Rocketship.fm

After more than a decade of stories, insights, and interviews from the world of tech, this is the final episode of Rocketship. FM… at least for now. In part one, host Mike Belsito opens up about the decision to hit pause on the show. Following the acquisition of Product Collective and diving deep into new responsibilities at Pendo and Mind the Product, time has become a rare commodity. And the lit...

You know the name. You’ve probably heard the iconic 16-bit theme. But what you might not know is that legendary football coach and broadcaster John Madden was more than just the face of a video game — he was its soul. In this special re-telling of one of our favorite Rocketship. FM stories, we revisit the incredible product journey of Madden NFL Football. From a fateful Amtrak ride in 1984 to a bi...

In early 2022, the hype around NFTs was at its peak, and Mike Belsito found himself caught up in the frenzy—so much so that he and a lifelong friend decided to go all-in on a historic digital collectible: a 1-of-1 NFT of the legendary 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card. With a max bid of $60,000, they were ready to make a play, but the auction didn’t quite go as planned. In this re-released epis...

Failure isn’t just a headline—it’s deeply personal. In this special re-release of one of our most powerful episodes, we explore the emotional toll of failure and how product leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives can navigate its aftermath. From the wisdom of Will Smith’s "fail forward" philosophy to the hard-hitting insights of startup coach Jerry Colonna, this episode dives into what failure real...

In early February 2025, Meta slashed 5% of its workforce—about 3,600 people—calling it a purge of “low performers” to sharpen up for an “intense” year ahead. Mark Zuckerberg says it’s about raising the bar, but some of those cut are clapping back with receipts: glowing performance reviews that don’t match the “bottom 5%” label. From leaked memos to public pushback on LinkedIn, this episode unpacks...

Elon Musk and Sam Altman—once allies in the quest for AI advancement—are now at the center of one of the biggest tech rivalries of our time. From co-founding OpenAI together in 2015 to Musk’s eventual departure and criticism of OpenAI’s shift toward a for-profit model, the tension between these two Silicon Valley titans has only escalated. In this episode of Rocketship. FM, we explore the origins...

January 25, 2025, may go down as a pivotal moment in the AI race. Chinese AI company DeepSeek launched its latest model—one that rivals OpenAI and Anthropic but at a fraction of the cost. Investors panicked, Nvidia lost nearly $600 billion in value overnight, and industry leaders like Marc Andreessen called it "AI’s Sputnik moment." But is it really? In this episode, we explore DeepSeek’s rise, it...

OpenAI is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence yet again. In this episode of Rocketship. FM, we break down what Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil revealed about OpenAI’s roadmap for 2025 and beyond—including the latest AI model, O1, which is already outperforming previous versions in coding, math, and reasoning. But that’s just the beginning. We also explore OpenAI’s move into AI-power...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, we dive into one of the boldest AI initiatives ever announced: Project Stargate. Backed by tech giants like OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank, and MGX, this $500 billion venture is set to transform AI infrastructure in the United States. With President Trump championing the project from day one of his presidency, it’s being framed as a move to secure America’s leadership...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, host Mike Belsito dives into the story that’s shaking up the tech world: the TikTok ban in the United States. With a new year, a new administration, and growing geopolitical tensions, TikTok finds itself at the center of a national security debate. From bipartisan concerns over data privacy and Chinese ownership to the Supreme Court’s decisive ruling and Presiden...

Meta is making waves in 2025 with a decision that’s turning heads across the tech world. Mark Zuckerberg announced the end of traditional content moderation at Meta, replacing fact-checkers with a Community Notes-style system where users take the reins. Borrowing a page from Elon Musk’s playbook at X, this shift puts the responsibility for identifying misinformation squarely on Meta’s users. But i...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, host Mike Belsito sits down with Nesrine Changuel, a seasoned product manager with an impressive track record at Spotify, Skype, and Google, to explore the transformative power of emotional connection in product design. Nesrine’s upcoming book, Delight, introduces the concept of the Delight Grid framework—a practical tool to help product teams prioritize features...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, we look ahead to the pivotal trends set to shape the tech world in 2025. From the continued evolution of AI in redefining how we interact with the web to a predicted rebound in tech jobs, we explore what these changes mean for product managers, technologists, and businesses alike. With social media consolidating around a few dominant platforms and the growing pus...

From groundbreaking innovations to industry-shaking controversies, 2024 was a year that kept us on our toes in tech. In this episode of Rocketship. FM, we uncover six defining stories that shaped the landscape for product managers, tech leaders, and innovators alike. Whether you're leading a product team or simply keeping an eye on the ever-changing world of technology, these stories will give you...

In this episode, Melika Hope, Director of Product at Spotify, shares her candid journey of navigating this leap and provides actionable insights for aspiring leaders. Drawing from her 15+ years of experience, managing teams across continents, Melika introduces her "4 Ds" framework: Decide, Declare, Demonstrate, and Deliver, to help you become one of the exceptional few who excel in people manageme...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, we flip the script as Mike Belsito, Co-Founder of Product Collective, takes the guest seat to share his journey from entrepreneur to product leader. Interviewed by his longtime co-host Michael Sacca, Mike dives into the foundational skills every product manager needs, the importance of customer empathy, and how evolving tools like AI are reshaping the role. He al...

What does it mean to lead with impact in a world of uncertainty, ambiguity, and endless best practices? In this compelling episode of Rocketship. FM, we explore how product teams can directly tie their work to measurable business success, ensuring alignment with company goals while resisting the low-impact work that often derails progress. Drawing from the soon-to-be-released book Impact First Pro...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, world-renowned positioning and marketing expert April Dunford joins us to share her insights on crafting sales pitches that close deals and win markets. Drawing from her book Sales Pitch, April dives into the art of creating a compelling narrative that helps your customers confidently choose your product over competitors—and the dreaded "do nothing." In this reco...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, we tackle one of the most critical and overlooked elements of the product marketing mix: pricing. Joining us is Bill Wilson, Founder and CEO of Pace Pricing, a SaaS pricing expert with a background as a founder and product leader. Bill shares insights into how pricing has evolved, the common pitfalls companies face, and why leveraging data is key to getting it ri...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, we dive into the world of Product Operations with Jenny Wanger, an expert in product ops coaching for product leaders. Together, we unpack the foundations of Product Operations, exploring how it enables product teams to focus on what truly matters — building great products. Jenny shares insights on implementing product ops practices effectively, even for teams wi...

In this special episode of Rocketship. FM, we welcome back the podcast’s original founder, Michael Sacca, for a unique and insightful conversation. Recently appointed as CEO of Leadpages, Michael brings with him a wealth of experience from his years as a product executive across early-stage startups. Now, he faces the challenge of leading an established, well-known company through a period of grow...

In this episode of Rocketship. FM, host Mike Belsito sits down with Katie Trauth Taylor, Founder and CEO of Narratize, to explore the journey behind creating an AI-driven platform that's empowering enterprises to communicate complex ideas faster and more effectively. Katie shares the frustrations that led her to launch Narratize and how her personal background as an innovator influenced the develo...

In this episode, Mike Belsito sits down with Dan Blumberg, founder of Modern Product Minds and former product leader at The New York Times, LinkedIn, and Citi, to explore how product discovery works in traditional enterprises. While we often hear stories from cutting-edge tech startups, most product managers work at "normal" companies dealing with legacy systems, regulatory constraints, and establ...

In this revealing episode of Rocketship. FM, host Mike Belsito pulls back the curtain on a significant milestone: Product Collective's acquisition by Pendo. Mike shares the origin story of Product Collective, from its humble beginnings as a passion project to its growth into a cornerstone of the product community. He candidly discusses the challenges of running a bootstrapped company and the excit...

In the fast-paced world of tech startups, product leadership is crucial—but when is the right time to bring on a full-time Chief Product Officer? This episode of Rocketship. FM explores the emerging role of the fractional CPO, a game-changing solution for early-stage companies seeking experienced product leadership without the full-time commitment or cost. Join host Mike Belsito as he sits down wi...