The Product Porch

By: Ryan Cantwell Todd Blaquiere Joe Ghali
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  • Summary

  • On The Product Porch, every topic is a product topic. Dive into casual conversations on product management and career growth, woven with pop culture and real-life insights. Each episode offers actionable takeaways as the hosts tackle pressing questions and challenges in the product field. Settle in with Joe Ghali, Ryan Cantwell, and Todd Blaquiere!
    2025 The Product Porch
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Career Success Economics Management Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
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Episodes
  • How To Prototype 4X Faster With AI

    How To Prototype 4X Faster With AI
    Mar 4 2025
    AI is transforming product management, but where does it actually fit in your workflow? In this episode of The Product Porch, Zac Hays, Chief Product Officer at Luxury Presence, shares how his team used AI-powered prototyping to cut their design sprint time in half and generate 12 prototypes in a single day.Ryan, Todd, and Joe dig into what worked, what didn’t, and how AI is changing the product playbook. You’ll learn practical ways to integrate AI into your process, why speed doesn’t mean sacrificing creativity, and which tools can help you iterate faster and test ideas with real users—without waiting on designers or engineering. References & LinksFollow Zac Hays at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacthepm/Read Zac’s article on AI-Powered Design Sprints: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-powered-design-sprint-playbook-v01-zac-hays-iu1dc/?trackingId=Z%2FCq7FJmQ8O6PgubHhrTng%3D%3DV.0 Coding Tool: http://v0.dev/Bolt.new Coding Tool: http://bolt.new/User Feedback Tool: https://www.usertesting.com/Guy Kawasaki’s Remarkable People Podcast: https://guykawasaki.com/remarkable-people/ Show Notes: Episode 19 - How to Prototype 4X Faster with AI[1:30] Welcome Zac Hays to The Product PorchIntroducing Zac, Chief Product Officer at Luxury Presence, and why AI is shaking up product design.[2:40] “I don’t know if our playbook is relevant anymore.”Zac questions if traditional product processes still work in an AI-driven world.[3:42] Trying out new AI prototyping toolsIf a prototype can be built in minutes, how does that change the design sprint process?[5:51] Show and tell: Rapid-fire prototype demosEveryone builds and shares a 90-second prototype—what happens next?[7:10] Was there a lack of originality using AI?AI prototype tools work like ChatGPT—give a one-sentence prompt and watch the magic happen.[9:11] Apprehension and pushback: Is AI replacing jobs?Some skepticism, even from Zac. But every team member saw it through a different lens.[10:50] Bringing the team up to speed on AI toolsRyan puts AI to the test—writes two sentences, and Bolt builds an app instantly.[12:55] What was the real impact of this AI-powered sprint?Zac breaks down how the new process helped his team move faster and smarter.[15:15] Fast feedback: Validating and invalidating assumptions quicklyWithin a single sprint, the team learned what worked—and what didn’t.[17:57] The power of quickly invalidating your ideasWhy knowing what won’t work is just as valuable as knowing what will.[18:37] How explicit were assumptions in this AI-driven process?Turns out, it was ad hoc—but led to surprisingly valuable prototypes.[20:40] How often did AI hallucinate?When does AI “hallucination” turn into real creativity?[21:18] Unexpected discoveries: AI finds new sources of dataHow AI-led insights saved time and uncovered new possibilities.[23:00] How does this change the role of the product manager?The lines between PM, design, and engineering are getting blurry.[25:10] Expanding PM skills and abilitiesThis new approach makes explaining product vision easier than ever.[26:30] PM as an executive producer?Leveraging user video snippets to tell a story—way more powerful than a PRD.[27:45] The “Code Red” threat—will AI replace PMs?Zac shares which PM skills will survive (and thrive) in an AI-driven world.[29:02] Want to start using AI tools? Find a buddy!Grab a friend, experiment, and debrief. These tools are built for you![31:20] Todd’s silly story: Don’t be a dinosaurAt some point, you have to embrace AI—or risk becoming that person.[32:30] Joe asks: What’s the first step?Start small—go to bolt.new, type an idea, and see what happens.[33:30] Todd overachieves with AIZac says no need to overdo it. Ryan reminds us—be polite to AI. (Yes, say “thank you.”)[36:05] Todd goes full caveman—will grunting be the next AI skill?[36:54] What’s next for Zac?Limiting the number of people, getting user feedback faster—Prototype on Day 1, feedback on Day 2, refine on Day 3.[38:19] Where to find Zac? (Hint: LinkedIn!)[40:00] Key Takeaways Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at Patreon.com/TheProductPorch.Join our email list and never miss an episode at theproductporch.com
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    42 mins
  • PM Soft Skills That Matter

    PM Soft Skills That Matter
    Feb 18 2025

    Are soft skills the secret weapon of great product managers? In this episode of The Product Porch, hosts Todd Blaquiere and Joe Ghali welcome special guest Claudia Saleh, Lead Product Manager at The Walt Disney Company, to break down the essential soft skills every PM needs—and why they matter.

    We explore real-world insights—including how soft skills shape leadership at Disney—and tackle big questions like: Can emotional intelligence be developed? How do great PMs navigate difficult stakeholders? And what role do adaptability and communication play in product success? With expert perspectives and practical takeaways, this episode will help you sharpen the skills that set top product managers apart.

    References & Links
    Follow Claudia at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiasaleh/

    Show Notes: Episode 18 - The Hard Things About Soft Skills

    [1:04] Welcome Claudia to The Product Porch
    Introduction and why soft skills are essential in Product Management

    [2:08] Soft skills define a PM’s success
    Why stakeholder management, communication, and collaboration are non-negotiable

    [4:00] Can PM soft skills be taught?
    The role of emotional intelligence and situational awareness

    [6:00] Soft skills for career growth
    Why mastering influence without authority helps PMs get ahead

    [8:00] Joe’s early career story – shoutout to Ray!
    A real-world lesson in learning product leadership skills the hard way

    [10:00] Essential skills for early-stage Product Managers
    How empathy, adaptability, and critical thinking lay the foundation for success

    [12:00] Can you teach a PM to be adaptive?
    Why PMs must be comfortable with uncertainty and change

    [13:09] Bumper sticker wisdom: “Embrace the Grey”
    Product Management is rarely black and white—so how do PMs navigate ambiguity?

    [14:32] Owning personal growth as a PM
    Claudia shares why acknowledging weaknesses is key to improvement

    [17:30] Tailoring communication for different audiences
    How PMs adjust their messaging between business teams and engineering teams

    [20:00] Fun fact: Claudia’s fear of bears 🐻 (yes, this is relevant!)

    [21:30] Presentation skills = Product Management superpower
    Why strong presentation and storytelling skills are crucial for PMs

    [22:42] Claudia’s ultimate mom tip (because life is product management too!)

    [23:35] Game time: How different careers build PM soft skills
    Todd throws out different job backgrounds—what skills transfer to Product Management?

    [26:05] Beyond your career: Where else do PMs develop soft skills?
    Coaching, volunteering, parenting—real-world leadership lessons

    [27:40] Need travel advice? Claudia has you covered

    [29:52] Pop culture moment: Todd drops a Tombstone metaphor
    The PM lesson? Play to your strengths!

    [30:32] Soft skills for leading Product Managers
    What’s different when you go from IC to leading a product team?

    [34:15] Leveraging life experiences in Product Management
    Some things can’t be learned in a course—it’s about experience and reflection

    [36:00] Todd’s story about his new CTO—learning through leadership

    [37:30] Is deep focus (aka “being alone and coding”) a soft skill?

    [38:00] Claudia’s secret: She spent 10 hours coding the day before this podcast

    [40:00] Key Takeaways

    Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at Patreon.com/TheProductPorch.

    Join our email list and never miss an episode at theproductporch.com
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    43 mins
  • Two Roles One Job The PM and PMM Dilemma

    Two Roles One Job The PM and PMM Dilemma
    Feb 4 2025

    Should Product Managers and Product Marketing Managers be separate roles or one? In this episode of The Product Porch, we break down their key differences, where they overlap, and how organizations define their responsibilities.

    We share real-world examples—including how Airbnb structures these roles—and tackle big questions like: Who owns the buying journey? Where should PMMs report? And how does role clarity drive product success? With fun analogies and practical insights, this episode will help you collaborate more effectively and navigate this ongoing debate.

    [2:00] The Big Question
    Should we have two separate roles—the Product Manager and the Product Marketing Manager?

    [2:30] Defining the PM Role
    Product Managers connect customer values to business outcomes.

    [3:20] Defining the PMM Role
    Product Marketing Managers focus on awareness, messaging, and proof points.

    [5:00] Wearing Both Hats
    Joe shares his experience working with a dedicated PMM role vs. managing both the PM and PMM responsibilities himself.

    [8:15] How Airbnb Does It
    A look at how Airbnb structures the PM and PMM roles.

    [9:30] Office Space Moment
    Todd’s I have people skills reference sparks a discussion on communication in both roles.

    [10:20] PMM as Execution?
    Are Product Marketing Managers seen as tactical executors rather than strategic partners?

    [11:00] The Role of Personas
    Ryan shares his perspective on how personas shape PM and PMM responsibilities.

    [12:42] Todd’s Cinnabon Confession
    A side tangent on Todd’s unexpected connection to Cinnabon.

    [16:00] Role Accountability
    Why defining clear responsibilities helps delineate the PM and PMM roles.

    [18:30] Wizard of Oz Analogy
    How Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Lion, and the Scarecrow represent a well-balanced product team.

    [20:19] Splitting the Roles
    Ryan shares his experience during a past company transformation when the PM role was split.

    [21:23] Reporting Structure Debate
    Does it matter where the PMM role reports within an organization?

    [22:45] Marketing vs. Product Outcomes
    Do Product Marketing Managers lose sight of product outcomes when reporting to marketing?

    [24:00] Measuring Success
    Defining the right success metrics for both the PM role and PMM role.

    [26:24] Who Owns It Game
    Ryan leads a fun round of Who Owns It—PM or PMM?

    [31:00] Sales Enablement Ownership
    Who should train the sales team on new products?

    [33:00] The Buying Journey Debate
    Todd argues that the PMM role should own the buying journey.

    [36:10] GTM Strategy
    Are Product Marketing Managers truly empowered to lead go-to-market strategy?

    [38:23] Key Takeaways
    Clear role definition is critical for strong team collaboration and product success.

    Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at Patreon.com/TheProductPorch.

    Join our email list and never miss an episode at theproductporch.com
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    44 mins

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