Becoming The Product

Naya
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Becoming the Product is an APVA-nominated podcast on work, reinvention, purpose, and building a meaningful life. Hosted by Naya Isichei, the show began as a diary documenting her leap from banking into tech. As her journey has expanded across product, incubation, and entrepreneurship, so has the show. Through honest reflections, Naya blends career, innovation, and systems thinking with faith, motherhood, rest, and stewardship. It isn’t about having it all figured out, it’s about paying attention to what our experiences teach us. Season 4: The Product Is Bigger Than the Career.

  1. 23h ago

    What Every Chapter of Your Career Gives You

    When we step through a career transition, we usually focus on what we're leaving behind or where we want to land next. We rarely pause to ask: what did this season actually give me? In this episode, Naya looks back across her non-linear chapters from banking and remote operations to product management, growth, startup incubation, and founding GigSecure. She explores why no chapter is wasted, how unexpected detours expand your range, and why reinvention doesn't mean starting your capabilities from zero. Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share your key takeaway.

    What Every Chapter of Your Career Gives You

  2. Sep 10

    Changing Your Career vs. Changing Your Operating System

    For a long time, Naya thought she needed a new career whenever she felt stuck or unfulfilled. But moving from banking to remote operations, product management, growth, and startup incubation revealed a deeper lesson: changing your job title doesn't automatically change how you operate. In this episode, Naya explores the difference between changing your career and changing your operating system, how to view your past experiences as data, and why building systems around your values is what actually creates room to live. Join the conversation and reflect on what kind of life you want your work to support.

    Changing Your Career vs. Changing Your Operating System

  3. Sep 3

    The Product Is Bigger Than the Career

    What if your career isn't the ultimate destination, but simply the sandbox where your true self is developed? After a multi-month break, Naya returns to unpack why fitting into a single professional title is a trap and how mining your past experiences across banking, remote operations, and startup incubation reveals your real core identity. Tune in to redefine success beyond your job title and learn how to align high ambition with rest, faith, and intentional stewardship. Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share your key takeaway.

    The Product Is Bigger Than the Career

  4. 11/10/2025

    You Are the Product: A New Kind of Résumé

    Not every résumé fits on paper. In this reflective episode, Naya explores how proof, process, and storytelling form the foundation of your modern résumé one that evolves with every lesson, pivot, and product you build. Because in the end, you are the product. Timestamps 00:00 – 00:30 — Introduction: “You are the product.” 00:30 – 01:00 — The story of being laid off and discovering the power of documentation. 01:00 – 02:00 — Point 1: Your proof is your portfolio. 02:00 – 02:30 — Point 2: Your process is your brand. 02:30 – 03:30 — Point 3: Your story is your strategy. 03:30 – 05:00 — Product thinking as iteration, not restarting. 05:00 – End — Closing reflections + call to action to audit your proof. Key Takeaways Your résumé isn’t a document; it’s your proof in motion. Proof builds trust faster than credentials. Your process — how you communicate, plan, and execute — is your real brand. Storytelling helps you connect your past to your next pivot. You’re not behind; you’re just iterating. Key Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Smart PM Career Roadmap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Build Without Permission – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Side Hustle Stories – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proof & Practice BundleSubscribe to the newsletterDM me on LinkedIn about PMaaS

    You Are the Product: A New Kind of Résumé

  5. 11/05/2025

    Is It Too Late to Pivot? (No.)

    This week, Naya shares her story of pivoting from banking to tech, and the three truths that helped her rebuild with clarity. If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to start again, this one’s for you. Spoiler: It’s not. You’re not behind, you’re just iterating. Timestamps: 0:00 – 1:00 — Intro: What inspired this episode and the myth of “too late.” 1:00 – 1:30 — My layoff story: From banking to blank slate. 1:30 – 2:30 — Discovering tech and realizing I’d been doing “product thinking” all along. 2:30 – 4:30 — Three truths about pivoting: redeeming your past, choosing curiosity, and building clarity through action. 4:30 – 6:00 — Encouragement for anyone feeling behind. 6:00 – End — Call to action and community invites. Key Takeaways: Your past experience is data, not detour. Curiosity can be a valid reason to change direction. Start small; clarity comes from doing. You’re not late. You’re iterating. Key Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Smart PM Career Roadmap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Build Without Permission – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Side Hustle Stories – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proof & Practice BundleSubscribe to the newsletterDM me on LinkedIn about PMaaS

    Is It Too Late to Pivot? (No.)

  6. 10/28/2025

    Branding as a PM: Less Logos, More Proof

    Summary:In this episode, Naya redefines what personal branding means for product managers and creatives. It’s not about logos or aesthetics — it’s about proof. She shares how documenting in real time, building in public, and aligning every creative outlet to a purpose has shaped her brand as a product builder. Key Takeaways: Branding = the proof you leave behind. Progress > perfection. Build a brand that functions, not just exists. Every piece of work you share is a micro-proof. Timestamps: 00:00 – 01:10 → The question: “If your brand disappeared tomorrow, what proof would remain?” 01:10 – 02:45 → Why branding isn’t design, it’s data. 02:45 – 03:20 → Early lessons from documenting in public. 03:20 – 04:15 → Proof is the new branding. 04:15 – 05:30 → Build in public: why people connect with progress. 05:30 – 05:45 → Make your brand functional. 05:45 – 06:30 → You don’t need a rebrand, you need a record. 06:30 – 07:00 → Final thoughts + CTA.

    Branding as a PM: Less Logos, More Proof

  7. 10/20/2025

    From Idea to Offering: How I Built a Service from My Skillset

    In this episode, Naya breaks down how she transformed her product management experience into structured offerings like PMaaS and Side Hustle Stories. She shares how small acts of documentation became data, how structure created clarity, and why proof always comes before scale. Key Takeaways: You don’t start by building a business — you start by building proof. Your patterns reveal your first offer. Structure creates clarity and scale. Test in public — feedback builds confidence. Your experience is your data. Timestamps 00:00 – 02:30 | The surprising start — how documentation turned into a product journey 02:30 – 05:30 | Story: From podcast reflections to building proof 05:30 – 06:00 | Point 1: Start by naming what’s working 06:00 – 06:30 | Point 2: Build structure around your skill 06:30 – 07:00 | Point 3: Show proof before you scale 07:00 – 07:45 | Wrap-up & final reminder: Proof becomes your product 07:45 – 08:30 | CTA: Newsletter, Side Hustle Stories, Dive Africa

    From Idea to Offering: How I Built a Service from My Skillset

  8. 10/13/2025

    What Founders Teach Me About Product Thinking

    In this reflective episode, Naya shares what working with startup founders taught her about real-world product thinking. Beyond frameworks and templates, founders taught her the value of clarity, prioritization, storytelling, and scrappy validation. She connects these lessons to her own journey building PMaaS and preparing for Dive 2025 — Africa’s biggest tech and product conference. Key Takeaways: Clarity is a discipline, not an end goal.Prioritize what matters now — not everything at once.Storytelling is a product strategy.Build with what you have, not what you wish you had.Validation always beats perfection. Timestamps: 00:00 – 01:10 | Founders move fast — intro to today’s topic01:10 – 03:50 | Observing early-stage founders: from chaos to clarity03:50 – 05:20 | Lesson 1: Clarity isn’t an outcome, it’s a discipline05:20 – 06:50 | Lesson 2: Prioritize what matters right now06:50 – 07:40 | Lesson 3: Storytelling as strategy07:40 – 08:00 | Lesson 4: Build with what you have08:00 – 09:00 | Lessons I’ve applied to PMaaS09:00 – 09:30 | Dive 2025 mention & reflections on community09:30 – 10:00 | Wrap-up & CTAs Key Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Smart PM Career Roadmap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Build Without Permission – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Side Hustle Stories – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proof & Practice BundleSubscribe to the newsletterDM me on LinkedIn about PMaaSThe Dive 2025

    What Founders Teach Me About Product Thinking
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About

Becoming the Product is an APVA-nominated podcast on work, reinvention, purpose, and building a meaningful life. Hosted by Naya Isichei, the show began as a diary documenting her leap from banking into tech. As her journey has expanded across product, incubation, and entrepreneurship, so has the show. Through honest reflections, Naya blends career, innovation, and systems thinking with faith, motherhood, rest, and stewardship. It isn’t about having it all figured out, it’s about paying attention to what our experiences teach us. Season 4: The Product Is Bigger Than the Career.

Information

  • Creator
    Naya
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Naya
  • Show Website
    Becoming The Product