The world needs more first pancakes.

First Pancake Podcast

Technology EN ↓ 8 episodes

This podcast is what happens when a user researcher and product strategist hash out hype and popular trends in technology. It’s honest, minimally produced and reflects over 15 years of experience from Zach (product) and Rachel (research) in their respective fields. You should walk away refreshed, yet thinking deeply and maybe even a bit jolly. 😝First Pancake is hosted by siblings Zach & Rachel and produced from Los Angeles, CA and Austin, TX. firstpancakepodcast.substack.com

Author

The world needs more first pancakes.

Episodes

Frameworks 'n' Models 17.09.2025 22:41

They’re a paradox only snowmobiles can solve. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firstpancakepodcast.substack.com

Vulnerability or TMI? 16.09.2025 25:40

Brené Brown has some things to say about this topic. And she’s smarter than us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firstpancakepodcast.substack.com

We Need Doorknobs 06.08.2025 27:43

Conversations are tough to get right. Based on research , they either go too long or too short and they’re often awkward and we worry a lot about doing them right. But still, we need them. Also, affordances . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firstpancakepodcast.substack.com

AI and a Meaningful Life 05.08.2025 31:15

We started by reading this article and then went off on tangents about radiologists and shitty AI-enabled jobs. In short, we just like humans. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firstpancakepodcast.substack.com

Strategy 05.06.2025 33:53

Is strategy bullshit? No! Listen as Zac breaks down how he approaches strategy and where the good stuff happens. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firstpancakepodcast.substack.com

AI ShmAI 29.05.2025 37:23

We chat about how we’ve squeezed value out of AI - and joke about our dead parents, the cat’s meow and abusing ChatGPT. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firstpancakepodcast.substack.com

Working Title: Quitting 07.05.2025 31:09

Things we reference in this episode: Rubicon Model: It was Julius Caesar, not Napoleon ! We continue to learn things. Intermittent reinforcement: Researchers found that the way to keep the subjects working longest was to reinforce the behavior at unpredictable intervals , rather than regularly. 100 Repetitions: Maybe Atomic Habits ? Sunk cost fallacy: the phenomenon whereby a person is reluctant t...

The Shitty First Draft 02.05.2025 37:48

We come by perfectionism honestly - and generationally - so this shitty first draft is no small feat for us. Listen as we figure out how to start and stop a podcast, introduce our professional backgrounds, wrestle with career transitions and chat about what inspires us to keep going. (Hint: It’s not passion.) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get...