Product Thinking

Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden discuss their new book on OKRs and how they can improve focus and alignment in organizations. They share insights on common mistakes in implementing Lean UX and the benefits of using OKRs. Topics covered include organizational agility, management style, incentive structures, team motivations, and scaling OKRs to executives and teams.

Kate Leto, an Executive Coach for Product Leaders, joins Melissa Perri to discuss the value of coaching skills for product leaders. They explore the difference between coaching and mentoring, effective coaching techniques, and managing tension and conflict as a leader.

Tommy Richardson, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Litmos, joins Melissa Perri to discuss moving from an operating role to a board role and working with Private Equity and VC firms. They talk about the importance of building a business case, transitioning from startups to private equity, angel investing, effective executive skills, improving communication and building trust, and the role of a CTO/CPO as a board member or operating partner.

Quincy Hunte, product innovation specialist, discusses key components of successful product management, including decision-making, product leadership, and outcome-based funding. They explore organizational speed in decision-making. The episode also covers product strategy frameworks, communicating progress in product development, transitioning to a consulting role at Amazon, dual-sided outcomes in product management, the role of decision making in product teams, and the evolution and challenges of product management.

Joshua Keievsky, founder and CEO of Industrial Logic, joins Melissa Perri to discuss the evolution of Agility in business. They talk through his book, 'The Joy of Agility,' and the six mantras he's identified in the implementation of Agile working into business strategy. They discuss the importance of understanding when to be slow and when to be fast in product development. They also explore the benefits of being product led and working with executives and other departments. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of automated testing and test-driven development for software quality and the significance of starting small and evolving for agility in building products. Cross functional collaboration in Agile teams is highlighted as well.

Guests include Blake Samic from Uber and Stripe discussing product operations, Hubert Palan on standardization of product management, and Jason Fried of 37 Signals on keeping product teams fresh and relevant. Other topics include the importance of tough skills, prioritizing people and process, and why startups fail.

Hiten Shah, Co-founder and CEO at Nira, joins Melissa Perri to discuss the evolution of growth hacking in the SaaS industry. They talk about the original intent of growth hacking, the misconceptions around it, and the challenges of reconciling different interpretations of Minimum Viable Product. They also touch on effective customer communication, the importance of product thinking, and evolving products through strategic sequencing.

Kelsey Ruger, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Hello Alice, discusses the triad of tech, UX, and business strategy in product management, empowering small businesses, and the importance of understanding a company's business model. They also explore the evolution of UX, the significance of a viable business model, and their growth ambitions for Hello Alice.

Serial SaaS entrepreneur Indus Khaitan shares his experiences in startup funding and team member-building strategies. He discusses finding a complementary co-founder, the importance of persistence in entrepreneurship, and the need for continuous learning. The episode also delves into solving iPhone access for corporate intranets and offers fundraising advice for entrepreneurs. The significance of co-founders with specific skill sets is emphasized, along with the latest changes and developments in their startup, Quolum.

In this episode, Raluca Apostol, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Nestor, talks about how their people intelligence platform empowers workforce development. They discuss Nestor's innovative approach to skills-based talent management, advancing HR practices, and the role of AI in big data for skill matching. They also explore the challenges of starting AI companies without sufficient data and achieving personalization.