Episoder
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We're excited to kick off a new show focusing on the real-world AI applications that product teams are using to become faster, more efficient, and smarter.
Jeff has been traveling across the country meeting product leaders, and he keeps having the same conversation: every product person wants to know how their peers are using AI in their teams and their workflows.
So we’re bringing you those conversations about how your peers are using AI in their day-to-day to move faster and more efficiently than ever before.
In our first episode, we’re welcoming back Roman Gun, VP of Product at Zeta Global. In this episode, we talk about:
The prompting and workflow orchestrations Roman created to automate writing PRDs, one of the most disliked tasks of product managers, and how he has made them into living, breathing documents that initiate collaboration
The AI communities and platforms he uses, including Reddit and Discord, to stay ahead, learn new tricks, and gain early access to the best new tools
And Magic...not actual magic, but we have a little fun with Roman’s side-project centered around Magic: The Gathering, and how he built tools to prototype new decks and beat players with far more experience
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romangun/
Zeta Global: https://zetaglobal.com/
Resources
Real-world AI products with Roman Gun, VP of Product: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7syxCetzHU
Leader Spotlight: Right-sizing processes, with Roman Gun: https://blog.logrocket.com/product-management/leader-spotlight-roman-gun/
Inside Gemini 2.5 | Logan Kilpatrick | PodRocket: https://youtu.be/2LGKwf2xH7g
Tools
OpenAI: https://openai.com/
Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/
Claude: https://claude.ai/
Figma: https://www.figma.com/
Coda: https://coda.io/
Notebook LM Discorder: https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/16268096?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
Cursor: https://www.cursor.com/
Windsurf: https://windsurf.com/
Loveable: https://lovable.dev/
ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/
Chapters
00:25 AI in Action
01:27 Real-World AI Applications
02:41 Community and AI Learning
06:12 Automating PRDs with AI
11:51 Training AI for Better Outputs
14:48 Prototyping with AI Tools
16:03 Generating Baseline Code with AI Tools
16:17 The Power of Prototyping and User Feedback
16:36 Accelerating the Creative Process
18:18 Magic: The Gathering and AI Deck Building
19:28 Challenges and Innovations in AI Deck Building
21:35 Learning and Applying AI in Real Life
25:30 The Future of Junior Roles in Tech
30:21 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Roman Gun. -
Today on the pod, we’re talking with Kamal Srinivasan, SVP of Product Development at Alludo.
In this episode, we discuss:
How CorelDraw was modernized from a legacy desktop tool into an AI-enabled, collaborative SaaS product, including:
The user research approach that balanced less mature users with the needs of long-time power users
And How they utilized AI to power entire workflows, helping all users behave like pros
We also discuss Kamal’s navigation of a major roadmap misalignment with senior leadership, including:
The real negotiation tactics he used to diffuse the initial conflict
And his “squiggly line” framework for balancing near-term revenue with long-term product vision
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamalsrinivasan/
Resources
Tell Your CEO They're Wrong (And KEEP Your Career) | Steve Nash, Dir. Product (GumGum) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/oeEBy8mJfB0?feature=shared
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:56 From PhD to Product Management
02:47 The Value of a PhD in Product Management
05:26 Challenges in Modernizing Legacy Products
06:11 Understanding Vector Graphics Design
09:47 Democratizing Design Tools
16:23 User Feedback and Product Development
19:49 Incorporating AI in Design Software
21:43 Integrating AI into Design Workflows
22:51 Enhancing Productivity with AI
24:15 Proactive Issue Detection with AI
27:21 Understanding Parallels Virtualization
29:50 Challenges and Strategies in Product Development
38:20 Effective Communication and Leadership
41:52 Conclusion and Future Plans
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Kamal Srinivasan. -
Mangler du episoder?
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Today, we’re talking with Mahesh Guruswamy, CPTO at Kickstarter.
In this episode, we discuss:
How daily reflection on hard moments helped him grow as a leader—and led to his widely praised book How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away with It.
How Kickstarter went from “printing money” and experiencing “insane” PMF to plateauing - and how they created urgency and competition to quickly turn it around
The actual process Kickstarter used to activate its creator and backer communities to shape a better UX, build real loyalty, and re-ignite growth
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maheshguruswamy/
Website: https://www.maheshguruswamy.com/
Substack: https://maheshguruswamy.substack.com/
Resources
How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away with It: A Manager's Guide, By Mahesh Guruswamy: https://www.amazon.com/How-Deliver-Bad-News-Away/dp/B0D7FHTTNN
Tell Your CEO They're Wrong (And KEEP Your Career) | Steve Nash, Dir. Product (GumGum): https://youtu.be/oeEBy8mJfB0
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:09 Mahesh's Background and Kickstarter Connection
02:08 The Power of Writing and Self-Reflection
04:28 Publishing a Book: How to Deliver Bad News
05:53 Effective Communication and Feedback
06:46 Navigating Tough Conversations
11:03 Kickstarter's Evolution and Challenges
14:16 Listening to Customers and Adapting
19:36 Navigating Market Shifts and Growth
20:34 Prioritizing Customer Feedback
25:59 Building and Engaging the Community
29:54 Competitive Strategies and Organizational Culture
34:05 Leadership and Legacy
37:03 Conclusion and Future Prospects
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Mahesh Guruswamy. -
On today’s episode, our guest is Lauren Schuman, VP of Product Growth at Bitly & former Sr. Dir. of Product Growth at MailChimp.
In this episode, we discuss:
How Lauren created product-led growth (PLG) as a discipline at MailChimp and turned it into a systematic growth engine
The turnaround story behind a failed product launch, and how it led to a 183% spike in adoption overnight
Why lagging engagement pushed her to lead a ground-up rebuild of MailChimp’s core email editor to improve growth
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenschuman/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Lauren Schumann
03:09 Transition to E-commerce and PLG
07:15 Joining MailChimp and Early Challenges
09:50 Implementing PLG at MailChimp
13:43 Navigating Organizational Politics
19:03 Improving User Experience at MailChimp
19:26 Defining Key Customer Journey Metrics
20:30 Challenges and Solutions in Email Activation
21:40 Balancing Core Competencies and Expansion
22:59 The Role of AI in Product Management
24:50 Human Touch in the Age of Automation
27:48 Future of AI and Personalization
34:50 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Lauren Schuman. -
On today’s repeat episode, our guest is Steve Chazin, CEO & Founder of Skytech.io and formerly VP of Products at Alarm.com.
In this episode, we discuss:
Steve’s experience working at Apple, competing with Final Cut Pro, and his current role at alarm.com
The time he said no to Steve Jobs — and how that pushed his career forward
The importance of user-centered product design and the impact of AI in home security
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chazin/
Chapters
00:00 Intro
03:05 Reviving Apple: The University Consortium
07:04 The iMac and Think Different Campaign
07:37 Lessons from Steve Jobs
11:35 Competing with Apple: The Avid Story
19:05 Current Role at Alarm.com
21:41 The Future of AI in Home Security
27:15 Advice for Aspiring Technologists
29:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: Steve Chazin. -
On today’s episode, we’re talking with Jeremy Pollock, VP of Product at WP Engine.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why speed is the new moat — Jeremy is pushing PMs to use AI, ship code, and move fast, because in the AI era, slow teams fall behind for good
How WP Engine is enabling product teams to use AI — through access, training, and best practices that turn weeks of work into hours
And, How big, aspirational product goals create momentum — giving teams the motivation to “eat their vegetables” and tackle the foundational work required for long-term success
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dane-molter-6b937231/
Navan: https://navan.com/
Resources
(Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:06 Dane Molter’s Journey From Amex to Grubhub
01:44 The Grubhub Experience: Embracing Imperfection
04:08 The Push for Hypergrowth in Product
05:19 Lessons in Product Risk and Innovation
06:59 The Bigger Picture: Product Beyond Technology
09:30 Focusing on Bravery in Product Innovation
12:12 Applying Product Lessons at Navan
17:50 Enterprise Travel Challenges and AI Solutions
19:53 Business Outcomes and Accountability
20:13 Learning Business Mechanics at Amex
26:15 The Importance of Small Tests in Product Testing
34:27 Navigating AI and Emerging Technologies
37:45 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). -
On today’s episode, we’re talking with Rajitha Chaparala, VP of Product at Procore, a construction management solution and one of the most successful examples of vertical SaaS out there today.
In this episode, we discuss:
How Rajitha and Procore got hesitant construction executives hungry for AI by showing real, immediate value in processing unstructured data, improving efficiency, and taking friction out of core workflows
Rajitha’s critical processes to ensure data quality, consistency, and collection in service of AI solutions deliver on their promise
How you can leverage 3rd party data to unlock the promises of AI
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajithachaparala/
Procore: www.procore.com
Resources
Do THIS to Build a $1M+ Product Team (ex Google, Bitly PM) | Product Growth Podcast with Aakash Gupta: https://www.news.aakashg.com/p/matt-lemay-podcast
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to LLMs and Data Structuring
01:39 The Importance of Data in Product Management
04:53 Impact-Driven Product Management
08:28 Challenges and Solutions in Data Utilization
13:00 Energy Efficiency and Data Insights
16:33 The Role of AI in Data Normalization
19:56 AI's Role in Construction Efficiency
20:34 Automated Area Takeoff
21:18 Leveraging LLMs in Construction
22:33 Challenges and Adoption in the Construction Industry
25:05 Streamlining Information Dissemination
25:27 Request for Information (RFI) Process
31:26 AI Integration in Procore's Tools
33:57 Future of AI in Construction
39:01 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) -
Today, we’re talking with Jake Hookom, EVP of Product at Perforce.
In this episode, we’ll explore:
How Jake’s focus on "category carving" at Four51 helped them soar above the sea of headless commerce tools and into a successful exit
Why most PMs are wrong to measure success on features shipped - it’s about solving user problems throughout the entire customer journey
And, how Sitecore’s enormous practitioner community provided market awareness and a means to drive product adoption beyond anything they could do alone disrupts the world
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobhookom/
Perforce: https://www.perforce.com/
Resources
Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, Kevin Maney: https://www.harperacademic.com/book/9780062407610/play-bigger/
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:17 Joining 451 During COVID
02:24 First 90 Days Strategy
04:21 Defining a New Category
08:07 Focusing on B2B Market
10:16 Product as a Spectrum
15:59 Importance of Compliance
19:37 Success and Acquisition
20:17 Joining the Java Champions Community
21:22 The Acquisition by Sitecore
22:29 Focusing on B2B Product Sales
24:16 Building a Practitioner Community at Sitecore
25:40 Leveraging Community Feedback
30:00 The Role of Product in Solving Problems
33:52 Engaging and Growing the Community
39:27 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Jake Hookom. -
Today, we’re talking with Sean McLeary, VP of Product Experience at Intapp.
In this episode, we’ll explore:
How Sean turned Macys.com and Macy’s brick-and-mortar into one cohesive experience, increasing revenue across both sources
How the team at DocuSign improved the UX to go from tech darling to mainstream product
The current landscape of AI adoption, addressing "empty box syndrome," and how AI’s parallels to the early stages of the internet help us understand how user behavior might evolve
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smcleary/
Intapp: https://www.intapp.com/
Resources
How To Say "Not Yet" To Enterprise | Deepti Mendiratta, VP Of Products (HungerRush) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/WHapWGbuS0Q
How to A/B test your product to millions in ARR | Eric Metelka, Head of Product (Eppo) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/3u5vovkAtXc
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:23 Challenges in Bridging Physical and Digital Retail
03:13 Macy's Digital Transformation
06:44 User Research and Implementation
12:30 Impact and Results of Macy's Integration
15:04 Introduction to DocuSign's Evolution
20:42 Challenges in Highly Regulated Industries
21:51 User Research and Common Themes
22:11 DocuSign's Feature-Rich Product
23:40 Sender and Signer Dynamics
28:16 Trust Layer and Proof of Insurance
32:28 AI and Data Ownership
35:42 The Future of AI in Everyday Life
40:37 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Sean McLeary. -
Today, we’re getting into Part 2 of our masterclass on user research and product strategy from Aleks Bass, CPO at Typeform.
In part two of this episode, Aleks talks about:
How she successfully launched Typeform for Growth in only six months, which quickly became Typeform's fastest-growing product ever
How she restructured the entire Typeform product development lifecycle, adding continuous usability testing as a crucial part of that process
And how you can cultivate strong partnerships between R&D and GTM to drive similar success
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dane-molter-6b937231/
Navan: https://navan.com/
Resources
(Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:47 Understanding User Personas
02:09 Launching Typeform for Growth
05:05 Product Development Lifecycle
07:49 Usability Testing and User Feedback
13:34 Competitive Analysis and Market Positioning
19:34 Go-to-Market Strategy
26:28 Company Ceremonies and Collaboration
31:04 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Aleks Bass. -
Today, we’re talking with Aleks Bass, CPO at Typeform.
In part one of this two-part episode, Aleks talks about:
The exact methodologies for user research that she used to develop a complete product strategy in just 45 days
Their discovery of “feature constellations” - sets of features that are worth 10x more when combined than just the sum of the parts
How to break the rules of user research for even faster results
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksbass/
Resources
How To Say "Not Yet" To Enterprise | Deepti Mendiratta, VP Of Products (HungerRush) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/WHapWGbuS0Q
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:54 Aleks Bass’ Unique Career Path
02:07 Challenges at Typeform
06:49 Research-Driven Product Development
11:35 Understanding Customer Needs
33:07 Feature Constellations and Their Impact
40:05 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Aleks Bass. -
Today, we’re talking with Deepti Mendiratta, VP of Product at HungerRush, an all-in-one POS system for restaurants.
In this episode, Deepti talks about:
Why you have to just “make the pizza” - meaning experience the day-to-day of your users, not just your buyers, to build software that solves key issues for the business
getting her biggest UX wins from fixing the paper cuts that users run into all the time, not just the sporadic gaping wounds
And, how to say “not yet” to the allure of going upmarket to Enterprise too soon...because, as she says, once you catch that elephant, you have to feed it
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deeptim13/
Resources
Build product like Linear | Nan Yu, Head of Product (Linear, Everlane, BOA) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/7ISWLoQtNOc
How to A/B test your product to millions in ARR | Eric Metelka, Head of Product (Eppo) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/3u5vovkAtXc
Grow $50 million in revenue in one year | Vaarrun Bimbhat, Head of Product (Jiffy.com) | LaunchPod: https://youtu.be/SNZWHt0Zu-I
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:07 Understanding the Customer Experience
05:35 Challenges and Insights from the Product Field
14:31 Balancing Enterprise and SMB Markets
26:07 Innovations in Hospitality
32:37 The Future of AI in Service Industries
36:40 Outro
25:48 Building a Pricing Experimentation Platform
27:20 Challenges and Successes in India
36:30 Insights on Prioritization and Growth
38:40 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) -
Today, we’re talking with Vaarrun Bimbhat, Head of Product at Jiffy.com, an online retailer of customizable clothing.
In this episode, Vaarrun talks about:
Humanizing the sale of high-commit items, like furniture, at Wayfair - which led to $50m in additional sales
How he built a repeatable process to expand into new countries at Shopify - adding almost 100k new merchants and $50m in additional revenue in India in the first year alone
And why developing a billing experimentation platform drove over $26m in gross profit annually at Shopify
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vbimbhat/
Resources
(Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:25 Challenges of Selling Furniture Online
02:07 Implementing Product Solutions at Wayfair
06:58 Leveraging AI and User Research
15:45 Exploring Wayfair's B2B Segment
20:10 Managing Product at Shopify
21:02 Scaling Shopify's FinTech Arm
23:12 Expanding Shopify Globally
25:48 Building a Pricing Experimentation Platform
27:20 Challenges and Successes in India
36:30 Insights on Prioritization and Growth
38:40 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Vaarrun Bimbhat. -
Today, we’re talking with Dan McCarthy, VP of Product at Cyvl, an AI-powered mapping tool for transportation infrastructure.
In this episode, Dan talks about:
Using lessons from building digital products to improve the physical world around us
Dan’s repeatable playbook for launching into new industries—and the pitfalls to avoid.
How a drop in data ingestion costs allowed Cyvl to open up a new, digitally enhanced way of looking at the world
Why nailing the entire go-to-market strategy is just as critical as the product itself
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-mccarthy-24543436/
Cyvl: https://cyvl.com/
Resources
Unlock revenue with the zone of benefit | Oji Udezue, CPO (Typeform, Twitter, Calendly): https://youtu.be/2WuAGcRwdv0
Build product like Linear | Nan Yu, Head of Product (Linear, Everlane, BOA): https://youtu.be/7ISWLoQtNOc
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:49 Understanding Digital Twin Architecture
02:40 Challenges and Opportunities in Infrastructure Management
04:27 The Role of AI and Machine Learning in Cyvl
08:24 Future Vision for Cyvl and Infrastructure Management
12:26 Navigating Vertical Markets and Go-to-Market Strategies
19:34 Learning from Industry Transitions
32:18 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Dan McCarthy. -
Today, we’re talking with Sowmya Sundararagavan, Senior Director of Product at Freshworks, an AI customer service, IT, and CRM software platform.
This episode with Sowmya was a master class in product leadership after an acquisition. She explains:
The worst thing you can do as a product leader post-acquisition
Her process to successfully integrate separate product visions
How to bridge the gap between old and new teams during M&As
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sowmya-s-ragavan/
Freshworks: https://www.freshworks.com/
Resources
The FinOps Foundation: https://www.finops.org/
How to A/B test your product to millions in ARR | Eric Metelka, Head of Product (Eppo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u5vovkAtXc
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:08 Career Journey: From Banking to Tech
01:56 Navigating Post-Acquisition Challenges
04:47 Balancing Legacy and Innovation
07:44 Customer-Centric Focus in M&A
20:49 Evaluating M&A Opportunities
26:29 The Role of FinOps in Cloud Cost Management
33:26 AI in IT Operations and Asset Management
39:14 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) -
Today, we’re talking with Steve Nash, Director of Product for GumGum, an ad-tech platform that matches brands and consumers through AI-powered data and media solutions.
In this episode, Steve talks about:
How to tell your CEO that they’re wrong — and not lose your career
The story behind Playground’s transition to a product-centric culture, and the pace of innovation it unlocked for the team
Why unifying behind Playground’s mission of being “the attention company” led to their successful exit and acquisition by GumGum
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenash/
GumGum: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gumgum/
Resources
Navigating a digital reckoning in art | Elizabeth Van Bergen, Product Experience Lead (Phillips): https://youtu.be/Rf-7r3PMVuo
Unlock revenue with the zone of benefit | Oji Udezue, CPO (Typeform, Twitter, Calendly): https://youtu.be/2WuAGcRwdv0
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:04 Product challenges and shifts at Playground XYZ
04:38 How to implement product centricity
05:18 How to navigate conversations with CEOs
09:23 How to empower product teams and drive innovation
11:05 Adapting during COVID-19
20:08 Attention tracking and creative Insights
27:33 The role of design and raste in product development
33:01 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Steve Nash. -
Today, we’re talking with Jonathan Sussman, CPO for over 5 years at Jebbit, an enterprise experience platform for first-party data capture, which was recently acquired by BlueConic.
In this episode, Jonathan talks about:
Why Product Management is one of the hardest functions to master
How to use professional services - usually a cost center - as a source of product innovation that drives longterm growth
And, the time when they built to solve internal problems, not customer value, nearly caused an early key launch to fail
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-sussman-0a84462/
Jebbit: https://www.jebbit.com/
BlueConic https://www.blueconic.com/
Resources
Building iconic customer experiences with Susan Stavitski, Principal PM: https://youtu.be/TyA7d30ckNE?feature=shared
The end of MVPs and prioritizing accountability with Jason Penkethman, CPO: https://youtu.be/-vanNudmXMM?feature=shared
Chapters
00:00 Startups and ROI Challenges
00:24 Introduction
01:00 Building Product From Yahoo to Jebit
02:08 The Evolution of Programmatic Advertising
10:02 Transition to AT&T and Product Management Insights
13:55 Joining Jebit: Early Challenges and Learnings
21:46 Innovative Product Approaches and Managed Services
28:31 Balancing Tech Debt and Customer Needs
31:39 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Jonathan Sussman. -
When it comes to challenging the status quo in SaaS and product strategy, you can’t fundamentally disrupt an industry without failing fast and pushing boundaries.
On today’s episode of LaunchPod, we’re talking with Dane Molter, VP of Product and Strategy at Navan, an all-in-one travel and expense app for corporate travelers.
In this episode, Dane talks about:
His framework for driving product teams to “be brave,” ship faster, and attain huge goals
Why perfect is actually the enemy of progress, and when good enough is actually good enough
How to exceed the perceived boundaries of any solution, and deliver product that really disrupts the world
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dane-molter-6b937231/
Navan: https://navan.com/
Resources
(Ethically) cheat your way to $250M+ | Mikal Lewis, Product Exec. (Whole Foods, Nordstrom): https://youtu.be/5txeT2U_YQo
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:06 Dane Molter’s Journey From Amex to Grubhub
01:44 The Grubhub Experience: Embracing Imperfection
04:08 The Push for Hypergrowth in Product
05:19 Lessons in Product Risk and Innovation
06:59 The Bigger Picture: Product Beyond Technology
09:30 Focusing on Bravery in Product Innovation
12:12 Applying Product Lessons at Navan
17:50 Enterprise Travel Challenges and AI Solutions
19:53 Business Outcomes and Accountability
20:13 Learning Business Mechanics at Amex
26:15 The Importance of Small Tests in Product Testing
34:27 Navigating AI and Emerging Technologies
37:45 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Dane Molter. -
Today, we’re talking with Eric Metelka, Head of Product at Eppo, a next-gen A/B experimentation platform for product teams. With a background in A/B testing and data science, Eric has worked in building product at companies like Cameo, SpotHero, and G2.
In this episode, Eric talks about:
The process he used to cold start G2’s review product and turn it into a self-sustaining flywheel
His secrets to running great A/B tests that can really prove your impact on product growth
How he recovered from Cameo’s Engineering Director telling his entire exec team that all Eric’s test data was incorrect and what he learned from that
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmetelka/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/eric3000
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/eric3000.bsky.social
Eppo: https://www.geteppo.com/
Build Product like Linear | Nan Yu, Head of Product (Linear, Everlane, BOA): https://youtu.be/7ISWLoQtNOc
Chapters
00:00 Intro
03:01 Strategies for Gathering Reviews
05:19 Automating the Review Process
07:54 Scaling and Growth at G2
16:38 Transition to Power Reviews
20:48 Challenges in Competing with Shopify
22:51 Product Lessons from Implementation Processes
24:03 Importance of Institutional Knowledge
25:05 Navigating Leadership and Learning
26:04 Understanding Revenue Recognition
27:56 Effective A/B Testing Strategies with Data Science
28:39 Product Experimentation Pitfalls at Cameo
38:33 Improving Digital User Experience at Cameo
41:52 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) Special Guest: Eric Metelka. -
Today, we’re talking with Mikal Lewis, a Digital Product Executive at Whole Foods who drove hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue over the course of his career.
In this episode, Mikal talks about:
Why you should absolutely (ethically) cheat to get outsized results for your product
His framework that drove a quarter of a billion dollars in additional revenue for Nordstrom’s online store
How to use four types of luck to optimize for opportunity
And, how to build a quiet portfolio so that you can choose your own career moves
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikalfm/
How Google Works by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg: https://www.amazon.com/How-Google-Works-Eric-Schmidt/dp/1455582328
The Law of Shitty Clickthroughs by Andrew Chen: https://andrewchen.com/the-law-of-shitty-clickthroughs/
Pretentiousness: Why it Matters by Dan Fox: https://www.amazon.com/Pretentiousness-Why-Matters-Dan-Fox/dp/156689428X
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:02 Learning Product from Windows to Whole Foods
03:53 The Four Types of Luck by Eric Schmidt
07:30 Applying Type Four Luck to Product
16:53 Breaking into Product Management at Microsoft
22:58 Transforming Nordstrom's Digital Product Experience
34:23 Professional vs. Non-Professional Product Management
37:06 Outro
Follow LaunchPod on YouTube
We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPod.byLogRocket)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe!
What does LogRocket do?
LogRocket combines frontend monitoring, product analytics, and session replay to help software teams deliver the ideal product experience. Try LogRocket for free today. (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr) - Se mer
