If you have an idea for an app or a tech business, you can now make a test product in just 15 minutes using AI tools. But, you have to know how to use them wisely, so you don’t make pretty products that nobody wants. Listen to this episode to learn: - The sweet spot for using AI in product development (from drafting specs to analysing user feedback) - Which AI tools to use for prototyping right now - A step-by-step process to validate your ideas faster using AI - Common pitfalls to avoid (because AI won't save a half-baked idea!)   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction  03:13 AI in Product Management 06:05 Creating Prototypes with AI 08:55 Testing Prototypes 12:08 Strategic Thinking Before Using AI 15:03 Practical Homework and Implementation   For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/227-how-to-use-ai-in-product-development-a-non-techies-guide   For more career & tech lessons, subscribe to Tech for Non-Techies on: Apple Spotify YouTube Amazon Podcasts Stitcher Pandora   FREE GUIDE: The Pragmatist’s Guide To Innovation (in business & in life) by Sophia Matveeva, supported by researchers from The University of Chicago   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.

Have you ever wondered about how to work with developers effectively without becoming one yourself? It all starts with five simple, non-technical questions. In this episode, you'll learn what you need to bring to the table for your developers to build a great tech stack.   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction  03:12 Understanding the Tech Stack 06:05 Bringing Value as a Non-Technical Person 08:50 Key Questions for Developers 10:45 Importance of Innovation in Tech   For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/226-tech-stacks-made-simple-what-non-technical-innovators-should-and-shouldn-t-do   For more career & tech lessons, subscribe to Tech for Non-Techies on: Apple Spotify YouTube Amazon Podcasts Stitcher Pandora   FREE GUIDE: The Pragmatist’s Guide To Innovation (in business & in life) by Sophia Matveeva, supported by researchers from The University of Chicago   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.

You can get your dream job, your dream client or your ideal investor at a tech event. But, going to a tech conference can also be a spectacular waste of money. So how do you get the former and avoid the latter? Listen to this episode to find out.   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Why you should go to conference events 02:59 Conferences are a serious investment  04:18 Conference ROI rules 08:15 What to do at the conference  13:18 Conclusion   For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/225-how-to-get-roi-from-a-tech-conference   For more career & tech lessons, subscribe to Tech for Non-Techies on: Apple Spotify YouTube Amazon Podcasts Stitcher Pandora   FREE GUIDE: The Pragmatist’s Guide To Innovation (in business & in life) by Sophia Matveeva, supported by researchers from The University of Chicago   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.

How do you make something completely new? And does the process differ if you’re in a tiny start-up or a tech giant like Google? Listen to this episode to find out. You will learn from Maria Fernandez Guajardo, Senior Director of Product Management for Gmail at Google.  You'll learn the framework behind what makes a good Minimum Viable Product, the process Big Tech companies use to bring new ideas to life and the differences between start-up and corporate innovation. Maria's book, Sail to Scale: Steer Your Startup Clear of Mistakes from Launch to Exit, is available now.   For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/mvps-milkshakes-innovating-at-google   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:52 Understanding Jobs to Be Done 06:00 Psychological Aspect of Product Design 08:56 MVP Features 12:10 Generative AI in Product Development 14:54 Corporate Innovation 18:02 Building Momentum 20:50 Similarities Between Startups and Corporations 24:10 Becoming a Corporate Innovator 27:00 Experience in Entrepreneurship 29:52 Writing a Book for Entrepreneurs   FREE GUIDE: The Pragmatist’s Guide To Innovation (in business & in life) by Sophia Matveeva, supported by researchers from The University of Chicago   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.

If you want to understand how tech companies work from the inside, you need to know what product managers do. People who master this skillset go on to be successful entrepreneurs, run tech companies and become leading venture capitalists. Microsoft CEO Satay Nadella used to be a product manager, as did Ben Horowitz, the co-founder of A16S, the VC firm behind Facebook, Airbnb and Pinterest. In this episode, you will learn from Andrew Plato, serial entrepreneur and author of The Founder's User Manual: Practical Strategies for the Startup Leader.   For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/223-product-management-from-start-up-to-grown-up   Timestamps   00:00 Understanding Product Management 02:46 The Role of Founders in Product Management 05:50 Navigating Team Dynamics 09:11 The CEO vs. Founder Dilemma 13:52 Founder Vision 18:03 Lessons for Early Stage Entrepreneurs 22:13 Sales Skills 24:55 Learning from Failure  29:59 Practical Strategies for Startup Success   FREE GUIDE: The Pragmatist’s Guide To Innovation (in business & in life) by Sophia Matveeva, supported by researchers from The University of Chicago   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.

If you want to make a successful product, or have a great career, what do you need to focus on today? Listen to this episode to find out.   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction  02:06 Product vs. Marketing Problems 03:00 Job Interview Example 05:11 Experience v Networking 06:41 Retention Metrics 08:30 Prioritizing Product over Marketing 10:13 Marketing for Success   For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/222-product-vs-marketing-problems   FREE GUIDE: The Pragmatist’s Guide To Innovation (in business & in life) by Sophia Matveeva, supported by researchers from The University of Chicago   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.

Do you want to know how one of the world’s largest fintech companies stays on top? Paypal’s innovation strategy is actually simpler and cheaper than you probably think. Listen to this episode to learn how this $78 billion dollar business keeps coming up with new ideas, so you can steal their strategies for yourself. You will learn from Mike Todasco, who led global innovation at Paypal and is now a visiting fellow studying AI at the Sand Diego State University.   Timestamps: 00:00 Innovation on a Budget 02:55 Constraints in Innovation 05:47 Creative Resource Management 08:56 Building a Culture of Innovation 12:14  Measurement of Innovation 15:08 Levels of Innovation 17:49 Defining a Culture of Innovation 20:52 Success Metrics in Innovation 24:01 Current Trends in Innovation 26:50 Resources for Aspiring Innovators   For the transcript, go to - https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/221-how-paypal-innovates   FREE GUIDE: The Pragmatist’s Guide To Innovation (in business & in life) by Sophia Matveeva, supported by researchers from The University of Chicago Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University. 

Have you ever wondered why some people find smart innovative solutions to problems, and others stay stuck? In this episode, you'll learn you a simple technique that innovators use to make new products and solve business challenges. And you can also use this methodology for any area of your life, so listen up! You'll learn about the 5 whys process, hear two case studies for how to use it, and get guidelines for how to get started.   Timestamps   00:00 Introduction  02:46 Five Whys Methodology 06:05 Applying the Five Whys: Bakery Example 08:51 Applying the Five Whys: App Development Example 12:01 Effective Use of the Five Whys 13:53 Conclusion   For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/220-how-5-simple-questions-can-solve-your-toughest-problems   For more career & tech lessons, subscribe to Tech for Non-Techies on: Apple Spotify YouTube Amazon Podcasts Stitcher Pandora   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.

How can you tell which innovations will last and what’s just hype? Are we in a generative AI bubble? There is a methodology called the Hype Cycle that venture capitalists use to answer these questions. But is this methodology foolproof? Find out in today’s episode.   Timestamps 00:00:00: Introduction 00:01:34: Innovative tech education. 00:02:34: Distinguishing between innovation and trends 00:03:35: Time as a valuable asset 00:04:39: The Hype Cycle 00:09:42: Five phases of the Hype Cycle 00:13:15: Hype Cycle’s accuracy 00:15:41: Evaluating technology beyond the hype 00:18:47: Conclusion    For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/the-hype-cycle-vcs-use-it-but-should-they   For more career & tech lessons, subscribe to Tech for Non-Techies on: Apple Spotify YouTube Amazon Podcasts Stitcher Pandora   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.  

Every time you see Login with Facebook or Pay with Paypal on an app, you’re seeing a tech tool called an API. This tool allows companies to make millions of dollars, reach billions of people, and collect valuable data, if you use it strategically. Listen to this episode to learn what APIs are and how smart business strategists use them. This is a re-run of episode 37 of this podcast.   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Review 04:19 APIs: The Interwoven Web of Software 08:38 Connecting Products and Services 09:36 Leveraging Code Snippets 12:02 The Importance of APIs   For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/why-uber-uses-google-maps-introduction-to-api   For more career & tech lessons, subscribe to Tech for Non-Techies on: Apple Spotify YouTube Amazon Podcasts Stitcher Pandora   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.