Becoming The Product

In this episode, Naya opens up about her journey building GigSecure, from winning pitch competitions and receiving the Tony Elumelu Foundation grant to facing the humbling realities of regulated industries and distribution. She shares why recognition can create a false sense of progress and why she has become much less interested in looking like a founder and far more focused on building an actual...

Working in startup incubation at NITHUB while building her own product, GigSecure, has changed how Naya views entrepreneurship. In this episode, she reflects on why she’s much less impressed by clean ideas than she used to be and shares seven practical observations about what execution actually looks like. From regulatory reality checks to the temptation of hiding behind a great pitch deck, Naya e...

When we step through a career transition, we usually focus on what we're leaving behind or where we want to land next. We rarely pause to ask: what did this season actually give me? In this episode, Naya looks back across her non-linear chapters from banking and remote operations to product management, growth, startup incubation, and founding GigSecure. She explores why no chapter is wasted, h...

For a long time, Naya thought she needed a new career whenever she felt stuck or unfulfilled. But moving from banking to remote operations, product management, growth, and startup incubation revealed a deeper lesson: changing your job title doesn't automatically change how you operate. In this episode, Naya explores the difference between changing your career and changing your operating system...

What if your career isn't the ultimate destination, but simply the sandbox where your true self is developed? After a multi-month break, Naya returns to unpack why fitting into a single professional title is a trap and how mining your past experiences across banking, remote operations, and startup incubation reveals your real core identity. Tune in to redefine success beyond your job title and...

Not every résumé fits on paper. In this reflective episode, Naya explores how proof, process, and storytelling form the foundation of your modern résumé one that evolves with every lesson, pivot, and product you build. Because in the end,  you are the product. Timestamps 00:00 – 00:30  — Introduction: “You are the product.” 00:30 – 01:00  — The story of being laid off and discovering the power of...

This week, Naya shares her story of pivoting from banking to tech, and the three truths that helped her rebuild with clarity. If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to start again, this one’s for you. Spoiler: It’s not. You’re not behind, you’re just iterating. Timestamps: 0:00 – 1:00  — Intro: What inspired this episode and the myth of “too late.” 1:00 – 1:30  — My layoff story: From banking to...

Summary: In this episode, Naya redefines what personal branding means for product managers and creatives. It’s not about logos or aesthetics — it’s about  proof . She shares how documenting in real time, building in public, and aligning every creative outlet to a purpose has shaped her brand as a product builder. Key Takeaways: Branding = the proof you leave behind. Progress > perfection. Build...

In this episode, Naya breaks down how she transformed her product management experience into structured offerings like PMaaS and  Side Hustle Stories . She shares how small acts of documentation became data, how structure created clarity, and why proof always comes before scale. Key Takeaways: You don’t start by building a business — you start by building proof. Your patterns reveal your first off...

In this reflective episode, Naya shares what working with startup founders taught her about real-world product thinking. Beyond frameworks and templates, founders taught her the value of clarity, prioritization, storytelling, and scrappy validation. She connects these lessons to her own journey building PMaaS and preparing for Dive 2025 — Africa’s biggest tech and product conference. Key Takeaways...

In this episode, I talk about Product Dive 2025, Africa’s biggest tech and product conference, my role as an ambassador, and what the  Becoming the Product  community can gain from it. I share why this event is special to me, what to expect, and how to plug in ahead of December. Timestamps: 00:00  – Intro: Something big is happening in December 01:30  – What Product Dive 2025 is all about 04:00  –...

In this reflective episode, Naya shares why stepping into incubation was one of her smartest career moves — even if it didn’t look like it at first. She unpacks how working with founders sharpened her product thinking, inspired PMaaS, and gave her strategic positioning that a traditional PM role couldn’t. Key Takeaways: Unconventional pivots can sharpen unique skills and perspectives. Incubation o...

In this reflective solo episode, Naya shares why not every season of building needs to be loud. She breaks down her Q3 “quiet season,” the mindset shifts that came with it, and practical ways to document and build intentionally when visibility is low. Key Takeaways: Quiet seasons are powerful for strategy and foundation work Value doesn’t disappear just because it’s not visible Document your journ...

In this practical solo episode, Naya shares her Notion system for managing a full portfolio career without a team. From holistic goal planning to project management across multiple hustles, and even using Notion as a website, this is the behind-the-scenes look at her real operating system. Episode 12: How I Use Notion to Run 3 Hustles 00:00 – 00:38  | Introduction: How I manage multiple hustles so...

In this reflective solo episode, Naya opens up about the quieter side of ambition, the overwhelm that can come from juggling multiple creative and professional pursuits. She shares three lessons she’s applying this season to protect her peace while continuing to build intentionally: recognizing overload early, creating clear boundaries, and protecting rest and joy. Episode 11: Protecting Peace Whi...

In this honest solo episode, Naya normalizes the messy middle of building products. Proof isn’t about instant revenue. It starts with listeners, subscribers, first sales, and community. She shares her own lessons from podcasting, launching mini courses, and validating PMaaS. Episode 10:From Downloads to Revenue: What I’ve Learned So Far 00:00 – 00:42  | Why this isn’t a “10k in 10 days” story 00:4...

This week, Naya reflects on the real meaning of building in public, not just milestones, but also pauses, pivots, and messy progress. She shares lessons from falling behind, why documentation matters more than perfection, and how experiments like PMaaS add credibility even before they succeed. Shownotes Episode 9: What Building in Public Actually Looks Like 00:00 – 01:00  | Why “building in public...

What if you could rent a PM’s brain? In this episode, I share the idea of PMaaS—Product Management as a Service—and why I’m building it in public. Timestamps: [00:00:38] Why PMaaS? Lessons from incubation and acceleration [00:01:20] The gap: feature-heavy, user-light startups [00:02:42] What PMaaS could look like (validation sprints, MVP roadmaps, prioritization) [00:03:32] Building toward a Janua...

From validation to iteration, incubation reveals the truth about product work. In this episode, I share lessons from working with startups that every aspiring PM or side-project builder needs to hear. Timestamps: [00:00:55] Landing an incubation role through community [00:02:28] Why vision without validation is quicksand [00:04:09] Iteration beats ideation every time [00:05:19] Introducing PMaaS:...

Everyone loves the idea of passive income, but it’s rarely passive when you’re still building. In this solo episode, I share what it really looks like to build on the side while working full-time. Let’s talk about PMaaS, proof, and planting in public imestamps & Highlights: [00:00:00] The myth of passive income while building [00:01:00] Balancing a full-time job and building PMaaS [00:02:00] W...

Ever thought, “Who am I to teach this?” In this solo episode, Naya shares how surviving chaos led to teaching what she practiced, without a platform, permission, or perfect plan. Timestamps & Highlights: [00:00:00] You don’t need to be an expert to be a guide [00:00:59] From survival mode to systems [00:02:15] When DMs become demand [00:03:00] Teaching = documenting what worked [00:04:00] Your...

Think your checklist or template isn’t a real product? Think again. In this short solo episode, Naya unpacks why digital products count, and how to turn them into proof. Timestamps & Highlights: [00:00:00] – Digital products  are  products. [00:00:51] – The SMART PM Roadmap story [00:01:31] – Full product lifecycle without a single line of code [00:02:01] – Templates solve real problems too [0...

This one’s personal. Naya shares how a career transition exposed the gap in protections for gig workers, and how she built GigSecure to fix it. ength:  ~11 mins Timestamps & Highlights: [00:00:00] – Why GigSecure didn’t start as a hackathon idea [00:00:51] – From traditional job benefits to gig work vulnerability [00:01:49] – Asking hard questions about health, savings, and support [00:02:37]...

Are you tired of one-size-fits-all careers? In this episode, Naya shares how she moved beyond the traditional product path and built a portfolio career that reflects her real life and values. Timestamps & Highlights: [00:00:00] – Intro: nervous, excited, and ready to unpack it all [00:01:10] – Feeling boxed in by a single job title [00:02:01] – What a portfolio career actually is [00:03:45] –...

In this season opener, I’m reflecting on how  Becoming the Product  has evolved, from a way to break into product management to a framework for building a career (and life) on your own terms. I share how launching a podcast, building mini-courses, pivoting careers, and trusting the process helped me stop waiting for permission and start designing a portfolio career. If you've ever felt like you're...