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Mind the Product


The Product Experience features conversations with the product people of the world, focusing on real insights of how to improve your product practice. Part of the Mind the Product network, hosts Lily Smith (ProductTank organiser and Product Consultant) & Randy Silver (Head of Product and product management trainer) “go deep” with the best speakers from ProductTank meetups all over the globe, Mind the Product conferences, and the wider product community.


The Product Experience

In this episode of the Product Experience Podcast, we speak with Kasia Chmielinski, co-founder of The Data Nutrition Project, who discusses their work on responsible AI, data quality, and the Data Nutrition Project. Kasia highlights the importance of balancing innovation with ethical considerations in product management, the challenges of working within large organizations like the UN, and the need for transparency in data usage.

Featured Links: Follow Kasia on LinkedIn | The Data Nutrition Project | 'What we learned at Pendomonium and #mtpcon 2024 Raleigh: Day 2' feature by Louron Pratt

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

AI ethics advice from former White House technologist - Kasia Chmielinski

In this week's episode, we speak with Kameron Canbaz, Product Manager at Yahoo, who shares collaboration strategies between product managers and engineers, highlighting the early involvement of engineers in the design process to preempt errors and align user goals. He provides practical tips for maintaining a user-centric mindset, urging regular communication with users and fostering a culture of empathy within product teams.

Featured Links: Follow Kameron on LinkedIn | Yahoo | "What we learned at Pendomonium + #mtpcon Raleigh: Day 1" feature by Louron Pratt 

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

How Yahoo creates a great experience for its users - Kameron Canbaz (Product Manager, Workflow and UX at Yahoo)

Rerun: Many organisations and teams have faced the challenge of scaling a product. This week we invited Dave Martin and Andrea Saez, authors of "Product Momentum Gap", to share their wisdom and help bring together product strategy and provide customer value.

Featured Links: Follow Andrea on LinkedIn and her website | Follow Dave on LinkedIn | Dave's page at Right To Left | Buy Andrea and Dave's book 'The Product Momentum Gap' | Dave's 'How to execute your product strategy' (using the Value Creation Plan) 10-Step Plan

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

Rerun: The product momentum gap – Dave Martin and Andrea Saez on The Product Experience

Curious about the illusions and realities of corporate culture? Join us as we chat with Keiji Adedeji, an experienced product leadership coach with deep insights into the world of product management. Keiji shares her fascinating journey from software tester to product manager, driven by a relentless curiosity and a knack for problem-solving. With over 18 years in tech and extensive experience in B2B sectors, including her recent work with the International Baccalaureate Organization, Keiji brings to light the humorous and perplexing behaviors of large companies and the illusion of control that often drives their decisions.

In our conversation, we unpack the common pitfalls of adopting agile methodologies without truly grasping their essence, drawing from Keiji's firsthand experience with teams attempting to mirror Spotify's squad model. We highlight unusual practices, like the need to move physical cards, emphasizing the necessity of trust and focusing on outcomes rather than getting lost in the process. As our world shifts towards virtual and hybrid work environments, Keiji questions the relevance of traditional tools and underscores the importance of adaptable, outcome-driven work practices.

We also explore the challenges that come with setting strategic goals and how organizations can sometimes lose sight of their brand and mission in pursuit of metrics and revenue. By discussing the value of clear boundaries and the dangers of excessive bureaucracy, we aim to equip listeners with strategies to empower teams and drive meaningful change. From setting effective guardrails to navigating organizational complexity, Keiji offers a wealth of knowledge on building a culture of experimentation and tackling inefficiencies to enhance productivity and engagement.

Featured Links: Follow Keji on LinkedIn | Watch Keji's talk at #mtpcon 2023 | The Spotify Squad Model

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

It's not you, it's them - frustrating things orgs do - Keji Adedeji (Product Leader and Coach)

In this week's podcast episode, we speak to Laka Sriram, VP of Generative AI at GoDaddy, discussing leveraging generative AI to streamline the business setup process for entrepreneurs. We explore Laka's background, the development process of GenAI, customer engagement strategies, the ethical considerations of AI, and the importance of fostering a culture of experimentation within product teams.

Featured Links: Follow Laka on LinkedIn | GoDaddy | GoDaddy Airo 

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

How GenAI has improved GoDaddy's product experience - Laka Sriram (VP Generative AI, GoDaddy)

In our latest podcast episode on The Product Experience, Glenn Block, Founder and CEO of ProdSense, discusses the concept of product equity. He emphasizes the importance of creating fair and equitable products in the tech industry, especially amid advances in AI. He shares his journey from a software developer to a product leader and the motivations behind launching his own business focused on product equity. 

Featured Links: Follow Glenn on LinkedIn | Work with Glenn at ProdSense | Product Equity at Adobe What is Product Equity | Product Equity 101 | Design Justice | Building For Everyone | Cash App and their work to support the un/underbanked | 

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

What Product Equity really means - Glenn Block (Founder and CEO, ProdSense)

Burnout is a silent adversary that many of us face, and this week, we're joined by Evie Brockwell, a seasoned product consultant and coach who has faced this challenge head-on during her time at Booking.com. We unpack why burnout is alarmingly prevalent among product professionals and explore practical strategies for prevention and recovery, emphasising the importance of wellbeing in our professional lives.

Featured Links: Follow Evie on LinkedIn | Evie's burnout stats | Support each other at ProductTank

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

Misconceptions about burnout in product management - Evie Brockwell (Product Leadership Coach)

In this week's podcast episode, Akash Gupta delves into the concept of Product-Led Growth (PLG), exploring its definition, misconceptions, and the seven essential layers that contribute to a successful PLG strategy.

Featured Links: Follow Aakash on LinkedIn | Aakash's Product Growth website | 'What we learned at Pendomonium and #mtpcon Raleigh NC: Day 2' feature by Louron Pratt

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

The 7 key strategies for Product growth - Aakash Gupta (PLG Expert)

In this conversation, Karen Stroup, Chief Digital Officer at Wex, discusses her experiences with building an AI strategy at WEX, highlighting the importance of board alignment, experimentation, and employee engagement. She shares insights on setting bold goals, creating a culture of innovation, and the necessity of a robust AI governance framework, particularly in the financial services sector. 

Featured Links: Follow Karen on LinkedIn | WEX | 'The decisive role of AI-powered analytics in your product strategy' feature at Mind The Product 

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

How to get your org on board with your GenAI product strategy - Karen Beck Stroup (Chief Digital Officer, WEX)

In this week's conversation on The Product Experience podcast, we speak with Radhika Dutt about various product diseases that can hinder effective management and the need for organizations to adopt a more systematic approach to product development. 

Radhika shares insights on implementing this mindset within teams and the significance of balancing long-term vision with short-term survival needs. 

Featured Links: Follow Radhika on LinkedIn | Buy Radhika's book'Radical Product Thinking: The New Mindset for Innovating Smarter' | Radical Product website | Sign up here to participate in Radhika's next book'Radically Rethinking Metrics' !

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

Common product diseases (and how you can overcome them) - Radhika Dutt (Author of 'Radical Product Thinking')

Can organisational change truly rely on quick fixes, or are we missing the bigger picture? Join our engaging discussion with Steve Hearsum, Author of "No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organizational Quick Fix." Steve shares his journey into the field and reveals the flawed belief in miracle solutions for complex challenges. We tackle the often-overlooked challenges faced by product managers who are expected to perform at senior leadership levels without adequate support. 

Featured Links: Follow Steve on LinkedIn | Buy Steve's book 'No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organisational Quick Fix' | Edge + Stretch | 'The Life Cycle of a Silver Bullet' piece at What's the PONT Blog

Our Hosts
Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
 
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.

The illusion of quick fixes in organisational change - Steve Hearsum (Consultant, Author)

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