
Todd Olson
Founder and CEO of Pendo, a product management and analytics platform; veteran product leader with ~28 years in product management and experience as a VP of Product and founder building Pendo into a multi-billion dollar company.
Top 10 podcasts with Todd Olson
Ranked by the Snipd community

24 snips
Oct 8, 2025 • 41min
AI Profitability Problem, Silicon Valley Longevity Boom, MeritFirst’s Hiring Strategy | Oct 8, 2025
Todd Olson, Founder and CEO of Pendo, shares insights into the heightened anxiety among tech founders in the thriving AI market. He emphasizes the importance of staying focused on fundamentals, despite the excitement surrounding AI advancements. Olson notes a shift in software usage patterns, with AI acting as a co-pilot, yet highlights more cautious growth forecasts. In addition, the conversation touches on merit-based hiring strategies from MeritFirst, aimed at reducing bias and validating candidates through real work assessments.

22 snips
Dec 3, 2025 • 1h 12min
How to Upskill from Core PM to Great AI PM: Masterclass from Pendo CEO Todd Olson
Todd Olson, Founder and CEO of Pendo, shares insights on transitioning from core PM to AI PM, emphasizing the rising demand and salary for these roles, which require real-world production experience. He outlines a five-layer technical pyramid necessary for success, from AI fundamentals to strategic leadership. Todd discusses the importance of using AI for prototyping and daily tasks while cautioning against mislabeling expertise. He stresses that experimentation is crucial and urges PMs to focus on optimizing challenging workflows over superficial features.

13 snips
Jul 8, 2025 • 44min
173 - Pendo’s CEO on Monetizing an Analytics SAAS Product, Avoiding Dashboard Fatigue, and How AI is Changing Product Work
Todd Olson, CEO of Pendo, dives into the evolving landscape of analytics SAAS and how to make data worth paying for. He discusses overcoming analytics apathy by simplifying dashboards and ensuring insights are actionable. Olson emphasizes the importance of 'time to value' and user adoption over mere engagement metrics. He also explores the future of AI product management and the unique hiring practices at Pendo, focusing on analytical skills over traditional backgrounds. Concerns about AI-generated answers and user trust further enrich this insightful conversation.

12 snips
Jul 14, 2025 • 1h 3min
Why Pendo Buys Startups (And It's Not for Revenue) with Todd Olson
In this engaging discussion, Todd Olson, CEO and Co-founder of Pendo, reveals why his company strategically avoids buying for revenue. He shares insights on speeding up roadmap execution and the importance of preserving founder autonomy post-acquisition. Todd stresses the need for product alignment and discusses the pitfalls of delayed integration, drawing from his experiences. The conversation highlights keeping culture and people at the forefront of acquisitions, ensuring that energy and innovation continue to flourish long after the deal is sealed.

11 snips
Apr 18, 2024 • 41min
Building Pendo: The Early Struggles & Eventual Strategy for Success
CEO Todd Olson shares Pendo's journey from humble beginnings to a billion-dollar valuation. Topics include pivoting from viral strategies, maintaining core values, leveraging AI, and global expansion. Olson emphasizes the importance of solving profound problems for entrepreneurial success.

4 snips
Sep 4, 2025 • 48min
Product-Market Fit Obsession: $200M ARR After 2 Failures | Pendo
Todd Olson, founder and CEO of Pendo, shares his remarkable journey from two failed startups to a $200M ARR success. He discusses crucial lessons on overcoming challenges and achieving product-market fit. Insights into the analytics behind improving user experiences highlight Pendo's innovative approach in the SaaS space. Todd emphasizes the importance of bold design choices, the evolution of sales strategies, and defining an ideal customer profile. This engaging conversation offers valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in navigating the startup world.

4 snips
Nov 2, 2023 • 22min
Special Edition / Entering the Age of Intelligence, with Todd Olson & Trisha Price
Todd Olson and Trisha Price discuss the implementation of AI in product organizations, emphasizing the importance of solving real pain points. They explore the potential of AI in automating tasks, leveraging data for growth campaigns, and improving efficiency. They also discuss the limitations of AI in decision-making and the importance of human creativity. Additionally, they highlight the challenges faced in the ideation process and the importance of understanding user pain points. The chapter concludes by exploring different product development approaches for chat GPT and TLM models.

Feb 21, 2024 • 42min
How to launch AI-powered products with Todd Olson (CEO of Pendo)
Join Todd Olson, CEO of Pendo, as he dives into the world of AI-powered products. Topics include leveraging AI for user experiences, building machine learning models for text analysis, industry perceptions of AI, and the future of AI in product management.

Oct 17, 2024 • 39min
Leveling Up: How Product Collective's Pendo Acquisition Amplifies the Product Community
Todd Olson, CEO of Pendo and a champion of product community building, joins Mike Belsito to discuss Pendo's acquisition of Product Collective. They dive into how this partnership will elevate the product community through expanded events and resources. Todd shares his insights on the origin of Product Collective and its evolution into a prominent network for product professionals. They also highlight the exciting changes ahead in product management education and the importance of mentorship and collaboration in fostering innovation.

Jun 13, 2024 • 54min
Pendo CEO Todd Olson on Co-Founder Conflict, Hiring Slow, and Pushing Limits at a Software Unicorn
Pendo CEO Todd Olson shares insights on co-founder conflicts, unique hiring practices, and the importance of HR in business success. Topics include adapting leadership styles, CEO involvement in hiring, and elevating HR leadership for significant business impact.


