The Everyday Agile Podcast

Everyday Agile Ltd
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The North West's number one Agile podcast https://www.linkedin.com/company/everyday-agile-ltd/

  1. 22h ago

    Agile Is Broken. Here's How We Fix It: Martin Schellert

    What happens when Agile scales? According to Agile transformation consultant Martin Schellert, the answer shouldn't be to simply add more process, more frameworks and more bureaucracy. In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Martin joins us to talk about what happens when Agile transformations go wrong ,and why organisations often lose the things that made Agile teams effective in the first place. We get into some big Agile and product management questions: • Why does scaling Agile often mean scaling process? • Why is comparing team velocity between teams such a bad idea? • Do teams actually need story points or estimation? • What is an MVP really supposed to achieve? • How should leaders create genuine ownership in product teams? • What is "decision distance" and why does Martin call it a silent killer of agility? • Can you build Agile teams inside a traditional organisation? • How can you use AI without losing your own voice? • Why is so much LinkedIn content starting to sound exactly the same? • What is the most overlooked principle in the Agile Manifesto? • Why should Agile practitioners be pragmatic rather than dogmatic? Martin also shares how he got into Agile, how he prepares conference talks, how he uses AI as part of his workflow, and what he has learned from speaking at Agile conferences. One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is simple. Agile isn't about following a framework perfectly. It's about finding the practices that work for your team, organisation, customers, culture and context. As Martin puts it: be pragmatic, never dogmatic. If you're interested in Agile transformation, product management, software delivery, Agile leadership, team performance, project management or better ways of working, there's plenty here to disagree with, steal and take back to your organisation. ▶︎ Connect with Martin https://www.linkedin.com/in/schellert/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtf8TKCQfB3siec1cDB1Log ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867 ▶︎Our Newsletter: https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:14 How Martin Got Into Agile Conferences 02:22 Scaling Agile Without Scaling Process 03:20 Creating Conference Talks Using AI 05:12 How to Practice for a Conference Talk 06:19 Does Speaking Generate Business? 08:18 Martin's Journey Into Agile 10:27 Why Agile Still Matters 11:22 Do We Rely Too Much on the Agile Manifesto? 13:18 Why Agile Should Evolve 14:31 Finding the Root Cause of Agile Problems 15:39 What Agile Problems Do Organisations Really Have? 17:48 Why Comparing Team Velocity Is a Bad Idea 18:40 Should Teams Stop Using Story Points? 19:23 A Better Alternative to Story Points 20:04 What an MVP Actually Means 20:40 What Makes a Good MVP? 21:37 Leadership and Agile Teams 22:36 Building Agile Islands 23:20 Creating Team Ownership 24:24 When Empowerment Becomes a Poison Chalice 25:12 Decision Distance: The Silent Killer of Agility 26:12 What Agile Advice Doesn't Work? 26:18 Is AI Killing Authenticity on LinkedIn? 28:17 Using AI Without Losing Your Voice 29:30 Stop Turning Everything Into a LinkedIn Business Lesson 32:14 You Don't Have to Post 3 Times a Week 33:08 ADHD, Business & Burnout 34:48 Practical Productivity Strategies 36:20 The Quickfire Agile Round 37:28 What Should Every Team Stop Doing? 37:41 Get Closer to Your Customers 37:52 The Most Overlooked Agile Principle 38:35 What Gives Martin Hope for Agile? 39:05 Why Agile Certification Isn't Enough 40:16 Why Organisations Still Need Agile 40:48 Be Pragmatic, Never Dogmatic Subscribe to Everyday Agile for conversations about Agile, product management, project management, software delivery, leadership, organisational change and the reality of making Agile work in the real world.

  2. Aug 26

    Growing App Ratings From 2 to 4.7 stars, Product Retention Playbook: Diana Matei

    Diana Matei has spent 10+ years building and launching B2C and B2B products across e-commerce, fintech, marketplaces, and subscriptions. Work that's helped increase app downloads by 35%, boost app revenue by 15%, and take app ratings from 2 stars to 4.7 stars. In this episode, she breaks down how AI is reshaping product management, why brand often beats "the best product," and the retention framework she now builds with every client. We cover: ✅ Why AI is making tech a commodity, and what that means for product strategy ✅ The difference between lagging and leading metrics (and why most teams track the wrong ones) ✅ How to build a "metric tree" to connect daily work to revenue ✅ Her honest take on OKRs and how to stop them dying after week one ✅ The biggest agile/product myth: "build it, and they will come" ✅ Why post-purchase experience is the next big product battleground ✅ Her daily routines as a product consultant and founder of her own practice If you're a founder, product manager, or work in marketing or sales and want to understand how great product thinking drives retention and revenue, this conversation is for you. 📌 Connect with Diana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-eugenia-matei/ https://dmthepm.com/ ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867 ▶︎Our Newsletter: https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on agile, product management, and building products people actually stick with. ▶︎Chapters 0:00 – Welcome & introducing Diana 0:12 – Diana's background: 10+ years across Tesco, fintech, marketplaces 2:00 – The problem she's obsessed with: AI's impact on product management 4:24 – Brand vs product: why the best product doesn't always win 7:03 – Rolling out product frameworks without the jargon (200-year-old client) 9:57 – The metrics teams measure that are actually unhelpful 13:02 – Shipping fast vs creating real value 16:12 – What is a "metric tree"? 18:04 – Diana's honest take on OKRs 20:26 – Habits that create momentum instead of one-off workshops 23:40 – Why product managers get lost in the backlog 26:08 – When the cheapest option wins (car insurance, commoditised markets) 27:53 – Her theory: B2B is becoming B2C in disguise 29:12 – The loyalty problem with new-customer-only offers 34:26 – Biggest agile/product myth: "build it, and they will come" 36:45 – Morning routines and habits that keep her thinking clearly 38:44 – What going freelance actually feels like 42:53 – Quickfire round: worst advice, overused phrases, hills to die on 44:37 – What's next for Diana and her retention scorecard 45:50 – Where to find and work with Diana

  3. Aug 19

    AI, Agile & the Future of Project Delivery: Michael Gold

    AI won't necessarily replace project managers, but it could completely change what the job looks like. In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, I sit down with Michael Gold to talk about AI, project management, Agile, vibe coding, product development and the future of professional services. Michael has built an AI-native Professional Services Automation (PSA) platform, Aria, using a combination of AI, vibe coding, Lovable and traditional software development. We get into the reality behind building an AI product, including what vibe coding can and can't do, why building a B2B product is different, how software engineers reacted to the code, and why human design and engineering expertise still matter. We also explore what AI means for project managers and delivery professionals. If AI can automate project plans, status reports, risk identification and other administrative work, what should project managers actually spend their time doing? Michael's answer is that the future isn't necessarily fewer project managers. It's project managers spending more time on clients, relationships, delivery and the things that actually require people skills. We also discuss: • What Professional Services Automation (PSA) actually means • AI-native project management software • Vibe coding and B2B software development • Building a product with Lovable • The limitations of AI coding tools • Product management without being a traditional product manager • Product validation and early user feedback • AI and project management • The changing role of Scrum Masters • Why Delivery Managers are becoming more common • People over process • The future of Agile and project delivery • The UK freelance project management market • IR35 and contracting • Why freelancers need to think like business owners • Building a consultancy alongside a SaaS startup ▶︎Connect With Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariafounder/ ▶︎Aria https://ariaplatform.app/ ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867 ▶︎Our Newsletter: https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups ▶︎Chapters 00:00 – Building an AI-Native PSA Tool 01:24 – From Vibe Coding to a Real Product 02:20 – What Is Professional Services Automation? 03:22 – How AI Is Changing PSA Software 05:18 – AI Project Management and Automated Admin 06:48 – What an AI Project Management Dashboard Looks Like 08:18 – Can You Vibe Code a B2B Product? 09:14 – How Vibe Coding Helps Product Development 10:17 – Why AI Products Still Need Human Design 11:22 – What Do Software Engineers Think About Vibe Coding? 12:13 – The Limits of Lovable for Production Software 13:22 – The Risks of Building on AI Platforms 15:14 – Becoming a Product Manager Without Being One 16:29 – How to Validate an AI Product Idea 18:08 – PSA vs Project Management Software 18:40 – Building a Startup While Running a Consultancy 22:02 – Why Project Management Is Becoming Delivery 23:41 – Will AI Replace Project Managers? 24:48 – People Over Process in the AI Era 26:50 – Scrum Masters vs Delivery Managers 28:04 – The Problem With Calling Everything AI 31:07 – The Reality of the UK Freelance Market and IR35 32:02 – Why Freelancers Need to Find Their Own Clients 34:36 – Could Freelancers Have Their Own Agents? 36:39 – What's Next for the Startup? 38:02 – Where to Find ARA and Gold Strategic Delivery If you work in project management, Agile, product, delivery, technology or professional services, this episode is worth a watch. Subscribe to Everyday Agile for more conversations about Agile, project management, product, technology, leadership and the reality of getting work delivered.

  4. Aug 12

    How to Build High-Performing Teams Without Micromanaging:Lou Matthews

    Agile doesn't become Agile just because you start calling things "sprints." In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Jac sits down with Lou Matthews, founder of CultureCraft, to talk about company culture, Agile, product thinking, leadership, accountability and what actually helps organisations perform better. We get into some uncomfortable questions about modern Agile and leadership: • Why your "people problem" might actually be a systems problem • Why role clarity and decision rights matter for accountability • The difference between accountability and blame • Why leaders need to model accountability themselves • What psychological safety actually looks like in practice • Why calling something a "sprint" doesn't make it Agile • How Agile terminology can become performative • What MVP actually means — and why people often misunderstand it • How to prioritise when everything feels urgent • Using effort vs impact to make better prioritisation decisions • Turning hypotheses into observations and evidence • Why employee surveys aren't the solution on their own • How growing businesses can improve their systems and leadership capability • Why leaders need to stop being too involved in the work One of the biggest themes running through the conversation is that many organisational problems are symptoms rather than root causes. What looks like a people problem can often come back to role clarity, decision-making, accountability, leadership capability or the systems surrounding the team. We also get into one of Lou's biggest Agile frustrations: the way words like "sprint" and "MVP" can be adopted without understanding the thinking and discipline behind them. ▶︎About Lou Matthews Lou Matthews is the founder of CultureCraft, helping scaling businesses build culture as an operating system for predictable performance. ▶︎Connect with Lou https://www.linkedin.com/in/lou-matthews-547654163/ https://www.culturecraft.team/ ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale.\ https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867 ▶︎Our Newsletter: https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups ▶︎Chapters 00:00 Intro: Lou Matthews on Culture, Agile & Leadership 01:14 Building High-Performing Organisations 02:24 How to Unlock Growth Through Company Culture 03:25 Why Culture Should Be Treated Like a Product 05:05 Building a Business and Scaling a Team 06:30 From HR Network to Startup Founder 07:40 What Building a Business Teaches You About Leadership 09:05 The People Problem That Isn't Really a People Problem 10:35 Role Clarity, Decision Rights & Accountability 11:02 What Does Good Product Thinking Look Like? 12:13 Why Employee Surveys Often Fail 12:57 Product Thinking, Prioritisation & Effort vs Impact 14:12 Two Things Every Growing Business Needs 14:39 Automating Your Business Systems 16:24 Building Leadership Capability in Growing Teams 17:20 Accountability vs Blame: What's the Difference? 19:21 Why Leaders Need to Model Accountability 20:36 Psychological Safety in the Workplace 22:46 The Problem With Performative Agile 23:15 Why Calling Everything a "Sprint" Doesn't Make You Agile 25:11 When Agile Becomes Just More Pressure 27:12 The Problem With Misunderstanding MVP 28:18 What Does MVP Actually Mean? 29:45 How to Prioritise When Everything Feels Urgent 30:43 What Is a Skip-Level Meeting? 31:40 Turning Hypotheses Into Evidence 32:40 Backcasting, Effort & Impact 33:00 Using EOS to Prioritise and Stay Focused 34:25 Productivity, Burnout & Running a Business 35:59 Why External Accountability Matters 37:20 Quickfire: The Most Overused Business Phrases 38:40 One Thing Leaders Should Stop Doing 39:20 How to Improve Your Company Culture 40:23 Final Thoughts

  5. Aug 7

    We Run a Consultancy Together: Contractors, Money & Business Lessons

    We're doing something different this episode, you're meeting the other half of Everyday Agile. Naomi Parry-Hughes is my co-director (and my wife). In this episode we talk about: - How Naomi went from secondary school RE teacher to co-director of an agile consultancy. - The real story of day rate negotiations with agile/scrum contractors, and why they're always awkward. - What actually determines your day rate as a contractor .(hint: it's not what other people tell you they earn) - How to approach a renegotiation conversation pragmatically. - The biggest mistakes we've made with our associate/contractor model - Why invoicing on time matters more than contractors think - The inside story of Not Another Agile Conference, and why we ran it at a loss. If you're an agile coach, scrum master, product person, or contractor working in tech consultancy, or if you're thinking about going independent — this is the honest, unfiltered version of what running a small consultancy actually looks like. ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867 ▶︎Our Newsletter: https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups ▶︎Chapters 00:00 — Running a Business With Your Wife 01:04 — Why We’re Sharing the Behind-the-Scenes of Everyday Agile 01:45 — How Naomi Became Co-Director of Everyday Agile 02:13 — From Teacher to Consultancy Co-Director 04:06 — Why Naomi Left Teaching 05:15 — The Reality of Leaving Teaching 09:59 — How Contracting Changed Our Financial Reality 13:49 — Contractors, Day Rates and Money 14:59 — How to Negotiate Contractor Day Rates 17:41 — What Consultants Actually Do Behind the Scenes 18:20 — How Consultancy Rates Are Set 19:24 — Should You Ask for a Day Rate Increase? 20:22 — Why Percentage Increases Matter 21:05 — How to Justify a Contractor Rate Increase 22:54 — Advice for Contractors Negotiating Rates 24:12 — When NOT to Ask for a Pay Rise 24:49 — Our Biggest Mistakes With Associates 26:05 — Why Contracts Matter in Consultancy 27:20 — When a Client Likes the Wrong Contractor 28:02 — Why Reliability Beats a Big LinkedIn Profile 28:58 — The Importance of Contractor Invoicing 30:30 — Contractors: Remember You’re Running a Business 32:51 — The Biggest Lesson for Contractors 33:41 — Why Culture Fit Matters 35:05 — Has Agile Content Become Too Polished? 37:08 — Behind the Scenes of Not Another Agile Conference 39:36 — An Introvert’s Experience at an Agile Conference 41:24 — Why Customer Experience Matters at Events 43:09 — Using Data and Budgets to Make Better Decisions 44:04 — Why We Don’t Make Money From the Conference 45:07 — Quick-Fire Business Questions 48:07 — What We Love About Working Together 49:37 — The Hardest Part of Having a Business Partner 50:20 — Final Thoughts

  6. Jul 29

    AI Bias, Women in Tech & Building Better Leaders: Amanda Newman

    Is AI making hiring less fair? Why are women leaving technology? And what does better leadership actually look like? In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, I sit down with Amanda Newman, one of the UK's leading advocates for women in technology. We discuss: ✅ AI bias in recruitment ✅ Why diversity of thought improves technology ✅ Leadership lessons from 30 years in tech ✅ Women in STEM and digital careers ✅ Building inclusive technology organisations ✅ The future of work in an AI-driven world ✅ Social mobility and developing future talent ✅ Why integrity matters more than ever Amanda shares stories from IBM, Shell, Accenture and her new leadership role, along with practical advice for leaders, project managers, product professionals and anyone building modern technology organisations. Whether you're a Product Manager, Delivery Manager, Agile Coach, Scrum Master, Engineering Leader or CTO, this conversation explores how better leadership creates better technology. ▶︎ Connect with Amanda. https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandanewman1/ ▶︎Our Newsletter: https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups ▶︎Conference Tickets https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867 ▶︎Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Amanda's new role driving growth across the North West 03:40 From maths student to technology leader 07:15 Building a 30-year career in technology 10:20 Why Amanda became passionate about women in tech 12:45 AI bias and why diversity matters 16:30 Diversity of thought in technology teams 17:35 Behaviours that quietly kill inclusion 20:10 Standing up for yourself in leadership 22:10 Why women are leaving tech 23:15 Preparing young people for AI 26:55 The problem with performative diversity 28:20 Should organisations measure diversity? 30:20 Hiring, CV bias and apprenticeships 32:10 Education, STEM and business partnerships 35:40 Buzzwords that should disappear 36:30 Integrity as a leadership skill 37:30 Protecting your energy as a leader 38:30 Why Amanda is optimistic about the North West 39:30 What's next for Amanda Newman 40:45 Where to connect

  7. Jul 22

    Product Leadership Secrets from a £300M Growth Expert: Sonia Lamb

    Why do so many Agile and digital transformation programmes fail?In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Jac sits down with product and delivery consultant Sonia Lamb to discuss what really holds organisations back.With more than 20 years' experience spanning Accenture, digital agencies, SaaS platforms, eCommerce, product leadership and business growth, Sonia explains why most organisations don't have a delivery problem—they have a leadership clarity problem.Topics covered include:• Why digital transformations fail• Product Management vs Delivery Management• Leadership communication• Customer-centric product thinking• Busy teams vs value delivery• Building high-performing product teams• Fractional product leadership• Business growth strategies• AI in product management• Women in technology leadershipWhether you're a Product Manager, Agile Coach, Delivery Manager, Scrum Master, Engineering Leader, CTO or Head of Product, this conversation is packed with practical advice for building teams that deliver outcomes—not just output.▶︎Connect with SoniaLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sonialamb www.linkedin.com/company/your-ecom-expertWebsite: www.yourecomexpert.co.ukInstagram: www.instagram.com/yourecomexpert▶︎ Not Another Agile Conference 2027 tickets are now available.https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Newsletter https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups▶︎Chapters 00:00 Introduction01:35 Sonia's Journey into Tech04:15 From Accenture to Digital Agencies07:20 Becoming a Fractional Product Leader09:00 Why Sonia Started Her Own Business12:10 The Biggest Challenges Organisations Face14:05 Why Delivery Teams Get Blamed16:00 How Leaders Create Clarity18:45 Accountability as a Consultant22:50 Busy Teams vs High Performing Teams24:20 Warning Signs Your Transformation Is Failing27:00 More Women in Technology Leadership29:10 AI, Careers and the Future of Work33:15 Quickfire Questions37:00 What Gives Sonia Hope?38:10 What's Next for Sonia?40:25 Where to Find Sonia

  8. Jul 15

    The Biggest Mistakes Leaders Make During Change: Masha Gaganova

    Leadership doesn't fail because people resist change. It fails because organisations measure the wrong things, chase Agile without understanding it, and overwhelm teams with constant transformation. In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, I sit down with change consultant, keynote speaker and Agile coach Masha Gaganova to discuss why modern organisations struggle with transformation, what great leaders do differently, and how teams can thrive in fast-changing environments. We discuss: Why people don't actually resist change Agile myths leaders still believe Transformation fatigue Better metrics than KPIs AI adoption inside organisations Leadership behaviours that destroy trust Building high-performing teams Change management Product thinking Psychological safety Becoming a keynote speaker Building your personal brand on LinkedIn Whether you're a Project Manager, Product Manager, Delivery Manager, Scrum Master, Agile Coach, CTO or Engineering Leader, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply immediately. 👇 Let us know in the comments: Do people resist change... or poor leadership? ▶︎Connect with Masha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/masha-gaganova/ ▶︎ Not Another Agile Conference 2027 tickets are now available. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867 ▶︎Newsletter https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:05 Meet Masha Gaganova 03:15 Why Workshops Beat Endless Meetings 05:40 What Frustrates Her About Agile 06:30 What Agile Really Means 07:20 Lessons From Corporate Life 08:40 The Biggest Career Lesson 10:50 Why Teams Measure The Wrong Things 12:05 Better Metrics Than KPIs 13:25 Leadership Behaviours That Kill Teams 15:00 Why Vulnerability Matters 17:00 Advice For Graduates & New Consultants 19:10 AI Hype & Transformation Fatigue 21:05 Signs Your Team Is Burnt Out 22:20 Is "Transformation" The Wrong Word? 24:05 Agile Myths Leaders Still Believe 26:35 An Underrated Leadership Framework 30:00 Avoiding Burnout 32:00 Becoming A Conference Speaker 36:05 Building A LinkedIn Presence 38:05 Why People Don't Resist Change 39:30 The Future Of Work 40:05 What Gives Masha Hope 42:35 Where To Find Masha

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About

The North West's number one Agile podcast https://www.linkedin.com/company/everyday-agile-ltd/

Information

  • Creator
    Everyday Agile Ltd
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    96
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Everyday Agile Ltd
  • Show Website
    The Everyday Agile Podcast

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