Rachel Beneke on Product Management, Leadership & Innovation at GoDaddy
Tell us about yourself, your career path, and what led you to your current role.
Hey there! I’m Rachel Beneke, Director of Product Management at GoDaddy, where I lead a talented team of Product Managers focused on enhancing our Website Builder. My path to product management wasn’t exactly conventional. Initially, I envisioned a career in psychology—I even earned my degree in it from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). However, as I neared graduation, I realized I wanted a career with broader opportunities for growth, which led me to explore the business world.
I started my career at a management consulting firm, where I was placed in their technology division. This experience provided me with a deep dive into software development, and over time, I found myself drawn to roles that connected business needs with technical solutions. I became skilled at streamlining processes—finding the most effective ways to achieve business goals with minimal software changes. Looking back, I was unknowingly applying lean development principles before I even knew the term.
When I joined GoDaddy in 2013, product management was emerging as a distinct career path. Reflecting on my experience, I realized I had essentially been doing product management all along. My first role at GoDaddy involved working on the Online Store, helping small businesses establish their digital presence. Since then, I’ve led initiatives like launching our Website Builder and developing tools to assist new domain owners in getting their businesses up and running with confidence.
Ultimately, none of this would be possible without my incredible team. They are the driving force behind our success, and I take immense pride in the impact we’ve made in empowering entrepreneurs worldwide.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in your work?
My motivation comes from walking in our customers’ shoes. I personally use our Website Builder to manage my son’s high school varsity soccer team’s website (and previously for my daughter’s softball team). I also leverage our Online Store to handle team dues, sell practice jerseys, and organize end-of-season banquets.
By using the product myself, I experience firsthand the excitement when everything functions smoothly—and the frustration when it doesn’t. This perspective fuels my drive to enhance our tools, ensuring they are not just functional but genuinely empowering for our users.
Hearing success stories from customers, combined with my own hands-on experience, keeps me inspired and excited to continue improving our offerings.
As a key contributor to GoDaddy Airo, what were the most valuable insights gained during its launch?
One of the most rewarding aspects of my role was contributing to the launch of GoDaddy Airo. The goal of this product was to simplify the journey for new entrepreneurs. Many aspiring business owners feel overwhelmed by the numerous steps involved—creating a website, designing a logo, managing social media, and marketing their brand. GoDaddy Airo consolidates these essential tools into a seamless, user-friendly experience, guiding customers through the process with confidence.
One of the biggest lessons we learned during the launch was the importance of simplicity. Every step was carefully designed to eliminate friction—whether through an intuitive onboarding experience, personalized recommendations, or seamless tool integration. Our focus was to help entrepreneurs spend less time troubleshooting and more time bringing their ideas to life.
What part of the project are you most proud of?
I’m especially proud of how I helped the team refine our focus during the crucial early stages of GoDaddy Airo. With any ambitious project, there are always numerous ideas and high levels of enthusiasm, which can quickly lead to scope creep. While innovation is important, I recognized that we needed to set clear priorities to meet our launch deadline.
To ensure we stayed on track, I took a strategic approach to prioritization—determining which features were essential for the initial release and which could be phased in later. This clarity allowed the team to align around the most impactful features, ensuring a successful launch that delivered real value to our customers.
If you could describe GoDaddy’s culture in one word, what would it be and why?
Driven. GoDaddy fosters a culture of continuous improvement, where everyone is encouraged to push boundaries—whether it’s enhancing our products, refining the customer experience, or supporting one another as a team. There’s a strong sense of momentum here, and it’s inspiring to be part of an organization that is always striving for better.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Fitness is a big part of my life—I enjoy a mix of cardio, weightlifting, and Pilates to stay active. Sundays are for experimenting in the kitchen, though my teenage son’s reaction to my cooking varies between approval and a diplomatic “it’s…interesting.” Keeps me humble!
I also enjoy keeping up with social media trends, mainly so I can share funny videos with my daughter, who’s in college. Most evenings, you’ll find me at the soccer field cheering on my son’s varsity matches—it’s his senior year, so I’m savoring every moment.
At home, I completely spoil my two dogs—a loving standard poodle and a grumpy mini schnauzer. Lately, I’ve picked up antiquing with a friend, turning it into a fun treasure hunt as we explore unique finds and imagine their history.
Hey there! I’m Rachel Beneke, Director of Product Management at GoDaddy, where I lead a talented team of Product Managers focused on enhancing our Website Builder. My path to product management wasn’t exactly conventional. Initially, I envisioned a career in psychology—I even earned my degree in it from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). However, as I neared graduation, I realized I wanted a career with broader opportunities for growth, which led me to explore the business world.
I started my career at a management consulting firm, where I was placed in their technology division. This experience provided me with a deep dive into software development, and over time, I found myself drawn to roles that connected business needs with technical solutions. I became skilled at streamlining processes—finding the most effective ways to achieve business goals with minimal software changes. Looking back, I was unknowingly applying lean development principles before I even knew the term.
When I joined GoDaddy in 2013, product management was emerging as a distinct career path. Reflecting on my experience, I realized I had essentially been doing product management all along. My first role at GoDaddy involved working on the Online Store, helping small businesses establish their digital presence. Since then, I’ve led initiatives like launching our Website Builder and developing tools to assist new domain owners in getting their businesses up and running with confidence.
Ultimately, none of this would be possible without my incredible team. They are the driving force behind our success, and I take immense pride in the impact we’ve made in empowering entrepreneurs worldwide.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in your work?
My motivation comes from walking in our customers’ shoes. I personally use our Website Builder to manage my son’s high school varsity soccer team’s website (and previously for my daughter’s softball team). I also leverage our Online Store to handle team dues, sell practice jerseys, and organize end-of-season banquets.
By using the product myself, I experience firsthand the excitement when everything functions smoothly—and the frustration when it doesn’t. This perspective fuels my drive to enhance our tools, ensuring they are not just functional but genuinely empowering for our users.
Hearing success stories from customers, combined with my own hands-on experience, keeps me inspired and excited to continue improving our offerings.
As a key contributor to GoDaddy Airo, what were the most valuable insights gained during its launch?
One of the most rewarding aspects of my role was contributing to the launch of GoDaddy Airo. The goal of this product was to simplify the journey for new entrepreneurs. Many aspiring business owners feel overwhelmed by the numerous steps involved—creating a website, designing a logo, managing social media, and marketing their brand. GoDaddy Airo consolidates these essential tools into a seamless, user-friendly experience, guiding customers through the process with confidence.
One of the biggest lessons we learned during the launch was the importance of simplicity. Every step was carefully designed to eliminate friction—whether through an intuitive onboarding experience, personalized recommendations, or seamless tool integration. Our focus was to help entrepreneurs spend less time troubleshooting and more time bringing their ideas to life.
What part of the project are you most proud of?
I’m especially proud of how I helped the team refine our focus during the crucial early stages of GoDaddy Airo. With any ambitious project, there are always numerous ideas and high levels of enthusiasm, which can quickly lead to scope creep. While innovation is important, I recognized that we needed to set clear priorities to meet our launch deadline.
To ensure we stayed on track, I took a strategic approach to prioritization—determining which features were essential for the initial release and which could be phased in later. This clarity allowed the team to align around the most impactful features, ensuring a successful launch that delivered real value to our customers.
If you could describe GoDaddy’s culture in one word, what would it be and why?
Driven. GoDaddy fosters a culture of continuous improvement, where everyone is encouraged to push boundaries—whether it’s enhancing our products, refining the customer experience, or supporting one another as a team. There’s a strong sense of momentum here, and it’s inspiring to be part of an organization that is always striving for better.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Fitness is a big part of my life—I enjoy a mix of cardio, weightlifting, and Pilates to stay active. Sundays are for experimenting in the kitchen, though my teenage son’s reaction to my cooking varies between approval and a diplomatic “it’s…interesting.” Keeps me humble!
I also enjoy keeping up with social media trends, mainly so I can share funny videos with my daughter, who’s in college. Most evenings, you’ll find me at the soccer field cheering on my son’s varsity matches—it’s his senior year, so I’m savoring every moment.
At home, I completely spoil my two dogs—a loving standard poodle and a grumpy mini schnauzer. Lately, I’ve picked up antiquing with a friend, turning it into a fun treasure hunt as we explore unique finds and imagine their history.
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