, Git, GitHub, Terminal, Slack, Google Analytics, Adobe Creative Suite, Jira, Financial Data, Asana, Google Workspace
Paradigms
Key Performance Metrics, Behavior-driven Development (BDD), Marketplace Platforms, B2B2C, Agile Software Development, Testing, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), Kanban, Scrum, Agile Workflow, Iterative Design, Iterative Development, Agile, Human-centered Design (HCD), Human-computer Interaction (HCI), Agile Product Management, Agile Project Management, B2C, API Architecture, Gamification, Business to Business to Consumer (B2B2C), Scalable Application, Augmented Reality (AR), DevOps
Platforms
OS X, Shopify, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Blockchain, Blockchain Platforms, Google Ads
Industry Expertise
Marketplaces, Sales & Marketing, Health & Wellness, Music, Healthcare, Video Gaming, Food Safety, Consumer Products
Other
Software Architecture, CTO, MERN Stack, Data-driven Decision-making, Online Tracking Analysis, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Strategic Planning & Execution, Behavior-driven Design, Wireframing, Product Launch, Third-party Management, B2B Product Management, SaaS Product Management, Feature Roadmaps, Technical Product Management, B2B, SaaS, Feature Planning, Technical Leadership, Cloud Platforms, Disruptive Innovation, Marketing Technology (MarTech), User Journey Maps, User Journeys, Product-market Fit, API Management, APIs, REST APIs, Technical Requirements, Feature Analysis, Web Platforms, User Needs, Lean Startups, SDKs, Web Scraping, Story Mapping, Productivity, Product Strategy, Product Management, Outsource Product Management, Objectives & Key Results (OKRs), JavaScript, Analytics, Creative Thinking, Growth Hacking, Web Development, App Development, Scripting, Influencer Marketing, Research, App Product Management, Web, System Design, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Two-sided Marketplaces, Software as a Service (SaaS), Product Development, Software Development, Solution Architecture, Requirements & Specifications, Feature Backlog Prioritization, Product Roadmaps, Go-to-market Plans, User Research, Business Models, Product Design, Digital Product Design, Consumer-facing Product Design, Product Marketing, Innovation, Product Ownership, Product Discovery, Agile Deployment, Startups, Early-stage Startups, Customer-centered Product Development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Technical Product Management, Technical Project Management, Web Applications, Web Application Architecture, Technology Consulting, Mobile Apps, Technical Consulting, Node.js, Communication, User Experience (UX), Product Owner, WordPress, Cross-functional Collaboration, Backlog Management, eCommerce, Proof of Concept (POC), Project Planning, UX Flows, Web UX, Mobile Applications, App Product Management, Roadmaps, Social Media Platforms, Feature Prioritization, Go-to-market Strategy, Project Management, Project Timelines, Scope Management, Checkout, Payment Gateways, User Feedback, Value Proposition, New Product Development, Strategy, Brainstorming, Business Planning, Consulting, Mobile, Conceptualization, Digital Product Management, Digital Project Management, Ideation, Mockups, Referrals, Websites, Cryptocurrency, Web 3.0, Reporting, Digital Solutions, Stakeholder Management, SWOT Analysis, User Personas, Market Fit, Product Coach, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Release Management, User Requirements, End-to-end Implementation (E2E), MVP Design, Data-driven Dashboards, Digital Transformation, Product Requirements Documentation (PRD), Scrumban, User Stories, Website Redesign, Budget Modeling, Competition Research, Cost Estimation, Monetization, Revenue Strategy, Operations, Product Leadership, Product Vision, Sales Enablement, Operations Improvement, Product Operations, Gaming, Feasibility Studies, UX Wireflows, Scope of Work (SOW), Product Conceptualization, Architecture, User Flows, Function Flow, Platforms, Scope, UX Wireframes, Requirements, Web App Development, Use Cases, Mobile App Development, Customer Data, Data Privacy, Estimations, Project Scoping, API Integration, Code Review, Business to Business (B2B), Leadership, Onboarding, Content Management, Coaching, Trading, Web App Design, Miro, Growth, Dashboards, Dashboard Design, Data Analytics, Data Visualization, Social Media, Social Media Strategy, Social Networks, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Klaviyo, Biometrics, Mobile Payments, Encryption, Cryptography, Marketing Platforms, iOS, Android, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Windows, Linux, SEO Tools, PHP, Python, Databases, Cloud, Design, User Interface (UI), Team Leadership, Subscriptions, Marketing, Advertising Technology (Adtech), Email Marketing, Lead Generation, Fintech, Market Research & Analysis, Workshops, Affiliate Programs, Web Content, eCommerce Payments, Online Payments, Digital Payments, Audience Targeting, Market Research, Fundraising, Business Strategy, Sales, Sales Operations, Performance Marketing, Gaming Platforms, Growth Marketing Product Manager, Mobile User Acquisition, Reputation Management, Print Media, Fashion & Beauty, Rentals, Data Analysis, Culture Management, UI Design, Inbound Marketing, Sales Strategy, Geolocation, Data Integration, Monetization Models, Branding, Healthcare Software, Electronic Medical Records (EMR), Personal Branding, ClickUp, UX Design, Business Analysis, Scrum Master, Ethereum, Ethereum Smart Contracts, Non-fungible Tokens (NFT), Tokenomics, Healthcare IT, SEO Backlinking, Big Data, Online Shops, Firmware, Interactive Prototypes, Hardware Design, MongoDB, AWS Lambda, Copywriting, Recommendation Systems, 3D
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
Share your needs
Choose your talent
Start your risk-free talent trial
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring