

Product Thinking
Melissa Perri
Successful product management isn’t just about training the product managers who work side by side with developers everyday to build better products. It’s about taking a step back, approaching the systems within organizations as a whole, and leveling up product leadership to improve these systems. This is the Product Thinking Podcast, where Melissa Perri will connect with industry leading experts in the product management space, AND answer your most pressing questions about everything product. Join us each week to level up your skillset and invest in yourself as a product leader.
Episodes
Mentioned books

33 snips
Oct 18, 2023 • 40min
Episode 141: Building a Global Product Powerhouse with Jag Duggal, Chief Product Officer at Nubank
Jag Duggal, CPO at Nubank, talks about building a global product powerhouse. They discuss the challenges of talent acquisition, importance of customer obsession, and power of documented principles. They also explore techniques for customer feedback, de-risking product launches, and the role of product operations in scaling. They end with a focus on global product development and innovation.

Oct 11, 2023 • 38min
Episode 140: When Product Meets Customer Success, Miracles Happen with Bryan House, Chief Experience Officer at Elastic Path
Bryan House, Chief Experience Officer at Elastic Path, discusses the close collaboration between product and customer success. They explore how to build a customer-centric organization and improve collaboration between sales, customer success, and product teams. They also discuss their role in prioritizing customer feedback and involving customers in product development. Additionally, they highlight the positive impact of bridging the gap between product and sales teams in customer interactions and relationships. Finally, they share insights on incorporating customer anecdotes when presenting to executive teams.

Oct 4, 2023 • 57min
Episode 139: Why Startups Fail and How You Can Avoid That with Tom Eisenmann, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School
Tom Eisenmann, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, joins Melissa Perri to discuss his book 'Why Startups Fail.' They explore different types of startup failures, strategies for avoiding them, and the challenges faced by startups during scaling. The conversation also covers the tension between building and customer discovery, as well as reasons for startup failure like false start and bad bedfellows. The episode provides valuable insights for navigating the landscape of product management in startups.

Sep 27, 2023 • 40min
Episode 138: Strategies for Product Management in Fresh Markets with Chris Andrews, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Product at Rendered.AI
Chris Andrews, COO and Head of Product at Rendered.AI, discusses building products in new markets, introducing new market opportunities, navigating innovation in larger organizations, and the changing requirements for product managers.

7 snips
Sep 20, 2023 • 21min
Episode 137: Answering Questions About Platform Product Management and What That Means
This podcast episode explores the importance of efficiency and opportunity cost in re-platforming, emphasizing the need to quantify the benefits. It also discusses the role of a platform product manager and the importance of collaboration between the technical and commercial sides of a company. Additionally, the episode delves into the concept of discovery in platform product management and the various methods for conducting discovery work.

Sep 13, 2023 • 49min
Episode 136: From College Choices to Education Empire with Luke Skurman, CEO of Niche
Luke Skurman, CEO of Niche, joins Melissa Perri to explore Niche's journey from helping students choose the right college to becoming a successful company. They discuss adapting to the changing landscape, raising funds, and achieving rapid growth. Luke reveals the evolution of College Prowler and the challenges faced. They also highlight the significance of facilitation in product management, metrics for driving growth, and a pilot program offering real-time scholarships.

9 snips
Sep 6, 2023 • 23min
Episode 135: Answering Questions About Structuring Product Management Teams and Pivoting from Sales to Product-Led Growth
This podcast discusses structuring product management teams for complex portfolios like medical devices and digital products. It also explores the shift from sales-led to product-led growth in companies, prioritizing customer problems, and capacity planning for teams within a product structure.

8 snips
Aug 30, 2023 • 41min
Episode 134: Unpacking Doodle's Growth Strategy with Stephanie Leue, Chief Product Officer at Doodle
Stephanie Leue, Chief Product Officer at Doodle, shares insights on transitioning to a subscription-based model, organizational support, and the role of data in decision-making. They discuss deprecating features, connecting data to revenue, addressing declining numbers, and maintaining simplicity while growing.

4 snips
Aug 23, 2023 • 41min
Episode 133: Perfecting UX Personalization with Michelle Parsons of Product School
Michelle Parsons, Product Executive in Residence at Product School, discusses the essential components of a stellar consumer product, challenges in implementing user personalization, and experiences at Spotify and Netflix. They also delve into the role of personalization in the dating app Hinge and its mission for meaningful connections.

16 snips
Aug 16, 2023 • 49min
Episode 132: Simplicity by Design for Product Development with Jason Fried, Co-founder and CEO of 37signals
Jason Fried, Co-founder and CEO of 37signals, discusses the importance of simplicity in product design, saying no to customer requests, designing for profitability, and work-life balance. He emphasizes building for yourself first, focusing on real problems, shipping products to get real feedback, and the advantages of small teams and self-funding.