Lessons In Product Management

I’m joined by Megan, Executive Director of Product Management at MetaLab, who brings nearly a decade of experience working across dozens of products and teams.In this conversation, we cut through the noise and get to the fundamentals: alignment, communication, prioritization, problem-solving, and understanding users at a deep level. If you’ve ever wondered what truly defines great product managers, regardless of the environment they’re in, this episode is packed with clarity, insight, and some incredibly practical wisdom.🎙️ Podcast Summary — Key Points + Time-Stamped Breakdown00:00–02:30 — Intro & Megan’s Background02:30–05:20 — What Metalab Does (Design-Led Philosophy)05:20–08:45 — What “Design-Led” Really Means08:45–10:00 — Design as Differentiation10:00–13:10 — What Product Management Looks Like Inside a Design Agency13:10–15:30 — Agency PM vs. In-House PM15:30–19:30 — Why Clients Hire Metalab (4 Main Use Cases)19:30–23:20 — How AI Is Changing Client Needs23:20–27:00 — The Underrated Challenges of Adding AI to Existing Products27:00–29:30 — Pushing Back on AI Hype (Role of an Agency)29:30–30:45 — Closing + How to Contact MetalabGet in touch with Metalab

🎙️ Episode Title:How Klaviyo is Redefining B2C CRM, Services, and AI with Grant Deken🧑‍💼 Guest:Grant Deken – Head of Product, Klaviyo Services📅 Episode Overview:In this episode of Lessons in Product Management, host John Fontenot sits down with Grant Deken, Head of Product at Klaviyo Services, to explore how Klaviyo is reimagining customer relationships in the B2C space. From the convergence of marketing and service to the real-world implications of GenAI in product development, this conversation dives deep into the future of product management, CRM, and AI-driven customer experience.🧵 Topics Covered:What Klaviyo is and how it's expanding beyond marketing into customer serviceThe philosophy behind building stronger B2C relationships through CRMBalancing qualitative and quantitative data for better product decisionsHow Grant’s experience as a founder and marketer shapes his product leadershipThe transformational role of AI in product design, development, and serviceReal-world use cases and lessons from integrating GenAI at KlaviyoAdvice for aspiring product managers entering the field todayConnect with GrantLearn more about KlaviyoCheck out openings at Klaviyo Careers

🎙 Episode SummaryHost: John FontenotTopic: How to stop sales teams from selling vaporware (promising unbuilt features)💡 Core ProblemSales teams often promise features that don't yet exist (a.k.a. vaporware) to close deals. This creates chaos for product and engineering, derails the roadmap, and sets poor expectations with customers.🧩 Why It HappensLack of vision and strategy at the leadership level causes misalignment between product, marketing, and sales.Without clear guidance on:Who the ideal customer isWhat value the product provides...…sales operate independently and promise features reactively.Sales are under intense pressure to close deals and may overpromise to hit quotas.✅ The Upstream FixFounders and product leaders must define a clear vision and strategy, including:Product strategy (value prop, differentiation)Go-to-market strategy (target customer, positioning)Enablement is key: Marketing and product must empower sales to recognize good vs. bad-fit prospects.🛠 Tactical, Downstream SolutionWhen a feature is promised post-sale:Don’t drop everything to build it.Ask to talk to the customer to understand the why behind the request.Reframe the conversation with sales:“Let’s explore the real need and maybe we can deliver something better that helps you close more future deals.”Collaborate to design a more effective, differentiated solution.Bring customers into the process: this creates partnership, not just transaction.⚠️ Contracts often include promised features that are never built and unless the customer feels misled or cheated, they’re rarely enforced.🤝 Building a Healthier ProcessEstablish a norm where product gets involved before a feature is promised.Sales can say:“That sounds doable. Can we loop in our product team to better understand your goals?”If your org values honesty and customer success, this approach will resonate.If not, it may be a sign to consider other opportunities.💬 Final ThoughtsYou can shift from feeling powerless as a PM to becoming a true strategic partner.This approach builds trust with both sales and customers.Ethical, aligned organizations will benefit from this collaboration.

In this episode, Shobhit Chugh, former Google PM and founder of Intentional Product Manager, shares practical strategies for moving beyond execution and becoming a standout product leader—even when you don’t have formal authority or a supportive manager.🔑 Key Takeaways1. Don’t Mistake Productivity for ProgressJust being busy doesn’t mean you’re growing.Like Amazon’s press release approach, define what you want to be known for before the next review cycle.Align your work to that vision and offload or eliminate tasks that don’t serve it.2. Influence > DelegationProduct managers can’t “delegate” in the traditional sense.Find teammates who want to own tasks you shouldn’t be doing—for their own growth.Example: Shobhit handed off API spec writing to an engineer aiming to become a PM.3. Make the Strategic UrgentBlock time doesn’t protect strategic work—deadlines do.Make public commitments (e.g., “I’ll present this strategy next Thursday”) to create urgency and accountability.4. Think in Terms of LeverageFocus on high-leverage activities like:Continuous customer research (not just during discovery phases).Repeated communication of long-term vision.Building visibility with stakeholders and leadership.5. Avoid Common Mindset TrapsDon’t assume company red tape is immovable—often it’s just unchallenged hearsay.Overwhelm is emotional, not factual. Audit your time and challenge false constraints.6. Develop an “Angle of Mastery”Instead of a generic “10-year B2B PM,” position yourself based on specific problems you consistently solve.Example: One client branded themselves as the “friction eliminator” in complex B2B platforms.7. Build Your BrandIn a competitive market, being the “obvious hire” is essential.Build visibility on platforms like LinkedIn. Share your thinking, frameworks, and customer insights.Join Shobhit on your journey to product leadership at Intentional Product Manager

🔑 Summary:In this insightful conversation, Daria Love unpacks the often-blurred boundaries between product marketing and product management. She shares practical frameworks for collaboration, the importance of go-to-market (GTM) roadmaps, and how product managers and marketers can set each other (and the product) up for success. The episode is packed with strategic and tactical takeaways for PMs looking to deepen partnerships with product marketers.⏱️ Key Topics & Timestamps:01:45 – Daria’s BackgroundDaria shares her 14+ years in B2B SaaS and how she found her niche in product marketing.03:39 – Her Favorite Area in PMMGo-to-market strategy and product launches—why she loves the unpredictable, cross-functional work.06:22 – AI and RepositioningThe impact of market waves like AI on positioning and the tension between PM and PMM around messaging.07:55 – Dual Roadmaps: Product vs. GTMDaria advocates for separate product and GTM roadmaps to avoid unrealistic launch expectations.10:51 – Internal Stakeholder CommunicationClarifying responsibilities between PMs and PMMs when communicating launch plans internally.12:34 – Product Adoption OwnershipWhy adoption is a shared responsibility and how PMMs help segment, enable, and message for different audiences.17:04 – Avoiding Siloed Customer ResearchCollaboration between PM, PMM, and CS when interviewing customers, collecting feedback, or creating case studies.22:35 – The Importance of SegmentationDaria and the host dive into how segmentation influences prioritization, measurement, and strategy.26:42 – Building for the Wrong CustomersA cautionary tale: companies evolving past SMB but still building for them.30:08 – Releases vs. LaunchesDaria breaks down tactical coordination between code readiness and marketing readiness.33:24 – Early Involvement in the RoadmapHow PMs can benefit from involving PMMs at the ideation stage for better market alignment.36:51 – Code Is Only 30% of the WorkWhy launch readiness requires internal training, customer education, and coordinated campaigns.40:07 – Risks of Premature Feature ReleasesReleasing to production without internal enablement can erode trust and hinder adoption.44:12 – Empathy for Internal PartnersPMs must support and enable internal teams like they do engineers to ensure successful product rollouts.