Recommendations

A few notes from people who have built products and teams with me.

Steve Rowe ↗

Group Engineering Manager at Microsoft

“I had the privilege of working with Steven for five years. He was relentless in pursuing what he believed the product and our customers truly needed, even when it wasn’t the prevailing trend. Always full of ideas, he continually identified new features and opportunities to create customer value. Steven was also a quick study who could enter an unfamiliar space, rapidly develop a strong understanding of it, and begin generating thoughtful ideas. Steven’s straightforward style made working with him refreshingly simple: he said what he meant, meant what he said, and readily changed his mind when presented with better ideas. He built strong connections quickly and consistently found the right people to help move work forward. As a leader, he had a clear vision for his team, cared deeply about his people, and invested significant time and energy in their growth and development.”

Varnitha Sonnegowda ↗

Senior Program Manager at Microsoft | Windows Data Decision Intelligence R&D

“I had the privilege of reporting to Steven for over six years, during which time he grew into a Group Product Manager role. Throughout that journey, Steven consistently stood out as one of the most impactful leaders I've worked with. What sets Steven apart is his rare combination of strategic thinking, product intuition, and willingness to dive deep into the details. He has an exceptional ability to connect customer needs with business outcomes and translate complex problems into clear, actionable plans. Whether driving a new initiative, navigating ambiguity, or helping teams align around a common vision, Steven brings clarity, focus, and momentum. Steven is also a truly hands-on leader. He never hesitates to roll up his sleeves, challenge assumptions, and work alongside the team to solve difficult problems. His technical depth, product judgment, and bias for action enable him to quickly identify root causes and guide teams toward pragmatic, high-impact solutions. Beyond his business and technical strengths, Steven is deeply invested in the growth and success of the people around him. He actively creates opportunities for others, advocates for their work, and ensures contributions are recognized. Many of the opportunities I've had in my career can be traced back to Steven's mentorship, trust, and willingness to help others grow. He is also a champion of diversity and inclusion. As I transitioned back to work after maternity leave as a mother of two, Steven's support, flexibility, and encouragement helped me navigate that transition with confidence and continue growing in my career. I'm grateful for the guidance and support Steven has provided over the years, and I would highly recommend him to any organization looking for a leader who can build strong teams, deliver meaningful business impact, and inspire people to do their best work. Any organization would benefit immensely from Steven's product acumen, leadership, and unwavering commitment to people and results.”

Ryan Parsell ↗

Principal Software Engineering Manager

“Steven has been one of my favorite people to brainstorm with and I'm already missing his intellectual partnership. We met weekly, working together on experimentation, AI, and plenty of hard problems. Steven is one of the people you want in the room when the answer isn't obvious. He’s curious, forward-thinking, and genuinely willing to explore unconventional ideas and approaches rather than immediately shut them down. When working on tough engineering and data science problems, Steven was a champion of not letting perfect be the enemy of good. Steven brought his deep technical and software engineering experience to the art of product management. And to an extent kept working as a software engineer. Steven completed some large AI projects that even after his departure are having significant impact here. I really enjoyed working with him and would happily do it again.”

Vlad Goncharov ↗

Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft

“I had the pleasure of working with Steven Wilssens for approximately six years at Microsoft, including during his tenure as Group Product Manager on our team. We collaborated on several significant projects, and I developed a strong appreciation for his judgment, professionalism, and approach to product leadership. What impressed me most was Steven’s ability to examine an existing product and quickly recognize where it could better serve customers. He brought a clear vision for how a product should evolve, with customer needs consistently guiding his priorities. His recommendations reflected careful consideration of what needed to change and why that change would matter. Steven was also an excellent communicator. He expressed his ideas with precision and made the reasoning behind his proposals easy to follow. I particularly valued the clarity he brought to our discussions, which helped us work through complex questions and establish a shared understanding of our objectives. I recommend Steven with confidence for senior product leadership roles. He combines strong product instincts with the ability to articulate a compelling direction, and I would be glad to work with him again.”

Omari Carter-Thorpe ↗

Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft

“I worked with Steven for roughly six years—four while he was a Principal PM Lead and two while he was the Group Product Manager for our PM and SWE team. Steven is particularly strong at finding a path forward when the obvious approach isn't available. He looks at problems from different angles, identifies alternative routes to the end goal, and is pragmatic about what it takes to get there. He also has a strong ability to build relationships across the broader Windows organization and turn those relationships into productive partnerships—helping teams align, bring the right people together, and move work forward. He navigates well at different levels of detail. While much of his role has him operating at the broader level of strategy and direction, when the situation calls for it he is equally effective getting into the details, understanding the realities on the ground, and working through complex situations with the team. Steven is a strong partner and an effective leader. He is particularly good at communicating strategy in writing, bringing clarity to direction, decisions, and priorities and helping teams understand not just where they are going, but why. I valued the opportunity to work with Steven over those six years and would welcome the opportunity to work with him again.”

Tom Mereckis ↗

Data and AI Leader

“I fully recommend Steven as a great technology, product, and team leader. We worked together for a half decade on the Windows data team, partnering on numerous critical and complex projects. I always found him to be technically deep, able to learn more very quickly, able to apply what he knows to uncertain situations, and an effective leader of both his own people but also others around him. He always works and collaborates with great energy, and always seeks to do the right things. Together we delivered numerous impactful data products and systems for Windows for both customers and internal use. I'd work with him again anytime, anywhere, on anything.”

Amit Gupte ↗

Senior Technical Program Manager - Data & AI Platform at Microsoft

“Steven was a trusted mentor to me for three years and my skip-level manager for two. He pairs a deep commitment to product excellence with a true builder’s mindset, having established the critical data products and rhythms that measured and elevated Windows quality across preview channels and retail scale. His intuitive understanding of customer behavior was second to none, notably demonstrated when he accurately forecast how a key Windows AI feature would land in retail well before broad rollout. He leads by building rather than just delegating. When a retiring OKR management tool created an operational vacuum, Steven partnered with me to ideate and rapidly stand up a functional replacement from scratch, showing his understanding of modern AI SDLC. Beyond his strategic acumen, Steven is a dedicated people champion. He was an invaluable sounding board for tough problems, continually advocated for my work, and made sure my work had the right visibility. Any organization would benefit immensely from his vision, energy, and leadership.”

Jayant Arora ↗

Product at Microsoft | AI Product Management

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Steven for several years, first as my manager and later as my skip-level manager. Throughout that time, he has been one of the most impactful leaders and coaches in my career. What sets Steven apart is his combination of strong product leadership, technical aptitude, and genuine investment in his team. He leads from a strategic level and gives his team the space to own their work but never shies away from getting into the details when needed. Whether it’s understanding a complex technical problem, working through ambiguity, or helping unblock a difficult initiative, Steven has always been willing to get his hands dirty and help the team find a path forward. He has led the team through multiple successful projects and consistently demonstrated the grit needed to drive large initiatives forward. His attention to detail, problem-solving ability, and commitment to transparency create an environment where teams can execute with clarity and confidence. He is also someone who will advocate strongly for his people and make sure their contributions are seen. One of Steven’s greatest strengths is his ability to create opportunities for his team. He actively finds ways for people to grow, represents their work effectively, and ensures they get the visibility and recognition they deserve. I’m incredibly grateful for the coaching, trust, and opportunities Steven has given me over the years. His leadership has shaped how I approach problems, think about products, and navigate my own career. He is the kind of leader who can see the bigger picture, understand the technical details when it matters, and bring his team along with him.”