Product Talk

The process of building strategy is fraught with challenges; translating that strategy across the full organization is even more difficult. How can product leaders use strategy mapping to create organizational alignment and ensure execution success? This week on Product Talk, we welcome Professor Jesper B. Sorensen from the Stanford Graduate School of Business to talk about his book, Making Great Strategy, and how product leaders can use strategy mapping and visual thinking to uplevel their roadmaps.

If there is any year that embodies the thrill of working in tech, it's this one. Covid pivots notwithstanding, product-led culture is quickly becoming the baseline from which companies operate. How can product leaders navigate changing waters while retaining a focus on digital acceleration? Google fmr GM, Mighty Capital Partner, and Products That Count CPO, Renee Niemi, takes Product Talk through her impressive product career and shares insights on leading product amidst transitioning market dynamics.

Scaling a product for growth while aligning opportunities with a company's core mission; therein lies the daily objective of a product manager. It's a task that seems straightforward but is anything but simple. How can product leaders assess opportunities to create value and build long-term partnerships? Fmr Weight Watchers Product Director and current CPO of Ellevest, Alexandria Stried, shares insights on product prioritization, opportunity assessment, and how to build products for long-term partnerships.

It's many a product entrepreneur's dream: to take a product from conception to acquisition and on to continued growth at scale. The challenges, however, are plenty. What are the hard decisions that a product leader will face as they move from the startup hustle to post-acquisition growth? Stephane Giraudie, Dolby Sr. Director of Cloud Communications, and former Founder and CEO of Voxeet, shares insights on being a product entrepreneur, startup leadership, and building product at scale post-acquisition.

As the internet fills with more assets stacked with value, designing and building net secure products is quickly becoming the new baseline. How can product leaders accelerate product innovation by building products with security as the priority? This week on Product Talk we welcome Jeremiah Grossman, CEO of Bit Discovery, a Mighty Capital portfolio company, to share his insights on customer satisfaction, process prioritization, and how to think about innovation from the perspective of secure design.

Extensive research has shown the immense power that lies in diversity. When a product team empowers diversity, innovation follows, with neurodiversity being no exception. What are some of the ways product leaders can bring awareness to and support team members with differently structured minds? HomeX Product Lead Marton Gaspar joins Product Talk to speak on team empowerment, innovation, and the power of neurodiversity in tech.

Ever since the dawning of the Age of Tech, companies have been seeking solutions that make sophisticated technology accessible to all. The Age of Product is only solidifying that desire for simplicity into a product requirement. How can some of the most advanced tech become accessible to even entry-level team members? Accern CEO & Co-Founder Kumesh Aroomoogan shares insights on product innovation and how no-code AI platforms are transforming the data science game with simplicity and elegance.

Digital mental health therapy is a relatively new space for product but one that is rising quickly in consumer demand. Just like in a clinical setting, however, the practices, techniques, and specialties are varied and come with their own set of rules and risks. What do product leaders need to consider when building digital therapy products? Big Health CPO Kelvin Kwong shares insights on encouraging user feedback, user safety, and the exciting digital product world of cognitive behavior therapy.

Technology has been called the great equalizer, but economic opportunity has long been tied with geography. With the sudden expansion of the remote office and over 3bn digital workers, however, the landscape is prepped for a dramatic change. What opportunities and caution signs lie ahead for remote workers? Cisco SVP Jeetu Patel takes the mic to discuss the balance between productivity and well-being, and how remote workers in digital product can level the economic playing field.

FinTech is a highly regulated space, with many of the old ways of doing things engrained in the process of building products. How can we usher FinTech into the Age of Product? Ramp Product Head, Geoff Charles, discusses new ways to build products for FinTech in today's day and age.

Following the year of all years, there was no doubt that the Product Awards were going to be exciting and it did not disappoint. Like many recent events, the 2021 iteration went entirely virtual with a packed audience of product leaders and industry executives. Roll through the highlights to catch insights from leaders at Heap, Bluedot, Autodesk, Indicative, and Sisense, and hear how they are driving digital transformation in this new Age of Product.

The 2021 Presidential Inauguration came on the heels of one of the most unprecedented, tumultuous years in US history. With a pandemic continuing to rage, the country's grandest live celebration was forced to reinvent itself as a digital-first experience. How did product managers strategize the most ambitious, innovative, inauguration ever? Biden Campaign Fmr Sr. PM Andrew Yu goes deep into the strategy that drove the product transformation of a live event into a digital-first experience.

Building product from a data-driven perspective is quickly becoming the new baseline for product managers, but it wasn't always the norm. With the data landscape swiftly moving beyond siloed databases, it's now up to product managers to learn, interpret, and take action using this new world of data. This week, we welcome data pioneer, Indicative CEO Jeremy Levy, who speaks on trusting your gut, data beyond SQL, and how decision-making rooted in data leads to a stronger product lifecycle.

It can take product leaders years to build, finesse, and dial in the perfect product market fit. When something as affecting as a pandemic arrives on the scene, however, even the strongest foundations will shake. How can product leaders pivot to find new opportunities in this new supercharged age of digital acceleration? Safetrust CEO Jason Hart sits down with Products That Count CPO James Gray to discuss how using a startup mindset can help product leaders successfully make a pivot in product market fit.

The manner in which customers and markets adopt something new is rooted in historical concepts that herald back to the early 20th century. Understanding these concepts is key to successfully developing a product. What do product leaders need to know as they search to find that competitive edge? Theresa Lina, Stanford Advisor, former Accenture Strategy Executive, and best-selling author of the strategy book "Be the Go-To", takes the Product Talk mic to discuss market adoption dynamics and the challenges product leaders face when developing a competitive strategy.

The pandemic thrust mental health into the spotlight, but it's hardly a new issue. In fact, data shows that mental distress has tripled over the last year, making it clear that market solutions are desperately needed, sooner rather than later. What's on the horizon in terms of digital product for mental healthcare? Spring Health Head of Product Alexandre Sitbon joins Product Talk to speak on their recent funding, the mental health crisis, and what lies ahead for product in the healthcare space.

Distributed teams definitely aren't a new concept. However, the pandemic accelerated the trend at a breakneck pace, leaving many companies unprepared and unaware of the accompanying challenges. With remote work now the new normal, how do product managers go about closing the gap between the office and screen? Cassiopeia CEO Shiran Yaroslavsky brings her expertise in remote product management to the mic, sharing the tricks and tools product leaders need to truly excel when managing distributed teams.

The Age of Product is well upon us and each year companies battle each other to gain competitive advantage and claim top of market. The 2021 Product Awards celebrates the very best in product by highlighting those that achieved that goal in the year prior. In a very special episode, Products That Count CPO James Gray sits down with our Founder, SC Moatti, to speak about the history of the Product Awards, the future of product, and how owning one's category is crucial to winning in product.

The daily workflow of a product manager can mean toggling between as many as a dozen different tools, each fulfilling a different, specialized function. Of course, it takes a specific brain space to design and create the products used by product teams themselves. So, what's it like to build the tools used to build product? This week we take a peek behind the curtain with JourneyApps Chief of Product Kobie Botha, who speaks on product management for developer platforms.

Broadway may not be the first industry that comes to mind with the word tech. However, with over 14 million attendees a year, product leaders are catching on to the cross-consumer opportunities evident in the live theater space. How has one of the most legacy, analog industries there is evolved to thrive in the digital now? The Shubert Organization Director of Digital Product Kyle Wright speaks on the evolution of digital in live theater and how data technology continues to enhance live storytelling.

Market dominance used to be about feet on the ground and sales execution, but in an increasingly digital world, it's driven by digital experiences which are the responsibility of product teams. How do organizations gain and maintain market leadership in this new Age of Product? Products That Count CPO James Gray sits down with the 2021 Product Awards Advisory Board to discuss the superpowers available to product managers during the product lifecycle and the merits of a product acceleration platform.

The first year of the new decade barreled through like a freight train, delivering a cosmic ultimatum to all businesses. Some companies staggered, while others soared. In our Product Talk Year in Review, we handpicked an episode for each season led by our hosts Anthony Atlas, Samantha Scott, Adam O'Donnell, and Patrick Blute. Relive insights from leaders at Airbnb, Oscar, Skylar, and Heap, and listen to what it was like to drive digital innovation in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic.

This year takes the cake when it comes to twists and turns, but through it all, the hosts of Product Talk continued to drive forward the product conversation with stellar discussions and in-depth profiles with product leaders. Featuring guests from industry giants like Tinder, Verizon, and Microsoft, catch up on some of the most listened to episodes of the year, brought to you by two of our hosts, Universal Electronics Product Director Nikki Ahmadi, and CreditKarma Product Director Christina Lucey.

When working in a team setting, communal recognition of the decision-making hierarchy goes a long way to achieving smooth execution. However, when the roles themselves remove risk accountability, lower buy-in from team members can lower product quality itself. How do product leaders encourage ownership by the entire team instead of by single individuals? Hubspot Product Director Louise Bernstein speaks on accountability, customer experience, and how to drive product ownership by every member of the team.

Scaling product for the global market doesn't come easy. False assumptions of cross-market needs and flubbed product adaptations have been the death of many a product. So how can product leaders lay the groundwork from the beginning in order to scale a product successfully? Mighty Capital Sr. Manager Adam O'Donnel sits down with Canela Media CEO Isabel Rafferty Zavala to discuss their recent funding from Mighty Capital, trends in digital media, and how to scale product for global markets.

The internet leveled the playing field in many ways. Consumers and employees alike now have a larger voice, leading companies to be impact aware, and to care about more than just the bottom line. In an increasingly ethical marketplace, how do product leaders build integrity into the heart of company culture? nate Product Marketing Lead Patrick Blute sits down with Airbnb Former Chief Ethics Officer Rob Chesnut to discuss conscious consumerism and the evolution of integrity in tech.

Getting that senior product title is the dream of every product manager. The expectations of the position, however, can be different than the reality. What does it take to run the team and how can product managers prepare for that day? In a series of conversations with senior product leaders, Credit Karma Product Director Christina Lucey sits down with GoodRX Sr. Product VP Ravi Dev to discuss the role of Head of Product, and how efficient execution and versatility play into excelling at a strategic role.

The ideas are refined and the design is locked; now comes the time to build. Sounds simple, but product teams know otherwise. In an era of digital innovation, complexities grow by the layer. So, how do product leaders bring a product to life? Wrapping up our Age of Product Series, Microsoft fmr Product Lead and Products That Count CPO James Gray sits down with nate Product Marketing Lead Patrick Blute to discuss the superpowers available to product managers during the build stage of the product life cycle.

From ideation to development, when it comes time to conceive a product there's a slew of factors to consider. Product leaders need to be able to translate sketches into a realized product. So, where to start, when it's time to start? Next in our Age of Product Series, Microsoft fmr Product Lead and Products That Count CPO James Gray sits down with Universal Electronics Product Director Nikki Ahmadi to discuss the superpowers available to product managers during the conceive stage of the product life cycle.

The path to great design can be a fragmented maze of interface, research, and user experiences. But good design means good business. With an expanding inventory of design tools available to product leaders, which ones light the way best? Continuing our Age of Product Series, Microsoft fmr Product Lead and Products That Count CPO James Gray sits down with Prezi Product Director Neha Taleja to discuss the superpowers available to product managers during the design stage of the product life cycle.

The product life cycle can be broken down into five stages: conceive, design, build, collaborate, and operate. Fluid, adept execution at each of these stages is needed for lasting product success. So what exactly are the superpowers that lie within each? In this Age of Product series, Microsoft former Product Lead and Products That Count CPO James Gray interviews product leaders on competencies that every great product manager needs. In this episode, Tatari Sr. Product Manager Bryce York shares his expertise on the powers of operation.

The Age of Product is truly upon us. With it comes a plethora of opportunities for growth and innovation. What are the superpowers that lie hidden within the lifecycle of product development and how do product leaders take the most advantage of them? In this Age of Product series, Microsoft fmr Product Lead and Products That Count CPO James Gray interviews product leaders on the competencies great product managers need at the different stages of the product life cycle. In this episode, IBM fmr Product Lead, Pivotree Product Director, and Product That Count chapter head Nita Maheswaren shares his perspective on the superpowers for effective collaboration and the importance of building trust across teams.

Risk-taking is vital to career and company growth, but how do we calculate that risk as product leaders? Product Talk host Nikki Ahmadi sits down with Shellye Archambeau, silicon valley pioneer, Verizon Board Director, and former CEO of Metric Streams, to discuss the power of planning, intention, and how to enhance the skill of taking risks.

Product managers excel at building products. However, sometimes that isn't enough for a product to be successful. So, how can we avoid failure? As part of our series in partnership with the Growth Marketing Conference, Product Talk host and product executive, Thomas Daly sat down with Craig Zingerline, CPO at Sandboxx to discuss how we can successfully grow our products and user base.

Some fintech products have unique obstacles when delivering enjoyable user experiences. Behind the financial curtain are regulations, tied to sluggish timelines. How do you balance quick and enjoyable user experiences while following regulations? Product Talk Host Patrick Blute sat down with Vouch Insurance CPO, Rajat Kongovi, to discuss how innovative fintech companies approach this challenge.

Every product manager relies on at least one skill to help drive their success and that of their product. Among the more useful skills agreed upon by PMs is empathy for their target customer and stakeholders. How does one practice empathy to deliver the best product? As part of our Product Management series, Product Talk host Adam O'Donnell sat down with Bitcoin Founder & CEO Marc Blinder to discuss empathy and how it plays into product management.

In a COVID world, the role of product teams building for healthcare is central to our society. Telemedicine, in particular, is an ever-growing field with plenty of opportunities for improvements. It provides both patients and health professionals the tools needed to remain in contact and work efficiently. As part of our Innovation in Healthcare series, Product Talk host and Etsy product exec Samantha Scott, interviews Ro Product Head, Jessica Prager, and discusses the healthcare industry and building products that make us healthier.

Part of the product development process is understanding where the finished product stands in the market. While this can easily be confused with product branding and storytelling, it's an entirely unique and separate phase of creation and marketing. How do you differentiate a product's branding from its positioning while still illustrating its value? As part of our Confidence and Product Management series, Product Talk host Nikki Ahmadi sits down with Huawei fmr Product VP, April Dunford, to define product positioning and its role in development and marketing.

Content is an important part of creating software experiences, often intersecting with building frameworks and technology. It can be the driving force for many features of a new product. But how do the concepts of content, science, technology, and frameworks all intersect? As part of our Tech Meets Art series, Product Talk host Patrick Blute sits down with Quibi Head of Product, Tricia Lee, to discuss where content meets product.

As eCommerce has become prevalent, the retail space has changed drastically for both the shopper and product managers. When faced with a changing environment, how can you ensure what you're building is adaptable? As part of our Adaptive Product Management series, Product Talk host and product exec, Christina Lucey, interviews Sam's Club VP of Product Management, Tim Simmons, and discusses adaptable retail products.

2020 brought unexpected challenges that pushed companies of all types to pivot and rethink how they run their day-to-day. They scrambled to provide employees with the necessary products that made surviving in a remote environment possible. But how did this sudden shift affect those behind these products? In this episode of Product Talk, host Thomas Daly interviews Miro Head of Self Serve Business & Growth, Yuliya Malysh, and discusses the jarring shift into a virtual workspace.

The world we live in is going increasingly mobile by the day. However, the barrier to entry for businesses to go mobile can be high. What if it didn't have to be? Product Talk host Adam O'Donnell, interviews JourneyApps Founder & CEO, Conrad Hofmeyr, and discusses the simplification of building mobile apps.

Some products consumers will use every day of their lives. Meanwhile, there are products that a person may only need once or twice in their lives. How do you approach building that type of a product when it's related to something as important as purchasing a home? As part of our Building Products that Span the Digital and Physical Worlds series, Product Talk host and product exec, Samantha Scott, interviews Orchard Head of Consumer Product, Rahil Esmail, and discusses building real estate products.

Many great product leaders will talk about the importance of listening to customers. It's also essential to know how you should go about doing it. Is there a right and wrong way? As part of our series in partnership with the Product Collective, Product Talk host and Product Exec, Nikki Ahmadi sat down with Oji Udezue, fmr VP of Product at Calendly to discuss customer discovery. They also share some important insight on what it means to be a BIPOC in product.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) continue to be a more prominent part of the products we build. Trust and privacy remain a concern, but users continue to give more and more information. How does AI and ML improve the customer experience? As part of our Real Life Use Cases for AI series, Product Talk host and Product Exec, Nikki Ahmadi, interviews Ravi Mehta, fmr Tinder CPO, on personalization in product with AI.

Many product managers come to the role with an engineering background. It can be helpful in knowing how the sausage is made, so to speak. But what happens when an engineer moves into marketing, or as this guest called it "moving to the Dark Side?" As part of our series in partnership with the Growth Marketing Conference, Product Talk host and product executive, Thomas Daly, sat down with Martin Gontovnikas, SVP of Marketing & Growth at Auth0 to discuss all things product marketing.

Product-focused start-ups face plenty of challenges as they begin to grow. How to go about fundraising, how to get customer feedback and when to have a dedicated product team among them. So, how can they figure it all out? Product Talk host Adam O'Donnell, interviews Skylar Founder & CEO, Cat Chen, and discusses scaling a product-focused startup and the three factors of a great product.

There has been a huge push towards personalization in recent years. The idea is that customers want an experience that is uniquely for them. But is that what they actually want? As part of our Adaptive Product Management series, Product Talk host and product exec, Christina Lucey, interviews The Nudge CEO, John Peterson, and discusses building a product for personalization and realizing that wasn't necessarily what customers wanted

Product leaders who've grown with a successful startup and venture capitalists both have interesting perspectives on product organizations. Wouldn't it be nice if one person could offer both? As part of our How to Fund Your Venture series, Product Talk host and product exec, Samantha Scott, interviews x, Melody Koh, and discusses scaling a product organization, which she's seen as the first PM at Blue Apron and now as a venture capital partner.

There is a lot that determines whether or not a product will be successful. It's up to the product team to determine the KPIs and define what is a win. What does a win look like? As part of our The Feature is Now the Operating System series, Product Talk host and product exec, Christina Lucey, interviews SoFi VP of Products & Data, Amir Hermelin, and discusses his own experience building winning products and whether the best product always wins.