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Product Leader · Maker · Problem-Obsessed

Hey, I’m
Bryan Fosler

Bryan Fosler

Seven years building connected hardware products — from Trek’s $350M bike portfolio to Hammerhead’s Karoo GPS platform through a SRAM acquisition. I turn deep customer discovery into products that ship.

14+
Years Product & Operations
$350M+
Portfolio P&L
80K+
Connected Hardware Users
4,000+
SKUs Managed at Scale
Chapter I · Connected Hardware

Hammerhead

Recruited as the first hardware product manager to lead post-acquisition integration of Hammerhead into SRAM. Led the Karoo product line from Karoo 2 through the 2024 generation — unifying hardware and software product vision for the first time and developing the first 4+ year integrated HW/SW platform strategy. Launched with 56% YoY revenue growth and zero critical bugs in first 90 days.

Karoo GPS — connected cycling computer with 292 PPI display and haptic interface

Connected Platform

Unified Hardware & Software

Display, PCB, battery, sensors, and ruggedized housing — every layer engineered for daily outdoor use. One product vision unifying hardware and software for the first time.

Hammerhead Karoo GPS computer
Product · Hardware PM

Karoo Connected Platform

56%
YoY Revenue Growth

First hardware PM at Hammerhead. Led the product transition from Karoo 2 to the 2024 Karoo generation — owning the PRD, user testing, deep user research, workshops, and roadmapping. Unified hardware and software product strategy for the first time in the company's history. Developed a shared-architecture hardware platform (PC board, tooling, design) delivering 2x product output at 1.5x cost. Scoped display (292 PPI with anti-glare cover glass), battery optimization deep in Android, GPS chipset selection (dual-band GNSS), antenna tuning, and haptic button interface. Led the acquisition transition with SRAM. Mentored 3 product managers. Competing directly with Garmin Edge 850/1050 and Wahoo ROAM/BOLT.

Dual-Band GNSSBattery OptimizationAntenna TuningHW/SW UnifiedPost-M&APlatform Strategy
Accessories · GTM
Karoo Color Shells — Elevation Series in Frost Gray, Haze Blue, Ascent Purple
Accessories · GTM

Karoo Accessory Program

~60%
Gross Profit Margin

Designed and scaled an accessory product portfolio driving 60% YoY growth. Led community color research — candidates narrowed to finalists via community vote. Managed color tuning across TPU, buttons, and resin shell (different materials matched to feel unified). Karoo 2 kit ($39, 2021) and 2024 Elevation Series ($48 — Frost Gray, Haze Blue, Ascent Purple). Created recurring accessory revenue stream differentiating Karoo from fixed-color competitors.

Community ResearchColor TuningMaterial MatchingRevenue Diversification
Partner PM · Ecosystem
Hammerhead Mounting System — HMS mount, AirTag holder, and GoPro adapter
Partner PM · Ecosystem

Hammerhead Mounting System

14+
Licensing Partners

Pioneered a standardized licensing platform from the ground up. Developed a standardized interface — 2D files with tolerances and fitment specs, 3D drawings, and manufacturing recommendations — enabling any third-party to implement Hammerhead's patented mount design. Led K-EDGE as the launch manufacturing partner, then expanded the ecosystem to 14+ partners sharing the patented design. This isn't just hardware — it's ecosystem strategy.

Licensing PlatformStandardized InterfacePatented DesignEcosystem Growth
4 Yrs
At Hammerhead
Android
Platform
Karoo OS
Custom OS
3
PMs Mentored
May '24
Karoo Launch
Chapter II · Connected Hardware Portfolio

Trek Bicycle

Thirteen years at Trek (2009–2022) — from forecasting and supply chain analytics to Road Bicycle Product Manager to Program Manager of Project One custom bikes. Managed a $350M portfolio at the intersection of physical engineering and connected systems — e-bike platforms, integrated race accessories, and configured-to-order digital commerce.

Domane+ SLR · TQ HPR50 Mid-Drive

5 Subsystems, 1 Seamless Platform

Mid-drive motor, battery management, range extender, integrated HMI, and hood-mounted controls — all communicating over CAN bus.

50Nm
Motor Torque
1,850g
Motor Weight
28mph
Max Assist

Domane+ SLR — transparent frame reveals integrated TQ motor and battery routing

TQ HPR50 system — motor, remote, battery, range extender, display

TQ HPR50 system — motor, remote, battery, range extender, display

TQ HPR50 harmonic pin-ring motor exploded view

Harmonic pin-ring transmission — 50Nm, 1,850g

TQ top-tube display showing battery and assist mode

Integrated TQ display — battery %, assist mode, Bluetooth status

Hood-mounted assist mode button

Hood-mounted remote — single button toggles 3 assist modes

160Wh Range Extender
Domane+ AL · Hyena Rear Hub

Accessible Connected E-Road

Different motor architecture, same connected platform — Hyena's rear hub motor brings e-assist to the aluminum Domane at a lower price point.

40Nm
Hub Torque
250W
Nominal Power
Trek Domane+ AL — full bike profile

Domane+ AL — accessible e-road with Hyena rear hub motor

Hyena rear hub motor close-up

Hyena rear hub — 40Nm, 250W, integrated into rear axle

Domane+ AL display and charging port

Integrated display with USB-C charging port

Trek Central · Connected Platform

Software That Ties It Together

Companion app connecting rider to bike — system diagnostics, live ride data, motor tuning, and range-aware navigation over Bluetooth.

Trek Central dashboard — battery, range, tire pressure

System dashboard — battery, range estimations, tire pressure

Trek Central ride computer — speed, cadence, power

Live ride computer — speed, cadence, power meter

Trek Central motor tuning — Eco, Mid, High modes

Motor tuning — power, assist %, pedal response per mode

Trek Central range map with trail overlay

Range-aware navigation — trails, battery overlay, topo maps

Speed Concept · 5 Integrated Systems

Not a Bicycle — a Race System

Every component engineered to add zero aero drag. Five distinct domains that all coexist in one platform.

Speed Concept — 4-panel overview of integrated systems

Five integrated engineering domains in one race machine

Speed Concept bento box nutrition storage

Integrated bento box — 8+ gels, zero aero penalty

Speed Concept modular fit cockpit

Modular cockpit — thousands of valid fit configurations

Speed Concept aero downtube bottle

Aero downtube bottle — 700ml, flush-mount cage

Speed Concept hidden flat kit compartment

Hidden flat kit — CO₂, tube, tools inside the downtube

Trek Domane+ SLR — connected e-bike platform with TQ HPR50
Connected E-Bike · TQ HPR50 + Hyena

Domane+ E-Bike Platform

5
Integrated Subsystems

Owned product requirements for Trek's connected e-road bikes — two motor architectures (TQ HPR50 mid-drive for SLR, Hyena rear hub for AL), CAN-bus communication, integrated HMI displays, range extender ecosystems, and Trek Central app connectivity. Scoped requirements across motor, BMS, display, controls, and OTA — Trek's most technically complex consumer product. Managed supplier relationships with TQ and Hyena, balancing performance targets against integration constraints.

TQ HPR50Hyena HubCAN BusBMSHMIOTA
Complex Platform · 5 Integrated Systems
Trek Speed Concept — integrated triathlon race system
Complex Platform · 5 Integrated Systems

Speed Concept TT/Tri

5
Integrated Accessory Systems

Trek's flagship triathlon and time-trial platform. Five integrated engineering domains solving complex user problems: CFD aero frame (16W advantage), modular fit cockpit with thousands of valid configurations, integrated nutrition and hydration storage (between-the-arms bottle, downtube bottle, bento box), downtube flat kit compartment, and IsoSpeed compliance tuning. Every accessory engineered for zero aero penalty. Managed fit constraints, UCI compliance, athlete sponsorship, and dealer certification. Ironman Kona. Tour de France.

CFD / AeroConfigured-to-OrderFit ComplexityIntegrated AccessoriesAthlete Program
Business Strategy · P&L Ownership
Trek Project One — custom configured-to-order paint program
Business Strategy · P&L Ownership

Scale & Profitability

$350M
Portfolio P&L

Owned $350M portfolio P&L across 1,500+ SKUs with 2-3 year forward roadmaps. Delivered 6 major product platforms driving 20%+ growth. BOM complexity of 20-30 major suppliers per model. Annual model-year cadence with Good/Better/Best tier architecture. Global distribution and regulatory compliance across 90+ countries. Selected for expanded program management role — led cross-functional teams across product, design, manufacturing, marketing, and supply chain to deliver the Project One configured-to-order platform, including a first-of-its-kind fully customized paint program. Earlier at Trek: 6 years in forecasting, sourcing, and data analytics managing 4,000+ SKUs and building predictive demand models.

P&L OwnershipProject One ProgramGlobal GTM6 Platforms Launched20%+ Growth
13 Yrs
At Trek
1,500+
SKUs Managed
300K+
Units Shipped (3 Yr)
1,700+
NA Dealers
Chapter III · Customer Research

Jobs to Be Done

Leading full-cycle product discovery — from generative research through feature definition — for a connected device expanding beyond the typical road cyclist into underserved rider segments.

role
Hardware Product Manager
duration
6 months
team
PM, ID, HW Eng, SW Eng, Product Design
methods
JTBD, Interviews, Survey (n=2,500+), Workshops
2,500+
Survey Respondents
100+
Outcomes Tested
5
Continents
~50 Hrs
Interview Time
Phase 1
Interview
Define the problem
Phase 2
Survey
Rank opportunities
Phase 3
Ideate
Create solutions
Phase 4
Define & Select
Refine & bundle
Phase 5
Exec Summary
Product vision
The Challenge

We were expanding beyond our core user. We needed to understand why riders were underserved.

The cycling computer market was dominated by road-focused devices. An entire segment of riders — including mountain bikers — had needs that weren't being met. We set out to answer fundamental questions: How do they use data and technology? What differentiates their experience? And what are the highest-value problems nobody is solving?

Process

A structured approach to messy discovery

I designed and led a 5-phase research process that balanced rigor with the creative messiness that good discovery requires. Cross-functional collaboration across hardware PM, software PM, industrial design, hardware engineering, software engineering, and product design.

Cross-functional collaboration across HW & SW

Product Mgmt
Business Objectives
HW Engineering
Feasibility
SW Engineering
Platform & Mobile
Design
User Needs

Five phases, one artifact each

Each phase produces exactly one artifact, and the next phase may only consume that artifact. It is the reason the output survived contact with engineering — every concept could be walked back to the evidence that motivated it. Select a phase.

Phase 1 · Interview

Generative sessions with riders in the segment, built around recent real rides rather than hypotheticals. Jobs framing first, then a think / feel / act pass on the moments where something went wrong.

25+ in-depth interviews

In the room

PM + product design

Consumes

Segment hypothesis and screener

Produces

Coded observations + first draft job map

One artifact per phase — and it is the only permitted input to the phase after it.

The method, in plain language

People don’t want a bike computer.
They want to not get lost.

Jobs to Be Done says customers “hire” a product to make progress on a job. Outcome-Driven Innovation adds the measuring stick: express that progress as outcomes you can score, then find the ones that matter and nobody serves well. Two ideas, and everything below is built on them.

Step one · translate

Turn a feature request into something you can rank

A rider asking for bigger arrows is describing a symptom. The job underneath is what you can design against — and unlike the request, it survives a change in technology.

“Just give me bigger turn arrows, I can't read that thing when I'm bouncing around.”

becomes →

Minimize the time my eyes are off the trail while navigating.

Why it matters: The request names one fix. The outcome names the constraint — and several different solutions can compete to satisfy it.

Step two · structure

Every outcome has the same four parts

Consistent syntax is what makes a hundred statements comparable to each other. Hover a part to see it highlighted.

Minimize the time it takes to confirm I'm on the correct trail at a junction

The rule I held the team to: if a statement names a screen, a button, or a sensor, it isn’t an outcome yet.

Research

From conversations to conviction

Jobs-to-be-Done

Uncovering what riders are really trying to accomplish — not what features they want, but the underlying jobs they hire products to do.

Think, Feel, Act

Riders in real scenarios: What are you THINKING? What do you FEEL? What do you DO next? Revealing emotional and behavioral patterns standard interviews miss.

Outcome Statements

Every interview synthesized into measurable expressions of what riders want to achieve. These became the backbone of the entire program.

Job Map: Navigation While Riding

A job map breaks the job into the steps every rider goes through, regardless of what product they use. It is the frame that stops research turning into a feature wish list — and it made visible that the product was strong in the middle of the ride and weak at both ends. Select a step.

Step 04 · what happens

Verifying the correct trail and heading the right direction. The highest-frequency moment of doubt in the entire job.

Where it broke down

Riders stop, pull out a phone, and cross-check — repeatedly, on rides they have done before.

Outcomes at this step

  • Minimize the time it takes to confirm I'm on the correct trail at a junction — opp 15.4
  • Minimize the likelihood of taking a wrong turn at an unmarked junction — opp 15.3

Bar under each step shows the share of high-opportunity outcomes landing there. Illustrative example outcomes.

Quantifying opportunity at scale

Not all problems are equally important — to customers or to the business. The Importance and Satisfaction framework surfaces the problems with the highest importance and lowest satisfaction. Those are the highest-value opportunities to build for.

Importance vs. Satisfaction

Every outcome gets rated twice by the same respondent: how important is this, and how satisfied are you with how it works today. Plot importance across the bottom and satisfaction up the side, and the roadmap sorts itself — high importance and low satisfaction, bottom-right, is the only quadrant that argues for building something new.

OPP SCORE 12OPP SCORE 15OVER-SERVEDTABLE STAKESLOW PRIORITYOPPORTUNITYLOWHIGHIMPORTANCE TO THE RIDER →SATISFACTION TODAY →OPPORTUNITY 15+ (RIPE)12–15 (UNDERSERVED)BELOW 12

Illustrative. Statements and positions are representative of the 100+ outcomes tested — the real survey coordinates remain confidential.

Opportunity = Importance + max(Importance − Satisfaction, 0)

Ulwick / ODI opportunity algorithm · both inputs rated by the same respondent · the floor at zero is the detail everyone drops

How to read it

Importance runs left to right, satisfaction bottom to top. Move right and down to find work worth doing. The two diagonals are opportunity-score thresholds: everything below the dashed line scores 12 or higher, everything below the solid line scores 15 or higher.

Highest opportunity · hover to locate

  1. 15.4Minimize the time it takes to confirm I'm on the correct trail at a junctionConfirm
  2. 15.3Minimize the likelihood of taking a wrong turn at an unmarked junctionConfirm
  3. 14.8Minimize the time my eyes are off the trail while navigatingExecute
  4. 14.7Minimize the likelihood of being surprised by a technical trail featureMonitor
  5. 14.6Increase the likelihood that a route's difficulty rating matches what I actually rideLocate
  6. 14.4Minimize the time it takes to reroute mid-ride without stoppingModify
  7. 13.6Minimize the time it takes to find trails matching my preferred surface and difficultyLocate
  8. 13.6Minimize the likelihood of missing a turn prompt in rough terrainExecute
Ideation Workshop

Bringing research to life with cross-functional ideation

I organized and facilitated a multi-day cross-functional workshop that brought together product management, industrial design, hardware engineering, software engineering, and product design. The workshop was carefully structured around three inputs: research-backed rider archetypes, prioritized outcome statements from the Importance and Satisfaction analysis, and a technology landscape prepared by engineering.

Rider Archetype Cards

The Data Optimizer

age range
25-45
riding motivation
it's a numbers game — seeing metrics improve over time
  • great grasp on the digital bike experience
  • experiments with the latest digital tech
  • knows all the faults of current solutions
  • wants to see where AI can take cycling
  • safety first; radar is critical

The Hands-On Builder

age range
45-65
riding motivation
the thrill of going fast on something they've built and tuned themselves
  • wants the best gear, doesn't care where it's from
  • a tinkerer by nature
  • does their own bike building and maintenance
  • interested in the mechanical and hands-on perspective

The Professional Racer

age range
20-40
riding motivation
to win
  • weight weenie
  • has all equipment gifted / given to them
  • has a team behind them
  • doesn't ride with a phone

The Endurance Seeker

age range
35-65
riding motivation
nothing like the feeling of getting faster and stronger
  • solo rider, has a coach
  • may do some racing but primary competition is with themselves
  • not super interested in bike maintenance

The Tastemaker

age range
25-45
riding motivation
looking good is half the fun — the bike is an extension of personal style
  • aesthetics matter as much as performance
  • active on social media, shares ride content
  • curates their setup carefully

The Social Rider

age range
25-50
riding motivation
the social experience and the adventure of exploring new trails
  • rides for fun, not training
  • group ride organizer
  • values navigation and trail discovery
  • uses technology casually

Workshop in Action

The workshop used a structured Figma environment where cross-functional teams worked through prioritized outcome statements, generated solutions, and evaluated them against feasibility constraints in real time.

Full workshop environment — research inputs, ideation boards, and feature analysis across multiple sessions

Full workshop environment — research inputs, ideation boards, and feature analysis across multiple sessions

Solution analysis and bundling — cross-functional teams evaluating and prioritizing feature concepts

Solution analysis and bundling — cross-functional teams evaluating and prioritizing feature concepts

Personas

The riders we designed for

From 25+ in-depth interviews and 2,500+ survey responses, we distilled the mountain bike audience into distinct personas.

🚵
“I go out mountain biking and it's a nice way to connect with nature and free my mind.”
Stats
34 / Landscape designer / 3-4x week
Goals
Fun in nature, ride with friends, stay safe
P1

The Weekend Explorer

Behaviors

Rides mid-range equipment, doesn't modify it. Social riding is the main draw. The group text thread matters more than the GPS.

Technology

Not overly technical. Checks weather on a browser. Appreciates simplicity and low-maintenance tech.

Casual
Serious
Feeling
Thinking
Low Risk
Thrill Seeker
🏆
“I'm a competitive person. I enjoy pushing myself using any and all tools to get a marginal gain.”
Stats
28 / Remote engineer / 5-6x week
Goals
Optimize performance, track every metric
P2

The Competitive Edge

Behaviors

Life revolves around bikes. Competitive racer using coaches and structured training. Splits time between road and off-road.

Technology

Borderline data nerd. Monitors HR, power, glucose, gear position. Post-ride analysis is as important as in-ride data.

Casual
Serious
Feeling
Thinking
Low Risk
Thrill Seeker
❤️
“Biking came at a time where my mental health was at a low level. It brought me out of that.”
Stats
35 / Healthcare worker / 3-4x week
Goals
Better at climbs, build technical skills
P3

The Late Convert

Behaviors

Started riding during a health crisis. Now fits biking into everything. Loves long XC trails. Bought gear on marketplace forums.

Technology

Relies on a cycling computer for tracking and safety. Prefers post-ride analysis over live monitoring. Did deep forum research before buying.

Casual
Serious
Feeling
Thinking
Low Risk
Thrill Seeker
📱
“I want to see where AI can take cycling. I know all the faults of my current setup.”
Stats
38 / PM at a tech company / 4-5x week
Goals
Latest tech, metrics improvement, safety
P4

The Early Adopter

Behaviors

Great grasp on the digital bike experience. Experiments with the latest tech. Active in online communities. Provides detailed manufacturer feedback.

Technology

Early adopter. Runs beta firmware. Has opinions on protocols. Wants open APIs and customization. Radar and crash detection are non-negotiable.

Casual
Serious
Feeling
Thinking
Low Risk
Thrill Seeker
Workshop → Feature Definition

From insight to product vision

The workshop's repeatable 4-step process — connecting user stories from research directly to engineering feasibility checks in real time.

Step 1

Story

A specific user scenario grounded in research

Step 2

Sketch

Quick visual exploration, low-fidelity, many options

Step 3

Feature Def

Refined concept with clear scope and acceptance criteria

Step 4

Eng. Check

Feasibility validation with implementing partner

Outcomes

What this work delivered

Research Foundation

Deep understanding of an underserved market

100+ interviews generating 383 insights and 2,500+ survey responses replaced assumptions with evidence across the organization.

Quantified Priorities

100+ outcome statements ranked by opportunity

The Importance and Satisfaction framework gave the team a shared, data-driven language for prioritization — eliminating opinion-based debates.

Cross-Functional Alignment

Engineering, Design, and Product speaking the same language

By the time we reached feature definition, every function already had deep context from shared research.

Product Vision

383 insights drove 26+ hardware and software features

An executive summary connecting every feature back to a quantified rider need — ready for the Define phase.

Repeatable Process

A discovery framework the org can reuse

The 5-phase process and feature workflow became the standard for subsequent programs.

100+
Hours Interviews & Analysis
5
Continents (Interview Pool)
383
Actionable Insights
6
Rider Archetypes

This case study describes methodology and process. Specific product details, data, and business strategy remain confidential.

Chapter IV · AI Tools & Technical Fluency

Builder

Product leaders should leverage the latest tools. I've built and deployed apps and AI agent systems leveraging LLMs to automate workflows, system monitoring, and command execution. Deep experience applying prompt engineering and structured output design to product requirements, user research synthesis, and development workflows.

ClawDeck

A full-featured AI chat client for macOS, iOS, and Apple Watch. Multi-agent routing, file navigation, conversation history, approval workflows, and deep settings customization. Showcases product thinking applied to developer tooling — not just a wrapper, but a considered UX layer on top of LLM capabilities.

macOSiOSApple WatchMulti-AgentClaude API
MIDIControl

MIDIControl

Hardware-software bridge for Chase Bliss audio pedals. MIDI protocol implementation with real-time parameter control, HDMI visualization of signal routing, and pedal state simulation. The kind of connected device integration that comes from understanding both the hardware constraints and the user's creative workflow.

MIDI ProtocolSwiftUIHardware IntegrationReal-Time Control
AI-Augmented Product Development
openclaw
$ openclaw agent run --workflow daily
▸ Loading agent config...
▸ Connecting to LLM provider
✓ 3 tools registered
✓ Workflow "daily" started
▸ Collecting customer insights...
▸ Running sentiment analysis
✓ 47 insights processed → report.md
$ █

AI-Augmented Product Development

Daily practitioner of Claude Code and OpenAI Codex for product development workflows. Built multi-model pipelines using Claude and GPT to accelerate debugging, prototyping, and technical problem-solving. Applied prompt engineering and structured output design to generate product requirements, synthesize user research, and automate development workflows. Built and deployed an LLM agent system (OpenClaw) for workflow automation, customer insight collection, and market positioning.

Claude CodeCodexPrompt EngineeringLLM AgentsWorkflow Automation
6+
Tools Shipped
3
Platforms
Daily
AI Tool Usage
Active
Status
Available Now

Let's Talk
Product

I keep a short calendar and I'm direct. If the role is interesting, we'll know within 30 minutes.