Behind the Craft

Sachin Rekhi, who scaled LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator to impressive heights before starting Notejoy, dives into thought-provoking topics. He challenges the relevance of the MVP model in today's market, urging a shift in product development strategies. Sachin emphasizes the importance of aligning your career with your unique strengths, moving away from traditional paths. He shares innovative methods for achieving product-market fit and suggests that we should design our careers and lives with intention for genuine fulfillment.

Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry and former VP at Meta, dives into the real challenges of being a working parent. She shares how to combat parenting guilt and create a strong '60-60 relationship' with your spouse. Deb emphasizes the importance of authentic family conversations and managing stress during hectic mornings. She discusses the often overlooked struggles of the sandwich generation and provides insights on raising resilient kids while balancing career demands. Her candid advice promises to resonate with anyone juggling family commitments.

In this engaging discussion with Mike Knoop, co-founder of Zapier and advocate for open AGI, listeners dive into the transformative power of AI in productivity. Mike shares insights on two types of automation: API-based systems and robotic process automation. He highlights surprising ways AI agents can save time and money for product managers and marketers, including a case where they saved $100K. The conversation also critiques common misconceptions about AGI, emphasizing that achieving it requires more than just large language models.

In this discussion, Jiaona Zhang, Chief Product Officer of LinkTree and Stanford guest lecturer, shares insights on the evolving role of product managers as AI transforms the landscape. She explores how PMs can balance strategy with execution and the shift from generalists to specialists. Jiaona introduces her 'Career Odyssey framework' to help individuals navigate their career paths and discusses whether embracing the creator economy can enhance a PM's career trajectory. Her expertise offers a fresh perspective on personal fulfillment and professional growth.

Niels Hoven, founder and CEO of Mentava, discusses the flaws in the K-12 education system, particularly for high-achieving students. He shares insights on how policies aimed at equity can limit opportunities for advanced learners. Niels highlights innovative strategies, including teaching 2-year-olds to read at a 2nd-grade level, and explores the role of AI in personalizing education. He also emphasizes the importance of parental advocacy and balancing academics with social interactions for gifted children.

In this engaging discussion, Aravind Srinivas, CEO and co-founder of Perplexity, shares his vision for revolutionizing online search with their AI answer engine. He explains how they prioritize real user feedback over executive-driven reviews, leading to rapid product development. Aravind also discusses their impressive growth, hitting 100 million queries weekly, and critiques the traditional ad model used by giants like Google. With innovative strategies for integrating ads seamlessly into searches, he challenges the status quo and envisions the future of online advertising.

Cem Kansu, the Head of Product at Duolingo, shares insights into the app's explosive growth, driving it to over 100 million active users and $500 million in revenue. He highlights Duolingo's unique 'unhinged' philosophy and how gamification transforms learning into a fun experience. Cem reveals the secret sauce of user retention, discusses innovative revenue strategies, and ponders whether AI will change the landscape of education. Tune in for a look at the playful yet strategic approach shaping the future of language learning!

Satish Mummareddy, an ex-product leader at Meta and mentor, shares insights from interviewing over 200 PM candidates. He discusses how rejection can be a learning experience and unveils common struggles experienced PMs face in interviews. Satish provides a three-month plan to excel in tech interviews and emphasizes the importance of choosing the right company. He also delves into finding strong mentors and highlights the significance of deliberate practice in career development. Prepare to elevate your PM journey with Satish's expert advice!

Tomer Cohen is LinkedIn's Chief Product Officer and an expert in AI product development. He shares insights on LinkedIn's explosive growth from 100M to over 1B users, emphasizing the importance of transforming social feeds for knowledge-sharing. Tomer discusses essential principles for building AI products, the balance of humor and professionalism on LinkedIn, and the evolving role of content formats like newsletters and videos. He also provides tips for aspiring product managers on navigating the complexities of AI and landing their dream jobs.

Sanchan Saxena, SVP at Atlassian and former collaborator with founders of Instagram, Airbnb, and Coinbase, shares invaluable insights. He discusses the critical traits he seeks in exceptional product managers, emphasizing the importance of individual decision-making over committees. Sanchan reveals how 'unconstrained thinking' fuels Airbnb’s innovation and explains the balance between metrics and craftsmanship. He also highlights key lessons from each founder's journey, showcasing how prioritizing user experiences can lead to extraordinary product development.