Defining Relationship Intelligence

Context

I joined Affinity to lead Affinity for Salesforce, a 0→1 product that underwent an executive audit in 2024. Through five structured discovery cycles (25–30 interviews), we learned the product had product-market fit but lacked go-to-market fit.

Across these conversations, a consistent signal emerged: customers were most excited by Affinity's Relationship Intelligence, not the Salesforce integration itself.

The Problem

Relationship Intelligence was widely viewed as Affinity's differentiator, but it wasn't owned or advancing.

• Existing "RI" features were legacy, fragmented, and on par with competitors
• No team owned Relationship Intelligence as a capability
• AI expectations were rising, increasing pressure to act without clear foundations

Relationship Intelligence existed as belief, not as a system.

The Work

I partnered with the VP of Design to:

• Consolidate customer signal and competitive context
• Identify where Relationship Intelligence showed up across workflows
• Define Relationship Intelligence as a system, not a feature set

We packaged this into:

• A clear narrative describing what Relationship Intelligence is (and isn't)
• A high-fidelity vision prototype illustrating what it could become over the next 2–3 years

This work was shared cross-functionally, validated with Affinity's Customer Advisory Board, and later presented to the CEO and CPO.

Impact

• Relationship Intelligence re-established as a core differentiator
• Dedicated Relationship Intelligence team and Principal PM hired
• Foundational work added to the roadmap (e.g. person-to-company association)
• Vision used to inform Q4 2025 and 2026 planning