Product Manager Hub (PM Hub)

Latest Episodes:

Importance of Storytelling for Remote Product Teams with PureFacts VP of Product Jul 16, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of PM Hub Podcast Series, we will talk about the importance of storytelling for remote product teams with Victor Skrylev, VP of Product at PureFacts.

Steve Jobs famously said once “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda for an entire generation that is to come”. Storytelling is all about telling a story/idea in an engaging way by using the power of emotional connection and turning mundane stories into something cool and giving a unique personality to a product by focusing on benefits instead of features.

Victor is a Software Product Management leader helping companies build products that customers love and teams love working on. Experienced in leading large and small diverse cross-functional teams to build products from concept to first release as well as scaling up existing products in both B2C and B2B space.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

Stakeholder Management for Remote Product Teams with Loblaw Digital Sr. PM Jul 10, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we will talk about stakeholder management for remote product teams with Stacey Feero, Sr. Product Manager at Loblaw Digital.

Being the manager of product, you are responsible for the outcome of the product: you’ll be dealing with executives, engineers, sales, and marketing on a daily basis and it’s tough to balance. You have be honest and establish trust at the same time and you can’t keep everyone happy; its importance shine through as you get more senior in your role

Stacey Feero is a people-first product professional. She stumbled into the Toronto tech scene just over a decade ago & never left. She co-founded the Toronto chapter of Women in Product & is currently a Senior Product Manager at Loblaw Digital.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

Execution for Remote Product Teams with Sensibill VP of Product Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we will talk about execution for remote product teams with Amber Foucault, VP of Product at Sensibill.

Given the pandemic that we’re in and the strain it has put on employee productivity with the emotional baggage, the question is, how do you approach execution?

Amber is Vice President, Product at Sensibill. With the launch of over 70 products under her belt, her specialty is creating strategy and momentum for execution on both SaaS products and custom builds despite legacy systems, budgets, and operational hurdles. From B2B2C, B2B and B2C, Amber has worked in every industry, drawing expertise from each build to ensure execution is always possible.

She is also a big believer that technology isn’t about tech, its about people. So she has spent her career understanding people and behaviours. “Think of technology as a verb, not a noun. It’s a subtle but important difference.” (Red Burns, 1925 – 2013)

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

Peak Product Manager Framework with Tinder ex-CPO Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

In this episode we will talk about the Peak Product Manager framework, created by Ravi Mehta; Ravi is a consumer technology and product leader who has scaled products that have impacted millions of people and teams to meet the challenge. Most recently, he was Chief Product Officer at Tinder where he led the product strategy for the world’s #1 monetizing app. In that role, he defined a Gen Z-centric strategy for the next generation of Tinder.

Prior to Tinder, Ravi was at Facebook where he led a team focused on understanding how teens use social media and increasing teen engagement with Facebook properties.

Prior to Facebook, Ravi led Consumer Product for TripAdvisor where he led product for the company’s primary business pillars (Hotels, Restaurants, and Attractions), led the core user experience teams, and led the International Market Development & Localization teams.

Earlier in his career, Ravi led product for Viximo (a social gaming startup acquired by Tapjoy), founded a VC-backed fintech startup, and was one of the first members of the Xbox team where he helped define the content and platform strategy for Xbox Live.

Ravi holds an MBA from MIT Sloan and a BS in Computer System Engineering from Boston University.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

EQ and Product with Intersect Senior Product Leader Jun 12, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we will talk about Emotional Intelligence or EQ and its importance in product management; initially introduced by Daniel Goleman, EQ is crucial to be an effective product manager; high level of EQ can help you boost influencing, teamwork & collaboration, leadership, organizational awareness, and empathy. Such skills would lead to product success as it helps with roadmap building, A/B testing and reaching your OKRs, however they’re often not given nearly enough attention.

To help us understand this topic better, I had a chat with Chris Hirst; Chris is a product manager who got lucky enough to escape the gravity of a career in advertising in 2012. He’s always worked in professional services related to Product Management, so he has an interesting perspective vis-a-vis traditional product roles. Currently Chris is a senior leader (VP) managing a team of 20+ Product Managers across a wide variety of projects in banking, retail, property, data visualization and business intelligence at the firm, Intersect. Chris lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

Managing Remote Product Teams during COVID_19 with TWG Group Product Manager Jun 02, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of PM Hub Podcast Series, I will talk about how to effectively manage your remote team during COVID_19 with TWG Group Product Manager, James Costa.

COVID_19 has reshaped work structure and product teams have to be nimble to keep their head above the water. As more organizations embrace distributed teams, how can product managers adapt? Challenges around communication, stakeholder alignment, team morale, and productivity.

James is a Group Product Manager at TWG where he is focused on growing product as a discipline, data & analytics as a practice, and supports projects that come through the studio. Before joining TWG, he ran Phuse, a digital experience agency. Over the last 12 years, James has been building product for scaleups and enterprise clients including NASA, Interac, RBC, and WWF to enable them with the tools, process, and thinking to scale.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

How to Run Remote Design Sprints with ChefsList CPO May 25, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of PM Hub Podcast Series, I will talk about how to effectively run remote design sprints.

With the new realities of the remote work, product teams are adjusting their processes and running design sprints remotely is becoming more and more popular. In order to help us get hands on tips on how to effectively run design sprints remotely, I had a chat with Mitch Seguin.

Mitch is a mechanical engineer, turned product manager, that is now on his second startup startup, Chefslist, a B2B ordering platform based in Berlin, Germany. Mitch started his career in Toronto, helping some of the biggest brands launch their first mobile applications, and then eventually co-founded TribalScale, enterprise-innovation agency based in Toronto.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

Changing Product Roadmaps During COVID_19 with Loblaw Digital Senior Director of Product May 11, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of PM Hub Podcast Series, I will talk about changing product roadmaps during covid_19; there is pandemic going around the world and lots of businesses on the shutting down, pivoting to help the community, etc.

Having a customer-centric approach requires us to constantly assess our understanding of their needs to make sure we are building something useful. To help us better understand how to go about changing roadmaps, I had talk with Kim Phelan.

Kim’s been in Product Management for the last 18 years. She’s lead products at a number of startups in Toronto including Achievers, Tucows, Clearfit, ChefHero and TouchBistro. Kim is currently Senior director of product management at Loblaw Digital working specifically on the Marketplace and Online Grocery products.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

How to Effectively Run Product Experimentation with CBC Product Manager Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of PM Hub podcast series, I interview Mathew Martin on how to effectively run product experimentation specially with large teams

Mathew is a Product Manager at CBC; he started his journey as a web developer and joined CBC back in 2012 as an Android Developer. Since then he worked his way into product management and now manages Native Apps and Emerging Platforms with a product team of 16 people.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens

Product Management History and Trends in Toronto with MaRS Discovery District Product Management Advisor Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of PM Hub podcast series, I interview Lee Garrison on trends of product management in Toronto and Canada for the past 2 decades.

Lee is a product Leader with over 2 decades of experience; he is a long time contributor and advocate in growing the pm community in the GTA. He is a Director on the Board of the TPMA, Startup Advisor, Mentor and Consultant.

Intro music by Peter Boros of The Nameless Citizens