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Today’s Episode
When I started this podcast, my goal was simple: Learn from the best and share insights that actually help PMs level up.
After talking to some of the brightest product leaders — Marty Cagan, Melissa Perri, Ravi Mehta, and many more — I’ve noticed quite a few patterns.
So today, I’m sharing the top takeaways from 50 conversations with the world’s best product thinkers.
And I follow it up with all your hottest questions - like the future of this podcast, and how I produce so much content.
The Top 11 Lessons From 50 of the World’s Best Product Thinkers
1. Most PMs Don’t Work in an "Ideal" Product Team (Marty Cagan)
Most PMs have never worked in what is the ideal product team.
Marty pointed out that many PMs blame themselves when things aren’t working, but more often than not, the real issue is the company’s structure, leadership, and decision-making processes.
2. The Real Reason Stakeholders Forget Your Product Strategy (Melissa Perri)
The question of how to communicate your product strategy is an eternal one. Some say a doc. Other say visuals. Melissa’s advice?
Don’t rely on a single format:
→ Write a long-form doc for depth.
→ Create a slide deck for discussions.
→ Use mockups or videos to bring it to life.
This resonates strongly with what’s worked for me.
3. Your Success as a PM Depends on Your Engineers (Chloe Shih)
At TikTok, great engineers could build in a day what others needed a week for.
Your execution speed depends on engineering quality.
What this means for you:
A. If your engineers aren’t executing well, escalate the issue instead of trying to compensate.
B. The best PMs know that a weak engineering team will limit their impact. Every single time.
4. If 100% of Your Launches Succeed, You’re Playing It Too Safe (Satyajeet Salgar)
Most PMs over-optimize for a perfect launch record. He sees this as a red flag.
If everything you launch works, you’re not taking enough risks.
High-impact teams:
→ Balance safe bets with bold experiments
→ Accept that not everything will work but the big wins will outweigh the losses
5. Most People Network the Wrong Way (Diego Granados)
Too many PMs cold message for referrals without ever adding value.
He broke down a better approach:
→ Engage first. Like, comment, and contribute before you ask for something.
→ Provide value. Offer insights, help with a problem, or show genuine interest.
→ Build relationships before making an ask.
Networking isn’t transactional.
The PMs who build real relationships don’t just land jobs; they create opportunities.
6. A Great Strategy Means Nothing Without Execution (Ravi Mehta)
Strategy decks don’t build products. Execution does.
He explained how PMs often obsess over vision but fail on delivery.
The key lesson: A brilliant idea with poor execution is worthless.
The best PMs are just as obsessed with shipping as they are with strategy.
7. Great PMs Know When to Switch Between Planning & Execution (Gautam Krishnan)
Product managers constantly struggle with balancing strategic thinking and execution.
In planning mode → Think long-term, set direction, remove distractions.
In execution mode → Focus on shipping, remove blockers, ensure quality.
The best PMs don’t mix these modes.
They know when to zoom out and when to go all-in on delivery.
8. Discovery & Delivery Should Happen in Parallel (Pawel Huryn)
Most teams separate discovery (research) and delivery (execution).
The best approach?
→ Run small-scale discovery for 2-3 weeks.
→ Ship a minimum viable version.
→ Get feedback, iterate, and improve without waiting months for the “perfect plan.”
Great PMs don’t delay execution while they research. They learn while shipping.
9. Pricing Changes Take Time But They’re Your Biggest Learning Opportunity (Kyle Poyar)
Most teams obsess over new launches but pricing changes? They often get ignored.
Kyle Poirier pointed out that pricing impact takes time to show up, sometimes months or even years before you see the real effect.
And because of that, teams rarely go back to analyze what actually happened.
But if you do, you’ll uncover some of the most valuable insights in product.
And this is what I’ve seen in product processes as well:
PMs spend months on discovery, PRDs, and launch execution but what happens after?
The best PMs look back, study past launches, and write feature results deep dives.
10. The Best PMs Think Beyond the VP of Product Role (Anuj Rathi)
Too many PMs think the ultimate career goal is VP of Product or CPO.
His journey proves otherwise.
He started as the first PM at Flipkart, became VP of Product at Swiggy, but didn’t stop there. Instead, he expanded into:
→ Revenue growth
→ Sales and business strategy
→ General management
11. Your Product is More Than Features; It’s How You Package It (Anthony Pierri)
A product isn’t just about what it does.
It’s about how it’s presented.
He explained how most PMs focus on strategy and execution but ignore packaging.
→ Your homepage, marketing, and positioning matter as much as the product itself.
→ Even a great product can fail if it’s not framed and sold the right way.
The best PMs don’t just think like builders; they think like marketers, too.
Answering Your Toughest Questions – No Filters
After 50 episodes, I took a step back to reflect.
It’s been an incredible journey but not always an easy one.
And I know I’m not the only one with questions.
So in this issue, I’m answering your toughest questions.
No filters. No sugarcoating. Just raw, honest insights on what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what’s next.
Questions like:
Was starting this podcast a good decision?
Is the podcast profitable?
How do I balance the podcast and newsletter?
To get the answers, you’ll have to watch the episode :)
If you love the podcast, you’ll love the newsletter.
Paid issue go deeper then what you can find on social media, with the kind of insights that actually move the needle — on product management, AI tools, workflows, and what’s coming next.
No fluff. No recycled advice. Just high-signal insights that’ll be the best ROI decision you make in 2025.
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Up Next
I hope you enjoyed the last episode with Claire Vo (doing incredibly well in the stats department). Up next, we have episodes with:
Gayle McDowell - Author, Cracking the PM Interview
Satish Mummareddy - L7 PM at Meta (Fmr)
Ethan Evans - Fmr VP, Amazon
Finally, check out my latest deep dive if you haven’t yet: How to use Claude for Work
Cheers,
Aakash
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