Product People Podcast

In this episode with Janis Bode (Managing Director & VP Product and Technology Operations at N26), we unpack what it takes to lead product at the VP level: adapting communication styles to different stakeholders, using OKRs as alignment tools (not busywork), and why “stating the basics” builds clarity and trust. We explore how a consulting background shapes leadership—structured problem-solving, crisp narratives, and fluency in the executive team’s lingo—and how to quickly map how your org “ticks.” Janis shares his wide experience — from consulting to leadership —and how he solved one of the most difficult projects of his career. About us:Product People is the premier destination for Product Management services in Europe. We cover parental leaves, discover/deliver great products, and accelerate transformation by acting as bar-raising pacesetters. Our in-house recruitment process has a 0.5% acceptance rate.We empower our Product community of 60,000 members to share knowledge generously whilst managing the unglamorous hands-on work of a Product/Program Manager or Product Ops, on an interim/fractional basis (3-12 months). We onboard fast, align teams, and deliver outcomes.Selected clients include eBay, DeepL, and the World Health Organization.Join us here too:🤩 Community Chat on Telegram📆 Upcoming events on MeetUp🎥 Talk Recordings on YouTube📌 Updates and Product Opportunities LinkedIn📍 Our In-Person Events in lu.ma This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getproductpeople.substack.com

In the world of digital products, customer acquisition is the lifeblood of success. But what if your strategy is built on a shaky foundation? In this episode, we sit down with Björn Darko, Director of Product Management - SEO at AVIV Group, to challenge the conventional wisdom. We'll explore why thinking about SEO as a mere marketing add-on is a critical mistake. Björn shares his insights on how to embed SEO directly into your product development process, turning your digital product into a powerful, self-sustaining customer acquisition engine. Tune in to learn how a shift in mindset can lead to lower acquisition costs, higher-quality traffic, and long-term business growth.About us:Product People is the premier destination for Product Management services in Europe. We cover parental leaves, discover/deliver great products, and accelerate transformation by acting as bar-raising pacesetters. Our in-house recruitment process has a 0.5% acceptance rate.We empower our Product community of 60,000 members to share knowledge generously whilst managing the unglamorous hands-on work of a Product/Program Manager or Product Ops, on an interim/fractional basis (3-12 months). We onboard fast, align teams, and deliver outcomes.Selected clients include eBay, DeepL, and the World Health Organization.Join us here too:🤩 Community Chat on Telegram📆 Upcoming events on MeetUp🎥 Talk Recordings on YouTube📌 Updates and Product Opportunities LinkedIn📍 Our In-Person Events in lu.ma This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getproductpeople.substack.com

Are you ready for the second part of the Podcast episode with Itamar Gilad?Itamar has been in the Product Management game for +15 years. He has worked for Google and Microsoft, and now he is an author, keynote speaker, and coach, sharing his broad knowledge of our field.In this second part of the full interview, we dive deeper into the Confidence Meter, the framework Itamar has created to help PMs make decisions based on data.About us:Product People is a Product Management community and Interim Product Management services. Our mission is to help companies discover and deliver great products faster. We empower Europe's Product Management community to share knowledge generously for free. We earn money with Interim product management services for parent leaves or when hiring is slow. We manage the unglamorous hands-on work of a Product Manager/Owner, Product Ops, or Product Leader on an interim basis (3+ months). We onboard fast, align teams, and deliver outcomes.Join us here too:🤩 Community Chat on Telegram📆 Upcoming events on MeetUp🎥 Talk Recordings on YouTube📌 Updates and Product Opportunities LinkedIn📍 Our In-Person Events in lu.ma This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getproductpeople.substack.com

It is time to uncover one of the best interviews we did this season at the Product People Podcast: the one with Itamar Gilad. Itamar has been in the Product Management game for +15 years. He has worked for Google and Microsoft, and now he is an author, keynote speaker, and coach, sharing his broad knowledge of our field.In this first part of the full interview, we go through his background and dive into the Confidence Meter, the framework he created to help PMs make decisions based on data. About us:Product People is a Product Management community and Interim Product Management services. Our mission is to help companies discover and deliver great products faster. We empower Europe's Product Management community to share knowledge generously for free. We earn money with Interim product management services for parent leaves or when hiring is slow. We manage the unglamorous hands-on work of a Product Manager/Owner, Product Ops, or Product Leader on an interim basis (3+ months). We onboard fast, align teams, and deliver outcomes.Join us here too:🤩 Community Chat on Telegram📆 Upcoming events on MeetUp🎥 Talk Recordings on YouTube📌 Updates and Product Opportunities LinkedIn📍 Our In-Person Events in lu.ma This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getproductpeople.substack.com

What are the possible implications of AI in Product Management? How can PMs leverage this new tool? Is AI going to replace us?Since the launch of ChatGPT in December 2022, AI has been in everyone’s mouth. Not only in Product Management, but also when it comes to Engineering, Marketing, and Sales, to name a few. In this episode, we dive deep into it with Florin Ciontu, Senior VP of Product at Stepstone. Florin has 10+ years of experience in Product, with a background in Engineering, he’s an expert in delivering growth at scale through a combination of business acumen, product vision, and execution.About us:Product People is a Product Management community and Interim Product Management services. Our mission is to help companies discover and deliver great products faster. We empower Europe's Product Management community to share knowledge generously for free. We earn money with Interim product management services for parent leaves or when hiring is slow. We manage the unglamorous hands-on work of a Product Manager/Owner, Product Ops, or Product Leader on an interim basis (3+ months). We onboard fast, align teams, and deliver outcomes.Join us here too:🤩 Community Chat on Telegram📆 Upcoming events on MeetUp🎥 Talk Recordings on YouTube📌 Updates and Product Opportunities LinkedIn📍 Our In-Person Events in lu.ma This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit getproductpeople.substack.com