Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Petra Wille, an independent product leadership coach and author of "Strong Product People," shares her insights on coaching product managers. She discusses the critical importance of effective storytelling and public speaking in career advancement. Petra explores the impact of mentoring on product managers and emphasizes the need for communities in fostering growth. She also introduces the PM Wheel framework designed to enhance coaching and develop essential product management skills.

Ian McAllister, Senior Director of Product at Uber, has a wealth of experience from Amazon and Airbnb. He shares insights on the essential qualities that top product managers possess, such as effective communication and prioritization. McAllister discusses the 'working backwards' framework, emphasizing the need to identify customer problems first. He highlights the significance of writing for professional growth and the role of mentorship in product management. Listeners will discover how to navigate their careers and build trust within their teams.

Gergely Orosz, author of the top tech newsletter The Pragmatic Engineer and a former engineering manager at Uber, shares his journey from big tech to newsletter entrepreneurship. He discusses the leap to freelance life, highlighting how he amassed 200,000 subscribers within a year. Gergely opens up about the loneliness of solo work, the financial benefits, and essential productivity tips for navigating unstructured time. He emphasizes the importance of passion over a traditional career path and offers insights on community engagement in the tech industry.

Alex Hardiman, Chief Product Officer at the New York Times, shares her insights on blending journalism with product management. She reveals how cross-functional teams create compelling stories and visual experiences online. The discussion dives into the strategic acquisition of Wordle and what it teaches about user experience and integration challenges. Hardiman also contrasts the dynamics of working in a traditional media organization versus tech giants like Facebook, reflecting on her journey through both worlds and the evolution of digital products at the Times.

Matt Mochary, a seasoned CEO coach known for his work with tech leaders like Naval Ravikant, shares insightful strategies on firing employees with empathy. He emphasizes the emotional weight of layoffs and the importance of personalized communication. The conversation dives into recognizing and managing fear in leadership, fostering innovation within larger companies, and how to align tasks with personal strengths through an energy audit. Mochary's practical frameworks guide listeners to nurture emotional well-being and effective practices in challenging situations.

Ben Williams, VP of Product at Snyk, shares his insights from over 20 years in building high-performing growth teams. He discusses how Snyk effectively utilized product-led growth to captivate the developer audience and explores the challenges they faced with self-serve monetization. Ben highlights the importance of community engagement, strategic team alignment, and data-driven decision-making in fostering user adoption. He also provides valuable tips on free vs. paid models and creating cohesive growth strategies that drive substantial engagement.

Lauren Ipsen, Director of Executive Talent at General Catalyst and a seasoned recruiter, shares invaluable insights on hiring senior product leaders. She discusses the importance of building robust networks and understanding candidate profiles for successful placements. Ipsen highlights common mistakes in recruitment and stresses the value of authenticity in resumes. Additionally, she provides career advice for product leaders, encouraging a balance of specialized skills and varied experiences to navigate their career paths effectively.

Sachin Monga, Head of Product at Substack and former Facebook PM, shares insights into the evolving landscape of digital writing. He discusses the transition from large teams at Facebook to Substack’s agile environment. Listeners learn about unique reader-writer features and strategies for turning free subscribers into paying customers. Sachin emphasizes the necessity of adaptability in product management and offers advice for aspiring writers. He also touches on how Substack fosters a creative community and enhances user experiences.

Barbra Gago, founder and CEO of Pando, has an impressive marketing background with roles at Miro, Greenhouse, and CultureAmp. In this conversation, she dives into the art of category creation, explaining her successful rebranding journey at Miro and the lessons learned from a failed attempt at Greenhouse. Barbra discusses the strategic importance of understanding users and aligning brand values, as well as the complexities of rebranding and fostering employee development through innovative tools. Her insights on building opinionated software are particularly engaging.

Fareed Mosavat, Chief Development Officer at Reforge, blends insights from his journey through Pixar, Slack, and Instacart to redefine product management. He highlights the importance of storytelling in product development and offers strategies to earn trust within teams. Fareed discusses the 'manager death spiral' and the four types of product work, emphasizing how understanding these can elevate your leadership potential. His engaging anecdotes and practical advice pave the way for aspiring product leaders to navigate their careers with confidence.