In this episode of Rocketship.FM, we dive deep into one of the most monumental tech failures in recent history - the CrowdStrike glitch that brought the world to a standstill. From grounded flights to disrupted emergency services, we explore how a single software update caused chaos on a global scale, affecting millions of people and businesses worldwide.

Join host Mike Belsito as he breaks down the incident, featuring recordings of commentary from industry experts and CrowdStrike's own CEO. We'll examine the far-reaching consequences of this digital disaster, discuss the critical importance of robust quality assurance in tech, and extract valuable lessons for product managers and tech leaders. Don't miss this eye-opening exploration of what happens when our reliance on technology meets an unexpected glitch.

This podcast is brought to you by:

INDUSTRY: The Product Conference: Join hundreds of Product Managers and Product Leaders this September 23-25, 2024 for INDUSTRY. Save $100 when you use the code Rocketship. Or, use the code RocketshipVIP before August 1st -- and double your discount (and receive more bonuses!)

Gigantic: Upskill your team with real-world, practical video-based training on topics like Product Strategy, Product Leadership, AI for Product Managers, and more.

Rocketship.FM is brought to you by Evergreen Podcasts.

In this episode of Rocketship.FM, host Mike Belsito talks through the crucial skill of leading without authority with guest Jocelyn Davis, author of The Art of Quiet Influence. Drawing from ancient Eastern wisdom and modern leadership research, Davis offers invaluable insights for product managers and leaders who must guide teams and influence stakeholders without formal power. The episode explores three key themes: participation, power, and progress, providing practical strategies for building genuine engagement, aligning interests, and maintaining momentum in product development.

Listeners will gain a fresh perspective on influence, learning how to convert adversaries to allies, support others' initiatives, and navigate conflicts effectively. Davis challenges traditional notions of authority, emphasizing the power of consistent effort, upstream focus, and engaged presence in driving sustainable progress. This episode is a must-listen for product professionals seeking to enhance their leadership skills and create lasting impact in their organizations, offering timeless wisdom adapted for the modern product management landscape.

This podcast is brought to you by:

INDUSTRY: The Product Conference: Join hundreds of Product Managers and Product Leaders this September 23-25, 2024 for INDUSTRY. Save $100 when you use the code Rocketship.

Gigantic: Upskill your team with real-world, practical video-based training on topics like Product Strategy, Product Leadership, AI for Product Managers, and more.

Rocketship.FM is brought to you by Evergreen Podcasts.

In this episode of Rocketship.FM, host Mike Belsito explores the rapid evolution of AI in product development through an engaging conversation with Francois, the Chief Product Officer of Amplitude. Francois shares insights into Amplitude's journey of integrating AI features into their analytics suite, including the challenges and unexpected learnings they encountered along the way. The discussion revolves around the new mantra "move fast and build AI," emphasizing the importance of speed and experimentation in the current AI-driven landscape.

Throughout the episode, Francois offers valuable advice for product teams navigating the AI revolution. He stresses the importance of focusing on customer problems rather than being enamored by technology, and encourages a mindset of continuous learning and experimentation. The conversation also touches on the need for calculated risk-taking, the pitfalls of over-reliance on frameworks, and the potential for AI to become an essential ingredient in every product. Francois leaves listeners with a powerful message about embracing discomfort, maintaining a growth mindset, and always striving for impact in this rapidly changing technological era.

This podcast is brought to you by:

INDUSTRY: The Product Conference: Join hundreds of Product Managers and Product Leaders this September 23-25, 2024 for INDUSTRY. Save $100 when you use the code Rocketship.

Gigantic: Upskill your team with real-world, practical video-based training on topics like Product Strategy, Product Leadership, AI for Product Managers, and more.

Rocketship.FM is brought to you by Evergreen Podcasts.

In this episode of Rocketship.FM, host Mike Belsito dives into essential career advice for product managers, featuring insights from Jackie Bavaro, co-author of "Cracking the PM Interview" and "Cracking the PM Career." The episode explores strategies for advancing in your product management career, including the importance of finding a balance between being a diligent worker and an overly vocal self-promoter. Jackie emphasizes the need to create a personal career roadmap, partner effectively with your manager, and stay current with emerging technologies like AI.

The conversation also covers practical tips for networking, addressing short-lived job experiences during interviews, and navigating career transitions into new industries. Jackie introduces the PEARL framework for discussing challenging work experiences and highlights common career mistakes to avoid. Throughout the episode, Mike and Jackie stress the importance of taking an active role in career development, building strong relationships with managers, and continuously seeking growth opportunities in the ever-evolving field of product management.

This podcast is brought to you by:

INDUSTRY: The Product Conference: Join hundreds of Product Managers and Product Leaders this September 23-25, 2024 for INDUSTRY. Save $100 when you use the code Rocketship.

Gigantic: Upskill your team with real-world, practical video-based training on topics like Product Strategy, Product Leadership, AI for Product Managers, and more.

Rocketship is brought to you by Evergreen Podcasts.

In this episode of Rocketship.FM, host Mike Belsito takes listeners behind the scenes of Shopify's latest product launch. Featuring an exclusive interview with Glen Coates, Shopify's VP of Product, the episode explores the company's innovative approach to introducing new features and products through their biannual "Editions" events. Coates shares insights into Shopify's product development process, the challenges of maintaining a startup mentality in a large organization, and the theme of their latest release: "Unified."

The conversation also covers the growing impact of AI on e-commerce, with Coates discussing Shopify's integration of AI-powered tools like Shopify Magic and Sidekick. He offers valuable advice for product teams looking to incorporate AI into their own products and services, emphasizing the importance of starting small and focusing on simplifying tasks for users. The episode concludes with Coates' thoughts on the future of AI in commerce and key takeaways for product managers navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.

This podcast is brought to you by:

INDUSTRY: The Product Conference: Join hundreds of Product Managers and Product Leaders this September 23-25, 2024 for INDUSTRY. Save $100 when you use the code Rocketship.

Gigantic: Upskill your team with real-world, practical video-based training on topics like Product Strategy, Product Leadership, AI for Product Managers, and more.

Rocketship is brought to you by Evergreen Podcasts.

In this episode, Mike Belsito sits down with Bob Moesta, one of the early pioneers of the Jobs to Be Done framework, to dive deep into what Jobs to Be Done is all about. Bob shares his wealth of knowledge on how to truly understand your customers by looking at the world through their eyes and examining the progress they are trying to make in their lives when they "hire" a product.

From key concepts like struggling moments, pushes, pulls, and anxiety to best practices for conducting in-depth customer interviews, Bob provides a masterclass on Jobs to Be Done. While sharing examples from his work with companies like Basecamp and Intercom, Bob emphasizes that Jobs to Be Done is a powerful tool in the product manager's toolbox for uncovering insights that lead to designing better product experiences. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build products that customers will love.

This podcast is brought to you by:

INDUSTRY: The Product Conference: Join hundreds of Product Managers and Product Leaders this September 23-25, 2024 for INDUSTRY. Save $100 when you use the code Rocketship.

Gigantic: Upskill your team with real-world, practical video-based training on topics like Product Strategy, Product Leadership, AI for Product Managers, and more.

Rocketship is brought to you by Evergreen Podcasts.

In this episode, longtime former Google product leader and current Executive Coach to Product Leaders, Ken Norton, shares his wisdom and insights, offering guidance that is essential for anyone working in tech product management. From navigating the early stages of your journey to making strategic decisions that will shape your professional path, Ken's advice is practical, inspiring, and timeless.

While this episode is a must-listen for those just starting out in product management, it's also perfect for Product Managers looking to take their careers to the next level -- and even those transitioning into Product Leadership.

This podcast is brought to you by:

INDUSTRY: The Product Conference: Join hundreds of Product Managers and Product Leaders this September 23-25, 2024 for INDUSTRY. Save $100 when you use the code Rocketship.

Gigantic: Upskill your team with real-world, practical video-based training on topics like Product Strategy, Product Leadership, AI for Product Managers, and more.

Rocketship is brought to you by The Podglomerate.

This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. 

Since you're listening to Rocketship, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows surrounding entrepreneurship, business, and careers like Creative Elements and Freelance to Founder.

In this episode, we hear the origin story of DoWhatWorks from it's Co-Founder and CEO, Andres Glusman. The conversation unravels the journey from initial struggles to pivotal moments of success, illustrating how the founders' commitment to experimentation and customer feedback led to a groundbreaking product.

Discover how DoWhatWorks transitioned from a backyard idea to a company that helps businesses optimize their online experiences using a vast dataset of experiments. With a vision to become the "Grammarly for UX," Andres discusses strategic decisions, the importance of running towards challenges, and the lessons learned from previous ventures, including Meetup. This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs and product managers on navigating the path to product-market fit, scaling up, and the critical role of customer-centric innovation.

This podcast is brought to you by:

INDUSTRY: The Product Conference: Join hundreds of Product Managers and Product Leaders this September 23-25, 2024 for INDUSTRY. Save $100 when you use the code Rocketship.

Gigantic: Upskill your team with real-world, practical video-based training on topics like Product Strategy, Product Leadership, AI for Product Managers, and more.

Rocketship is brought to you by The Podglomerate.

This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. 

Since you're listening to Rocketship, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows surrounding entrepreneurship, business, and careers like Creative Elements and Freelance to Founder.

In November 2014, Brian Crofts prepared for a crucial meeting with two top-level executives at Intuit. One was CeCe Morken, his boss, overseeing Intuit’s Professional Tax (ProTax) business—a $422 million enterprise selling tax preparation software to accountants. The other was Sasan Goodarzi, in charge of Intuit’s $1.8 billion TurboTax division, providing software directly to consumers.

Crofts had spent three years developing a new product, TurboTax PersonalPro, bridging the gap between these two business lines. Company leadership had decided it was time for a major launch, making the November meeting pivotal for finalizing a go-to-market plan.

However, not all launches yield exponential growth. Discover the untold story behind the scenes of the turbulent rollout of TurboTax PersonalPro, leading to its initial setback.

This podcast is brought to you by:

Go to http://porkbun.com/RocketshipFM24 to get $1 off your next desired domain name at Porkbun!

Miro: Go to Miro.com/podcast and get your first three Miro boards free forever.

Hubspot: Listen to The Science of Scaling wherever you get your podcasts.

Leadpages: The Easiest Way to Grow Your Sales. Check out their landing page templates today.

Rocketship is brought to you by The Podglomerate.

This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. 

Since you're listening to Rocketship, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows surrounding entrepreneurship, business, and careers like Creative Elements and Freelance to Founder.

You will be treated to the fascinating beginnings of Pendo, a product experience platform company now valued at over two and a half billion dollars. We'll highlight Pendo's growth from an initial sponsor to a prominent supporter of product conferences. Todd Olson, Pendo's CEO, joins to recount his journey prior to Pendo at Rally Software and the subsequent challenges that inspired the creation of Pendo. Todd delves into the significance of the close-knit founding team and their collective decision to secure funding to capitalize on the perceived urgency of the business opportunity.

We'll also reflect on Pendo's pivot from an attempted viral strategy to a focus on larger companies and the inclusion of sales, a move that significantly streamlined the company's growth trajectory. Speaker C also addresses Pendo's cultural constants despite a decade of transformation; the company's core values—such as work-life balance and a bias to act—remain as pivotal to Pendo's identity as they were at its inception. Looking ahead, we discuss Pendo's application of AI technology, assisting traditional businesses in becoming more product centric, and international expansion. Todd Olson closes the episode with a piece of seasoned advice for other entrepreneurs: Success comes from thoroughly solving a profound problem.

This podcast is brought to you by:

Go to http://porkbun.com/RocketshipFM24 to get $1 off your next desired domain name at Porkbun!

Miro: Go to Miro.com/podcast and get your first three Miro boards free forever.

Hubspot: Listen to The Science of Scaling wherever you get your podcasts.

Leadpages: The Easiest Way to Grow Your Sales. Check out their landing page templates today.

Rocketship is brought to you by The Podglomerate.

This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. 

Since you're listening to Rocketship, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows surrounding entrepreneurship, business, and careers like Creative Elements and Freelance to Founder.

In this episode of Rocketship.fm, hosts Michael Sacca and Mike Belsito take listeners through an in-depth examination of the pivotal business concept known as product market fit. They begin by acknowledging that, despite frequently using the term, they haven't fully dissected its meaning in previous episodes. They outline the importance of product market fit, describing it as a critical transition point that can propel a startup from uncertainty to being a market leader or at least demonstrating market alignment. They emphasize how this fit can indicate a growing customer base and stronger ties between the product and its users, and discuss the continuous process of iterating a product based on customer feedback and evolving market demands.

Throughout the episode, we'll dissect the idea of product market fit, explaining it as a kind of complex puzzle where each piece represents an aspect of the product's journey towards market acceptance. They identify the key components of achieving product market fit: a quality product that aligns with market demands, its relevance and affordability to the target audience's needs, and a good market actively seeking the product's solutions. The hosts highlight the importance of customer feedback, describing how it should be actively sought, received, and used - not to immediately fulfill every customer's request, but to genuinely listen, interpret needs, and then create a comprehensive solution. They underscore that achieving product market fit is not a one-time event but a continuous process that involves constant adaption and refinement.

Finally, we'll share insights on common metrics used to measure product market fit, such as customer retention rates and net promoter scores, while pointing out the necessity of customizing these metrics to fit the unique context of a product and its market. They also touch upon challenges faced in the quest for product market fit, using stories and clips from notable figures like Peter Reinart from Segment and the late Clayton Christensen. These anecdotes highlight the real-world struggles and breakthroughs companies encounter as they shift from pushing their product to a market that's not responding, to being in demand by the market itself—underscoring the episode’s key takeaway of what finding product market fit truly entails.

This podcast is brought to you by:

Go to http://porkbun.com/RocketshipFM24 to get $1 off your next desired domain name at Porkbun!

Miro: Go to Miro.com/podcast and get your first three Miro boards free forever.

Hubspot: Listen to The Science of Scaling wherever you get your podcasts.

Gigantic: Learn more about Gigantic's Product Leadership course, Generative AI, Product Management course, Executive Leadership course & Web3 for Marketing course, AI Product Management Course, and Customer Research and Discovery Course at Gigantic.is

Leadpages: The Easiest Way to Grow Your Sales. Check out their landing page templates today.

Rocketship is brought to you by The Podglomerate.

This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. 

Since you're listening to Rocketship, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows surrounding entrepreneurship, business, and careers like Creative Elements and Freelance to Founder.