Fireside Product Management

In my latest Fireside PM episode, I explore a compelling question that recently came up in my Backchannel PM Accelerator cohort: What is the future of product management, and how can PMs prepare for it? This discussion is rooted in the rapid technological changes reshaping our profession. Here are my reflections on where we're heading and what it means for PMs at every stage of their careers. 1. T...

In this episode of Fireside PM , I had the privilege of interviewing Marcelo Calbucci , a seasoned entrepreneur, tech leader, and author of The PRFAQ Framework: Adapting Amazon’s Innovation Framework to Work for You . Marcelo’s extensive career spans over two decades, including roles at Microsoft, founding multiple startups, and leading teams at Amazon, where he embraced the PRFAQ framework as a t...

In this episode of the Fireside PM podcast, I had the privilege of catching up with Karl Isaac, my former manager from Microsoft and a branding expert who has left an indelible mark on some of the world’s most renowned companies. Our conversation was not just a trip down memory lane—it was an exploration of how product managers (PMs) can elevate their craft by embracing the power of branding. Karl...

Thriving Under Different Managerial Styles: A PM’s Guide Do You Work for the Boss from Hell, Heaven, or Somewhere In Between? In a recent Fireside PM podcast episode, I shared insights inspired by a coaching conversation with a senior PM at a FAANG company. * She was navigating a significant challenge: adapting to a new manager with a starkly different style than her previous one. This conversatio...

Introduction When was the last time you asked for advice? Perhaps it was about a tough career decision, a thorny product challenge, or simply seeking perspective on your day-to-day PM grind. As a product manager, you're probably no stranger to giving and receiving advice—it’s practically a job requirement. Yet, how often do we stop to think about how we approach this exchange? In my latest video,...

The 8 Archetypes of Product Leaders: What Type Are You? As product leaders, we often ask ourselves: What is my superpower, and where can I have the most impact? In a recent Fireside PM episode, I explored this idea through the lens of eight common archetypes of product managers (PMs). Think of it as a "personality type system" for product leaders, but with actionable career insights. Whether you'r...

I just shared my three big predictions for 2025 in my latest video. Here's a quick summary, but I’d love to hear your thoughts—especially if you disagree with any of them! * ROI Will Trump AI By 2025, companies will focus more on ROI over pure AI hype. While AI could contribute $16 trillion to the economy by 2030 (according to PwC), most companies have struggled to see returns that justify their i...

Dan Delmar from the Virtual Angels Network discusses how to become an angel investor.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Tom and Kirk Mattson (both Bowdoin '96 alums) discuss Kirk's view on what makes a great PM and the future of AI. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Tom and Elizabeth Creighton talk about user research interviewing mistakes and best practices. Check out Elizabeth's upcoming class on Maven with a special Fireside discount here https://maven.com/brazen-ux/user-interview-skills-designers-pms?promoCode=FIRESIDE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.subst...

Amit Badlani from Stanford talks about ML, AI, and product management. See his class here  https://maven.com/amit-badlani/ml-foundations-for-product-managers See all of Tom's classes at http://maven.com/toml This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Roman Pichler and Tom talk about business strategy, portfolio strategy, product strategy, and how it relates to the roadmap and backlog. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Tom and Joe Tarragano discuss the risk of puritanical thinking of PM's and the topic of Produxsplaining :-) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Thanks to Teresa Torres  from  Product Talk  for coming on to the Fireside PM pod to talk about  #productdiscovery ! We had a great convo and I found the notion of show not telling and the importance of making lots of little improvements versus arguing for wholesale transformation to be pretty compelling.  https://www.producttalk.org/   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this w...

Former Apple, Google, and Y Combinator entrepreneur Hardik Vala https://www.linkedin.com/in/thehardikv/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Tom and Alan talk about the current job market, how to get a good referral, and the importance of baby steps when managing your career. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

I posted a job and got 300 applications in the first day... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Tom and Jesse Chor, Founder CEO of Sequoia backed Tanda, talk about best practices for aspiring product managers to land their first PM gig.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

I walk through an example of evaluating a greenfield product idea from scratch.  Also if you're interested in my class on nailing your next executive PM review at work, feel free to express interest here https://maven.com/forms/d4610a This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Why hiring managers and job candidates aren't entirely honest in the interviewing process. For the 2X2 visual, https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yDk7acE2kTqL0mQY4oIqv1EEZiUmAwh3UpLIOzaINDA/edit?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Tom goes over the PM hiring manager hierarchy of needs.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Get more help from Tom at tomleungcoaching.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Learn more about speakers here https://www.linkedin.com/events/firesidepmpanel-productmanageme7148097303470354433/theater/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Tom recommends 3 things for your annual PM goals. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Tom and Saeed Khan talk about the underlying causes of product managers making things that don't solve customer problems. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com