Unsolicited Feedback

Brian Balfour & Fareed Mosavat
Podcast Unsolicited Feedback

Tired of interview podcasts? Us too. That's why we created Unsolicited Feedback - the podcast that should have come out 5 years ago, but we're making it anyway. In this podcast, Brian Balfour (Reforge, HubSpot), Fareed Mosavat (Reforge, Slack) and friends provide unfiltered feedback on the products they actually use, along with key product lessons. Essentially, we're taking the conversations that happen between experts at invite-only happy-hours and delivering them to the podcast platform of your choice. Although no one asked for their opinions, they're sharing them. It's like eating Goodles when you want Kraft Mac n Cheese, or Olipop when you want Pepsi - it feels wrong, yet so right. Each week, they analyze recent announcements, features, and releases across product and growth. The hosts make predictions about where Threads and Twitter will be in a year, and analyze unparalleled growth loops at LinkedIn. They give respect where it's due, but also deliver tear-downs when the writing’s on the wall. Sorry, not sorry!

  1. 27/06

    ref:AI x Unsolicited Feedback Presents Strategies To Beat The AI S-Curve w/ Andrew Chen

    AI Innovations & Growth Strategies with Andrew Chen | Unsolicited Feedback Live This is a special live episode of Unsolicited Feedback, as part of Reforge's ref:AI conference. Join Fareed Mosavat as he welcomes Andrew Chen from Andreessen Horowitz for an engaging discussion on AI's impact on product growth and innovation. This episode covers the significance of the S curve in technology adoption, the challenges and opportunities arising from rapid AI advancements, and what it means for startups and established companies alike. Andrew shares insights on how to differentiate in a competitive landscape, the evolving role of AI in various industries, and strategic approaches for maintaining relevance. Whether you're a product manager, designer, or tech enthusiast, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge to help you navigate the AI revolution. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this conversation at https://www.reforge.com/blog/strategies-to-beat-the-ai-s-curve Check out more from Unsolicited Feedback! https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/  00:00 Welcome  04:13 Understanding the S Curve 08:35 The Novelty Phase of AI Products 12:26 Challenges and Strategies in AI Product Development 23:19 The Future of AI and Product Innovation 27:44 Platform Shifts and AI Paradigms Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/

    54 min
  2. 18/06

    Real-Time Feedback: Apple's WWDC 2024 w/ Aaron White & Fareed Mosavat

    Real-Time Feedback: Apple's WWDC 2024 w/ Aaron White & Fareed Mosavat In this Real-Time Feedback Episode, Fareed Mosavat and AI thought-leader Aaron White unpack Apple's strategic moves announced during WWDC, focusing on their approach to AI, their hardware ecosystem, and their long-term vision. We analyze Apple's iterative process, their integration of machine learning and AI, the implications of Apple intelligence, and the unmet potential of the Apple Vision Pro. We also revisited how Apple stacks up against its competitors, contrasting its strategies with those of Google and Microsoft. There's a lot to unpack. We hope you enjoy! Show Notes:  Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! Next week, we're excited for ref:AI, a full-day virtual conference delving into all things AI, featuring a special episode of Unsolicited Feedback with the legendary Andrew Chen. Secure your spot now as spaces are limited. Register here today. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Introduction  00:40 Apple's Strategy and Market Position 05:23 Apple Watch and Health Ecosystem 12:58 Siri and Voice Interface Challenges 23:17 Apple's Vision for AI and Machine Learning 31:38 Apple's Strategic Integration of GPT and Siri 35:16 The Apple Ecosystem and User Experience 39:25 The Future of Apple Intelligence and Hardware 47:19 Apple's Approach to AI and Competitor Comparison 58:32 Advice for AI Startups in the Apple Ecosystem Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/

    1 h 5 min
  3. The Future of AI in Marketing, Growth & Content

    6/06

    The Future of AI in Marketing, Growth & Content

    The Future of AI in Marketing, Growth & Content: Season 2 Finale (Part 2) w/ Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, Joff Redfern, and Fareed Mosavat In part two of the Unsolicited Feedback Season 2 Finale, Brian Balfour, Joff Redfern, Ravi Mehta, and Fareed Mosavat return to discuss the challenges associated with marketing in the face of declining search trends. They also explore the growing significance of content licensing deals and contemplate the future as AI models become commoditized and our interactions with them (and expectations of them) evolve. Show Notes:  Fareed mentioned that Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! He also mentioned our free AI festival, ref:AI, a full-day virtual conference delving into all things AI, featuring a special episode of Unsolicited Feedback with the legendary Andrew Chen. Secure your spot now as spaces are limited. Register here today. And, last but not least, Rupa Chaturvedi & Polly Allen (renowned industry experts with expertise in Generative AI from Amazon’s Alexa, Google and Uber) are teaching Generative AI Products: How to get from Idea to MVP for the 3rd time starting on June 14. It's a 3-week course designed to get you started on your journey of leading AI initiatives and projects that involve Generative AI. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Season Finale Introduction (Part 2) 02:20 Decline of the S-Curve 07:10 SEO Unknowns 11:15 Modality Changes 13:05 Trouble Monetizing Traffic 14:15 Confusion Around Copyright Law 16:05 Licensing Content & Revenue Issues 17:30 LLMs In The Gray Area 19:08 Content As Supply for Generative Models 22:17 Hot Takes 22:40 AI Value Is Not In Foundational Models 24:42 AI Chatbots Are A Phase 27:56 What We Thought AI Would Be Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/

    31 min
  4. Key Takeaways from H1 2024 (Part 1) w/ Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, Joff Redfern, and Fareed Mosavat

    4/06

    Key Takeaways from H1 2024 (Part 1) w/ Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, Joff Redfern, and Fareed Mosavat

    Key Takeaways from H1 2024: Reflecting on Hardware, Unstructured Data, and the Future of Product Management In the season 2 finale of 'Unsolicited Feedback,' co-hosts Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, and Joff Redfern join Fareed Mosavat to reflect on the most compelling topics of the season. They start with discussions on how trends diverge between hardware and software markets, and the distinctions between luxury and premium products. The episode takes a deep dive into AI's role in revolutionizing unstructured data and its far-reaching effects on product management. Touching on methodology changes, the hosts contemplate how AI might transform the software development life cycle and what it means for the future roles of product managers, designers, and engineers, giving some Unsolicited Feedback to our friend Lenny Rachitsky along the way. Show Notes: Fareed mentioned that Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! He also mentioned our free AI festival, ref:AI, a full-day virtual conference delving into all things AI, featuring a special episode of Unsolicited Feedback with the legendary Andrew Chen. Secure your spot now as spaces are limited. Register here today. And, last but not least, Rupa Chaturvedi & Polly Allen (renowned industry experts with expertise in Generative AI from Amazon’s Alexa, Google and Uber) are teaching Generative AI Products: How to get from Idea to MVP for the 3rd time starting on June 14. It's a 3-week course designed to get you started on your journey of leading AI initiatives and projects that involve Generative AI. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Season Finale Introduction 03:50 Luxury in Software and Physical Goods 18:16 AI's Impact on Product Management 30:29 AI vs Human Intuition in Strategy 38:11 The Role of AI in Communication and Empathy 41:19 Revolutionizing the Software Development Life Cycle 52:25 The Rise of Full-Stack Product Leaders Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/

    1 h 5 min
  5. 30/05

    Microsoft’s Game-Changing Releases: Is Windows Poised to Dominate the AI Era? w/ Kurt Schrader

    Microsoft’s Game-Changing Releases: Is Windows Poised to Dominate the AI Era? w/ Kurt Schrader In this episode of 'Unsolicited Feedback,' host Fareed Mosavat and guest Kurt Schrader, CEO and founder of Shortcut, dive into Microsoft's latest AI announcements, including the Copilot+ PC initiative and Windows Recall. We explore the potential impact of these innovations on the consumer market and reflect on how Apple should respond at the upcoming WWDC. We also debate the strategic strengths and weaknesses of both tech giants in the evolving AI landscape.  Before we dive in, Fareed mentioned in the podcast that Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! Install it for free today and elevate your work with Reforge experts by your side. Join us for refAI, a full-day virtual conference delving into all things AI, featuring a special episode of Unsolicited Feedback with the legendary Andrew Chen. Secure your spot now as spaces are limited. Register here today. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Introduction 01:11 Microsoft's Big AI Announcements 04:46 Microsoft's AI-Powered Future 07:00 Copilot Plus PCs: A Full Stack Experience 17:59 Windows Recall: A Game Changer? 21:06 The Future of AI and Privacy 25:41 Speculations on Apple's Upcoming Surprises 27:34 Microsoft's Strategic Moves and Apple's Response 29:41 Apple's Potential AI and Voice Integration 31:30 The Developer Ecosystem: Microsoft vs. Apple 35:45 Hopes and Predictions for WWDC

    46 min
  6. 28/05

    Sonos' Redesign Debacle: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Product Upgrades w/ Kurt Schrader

    Sonos' Redesign Debacle: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Product Upgrades w/ Kurt Schrader Join host Fareed Mosavat on 'Unsolicited Feedback' as he delves into the latest Sonos app controversy with guest Kurt Schrader, CEO and founder of Shortcut, a platform that helps product and engineering teams unify to build collaboratively. This episode covers the major issues faced by Sonos power users, strategies for effective feature deprecation, the risks of big product redesigns, and how to manage user feedback and trust. Additionally, the episode touches on strategic pre-mortems, real-world scenarios from Slack and Shortcut, and insights into balancing innovation with user experience. Before we dive in, Fareed mentioned in the podcast that Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! Install it for free today and elevate your work with Reforge experts by your side. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Introduction 01:44 Diving Into the Sonos App Update Controversy 05:16 The Challenges of Redesigning with Power Users in Mind 15:49 Learning from Slack's IRC Gateway Deprecation 18:26 Strategies for Managing Feature Deprecation and User Transition 24:31 Navigating the Challenges of Product Redesigns 26:18 Evaluating Redesign Feedback: Timing and Approach 28:50 The Pre-Mortem Strategy: Anticipating User Feedback 34:00 The Lock-In Factor: Navigating Customer Loyalty and Alternatives 37:33 Innovating in a Market Dominated by Incumbents

    46 min
  7. Evaluating AI Models, Unlocking Unstructured Data, and Achieving Reliability w/ Ben Kus

    23/05

    Evaluating AI Models, Unlocking Unstructured Data, and Achieving Reliability w/ Ben Kus

    Evaluating AI Models, Unlocking Unstructured Data, and Achieving Reliability w/ Ben Kus Today on "Unsolicited Feedback," Fareed Mosavat dives deep into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence with tech expert and Box CTO, Ben Kus. As AI continues to reshape industries, understanding its core mechanisms and potential applications has never been more critical. Ben sheds light on how AI can enhance productivity and decision-making within organizations while also sharing technical strategies he’s implemented to ensure reliability for Box’s enterprise customers. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Introduction 02:19 Rapid Fire Advice for AI Product and Technology Teams 05:25 Understanding and Navigating the World of AI Models 08:21 The Challenges of AI Change Management and Model Selection 14:29 Evaluating AI Quality and Performance in the Enterprise 25:23 Unstructured Data: The Next Frontier for AI 29:15 The Future of AI in Structuring Unstructured Data 43:55 Exploring the Potential of AI Agents and User Experience Thank you for listening to Unsolicited Feedback! Don’t forget to hit subscribe on the podcast network of your choice: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unsolicited-feedback/id1706701340 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FzVEIBamWnExyJpJ2LCwF And sign up for our mailing list at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and tell a friend about the podcast!

    53 min

Sobre

Tired of interview podcasts? Us too. That's why we created Unsolicited Feedback - the podcast that should have come out 5 years ago, but we're making it anyway. In this podcast, Brian Balfour (Reforge, HubSpot), Fareed Mosavat (Reforge, Slack) and friends provide unfiltered feedback on the products they actually use, along with key product lessons. Essentially, we're taking the conversations that happen between experts at invite-only happy-hours and delivering them to the podcast platform of your choice. Although no one asked for their opinions, they're sharing them. It's like eating Goodles when you want Kraft Mac n Cheese, or Olipop when you want Pepsi - it feels wrong, yet so right. Each week, they analyze recent announcements, features, and releases across product and growth. The hosts make predictions about where Threads and Twitter will be in a year, and analyze unparalleled growth loops at LinkedIn. They give respect where it's due, but also deliver tear-downs when the writing’s on the wall. Sorry, not sorry!

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