LaunchPod

On today's episode of LaunchPod, we've got something special for you. Normally, you'd have to join us in person at one of the dinners we host for product leaders to hear this talk from Oji Udezue. But the response has been so great, we had to bring him onto the show again. Oji has previously held product leadership roles at Typeform, Twitter, Calendly, and Atlassian. Today, he's joining us to share a major problem in product delivery that he's seeing as AI adoption increases across teams. In this episode, we discuss: * The “three-speed problem,” as Oji calls it – how AI will bring about a 10x increase in engineering velocity. But where does that leave product management and go-to-market teams if they can't keep up? * Why AI is a BS term, as it's really five new AND distinct capabilities – and how to use those as a framework for smarter product strategy * And how his “shipyard model” for product teams will ensure you keep up and thrive, even as AI reshapes how we build software Links Oji's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ojiudezue/ ProductMind: https://www.productmind.co/ Building Rocketships: Product Management for High-Growth Companies: https://www.productmind.co/building-rocketships-book Resources Oji's past LaunchPod episode: https://www.productmind.co/building-rocketships-book Claude: https://claude.ai/ Cursor: https://cursor.com/ Windsurf: https://windsurf.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 1:21 Building Rocket Ships by Oji and Ezinne Udezue 1:55 What is the shipyard model in product? 5:20 The evolution of technology: Why AI is just a new technology level 7:50 The 5 flavors of AI 13:23 The limiting function of development is no longer the speed of engineering – but what is it now? 17:05 Solving the three-speed problem 21:32 Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Oji Udezue.

Today, we're joined by Trevin Chow, Chief Product Officer at Big Cartel, an ecommerce platform for independent creators to turn their art into income. Previously, Trevin held product leadership roles at Nike, Microsoft, Axon, and more. In this episode, Trevin shares: How they thread the needle between brand history and innovation — respecting a 20+ year legacy while still driving towards the future His process for creating “simple magic” by making features so simple, they delight users — even if that trades less customization for better ease of use How AI is transforming product and design workflows by drastically cutting down the time between idea and innovation And what product leaders can learn from rethinking simple as a benefit rather than a constraint Links LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevin/ Navan: https://www.bigcartel.com/ Resources Lovable: https://lovable.dev/ Unblocked: https://getunblocked.com/ Chapters 00:00: Intro 03:22: The product journey that led Trevin to Big Cartel 05:55: Big Cartel's 20+ year legacy and how they look at innovation 12:28: Why simplicity can trump complexity in software 13:26: Products and features that delight ft. an example from Alaska Airlines 18:03: Why Big Cartel launched a "pause subscription" button, and the value it drove 21:09: What makes features appear "magical" in today's product landscape 23:06: The overlap between product management and product design 23:40: Trevin's guide to hiring for curiosity and grit 33:17: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Trevin Chow.

Today, we're talking with Curtis Stevens, who, until recently, was Tinder's Director of Product Consumer Insights, and prior to that held product leadership roles at Qualtrics, Amazon, and more. In this episode, Curtis shares: How AI can actually be a tool for human connection His process behind Tinder's transformation into customer-centricity, with real, measurable results How to balance short-term user joy with long-term product innovation and future features And how AI is driving customer experience changes faster than research can follow, and what you can do to keep up Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-b-stevens/ Chapters 00:00: Intro 03:03: Curtis Stevens' product journey 7:40: Challenges and strategies in customer experience 14:54: Curtis' journey workshops 20:41: AI's role in customer research 27:41: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Curtis Stevens.

On today's episode, we're talking with Rajitha Chaparala, VP of Product at Procore, a construction management solution and one of the most successful examples of vertical SaaS out there today. In this episode, we discuss: How Rajitha and her team are using LLMs to streamline complex processes like requests for information (RFIs), project revisions, and construction site walkthroughs Why building trust and showing real, immediate value were key to getting AI buy-in from construction professionals, historically hesitant to adopt new tech Why Rajitha believes this is construction's moment for AI, and how the shift from skepticism to curiosity happened almost overnight Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajithachaparala/ Procore: www.procore.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:48: The complexity of construction and technology adoption 02:00: AI streamlining Requests for Information (RFIs) in construction 04:00: Why LLMs are ideal for construction's unstructured data 06:00: Building trust for AI adoption 08:00: The future of construction thanks to AI adoption Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Rajitha Chaparala.

Today, we're joined again by Nan Yu, Head of Product at Linear. In this episode, Nan shares: Why you're wrong to think of AI as a way to reduce costs -- and why the real value is in enabling new work that was previously impossible The 3 must-haves he's deduced from across the most successful AI products to produce consistently great outcomes for users The behind-the-scenes details of Linear's new Agent Interaction Guidelines Links Nan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenanyu/ Nan's X: https://x.com/thenanyu?lang=en Linear: https://linear.app/ Linear's previous episode of LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/7ISWLoQtNOc?si=dNKmSdQ98eqis_JW Resources Linear's Agent Interaction Guidelines: https://linear.app/developers/aig Granola.ai: https://www.granola.ai/ Cursor: https://cursor.com/ Chapters 00:00: Intro 03:24: Using AI as a harness, the systems and context layers that make AI tools repeatable and useful at scale 07:54: Scaling AI tools to ensure consistency and quality 14:14: Analyzing user interaction, tweak time, and feedback 18:29: Linear's new Agent Interaction Guidelines 22:14: How AI is changing the role of engineers 27:42: AI's impact on junior roles 30:10: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Nan Yu.

Today, we're joined by Shakir Karim (Senior VP of Product) and Karthik Chakkarapani (CIO & Senior VP of Corporate Operations) from Zuora. In this episode, Shakir and Karthik discuss: Why they believe AI is a bigger inflection point than web, mobile, or cloud Their internal AI agent workflow that automatically resolves thousands of service requests instantly, freeing teams to focus on strategy How they cut a major feature deployment step from 14 days to 10 minutes using Claude Code Why prompt-a-thons and hackathons have been vital for driving not just AI adoption but AI literacy Links Shakir's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shakir-karim/ Karthik's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chakraj/ Zuora: https://www.zuora.com/ Resources Trupeer: https://www.trupeer.ai/ Gemini Storybook: https://gemini.google/overview/storybook/ NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google/ Chapters 00:00: Intro 02:15: Zuora's 10x initiative 07:00: Zuora's internal AI agent 10:00: Accelerating content creation using Trupeer 12:00: Cutting video content creation down from 4 weeks to 5 hours 17:00: AI in practical workflow 22:00: Scaling AI innovation and literacy internally 28:32: AI prompathons and hackathons 29:54: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guests: Karthik Chakkarapani and Shakir Karim.

Today, we're joined by Zac Hays, CPO at Luxury Presence, a fast-growing real estate tech platform that made a huge bet on AI adoption across the company.. In this episode, we discuss: Luxury Presence's 30x Value Principle and how they rethought goals and projects to have exponential-level impact The AI design sprint process that allowed the company to 20x product velocity How their mandatory AI bug triage policy has cut resolution time by 80% Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacthepm/ Zac's AI-Powered Design Print Playbook: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-powered-design-sprint-playbook-v01-zac-hays-iu1dc/ Luxury Presence: https://www.luxurypresence.com/ AirOps: https://www.airops.com/ Userbrain: https://www.userbrain.com/en/ Chapters 00:00: Intro 03:31: How Luxury Presence started tinkering with AI 08:15: Automating bug fixes (the 80% reduction) 10:50: Zac's "AI Design Sprint" process 14:00: Using AI to tackle tech debt and codebase rewrites 19:04: Building an "autonomous" AI marketing team 22:22: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Zac Hays.

Today, we're joined by Phil Lakin, Head of Enterprise Innovation at Zapier. In this episode, we discuss: How Phil built No-Code Ops into a thriving community and SaaS product - and what led to its acquisition by Zapier Why Phil ended up leading the initiative on Zapier's first solution-based product, and the decision process behind making it Lead Router How Zapier is driving AI transformation across both their org and others with hands-on bootcamps, agent workflows, and a 97% AI literacy rate among employees Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-lakin/ Zapier: https://zapier.com/ NoCodeOps: https://www.nocodeops.com/ Chapters 00:00: Intro 01:30: How Phil built the No-Code Ops community and why Zapier acquired it 05:45: Building Lead Router and how it shaped Zapier's roadmap 10:20: Building with Zapier Primitives 15:10: How Zapier achieved 97% AI literacy 20:25: AI agents and workflow automation 26:40: Tactics for bringing employees on board with new AI tools 32:55: What other companies can learn from Zapier's AI transformation 39:15: Where Phil sees AI, no-code, and automation heading next. 44:00: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Phil Lakin.

How is Optimizely reshaping experimentation with AI? Cory Liebgott, VP of Product at Optimizely, joins LaunchPod to share how her team is using AI into both customer-facing solutions and their own product workflows. Cory shares how her team: Uses Copilot and Claude for everything from PRD writing and meeting recaps to translating technical language into accessible insights Developed OptiGPT, an internal AI assistant that surfaces customer data, product knowledge, and HR policies in seconds Built a customer-facing AI query tool that also became a surprise hit internally for measuring customer health and engagement Encourages a culture of experimentation where PMs demo and share AI tools, turning emergent use cases into productivity boosts across teams Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliebgott/ Optimizely: https://www.optimizely.com/ Chapters 00:38 Exploring AI tools as a team 01:43 Real-world AI productivity wins 03:16 Inside OptiGPT: Optimizely's AI assistant 04:08 Using AI for research and prototyping 05:10 When AI surprises: Emergent capabilities 06:22 Lessons learned: Sharing and experimenting Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Cory Liebgott.

Today, we're joined by Michael Krafft, CPO at FoundersCard, a membership community for entrepreneurs and executives offering exclusive perks and VIP treatment. Previously, Michael worked in investment banking, led product teams at American Express, and played a key role in turning around Alight, an HR-tech firm, ahead of its IPO. In this episode, we discuss: How Michael uses AI to be a 1-person Product team at a profitable startup with more than 250K members His AI-driven discovery engine that automates interviews, segments users, and turns feedback into roadmap-shaping insights Why working as both a leader and IC lets him move from idea to prototype to product in record time with tools like V-Zero and Lovable The simple test that boosted paid conversions by 50%—and how he runs growth experiments far beyond his team's size Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-krafft/ FoundersCard: https://founderscard.com/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:04 How AI Drove Down CAC and Fueled Growth 06:06 Using AI to Analyze Customer Interviews 09:10 Turning Feedback Into Roadmap Insights 12:13 AI-Powered Discovery Engine for PMs 15:17 One-Person Product Team With AI Tools 18:20 Scaling Insights Beyond Human Bandwidth 21:23 Automating PRDs With AI 24:25 From Idea to Prototype in an Afternoon 27:28 Running Growth Experiments With AI 30:31 Conversions, Retention, and AI Testing 33:33 Customer Insights That Shape the Roadmap 36:36 Paid Conversion Boosts With AI 39:37 Final Takeaways for Product Leaders Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Michael Krafft.

Unlock the future of product management with AI. In this episode of LaunchPod, we dive into the top 4 AI workflows every product manager needs, from automating user research to building smarter prototypes and running faster experiments. Hear real stories from product leaders who are already using AI to: *Turn hours of customer interviews into actionable insights *Prototype and test new features in record time *Automate PRDs and documentation without losing quality *Drive data-backed decisions that accelerate growth Chapters 00:00 Why AI is changing product management 00:30 Avoiding missteps with AI-powered customer insights 02:00 Prototyping and testing faster with AI tools 04:00 Automating PRDs and product documentation 06:30 Using AI for smarter data analysis and decision making 09:00 Balancing AI with product intuition and strategy 11:00 The future of AI in product workflows Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guests: Derek Pharr, Neha Monga, Roman Gun, and Sierra Hahn-Ventrell.

How is Optimizely reshaping experimentation with AI? Cory Liebgott, VP of Product at Optimizely, joins LaunchPod to share how her team is building agentic AI tools that put customer trust at the center. Cory shares how her team: Pivoted away from risky benchmarking AI to focus on agentic AI tailored to each customer's brand and data Launched Opal, Optimizely's AI suite built on Google Gemini, with strict governance to keep customer data secure Developed experimentation agents that suggest test ideas, run experiments, and summarize results Built internal AI tools like OptiGPT to streamline workflows, from PRDs to customer research, boosting productivity across teams Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliebgott/ Optimizely: https://www.optimizely.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:52 Implementing Agentic AI at Optimizely 04:58 The Importance of Customer Feedback 06:27 Using AI Tools Internally at Optimizely 15:30 DocuSign and the Squeaky Wheel Problem 30:36 Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Cory Liebgott.

How is AI changing the game for sports betting? Marty Styles, VP of Product at Pro Football Focus (PFF), visits LaunchPod to share how his team is bringing pro-grade football analytics, trusted by every NFL team, to everyday bettors. Marty shares how his team: Built Key Insights, an AI-powered feature that simplifies 200+ data points per play into actionable betting takeaways Designed the Player Prop Tool, which combines PFF's grades with market odds to reveal hidden betting edges Used Play Finder and AI-driven film study to transform raw data into instant, searchable insights Positioned PFF as the “Bloomberg Terminal of sports betting”, giving bettors the same edge NFL teams rely on Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-styles/ PFF: https://www.pff.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:46 The Value of PFF's Data 02:14 Transitioning from B2B to B2C 03:17 Understanding the Sports Betting Market 04:38 The Role of AI in PFF's Products 09:00 Simplifying Complex Data for Consumers 10:32 Key Insights and AI Integration 14:20 Ensuring Accuracy and Trust in AI Outputs 17:20 Introducing the Player Prop Tool 19:36 Targeting Intermediate Bettors 22:12 Product Marketing Strategy 25:53 AI and Data Analysis in Betting 29:32 Future of AI in Sports Analytics 33:23 Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Marty Styles.

How do you decide what to build when growth is flattening and you're facing intense competition from free products? When Aleks Bass joined Typeform as Chief Product Officer, she was faced with this exact challenge. In this repeat episode, we cover: * The "Feature Constellation" Concept: How combining features can unlock exponential customer value and willingness to pay. * Prioritization at Scale: How Typeform used a MaxDiff survey to rank 86 features and find a 75% overlap in what all their user segments wanted. * Research-Driven Strategy: The step-by-step process for turning deep customer insights into a clear, actionable product roadmap that aligns the entire company. * Identifying Your True ICP: How the research revealed three distinct customer groups and helped Typeform prioritize marketers, who had bigger budgets and a higher willingness to pay for less mature features. * Balancing Data and Intuition: Why deep domain expertise is a product manager's superpower and how to use research to bolster, not replace, your gut instinct. Find part two of this episode here: https://youtu.be/iNHArB4q2TU Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksbass/ Typeform: https://www.typeform.com/ Resources How To Say "Not Yet" To Enterprise | Deepti Mendiratta, VP Of Products (HungerRush) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/WHapWGbuS0Q Chapters 00:00 How Combining Features Creates 10x Value 02:26 The Challenge: Flattening Growth & Hyper-Competition at Typeform 04:45 The Danger of "Incrementalization" in a Horizontal Product 07:50 Reigniting Growth with a Customer-Centric Strategy 11:50 The Research Plan: How to Figure Out What to Build, Fast 15:15 The Methodology: Using a MaxDiff Survey to Prioritize 86 Features 19:00 Surprising Discovery: 75% of Features Were Wanted by Everyone 24:30 Why Feature Maturity Matters for Different Personas 33:35 Unlocking Exponential Value with "Feature Constellations" 34:30 Case Study: Why "Video Answers" + "AI Analysis" is a 10x Combination 38:30 How to Use Research to Drive Company-Wide Alignment Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Aleks Bass.

On today's episode of LaunchPod AI, we're talking with Joel Polanco, Senior Hardware Product Manager at Intel's Edge Computing Group. He's led dozens of enterprise AI edge deployments and knows exactly what it takes to run AI models locally at scale. In this episode, we discuss: Why AI at the edge will cause a whole new wave of disruption across multiple industries Why moving AI to the edge slashes costs and levels up customer experience And real-world examples of edge AI deployments Joel has seen - from IT assistants to agents that restock store shelves from a single photo Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpolanco/ Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/homepage.html Joel's PM articles on the LogRocket blog: https://blog.logrocket.com/author/joelpolanco/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:32 Retail Applications of Edge AI 04:57 Cost and Implementation Considerations 06:18 Real-World Use Cases and Challenges 12:00 Future of AI and Edge Computing 30:42 Practical Advice for Product Executives 33:46 Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Joel Polanco.

How did an AI agent help 4x the productivity of collections teams? Dave Ruda, VP of Product at Billtrust, visits LaunchPod to share how his team built a collections AI that transformed drudgery work into high-impact outcomes. Dave shares how his team: * Reduced average email handling time from 8 minutes to just 2.5 minutes * Built an AI agent that categorizes and prioritizes collector workflows to maximize efficiency * Designed a “human in the loop” system to ensure trust, personalization, and better customer outcomes * Developed a learning loop that adapts to each collector's voice and scales across email and voice channels Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/druda/ Billtrust: https://www.billtrust.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:18 Billtrust's AI Journey 05:10 "Human in the Loop" 06:22 Billtrust's FinTech Solutions 09:54 Challenges in Collections 13:04 Agentic Email Functionality and Automating Email Processing 17:19 Building a Learning Loop To Better Understand Customers 19:05 Empowering Product Managers With AI 24:33 AI Governance and Future Prospects 27:39 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Dave Ruda.

Why is AI adoption so hard inside companies? Derek Pharr, CPO at Sporcle, joins LaunchPod to reveal the 3 biggest barriers to AI adoption and how he helped his team overcome them. In this episode, you'll learn how Sporcle: The 3 biggest barriers to AI adoption and how Derek addressed them How Sporcle built a “content intern” with Claude Projects to augment trivia writers and improve user engagement How Derek prototyped, tested, and rejected a doomed product idea in under an hour Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekpharr/ Sporcle: https://www.sporcle.com/ Resources How Lattice's PM team built an AI Slack “Intern” | Neha Monga, CPO (Ex-Lattice) | LaunchPod: https://stories.logrocket.com/p/how-lattices-pm-team-built-an-ai Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:17 The 3 Biggest Barriers to AI Adoption 06:35 Building a “Content Intern” with Claude Projects 15:08 Scaling Trivia Creation Without Losing Quality 25:34 Prototyping and Killing a Doomed Idea in Under an Hour 34:15 Lessons for Product Leaders on AI Adoption Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Derek Pharr.

Today, we're talking with Zach Heller, VP of Product at Penn Foster Group. In this episode, we discuss: How Penn Foster plans to literally “fill a stadium” with 150,000 graduates by 2029—doubling completion rates to do it Why they shifted focus from acquisition to graduation—and how that's now driving over 50% of enrollments through word-of-mouth How AI-powered learning tools boosted course completions by 25% in just one year, setting a new record for outcomes Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ztheller/ Resources The Hidden Cost of 0.1% Churn | Ken Houseman, VP of Product (Zuora): https://youtu.be/-wDVkPUK104 Chapters 00:00 Doubling Completion Rates & Graduation Goals 02:04 Filling a Stadium: The 150K Graduate Vision 04:09 Fixing the Funnel: Retention Over Acquisition 06:14 Experimentation That Doubled Completion 08:17 B2B vs B2C: Why Completion Rates Drive Revenue 10:19 Word of Mouth as a Growth Engine 12:21 Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Experimentation Mindset 14:24 AI-Powered Learning: Writing Coach Breakthrough 18:00 Human + AI: Scaling Student Support 20:34 Product-Led Growth in EdTech 24:37 Economic Mobility Through Education 26:41 Looking Ahead: Scaling to 150K by 2029 36:56 Final Takeaways: Experimentation at Scale Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Zach Heller.

Today on LaunchPod, we're talking with Bret Tushaus, VP of Product at Deltek. In this episode, we discuss: How Deltek built Dela—an AI agent framework powering everything from smart summaries to autonomous accounting Why AI is rewriting the role of Product Management, and what leaders need to know now And how Bret's team leveled up their AI skills fast — with short, high-impact sprints focused on real tools and real problems Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-tushaus-b959b56/ Deltek: https://www.deltek.com/en Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Product Management 01:06 Building AI-Powered Solutions at Deltek 03:05 Smart Summaries and Predictive Analytics 08:24 Intelligent Exploration and Conversational Interfaces 17:39 The Future of AI Agents 22:14 Getting Started with AI in Your Team 26:52 Final Thoughts Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Bret Tushaus.

Today, we're talking with Prittam Bagani, VP of Product Management at Chargebee, where they have insight into how over 10,000 customers are optimizing their pricing models. In this episode, we discuss: How AI is forcing companies to rethink pricing - and why usage-, outcome-, and agent-based models are the future Why OpenAI made over 100 pricing changes in a single year and what you can learn about agile pricing experimentation from it And how to build the necessary technical and product infrastructure to test pricing models in real-time across millions of users Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbagani/ Chargebee: https://www.chargebee.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:25 Pricing Models in the AI Age 06:28 Challenges and Best Practices in Outcome-Based Pricing 18:37 Technical Complexities and Real-Time Pricing Adjustments 22:01 The Power of Timely Upgrades 23:07 Hybrid Pricing Models: The Future 24:57 Complexities in Sales-Led Growth 28:10 Unit Economics and Usage-Based Pricing Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Prittam Bagani.

On today's episode of LaunchPod AI, we're talking with Neha Monga, former Head of Product at Lattice and has led product teams at Meta, Amazon, Expedia, and more In this episode, we discuss: The AI workflows that are table stakes for PMs now—and how to adopt them so you don't fall behind How Neha's team used Figma Make + Claude to spin up high-fidelity prototypes, gather customer feedback fast, and slash validation time with design and engineering And the PM “intern” they built inside Slack to instantly surface insights from their massive customer feedback library Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nehamo/ Email: mailto:neha.mo@gmail.com/ Website: https://intro.co/NehaMonga Tools ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/ NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google.com/ Zoom AI: https://www.zoom.com/en/products/ai-assistant/ Granola: https://www.granola.ai/ Clark: https://www.superblocks.com/clark Cursor: https://cursor.com/en Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:31 The Rapid Evolution of AI 02:38 Essential AI Tools for Product Managers 04:04 Choosing the Right AI Tool Stack 05:07 Challenges and Solutions in AI Integration 11:09 Prototyping and AI in Product Development 17:00 The Future of AI in Product Management 19:16 Building Custom AI Solutions 27:20 Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Neha Monga.

Today on LaunchPod, we're talking with Ken Houseman, VP of Product at Zuora. In this episode, we discuss: Why even a 0.1% increase in churn can cause huge losses, and how to turn retention into a growth engine How Zuora made payments so valuable that customers want to pay more - boosting revenue, margins, and customer retention And how Ken used AI to slash prototyping time and unlock faster, smarter product development Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-houseman/ Zuora: https://www.zuora.com/ Resources Subscribed: Why the Subscription Model Will Be Your Company's Future - and What to Do About It, by Tien Tzuo: https://www.amazon.com/Subscribed-Subscription-Model-Companys-Future/dp/0525536469 Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:14 Ken Houseman's Experience 02:45 The Role of Retention in Growth 06:38 Zuora's Approach to Subscription Billing and Payments 10:28 Enhancing Payment Processing with AI 30:57 The Future of AI in Product Management 38:03 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Ken Houseman.

Today on LaunchPod AI, we're talking with Sierra Hahn-Ventrell, Director of Product Management at Apartment List. In this episode, we discuss how they: Analyze customer interviews with ChatGPT, even uncovering a missed insight that led to a full product strategy reset Built an AI Slack bot to flag issues in a new customer-facing tool before they become big problems And transformed sales enablement and automated documentation using NotebookLM and Claude Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahnventrell/ Apartment List: https://www.apartmentlist.com/ Tools ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/ Claude: https://claude.ai/ NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google.com/ Storylane: https://www.storylane.io/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:47 AI Slack Bot for Property Management 03:59 Hackathon Project and Implementation 07:20 Challenges and Solutions in AI Integration 10:19 NotebookLM for Sales Enablement 13:10 AI in Product Strategy and Market Fit 16:52 Pushing AI to Its Limits 17:44 Using ChatGPT for Product Strategy 18:36 Guiding AI for Accurate Market Analysis 20:53 Leveraging Gong and AI for Sales Insights 24:40 Automating Documentation with AI 26:41 Balancing Innovation and Control in AI Adoption 31:36 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Sierra Hahn-Ventrell.

Today, we're talking with Charlie Kaplan, VP of Product at Audiomack about Product Market Fit and how to tell if you've got it or not In this episode, we discuss: How he drove 50x user growth at Cymbal, and why that still didn't matter because they lacked strong fit The story of how he launched Audiomack's product org and scaled to 42M MAUs, on the back of strong product market fit How he transformed failed features into new revenue streams—helping Audiomack grow into a platform big enough to host Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, and more Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliekaplan/ Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/ Resources The Lean Startup, by Eric Rise: https://theleanstartup.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 05:23 The Rise and Fall of Cymbal 13:12 Lessons Learned and the Birth of Audio Mac 16:54 Finding Product Market Fit at Audio Mac 28:40 Innovative Growth Strategies and Experiments 35:11 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Charlie Kaplan.

Today, we're talking with Lanie Schenkelberg, former product manager and current VP of Product Marketing at Inovalon. In this episode, we discuss: The 4 essential elements of compelling product storytelling How to spot weak messaging - and what strong positioning really looks like How Lanie's team led a storytelling overhaul that contributed to Inovalon's growth Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laineschenkelberg/ Inovalon: https://www.inovalon.com/ Resources Make it Punchy, By Emma Stratton: https://punchy.co/make-it-punchy-book/ Obviously Awesome Positioning, April Dunford: https://www.amazon.com/Obviously-Awesome-Product-Positioning-Customers/dp/1999023005 Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:48 The Importance of Messaging and Storytelling in Product 03:01 How to go from Product Management to Marketing 06:10 Understanding the Customer's Big Win 12:45 The Hero Story Format 15:12 The Role of Positioning and Differentiation in Product Marketing 21:23 How Lanie Scaled Positioning at Inovalon 31:29 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Lanie Schenkelberg.

Today, we're talking with Dr. Deepti Mehtani, VP of Clinical and AI Solutions at NextGen Healthcare. In this episode, we discuss: How Dr. Mehtani's team proved AI can be trusted with sensitive medical data - So why are you avoiding it in your own product? The key lessons behind NextGen's AI that turns doctor-patient conversations into medical-grade, accurate, structured data And how Deepti and her team won over skeptical doctors and turned them into AI champions - saving them hours per day in the process Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdeeptimehtani/ NextGen Healthcare: https://www.nextgen.com/ Resources Spotlight Interview: https://blog.logrocket.com/product-management/leader-spotlight-deepti-mehtani/ How To Say "Not Yet" To Enterprise | Deepti Mendiratta, VP Of Products (HungerRush) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/WHapWGbuS0Q Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:04 From Medicine to Tech 03:41 NextGen Healthcare Overview 04:54 AI Solutions for Clinicians 09:17 Patient Summaries and Ambient Assist 18:46 Building Trust in AI 21:12 Data Privacy and Security 27:51 Improving Patient Access 33:10 Cross-Industry Insights 34:56 Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Deepti Mehtani.

Today, our guest is Michael Park, VP of Product and Project Management at Buffini and Company. In this episode, Jeff talks to Michael about: His six lessons from scaling product from zero to $25M ARR The nuance that comes with the “founder mode” discussion And what a self-imposed sabbatical taught Michael about product leadership. Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gotothepark/ Resources Spotlight Interview: https://blog.logrocket.com/product-management/leader-spotlight-michael-park/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:58 The Burden of Digital Inventory and Tech Debt 06:17 The Importance of Focus and Time Management in Product Development 06:48 Challenges and Realities of Product Management Practices 07:37 Michael Park's Sabbatical and Reflections on Product Leadership 13:37 The Value of Consistency and Fundamentals in Product Management 18:25 Hiring for Cultural Fit and Communicating Company Goals 20:47 Transitioning from Founder to Product Leader 27:22 The Role of a Product Leader in Scaling a Business 28:43 The Importance of Founder Involvement 30:45 Balancing Founder Mode and Professional Management 36:19 The Parent-Child Analogy in Business Leadership 41:53 The Debate on Roadmaps: Rigid vs. Squishy 46:32 Product Evangelism and Cross-Functional Collaboration 50:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Michael Park.

We're excited to kick off a new show focusing on the real-world AI applications that product teams are using to become faster, more efficient, and smarter. Jeff has been traveling across the country meeting product leaders, and he keeps having the same conversation: every product person wants to know how their peers are using AI in their teams and their workflows. So we're bringing you those conversations about how your peers are using AI in their day-to-day to move faster and more efficiently than ever before. In our first episode, we're welcoming back Roman Gun, VP of Product at Zeta Global. In this episode, we talk about: The prompting and workflow orchestrations Roman created to automate writing PRDs, one of the most disliked tasks of product managers, and how he has made them into living, breathing documents that initiate collaboration The AI communities and platforms he uses, including Reddit and Discord, to stay ahead, learn new tricks, and gain early access to the best new tools And Magic...not actual magic, but we have a little fun with Roman's side-project centered around Magic: The Gathering, and how he built tools to prototype new decks and beat players with far more experience Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romangun/ Zeta Global: https://zetaglobal.com/ Resources Real-world AI products with Roman Gun, VP of Product: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7syxCetzHU Leader Spotlight: Right-sizing processes, with Roman Gun: https://blog.logrocket.com/product-management/leader-spotlight-roman-gun/ Inside Gemini 2.5 | Logan Kilpatrick | PodRocket: https://youtu.be/2LGKwf2xH7g Tools OpenAI: https://openai.com/ Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/ Claude: https://claude.ai/ Figma: https://www.figma.com/ Coda: https://coda.io/ Notebook LM Discorder: https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/16268096?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop Cursor: https://www.cursor.com/ Windsurf: https://windsurf.com/ Loveable: https://lovable.dev/ ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ Chapters 00:25 AI in Action 01:27 Real-World AI Applications 02:41 Community and AI Learning 06:12 Automating PRDs with AI 11:51 Training AI for Better Outputs 14:48 Prototyping with AI Tools 16:03 Generating Baseline Code with AI Tools 16:17 The Power of Prototyping and User Feedback 16:36 Accelerating the Creative Process 18:18 Magic: The Gathering and AI Deck Building 19:28 Challenges and Innovations in AI Deck Building 21:35 Learning and Applying AI in Real Life 25:30 The Future of Junior Roles in Tech 30:21 Final Thoughts and Encouragement Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Roman Gun.

Today on the pod, we're talking with Kamal Srinivasan, SVP of Product Development at Alludo. In this episode, we discuss: How CorelDraw was modernized from a legacy desktop tool into an AI-enabled, collaborative SaaS product, including: The user research approach that balanced less mature users with the needs of long-time power users And How they utilized AI to power entire workflows, helping all users behave like pros We also discuss Kamal's navigation of a major roadmap misalignment with senior leadership, including: The real negotiation tactics he used to diffuse the initial conflict And his “squiggly line” framework for balancing near-term revenue with long-term product vision Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamalsrinivasan/ Resources Tell Your CEO They're Wrong (And KEEP Your Career) | Steve Nash, Dir. Product (GumGum) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/oeEBy8mJfB0?feature=shared Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:56 From PhD to Product Management 02:47 The Value of a PhD in Product Management 05:26 Challenges in Modernizing Legacy Products 06:11 Understanding Vector Graphics Design 09:47 Democratizing Design Tools 16:23 User Feedback and Product Development 19:49 Incorporating AI in Design Software 21:43 Integrating AI into Design Workflows 22:51 Enhancing Productivity with AI 24:15 Proactive Issue Detection with AI 27:21 Understanding Parallels Virtualization 29:50 Challenges and Strategies in Product Development 38:20 Effective Communication and Leadership 41:52 Conclusion and Future Plans Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Kamal Srinivasan.

Today, we're talking with Mahesh Guruswamy, CPTO at Kickstarter. In this episode, we discuss: How daily reflection on hard moments helped him grow as a leader—and led to his widely praised book How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away with It. How Kickstarter went from “printing money” and experiencing “insane” PMF to plateauing - and how they created urgency and competition to quickly turn it around The actual process Kickstarter used to activate its creator and backer communities to shape a better UX, build real loyalty, and re-ignite growth Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maheshguruswamy/ Website: https://www.maheshguruswamy.com/ Substack: https://maheshguruswamy.substack.com/ Resources How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away with It: A Manager's Guide, By Mahesh Guruswamy: https://www.amazon.com/How-Deliver-Bad-News-Away/dp/B0D7FHTTNN Tell Your CEO They're Wrong (And KEEP Your Career) | Steve Nash, Dir. Product (GumGum): https://youtu.be/oeEBy8mJfB0 Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:09 Mahesh's Background and Kickstarter Connection 02:08 The Power of Writing and Self-Reflection 04:28 Publishing a Book: How to Deliver Bad News 05:53 Effective Communication and Feedback 06:46 Navigating Tough Conversations 11:03 Kickstarter's Evolution and Challenges 14:16 Listening to Customers and Adapting 19:36 Navigating Market Shifts and Growth 20:34 Prioritizing Customer Feedback 25:59 Building and Engaging the Community 29:54 Competitive Strategies and Organizational Culture 34:05 Leadership and Legacy 37:03 Conclusion and Future Prospects Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Mahesh Guruswamy.

On today's episode, our guest is Lauren Schuman, VP of Product Growth at Bitly & former Sr. Dir. of Product Growth at MailChimp. In this episode, we discuss: How Lauren created product-led growth (PLG) as a discipline at MailChimp and turned it into a systematic growth engine The turnaround story behind a failed product launch, and how it led to a 183% spike in adoption overnight Why lagging engagement pushed her to lead a ground-up rebuild of MailChimp's core email editor to improve growth Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenschuman/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Lauren Schumann 03:09 Transition to E-commerce and PLG 07:15 Joining MailChimp and Early Challenges 09:50 Implementing PLG at MailChimp 13:43 Navigating Organizational Politics 19:03 Improving User Experience at MailChimp 19:26 Defining Key Customer Journey Metrics 20:30 Challenges and Solutions in Email Activation 21:40 Balancing Core Competencies and Expansion 22:59 The Role of AI in Product Management 24:50 Human Touch in the Age of Automation 27:48 Future of AI and Personalization 34:50 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Lauren Schuman.

On today's repeat episode, our guest is Steve Chazin, CEO & Founder of Skytech.io and formerly VP of Products at Alarm.com. In this episode, we discuss: Steve's experience working at Apple, competing with Final Cut Pro, and his current role at alarm.com The time he said no to Steve Jobs — and how that pushed his career forward The importance of user-centered product design and the impact of AI in home security Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chazin/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:05 Reviving Apple: The University Consortium 07:04 The iMac and Think Different Campaign 07:37 Lessons from Steve Jobs 11:35 Competing with Apple: The Avid Story 19:05 Current Role at Alarm.com 21:41 The Future of AI in Home Security 27:15 Advice for Aspiring Technologists 29:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Steve Chazin.

On today's episode, we're talking with Jeremy Pollock, VP of Product at WP Engine. In this episode, we discuss: Why speed is the new moat — Jeremy is pushing PMs to use AI, ship code, and move fast, because in the AI era, slow teams fall behind for good How WP Engine is enabling product teams to use AI — through access, training, and best practices that turn weeks of work into hours And, How big, aspirational product goals create momentum — giving teams the motivation to “eat their vegetables” and tackle the foundational work required for long-term success Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dane-molter-6b937231/ Navan: https://navan.com/ Resources (Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:06 Dane Molter's Journey From Amex to Grubhub 01:44 The Grubhub Experience: Embracing Imperfection 04:08 The Push for Hypergrowth in Product 05:19 Lessons in Product Risk and Innovation 06:59 The Bigger Picture: Product Beyond Technology 09:30 Focusing on Bravery in Product Innovation 12:12 Applying Product Lessons at Navan 17:50 Enterprise Travel Challenges and AI Solutions 19:53 Business Outcomes and Accountability 20:13 Learning Business Mechanics at Amex 26:15 The Importance of Small Tests in Product Testing 34:27 Navigating AI and Emerging Technologies 37:45 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr).

On today's episode, we're talking with Rajitha Chaparala, VP of Product at Procore, a construction management solution and one of the most successful examples of vertical SaaS out there today. In this episode, we discuss: How Rajitha and Procore got hesitant construction executives hungry for AI by showing real, immediate value in processing unstructured data, improving efficiency, and taking friction out of core workflows Rajitha's critical processes to ensure data quality, consistency, and collection in service of AI solutions deliver on their promise How you can leverage 3rd party data to unlock the promises of AI Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajithachaparala/ Procore: www.procore.com Resources Do THIS to Build a $1M+ Product Team (ex Google, Bitly PM) | Product Growth Podcast with Aakash Gupta: https://www.news.aakashg.com/p/matt-lemay-podcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction to LLMs and Data Structuring 01:39 The Importance of Data in Product Management 04:53 Impact-Driven Product Management 08:28 Challenges and Solutions in Data Utilization 13:00 Energy Efficiency and Data Insights 16:33 The Role of AI in Data Normalization 19:56 AI's Role in Construction Efficiency 20:34 Automated Area Takeoff 21:18 Leveraging LLMs in Construction 22:33 Challenges and Adoption in the Construction Industry 25:05 Streamlining Information Dissemination 25:27 Request for Information (RFI) Process 31:26 AI Integration in Procore's Tools 33:57 Future of AI in Construction 39:01 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr)

Today, we're talking with Jake Hookom, EVP of Product at Perforce. In this episode, we'll explore: How Jake's focus on "category carving" at Four51 helped them soar above the sea of headless commerce tools and into a successful exit Why most PMs are wrong to measure success on features shipped - it's about solving user problems throughout the entire customer journey And, how Sitecore's enormous practitioner community provided market awareness and a means to drive product adoption beyond anything they could do alone disrupts the world Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobhookom/ Perforce: https://www.perforce.com/ Resources Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, Kevin Maney: https://www.harperacademic.com/book/9780062407610/play-bigger/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:17 Joining 451 During COVID 02:24 First 90 Days Strategy 04:21 Defining a New Category 08:07 Focusing on B2B Market 10:16 Product as a Spectrum 15:59 Importance of Compliance 19:37 Success and Acquisition 20:17 Joining the Java Champions Community 21:22 The Acquisition by Sitecore 22:29 Focusing on B2B Product Sales 24:16 Building a Practitioner Community at Sitecore 25:40 Leveraging Community Feedback 30:00 The Role of Product in Solving Problems 33:52 Engaging and Growing the Community 39:27 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Jake Hookom.

Today, we're talking with Sean McLeary, VP of Product Experience at Intapp. In this episode, we'll explore: How Sean turned Macys.com and Macy's brick-and-mortar into one cohesive experience, increasing revenue across both sources How the team at DocuSign improved the UX to go from tech darling to mainstream product The current landscape of AI adoption, addressing "empty box syndrome," and how AI's parallels to the early stages of the internet help us understand how user behavior might evolve Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smcleary/ Intapp: https://www.intapp.com/ Resources How To Say "Not Yet" To Enterprise | Deepti Mendiratta, VP Of Products (HungerRush) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/WHapWGbuS0Q How to A/B test your product to millions in ARR | Eric Metelka, Head of Product (Eppo) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/3u5vovkAtXc Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:23 Challenges in Bridging Physical and Digital Retail 03:13 Macy's Digital Transformation 06:44 User Research and Implementation 12:30 Impact and Results of Macy's Integration 15:04 Introduction to DocuSign's Evolution 20:42 Challenges in Highly Regulated Industries 21:51 User Research and Common Themes 22:11 DocuSign's Feature-Rich Product 23:40 Sender and Signer Dynamics 28:16 Trust Layer and Proof of Insurance 32:28 AI and Data Ownership 35:42 The Future of AI in Everyday Life 40:37 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Sean McLeary.

Today, we're getting into Part 2 of our masterclass on user research and product strategy from Aleks Bass, CPO at Typeform. In part two of this episode, Aleks talks about: How she successfully launched Typeform for Growth in only six months, which quickly became Typeform's fastest-growing product ever How she restructured the entire Typeform product development lifecycle, adding continuous usability testing as a crucial part of that process And how you can cultivate strong partnerships between R&D and GTM to drive similar success Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dane-molter-6b937231/ Navan: https://navan.com/ Resources (Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:47 Understanding User Personas 02:09 Launching Typeform for Growth 05:05 Product Development Lifecycle 07:49 Usability Testing and User Feedback 13:34 Competitive Analysis and Market Positioning 19:34 Go-to-Market Strategy 26:28 Company Ceremonies and Collaboration 31:04 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Aleks Bass.

Today, we're talking with Aleks Bass, CPO at Typeform. In part one of this two-part episode, Aleks talks about: The exact methodologies for user research that she used to develop a complete product strategy in just 45 days Their discovery of “feature constellations” - sets of features that are worth 10x more when combined than just the sum of the parts How to break the rules of user research for even faster results Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksbass/ Resources How To Say "Not Yet" To Enterprise | Deepti Mendiratta, VP Of Products (HungerRush) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/WHapWGbuS0Q Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:54 Aleks Bass' Unique Career Path 02:07 Challenges at Typeform 06:49 Research-Driven Product Development 11:35 Understanding Customer Needs 33:07 Feature Constellations and Their Impact 40:05 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Aleks Bass.

Today, we're talking with Deepti Mendiratta, VP of Product at HungerRush, an all-in-one POS system for restaurants. In this episode, Deepti talks about: Why you have to just “make the pizza” - meaning experience the day-to-day of your users, not just your buyers, to build software that solves key issues for the business getting her biggest UX wins from fixing the paper cuts that users run into all the time, not just the sporadic gaping wounds And, how to say “not yet” to the allure of going upmarket to Enterprise too soon...because, as she says, once you catch that elephant, you have to feed it Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deeptim13/ Resources Build product like Linear | Nan Yu, Head of Product (Linear, Everlane, BOA) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/7ISWLoQtNOc How to A/B test your product to millions in ARR | Eric Metelka, Head of Product (Eppo) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/3u5vovkAtXc Grow $50 million in revenue in one year | Vaarrun Bimbhat, Head of Product (Jiffy.com) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/SNZWHt0Zu-I Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:07 Understanding the Customer Experience 05:35 Challenges and Insights from the Product Field 14:31 Balancing Enterprise and SMB Markets 26:07 Innovations in Hospitality 32:37 The Future of AI in Service Industries 36:40 Outro 25:48 Building a Pricing Experimentation Platform 27:20 Challenges and Successes in India 36:30 Insights on Prioritization and Growth 38:40 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr)

Today, we're talking with Vaarrun Bimbhat, Head of Product at Jiffy.com, an online retailer of customizable clothing. In this episode, Vaarrun talks about: Humanizing the sale of high-commit items, like furniture, at Wayfair - which led to $50m in additional sales How he built a repeatable process to expand into new countries at Shopify - adding almost 100k new merchants and $50m in additional revenue in India in the first year alone And why developing a billing experimentation platform drove over $26m in gross profit annually at Shopify Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vbimbhat/ Resources (Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:25 Challenges of Selling Furniture Online 02:07 Implementing Product Solutions at Wayfair 06:58 Leveraging AI and User Research 15:45 Exploring Wayfair's B2B Segment 20:10 Managing Product at Shopify 21:02 Scaling Shopify's FinTech Arm 23:12 Expanding Shopify Globally 25:48 Building a Pricing Experimentation Platform 27:20 Challenges and Successes in India 36:30 Insights on Prioritization and Growth 38:40 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Vaarrun Bimbhat.

Today, we're talking with Dan McCarthy, VP of Product at Cyvl, an AI-powered mapping tool for transportation infrastructure. In this episode, Dan talks about: Using lessons from building digital products to improve the physical world around us Dan's repeatable playbook for launching into new industries—and the pitfalls to avoid. How a drop in data ingestion costs allowed Cyvl to open up a new, digitally enhanced way of looking at the world Why nailing the entire go-to-market strategy is just as critical as the product itself Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-mccarthy-24543436/ Cyvl: https://cyvl.com/ Resources Unlock revenue with the zone of benefit | Oji Udezue, CPO (Typeform, Twitter, Calendly): https://youtu.be/2WuAGcRwdv0 Build product like Linear | Nan Yu, Head of Product (Linear, Everlane, BOA): https://youtu.be/7ISWLoQtNOc Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:49 Understanding Digital Twin Architecture 02:40 Challenges and Opportunities in Infrastructure Management 04:27 The Role of AI and Machine Learning in Cyvl 08:24 Future Vision for Cyvl and Infrastructure Management 12:26 Navigating Vertical Markets and Go-to-Market Strategies 19:34 Learning from Industry Transitions 32:18 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Dan McCarthy.

Today, we're talking with Sowmya Sundararagavan, Senior Director of Product at Freshworks, an AI customer service, IT, and CRM software platform. This episode with Sowmya was a master class in product leadership after an acquisition. She explains: The worst thing you can do as a product leader post-acquisition Her process to successfully integrate separate product visions How to bridge the gap between old and new teams during M&As Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sowmya-s-ragavan/ Freshworks: https://www.freshworks.com/ Resources The FinOps Foundation: https://www.finops.org/ How to A/B test your product to millions in ARR | Eric Metelka, Head of Product (Eppo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u5vovkAtXc Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:08 Career Journey: From Banking to Tech 01:56 Navigating Post-Acquisition Challenges 04:47 Balancing Legacy and Innovation 07:44 Customer-Centric Focus in M&A 20:49 Evaluating M&A Opportunities 26:29 The Role of FinOps in Cloud Cost Management 33:26 AI in IT Operations and Asset Management 39:14 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr)

Today, we're talking with Steve Nash, Director of Product for GumGum, an ad-tech platform that matches brands and consumers through AI-powered data and media solutions. In this episode, Steve talks about: How to tell your CEO that they're wrong — and not lose your career The story behind Playground's transition to a product-centric culture, and the pace of innovation it unlocked for the team Why unifying behind Playground's mission of being “the attention company” led to their successful exit and acquisition by GumGum Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenash/ GumGum: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gumgum/ Resources Navigating a digital reckoning in art | Elizabeth Van Bergen, Product Experience Lead (Phillips): https://youtu.be/Rf-7r3PMVuo Unlock revenue with the zone of benefit | Oji Udezue, CPO (Typeform, Twitter, Calendly): https://youtu.be/2WuAGcRwdv0 Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:04 Product challenges and shifts at Playground XYZ 04:38 How to implement product centricity 05:18 How to navigate conversations with CEOs 09:23 How to empower product teams and drive innovation 11:05 Adapting during COVID-19 20:08 Attention tracking and creative Insights 27:33 The role of design and raste in product development 33:01 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Steve Nash.

Today, we're talking with Jonathan Sussman, CPO for over 5 years at Jebbit, an enterprise experience platform for first-party data capture, which was recently acquired by BlueConic. In this episode, Jonathan talks about: Why Product Management is one of the hardest functions to master How to use professional services - usually a cost center - as a source of product innovation that drives longterm growth And, the time when they built to solve internal problems, not customer value, nearly caused an early key launch to fail Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-sussman-0a84462/ Jebbit: https://www.jebbit.com/ BlueConic https://www.blueconic.com/ Resources Building iconic customer experiences with Susan Stavitski, Principal PM: https://youtu.be/TyA7d30ckNE?feature=shared The end of MVPs and prioritizing accountability with Jason Penkethman, CPO: https://youtu.be/-vanNudmXMM?feature=shared Chapters 00:00 Startups and ROI Challenges 00:24 Introduction 01:00 Building Product From Yahoo to Jebit 02:08 The Evolution of Programmatic Advertising 10:02 Transition to AT&T and Product Management Insights 13:55 Joining Jebit: Early Challenges and Learnings 21:46 Innovative Product Approaches and Managed Services 28:31 Balancing Tech Debt and Customer Needs 31:39 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Jonathan Sussman.

When it comes to challenging the status quo in SaaS and product strategy, you can't fundamentally disrupt an industry without failing fast and pushing boundaries. On today's episode of LaunchPod, we're talking with Dane Molter, VP of Product and Strategy at Navan, an all-in-one travel and expense app for corporate travelers. In this episode, Dane talks about: His framework for driving product teams to “be brave,” ship faster, and attain huge goals Why perfect is actually the enemy of progress, and when good enough is actually good enough How to exceed the perceived boundaries of any solution, and deliver product that really disrupts the world Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dane-molter-6b937231/ Navan: https://navan.com/ Resources (Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:06 Dane Molter's Journey From Amex to Grubhub 01:44 The Grubhub Experience: Embracing Imperfection 04:08 The Push for Hypergrowth in Product 05:19 Lessons in Product Risk and Innovation 06:59 The Bigger Picture: Product Beyond Technology 09:30 Focusing on Bravery in Product Innovation 12:12 Applying Product Lessons at Navan 17:50 Enterprise Travel Challenges and AI Solutions 19:53 Business Outcomes and Accountability 20:13 Learning Business Mechanics at Amex 26:15 The Importance of Small Tests in Product Testing 34:27 Navigating AI and Emerging Technologies 37:45 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Dane Molter.

Today, we're talking with Eric Metelka, Head of Product at Eppo, a next-gen A/B experimentation platform for product teams. With a background in A/B testing and data science, Eric has worked in building product at companies like Cameo, SpotHero, and G2. In this episode, Eric talks about: The process he used to cold start G2's review product and turn it into a self-sustaining flywheel His secrets to running great A/B tests that can really prove your impact on product growth How he recovered from Cameo's Engineering Director telling his entire exec team that all Eric's test data was incorrect and what he learned from that Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmetelka/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/eric3000 BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/eric3000.bsky.social Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/ Build Product like Linear | Nan Yu, Head of Product (Linear, Everlane, BOA): https://youtu.be/7ISWLoQtNOc Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:01 Strategies for Gathering Reviews 05:19 Automating the Review Process 07:54 Scaling and Growth at G2 16:38 Transition to Power Reviews 20:48 Challenges in Competing with Shopify 22:51 Product Lessons from Implementation Processes 24:03 Importance of Institutional Knowledge 25:05 Navigating Leadership and Learning 26:04 Understanding Revenue Recognition 27:56 Effective A/B Testing Strategies with Data Science 28:39 Product Experimentation Pitfalls at Cameo 38:33 Improving Digital User Experience at Cameo 41:52 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Eric Metelka.

Today, we're talking with Mikal Lewis, a Digital Product Executive at Whole Foods who drove hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue over the course of his career. In this episode, Mikal talks about: Why you should absolutely (ethically) cheat to get outsized results for your product His framework that drove a quarter of a billion dollars in additional revenue for Nordstrom's online store How to use four types of luck to optimize for opportunity And, how to build a quiet portfolio so that you can choose your own career moves Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikalfm/ How Google Works by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg: https://www.amazon.com/How-Google-Works-Eric-Schmidt/dp/1455582328 The Law of Shitty Clickthroughs by Andrew Chen: https://andrewchen.com/the-law-of-shitty-clickthroughs/ Pretentiousness: Why it Matters by Dan Fox: https://www.amazon.com/Pretentiousness-Why-Matters-Dan-Fox/dp/156689428X Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:02 Learning Product from Windows to Whole Foods 03:53 The Four Types of Luck by Eric Schmidt 07:30 Applying Type Four Luck to Product 16:53 Breaking into Product Management at Microsoft 22:58 Transforming Nordstrom's Digital Product Experience 34:23 Professional vs. Non-Professional Product Management 37:06 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr)

Today, we're talking with Kevin Wang, Chief Product Officer at Braze, a platform that enables businesses to build meaningful, personalized relationships with their customers across multiple channels. In this episode, Kevin talks about: How you can pair high-velocity market innovation with a long-term, consistent vision to beat competition year after year Why you should build durable teams, over agile org structures, to drive long-term success And, a process to partner with early adopters to get the best market insights for your product Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-wang-96131916/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:56 Kevin Wang's Career at Braze 03:11 Understanding Selling to Marketers in SaaS 03:37 Braze's Customer Engagement Platform 08:03 The Evolution of Marketing Teams' Product Needs 13:25 Braze's Future-Forward Product Vision and Strategy 37:04 The Role of Durable Teams in Startups 39:07 AI and the Future of Customer Engagement 44:12 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr)

Today, we're talking with Adam Schoenfeld, CEO at Keyplay, a SaaS solution to help B2B marketers make GTM more efficient. In this episode, Adam talks about: How he built 3 startups to over $1m ARR His process that's allowed him to reliably reach Product Market Fit again and again And the critical mistakes founders always make...and how you can avoid them Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamschoenfeld/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:19 Adam Schoenfeld's Journey to Keyplay 01:59 How to Build A Startup 02:33 Building a Product Audience and Discovering Problems 02:50 From PeerSignal to Keyplay 03:17 Monetizing the Discovery Process 04:05 Finding Product Market Fit 07:11 The Role of Design Partners 13:36 Early Product Traction and Validation 17:49 Challenges in Scaling 19:12 Challenges of Founding a SaaS Company 21:34 Adapting Sales Processes and Proving Value 23:29 Understanding Market Changes and Effective Marketing 28:59 Lessons from Past Ventures and Scaling Challenges 34:19 Insights on Product Market Fit and Distribution 36:57 Navigating Acquisitions and Future Outlook Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Adam Schoenfeld.

Today, we're talking with Andy Boyd, CPO of Appfire, which provides a portfolio of over 100 collaboration solutions. In this episode, Andy details: His no-fail growth formula from driving product-led growth (PLG) at IBM Watson Learn from Andy's product-lead growth examples from his book, Enterprise Growth Playbook The ways he uses data to drive experimentation velocity and avoid decision paralysis How he's slingshotted his career by focusing on working with great people, rather than chasing titles or compensation - and why you should too! Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfboyd/ Website: https://andyfboyd.com/ Appfire: https://appfire.com/ Enterprise Growth Playbook: https://andyfboyd.com/enterprise-growth-playbook/ Chapters 00:00 The Data Dilemma: Product Decision-Making 00:15 Intro 01:16 The Introduction of Product-Led Growth at IBM Watson 02:19 Driving Monthly Active Users: Strategies and Successes 03:16 Understanding Growth: Product vs. Marketing 04:01 The Early Days of PLG at IBM 05:20 From Developer to Product Manager 08:13 Launching Growth Teams Across IBM 11:39 Key Learnings from Developer-Focused Projects 14:51 The Power of Simplicity in Growth Strategies 16:46 Writing the Enterprise Growth Playbook 20:21 The Silver Bullet Myth in Growth Strategies 21:22 The Magic of Compounding Growth 22:31 Data-Driven Decision Making 26:29 Transitioning to Appfire 28:23 Scaling and Hypergrowth at Appfire 31:42 Effective Customer Feedback Mechanisms 35:31 Career Advice: From IBM to Appfire 40:23 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Andy Boyd.

On today's episode of LaunchPod, Jeff Wharton talks to Sean Lorenz, Senior Director of Product at Altoida, using augmented reality and AI to radically improve neurologic diagnostics In this episode, we talked about: How to adapt product to find viable markets The importance of matching product capabilities with market timing and realistic go-to-market strategies How to deal with a product that is ahead of market readiness Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenanyu/ Twitter: https://x.com/thenanyu?lang=en Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:09 Essential Tools for Product Managers 03:19 Career Highlights and Organizational Design 03:49 The Heirloom Tomato Analogy 04:18 Conway's Law and Communication Structures 06:11 Focus and Prioritization in Startups 06:53 Lessons from Everlane 13:23 Challenges in Organizational Design 24:02 The Dangers of Learned Helplessness in Engineering Teams 25:19 High Output Management: Key Principles 27:32 Team Structure and Soft Boundaries 31:07 The Aladdin Principle: Breaking Social Boundaries 31:49 Balancing Core Business and Checkbox Requirements 34:45 Linear's Unique Approach to Project Management 43:42 The Concept of Work Trials at Linear 47:00 Outro Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr)