People of Product

George Brooks
  • 4.8 (35)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Digital products power our lives, but they wouldn’t exist without the expertise and passion of real people. This podcast brings together industry experts to have conversations beyond tech, tools, and process. We’re here to talk about the ROI of empowered teams. Listen as we discuss building, leading, equipping, and inspiring product teams to create transformational change within companies. People of Product is hosted by George Brooks & Dan Linhart - the founders of Crema. www.peopleofproduct.us

  1. AUG 11

    162: The Fastest Path to Creating Value ft. Jason Houseworth

    Even the sharpest product managers can fall into the “project manager” trap. Jason Houseworth, CPO at OpenLane, believes it’s happening in the industry more than PMs care to admit. In this episode, hear Jason’s view on why people tend to get caught up in managing activities instead of creating value. We cover using AI as a collaboration partner (instead of a tool), thinking like an entrepreneur in an enterprise environment, and getting uncomfortably close to the user. A killer combo to create value for your business. Lean fully into the “value creator” mindset Jason doesn't love the title "product manager" - and he’s got good reason. He's seen too many people fall into the trap of simply managing activities. It’s ironically one of the primary reasons PMs like differentiating themselves from project managers. But how well are we doing this as an industry? “I don't want people to be a manager. I prefer just the term value creator, because that's what I expect people to pursue. I want you to create the fastest path to the most value. And what that means is you have to understand the user need you're solving for, and ultimately the value that you're creating for them.” Activity does not equal benefit or value. As Jason reminds us, product managers can get endorphins by going down the checklist, but that does not mean that what you're actually doing is creating value for the end user. 2 traps that inhibit product excellence * Letting others interpret your data - Whether it's qualitative feedback from users or quantitative insights from analytics, Jason believes product people need to get their hands dirty. "You need to be the one who is exploring the data and really pulling the thread in Domo or Mixpanel... You have to be there. You have to get your hands dirty." * Using AI as just a tool - The mistake isn't using AI, it's thinking of it as just another tool. Really unlocking AI comes from thinking about it the same way you would a teammate or a collaboration partner. Innovation = Proximity + Speed Jason thinks of innovation as being relatively simple. “If you take the people who are solving the need and you get 'em as close to the customer as possible, and then you shorten the iterations... then that, to me is really how you innovate. Because you're staying really close. You're listening and you're releasing a lot." Even in enterprise environments, Jason advocates thinking like an entrepreneur. "I strongly believe that even if you're working for a large enterprise, you've gotta think like an entrepreneur. You've gotta think small." Building psychological safety Drawing from Google's Project Aristotle research, George & Jason talk about how the perfect teams aren’t what you'd necessarily expect. "Do you think that the perfect team had the smartest people? No. And was it the overachievers? No. It was the people who were really good at reading into other people.” This goes back to building psychological safety - environments where people trust each other enough to take risks and speak up regardless of hierarchy. In an environment where people trust one another, guess what happens? You feel like you can take risks. You can raise a challenge, talk about what is or isn't gonna work, and why. What's exciting about the future Jason's most excited about the democratization of prototyping through AI. His 21-year-old son built an entire platform in six hours using AI tools, got feedback from a Reddit community, and had paying customers within weeks. Gen Z and those that follow have been born into an age with miraculous technologies, and some are seizing the opportunity to do some neat things. "To see somebody who understands how to build software, but to then be able to create something that solved a need so quickly and get feedback on it and know the parts that it's just kind of a tool that people aren't interested in... To be able to iterate like that in days because of generative AI. That's really exciting." People of Product is brought to you by Crema - a design & technology consultancy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peopleofproduct.us

    37 min

  2. JUL 30

    161: Building AI Literacy at Scale ft. Dan Williamson

    Description: Most companies jump straight to AI use cases, whereas Dan Williamson at Ryan Companies US, Inc. started with education first. Rather than chasing the bells and whistles or sexy use cases, his team focused on helping people rethink their roles and understand how this tech will change their work. Dan explains why he looks for willing business partners instead of fighting resistance, how rockstar superintendents became his best AI evangelists, and what happens when you prioritize eliminating the bane of most people's day over shiny objects. Education over bells and whistles Dan's approach to AI implementation at Ryan Companies flips the typical playbook. Instead of leading with sexy use cases, his team made an unexpected choice. "One of the biggest things we did from a strategic standpoint related to AI wasn't all the bells and whistles - which use cases are you going after, what's the sexy thing you're doing right now? It was honestly communicating and educating with our company, giving them the right education, giving them a foundational understanding in order for them to rethink about their roles and rethink about how this technology will change their work. Because it ultimately will." A three-module curriculum that he proved works Working with the University of Minnesota, Dan built a practical education framework: * Hour-long fundamentals: "Give them semantics to talk about the words, to understand and read an article better. Remove that fog, the unknown unknowns." * 90-minute hands-on: "I have this suspicion that no one takes the time for themselves unless you tell them to do it. If I were to give them an enterprise chatbot license and say 'go take 90 minutes and tinker,' they're not going to protect that time. So we protect that time for them." * Design thinking workshop: "We've given individuals a new toolset and new language to think about innovation, but we haven't taught them how to innovate and change." Finding willing partners, not fighting resistance Dan's change management philosophy is refreshingly honest: "I truly look for partners in the business who are willing to come on that journey. There are areas where there's been resistance, and that's just maybe not where we started. That doesn't mean we won't get there, but we're trying to prioritize the partners at Ryan who are really willing to go on the journey with us." His approach involves getting on job sites: "We've tried to engage and empathize with our business partners as much as possible—getting on the job site, having them tell us their problems, listening really intently and coming at those problems with a different perspective." The best ambassadors aren't who you think "The best sellers of those ideas in domains where I'm not the expert—if I have our rockstar superintendents going out and selling the use cases we have, that's going to be a huge win. I hope it's them finding the value and driving that narrative more than I am." TLDR: Start with people, not technology Dan's approach proves that successful AI transformation requires treating it as a human challenge first, technical challenge second. Key lessons: * Education beats evangelism - Build foundational understanding before pushing use cases * Find willing partners - Work with early adopters rather than fighting resistance * Create internal champions - Your best evangelists are domain experts, not tech teams * Protect learning time - People won't make time for AI exploration unless you structure it. People of Product is brought to you by Crema - a design & technology consultancy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peopleofproduct.us

    44 min

  3. JUL 11

    160: The Product Sense Advantage ft. Julia Kanter

    Description: Designers are coding, engineers are writing specs, and product managers are prototyping with tools that didn't exist 3 months ago. Julia Kanter, Senior Director of Product at Zillow, has watched her team's roles become more pixelated as the tectonic plates beneath the product landscape keep shifting. She explains why the need for product sense has become more acute when everyone can do a bit of everything. And why approaching this moment with curiosity, agency, and humility might be the smartest move of all. The new reality of product teams Julia's perspective comes from leading AI and experience teams at Zillow, where she's witnessed firsthand how rapidly evolving tools are reshaping what it means to build products. The traditional boundaries between roles are blurring in ways that require teams to develop new patterns of collaboration. "I think across tech it's clear that our roles are becoming more pixelated," Julia explains. "An engineer can be product minded or spin up their own spec, and a designer can code. That is great, but it does require practice in how to do that day to day and redefining your way of working with your partners." When everyone can prototype, what happens? The democratization of building tools has created unprecedented opportunities for rapid experimentation. Julia describes building a prototype at 40,000 feet during a flight, responding to feedback she'd received from real estate agents earlier that day. This kind of immediate iteration would have been impossible just a few years ago. But this accessibility comes with a caveat. While anyone can create a demo or proof of concept, getting something to production quality remains a significant challenge. The gap between "it works in the demo" and "it works reliably for thousands of users" is where product sense becomes crucial. The 3 work postures that still matter * Asking good questions - Good judgment starts with good questions! Stay curious. * Exercising judgment - When you can spin up a deep research report in a matter of minutes, discernment becomes imperative. What can be trusted? What should you use? What should you ignore entirely? * Taking agency - The tools are there, but they require someone willing to dive in without waiting for permission. High agency product people are experimenting, learning, and iterating faster than they ever have. 2026 predictions Julia predicts 2025 will be "the year of messy AI tech" where everyone is piloting and experimenting, with 2026 being when things start falling into place. This mirrors the pattern we saw with multimodal AI exploration in 2023 and broader implementation in 2024. For product teams, this means the current period is about building muscle memory around new tools and workflows rather than expecting immediate perfection. This is the worst that AI tools will ever be! TLDR; Having product sense is the differentiator When everyone has access to powerful building tools, the ability to know what to build becomes the key differentiator. Product sense - that combination of customer empathy, business understanding, and strategic thinking - becomes more acute when the barriers to creating are lower. The message is clear! Embrace the fluidity, be ready to develop new collaborative processes, and remember that all the tools in the world can't replace good judgment about what customers actually want. People of Product is brought to you by Crema - a design & technology consultancy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peopleofproduct.us

    42 min

  4. MAR 10

    159: Build What Matters and Ignore the Rest ft. Mark Vanderweide

    Prioritization is one of the hardest parts of product management — and most teams are getting it wrong. They’re chasing the loudest voices instead of real impact. They’re getting distracted by shiny objects like AI. They fail to solve incongruencies between various areas of their organizations before executing.Mark Vanderweide, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Bungii, has seen this play out across startups, enterprise organizations, and M&A deals. In this episode, he breaks down how great product leaders fight the noise, focus on real value, and align teams before things spiral out of control. Additional topics include: * the difference between buyers and users and why it matters * key takeaways from Mark’s experience in product management in different company sizes * how to navigate the challenge of aligning newly acquired teams and leadership * managing competing interests from sales, ops, engineering, and leadership * AI hype vs. practical use cases * what separates high-performing product teams from dysfunctional ones People of Product is brought to you by Crema - Get the most out of your existing product teams. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peopleofproduct.us

    46 min

  5. FEB 24

    158: How to Read the Data Like a Story and Make Smarter Moves ft. Nate Juraschek

    Nate Juraschek, Head of Product at Telarus, has spent 20+ years navigating the highs and lows of product leadership—from Sprint and H&R Block to fast-moving startups. Along the way, he’s learned one truth: data is only as good as the story you tell with it.Topics covered in this episode include: * How to use data as a guide when following gut instincts * Why curiosity is the secret weapon of great product leaders * The most powerful (and underrated) analytics tools to start using today * How a background in filmmaking prepared Nate for the world of building digital products * How AI is changing the way we track, analyze, and act on product data Whether you’re in product, UX, or tech leadership, this conversation is rich in insights to help you make more confident decisions. Watch the full episode on YouTube This episode is brought to you by Crema - Get the most out of your existing product teams. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peopleofproduct.us

    39 min

  6. FEB 3

    157: No Clear Path Into Product ft. MoneyLion's Pat McLoughlin

    Pat McLoughlin is the Director of Product at MoneyLion and former founder and CEO of Digs, a fintech platform for residential real estate. Digs provides tools that help renters save for their first home and homeowners maximize wealth while working with real estate agents and mortgage lenders. In this episode, Pat tells the story of how Digs came to be, and how he pivoted from pursuing architecture as a career to following a new interest in real estate, fintech, and educating first-time homebuyers when they needed it most. He takes us through the challenges and successes of scaling, fundraising, and eventually exiting through an acquisition.Additional topics: * Transitioning to a for-profit model * Building the Digs team * Navigating COVID and fundraising uncertainty * Team dynamics and scaling * Joining MoneyLion and building influence in a new organization Join the conversation! 👇🏼What unexpected skills or experiences from your past have shaped the way you approach challenges today, and how might hidden lessons from your own journey fuel future innovation? People of Product is brought to you by Crema - Get the most out of your existing product teams. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peopleofproduct.us

    46 min
  7. 156: How to Build an Innovation-Driven Culture (and Actually Make It Stick) ft. Alicia Lopez

    12/02/2024

    156: How to Build an Innovation-Driven Culture (and Actually Make It Stick) ft. Alicia Lopez

    Alicia Lopez, Chief Innovation Officer at Flatiron Corp, is an innovation enthusiast with a rich background in civil engineering and over 25 years of experience in the construction industry. Originally from Spain, Alicia has worked globally—from India to the Middle East—bringing a holistic approach to innovation. In this week’s episode, Alicia shares her insights on building a culture of innovation, aligning it with company goals, and emphasizing the strategic importance of fostering collaboration across departments. Topics covered: * defining innovation in the workplace * fostering a culture of innovation * AI and digital twins * challenges and future of innovation * the role of change management in innovation This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peopleofproduct.us

    34 min
  8. 155: The Hype and Reality of AI Solutions in AEC ft. Tannis Liviniuk

    11/18/2024

    155: The Hype and Reality of AI Solutions in AEC ft. Tannis Liviniuk

    Tannis Liviniuk is the Digital Advancement Executive at Zachry Group and has a background in industrial construction, working on an array of different projects from greenfield and brownfield to shutdowns, freeze-ups, and fire rebuilds. In this week’s episode, we dive into the challenges of user adoption of new tools, the importance of understanding the end user, and the ethical questions surrounding AI. Other topics covered include: * the role of AI in data management * the ethics of AI and technology resistance * effective engagement with tech companies * building strong relationships in tech This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peopleofproduct.us

    50 min
See All (173)

4.8
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Digital products power our lives, but they wouldn’t exist without the expertise and passion of real people. This podcast brings together industry experts to have conversations beyond tech, tools, and process. We’re here to talk about the ROI of empowered teams. Listen as we discuss building, leading, equipping, and inspiring product teams to create transformational change within companies. People of Product is hosted by George Brooks & Dan Linhart - the founders of Crema. www.peopleofproduct.us

Information

  • Creator
    George Brooks
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    173
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © George Brooks
  • Show Website
    People of Product

You Might Also Like