Welcome to 2020, everyone. Like many of you, I’ve made a few New Year’s resolutions. Along with the usual ones (eating healthier, watching less TV, exercising more, etc.), I’ve made it a 2020 goal to listen to more podcasts. If you’ve made a similar resolution, we’ve got some great product-focused ones to recommend. Last January, we shared six of the best product management podcasts around. Now we’ve got six more for you to add to your listening list. We hope you learn something new and get a jumpstart on any other professional resolutions you might have made. Enjoy!
Product Hunt Radio
Product Hunt is an awesome place to discover the latest and greatest products. After taking a hiatus for nearly two years, their podcast, Product Hunt Radio, returned in August 2018 (which we were thrilled about). Hosted by Ryan Hoover and Abadesi Osunsade, each episode delves into a topic in the startup, digital product, and investment worlds. As a starting point, we recommend one of our favorite episodes, “Why it doesn’t have to be crazy at work with David Heinemeier Hansson.” Most people who work in product are familiar with being overworked and dealing with competing priorities. In this episode, the CTO of Basecamp talks about reducing workplace stress and his ideas for changing the very nature of work itself.
The Product Podcast
This podcast comes from the team at Product School, one of the leaders in PM education, certification, and training courses. Guests include PMs from both hot startups and long-established powerhouses, including Spotify, Walmart, Tinder, Disney, and Adobe. Each episode offers practical advice, real-world takeaways, and personal stories of how to build a successful product strategy. We really enjoyed their episode on better understanding the needs of your customers, featuring a PM from B2C beauty company Birchbox.
Masters of Scale
Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn and an investor at Greyscale, hosts this podcast on taking a company from zero to global empire. The guest list is truly impressive, including luminaries like Marissa Mayer, Arianna Huffington, and Bill Gates. Get started with the very first episode: “Airbnb’s Brian Chesky in Handcrafted.” In the podcast premiere, guest Brian Chesky discusses why the first step to growing your company is to perfect what can’t be scaled. Only when you know exactly what your users want can you move on to the next strategic phase. Intrigued? Listen now.
Inside Intercom Podcast
Intercom, one of the leaders in customer messaging and support chat, produces this podcast. Topics include design, product management, and marketing. In each episode, members of the Intercom team chat with leaders in these fields. Plus, Intercom co-founder and Des Traynor and product SVP Paul Adams share their own experiences and best practices working in product and product-adjacent fields. If you’re looking for content dedicated specifically to product management, check out episodes with “Intercom on Product” in the title. We recommend starting with “Rise of the keyboard-first generation,” in which Paul and Des discuss how product design evolves over time.
The Everyday Innovator Podcast
Innovation is the key to creating products that foster user delight and stand out in the market. Hosted by Chad McCallister, Ph. D., The Everyday Innovator podcast focuses on helping PMs get better at their jobs and boost their creativity. We particularly liked Episode 247: “How to manage your career to get the promotion you deserve.” As you probably know, the product management career ladder can be pretty slippery. This episode includes some helpful advice for navigating performance reviews, raises, and professional recognition. And guest Farnoosh Brock, career coach for PMs, shares her expertise on personal development and building your skillset.
a16z Podcast
This podcast is more tech- and startup-focused than the others, but any PM could benefit from giving it a listen. The podcast comes from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and offers an inside look into software trends, industry news, and the future of business. Specific topics include everything from storytelling to nursing to container ships and logistics. Really, there’s something for every listener. Plus, they publish multiple episodes per week, so you’ll never run out of content.
Is there another great product management podcast you’ll be listening to in the new year? Let us know about it at @Product_Craft.
