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Reality and Faith Prompts1. What are the formations or structures for how you know you are in reality in regards to your faith? Do you have indicators? Internal senses? External resources? 2. Who are you in active dialogue with in regards to your faith? Who that is living and who that is passed on? 3. When you encounter dissonance with your reality of faith, how do you stay grounded in your experience?TranscriptsDanielle (00:00):To my computer. So thank you Starlet. Thank you Tamis for being with me. I've given already full introductions. I've recorded those separately. So the theme of the conversation and kind of what we're getting into on this podcast this season is I had this vision for talking about the themes have been race, faith, culture, church in the past on my podcast. But what I really think the question is, where is our reality and where are our touchpoints in those different realms? And so today there's going to be more info on this in the future, but where do we find reality and how do we form our reality when we integrate faith? So one of the questions I was asking Tamis and Starlet was what are the formations or structures for how you know are in reality in regards to your faith? Do you have indicators? Do you have internal senses? Do you have external resources? And so that's where I want to jump off from and it's free flow. I don't do a whole lot of editing, but yeah, just curious where your mind goes when you hear that, what comes to mind and we'll jump from there.Starlette (01:12):I immediately thought of baptism, baptismal waters. My baptismal identity forms and shapes me. It keeps me in touch with my body. It keeps me from being disembodied. Also, it keeps me from being swindled out of authority over my body due to the dangerous irrationalism of white body supremacy. So that's one thing. Protest also keeps me grounded. I have found that acts of defiance, minor personal rebellions, they do well for me. They keep me spiritually that I feel like it keeps me in step with Jesus. And I always feel like I'm catching up that I'm almost stepping on his feet. So for me, baptismal identity and protesting, those are the two things come to me immediately.Tamice (02:04):Whoa, that's so deep. Wow, I never thought about that. But I never thought about protests being a thing that groundsBecause I mean I've just been, for me I would say I've been working on the right so, and y'all know me, so I got acronyms for days. But I mean I think that the radical ethical spirituality that's tethered to my tradition, that's a rule of life, but it's also a litmus test. So for me, if you can't tell the truth, we don't have conversations about non-violence and loving enemies. I don't get to ethical spirituality unless you come through the front door of truth telling and truth telling in that sense of the r. And the rest arrest mix tape is radical. Angela Davis says radical and that's grasping stuff at the root. So before we have conversations about forgiveness for instance, or Jesus or scripture or what is right and what is moral, it's very important that we first tell the truth about the foundations of those realities and what we even mean by those terms and whose those terms serve and where they come from. I talk about it asking to see the manager. We need see the manager(03:24):Me that grounds me is now if something comes in and it calls me to move in a different way or corrects me or checks me in a certain way, I say yes to it if it comes through the door of truth telling because it means I also got to be true and tell the truth to myself. So that keeps me grounded. That kind of acronym is kind of how I move, but it's also how I keep toxic ways of doing religion out. And I also have come back into relationship with trees and grass and the waters and that's been really powerful for moving down into different types of intelligence. For me, the earth has been pulling me into a different way of knowing and being in that part brings me to ancestors. Just like you starlet my ancestors, I keep finding them in the trees and in the water and in the wind. So it's like, well I need them real bad right now. So that's where I'm kind of grounding myself these days.But to your point about grounding and protest, I feel most compelled to show up in spaces where the ground is crying out screaming. I feel like it beckons me there. And we talked about the most recent news of Trey being found and you talked about truth telling and what resonated immediately. And it didn't sit right with me that African-American people, people of African descent know not to take their lives in that way because of the traumatic history that when you say things like you don't suspect any foul play, it sounds like what has historically been named as at the hands of persons unknown where that no one is held responsible for the death of African-American people. That's what ties it in for me. And I feel like it's an ancestral pool that they didn't leave this way, they didn't leave in the way that they were supposed to, that something stinks and that they're crying out to say, can you hear me? Come over here Terry a while here. Don't leave him here. Don't let up on it because we didn't call him here somebody. So I love that you said that you are, feel yourself being grounded in and call back to the earth because I do feel like it speaks to us,But there are telltale signs in it and that the trees will tell us too. And so I didn't have a hand in this. It was forced on me and I saw it all come and talk to me. Put your hand here, put your head here and you can hear me scream and then you can hear me scream, you can hear him scream. He was calling out the whole time. That's what I believe in. That's how I test reality. I tested against what the earth is saying like you said, but I think we have to walk the ground a bit. We have to pace the ground a bit. We can't just go off of what people are saying. Back to your point about truth telling, don't trust nobody I don't trust. I don't trust anybody that's going to stop because you can't fix a lie. So if you're going to come in with deception, there's not much else I can do with you. There's not much I can say to you. And I find that white body supremacy is a supreme deception. So if we can't start there in a conversation, there's nothing that I can say to youTamice (06:46):That's facts. It's interesting that you talked about baptism, you talked about grounding and I had this story pop up and while you were talking again it popped up again. So I'm going to tell it. So we are not going to talk about who and all the things that happened recently, but I had made some comments online around that and around just the choice to be blind. So I've been talking a lot about John nine and this passage where it is very clear to everyone else what's happening, but the people who refuse to see, refuse to see.So in that, I was kind of pulled into that. I was in Mississippi, I was doing some stuff for the book and this lady, a chaplain, her name is Sally Bevin, actually Sally Bevel, she walked up to me, she kept calling me, she was like, Tam me, she want to come. I have my whole family there. We were at the Mississippi Book Fair and she kept saying, Tam me, she want to come join, dah, dah, dah. Then my family walked off and they started to peruse and then she asked me again and I was like, no, I'm good. And I was screaming. I mean I'm looking in the screen and the third time she did it, it pulled me out and I was like, this woman is trying to pull me into being present. And she said to me, this is funny, starlet. I said, I feel like I need to be washed and I need a baptism because this phone feels like so on right now and the wickedness is pulling me. So she poured, she got some ice, cold water, it was 95 degrees, poured cold water on my hands, had me wash my hands and she took the cold water. She put a cross on my forehead. And you know what she said to me? She said, remember your baptism?She said, remember your baptism? And when I was baptized, even though it was by a man who will not also be named, when I was baptized the wind, there was a whirlwind at my baptism. It was in 2004, that same wind hit in Mississippi and then I felt like I was supposed to take my shoes off. So I walked around the Mississippi Festival with no shoes on, not knowing that the earth was about to receive two people who did not deserve to be hung from trees. And there's something very, I feel real talk, I feel afraid for white supremacy right now in the name of my ancestors and I feel like I'm calling on everything right now. And that's also grounding me.Starlette (09:36):I was with Mother Moses last week. I went to Dorchester County just to be with her because the people were here. Take me. I said, I'll leave them all here. I know you said there are a few here, but give me the names, give me the last names of the people because I don't have time for this. I see why she left people. I see why she was packing. So to your point, I think it's important that we talk to the ancestors faithfully, religiously. We sit down at their feet and listen for a bit about how they got over and how they got through it and let them bear witness to us. And she does it for me every time, every single time she grounds, she grounds meDanielle (10:23):Listening to you all. I was like, oh wait. It is like Luke 19 where Jesus is coming in on the show and he didn't ride in on the fanciest plane on a donkey. And if you're familiar with that culture that is not the most elevated animal, not the elevated animal to ride, it's not the elevated animal. You don't eat it. Not saying that it isn't eaten at times, but it's not right. So he rides in on that and then people are saying glory to God in the highest and they're praising him and the Pharisees are like, don't do that because it's shameful and I don't remember the exact words, but he's basically be quiet. The rocks are going to tell the story of what happened here. He's walking his way. It kind of reminds me to me. So what you're saying, he's walking away, he's going to walk and he's going to walk that way and he's going to walk to his death. He's walking it in two scenarios that Jesus goes in to talk about. Your eyes are going to be blind to peace, to the real way to peace. It's going to be a wall put around you and you're going to miss out. People are going to destroy you because you missed your chance.Starlette (11:50):Point again creation. And if you're going to be a rock headed people, then I'll recruit this rock choir. They get ready to rock out on you. If there's nothing you're going to say. So even then he says that creation will bear witness against you. You ain't got to do it. You ain't got to do it. I can call these rock. You can be rock headed if you want to. You can be stony hearted if you want to. I can recruit choir members from the ground,Tamice (12:16):But not even that because y'all know I'm into the quantum and metaphysics. Not even that they actually do speak of course, like words are frequencies. So when you hold a certain type of element in your hand, that thing has a frequency to it. That's alright that they said whatever, I don't need it from you. Everything else is tapped into this.Starlette (12:39):Right. In fact, it's the rocks are tapped into a reality. The same reality that me and this donkey and these people throwing stuff at my feet are tapped into.You are not tapped into reality. And so that's why he makes the left and not the right because typically when a person is coming to Saka city, they head towards the temple. He went the other direction because he is like it was a big fuck. I don't use power like this. And actually what I'm about to do is raise you on power. This is a whole different type of power. And that's what I feel like our ancestors, the realities that the alternative intelligence in the world you're talking about ai, the alternative intelligence in the world is what gives me every bit of confidence to look this beast in the face and call it what it is. This isTamice (13:52):And not going to bow to it. And I will go down proclaiming it what it is. I will not call wickedness good.And Jesus said, Jesus was so when he talks about the kingdom of heaven suffering violence and the violence taken it by force, it's that it's like there's something so much more violent about being right and righteous. Y'all have to use violence because you can't tell the truth.Danielle (14:29):Do you see the split two? There's two entirely different realities happening. Two different kingdoms, two entirely different ways of living in this era and they're using quote J, but it's not the same person. It can't be, you cannot mix white Jesus and brown Jesus. They don't go together. TheyStarlette (15:00):Don't, what is it? Michael O. Emerson and Glenn e Bracy. The second they have this new book called The Religion of Whiteness, and they talk about the fact that European Americans who are racialized as white Tahi says those who believe they are white. He says that there's a group of people, the European Americans who are racialized as white, who turn to scripture to enforce their supremacy. And then there's another group of people who turn to scripture to support and affirm our sibling.It is two different kingdoms. It's funny, it came to me the other day because we talk about, I've talked about how for whiteness, the perception of goodness is more important than the possession of it.You know what I mean? So mostly what they do is seek to be absolved. Right? So it's just, and usually with the being absolved means I'm less bad than that, so make that thing more bad than me and it's a really terrible way to live a life, but it is how whiteness functions, and I'm thinking about this in the context of all that is happening in the world because it's like you cannot be good and racist period. And that's as clear as you cannot love God and mammon you will end up hating one and loving the other. You cannot love God. You cannotStarlette (16:29):Love God and hate your next of kin your sibling. Dr. Angela Parker says something really important During the Wild Goose Festival, she asked the participants there predominantly European American people, those racialized as white. She said, do you all Terry, do you Terry, do you wait for the Holy Spirit? Do you sit with yourself and wait for God to move? And it talked, it spoke to me about power dynamic. Do you feel like God is doing the moving and you wait for the spirit to anoint you, to fill you, to inspire you, to baptize you with fire? You Terry, do you wait a while or do you just the other end of that that she doesn't say, do you just get up? I gave my life to Jesus and it's done right handed fellowship, give me my certificate and walk out the door. You have to sit with yourself and I don't know what your tradition is.I was raised Pentecostal holiness and I had to tear all night long. I was on my knees calling on the name of Jesus and I swear that Baba couldn't hear me. Which octave do you want me to go in? I lost my voice. You know them people, them mothers circled me with a sheet and told me I didn't get it that night that I had to come back the next day after I sweat out my down, I sweat out my press. Okay. I pressed my way trying to get to that man and they told me he didn't hear me. He not coming to get you today. I don't hear a change. They were looking for an evidence of tongues. They didn't hear an evidence, a change speech. You still sound the way that you did when you came in here. And I think that white body supremacy, that's where the problem lies with me. There's no difference. I don't hear a change in speech. You're still talking to people as if you can look down your nose with them. You have not been submerged in the water. You did not go down in the water. White supremacy, white body supremacy has not been drowned out.Terry, you need to Terry A. Little while longer. I'll let you know when you've gotten free. When you've been lifted, there's a cloud of witnesses. Those mothers rubbing your back, snapping your back and saying, call on him. Call him like you want him. Call him like you need him and they'll tell you when they see evidence, they'll let you, you know when you've been tied up, tangled up. That's what we would say. Wrapped up in Jesus and I had to come back a second night and call on the Lord and then they waited a while. They looked, they said, don't touch her, leave her alone. He got her now, leave her alone. But there was an affirmation, there was a process. You couldn't just get up there and confess these ABCs and salvation, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. Why do you think they'll let you know when you got it?Danielle (18:56):Why do you think that happened? Why? I have a question for You'all. Why do you think that became the reality of the prayer in that moment? And we're talking about Africans that have been brought here and enslaved. Why do you think that happened on our soil that way? Why question?Tamice (19:12):I mean I'm wondering about it because when stylists talk and I keep thinking the Terry in and of itself is a refusal. It says what I see is not real. What's in front of me is not right. I'm going to wait for something else.I'm saying, the slave Bible, them taking stuff out of the Bible and it's like, but I feel like the ground, there was something about the ground that indigenous people, that indigenous people were able to help them tap into over here. It was waiting on that.Starlette (19:49):We didn't have punishment. We had a percussion session. So they ring shouted me. I didn't know what it was at the time. We didn't have all the fancy stuff. Everybody had put me in key. We didn't have, we had this and feet them people circled around me. We don't do that no more.Danielle (20:06):We don't do that no more. But don't you think if you're a person that is, and I believe Africans came here with faith already. Oh yes, there's evidence of that. So put that aside, but don't you think then even if you have that faith and it's not so different than our time and you're confronted with slave owners and plantation owners also preaching quote the same faith that you're going to have to test it out on your neighbor when they're getting saved. You're going to have to make sure they didn't catch that bug.Don't you think there's something in there? Block it. Don't you think if you know faith internally already like we do and run into someone that's white that's preaching the same thing, we have to wait it out with them. Don't you think our ancestors knew that when they were here they were waiting it out. I just noticed my spirit match that spirit. We have to wait it out. Yes, because and let's say they didn't know Jesus. Some people didn't know Jesus and they met Jesus here for whatever reason, and your example is still the white man. You have to wait it out to make sure you're not reflecting that evilness. I mean that's what I'm thinking. That's it's the absolutelyStarlette (21:20):Truth. There's a book titled Slave Testimony, and I know this because I just read about it. There's a testimony of an enslaved African-American, he's unnamed. It was written on June 26th, 1821. He's talking to Master John. He said, I want permission to speak to you if you please. He talked about, he said, where is it? Where is it? A few words. I hope that you will not think Me too bull. Sir, I make my wants known to you because you are, I believe the oldest and most experienced that I know of. He says in the first place, I want you to tell me the reason why you always preach to the white folks and keep your back to us is because they sit up on the hill. We have no chance among them there. We must be forgotten because we are near enough. We are not near enough without getting in the edge of the swamp behind you. He was calling him to account. He said, when you sell me, do you make sure that I'm sold to a Christian or heathen?He said, we are charged with inattention because of where their position. He said it's impossible for us to pay good attention with this chance. In fact, some of us scarce think that we are preached to it all. He says, money appears to be the object. We are carried to market and sold to the highest bidder. Never once inquired whether you sold to a heathen or a Christian. If the question was put, did you sell to a Christian, what would the answer be? I can tell you, I can tell what he was, gave me my price. That's all I was interested in. So I don't want people to believe that Africans who were enslaved did not talk back, did not speak back. They took him to task. He said, everybody's not literate. There's about one in 50 people who are, and I'm one of them and I may not be able to speak very well, but this is what I want to tell you. I can tell the difference. I know that you're not preaching to me the same. I know that when you talk about salvation, you're not extending it to me.Yikes. You need to know that our people, these ancestors, not only were they having come to Jesus meetings, but they were having come to your senses, meeting with their oppressor and they wrote it down. They wrote it down. I get sick of the narratives that we are not our answer. Yes we are. Yes I am. I'm here because of them. I think they called me. I think they call me here. I think the fussing that I make, the anger that I possess this need to resist every damn thing. I think they make me do thatTamice (23:35):Indeed, I think. But I didn't get my voice until they took the MLE off, had an honor with my ancestors and they came and they told me it's time. Take that mle off, MLE off. Shoot. Why Jesus ain't tell me to take no muzzle off. I'm going to tell you that now.Danielle (23:52):That's why I mean many indigenous people said, Jesus didn't come back for me because if that guy's bringing me Jesus, then now Jesus didn't come back for me.Starlette (24:07):Come on.Make it plain. Danielle, go ahead. Go ahead. Walk heavy today. Yeah, I meanDanielle (24:17):I like this conversation. Why Jesus, why Jesus didn't come back for us, the three of us. He didn't come back for us. It didn't come back from kids. He didn't come back for my husband. Nope. And so then therefore that we're not going to find a freedom through that. No, that's no desire to be in that.Tamice (24:33):None. And that's what I mean and making it very, very plain to people like, listen, I actually don't want to be in heaven with your Jesus heaven. With your Jesus would be hell. I actually have one,Starlette (24:47):The one that they had for us, they had an N word heaven for us where they would continue to be served and they wrote it down. It's bad for people who are blio foes who like to read those testimonies. It is bad for people who like to read white body supremacy For Phil. Yeah, they had one for us. They had separate creation narratives known as polygenetic, but they also had separate alon whereby they thought that there was a white heaven and an inward heaven.I didn't even know that. Starla, I didn't even know that because they said they want to make sure their favorite slave was there to serve them. Oh yes, the delusion. People tell me that they're white. I really do push back for a reason. What do you mean by that? I disagree with all of it. What part of it do you find agreeable? The relationship of ruling that you maintain over me? The privilege. White power. Which part of it? Which part of it is good for you and for me? How does it help us maintain relationship as Christians?Danielle (25:47):I think that's the reality and the dissonance we live in. Right?Starlette (25:51):That's it. But I think there needs to be a separation.Are you a white supremacist or not?Tamice (26:03):That's what I'm saying. That's why I keep saying, listen, at this point, you can't be good and racist. Let me just say that. Oh no, you got to pickStarlette (26:12):And I need to hear itTamice (26:13):Both. Yeah. I need you to public confession of it.Starlette (26:19):Someone sent me a dm. I just want to thank you for your work and I completely agree. I quickly turned back around. I said, say it publicly. Get out of my dms. Say it publicly. Put it on your page. Don't congratulate me. Within two minutes or so. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. You are right. Okay. Okay. Okay. Did he post anything? No. Say it publicly. Denounce them. Come out from among them.Very, very plain. As a white supremacist or na, as a kid, as children. HowDanielle (26:56):Hard is it? I think that's what made this moment so real and it's a kind of a reality. Fresher actually for everybody to be honest, because it's a reality. All certain things have been said. All manner of things have been said by people. This is just one example of many people that have said these things. Not the only person that's lived and died and said these things. And then when you say, Hey, this was said, someone's like, they didn't say that. You're like, no, some people put all their content on the internet receipts. They did it themselves. That's not true. And I went to a prayer vigil. I didn't go. I sat outside a prayer vigil this weekend and I listened in and they were praying for the resurrection like Jesus of certain people that have passed on. I kid you, I sat there in the car with a friend of mine and then my youngest daughter had come with me just to hang out. She's like, what are they praying for? I was like, they're like, they were praying for a certain person to be resurrected from the dead just like Jesus. And I was so confused. I'm so confused how we got that far, honestly. But I told my kid, I said, this is a moment of reality for you. This is a moment to know. People think like this.Starlette (28:13):Also, white bodyDanielle (28:14):Supremacy is heresy. Yes. It's not even related to the Bible. Not at all.Why I steal away. This is why even the mistranslated Bible, even the Bible that you could take,Starlette (28:33):ThisThe version Danielle started. If you wouldn't have said that, I wouldn't have said that. This is exactly why I steal away. This is exactly why I leave. Because you can't argue with people like that. Now we're resurrected. IAll I need, it's like away. This is exactly why, because I can't hear what Howard Thurman calls the sound of the genuine in that. It's just not going to happen.Danielle (29:01):Can you imagine what would've happened if we would've prayed for George Floyd to be resurrected? Listen, what would've happenedStarlette (29:08):That he called the scumbag.Danielle (29:10):Yeah, but what would've happened if we would've played for their resurrection? Adam, Adam Polito. ThatStarlette (29:19):Was foundTamice (29:19):Psychosis.Starlette (29:21):Yeah. What would've happened? See, don't push me now. I feel like I need to pack. As soon as I said fill away, it's like people keep saying, what are you going to do if gets worse? I'm going to leave my, I'll sell all this crapAbout this stuff. This booby trap of capitalism. I'll it all don't about none of it. What matters most to me is my sense of ness. And when you get to talking, I almost said talking out the side of your neck. Jesus God, today, lemme God Jesus of your neck. You just need to know that's a cultural thing. That's going to have to be reevaluated. God. It just came right on out. Oh Lord. When you start saying things that go against my sense of ness that you think that I have to defend my personhood, that you want to tell me that I don't exist as a person. I don't exist as a human. Back to your reality testament. It's time for me to leave. I'm not staying here and fighting a race war or a civil war. You mamas are just violent. It's what you've always been.Tamice (30:28):Why would I stand in the middle? Why would I stand in the middle of what I know is a confrontation with yourself?Starlette (30:36):Oh, okay. Alright. I'm going to justTamice (30:38):You all. What happened last week is it, it is a confrontation with a really disturbed self and they're trying to flip it. Oh yes. They're trying to make it. Yes. But this is like, I'm trying to tell people out here, this is beyond you, Jack, that was a prophetic witness against you because now you see that what you're fighting is the mirror. Keep me out of it. I won't fight your wars. Keep me out of it. Look, James Baldwin said, y'all have to decide and figure out why you needed a nigger in the first place.I'm not a nigger. I'm a man. But you, the white people need to figure out why you created the nigger in the first place. Fuck, this is not my problem. This is a y'all and I don't have anything invested in this. All I'm trying to do is raise my kids, man. Come on. Get out of here with that. I'm sorry.Danielle (31:48):No, you keep going and then go back to starlet. Why do you think then they made her Terry? They had to make sure she doesn't buy into that. That's my opinion.Tamice (32:00):It's funny too because I see, I mean, I wasn't Pentecostal. I feel like who's coming to mind as soon as you said that de y'all know I'm hip hop. Right? So KRS one.Starlette (32:12):Yes. Consciousness.Tamice (32:14):The mind. Oh yes, the mind, the imagination. He was, I mean from day one, trying to embed that in the youth. Like, Hey, the battlefield is the mind. Are you going to internalize this bullshit?Are you going to let them name you?Starlette (32:34):This is the word.Tamice (32:34):Are you going to let them tell you what is real for the people of God? That's That's what I'm saying, man. Hip hop, hip hop's, refusal has been refusal from day one. That's why I trust it.Because in seen it, it came from the bottom of this place. It's from the bottom of your shoe. It tells the truth about all of this. So when I listen to hip hop, I know I'm getting the truth.Starlette (32:57):Yeah. EnemyObjection. What did public enemy say? Can't trust it. Can't trust it. No, no, no, no. You got to play it back. We got to run all that back.Danielle (33:11):I just think how it's so weaponized, the dirt, the bottom of the shoe, all of that stuff. But that's where we actually, that's what got it. Our bodies hitting the road, hitting the pavement, hitting the grass, hitting the dirt. That's how we know we're in reality because we've been forced to in many ways and have a mindset that we are familiar with despite socioeconomic changes. We're familiar with that bottom place.Tamice (33:38):Yeah. I mean, bottom place is where God is at. That's what y'all don't understand. God comes from black, dark dirt, like God is coming from darkness and hiddenness and mystery. You don't love darkness. You don't love GodStarlette (33:56):Talk. Now this bottom place is not to be confused with the sunken place that some of y'all are in. I just want to be clear. I just want to be clear and I'm not coming to get you. Fall was the wrong day. TodayI think it's good though because there's so much intimidation in other communities at times. I'm not saying there's not through the lynchings, ongoing lynchings and violence too and the threats against colleges. But it's good for us to be reminded of our different cultural perspectives and hear people talk with power. Why do you think Martin Luther King and Cesar Chavez wrote letters to each other? They knew something about that and knew something about it. They knew something about it. They knew something about why it's important to maintain the bonds. Why we're different, why we're similar. They knew something about it. So I see it as a benefit and a growth in our reality. That is actually what threatens that, that relationship, that bond, that connection, that speaking life into one another. That's what threatens that kingdom that you're talking about. Yeah.You just can't fake an encounter either.When I was tear, no matter what I've decolonized and divested from and decentered, I cannot deny that experience. I know that God was present. I know that God touched me. So when mother even made sister, even made, my grandmother would call me when I was in college, first person to go to college. In our family, she would say before she asked about classes or anything else, and she really didn't know what to ask. She only had a sixth grade education. But her first question was always you yet holding on?Right. She holding on. And I said, yes ma'am. Yes ma'am. Then she would, because it didn't matter if you couldn't keep the faith. There really wasn't nothing else for her to talk to you about. She was going to get ready to evangelize and get you back because you backslid. But that was her first thing. But what I've learned since then is that I can let go.The amazing thing is that the spirit is guiding me. I didn't let go all together. You got it. You got it. If it's real, if you're real, prove it. Demonstrate it. I'm getting chills now talk to me without me saying anything, touch me. I shouldn't have to do anything. Eugene Peterson says that prayer is answering speech. In fact, the only reason why I'm praying is because you said something to me first. It's not really on me to do anything. Even with the tear. I was already touched. I was already called. The reason why I was on my knees and pleading is because I'd already been compelled. Something had had already touched me. FirstThey called Holy Spirit. The hound of heaven. Damn right was already on my heels. I was already filled before I could even refuse. I was like, I don't want this. I'm going to always be star Jonah, get your people. I prefer fish guts. Throw me overboard. I don't like these people. Certified prophet because I don't want to do it. I never want to do it. I'm not interested at all. I have no too much history. I've had to deal with too much white body supremacy and prejudice and racism to want anything to do with the church. I see it for what? It's I'll never join one. By the way, are we recording? Is it on? I'm never joining a church ever. Until you all desegregate.You desegregate. Then we can talk about your ministry of reconciliation. Until then, you don't have one. Don't talk to me about a community day or a pulpit swap. I don't want to hear it. All Your praise. What did he say? A clinging, stumble, put away from me. Your conferences, all your multiracial. I don't want to hear none of it. Desegregate that part desegregate you, hypocrites, woe unto all of you white supremacists. If nobody ever told you that's not God. It's not of God. So I don't, for me, my reality is so above me, I know that Paul, because when I don't want to say anything, somebody is in my ear. Somebody was talking to me this morning. Somebody was writing a note in my ear. I had to get up. I said, please. I'm like, now I'm not even awake all the way. Stop talking to me. You can't fake that as much as I push against the Holy Spirit. You can't fake that. I don't want to do it. I don't want to say it. I'm of saying it. And yet I get up in the morning and it's like, say this, that post that. Write that. Somebody else is doing that. That's not me.As the mothers say, my flesh is weak. My flesh is not willing at all. I want to, all of y'all can go on. I'll pack this up and move somewhere else. Let them fight it to the death. I'm not going to, this is just my flesh speaking. Forgive me. Okay. This Raceless gospel is a calling friends. It's a calling. It's a calling, which means you coming into it. I'm an itinerant prophet. I'm heavy into the Hebrew scriptures. I come up with every excuse. My throat hurts. I got a speech impediment. The people don't like me. I'm not educated. It don't work. You need to know when people come to you and say, y'all need to get together, God speaking to you, the Pendo is coming. That's not like an invitation. That's kind of like a threat whether you want it or not. You're getting together.Everybody up. There's a meal ready, there's a banquet that is set and the food is getting cold and you are the reason why the drinks are watered down. That's go. You don't hear me calling you. ComeWhat I keep hearing. You have to know that God is speaking to people and saying that there's an invitation coming and you better get right. You better get washed up. Tam me said, you better let somebody pour that water over your hands. You better get washed up and get ready for dinner. I'm calling you. Come on in this house. Come on in this house. And this house is for everybody. Martin Luther King called it the world house. Everybody's coming in and you ain't got to like it doesn't matter. Get somewhere and sit down. That's that old church mother coming out of me and lemme just confess. I didn't even want to be on here this morning. I told God I didn't feel like talking. I told the Lord and you see what happened.Promise you. I'm a child. I'm full of disobedience.I was not in the mood. I said, I don't want to talk to nobody. I'm an introvert. I don't want to deal with none of this. Get somebody else to do it and look at it.Tamice (40:39):Yeah. It's funny because I woke up this morning, I was like, I'm not, I forgot. And then after all of the news today, I was like, I just don't have it in you, but this is, wait a minute. And it was three minutes past the time. Come on. And I was like, oh, well shoot. The house is empty. Nobody's here right now. I was like, well, lemme just log on. So this is definitely, it feels like definitely our calling do feel. I feel that way. I don't have time to bullshitSo I can't get out of it. I can't go to bed. I might as well say something. It won't let me go. I cannot do deceit. I can't do it. I can't sit idly by while people lie on God. I can't do that. I can't do it. It won't let up. And I'm trying to get in my body, get in this grass and get a little space. But I'm telling you, it won't let me go. And I feel it's important, Dee, you can't stop doing what you're doing. That's right. I mean is this thing of it is beyond me. It is living out of me. It's coming through me. And there has to be a reason for this. There's got to be a reason for this. And I don't know what it is because I know my eschatology is different, but I feel like, buddy, we got to manifest this kingdom. We have to manifest it until it pushes all that shit back. Come on. I'm telling you. Till it scurries it away or renders it and null and void, I'm talking. I mean, I want the type of light and glory on my being. That wicked logic disintegrate, wicked people drop dead. I mean that just in the Bible. In the Bible where Hert falls, headlong and worms eat em. Y'all celebrate that. Why can't I think about that? It's in your scriptures or daykin and the thing breaks and the legs of this false God break. I want that. I'm here for that. I'm going after that.Danielle (43:14):You think that this is what the definition of Terry is? That we're all Terry serious. I'm rocking the whole time. I'm serious. Right. That's what I told my kids. I said, in one sense, this is a one person of many that thinks this way. So we can't devote all our conversation in our house to this man. And I said in the other sense, because Starlet was asking me before he got here, how you doing? I said, we got up and I took calls from this person and that person and I told my kids, we're still advocating and doing what we can for the neighbors that need papers. And so we're going to continue doing that. That is the right thing to do. No matter what anybody else is doing in the world, we can do this.Tamice (43:56):Yeah, that's a good call. I mean, I'm headed to, I ain't going to say where I'm going no more, but I'm headed somewhere and going to be with people who are doing some innovation, right. Thinking how do we build a different world? How do our skillsets and passions coalesce and become something other than this? So I'm excited about that. And it's like that fire, it doesn't just drive me to want to rebuke. It does drive me to want to rebuild and rethink how we do everything. And I'm willing, I mean, I know that I don't know about y'all, but I feel like this, I'm getting out of dodge, but also I'm seeking the piece of the city. I feel both. I feel like I'm not holding hands with ridiculousness and I'm not moving in foolishness. But also I'm finna seek the piece of the city. My G I'm not running from delusion. Why would I? I'm in the truth. So I don't know how that maps onto a practical life, but we're finna figure it out. Out in it. I mean, the response of leadership to what has happened is a very clear sign where we are in terms of fascism. That's a very clear sign.What else y'all are looking for To tell you what it is.Danielle (45:36):But also we're the leaders. We are, we're the leaders. They're a leader of something, but they're not the leader of us. We're the leaders. We're the leaders. So no matter what they say, no matter what hate they spew, I really love Cesar Chavez. He's like, I still go out and feed the farm worker and I don't make them get on the boycott line because if they're pushed under the dirt, then they can't see hope. So people that have more economic power, a little more privilege than the other guy, we're the leaders. We're the ones that keep showing up in love. And love is a dangerous thing for these folks. They can't understand it. They can't grasp it. It is violent for them to feel love. Bodies actually reject it. And the more we show up, you're innovating. You're speaking Starla, you're preaching. We're the leaders. They're leaders of something. They're not leaders of us. We're leaders of freedom.Tamice (46:31):Come on now. D, we're leaders of give us thisStarlette (46:34):Bomb. We're leaders of compassion. You coming in here with the Holy Ghosts, acting like one of them church mothers. We were in the room together. She put our hand on us. YouDanielle (46:43):We're the ones that can remember Trey. We're the ones that can call for justice. We don't need them to do it. They've never done it. Right. Anyway. They have never showed up for a Mexican kid. They've never showed up for a black kid. They've never done it. Right. Anyway, we're the ones that can do it now. We have access to technology. We have access to our neighbors. We can bring a meal to a friend. We can give dollars to someone that needs gas. We're the the one doing it. We're the one that doing itTamice (47:11):Fill usDanielle (47:12):Up. They cannot take away our love.Starlette (47:15):Receive the benediction.Danielle: Yeah. They can't take it away. I'm telling you, if I saw someone shooting someone I hate, I would try to save that person. I don't own guns. I don't believe in guns, period. My family, that's my personal family's belief.And I would do that. I've thought about it many times. I thought would I do it? And I think I would because I actually believe that. I believe that people should not be shot dead. I believe that for the white kid. I believe that for the Mexican kid. I believe that for the black kid, we're the people that can show up. They're not going to come out here. They're inviting us to different kind of war. We're not in that war. That's right. We have love on our side and you cannot defeat love, kill love. You can'tTamice (48:04):Kill love and you can't kill life. That's the only reason somebody would ask you to be nonviolent. That's the only way somebody would've the audacity to ask that of you. Especially if you're oppressed. If the true is truth is that you can't kill love or life, damn man. It's hard out here for a pimp.Starlette (48:38):Really. Really? Yeah. Because what I really want to say isTamice (49:27):I can't. Your testimony a lie. No. Your testimony. That would be a lie. And like I said, truth telling is important. But there are days where I could be that I could go there, but I witnessed what happened that day. I watched the video. It's just not normal to watch that happen to anybody. And I don't care who you are. And the fact that we're there is just objectively just wow. And the fact that all of the spin and do y'all not realize what just happened? Just as a actual event. Right. What? You know, I'm saying how has this turned into diatribes? Right? We need reform. I, whichDanielle (50:29):Which, okay, so I have to cut us off. I have a client coming, but I want to hear from you, given all the nuance and complexity, how are you going to take care of your body this week or even just today? It doesn't have to be genius. Just one or two things you're going to do. Oh, I'm going toTamice (50:51):Take a nap. Yeah, you taking a nap? Y'all be so proud of me. I literally just said no to five things. I was like, I'm not coming to this. I'm not doing that. I won't be at this. I'm grieving. I'm go sit in the grass. Yeah, that's what I'm doing today. And I have stuff coming up. I'm like, Nope, I'm not available.Starlette (51:14):What about you Danielle? What are you going to do?Danielle (51:16):I'm going to eat scrambled eggs with no salt. I love that. I've grown my liver back so I have to have no salt. But I do love scrambled eggs. Scrambled eggs. That's the truth. Four. Four scrambled eggs.Starlette (51:31):And we thank you for your truth. BIO:The Reverend Dr. Starlette Thomas is a poet, practical theologian, and itinerant prophet for a coming undivided “kin-dom.” She is the director of The Raceless Gospel Initiative, named for her work and witness and an associate editor at Good Faith Media. Starlette regularly writes on the sociopolitical construct of race and its longstanding membership in the North American church. Her writings have been featured in Sojourners, Red Letter Christians, Free Black Thought, Word & Way, Plough, Baptist News Global and Nurturing Faith Journal among others. She is a frequent guest on podcasts and has her own. The Raceless Gospel podcast takes her listeners to a virtual church service where she and her guests tackle that taboo trinity— race, religion, and politics. Starlette is also an activist who bears witness against police brutality and most recently the cultural erasure of the Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. It was erected in memory of the 2020 protests that brought the world together through this shared declaration of somebodiness after the gruesome murder of George Perry Floyd, Jr. Her act of resistance caught the attention of the Associated Press. An image of her reclaiming the rubble went viral and in May, she was featured in a CNN article.Starlette has spoken before the World Council of Churches North America and the United Methodist Church's Council of Bishops on the color- coded caste system of race and its abolition. She has also authored and presented papers to the members of the Baptist World Alliance in Zurich, Switzerland and Nassau, Bahamas to this end. She has cast a vision for the future of religion at the National Museum of African American History and Culture's “Forward Conference: Religions Envisioning Change.” Her paper was titled “Press Forward: A Raceless Gospel for Ex- Colored People Who Have Lost Faith in White Supremacy.” She has lectured at The Queen's Foundation in Birmingham, U.K. on a baptismal pedagogy for antiracist theological education, leadership and ministries. Starlette's research interests have been supported by the Louisville Institute and the Lilly Foundation. Examining the work of the Reverend Dr. Clarence Jordan, whose farm turned “demonstration plot” in Americus, Georgia refused to agree to the social arrangements of segregation because of his Christian convictions, Starlette now takes this dirt to the church. Her thesis is titled, “Afraid of Koinonia: How life on this farm reveals the fear of Christian community.” A full circle moment, she was recently invited to write the introduction to Jordan's newest collection of writings, The Inconvenient Gospel: A Southern Prophet Tackles War, Wealth, Race and Religion.Starlette is a member of the Christian Community Development Association, the Peace & Justice Studies Association, and the Koinonia Advisory Council. A womanist in ministry, she has served as a pastor as well as a denominational leader. An unrepentant academician and bibliophile, Starlette holds degrees from Buffalo State College, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and Wesley Theological Seminary. Last year, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in Sacred Theology for her work and witness as a public theologian from Wayland Baptist Theological Seminary. She is the author of "Take Me to the Water": The Raceless Gospel as Baptismal Pedagogy for a Desegregated Church and a contributing author of the book Faith Forward: A Dialogue on Children, Youth & a New Kind of Christianity. Dr. Tamice Spencer - HelmsGod is not a weapon. Authenticity is not a phase.Meet Tamice Spencer-Helms (they/she). Tamice is a nonprofit leader, scholar-practitioner, pastor, and theoactivist based in Richmond, Virginia. For decades, Tamice has been guided by a singular purpose: to confront and heal what they call “diseased imagination”—the spiritual and social dis-ease that stifles agency, creativity, and collective flourishing. As a pastor for spiritual fugitives, Tamice grounds their work at the intersection of social transformation, soulful leadership, womanist and queer liberation theologies, and cultural critique.A recognized voice in theoactivism, Tamice's work bridges the intellectual and the embodied, infusing rigorous scholarship with lived experience and spiritual practice. They hold two master's degrees (theology and leadership) and a doctorate in Social Transformation. Their frameworks, such as R.E.S.T. Mixtape and Soulful Leadership, which are research and evidence-based interventions that invite others into courageous truth-telling, radical belonging, and the kind of liberating leadership our times demand.Whether facilitating retreats, speaking from the stage, consulting for organizations, or curating digital sanctuaries, Tamice's presence is both refuge and revolution. Their commitment is to help individuals and communities heal, reimagine, and build spaces where every person is seen, known, and liberated—where diseased imagination gives way to new possibilities. Kitsap County & Washington State Crisis and Mental Health ResourcesIf you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 911.This resource list provides crisis and mental health contacts for Kitsap County and across Washington State.Kitsap County / Local ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They OfferSalish Regional Crisis Line / Kitsap Mental Health 24/7 Crisis Call LinePhone: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/24/7 emotional support for suicide or mental health crises; mobile crisis outreach; connection to services.KMHS Youth Mobile Crisis Outreach TeamEmergencies via Salish Crisis Line: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://sync.salishbehavioralhealth.org/youth-mobile-crisis-outreach-team/Crisis outreach for minors and youth experiencing behavioral health emergencies.Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS)Main: 360‑373‑5031; Toll‑free: 888‑816‑0488; TDD: 360‑478‑2715Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/Outpatient, inpatient, crisis triage, substance use treatment, stabilization, behavioral health services.Kitsap County Suicide Prevention / “Need Help Now”Call the Salish Regional Crisis Line at 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/Suicide-Prevention-Website.aspx24/7/365 emotional support; connects people to resources; suicide prevention assistance.Crisis Clinic of the PeninsulasPhone: 360‑479‑3033 or 1‑800‑843‑4793Website: https://www.bainbridgewa.gov/607/Mental-Health-ResourcesLocal crisis intervention services, referrals, and emotional support.NAMI Kitsap CountyWebsite: https://namikitsap.org/Peer support groups, education, and resources for individuals and families affected by mental illness.Statewide & National Crisis ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They Offer988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (WA‑988)Call or text 988; Website: https://wa988.org/Free, 24/7 support for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, relationship problems, and substance concerns.Washington Recovery Help Line1‑866‑789‑1511Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesHelp for mental health, substance use, and problem gambling; 24/7 statewide support.WA Warm Line877‑500‑9276Website: https://www.crisisconnections.org/wa-warm-line/Peer-support line for emotional or mental health distress; support outside of crisis moments.Native & Strong Crisis LifelineDial 988 then press 4Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesCulturally relevant crisis counseling by Indigenous counselors.Additional Helpful Tools & Tips• Behavioral Health Services Access: Request assessments and access to outpatient, residential, or inpatient care through the Salish Behavioral Health Organization. Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/SBHO-Get-Behaviroal-Health-Services.aspx• Deaf / Hard of Hearing: Use your preferred relay service (for example dial 711 then the appropriate number) to access crisis services.• Warning Signs & Risk Factors: If someone is talking about harming themselves, giving away possessions, expressing hopelessness, or showing extreme behavior changes, contact crisis resources immediately. Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.
Send us a textIn this episode of UX Leadership by Design, host Mark Baldino is joined by three members of Pendo's design team—Senior Product Design Manager Holly Reynolds, Senior Product Designer John Incampo, and Product Design Intern Ryan Markley—to explore how AI is reshaping real-world design work from the ground up.They discuss how leadership at Pendo has created a culture of experimentation and empowerment, how AI tools like Bolt, Cursor, and Claude are integrated across the product and design process, and what it takes to balance speed with quality. Whether you're a new designer, an experienced leader, or somewhere in between, this episode is full of honest takes, practical tips, and forward-thinking insights into what AI actually looks like in a modern design team.Key Takeaways:1. Culture of Empowerment: Pendo's leadership doesn't just allow AI exploration—they encourage it, creating space for experimentation, risk-taking (without risking users), and team-driven innovation.2. Hands-On AI Tools & Integration: From interns to senior designers, team members are actively using tools like Cursor, Claude, Bolt, and Figma's AI features to accelerate research, prototyping, documentation, and collaboration.3. Collaborative Learning Environment: Weekly product + AI sessions and open Slack channels create a culture of shared discovery where everyone contributes wins, tools, and ideas.4. Practical Guardrails: While AI is everywhere, the team reinforces foundational UX process—reminding each other not to skip steps, misread data, or forget critical thinking in the rush to ship.5. Real Wins in the Workflow: AI is unlocking richer prototyping, better animation handoff, faster research synthesis, and scalable documentation through tools like custom GPTs.6. Design Ops Meets AI: The team is rethinking design systems and documentation with AI—exploring ways to automate OOUX structures, update components, and turn dead docs into dynamic tools.7. Advice for AI Newcomers: Whether you're overwhelmed, underexposed, or unsure where to start, the team shares practical tips for getting started, experimenting safely, and staying ahead of the curve.Chapters00:00 – Welcome + Meet the Pendo Design Trio01:00 – Career Paths and AI Exposure05:30 – How Pendo's Leadership Encourages AI Exploration08:00 – Internal AI Forums, Slack Channels, and Culture of Sharing10:50 – Guardrails, Trust, and Responsible Use13:00 – Balancing Speed with UX Process15:30 – Cost, Tool Chaos, and What's Next17:20 – When AI Skips the Process (and How to Handle It)20:00 – AI in Design Education: A Student's POV25:10 – Real Wins: Richer Prototypes and Faster Handoffs27:50 – Using AI for Hiring, Microcopy, and Design Systems33:00 – Turning Design System Docs into Chatbots36:00 – Advice for Hesitant Designers and AI Newbies42:30 – Wrap-up + Final ThoughtsLinks:Connect with Holly on LinkedInConnect with Ryan on LinkedInConnect with John on LinkedIn Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Fuzzy Math - B2B & Enterprise UX Design Consultancy
Get ready for a hot new series on growth product management. Elizabeth and series host Shannon Peavey chat about the genesis of our latest set of conversations about what can be a somewhat mysterious product niche. Guests from Pendo, Adobe, Tinder, Lovable as well as consultants, advisors and yes, an AI agent, let us in on what growth product actually entails. They give us the goods on the challenges and opportunities that come alongside growth product efforts and hear why unconventional thinking is part of the job. Tune in weekly to hear about the principles behind this discipline as well as tactics, strategies and mindset crucial to explosive success. Whether you're an individual contributor, leader, founder, or advisor, listen in to hear the truth about growth product and how it fits into an organization, affects team dynamics and can accelerate the pace at which a company moves toward scale.#ProductGrowth #WomenInProduct00:00 Introduction by Elizabeth Ames01:07 Genesis of the series03:02 Why growth product is misunderstood04:32 The time for growth product is right now05:49 Our unconventional guest roster07:06 Zigzags: never a straight line07:45 Team tension? Probably9:00 What to expect from guest #1: Leah Tharin09:56 WIP's fall podcast (and conference!) schedule10:36 Where to get your conference tickets
Kyle Touchstone, Director of Raleigh Economic Development, shares with us how Raleigh became the top-ranked large city in the US, according to the Milken Institute. Kyle and show host Gene Tunny discuss the city's success in biotech, AI, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing—all underpinned by the world-class universities and innovation ecosystem of North Carolina's Research Triangle. The conversation also explores Raleigh's growing role in the gaming industry, including its connection to Epic Games—the creator of Fortnite—and the rise of eSports in the region.Please email Gene your thoughts on this episode via contact@economicsexplored.com.TimestampsRaleigh's Economic Growth and Milken Institute Ranking (0:00)Industry Sectors and Infrastructure in North Carolina (5:17)Significant Announcements and Investments (7:23)Population Growth and Quality of Life (12:23)Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Community Support (15:08)Tax Policy and Economic Development (15:35)Quantum Computing and AI (19:49)Sports and Entertainment (43:40)eSports and Gaming (47:55)Lessons in Economic Development (50:39)TakeawaysTop Rankings: Raleigh was named the #1 best-performing large city by the Milken Institute and is part of the #1 state for business (North Carolina, per CNBC).Research Triangle Advantage: Home to NC State, Duke, and UNC Chapel Hill, the Research Triangle fuels innovation with top-tier talent and research.Massive Investment: Biotech firms, such as Biogen, Amgen, and Genentech, have invested billions, drawn by the infrastructure, affordability, and access to research.Quantum & AI Leadership: IBM's quantum hub and regional AI focus are positioning Raleigh as a leader in next-gen computing.Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Startups like Pendo and social enterprises like 321 Coffee thrive thanks to a strong support network and educational institutions.Links relevant to the conversationRaleigh, NC and Gainesville, GA Top Milken Institute's 2025 Annual Ranking of Best-Performing Cities:https://milkeninstitute.org/content-hub/news-releases/raleigh-nc-and-gainesville-ga-top-milken-institutes-2025-annual-ranking-best-performing-citiesRaleigh Economic Development:https://www.raleighecondev.org/Zoom catch up with show host Gene TunnyJoin Gene and other listeners for a catch-up on Zoom on Thursday, 31 July at: 21.30 to 22.30 AEST/GMT+10 (Australian East Coast time)12.30 to 13.30 BST/GMT+1 (British Summer time)07.30 to 08.30 EDT/GMT-4 (US East Coast time)The link to the Zoom room is:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9471595560RSVP by 20.00 GMT+10 on 31 July to contact@economicsexplored.comLumo Coffee promotion10% of Lumo Coffee's Seriously Healthy Organic Coffee.Website: https://www.lumocoffee.com/10EXPLOREDPromo code: 10EXPLORED
Todd Olson, CEO and Co-founder, Pendo From buying startups to speed up roadmap execution to preserving founder autonomy post-close, Todd breaks down the real levers behind successful acquisitions. This episode dives into how Pendo thinks about M&A without a corporate development team, why it rarely buys for revenue, and how Todd's team avoids common post-close integration mistakes by keeping culture, product, and people at the center. Things you will learn: Why speed and product alignment—not revenue—drive most of Pendo's acquisitions The cost of delaying integration and how Todd learned to fix it How to retain founder energy post-acquisition without over-relying on cash ________________________ Sponsored by DealRoom—where M&A chaos meets its match. Your M&A process can so much faster... DealRoom helps corporate development teams take control—streamlining diligence, syncing integration, and eliminating the back-and-forth.
Todd Olson joins me to talk about making analytics worth paying for and relevant in the age of AI. The CEO of Pendo, an analytics SAAS company, Todd shares how the company evolved to support a wider audience by simplifying dashboards, removing user roadblocks, and leveraging AI to both generate and explain insights. We also talked about the roles of product management at Pendo. Todd views AI product management as a natural evolution for adaptable teams and explains how he thinks about hiring product roles in 2025. Todd also shares how he thinks about successful user adoption of his product around “time to value” and “stickiness” over vanity metrics like time spent. Highlights/ Skip to: How Todd has addressed analytics apathy over the past decade at Pendo (1:17) Getting back to basics and not barraging people with more data and power (4:02) Pendo's strategy for keeping the product experience simple without abandoning power users (6:44) Whether Todd is considering using an LLM (prompt-based) answer-driven experience with Pendo's UI (8:51) What Pendo looks for when hiring product managers right now, and why (14:58) How Pendo evaluates AI product managers, specifically (19:14) How Todd Olson views AI product management compared to traditional software product management (21:56) Todd's concerns about the probabilistic nature of AI-generated answers in the product UX (27:51) What KPIs Todd uses to know whether Pendo is doing enough to reach its goals (32:49) Why being able to tell what answers are best will become more important as choice increases (40:05) Quotes from Today's Episode “Let's go back to classic Geoffrey Moore Crossing the Chasm, you're selling to early adopters. And what you're doing is you're relying on the early adopters' skill set and figuring out how to take this data and connect it to business problems. So, in the early days, we didn't do anything because the market we were selling to was very, very savvy; they're hungry people, they just like new things. They're getting data, they're feeling really, really smart, everything's working great. As you get bigger and bigger and bigger, you start to try to sell to a bigger TAM, a bigger audience, you start trying to talk to the these early majorities, which are, they're not early adopters, they're more technology laggards in some degree, and they don't understand how to use data to inform their job. They've never used data to inform their job. There, we've had to do a lot more work.” Todd (2:04 - 2:58) “I think AI is amazing, and I don't want to say AI is overhyped because AI in general is—yeah, it's the revolution that we all have to pay attention to. Do I think that the skills necessary to be an AI product manager are so distinct that you need to hire differently? No, I don't. That's not what I'm seeing. If you have a really curious product manager who's going all in, I think you're going to be okay. Some of the most AI-forward work happening at Pendo is not just product management. Our design team is going crazy. And I think one of the things that we're seeing is a blend between design and product, that they're always adjacent and connected; there's more sort of overlappiness now.” Todd (22:41 - 23:28) “I think about things like stickiness, which may not be an aggregate time, but how often are people coming back and checking in? And if you had this companion or this agent that you just could not live without, and it caused you to come into the product almost every day just to check in, but it's a fast check-in, like, a five-minute check-in, a ten-minute check-in, that's pretty darn sticky. That's a good metric. So, I like stickiness as a metric because it's measuring [things like], “Are you thinking about this product a lot?” And if you're thinking about it a lot, and like, you can't kind of live without it, you're going to go to it a lot, even if it's only a few minutes a day. Social media is like that. Thankfully I'm not addicted to TikTok or Instagram or anything like that, but I probably check it nearly every day. That's a pretty good metric. It gets part of my process of any products that you're checking every day is pretty darn good. So yeah, but I think we need to reframe the conversation not just total time. Like, how are we measuring outcomes and value, and I think that's what's ultimately going to win here.” Todd (39:57) Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddaolson/ X: https://x.com/tolson todd@pendo.io
Tiffany Stevenson (Former CPO, WeightWatchers), Jennifer Rettig (CPO, Pendo.io), and Kelli Dragovich (4x CHRO & Co-host of HR Heretics), joined us for MPL Live in San Francisco.We talked about the pressure HR leaders are under, what CEOs are really thinking, and how we can reimagine performance with simpler systems, clearer expectations, and more human conversations.---- Sponsor Links:
Dinah Awino Kawino is the founder and director of Akadi Eco and Mentorship Ventures.Akadi Eco is a consulting firm based in Kenya. It focuses on bringing environmental mentorship and sustainability solutions to educational and community spaces.This year, Akadi Eco is leading an initiative called Pendo Mazingira. Pendo Mazingira is Swahili for "Love Environment."Awino describes this program as “an eco-sensitivity mentorship program designed to cultivate a sense of environmental belonging through nature-based sensory experiences.” Pendo Mazingira serves both youth and adults.How is the program working?Let's find out. SUBSTACK: Pendo Mazingira Substack - AkadiEco and Mentorship Ventures KenyaPANEL DISCUSSION:Empowering Women in Science: Bridging Gaps and Building FuturesInteresting and honest conversation about being a woman in science. Awino's presentation begins at timestamp 57:22. Her presentation is titled, Empowering Women and Girls: Disrupting Fear-based Silence for Thriving Sustainability Science. This is a presentation by LIAISE.BOOK:Weaving a Green Future: Opportunities and Barriers in Textile Manufacturing in Kenya (Eliva Press, 2025)ARTICLES:Closing the Loop: A framework for tackling single-use plastic waste in the food and beverage industry through circular economy - a review (Journal of Environmental Management)Challenges and Opportunities for Green Transitions Adoption in Kenya's Textile Manufacturing Industry (Frontiers in Sustainability)Assessment of Green Growth Practices in the Textile Industry: A Study of Thika Cloth Mill and Rivatex in Kenya (East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources)LEADERSHIP:The Green Embassy Kenya CREDITS:Producer: Tania MarienMusic: So Far So Close by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License;SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.Subscribe to Transferable Solutions.Affiliate Relationships:Purchases that begin as a click through any Bookshop.org or Descript.com link (or ad) may result in a commission. TALATERRA is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Connect with, and support, independent bookstores.TALATERRA is an affiliate of Descript.com. Edit audio and video as easily as you edit a typed document.Contact Us
SaaS Scaled - Interviews about SaaS Startups, Analytics, & Operations
Today, we're joined by Todd Olson, co-founder and CEO of Pendo, the world's first software experience management platform. We talk about:Offloading work from employees to digital workersWhen most people will opt to chat with an AI agent over a humanThe need for SaaS apps to transform themselves into agentic appsAdvice for serial SaaS entrepreneurs, including a big cautionary tale for startupsAI-generated and AI-maintained code and the ease of prototyping
Ready to dive in to the future of product management? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, Pendo CPO Trisha Price speaks on transforming product leadership in the AI era. She shares her unique insights on how product teams can drive business outcomes, leverage AI tools, and maintain a customer-focused culture while navigating rapid technological change.
What happens when the product science principles are applied to a conference organization? You get Product Collective, now called Mind The Product by Pendo.io. Through events like INDUSTRY: The Product Conference, along with resources such as a member hub and over 100 hours of past conference videos, product professionals across the globe find community, learn, and improve their work. Rather than AI being the end-all-be-all answer, Mike hopes that AI will be used to integrate both qualitative insights from empathetic customer interactions and quantitative data. This evidence-based approach involves testing strategies through small experiments, learning from the outcomes, and aligning decisions with core values and customer outcomes for incremental growth. Mike also reveals insights from his experience working with Bob Moesta on jobs-to-be-done interviews, highlighting the value of going deep in customer research to uncover valuable insights, and in his case, understand attendees' needs and improve the conference and/or community experience. Takeaways include asking deeper questions, spending more time gathering that qualitative feedback so that you can go deeper, being curiously observant of jobs-to-be-done, and finding various modalities in which to gather continuous feedback from the “friendlies” and those who are more hesitant to capture a complete picture. Resources Follow Mike Belsito on LinkedIn Explore the free resources and upcoming events at mindtheproduct.com Listen to Mike on Rocketship.fm Follow Holly on LinkedIn Visit the Product Science Group website Explore Product Science Workshops and Courses Quotes from Mike Belsito (00:06:52) "The job that people hire your product for, you know, if you want to think of it, in jobs to be done context, it may not be what you think it is." - Mike Belsito (00:21:29) "Qualitative data is data. So being data driven doesn't mean that we're relying only on the reports and the analytics. It's not an either or. It's not quantitative versus qualitative. It's using them both together." - Mike Belsito (00:28:15) "It's not just what you've learned, but it's these relationships that are a real value to you." - Mike Belsito Lab Notes Lab Note 607.1: Depth is where you find Differentiation. Lab Note 607.2: Start with observation of the jobs-to-be-done. Lab Note 607.3: Use different modalities to get feedback from a range of people.
This week on the podcast, we're joined by Dave Killeen, VP of Product at Pendo, who shares his go-to AI tools that can help make life a little easier for product managers—tried, tested, and ready to use.Featured Links: Follow Dave on LinkedIn | Pendo | Claude | Manus |'What we learned at #mtpcon London 2025' feature by Kent McDonald and Louron PrattOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.
This is one of my favorite conversations that I wanted to replay this week. If you are in any post sales Customer Success, or Account Management world, you have most likely heard of this week's guest. This week's guest started his journey studying Information Systems and Software Engineering before making the shift into Professional Services, Support, and Customer Success. At the time of recording, he was an Executive VP of Corporate Market and Chief Customer Officer at Higher Logic. Now, he is the CEO of Balboa Solutions, where they help their clients maximize the value of the Pendo platform to power adoption, enablement, and user analytics.This week's guest is the heart of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Mr. Jay Nathan. In this week's episode, we discussed:Customer Centric MindsetNatural Curiosity For CustomersLessons From Duke Energy (Large Enterprises and Heavy Process)The Start of The Largest CS CommunityUsing Your Own ProductMuch More! Please enjoy this week's episode with Jay Nathan.____________________________________________________________________________I am now in the early stages of writing my first book! In this book, I will be telling my story of getting into sales and the lessons I have learned so far, and intertwine stories, tips, and advice from the Top Sales Professionals In The World! As a first time author, I want to share these interviews with you all, and take you on this book writing journey with me! Like the show? Subscribe to the email: https://mailchi.mp/a71e58dacffb/welcome-to-the-20-podcast-communityI want your feedback!Reach out to 20percentpodcastquestions@gmail.com, or find me on LinkedIn
Join us for an insightful episode of the Product Thinking Podcast as we delve into the world of product operations with Jessica Soroky, the Senior Director of Product Operations at Pendo. In this episode, Jessica reveals the transformative strategies that have redefined Pendo's product operations, highlighting their innovative approach to integrating data and AI for enhanced product management.Jessica and I discuss the evolving landscape of product operations and the strategic shifts necessary to elevate the role beyond administrative tasks. We explore how Pendo empowers product managers by streamlining data insights and fostering a cross-functional communication framework that improves product launches and customer satisfaction.If you're eager to understand how product operations can drive strategic value and innovation within your organization, this episode is a must-listen. Gain practical insights and inspiration from Pendo's journey in optimizing their product operations.You'll hear us talk about:09:17 - Evolution from Scrum Master to Program ManagerJessica explains the bold transition of Scrum Masters to Program Managers at Pendo, expanding their roles to oversee the entire product lifecycle and enhancing cross-functional collaboration.15:04 - Leveraging AI in Product OperationsDiscover how Pendo is integrating AI into their operations to reduce the burden of data tasks for product managers, allowing them to focus on strategic decision-making.20:56 - Implementing Effective Launch ProcessesLearn about the introduction of go-to-market checklists and launch briefs at Pendo, which have streamlined product launches and improved cross-departmental alignment.Episode resources:- Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicasoroky/- Pendo: https://www.pendo.io/- Try Liveblocks: https://liveblocks.io/Timestamps:00:00 Coming Up01:17 Intro05:53 Jessica's journey to Product Ops leader11:48 Improving launches through whole-company alignment19:19 Structuring product ops for impact25:00 Building effective cadences and data rituals30:14 Driving data culture and exploring AI tools36:30 Making product ops strategic
After more than a decade of stories, insights, and interviews from the world of tech, this is the final episode of Rocketship.FM… at least for now. In part one, host Mike Belsito opens up about the decision to hit pause on the show. Following the acquisition of Product Collective and diving deep into new responsibilities at Pendo and Mind the Product, time has become a rare commodity. And the little free time that is available? That's now reserved for what matters most — family. Plus, let's face it — Rocketship.FM was always more fun when co-hosting with Michael Sacca. But before signing off, part two of the episode revisits three of the most memorable episodes from over the years — moments that made Rocketship.FM what it is and remind us why storytelling in tech still matters. The show may be going on the shelf, but don't unsubscribe just yet… you never know when a surprise episode might drop. Thanks for listening. It's been an incredible ride.
Featured Links: Follow Trisha on LinkedIn | Pendo | Trisha's 'The future of product management' talk at #mtpcon roadshow Amsterdam 2024Our HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.
During the first wave of the opioid pandemic, the U.S. federal government encouraged states to establish prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) which use predictive algorithms to determine risk scores for patients. These scores, which can point correctly or inaccurately to substance use disorder (SUD), drug diversion, doctor shopping or drug misuse, have a risk themselves, as overreliance on PDMP information for clinical decision making often influences clinicians in their treatment, or refusal to treat, vulnerable people. In this episode, we speak with health law and policy expert Elizabeth Pendo, UW Law's senior associate dean for academic affairs and Kellye Y. Testy Professor of Law. Pendo, who co-wrote the recently published paper, “Challenging Disability Discrimination in the Clinical Case of PDMP Algorithms” in the Carolina Law Review, challenges PDMP algorithmic discrimination, which is far from regulated, as disability discrimination through the lens of federal antidiscrimination laws. Pendo also talks about the revitalization of UW Law's Health Law program through the upcoming launch of the Health Law & Policy Program.
In this episode of Revenue Insights, host Guy Rubin speaks with Ivy Holt, Head of Global Revenue Enablement at PagerDuty, about the evolving role of enablement in driving sales success. Ivy shares insights on the distinction between revenue operations and enablement, measuring effectiveness, and the impact of AI and remote work on modern sales strategies. With 18+ years of experience at Red Hat, Pendo, and PagerDuty, she specializes in aligning global teams, scaling enterprise sales, and shifting organizations from transactional selling to strategic partnerships. This episode is packed with valuable takeaways for sales leaders and enablement professionals looking to optimize performance and drive revenue growth.
In this episode of the Knowledge Base Ninjas podcast, Renee Carignan, Manager of Technical Writers at Pendo, discusses the transformative role of AI in technical writing. She talks about how AI-powered tools are --revolutionizing documentation -- the impact of data analytics in making content more user-centric -- why optimizing for AI-driven search is crucial. Renee shares the best practices she follows to keep documentation relevant and user-friendly. She emphasizes the importance of tracking page views to understand which content is resonating with users and why. She also delves into the intricacies of using data analytics to refine the documentation process. By leveraging search data, technical writers can ensure their content reaches the right audience at the right time. The integration of AI is reshaping technical writing, making it imperative to optimize content for AI-driven summaries to maintain visibility. The challenge lies in understanding how AI-generated summaries are reshaping the way users consume content and how to choose the right analytics tools for deeper analysis. For aspiring technical writers, Renee advises starting with simple documentation projects, like detailing the use of a tool, to build skills and confidence. Catch the full conversation on the Knowledge Base Ninjas podcast for valuable takeaways and pro tips.
Episode SummaryIn this episode of OnBase, host Chris Moody sits down with Chad Holdorf to discuss how agentic AI is revolutionizing B2B go-to-market strategies. They explore the rise of AI-driven agents, why automation leaders are doubling down on AI, and the biggest mistakes B2B teams make with AI adoption. Chad also shares real-world use cases from Demandbase, showing how AI agents streamline workflows, enhance intent-based targeting, and deliver predictive recommendations to sales and marketing teams.If you're a sales or marketing leader, this episode will give you actionable insights on how to integrate AI-powered GTM workflows while ensuring data accuracy, personalization, and efficiency.Key takeaways:AI Agents Are Reshaping GTM – AI-driven agents can help 10x productivity, making teams more efficient while removing friction from sales and marketing workflows.The Biggest AI Mistake – Companies focus too much on the technology itself rather than on solving real customer problems. AI should be outcome-driven.From Data Overload to Actionable Insights – AI-driven intent signals analyze vast amounts of GTM data, surfacing key insights and next best actions for sales and marketing teams.AI SDRs Are Failing Without Context – AI agents that lack proper customer data make embarrassing mistakes, like sending irrelevant emails to buyers who already know the product.Agent Base: AI with Context & Accuracy – Demandbase's Agent Base ensures that AI-driven sales and marketing actions are informed by accurate, unified data, preventing misalignment between teams.AI Must Be Embedded in the Workflow – AI agents should enhance existing workflows rather than requiring users to switch between multiple tools, ensuring smooth execution.Future of AI in B2B – The next wave of AI will focus on deep research capabilities, personalized recommendations, and predictive actions, eliminating guesswork for GTM teams.Quotes:"The most powerful AI agents aren't just about automation – they're about solving real customer problems and making revenue teams more effective.""Without the right data, AI agents are just noise. The difference between success and failure in AI-driven GTM is data accuracy and context."Best moments:03:00–05:00: Chad shares his journey to Demandbase and his vision for AI-powered GTM strategies.08:00–10:00: Why AI adoption is skyrocketing but the execution still lags behind in B2B companies.12:00–15:00: Breaking down how Agent Base delivers real-time AI-driven insights without adding complexity.18:00–22:00: The biggest failures of AI SDRs and how data-driven AI agents can solve these issues.25:00–30:00: The future of AI in sales & marketing – from predictive modeling to agent-driven engagement.Tech recommendations:Perplexity AI – AI-powered deep research for customer insights & content generation.OpenAI / Gemini – AI tools for data processing & workflow automation.Book recommendations:The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey – A classic on performance psychology & learning through observation.Podcast recommendations:My First Million – A business podcast that breaks down growth strategies & success stories.Leaders to follow:Gabe Rogol, CEO at DemandbaseUmberto Milletti, Chief R&D Officer at DemandbaseKelly Hopping, CMO at DemandbaseMarc Benioff, Chair & CEO at Salesforce.Parker Harris, CTO at SalesforceSign up for AgentbaseMeet Chad at the Forrester B2B Summit (March 30) & EMEA Conference in London (April 30).Sign up for Demandbase's AI Agent Design Partner Program – coming soon!Follow Chad Holdorf on LinkedIn for AI-driven B2B insights.About the guest:Chad Holdorf is VP of Product at Demandbase, leading product to transform how marketers drive pipeline and revenue. With 15+ years in product, including leadership roles at Pendo, Salesforce, and John Deere, he builds high-performing teams, drives bold product strategies, and delivers results.Connect with Chad Holdorf.
As AI increasingly enters the workplace, are you leveraging its potential to augment your workforce, or are you at risk of being left behind in the era of multisapiens collaboration? Joining us today is Dr. Tatyana Mamut, Co-Founder and CEO of Wayfound, a company pioneering the integration of AI and human workforces. With a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology and extensive leadership experience at companies like Amazon, Salesforce, and IDEO, Tatyana brings a unique perspective on how AI can drive cultural shifts and redefine the future of work. At Wayfound, she's leading the charge to make AI agents a seamless part of our workforces, enabling humans and machines to collaborate more effectively than ever before. Dr. Tatyana Mamut is the CEO and Co-Founder of Wayfound where she is driving the next frontier of workforces through AI management for a more seamless multisapiens workforce. Leveraging her Ph.D in Cultural Anthropology, Mamut brings a unique approach to innovating in technology to use AI as the singular largest force for cultural shifts and impacts in the next century. Prior to Wayfound, she led product development and design at Pendo, where she met her co-founder, Chad Burnette. She's held other senior leadership roles at household tech names like Amazon, Salesforce, IDEO, and more. Wayfound is meeting the new era of the multisapiens workplace with innovative AI technology that helps monitor, coordinate and align priorities across various AI agents for streamlined systems that accomplish goals more autonomously and effectively. Wayfound is the most integral AI agent, trained to manage your other AI agents. RESOURCES Wayfound website: https://www.wayfound.ai/ Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Listen to The Agile Brand without the ads. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3ymf7hd Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company
Send us a textThis episode dives deep into the intricate relationship between product adoption monitoring and customer success. Eleni Vorvis, a seasoned customer success professional, shares her expertise on implementing effective monitoring strategies and establishing robust feedback loops with product management teams. The discussion explores both quantitative and qualitative approaches to tracking adoption, emphasizing the importance of cross-functional collaboration and clear communication channels.Detailed AnalysisThe episode presents a comprehensive framework for monitoring product adoption and managing product feedback, highlighting several key strategic elements:Strategic Approach to Adoption MonitoringThe discussion emphasizes the critical importance of a unified approach to monitoring product adoption. Rather than siloing this responsibility, organizations should foster collaboration between teams and establish clear ownership of monitoring processes. This includes leveraging various tools such as in-app analytics, Pendo, and BI tools to gather comprehensive usage data.Data Collection and AnalysisA dual approach to data collection emerges as a best practice:Quantitative metrics: Tracking user login frequency, feature usage, and engagement patternsQualitative feedback: Gathering user experiences, challenges, and success stories through direct communication channelsCommunication Channels and ToolsThe episode outlines various methods for managing product feedback:Dedicated Slack channels for real-time feedback sharingRegular cross-functional huddles with product teamsJIRA integration for structured feedback managementCustomer portals for direct feature requests and votingProduct Development Process UnderstandingA key insight reveals the importance of CS teams understanding the product development lifecycle, including:Sprint duration and planningStory point allocationEpic creation and managementFeature prioritization criteriaEmerging Technology IntegrationThe discussion touches on the evolving role of AI in product adoption monitoring:Custom GPTs for data synthesisAI-powered BI tools for comprehensive customer insightsIn-app guidance systemsAgentic AI for user assistanceBest Practices for Customer CommunicationThe episode emphasizes transparent communication with customers regarding:Feature request processesRoadmap expectationsDevelopment timelinesPrioritization criteriaThis comprehensive approach to product adoption monitoring demonstrates the evolving nature of customer success and its crucial role in product development and customer satisfaction.Please Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.
“HR Heretics†| How CPOs, CHROs, Founders, and Boards Build High Performing Companies
Kelli and Nolan examine the art of building authentic company values. Through real-world experiences, they reveal the methodical process of transforming abstract principles into tangible organizational behavior that drives meaningful cultural change.*Email us your ‘Dear Heretics' questions: hrheretics@turpentine.co**For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/HR Heretics is a podcast from Turpentine.—Support HR Heretics Sponsor: Metaview is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics—KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(00:13) Discussion on Company Values(01:30) Importance of Leadership and Top Performer Alignment(02:19) Company Core Values and Honesty(02:43) Scaling Culture in Founder-Led Companies(03:46) Making the Intangible Tangible(04:23) Revealed vs. Stated Character(04:40) The Benefit of Outsourcing the Process of Developing Company Values(05:54) Company Values Are Always Evolving(06:27) The Goldilocks Approach(07:48) Sponsor: Metaview(09:52) Quick Process to Rough Draft(10:20) Doordash Example(11:56) Pendo's Working Committee and Bottoms Up Approach(13:19) The Importance of Timing(14:25) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com
Why has the case against the Kenyan police officers allegedly involved in the death of six-month old Samantha Pendo been delayed yet again? Seven years on, her parents are still seeking justice after a court hearing into the case was adjourned for the third time. What happens to stolen funds and assets when they are recovered and repatriated to the country where they were taken from? And as President Trump begins his second term in office, will he make it a mission to end wars in Africa?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Stephania Okereke, Nyasha Michelle and Kaine Pieri in London. Charles Gitonga was in Nairobi Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
Welcome to the UNLEARN Podcast! Today, we're joined by a thought leader and prolific voice in product management and organizational design, John Cutler. With a unique ability to navigate the “beautiful mess” of product development, John has spent his career exploring the complex overlaps of product, UX, and strategy.Currently serving as Head of Product at Dotwork, John has previously held impactful roles such as Senior Director of Product Enablement at Toast and Product Evangelist at Amplitude, where he collaborated with thousands of product teams worldwide. His extensive experience spans B2B SaaS giants like Zendesk, Pendo, and AppFolio, as well as B2C, ad-tech, banking, and media industries.Known for his insightful writing, John has authored nearly a thousand posts across various platforms, captivating readers with his deep understanding of product dynamics. Whether you're seeking to level up your product thinking or gain practical tips on team enablement, John's expertise offers unparalleled insights.Key Takeaways:The Beautiful Mess of Product Development: John's approach to embracing complexity and context in product management to uncover innovative solutions.Unlearning and Growth: How letting go of rigid practices and adapting to change can unlock greater potential for teams and leaders.Writing as a Catalyst for learning: The power of consistent writing in shaping ideas, refining strategies, and building meaningful connections in the product community.Additional Insights:Product Ecosystems in Flux: John talks about the dynamic nature of product management, highlighting how roles and best practices evolve with organizational and market shifts.Gamifying the Creative Process: Insights into how John uses tools and techniques to make writing, ideation, and problem-solving more engaging and productive.Rethinking Organizational Models: Exploring how companies can overcome challenges by reimagining structures, roles, and team dynamics for the modern era.Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation with John Cutler on embracing complexity, fostering innovation, and mastering the art of unlearning!Episode Highlights: 00:36 - Episode Introduction"I don't think we need a product manager for every 4 to 7 people. A software as a service company is much more of a service ecology." 01:15 - Introducing John Cutler"John is one of the most insightful voices in product management, with a career spanning roles at Toast, Amplitude, and beyond."03:46 - Discovering the "Beautiful Mess" of Product"I've always been fascinated by the overlaps—where product, UX, and strategy collide in unpredictable ways."11:27 - The Importance of Writing and Sharing Ideas"I realized that writing wasn't just for others—it was for me to process and refine my thinking."15:59 - Finding Your Path Through Experimentation"Everybody finds their way if you're willing to experiment and try. It's like software—the rate of iteration and the velocity of creation allow you to refine and...
Our first episode of 2025 will feature the Indian epic "Mahabharata" which is authored by Sage Vedavyasa. Our host, Preethy Padmanabhan guides an inspiring conversation with Tatyana Mamut, Co-founder and CEO of Wayfound. They discuss the concept of Dharma (duty, moral law) that plays a central role in the Mahabharata. Tatyana was the Board Director and Chair of Comp Committee for UserTesting's IPO on NYSE. She is a leader and builder of successful new products & businesses at Nextdoor, Amazon, Salesforce, IDEO, and Pendo. She has 15 patents & patents pending for technology inventions, including 5 for GenerativeAI innovations. Topics: 00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Time 00:48 Welcome to 10x Growth Strategies Podcast 01:15 Guest Introduction: Tatyana Mamut 01:54 Tatyana's Personal Journey 04:09 Exploring the Mahabharata 07:29 Leadership Lessons from the Mahabharata 10:58 Key Takeaways on Leadership 15:40 Understanding Dharma and Duty 25:07 Lessons from Arjuna 34:11 Self-Awareness and Overcoming Failures 38:40 Final Words of Wisdom Read the book: Amazon - https://a.co/d/gyKPLHi Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata
How do you gain founders' trust and lead HR in high-growth companies? Kelli Dragovich, Former Chief People Officer at Pendo.io, believes it all begins with understanding who they are and what they care about. With over two decades of HR leadership, Kelli reveals how she's built successful partnerships with visionary founders while navigating the complex world of company culture and leadership. She highlights the importance of adaptability and staying focused on long-term career growth while remaining true to your leadership style. Kelli's perspective offers a roadmap for HR leaders to balance business priorities with personal values, helping them navigate challenges and thrive in their roles. Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Kelli Dragovich (04:16) Kelli's transition to executive coaching and her business-first approach to HR (07:06) Challenges of working with founders and aligning HR with their unique leadership styles (13:04) How to choose the right organizations and leaders to work with (16:44) Advice for mid-level HR leaders looking to level up their careers (24:45) The value of networking and looking beyond your current role Resources: For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you? Join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Adam's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following him on LinkedIn. Click here to download 15Five's HR Outcomes Playbook! For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here. Kelli Dragovich LinkedIn - click here!
We have covered Product Analytics tools in the past, including Pendo, Amplitude, Mixpanel, Heap and some new comers like LogRocket, PostHog and FullStory.There are many more tools in the market, and many of the favorite ones are also improving and changing, with new improvements and functionalities that create more value to their users.We are fortunate to have more product leaders who are interested in looking at how our tools of the trade compare, and the value to our community. Such a leader is Aakash Gupta, Chief Product Officer at Product Growth, author and podcaster of the Product Growth newsletter and podcast. In a recent LinkedIn post, Aakash published the result of his research looking into the top leading Product Analytics products (see link to the post below).We had the pleasure of chatting with Aakash about his research, and learning from him about his research, as well as about the role of Product Growth Managers. Join Matt and Moshe as they explore with Aakash:How he got to Product ManagementHis first experience with a real Product Analytics productHow he researched the industry for the post What he discovered on the way about these products and some key differentiatorsSome of the niche products in the marketHow the different tools are adopting AIHow startups can utilize these toolsHis prediction on who will winThe power it gives product managers, and especially Product Growth ManagersInsights into the role of Product Growth ManagersAnd so much more…You can connect with Aakash at:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aagupta/Product Growth newsletter and podcast: https://www.news.aakashg.com/LinkedIn post “What I learned about the top Product Analytics players”: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aagupta_based-on-3-months-of-research-25-buyer-activity-7226944089210982401-QnKwYou can find the podcast's page, and connect with Matt and Moshe on Linkedin: Product for Product Podcast - linkedin.com/company/product-for-product-podcastMatt Green - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgreenproduct/Moshe Mikanovsky - linkedin.com/in/mikanovsky/ Note: any views mentioned in the podcast are the sole views of our hosts and guests, and do not represent the products mentioned in any way.Please leave us a review and feedback ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, Battery Ventures Operating Partner, Bill Binch, talks with Revenue Builders on getting specific on what makes your reps successful and the importance of understanding that success profile as a CRO. If you are hiring in 2025, don't miss this segment. KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:27] - Introduction to Bill Binch's career highlights (Battery Ventures, Pendo, Marketo).[00:01:11] - The importance of having a clear and compelling personal and company value proposition as a CRO.[00:02:17] - Lessons from Marketo: Hiring top talent and being ruthless about performance in the early days.[00:03:15] - Defining traits of successful sales reps and discovering the “Monday Morning Meeting Rule.”[00:04:11] - Inputs that predict outputs: The critical metric of nine weekly customer-facing meetings.[00:05:02] - Structuring onboarding and enablement to align activity with success expectations.[00:05:38] - Setting success profiles in interviews to align hiring with organizational goals.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES[00:01:11] - "As a CRO, if you're not audible-ready with your employee value prop or your own story, you're at risk. You're really at risk."[00:02:56] - "If you weren't cutting it at Marketo in 60 days, it was a hard place to be. That ruthlessness shaped our success."[00:03:48] - "Our reps who start the week with nine customer-facing meetings consistently hit quota. Meetings multiply."[00:05:02] - "We shifted enablement from outputs to inputs—measuring activity first to build downstream results."[00:05:38] - "When you start here, this is what we're going to manage you to. Does that sound good?"Listen to Bill's Full Episode Here: https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/a-revenue-builders-journey-from-seller-to-leader-to-operating-partner/Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox:https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0Check out John McMahon's book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management's Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging
Questions covered in this episode: 0:32 Opening Question: Journey into and through product marketing2:57 Can you share any stories about a memorable launch that you've been a part of and how you've adapted to make it a success? 10:32 How do you think about messaging and working with analysts or cross-functional partners to ensure that messaging is cutting through the noise effectively? 18:35 How do you balance speed to market while ensuring that all of the launch elements are in place and fully ready?22:20 How do you whether as a Pendo or in another company you've been a part of integrate competitive insights into your launch strategy to ensure that your positioning not only stands out but counters any competitors?26:27 How do you encourage product marketers, whether its a brand new product marketer who's just joined your team or somebody who's joining your team as a fairly senior product marketer to have a thorough understanding of the competitive landscape?31: 17 How do you think about creating that rolling thunder and ensuring a launch not only goes smoothly, but it has a lasting impact beyond that initial day or event?Want more insights from Jackie? Check out her Sharebird Profile.Looking to connect? You can find Jackie here on LinkedIn.
“HR Heretics†| How CPOs, CHROs, Founders, and Boards Build High Performing Companies
How do you lead product when your CEO is the product visionary? Pendo's Chief Product Officer Trisha Price reveals the delicate dance of setting boundaries with founder-CEOs, the evolution of HR from gatekeeper to strategic partner, and why she uses AI to write letters to her 102-year-old grandmother. A candid conversation about power, trust, and the changing face of tech leadership.*Email us your questions or topics for Kelli & Nolan: hrheretics@turpentine.coFor coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/HR Heretics is a podcast from Turpentine.
The Top Entrepreneurs in Money, Marketing, Business and Life
Co-Founder Eric Boduch joins Latka on stage to share how they got 2,842 leads in Q2 2017. This helped them hit $15m in ARR before growing to over $200m today in Sept 2024. Will Pendo hit $300m before Dec 2025?
Kelly Dragovich, former Chief People Officer at Pendo, is a seasoned HR leader, advisor, and coach with extensive experience guiding mid-to senior-level professionals, particularly HR Leaders and Founder/CEOs. Kelly is a four-time Chief HR Officer and co-host of the HR Heretics podcast. Special thanks to our sponsors: Alderson James https://aldersonjames.com/ Metaview https://www.metaview.ai/
In this revealing episode of Rocketship.FM, host Mike Belsito pulls back the curtain on a significant milestone: Product Collective's acquisition by Pendo. Mike shares the origin story of Product Collective, from its humble beginnings as a passion project to its growth into a cornerstone of the product community. He candidly discusses the challenges of running a bootstrapped company and the exciting possibilities that come with joining forces with a larger entity like Pendo. The episode features an exclusive interview with Todd Olson, CEO of Pendo, who provides insights into the company's commitment to community building and its vision for the future of product management. Together, Mike and Todd explore how this acquisition will impact the broader product community, discussing plans for expanded events, increased resources, and a more connected global network of product professionals. This episode offers listeners a unique behind-the-scenes look at a major industry move and its potential to shape the future of product management education and community.
How is AI reshaping the landscape of product-led growth? Join us as we chat with Nicole Mace, the SVP of Product and User Experience at Pendo, who offers an insider's perspective on the AI revolution within product management. Featured Links: Follow Nichole on LinkedIn | Pendo | 'Six things we learned at the Pendomonium + #mtpcon roadshow London 2024' feature by Louron PrattOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.
SaaStr 760: CRO Confidential: Rippling's Top 3 Growth Tactics for Driving Revenue at Scale with Rippling CRO Matt Plank and Former CRO at Brex Sam Blond At this year's SaaStr Annual, Rippling's CRO, Matt Plank, chats with Sam Blond, host of the SaaStr CRO Confidential and former CRO at Brex, about Rippling's top 3 growth tactics, which have led to the Rippling becoming a $14B company with several hundred million of ARR. A few years ago, Matt was making cold calls from CEO Parker Conrad's basement, and he's helped bring Rippling to where it is today. The three growth tactics that worked for Rippling can be categorized into three different stages: Outbound Increasing closed-won revenue rates Serving customers and expanding revenue in the base -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2025 at: SaaStr Annual: May. 13-15 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Get your early bird tickets TODAY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by: Pendo This episode is sponsored by our good friends at Pendo the all-in-one product experience platform. Pendo brings together product analytics. Guides discovery and replay. So you can improve your product experiences for every customer and employee try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by: remote.com Ready to expand into new markets with confidence? Remote's comprehensive HR suite propels your growth from the ground up. From setting up new entities and managing intellectual property, to overseeing contractor compliance Remote makes scaling effortless.With their platform and partnership, your business grows not just bigger, but smarter. Transform your growth today with remote at Remote.com.
SaaStr 759: 5 Metrics that Matter When Raising Your SaaS Series A and Series B Round with Christoph Janz, Partner at Point Nine Capital What data and metrics do you need to convince SaaS investors you're in good shape and aligned with what they care about? Christoph Janz, Partner at Point Nine Capital, shares 5 key insights during this year's SaaStr Annual. These metrics are more targeted to those preparing for a Series A or B round and could make the difference between an excited-to-invest-in-you investor and a pass. Why should you spend the time getting your act together before fundraising? If your data is self-explanatory, in good shape, easy to understand, and aligned with what investors care about, you avoid a lot of unnecessary back and forth. Less time clarifying what your metrics mean results in more time to talk to more investors in parallel and increased confidence with each of those investors. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2025 at: SaaStr Annual: May. 13-15 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Get your early bird tickets TODAY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by: Pendo This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform. Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by: remote.com Big things start like this. Every industry leader began with a simple idea and the courage to dream big. At Remote, we're here to help you turn your vision into reality. From onboarding top talent to managing payroll worldwide, our tools and expertise support your journey from initial start to impressive growth worldwide. Start anywhere. Grow everywhere. Forge your path to success at Remote.com.
SaaStr 758: Avoid These Common Founder Mistakes to Hire a Great VP of Sales in 2024 with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin In this episode of the official SaaStr podcast, we delve into the common pitfalls founders encounter when hiring a VP of Sales. SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin kicked off the SaaStr Annual by reflecting on twelve years of hiring lessons, sharing critical insights into why sales leaders fail and how founders can avoid these mistakes. The discussion covers the importance of due diligence, understanding the product, embracing sales involvement post-hire, and recognizing the signs of jaded or broken candidates. The episode emphasizes the need for rigorous hiring processes and the impact of a bad hire on startup growth. Tune in for practical advice to ensure your next critical hire drives success. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2025 at: SaaStr Annual: May. 13-15 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Get your early bird tickets TODAY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by: Pendo This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform. Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by: remote.com Big things start like this. Every industry leader began with a simple idea and the courage to dream big. At Remote, we're here to help you turn your vision into reality. From onboarding top talent to managing payroll worldwide, our tools and expertise support your journey from initial start to impressive growth worldwide. Start anywhere. Grow everywhere. Forge your path to success at Remote.com.
In this episode of the Product Podcast we chat with Karri Saarinen, the CEO at Linear. It's the fastest-growing and most beloved project management tool in the world. The company is valued at $400 million, and has raised $52 million in funding from Accel, Sequoia, and some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs including the founders of Slack.Before Linear, Karri led product design at Airbnb and Coinbase.In our conversation, we'll discuss how his design background is helping him a product users love, his strong Product-Led Growth (PLG) approach to reach decision-makers, how to not always rely on data for product decisions, and his stance against incorporating AI-specific features into his product at this time. Discover how Linear is building the tool that PMs love with a innovative and human approach that allows them to be growing so fast and having the sense of belonging of clients. This episode is packed with lessons on how coming from a different background can be a positive perspective when building a product that turns into the most enjoyable and efficient way to manage development. (00:00)
Eric Boduch of Venture Studio 24 and Up and Revcast joins Nick to discuss Scaling Unicorn Pendo, When to Hire Your First Sales Leader, How To Construct a Team Pre and Post PMF, and How to Balance Stretch vs. Strain. In this episode we cover: Pendo's Origin, Product Development, and Customer Acquisition Product Market Fit, Growth Strategies and Team Composition for Early-Stage SaaS Startups Hiring and Company Culture at a Fast-Growing Startup Building and Optimizing Revenue Organizations - Metrics and Assumptions AI's Impact on Software, Dashboarding and Agent Orchestration Guest Links: Eric's LinkedIn Eric's Twitter/X Revcast LinkedIn Revcast Website Pendo Website The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter. Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank and we'll send a list of potential investors right to your inbox!
In this episode of the Product Podcast we chat with Jeremy Forrester, VP Product at Twitch and a key player in the world of short videos and live streaming. From his work on Vine for Windows Phone at Twitter to his impactful eight-year stint at Twitch, Jeremy offers incredible insights into the challenges and successes that have shaped today's media scene. Jeremy talks about Vine's legacy and its influence on platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok. Moving on to Twitch, he gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what keeps streaming audiences engaged and growing. We dive into how activities like gaming and DJ sets keep viewers hooked, with highlights like Ibai's record-breaking streams and Ninja's celeb collabs. Jeremy also explores the future of live streaming, including mobile game streaming and the impact of generative AI. Discover how Twitch stands out from the crowd and the cool tools that make user experiences better. Jeremy also shares tips on how Twitch's team structure supports both viewers and creators. This episode is packed with lessons on handling conflicts, continuous learning, and the importance of networking. Whether you're a content creator or just love streaming, this episode is full of valuable insights and inspiration.Content(00:00)
In this episode of the Product Podcast, join us for a chat with Daniel Danker, CPO at Instacart. Daniel breaks down Instacart Plus and how it's changing the game with $0 delivery fees and lower costs. Find out how teaming up with Uber Eats has supercharged the value for members by combining grocery and restaurant deliveries into one smooth service. Daniel also talks about sticking to what you're good at and teaming up for new stuff to keep everything top-notch.We also dive into how AI is shaking things up at Instacart. Daniel gives us the scoop on cool features like "personal planograms" that tailor the shopping experience to what you like. Plus, we chat about how AI thinking is becoming part of everything they do, driving innovation while keeping the core product strong. Tune in to catch some great insights on leading products, keeping things simple, and how AI is changing the grocery game.Strategic Partnerships for Enhanced Customer Value:Form strategic partnerships that complement your services. Instacart's collaboration with Uber Eats to integrate restaurant deliveries with grocery orders is a great example. Such partnerships can significantly enhance customer convenience and increase your value proposition.The Importance of Membership Models:Focus on developing robust membership models that offer tangible benefits. Instacart Plus provides perks like $0 delivery fees and reduced costs, making it attractive to users. Concentrate on your core strengths and consider partnerships to expand your service offerings efficiently.Organizational Evolution with AI:Integrate AI thinking across your organization rather than confining it to a single team. This fosters continuous innovation and ensures that AI-driven insights are applied to improve all aspects of the customer experience. Product Leadership and the Power of Simplicity:Practice effective product leadership by setting clear strategies, speeding up product delivery, and eliminating operational blockers. Emphasize simplicity in product development, focusing on core elements that drive success and avoiding unnecessary complexity.Social Links:- Follow our Podcast on Tik Tok here- Follow Product School on LinkedIn here- Join Product School's free events here - Find out more about Product School hereBrought to you by:Pendo, the only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application. With all the tools you need, in one simple-to-use platform, Pendo makes it easy to answer critical questions about how users are engaging with your product—then turn those insights into action—all so you can get your users to do what you actually want them to do. Visit their website to create your free Pendo account todayEppo, the next-generation A/B testing and feature management platform built for modern growth teams by alums of Airbnb and Stitch Fix. Visit their website, and 10x your experiment velocity. Credits:Host: Carlos Gonzalez de VillaumbrosiaGuest: Daniel Danker
What role do company values play in shaping successful product teams? Find out as we chat with Brian Walsh, SVP of Product at Pendo, who uncovers the power of open communication and collaboration in fostering a thriving product culture.Featured Links: Follow Brian on LinkedIn | Brian's blog at Pendo | Brian's talk at the Pendomonium and #mtpcon roadshow in Amsterdam 2024 | 'Five things we learned at the Pendomonium and #mtpcon roadshow - Amsterdam 2024' feature by Louron PrattOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.
In this episode of the Product Thinking podcast, Melissa Perri sits down with Trisha Price, Chief Product Officer at Pendo. They explore the evolving landscape of product management, including the shifting role of product operations and the integration of tools like Pendo in enhancing productivity. Trisha shares insights on how product managers can navigate the balance between immediate demands and long-term strategy, as well as the impact of recent developments in product management practices.
In this episode, we're thrilled to have Jamie DeLanghe, VP of Product at Slack, who shares her inspiring journey from working in customer support at Etsy to a successful career in product management. Jamie provides valuable insights into mastering product management without a technical background, emphasizing the role of curiosity and self-education. We delve into the integration of Slack, the evolving use of workplace communication tools, and strategies for aligning growth incentives in B2B SaaS. Jamie also discusses Slack's approach to enhancing user experience through AI, flexible pricing strategies, and the strategic expansion of Slack's product features to cater to both small teams and large enterprises. This episode is packed with actionable advice and real-world examples for anyone interested in product management and career growth.Key TakeawaysSuccessful product management requires fostering a collaborative environment. Managing a diverse team, including product managers, localization, and learning teams, emphasizes the importance of structure and resource allocation to support core features, AI development, and growth.Be flexible with pricing strategies to meet the needs of different user segments. Balance between seat-based and usage-based pricing, and ensure fair billing practices to build trust and satisfaction among users.Leverage AI to improve user experience and productivity. Prioritize the development of features that help users manage information effectively, and consider the cost and value of AI integrations when developing pricing strategies.Social Links:- Follow our Podcast on Tik Tok here- Follow Product School on LinkedIn here- Join Product School's free events here - Find out more about Product School hereBrought to you by:Pendo, the only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application. With all the tools you need, in one simple-to-use platform, Pendo makes it easy to answer critical questions about how users are engaging with your product—then turn those insights into action—all so you can get your users to do what you actually want them to do. Visit our website to create your free Pendo account todayEppo, the next-generation A/B testing and feature management platform built for modern growth teams by alums of Airbnb and Stitch Fix. Visit our website, and 10x your experiment velocity. Credits:Host: Carlos Gonzalez de VillaumbrosiaGuest: Jaime DeLanghe
SaaStr 748: Fundraising During A Downturn, Advice for Hiring in 2024 and Much More with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin To close out SaaStr Europa 2024, Jason Lemkin, SaaStr CEO and Founder took the stage to answer the audience's most burning questions. AMA's with Jason are wildly popular for his expertise and no-holds-barred delivery. Jason give his advice on the following topics: Hiring in 2024 Running PLG and Enterprise GTM at the same time How to Categorize Revenue for VCs Are Marketing Agencies Worth Investing In? Do VCs Ignore Founder Logos The ideal post-sales process Advice For Companies Looking To Raise During A Downturn -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2024 at: SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20 -------------- This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform. Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us.
SaaStr 746: What's Really Happening in Venture Capital Today with Redpoint Ventures Managing Director Logan Bartlett There are a lot of haves and have-nots in the software industry today. Some companies have more people throwing money at them than they know what to do with, and others are struggling to raise any money at all. Logan Bartlett, Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures, shares their yearly “State of the Market” report to understand what is and isn't happening in venture capital today. 2024 is the tale of two markets, so let's get into some of the data on today's episode. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2024 at: SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20 -------------- This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform. Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us.
SaaStr 745: Mastering SaaS Sales Hiring, Customer Retention, and Growth with OpenAI, Retool, and 20VC Dominic Grill, Head of Technical Success at OpenAI, and Eleanor Dorfman, Head of Sales at Retool, answer some of the most pressing questions from Harry Stebbings, Founder at 20VC, about mastering the customer lifecycle, how roles and motions in sales and post-sales have changed, the role of AI in sales, and some of the biggest lessons learned at these hyper-growth companies. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2024 at: SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20 -------------- This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform. Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us. This episode is sponsored by: Remote.com Are international payroll regulations giving you a headache? Remote.com is your solution. With our best-in-class interface and expertise, we consolidate payroll for your employees, whether in one country or a hundred. Trust us with swift, secure payments for your team while you focus on scaling markets and driving business growth. This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business. They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes. That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.
SaaStr 744: A Tale of 3 Worlds: Where SaaS, Cloud, and AI are in 2024 with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin What's the theme and current trends in SaaS, Cloud and AI now that we're midway through 2024? SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin reflects on the SaaS industry's journey over the past several years, particularly focusing on the challenges and growth seen in 2022 and 2023. Despite economic ups and downs and the gloom and doom on social media, companies like Canva and Netskope are thriving today. Jason's best advice? "Just build." In this episode, he emphasizes the importance of SaaS startups and companies continuing to build amidst macroeconomic fluctuations and the inevitable rise and fall of markets. Additionally, he addresses head-on how AI is reshaping the landscape and driving venture capital investments. For aspiring and current SaaS founders, this episode offers practical advice on staying competitive and resilient in an unpredictable market. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2024 at: SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20 -------------- This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform. Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us. This episode is sponsored by: Remote.com Are international payroll regulations giving you a headache? Remote.com is your solution. With our best-in-class interface and expertise, we consolidate payroll for your employees, whether in one country or a hundred. Trust us with swift, secure payments for your team while you focus on scaling markets and driving business growth. This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business. They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes. That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC.
SaaStr 743: 9 Easy Sales Concepts So Many Get Wrong with Sam Blond, Former CRO Brex Sam Blond, the former CRO at Brex with 15 years in tech sales, took the stage at SaaStr Europa 2024 to share nine easy sales concepts that so many get wrong. Sam got his first job in tech sales as an SDR for Jason Lemkin's company, EchoSign, which later sold to Adobe and launched his career. These nine sales concepts, when done correctly, will greatly improve your sales and sales teams: Don't Outsource Recruiting Focus on Demand Until You Have Too Much Do Things That Stand Out Leverage Happy Customers to Generate New Ones Distribution Is As Important As The Announcement Be Prescriptive On How To Buy Your Product The Presumptive Close Meet Prospective Customers In Person Obsess Over Implementation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SaaStr hosts the largest SaaS community events on the planet. Join us in 2024 at: SaaStr Annual: Sept. 10-12 in the SF Bay Area. Join 12,500 SaaS professionals, CEOs, revenue leaders and investors for the world's LARGEST SaaS community event of the year. Podcast listeners can grab a discount on tickets here: https://www.saastrannual2024.com/buy-tickets?promo=fave20 -------------- This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent Get more when Northwest Registered Agent starts your business. They'll form your company fast and stand up your entire business identity in minutes. That means business free domain, business email, website, hosting, address, mail scanning, business phone app, all within minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/saastr to get a 60 percent discount on your next LLC. This episode is sponsored by: Remote.com Are you overwhelmed with paperwork managing overseas contractors? Say hello to efficiency with Remote's Contractor Management solution! Seamlessly handle invoicing, fixed payments, and compliant, localized contracts. Kickstart your free trial today at Remote.com. This episode is sponsored by Pendo, the all-in-one product experience platform. Pendo helps your users do the things you really want them to do. You can try Pendo for free at Pendo.io/saastr and check out Mind The Product, the community for product people like… us.