Product Chats Podcast

What if the key to great product management wasn’t certainty but your ability to navigate without it? In this episode we sit down with Anuj Jhunjhunwala, Director of Product Management at Merge, to explore the often-overlooked realities of product leadership. From his early days in finance to shaping integration strategies at a fast-growing B2B startup, Anuj shares insights on thriving amid ambiguity, aligning roadmaps with reality, and making your “no” just as powerful as your “yes.” Anuj explains why product managers must go beyond data dashboards and embrace storytelling, stakeholder empathy, and rapid learning. He also offers candid reflections on how to design meetings, docs, and team communication to actually work in fast-paced environments. For detailed takeaways, show notes, and more, visit: www.pragmaticinstitute.com/resources/podcasts Pragmatic Institute is the global leader in Product, Data, and Design training and certification programs for working professionals. Learn more at www.pragmaticinstitute.com.

How do you set the right price when AI is changing everything, except your customer’s expectations of value? In this episode we are joined by Mark Stiving, pricing strategist, host of the Impact Pricing podcast, and original designer of Pragmatic Institute’s Price course. Mark shares how understanding customer value and willingness to pay can guide smarter product decisions and unlock revenue, whether you’re pricing traditional software or AI-powered innovations. Mark explains why pricing isn't just a number. It’s a reflection of how well you understand your customer. He also unpacks how product teams can use AI to uncover buyer insights, refine segmentation, and align pricing with outcomes, not just features. And for those building AI products, he dives into emerging best practices, from outcome-based pricing models to choosing the right metrics that reflect delivered value. Whether you own pricing or just influence it, this episode is a masterclass in connecting what you build to what people will pay for. For detailed takeaways, show notes, and more, visit: www.pragmaticinstitute.com/resources/podcasts Pragmatic Institute is the global leader in Product, Data, and Design training and certification programs for working professionals. Learn more at www.pragmaticinstitute.com.

What does it take to build AI-powered products that scale? In this episode, we are joined by Jonathan Evens, Product Lead at Google DeepMind, to explore the evolving role of product management in the AI era. Jonathan draws from experience across startups and Big Tech, ranging from smart grid systems to LLM-powered search, to reveal how high-impact AI products come to life. He breaks down DeepMind’s journey launching “AI Overviews” in Search, from beta testing in May 2023 to worldwide rollout just six months later. Jonathan also shares frameworks for balancing problem-led versus technology-led thinking, future-proofing AI roadmaps, and making intelligent experiences (not just features) the north star. He’s here to help product teams demystify LLMs and launch bold AI functionality with nimble development cycles. Tune in to gain practical advice for integrating AI thoughtfully, iterating quickly, and delivering real value.

How have product teams transformed over the past 15 years and where are they headed next? In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Saxe, VP of Product at Smartling, to explore the evolution of product leadership, AI integration, and the growing expectations of today’s enterprise customers. With three decades of experience, Andrew shares practical lessons from building smarter teams, scaling development, and making AI actually work for users. You’ll hear how Smartling reimagined the translation experience using AI, how product now touches every part of the customer journey, and what it takes to stay competitive in a faster, more complex market. For detailed takeaways, show notes, and more, visit: www.pragmaticinstitute.com/resources/podcasts Pragmatic Institute is the global leader in Product, Data, and Design training and certification programs for working professionals. Learn more at www.pragmaticinstitute.com.

What if your meetings could go from frustrating to high-functioning? In this episode, we sit down with Douglas Ferguson, president of Voltage Control and author of The Magical Meeting, to explore why facilitation is an essential, and often underdeveloped, skill for product managers. Douglas shares how intentional meeting design, inclusive practices, and purpose-driven structure can turn routine meetings into game-changing moments of alignment and insight. You’ll learn key facilitation techniques like “work alone together,” how to navigate the dual role of product manager and facilitator, and ways to measure meeting success. Whether you’re running sprints or cross-functional check-ins, this episode will help you stop dreading meetings and start leading them better. For additional resources, visit: www.voltagecontrol.com and www.facilitationlab.com More at: www.pragmaticinstitute.com/resources/podcasts

What happens when a great engineer becomes the boss? In this episode, we sit down with Pete Steege, B2B growth strategist and founder of B2B Clarity, about the unique challenges faced by “accidental CEOs” – technical experts who find themselves in leadership roles without a roadmap. Drawing parallels to product managers (many of whom also come from technical backgrounds), Pete explores how engineering minds can shift from designing systems to building businesses. You’ll learn how to define your “true story,” align around a bullseye market, and foster a culture of clarity and accountability. Plus, Pete shares tools you can use to eliminate friction and scale smart. For takeaways, tools, and a free assessment, visit: b2b-clarity.com/chat Learn more at: www.pragmaticinstitute.com/resources/podcasts

How do you go from strategy to better sales without getting stuck in planning mode? In this episode, we sit down with Simon Severino, CEO of Strategy Sprints and a sales strategist who’s helped clients generate over $2 billion in revenue. Drawing from his background in psychology and two decades of experience, Simone shares his sprint-based framework that brings together product, marketing, and sales to make fast, high-impact decisions every week. From leveraging community as a marketing engine to turning experiments into long-term wins, Simon offers practical tools to help teams collaborate better, measure progress, and create what he calls a high "Return on Luck." Visit strategysprints.com for free downloadable tools and templates. For detailed takeaways, show notes, and more, visit: www.pragmaticinstitute.com/resources/podcasts Pragmatic Institute is the global leader in Product, Data, and Design training and certification programs for working professionals. Learn more at www.pragmaticinstitute.com.

Avi Yashchin, founder and CEO of Subconscious AI, revolutionizes market research with AI-powered insights. He discusses the power of synthetic respondents and causal AI in predicting consumer behavior without traditional surveys. Avi explains how his experience in high-frequency trading and behavioral economics shaped his approach to market research. He also highlights the importance of addressing biases, validating findings, and optimizing client onboarding. With real success stories, he showcases how AI can drive significant growth in pricing strategies and consumer insights.

What does it take to move from product management into the CEO seat and thrive once you get there? In this episode, we are joined by Marc Rubner, CEO of Building Intelligence, to trace his journey from marketing analyst to B2B product leader at American Express to top executive. Marc shares how product thinking gave him a head start in executive decision-making and prioritization but also where PMs often hit blind spots when transitioning into broader leadership. He dives into how successful go-to-market strategies require true collaboration between product, marketing, and sales – and why alignment, accountability, and repeatable processes are essential for growth. For detailed takeaways, show notes, and more, visit: www.pragmaticinstitute.com/resources/podcasts Pragmatic Institute is the global leader in Product, Data, and Design training and certification programs for working professionals. Learn more at www.pragmaticinstitute.com.

What’s the secret to getting your product not just built—but sold, used, and loved? In this episode, we sit down with Ciara Peter, SVP of Product at Robin, to explore the full lifecycle of product success from early design decisions to sales enablement and in-app education. With nearly two decades of experience at companies like Salesforce, Box, and Medallia, Ciara shares tactical strategies for making your product easy to sell and adopt. She emphasizes the product manager’s role in business outcomes, detailing how to align with sales, enable customer-facing teams, and build onboarding experiences that actually drive engagement. For detailed takeaways, show notes, and more, visit: www.pragmaticinstitute.com/resources/podcasts Pragmatic Institute is the global leader in Product, Data, and Design training and certification programs for working professionals. Learn more at www.pragmaticinstitute.com.