Productized Podcast

In this episode, host André Marquet sits down with Kristina Kutan, a transformational coach, leadership strategist, and former startup founder. Kristina shares her journey from teaching to coaching, her experiences in the startup world, and how these lessons shaped her neuroscience-backed approach to leadership.

As the creator of the Lifecraft methodology, Kristina helps leaders align cognitive, emotional, and higher intelligence to navigate complexity, overcome decision fatigue, and lead with clarity and purpose. She dives into the challenges of cognitive overload, the importance of psychological safety in teams, and why transformational leadership is key to fostering innovation and resilience.

Key Takeaways:

➡️ Authentic leadership requires alignment between personal values and vision.

➡️ Cognitive overload can hinder productivity—structured decision-making helps.

➡️ Transformational leadership fosters innovation and psychological safety.

➡️ Kaizen hour is a powerful tool for self-reflection and course correction.

➡️ Hormones like dopamine and cortisol play a crucial role in leadership effectiveness.

➡️ Purpose-driven leadership is essential in times of change and uncertainty.

Chapters:

01:14 Meet Kristina Kutan: A Transformational Leader

03:54 Kristina's Journey: From Teaching to Coaching

06:23 Startup Experience: Founding Floasis

10:42 Lessons Learned: Leadership and Lifecraft Methodology

11:44 Navigating Cognitive Overload and Urgency

14:15 Crafting a Vision for Authentic Leadership

18:01 Transformational Leadership and Team Dynamics

22:22 Decision Fatigue and Cognitive Capacity

27:50 Recognizing the Need for Coaching

29:38 Embracing Purpose and Mental Capacity

In this episode, host André Marquet sits down with Chris Compston to explore what makes a product team truly effective in today’s fast-changing world. They discuss the rising importance of ProductOps, how leadership shapes team performance, and why inclusivity and emotional intelligence are crucial for success.

Chris shares his insights on aligning teams with business goals, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and making data-informed (not just data-driven) decisions. The conversation also touches on the evolving role of AI in product management, the importance of empowered teams, and strategies for mid-level managers to drive impact.

If you’re looking to build and lead high-performing product teams, this episode is packed with practical takeaways on leadership, collaboration, and the future of product management!

Key Takeaways:

➡️ High-performing product teams focus on delivering customer value and business impact.

➡️ Leadership and team culture are essential for alignment, autonomy, and effectiveness.

➡️ ProductOps is becoming a key function in scaling and optimizing product teams.

➡️ Data-informed decision-making leads to better outcomes than purely data-driven approaches.

➡️ AI is reshaping product management, helping teams focus on strategic value.

➡️ Inclusivity, collaboration, and emotional intelligence drive better leadership and team performance.

Chapters:

07:25 The Evolution of Product Management

13:49 Key Ingredients for Effective Product Teams

18:29 The Role of Leadership in Team Effectiveness

20:32 Aligning Purpose and Autonomy in Leadership

21:22 The Importance of Inclusivity in Leadership

21:47 Essential Traits of Great Product Leaders

23:06 Collaboration and Joint Decision Making

24:09 Emotional Intelligence vs. Assertiveness in Leadership

25:18 The Complexities of Leadership Personas

27:44 Navigating the Challenges of Mid-Level Management

28:13 Communicating Business Impact Effectively

30:38 Defining Team Effectiveness and Improvement Strategies

34:08 Balancing Agility with Long-Term Vision

36:11 The Future of Product Management and AI

40:00 Upcoming Projects and Initiatives

Where to find Chris: linkedin.com/in/chriscompston

Website: chriscompston.com

Newsletter: chriscompston.substack.com

Bluesky: chriscompston.bsky.social

Where to find Andre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marquet/

In this episode, host Pedro Ganço sits down with Anya Cheng, an award-winning product leader, entrepreneur, and founder of Taelor, an AI-powered menswear rental service. Anya shares her journey from working at global tech giants to launching her own startup, offering invaluable insights into product strategy, team building, stakeholder management, and the future of AI in product management.

Throughout the conversation, Anya dives into the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of validating hypotheses, and how gamification enhances user experience. She also discusses how AI is reshaping product development and why transparency and agility are key to scaling successful products.

If you're looking to navigate the world of innovation, startups, and product leadership, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration!

Key Takeaways:

➡️ You only need one great feature to make a successful product.

➡️ Being a founder is far more challenging than working in established companies.

➡️ Validating ideas before scaling is crucial in product management.

➡️ Gamification can enhance user experience and engagement.

➡️ The future of product management will be driven by data and AI.

➡️ Stakeholder management and team-building are essential for long-term success.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Product Management and Innovation

05:51 Anya Cheng's Journey and the Birth of Taylor

12:48 Navigating Stakeholder Management in Large Organizations

19:49 Balancing Autonomy and Vision in Product Management

25:16 The Challenges of Being a Startup Founder

27:24 Gamification in User Experience

29:03 Understanding User Needs and Gamification

35:51 Balancing Research and Product Development

38:23 Building Effective Teams in Startups

41:36 Product Strategy in Startups vs. Large Organizations

46:12 Maintaining Agility While Scaling

49:08 The Future of Product Management and AI

In this episode, host Pedro Ganço sits down with Ken Sandy, a seasoned product leader, educator, and author of The Influential Product Manager, to break down what it takes to grow from a junior product manager to a strategic product leader.

Ken shares his expert insights on developing core PM skills, mastering stakeholder influence, and navigating the transition from execution to strategy. He dives into the key frameworks every aspiring product leader should know—covering prioritization techniques, decision-making models, and the importance of business acumen.

Whether you’re an early-career PM looking to accelerate your growth or a senior product professional aiming to refine your leadership approach, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you level up your product career.

Key Takeaways:

➡️ The shift from execution to strategy—and why it’s crucial for career growth

➡️ The biggest challenges junior PMs face—and how to overcome them

➡️ How to develop influence and leadership without formal authority

➡️ Why storytelling is a powerful skill for product managers

➡️ The decision-making frameworks that help PMs thrive in complex environments

➡️ How prioritization techniques can make or break a product team

➡️ The evolving role of product management—and how to stay ahead in the field

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Product Management podcast

05:50 Ken Sandy's Journey into Product Management

11:11 The Importance of Execution in Product Management

17:01 Influence Over Authority in Product Management

24:34 Advice for Aspiring Product Managers

25:54 Uncovering Product Management Skills

32:01 Navigating Challenges in Product Management

38:13 The Importance of Decision-Making

46:17 Practical Frameworks for Product Managers

50:21 Prioritization and Stakeholder Alignment

54:27 Essential Skills for Junior Product Managers

01:02:19 Transitioning from Execution to Strategy

01:05:51 The Future of Product Management