Product Rising

Some people seem to move forward quickly, like taking on larger roles, driving meaningful change, and increasing their impact, while others with similar experience and capability stall. The gap widens, especially in highly ambiguous and uncertain times with no playbooks to fall back on.As AI accelerates execution and organizational structures become less defined, the way product leaders create impact is changing. Roles are more ambiguous, influence is less tied to title, and expectations continue to expand without clear boundariesIn this new series hosted by Jo Saunders, a long time member of the Women In Product community and founder of AscendFaster, the discussion focuses on how to increase your impact. Jo's guest, Molly Graham, is a writer, speaker and the host of the TED podcast WorkLife. She writes the popular substack, Lessons. And has had a long successful career in tech. Molly is definitely someone who has had real impact in many roles and has written and spoken about what it takes to succeed in those high pressure and sometimes ambiguous environments.📚Resources:WorkLife with Molly Graham - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worklife-with-molly-graham/id1346314086Glue Club - https://glueclub.com/🌟 Where to find Molly GrahamWebsite: - https://mollygraham.com/On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mograham/On Substack -  https://mollyg.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips🌟 Where to find Jo SandersOn LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannsanders/🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

Elizabeth Ames flips the script and interviews Carmen Palmer about this year’s Women In Product Conference. Titled Changemakers: Leadership Edition. The conference is designed to bring together executive level women to share, collaborate and learn from one another as we address the rapid changes all around the tech industry.  Carmen Palmer is the CEO of Women In Product. Prior to joining Women In Product she was the CPO at MarketCast. She has held senior product roles at NBCUniversal, Yahoo! and DemandMedia. Carmen holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley.In this episode Elizabeth and Carmen discuss this year’s Women In Product Conference at the Computer History Museum in October. Carmen shares details on the speakers, the format, the theme and most importantly the goal. They also discuss some of the key overall programs of Women In Product and how to be a part of this vital community. 00:00 Welcome and Setup00:57 Theme Change Makers03:05 What Attendees Gain06:31 Interactive Format Overview06:54 Keynotes and Tracks09:48 Beyond AI Topics15:25 Networking as a Superpower21:07 Who Should Attend24:33 Programs for All Levels28:11 Career Advice Embrace Uncertainty32:33 Life Outside Work Authentic Self35:12 Final Invitation and WrapIn The Lead is a monthly series on Product Rising sharing conversations with a wide range of industry leaders hosted by Carmen Palmer, CEO of Women In Product. Where to find more information on the 2026 Women In Product Conference including an incredible line up of speakers.✨Where to find Elizabeth:On LinkedIn💫 Where to find Carmen:On LinkedIn 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

The job market today is tough. AI is making it more difficult for companies to find qualified candidates, and for qualified candidates to standout. Two tech industry veterans dug in to find out what is going on and wrote an eye opening article in the Harvard Business Review about what is going on and how to improve the system for everyone. Shraddha Sunil and Mudit Saraf spoke with Elizabeth Ames about their recent article and recommendations for improving the system for all participants.00:00 Welcome and HBR Article02:07 Why Study Recruiting AI03:11 Research and Interviews05:39 AI Flooding Applications08:22 Recruiters Lose Resume Trust10:23 Broken Signals and School Filters12:41 Interview Cheating and Proxy Hires17:26 Entry Level vs Senior Roles19:37 Company Costs and ATS Changes22:44 AI Interviewing Tools Explained25:59 Rubrics Privacy and Bias31:54 Surfacing Hidden Talent33:28 Structured AI Interviews36:07 Fixes for Hiring Leaders40:18 Risks of Closed Hiring43:18 Advice for Job Seekers46:32 Build Projects and Specialize48:21 Wrap Up and Thanks📚Resources:HBR article “AI Has Broken Hiring. Here’s How To Fix It” 🌟 Where to find Shraddha Sunil & Mudit Saraf:On LinkedIn Shraddha Sunil https://www.linkedin.com/in/shraddhasunil/On LinkedIn Mudit Saraf https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudit-saraf/Where to find our hosts:Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/Elizabeth Ames https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

The job market today is tough. So why would you step away from a secure job with a big tech company to start a company from scratch? Turns out there are plenty of reasons. Kasha Stewart took that leap of faith this year and she hasn’t looked back. She’s building, learning and bringing all of her knowledge and skills to bear as she leads a Ed Tech startup with her two co-founders.It’s easy to get focused on staying in a safe job, or stepping into the grind of looking for a new one. Turns out there are other options. Here’s one of them. 00:00 Welcome Back Kasha01:11 Why She Left Adobe03:42 Pride And Plateau07:02 Choosing Entrepreneurship08:57 Founder Story Spark12:05 The Problem To Solve16:13 Creative Roots To Product19:07 Startup Honeymoon Reality23:23 Founder Resources Communities27:09 Talking To VCs Early29:10 Advisors Equity Basics30:20 Validate Market And TAM31:36 Clarity And Focus33:10 Systematic Execution Habits33:38 Pilots Metrics And Ambiguity34:27 Profitability Reality Check35:17 Rejection And Storytelling38:48 Pitching Lessons In Real Time41:17 AI Speed For Founders44:50 Human Creativity With AI47:10 Jobs Skills In The AI Era51:42 Preparing To Make The Leap54:21 Mindset Market And Small Tests01:00:08 Final Advice And Wrap Up📚Resources:FoundHer & FundHer - https://foundherandfundher.comTech Kickstarters 🌟 Where to find Kasha:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kashastewart/Where to find our hosts:Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/Elizabeth Ames https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

There’s been a lot of conversation lately about how AI is shaping the job market, especially for those just starting out. For recent grads, it can feel unclear where the opportunities are or even where to begin.To help make sense of it, Catherine Fisher, VP of Communications and Career Expert, joins Elizabeth Ames to talk about LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide. The guide is based on data from LinkedIn as well as information gleaned from conversations with new grads across different roles and industries, as well as those who've taken less traditional routes. The guide arms entry-level professionals with the data and insights on the fastest-growing jobs, industries and locations for entry-level job opportunities.In a challenging job market, the Grad’s Guide helps anyone entering their first full-time role with insights on the entry-level job market, showcasing where opportunity is growing and how to approach their job search more strategically.00:00 Welcome and LinkedIn Research03:02 Why the Grads Guide Exists05:21 A Tougher Job Market Now07:39 Rethinking Entry Level Paths10:42 Storytelling Your Experience14:21 AI and Adaptability Advantage15:53 Report Highlights Industries Jobs Cities18:15 Creative Skill Building Alternatives22:10 Networking That Actually Works26:22 Ask Specific Favors27:14 Fifteen Minute Outreach28:26 Industry Events Strategy29:37 Networking Into Jobs31:05 Strategic Job Applying33:14 LinkedIn Jobs Match34:12 Getting Interview Feedback38:02 Practice And Nerves40:18 New Grad Playbook42:28 LinkedIn Gym Mindset44:42 Final Thanks And Links📚Resources:LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide 2026How Graduates Can Find the Best Job Opportunities in 2026Never Search Alone🌟 Where to find Catherine:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinefisherlinkedin/Where to find our hosts:Shannon Peaveyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/Elizabeth Ames https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

Rita Khan, a seasoned product and technology leader who led digital transformation at Mayo Clinic and Optum, shares her journey from retail to healthcare. She discusses building digital strategy, shipping safely in regulated environments, practical AI uses in care, agentic solutions to reduce patient burdens, and transitioning to a portfolio career with boundaries and purpose.

In this episode of Product Rising's AI Safety, Ethics & Responsibility series, host Shannon Peavey sits down with Kelly Anderson, founder and CEO of DyeConverter, an AI-powered platform helping food and beverage companies replace synthetic dyes with natural alternatives.Kelly's path to entrepreneurship is anything but typical. A chef-technologist and the first chef in the world certified by MIT in AI and Machine Learning, she has spent more than a decade leading innovation, R&D, and product development initiatives for brands including Nestlé, Disney, Impossible Foods, Panera Bread, Starbucks, and US Foods.As regulators, consumers, and food manufacturers grapple with the future of food ingredients, Kelly saw an opportunity to apply AI to one of the industry's most complex challenges: reformulating products that rely on synthetic colors. If you've ever wondered how artificial intelligence can move beyond content generation and help solve real-world scientific and operational challenges, this episode is for you.00:00 Introduction to Kelly Anderson and DyeConverter02:08 What is a "chef-technologist"?03:01 How culinary training shaped Kelly's approach to AI and innovation04:08 From executive chef to food innovation leader05:28 Discovering a broken food system and finding an AI opportunity08:10 Why replacing synthetic food dyes is harder than it sounds10:11 Health, regulatory, and manufacturing risks of natural color alternatives12:41 How DyeConverter works14:20 The role of the human in the loop17:55 Flavor transfer, consumer expectations, and reformulation challenges19:12 Which food dyes are being phased out?20:40 AI-powered color matching and the Color Studio22:42 Data sharing, trade secrets, and AI collaboration in food25:01 Why the food industry needs food people building food technology26:28 Beyond food dyes: the future of ingredient reformulation28:05 Ultra-processed foods, consumer demand, and healthier products30:22 Why business incentives matter more than good intentions31:34 Food regulations around the world and lessons from Europe34:07 What every industry should know about AI adoption35:40 Consumer rights, transparency, and AI disclosure36:21 How food companies are using AI today38:14 AI, sustainability, agriculture, and the future of farming39:32 Supply chain transparency and food traceability40:38 Predictions for food, health, and AI over the next decade42:18 Will healthier food become more affordable?43:38 Resources for following innovation in food and CPG44:18 Kelly's favorite cuisine and why she loves classic French cooking45:15 Closing remarks📚 ResourcesWhere to find Kelly Anderson:Kelly Anderson on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyai/Where to find DyeConverterDyeConverterhttps://dyeconverter.com/Learn MoreUS Foods https://www.usfoods.com/Nestle https://www.nestle.com/U.S. Regulatory Requirements https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/hhs-fda-phase-out-petroleum-based-synthetic-dyes-nations-food-supplyU.S. FSMA  Food Traceability Requirement https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foodsGrow to Market Substack https://substack.com/@growtomarketJulia Child’s Coq au Vin recipe https://www.theendlessmeal.com/julia-childs-coq-au-vin/Where to find our hosts:Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

What separates people who achieve remarkable results with AI from those who struggle to get reliable, accurate, or useful outcomes from the exact same tools?In this episode of Product Rising, host Shannon Peavey sits down with Stanford researcher and BigSpin AI founder Moritz Sudhof to explore one of the most overlooked challenges in AI adoption: the human factor.Drawing on research conducted with Stanford professor and Bigspin co-founder Chris Potts, Moritz shares surprising findings from the analysis of tens of thousands of real-world AI conversations. Their work reveals that the difference between successful and unsuccessful AI use often has less to do with the model itself and more to do with how people interact with it.Why do expert users encounter more AI failures than novices, yet achieve dramatically better outcomes? Why do so many users unknowingly accept flawed outputs? And what skills, behaviors, and product design choices can help close the growing divide between AI power users and everyone else?This conversation explores the emerging field of AI fluency, the risks of treating AI like an oracle or a vending machine, and why the future of successful AI products depends on designing not just the model, but the interaction between humans and machines.Moritz is part of our exclusive Product Rising series on AI Ethics, Safety & Responsibility, where host Shannon Peavey speaks with researchers, builders, policymakers, and practitioners working to shape a future where AI delivers meaningful value while preserving human judgment, agency, and trust.Whether you're a product leader, founder, builder, manager, or everyday AI user, this episode offers practical insights into how to get better outcomes from AI and why your own behavior may be one of the most important variables in the equation.CHAPTERS00:00 Why Some People Get Better Results from AI01:22 Moritz's Journey: From Language Research to AI Products03:42 AI Is Not a Human Replacement06:49 The Coaching Experiment That Changed Everything09:14 Same AI, Different Outcomes10:43 Designing User Behavior, Not Just AI Behavior12:13 The Research Behind AI Fluency15:14 The User Fluency Paradox17:01 Why Expert Users See More Failures19:18 Invisible Failures and Silent Mistakes21:12 The Skills Every AI User Needs21:55 Embrace the Skeptic Mindset23:22 The Biggest Misconceptions About AI25:42 The Vending Machine Problem26:16 The Growing Divide Between AI Users28:08 Introducing Bigspin30:47 Bringing Product Builders Back Into the Room32:33 Why AI Adoption Isn't a Tool Rollout34:45 Passengers vs. Pilots36:24 Improving Your AI Outcomes Today37:49 What Product Builders Should Demand40:16 Advice for Product Leaders Building AI Products42:00 We're Designing Interactions Now43:15 Final Thoughts and Where to Learn More📚 ResourcesBigspin AI https://bigspin.ai/Stanford University https://www.stanford.edu/BetterUp https://www.betterup.com/Where to find Moritz Sudhof:Moritz Sudhof on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudhof/Where to find Chris Potts - Chris Potts on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-potts-505611321/ -Chris Potts at Stanford https://web.stanford.edu/~cgpotts/Where to find the paper Chris and Moritz authored called “A Paradox on AI Fluency” - https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.25905 Where to find our hosts:Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/Elizabeth Ames https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

How do we introduce AI into high-stakes human environments without losing trust, safety, judgment, or effectiveness?This episode features a conversation with Lacey Picazo, CEO and founder of ZoCo Design, a research and design consultancy focused on helping organizations build human-centered digital products and AI experiences. Lacey, a professional product designer by trade, is a serial entrepreneur with strong opinions on the ways customer behavior interplays with AI and can change depending on the application or the environment.  With host Shannon Peavey, Lacey discusses a case study where her firm worked with mTuitive, a leader in digital pathology and cancer care, in order to illuminate the way behavioral science, workflow design, and human-centered product thinking can shape whether AI succeeds or fails in clinical environments.Rather than treating AI adoption as a purely technical challenge, this episode explores how clinicians and patients respond emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally when AI enters decision-making processes, and why “more automation” is not always better.This is a thoughtful discussion about innovation, responsibility, understanding the rewards - as well as the risks - of a future that is reckoning with finding the right formulas for human-machine collaboration. Importantly, it also addresses the ways we can support the next generation in an AI-shaped world.Lacey is part of our exclusive new Product Rising podcast series, where host Shannon Peavey explores the world of AI Ethics, Safety & Responsibility .00:00 Intro to the topic: AI enters healthcare01:33 Why healthcare is different from other industries04:05 Consumer product thinking doesn't always work05:54 The stakeholder problem: patients, providers, payers, and more07:02 Trust is kind of a big deal08:29 Today it's easy to build, but still not easy to get adoption09:55 Tempted to skip testing? Don't.12:16 Why human behavior matters more than product features14:23 Understanding clinicians as users18:09 Where AI creates hesitation and bad friction20:09 Professional identity: "Am I the kind of person who uses this?"21:14 The mTuitive cancer care case study24:21 Challenging assumptions before building26:18 How clinician research actually works28:31 What clinicians really want from AI30:44 Will resistance to AI fade over time?32:31 Finding the balance between efficiency and safety34:23 Why some friction is actually good36:40 Are companies overestimating automation?38:35 The skill every AI product leader still needs40:05 How to build customer intimacy in the AI era42:56 Ambient listening and the unintended consequences of AI44:22 The food bank story: how fear shapes behavior45:58 Slow down: AI's hidden human costs46:55 Closing thoughts 📚Resources:ZoCo Designhttps://zocodesign.com/ZoCo Design’s mTuitive Case Study https://zocodesign.com/case-studies/mtuitive-case-studymTuitive https://www.mtuitive.com/Melissa Perri https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissajeanperri/Teresa Torres https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresatorres/Women in Product’s Podcast Episode with Teresa Torres https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/continuous-discovery-with-teresa-torres/id1584224561?i=1000672408840Shreyas Dosi’s Maven course https://maven.com/shreyas-doshi/product-sense?promoCode=MAVEN100&promoCode=MAVEN100Where to find Lacey:Lacey Picazo, ZoCo Design https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/Where to find our hosts:Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/Product Rising on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

Marty Cagan joins Carmen Palmer for this episode in our monthly series, In The Lead. Marty is a renowned product executive and author, and is widely considered a thought leader in the field of Product Management. He is the founder of the Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG), where he advises companies on how to create successful products using the practices of world-class tech organizations. Marty is the author of influential books on the topic of product management and product teams including Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products.Transformed: Moving to the Product Operating Model Recently Marty and the team at Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG) have been exploring the use of AI LLMs as product coaches. As always Marty has strong views on the adoption of AI technology enabling true product builders, the increasing importance of true empowered product managers, and how AI Models can assist in the transition by coaching PMs and Product Leaders..In The Lead is a monthly series on Product Rising sharing thought provoking conversations with a wide range of industry leaders hosted by Carmen Palmer, CEO of Women In Product. Your AI Product Coach00:00 Reckoning for Product03:11 GenAI Changes the Stakes07:11 Feature vs Empowered Teams09:57 Build to Learn vs Earn12:18 Prototyping Tools Boom13:37 New PM Litmus Test16:05 Why Coaching Fails20:57 AI Coaching Tipping Point23:58 Prompting for Product Model27:30 Load Strategic Context28:19 Strategic Context Inputs29:23 Project Model Prompts30:52 AI Coaching Limits34:58 Why Humans Still Matter38:42 What Coaching Looks Like39:25 Building Product Sense Fast42:01 Frameworks For Real Work45:23 Adoption Curve Reality49:13 Career Advice And Wrap📚Resources:SVPG Product Coaching and AIConfiguring Your Model As Product Coach - an example of how to get started using an AI Model to provide product coaching✨Where to find Marty:On LinkedInSilicon Valley Product Group (SVPG) Website & Newsletter sign up 💫 Where to find Carmen:On LinkedIn 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/