Products That Count Podcast

How can AI help to automate PM tasks? In this episode of the Product Divergence series with Ubiety Technologies CPO Nacho Andrade, PM Exercises and Product Monkey AI Founder and CEO Bijan Shahrokhi speaks on how AI can help automate manual tasks for product managers and improve the clarity of product requirements. He explains how his company uses a combination of logic and AI to extract design files and automatically generate engineering tickets and requirements documents. By automating PM tasks, AI will enhance rather than replace product management work by helping PMs produce higher quality documents and focus on strategic decision making.

What does it take to lead high-performing product teams? In this episode of the Product Leaders to Watch Series with Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, Flare Senior PM Charlie Whicher speaks on her background transitioning from academia to product management. They discuss what makes Charlie a great product leader to watch, including her data-driven approach and ability to lead high-performing teams. Charlie also shares her views on what makes a great product and a great product manager.

How can product leaders drive digital transformations? In this episode of Product Talk with Kaboo Founder Neha Shah, Travelers Product Director of Enterprise Payments Nicole Adair speaks on her experience being a part of the team leading payments transformation at Travelers. Nicole shares her non-traditional path to product management, from forecasting and pricing in hotels to consulting and a career pivot into tech. She discusses the challenges of managing stakeholders across a large legacy company. Nicole also offers insights on succeeding as a product leader across industries and her passion for promoting diversity in tech through her work with Women in Technology organizations in Dallas. This conversation provides valuable perspectives on driving digital transformations at a long-standing business and tips for navigating varied product roles over time.

How can product leaders create value through strategic shifts? In this episode of the Product Leaders to Watch Series with Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, A10 Networks Fmr. VP of Product Yasir Liaqatullah shares his perspective on what makes a great product, highlighting the importance of understanding customer needs and delivering value. He also discusses his experience transitioning on-premise solutions to the cloud at Anthropic, which significantly grew revenue and margins. Additionally, Yasser speaks on the potential of generative AI technologies, balancing priorities as a product manager, and evaluating products for the Product Awards.

How can global product leaders approach diversity, equality, and inclusion? In this episode of Product Talk with Bose Senior Product Director Melissa Pickering, Trackunit Senior Product Lead Zeina Moawad speaks on DEI in global product management. Zeina discusses her global career experience and how it has shaped her views on DEI. The conversation explores examples of initiatives that companies have taken toward DEI that have been effective as well as areas for improvement. Zeina provides recommendations on how product managers can approach their work with more awareness of inclusivity.

How can product leaders cultivate user centric product strategies? In this episode of the Product Leaders to Watch Series with Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, Twitch Product VP Stephanie J. Neill speaks on her career journey and insights into building great products. Stephanie discusses the importance of identifying meaningful problems to solve and her impactful work reducing immigration wait times. She shares tips for product managers, emphasizing the need for grit, humility, and the ability to navigate ambiguity and conflict. The conversation provides valuable perspectives on user-centric product strategies and what makes an exceptional product leader.

How can PMs build personalized products? In this episode of the Product Divergence Series with Ubiety Technologies CPO Nacho Andrade, bswift VP of Portfolio Strategy, End UX Paul Micheli speaks on building personalized product experiences. Paul shares his non-linear journey from biomedical engineering to UX to product management. He discusses the challenges of appealing to diverse personas and balancing competing priorities. Paul also offers advice on getting into product and handling pushback from stakeholders. Listeners will learn strategies for navigating complex product landscapes and advocating for their vision.

How can product leaders design human-centered products? In this episode of the Product Leaders to Watch Series with Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, NASA Fmr Chief of Human Systems Engineering and Integration Division Dr. Jennifer Rochlis discusses her unique path from NASA to private sector roles, emphasizing her focus on human-centered design. She stresses the importance of considering the human as part of the system across the entire product lifecycle. This episode provides insights into Dr. Rochlis' experience in designing systems for stressful human environments and her perspective on integrating stakeholders from different disciplines.

How has product management evolved? In this episode of Product Talk with Kaboo Founder Neha Shah, The Trade Desk Product SVP Gruia Pitigoi-Aron speaks on how product management has evolved throughout his career. He shares his career journey from studying computer science to breaking into product management at Microsoft. He discusses lessons learned from early mistakes in job interviews and the importance of treating the job search process seriously. Gruia also provides insights into building a strong product culture of honesty and integrity. He emphasizes the value of giving timely feedback and constantly improving.

How can a PM transition from innovation to investing? In this episode of the Product to Venture series with Mighty Capital Managing Partner SC Moatti, Morgan Creek Digital General Partner and Co-Founder Xavier Segura speaks on his career journey from product manager to venture capitalist. He shares stories from his early career in startups working on mobile technology and big data. He also discusses his views on the continued "cloud revolution" and trends around vertical integration of AI models and data. The discussion provides insights into successfully transitioning careers and investing with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

What are the top tech trends & industries today? In this episode of the Product Leaders to Watch series with Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, Amazon Head of Product Rekha Venkatakrishnan speaks on her background in product management and engineering, emphasizing the importance of customer centricity and simplicity. She shares her views on exciting industries and tech trends, including fintech, healthcare, sustainability and more. Rekha provides a framework for evaluating great products based on functionality, psychological impact and economic factors.

How can products help optimize time? In this episode of the Product Divergence Series with Ubiety Technologies CPO Nacho Andrade, Clockwise Product VP Vicky Thomas speaks on building products that optimize time. She shares how Clockwise uses AI to optimize calendars and schedules, freeing up more focus time for individuals and teams. They discuss the challenges of calendar management that inspired Clockwise's creation, and how the product measures its impact on areas like reduced meetings and increased focus time. Vicky also shares her non-traditional career path into product management and what she has learned about building great products over the years.

What can an unconventional career path in tech leadership look like? In the Product to Venture series with Mighty Capital Managing Partner SC Moatti, the path from product leadership to venture capitalism is discussed. In this episode, IVP Partner Tamar Yehoshua speaks on her journey in tech leadership and her current career in venture capitalism. Tamar holds a wealth of product knowledge from her experience in product management to leadership roles at companies like Google, Amazon, and Slack. She talks about her transition to venture capital investing, her views on trends in AI, and where opportunities lie for entrepreneurs.

How can product leaders deliver customer value? In this episode of the Product Leaders to Watch series with Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, S&P Global Executive Product Director Jamie Matlin shares insights from his experiences building desktop and mobile products. He speaks on the importance of taking a design-led and customer-centric approach to product development. Jamie also shares his thoughts on trends in generative AI, fintech, and data visualization. He discusses what makes a great product - solving problems and delivering customer value through minimalistic design and intuitive user experiences.

How can product leaders apply a practical perspective to product? In this episode of Product Talk with Kaboo Founder Neha Shah, Meta Product Lead Neha Bansal speaks on her career journey from management consulting to product management at Google and Meta. She shares how she gained experience in different disciplines like engineering, marketing, and design to become a strong product manager. The discussion also covers important product topics like establishing product-market fit and how the same principles can apply at both startups and large companies.

Why is it important to build user-centric products? In this episode of the Product Leaders to Watch series with Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, First National Bank of Omaha Fmr Head of Product Ishan Amin speaks on his experience and views as a product leader. He shares insights from over 18 years of experience in product management across different industries. Ishan discusses what makes him a successful product leader and what he looks for in great products, along with the importance of building user-centric products. The discussion provides insights into his approach to product and what criteria he will use as a member of the AB panel to evaluate products for the Product Awards.

When should PMs prioritize execution over strategy? In this episode of Product Talk with Jonathan Ozeran, Thumbtack CPO P.J. Linarducci speaks on his career in product management and lessons learned. PJ shares insights from his experiences at Meta and other companies, emphasizing the importance of execution over perfect strategy. He outlines rituals and ceremonies that Thumbtack uses to keep teams aligned, such as business reviews, product reviews, and execution reviews. PJ also discusses the value of role models, mentors, and sponsors in one's career.

What does it take to build award-winning products and teams? In this episode of the Product Leaders to Watch series with Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, Expedia Group Platform SVP of Product Archana Arunkumar shares her insights on evaluating award-winning products for the 2024 Product Awards and leveraging generative AI. As a seasoned product leader, she discusses the skills that make great product managers, such as empathy, listening, and removing roadblocks. Archana also offers her perspective on navigating growth phases strategically and transforming business models successfully.

What do product leaders need to consider when leading product in the education space? In this episode of Product Talk with Melissa Pickering, LEGO Education Product VP Andrew Sliwinski speaks on his journey to becoming a product leader in education. Andrew shares formative experiences from his childhood that sparked a passion for creative learning. He discusses his approach to managing change within large organizations and avoiding "tech for tech's sake" by starting with the user experience. Andrew also offers practical tips for teams on staying focused through the design process and continuously refining product strategy based on learnings.

How can embodying an entrepreneurial mindset as a PM shape your career? In this episode of the Product to Venture Series with Mighty Capital Managing Partner SC Moatti, TenOneTen Managing Partner Minnie Ingersoll speaks on career journey from her early days as a PM at Google to founding her own startup and ultimately becoming a venture capitalist. Ingersoll shares insights into finding the right product role and leadership opportunities that allowed her to thrive. She also offers perspectives on her approach to investing, including looking for founders deeply passionate about solving big industry problems. Listeners will gain valuable advice applicable to both product management and venture capitalism.