Product Talk

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.

In the face of a global pandemic, businesses big and small had to adapt to a new normal. Many, while lucky enough to still have their jobs, had to adjust to remote work. What have we learned? As part of our series on The Role of Product in a Pandemic, Product Talk host and product exec, Thomas Daly, interviews Samsung NEXT Head of Product Enablement, Danny Carvajal, and discusses the lessons learned from working in a distributed team in a global pandemic and how it might affect how we work together moving forward.

The advancement of artificial intelligence still faces many challenges. There is a factor of cost, integrity, and function. But what if we looked at AI differently? As part of our Real Life Use Cases for AI series, Product Talk host and Product Exec, Nikki Ahmadi, interviews Afshin Doust, Advanced Intelligent Systems CEO, on viewing the AI products we build as a service.

When it comes to healthcare products, oftentimes you're competing with the archaic healthcare industry itself, rather than another company. Many simply accept the status quo. But how can you drive change? As part of our Innovation in Healthcare series, Product Talk host and product exec, Samantha Scott, interviews Cedar Co-Founder, Arel Lidow, and discusses what goes into building an industry disrupting healthcare product.

AI, in its current state, is all about how much time it can save you and improve your work or your home life. As we continue to bring more AI products into our homes, there are some concerns that can arise. Are companies taking this responsibility seriously? As part of our Real Life Use Cases for AI series, Product Talk host and Product Exec, Nikki Ahmadi, interviews Arsham Hatambeiki, UEI SVP Product & Technology, on building AI products for the home.

Yelp is a mass market product that is used by millions of people the world over. But what goes into the various individual features that helps deliver on Yelp's mission to connect consumers with local businesses? As part of our Building for Hospitality series, Product Talk host and product exec, Thomas Daly, interviews Yelp Director of Product Management - Restaurants Marketplace, Guang Yang, and discusses building a hospitality product that serves both businesses and consumers.

There are uncertain times for all of us. As we adjust to the new normal, many are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, whether they've been laid off or are trying to work from home while also assisting in kids' educations or coping with isolation. As part of our series on The Role of Product in a Pandemic, Product Talk host and product exec, Christina Lucey, interviews Psychotherapist Toni Brooks and discusses the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on product managers and everyone else.

A passion for product and the desire to make the world a better place are especially helpful when they're channeled into something like the healthcare industry. How does that come into play during a pandemic? As part of our series on The Role of Product in a Pandemic, Product Talk host and product exec, Samantha Scott, interviews Butterfly Network VP of Product, Matthew de Jonge, and discusses the democratization of healthcare products and how they're making a difference in the face of a pandemic.

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, individuals the world over have stepped up and made a difference big and small. Many product leaders have adapted their offerings to adjust to our new normal. How can the product community be of service? As part of our series on The Role of Product in a Pandemic, Product Talk host and Product Exec, Nikki Ahmadi, interviews Chris Higgins, Co-Founder of Give Oxygen, and discusses innovating products for a pandemic.

The healthcare system hasn't changed much in the U.S. It's a fairly antiquated industry. Costs are on the rise and it can feel inaccessible for many. How can we change that? As part of our Innovation in Healthcare series, Product Talk host and product exec, Samantha Scott, interviews Oscar Health CPO, Sara Wajnberg, and discusses what goes into building healthcare products.

Many of us built with LEGO as children. However, some turn that love of building into a career. How does that translate to building hardware products? As part of our High Velocity R&D series, Product Talk host and product exec, Anthony Atlas, interviews Awair Product Head, Dean Young, and discusses the challenges that come with building hardware products.

The role of a product manager isn't the same today as it was as recently as 10 years ago. Similarly, the role of a PM is different as a company grows. How does the role of a PM change? As part of our The Feature is Now the Operating System series, Product Talk host and product exec, Christina Lucey, interviews fmr Credit Karma VP of Product Management and current GP at a16z, Anish Acharya on how product management has evolved over time and within companies.

Almost every Product Manager has a different story about how they found their way into the role. All talk about the well rounded backgrounds or curiosities that led them to the career. But how does someone wind up a PM that started as a lecturer in mathematics at Stanford University? In this episode of Product Talk, Thomas Daly sat down with Karl Rumelhart, CPO & EVP of Engineering at Gainsight to discuss how we paved his way into a career in product management and how the role is handled at Gainsight.

Sometimes, we get comfortable where we are in our jobs. It's hard to know when it's time for a new challenge. How do we know when it's time and how do we find our way in a new role? As part of our High-Velocity R&D series, Product Talk host and product exec, Anthony Atlas, interviews Flexport Product Lead, Boris Logvinsky, and discusses navigating a new product job and the challenges that come with it.

Product Management professionals seldom set out on that career path, but most fall for the role very quickly. However, there's really no one set list of responsibilities for the position. What's the draw? This episode serves as a love letter to product and PMing. As part of our One is the Loneliest Number series, Product Talk host and product exec, Christina Lucey, interviews BetterUp Product Lead, Nick Fassler, on product culture.

While the idea of artificial intelligence is far from new, how AI has integrated with our tools is still a relatively recent development. There are still some barriers to entry and ethical questions to be answered. How is this being done? As part of our Real Life Use Cases for AI series, Product Talk host and Product Exec, Nikki Ahmadi, interviews Nate Yohannes, Microsoft Director of Central Product Management, Mixed Reality & Artificial Intelligence Engineering, on the democratization of AI products.

What a product starts out as may not also be what it becomes. Listening to the needs of customers is a vital part of building great products. But how can we do that successfully? As part of our Building for Hospitality series, Product Talk host and product exec, Thomas Daly, interviews fmr Breather VP Experience, Packy McCormick, on what it takes to build a hospitality product and evolving it based on customer feedback.

Most Product Managers say they accidentally found themselves in their role or that it wasn't planned. Others talk about their passion for creating products that help people and solving problems. But how do you find, prepare, and interview for PM jobs? As part of our Tech du Jour series, Product Talk host and Product Exec, Mark Pydynowski, interviews Mark Tan, fmr Amazon Sr. Product Manager, and current Wyze Labs Director of Product, on interviewing for product management jobs.

Retail can be a great proving ground for future product managers. There, you can learn how to advertise a product and discover what connects with consumers. It could even lead to creating the Big Mouth Billy Bass! As part of our High Velocity R&D series, Product Talk host and product exec, Anthony Atlas, interviews Occasions Ltd Product VP, Joe Pellettieri, on his experience in retail and developing hit products for a toy company.

Product management is an opportunity to shape something that people want or need. That passion, combined with the skills to lead a team and project, is what makes a great product manager. As part of our Confidence and Product Management series, Product Talk host and product exec, Christina Lucey, interviews Plaid Consumer Product Head, Jonathan Chao, on how to be a great product leader that inspires confidence in their team.

For many, product management can be an accidental career path. Sometimes it's just by identifying the problems around them and finding solutions that they find their way into that role. So what attracts people to it? As part of our Building for Hospitality series, Product Talk host and product exec, Thomas Daly, interviews Managed by Q CEO, Ron Feldman, on how he found his way into product and the importance of customer-focused product management.

A great product manager understands product management and product marketing. One involves the ins and outs of a product and the other is an understanding of how the product makes you feel. So, what really is the intersection of product management and product marketing? As part of our Tech du Jour series, Product Talk host and Product Exec, Mark Pydynowski, interviews Blue Sky Partners CEO & Co-Founder, Nathan Ryan, on the partnership and symbiotic nature of product management and product marketing.