The Disgruntled PM

The Disgruntled PM

"The Disgruntled PM Podcast helps project managers transform daily frustrations into leadership opportunities by sharing clear strategies, no-nonsense advice, and a relatable dose of humor from experienced guests." Are you tired of endless meetings, scope creep, and stakeholders with "good idea fairy" syndrome? You're in the right place. Welcome to The Disgruntled PM, a therapy session for the modern project manager. We're the podcast that says what every PM is thinking. I skip the corporate jargon and dry theory to bring you honest, humorous, and hard-hitting conversations from the trenches of project management. I feature guests who have actually been there—from PMP coaches who failed the exam multiple times to PMs who have led groundbreaking (and chaotic) AI and tech projects. Each week, I sit down with seasoned project leaders, industry authors, PMP coaches, and innovative thinkers to have candid conversations you won't find anywhere else. I tackle the tough topics, including: • The critical soft skills and leadership tactics not found in the PMBOK. • Strategies for managing first-of-their-kind projects and emerging technology. • Real-world advice on stakeholder management, risk, and corporate communication • Actionable career advice and certification strategies If you're looking for real-world solutions and a community that understands the struggle, you've found it. I believe the best project managers are forged in the fire of frustration. Let's get disgruntled, and let's get better, together. Tune in, enjoy and don't forget to Like, Follow, and Subscribe!!!!!

  1. More Than Admin: HR Is Your Secret Weapon

    vor 1 Tag

    More Than Admin: HR Is Your Secret Weapon

    Most project professionals treat HR like the corporate principal's office, that we place we all try to avoid until someone makes a bad joke or a hire falls through. In reality, abdicating your talent management to a siloed department is the fastest way to doom your deliverables. Former Sazerac CHRO Joe Bongiovi drops in to explain why positional authority is a complete joke if you lack the influence to back it up. We tear down the "Golden Rule" in favor of the "Platinum Rule," expose the delusion of Ivy League recruiting, and break down why treating people like static puzzle pieces destroys project agility. If you think shouting "I'm in charge" actually makes you the leader, prepare for a harsh reality check Connect with Joe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-bongiovi-686a903/ Like, Follow, and Subscribe LinkedIn Show Page:https://www.linkedin.com/company/thedisgruntledpm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_disgruntled_pm 📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpmK5LZHPLJMH0YlNPrRlAA 🎙️Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6qIhx0QwilQrw41n0aLXnK 🎙️Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2-disgruntled-pms/id1809317932 💵 Patreon: patreon.com/TheDisgruntledPMPodcast The intro music for this podcast includes portions from “The Wandering," composed and performed by The Ravened. Find more of his work at https://www.youtube.com/@the-ravened. Used with permission by The Ravened.

    55 Min.
  2. The PM Readiness Iron Triangle: Balancing Network, Experience, and Certs

    22. Juni

    The PM Readiness Iron Triangle: Balancing Network, Experience, and Certs

    This week, Kayla Quijas tears down the romanticized idea that your experience "Speaks for itself." We get into the trenches of project management in a law firm, where buzzwords die fast and effectively managing highly skeptical stakeholders is the only metric that matters. If you're tired of screaming into the ATS void while tweaking your resume with AI to match every generic job description, you need to hear about what Kayla refers to as the "Trust gap." The real reason hiring managers are passing on you. It is time to ditch the emotional support credentials, stop acting like a desperate applicant, and start approaching interviews like the battle-tested consultant hired to solve their dysfunction. Connect with Kayla: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-quijas Website: https://kaylaqcareercoaching.com/ Podcast: https://www.kaylaqcareercoaching.com/podcast Free PM Readiness Assessment: https://www.kaylaqcareercoaching.com/pm-readiness-assessment-1 Like, Follow, and Subscribe LinkedIn Show Page:https://www.linkedin.com/company/thedisgruntledpm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_disgruntled_pm 📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpmK5LZHPLJMH0YlNPrRlAA 🎙️Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6qIhx0QwilQrw41n0aLXnK 🎙️Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2-disgruntled-pms/id1809317932 💵 Patreon: patreon.com/TheDisgruntledPMPodcast The intro music for this podcast includes portions from “The Wandering," composed and performed by The Ravened. Find more of his work at https://www.youtube.com/@the-ravened. Used with permission by The Ravened.

    1 Std.
  3. The Complexity Trap:  Reducing Projects To The Bare Essentials

    8. Juni

    The Complexity Trap: Reducing Projects To The Bare Essentials

    In a corporate world obsessed with suffocating projects under layers of administrative bloat and toxic positivity, William Stewart wants to strip project management down to its bare, functional bones. Drawing from decades of aerospace engineering and rescuing doomed initiatives, Stewart dismantles the illusion of the solo Project Manager and exposes the absurdity of demanding solutions for every problem. He argues that complexity is the enemy, flowcharts beat Gantt schedules every time, and your meticulously crafted risk budget is completely useless if you're too terrified to show a red status to your executive team. This episode is a brutal reality check for anyone tired of running the same failed plays disguised as "best practices." Connect with William: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billstewart/ IFPPM: https://ifppm.org/register/?secret=disgruntled (free exam link for listeners) Like, Follow, and Subscribe LinkedIn Show Page:https://www.linkedin.com/company/thedisgruntledpm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_disgruntled_pm 📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpmK5LZHPLJMH0YlNPrRlAA 🎙️Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6qIhx0QwilQrw41n0aLXnK 🎙️Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2-disgruntled-pms/id1809317932 💵 Patreon: patreon.com/TheDisgruntledPMPodcast The intro music for this podcast includes portions from “The Wandering," composed and performed by The Ravened. Find more of his work at https://www.youtube.com/@the-ravened. Used with permission by The Ravened.

    58 Min.
  4. Break The Rules To Scale:  Act First, Apologize Later When It’s Your Business

    1. Juni

    Break The Rules To Scale: Act First, Apologize Later When It’s Your Business

    Corporate bureaucracy is where good ideas go to die, suffocated by endless red tape and managers terrified of making a decision. In this episode, Freedom Fitness Equipment owner Ashton Ferrazzo breaks down exactly why he abandoned the Fortune 100 grind to build a physical business where executing action actually trumps endless consulting and planning. He exposes the toxic reality of corporate egos, the painful necessity of shedding your own terrible leadership habits, and why textbook project management frameworks often just get in the way of moving the needle. If you're tired of putting Band-Aids on bleeding wounds while waiting for committee approval, Ashton's brutal honesty about scaling a massive operation, some of his logistical nightmares, smelling salts, and more is exactly the reality check you need. Connect with Ashton: Website: https://freedomfitnessequipment.com/ Smelling Salts Video (VERY FUNNY): https://youtu.be/zbgQuIpVQlc?si=D5MRNNr6RgRhAovh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomfitnessequipment/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXgkvIR-5ishTlFGJgNK9tw Like, Follow, and Subscribe LinkedIn Show Page:https://www.linkedin.com/company/thedisgruntledpm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_disgruntled_pm 📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpmK5LZHPLJMH0YlNPrRlAA 🎙️Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6qIhx0QwilQrw41n0aLXnK 🎙️Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2-disgruntled-pms/id1809317932 💵 Patreon: patreon.com/TheDisgruntledPMPodcast The intro music for this podcast includes portions from “The Wandering," composed and performed by The Ravened. Find more of his work at https://www.youtube.com/@the-ravened. Used with permission by The Ravened.

    57 Min.
  5. Is PM As A Service The New Fetch?: Exploring The Fractional PM Model

    25. Mai

    Is PM As A Service The New Fetch?: Exploring The Fractional PM Model

    We’ve all seen the corporate disaster of tossing a technical expert into a leadership role they aren't equipped for, only to watch them micromanage the code and crush their team. In this episode, former military helicopter pilot and current founder of Spec-C Technologies, Casey Sprague, exposes why trying to be the smartest person in the room is a guaranteed path to project failure. We tear apart the delusion that your $10,000 all-hands meeting is productive, dissect the glaring red flags of AI-generated busywork, and confront the harsh reality of corporate layoffs forcing PMs into fake consulting roles. Stop hiding behind your massive, bloated software files that don't actually let you plan, and learn how to actually run a team by checking your ego and admitting what you don't know. Connect with Casey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-casey-sprague/ SpectC (Project Execution Software): https://www.spectc.app/ Constructive Curiosity PMaaS: https://constructivecuriosity.com/, Book, The PMaaS Revolution: https://www.amazon.com/PMaaS-Revolution-Why-Fractional-Practical-ebook/dp/B0G4FFJLLG/ref Like, Follow, and Subscribe LinkedIn Show Page:https://www.linkedin.com/company/thedisgruntledpm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_disgruntled_pm 📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpmK5LZHPLJMH0YlNPrRlAA 🎙️Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6qIhx0QwilQrw41n0aLXnK 🎙️Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2-disgruntled-pms/id1809317932 💵 Patreon: patreon.com/TheDisgruntledPMPodcast The intro music for this podcast includes portions from “The Wandering," composed and performed by The Ravened. Find more of his work at https://www.youtube.com/@the-ravened. Used with permission by The Ravened.

    47 Min.

Info

"The Disgruntled PM Podcast helps project managers transform daily frustrations into leadership opportunities by sharing clear strategies, no-nonsense advice, and a relatable dose of humor from experienced guests." Are you tired of endless meetings, scope creep, and stakeholders with "good idea fairy" syndrome? You're in the right place. Welcome to The Disgruntled PM, a therapy session for the modern project manager. We're the podcast that says what every PM is thinking. I skip the corporate jargon and dry theory to bring you honest, humorous, and hard-hitting conversations from the trenches of project management. I feature guests who have actually been there—from PMP coaches who failed the exam multiple times to PMs who have led groundbreaking (and chaotic) AI and tech projects. Each week, I sit down with seasoned project leaders, industry authors, PMP coaches, and innovative thinkers to have candid conversations you won't find anywhere else. I tackle the tough topics, including: • The critical soft skills and leadership tactics not found in the PMBOK. • Strategies for managing first-of-their-kind projects and emerging technology. • Real-world advice on stakeholder management, risk, and corporate communication • Actionable career advice and certification strategies If you're looking for real-world solutions and a community that understands the struggle, you've found it. I believe the best project managers are forged in the fire of frustration. Let's get disgruntled, and let's get better, together. Tune in, enjoy and don't forget to Like, Follow, and Subscribe!!!!!